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News ArticleNew advice on how to treat coronavirus has been issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as it also begins a wide-reaching study into the effects of so-called "long COVID". For COVID-19 patients at home, WHO is now suggesting the use of a pulse oximetry machine to measure oxygen levels in the blood - but warns that this should only be done after full patient education and with medical follow-up support if necessary. For hospitalised patients, WHO is recommending the use of low-dose anticoagulants to prevent clots forming in blood vessels, known as thrombosis. And for sufferers who are already using supplemental oxygen, the organisation is officially endorsing the positioning of patients on their stomachs to increase oxygen flow. This is known as "awake prone positioning". The new guidelines also include a recommendation that healthcare professionals favour "clinical judgement over models" in making decisions for individual patients. Read full story Source: Sky News, 26 January 2021
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News Article
Discover the new technology managing cancer symptoms for patients
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
In a new trial, cancer patients across the UK have been using the eRAPID technology system to help them manage their cancer symptoms. The system has been developed by the University of Leeds, and this is the first trial to offer automated advice to early-stage patients whose treatment aims to cure cancer. Hundreds of early-stage colorectal, breast, or gynaecological cancer patients took part in the trial which used computer algorithms to help manage their symptoms and improve their wellbeing. They were able to report online symptoms from home and receive instant advice on whether to self-manage or seek medical attention. Cancer can cause a range of different symptoms for patients living with the disease, as well as from the side effects of treatments such as chemotherapy, which are sometimes life-threatening and all of which lower a patients’ quality of life. Better monitoring and management of these symptoms can help in improving treatment delivery and reducing patients’ physical distress. All patients in the trial received their usual care, with 256 receiving the eRAPID system as additional care. The patients reported better symptom control and physical wellbeing in the early weeks of treatment, with the system preventing symptom deterioration in about 9% of patients after 12 weeks. Dr Kate Absolom, University Academic Fellow in the Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James’s and the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences at the University of Leeds, said: “The encouraging results from this study will help pave the way for future development and refinement of these interventions in broader cancer settings. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need and speeded a shift towards technology-enabled care, so these study results are very timely.” Programme lead Professor Galina Velikova, at the Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James’s, University of Leeds, and the Leeds Cancer Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Rising numbers of cancer patients are receiving a range of anti-cancer treatments which means patients are living longer and require longer periods of care and monitoring. “Remote online monitoring options have the potential to be a patient-centred, safe, and effective approach to support patients during cancer treatment and manage the growing clinical workload for cancer care.” Read full story Source: Health Europa, 11 January 2021 -
News ArticleA new state of the art institute for antimicrobial research is to open at Oxford University thanks to a £100 million donation from Ineos. Ineos, one of the world’s largest manufacturing companies, and the University of Oxford are launching a new world-leading institute to combat the growing global issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which currently causes an estimated 1.5 million excess deaths each year- and could cause over 10m deaths per year by 2050. Predicted to also create a global economic toll of $100 trillion by mid-century, it is arguably the greatest economic and healthcare challenge facing the world post-Covid. It is bacterial resistance, caused by overuse and misuse of antibiotics, which arguably poses the broadest threat to global populations. The world is fast running out of effective antibiotics as bacteria evolve to develop resistance to our taken-for-granted treatments. Without urgent collaborative action to prevent common microbes becoming multi-drug resistant (commonly known as ‘superbugs’), we could return to a world where taken-for-granted treatments such as chemotherapy and hip replacements could become too risky, childbirth becomes extremely dangerous, and even a basic scratch could kill. The rapid progression of antibacterial resistance is a natural process, exacerbated by significant overuse and misuse of antibiotics not only in human populations but especially in agriculture. Meanwhile, the field of new drug discovery has attracted insufficient scientific interest and funding in recent decades meaning no new antibiotics have been successfully developed since the 1980s. Alongside its drug discovery work, the IOI intends to partner with other global leaders in the field of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) to raise awareness and promote responsible use of antimicrobial drugs. The academic team will contribute to research on the type and extent of drug resistant microbes across the world, and critically, will seek to attract and train the brightest minds in science to tackle this ‘silent pandemic’. Read full story Source: University of Oxford, 19 January 2021
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News Article
Trusts told to treat more COVID-19 patients at home
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Hospitals should ramp up their treatment of COVID-19 patients at home to free up more beds during the peak of the pandemic, under plans announced by NHS England/Improvement. All NHS trusts will receive up to 300 oximeters, which measure oxygen saturation levels and can be used to monitor COVID-19 patients in their own homes, rather than in hospital beds. NHSE has “recommended” that all areas of England “pursue immediate roll-out” given the “intense pressure on hospital beds right now”, according to a letter from medical director Steve Powis and two other national directors. Currently, nearly 60 trusts have COVID-19 patients in at least a third or more of their beds, and the total number of COVID-19 patients is peaking at around 37,000. There have been particular strains on hospital discharge, particularly of covid patients, whom many care homes are unable or unwilling to receive. The scheme, dubbed “covid virtual wards”, has been used at some trusts since the pandemic’s first wave. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 19 January 2021 -
News Article
Large trial of new covid treatment begins in UK
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A large-scale trial of a new treatment it is hoped will help stop COVID-19 patients from developing severe illness has begun in the UK. The first patient received the treatment at Hull Royal Infirmary on Tuesday afternoon. It involves inhaling a protein called interferon beta which the body produces when it gets a viral infection. The hope is it will stimulate the immune system, priming cells to be ready to fight off viruses. Early findings suggested the treatment cut the odds of a COVID-19 patient in hospital developing severe disease - such as requiring ventilation - by almost 80%. It was developed at Southampton University Hospital and is being produced by the Southampton-based biotech company, Synairgen. Read full story Source: BBC News, 13 January 2021 -
News ArticleMore than 1,000 people needing urgent cancer surgery in London have no date for their treatment, HSJ can reveal. A document leaked to HSJ showed that, at the end of last week, more than 1,000 of London’s cancer surgery patients without an appointment date were defined as P2 (priority two), meaning they needed to be seen within four weeks or risk their condition worsening. The report seen by HSJ also showed more than 300 P2 patients had their surgery postponed in the past week, a statistic NHS England London has so far refused to disclose. Hospitals in the capital are facing their highest-ever COVID-19 occupancy rates, with surgical lists at many trusts being cancelled. Meanwhile, a separate NHSE London document reported in the press this week revealed: “Most NHS Green sites [those cancer surgery sites intended to be covid-free to avoid risk to very frail patients] are now compromised with only a limited number of cases being undertaken in NHS sites this week”. The papers also said the current plans to increase indepedent sector capacity usage were “insufficient to offset the NHS shortfall”, and noted there was a two week lead-in time to move patients into private hospitals “based on clinical rotas, theatre bookings, [and] patient isolation”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 12 January 2021
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News ArticleOne in 10 posts for consultant psychiatrists in England are vacant with growing waiting times for people needing mental health treatment, experts have warned. A census of the current situations across England by the Royal College of Psychiatrists has found there is just one psychiatrist for every 12,567 people in England. Health service bosses at NHS England have acknowledged there are an estimated 1.5 million people who are waiting for mental health support amid fears the situation will worsen as the effects of the Covid pandemic become clear. This is on top of the 5.6 million patients waiting for routine operations and treatments for physical illness. The Royal College said there was a shortage of 568 empty consultant posts in the NHS out of a total of 5,367 which it said meant patients would have to wait longer for treatment. In total there are 4,500 full time consultants working in the NHS. The highest rates of unfilled positions are in the fields of addiction, eating disorders and child and adolescent psychiatry. Read full story Source: The Independent, 6 October 2021
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News ArticleThe first new sickle-cell treatment in 20 years will help keep thousands of people out of hospital over the next three years, NHS England has said. Sickle-cell disease is incurable and affects 15,000 people in the UK. And the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said the hope of reducing health inequalities for black people, who are predominantly affected and often have poorer health to start with, made the drug worth recommending. It called it "an innovative treatment". Read full story Source: BBC News, 5 October 2021
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News Article
Cancer backlog could take a decade to clear
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
It could take more than a decade to clear the cancer-treatment backlog in England, a report suggests. Research by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) estimated 19,500 people who should have been diagnosed had not been, because of missed referrals. If hospitals could achieve a 5% increase in the number of treatments over pre-pandemic levels, it would take until 2033 to clear the backlog. However, if 15% more could be completed, backlogs could be cleared by next year. Between March 2020 and February 2021, the number of referrals to see a specialist dropped by nearly 370,000 on the year before, a fall of 15%. Behind these figures are thousands of people for whom it will now be too late to cure their cancer, the report, with the CF health consultancy, warns. And it estimates the proportion of cancers diagnosed while they are still highly curable - classed as stage one and two - has fallen from 44% before to pandemic to 41%. IPPR research fellow Dr Parth Patel said: "The pandemic has severely disrupted cancer services in England, undoing years of progress in improving cancer survival rates. "Now, the health service faces an enormous backlog of care, that threatens to disrupt services for well over a decade. We know every delay poses risks to patients' chances of survival." Read full story Source: BBC News, 24 September 2021 -
News ArticleA major acute trust in the East Midlands has been forced to restrict how much chemotherapy it is able to offer due to staff shortages. Nottingham University Hospitals Trust confirmed in a statement its chemotherapy service has been affected by long-term staff sickness and staff vacancies. A trust spokeswoman said: “We continue to provide chemotherapy to patients who benefit most from the treatment and the small number of patients affected have been contacted directly by their specialist cancer team and offered support.” She added: “We are recruiting to posts as well as working with neighbouring NHS and private providers to ensure that any delays are minimal.” The trust added all its patient care decisions adhered to national guidance aimed at helping chemotherapy centres categorise and prioritise treatments when these situations arise. The Nottingham Post first reported the difficulties facing the trust, suggesting the restrictions would specifically affect palliative care patients who receive chemotherapy at NUH’s City Hospital site. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 23 September 2021
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News Article
New Naloxone campaign tries to reduce deaths from drug overdoses
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
A new campaign to increase awareness of life-saving treatment that can reverse drug overdoses has been launched in Scotland. The Scottish government and Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF) have joined together to help improve information about naloxone which can prevent deaths in the case of opioids overdoses. Drugs policy minister Angela Constance said: “Firstly, on International Overdose Awareness Day I want to pass on my sincere condolences to all those who have been affected by a drug-related death. That is why I am pleased to launch this joint campaign with Scottish Drugs Forum to encourage the public to get involved in our national mission and equip themselves to save a life." Read full story. Source: The Independent, 31 August 2021 -
News Article
Life-saving cholesterol jab recommended on NHS
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
An expensive anti-cholesterol drug called inclisiran could soon be offered to hundreds of thousands of people in England and Wales on the NHS. The drug, which would be administered as a twice-a-year injection, costs around £2,000 per dose, could save about 30,000 lives within a decade. "Inclisiran represents a potential game-changer in preventing thousands of people from dying prematurely from heart attacks and strokes. We're therefore pleased to be able to recommend it as a cost effective option on the NHS." Said Meindert Boysen, NICE deputy chief executive and director of the Centre for Health Technology Evaluation. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 01 September 2021 -
News Article
Outrage at chronic fatigue syndrome advice update pause
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
With just hours left to go, a health watchdog has paused a final update to ME treatment guidance due to disagreement on some of it's contents. Charities have expressed their anger over this decision as NICE says it needs more discussions with patient groups and professionals so that the advice is supported. Although it is not yet clear when the guidance will be published, the advice on CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) has been changed as it was only helping with anxiety around the condition rather than the illness itself, with NICE acknowledging the controversy over the best treatment has served only to alienate many people with the condition. "We were extremely concerned that the final guidelines proposed by NICE may not have taken into consideration the extensive comments we made to the draft version, particularly in relation to treatments we know to have significantly benefited many patients." Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians, has said. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 17 August 2021 -
EventThis Westminster Health Forum conference will discuss the next steps for diagnosis, treatment and management of conditions that cause chronic pain, and the priorities for supporting people living with its effects. Delegates will examine the development of integrated healthcare in local communities and developing best practice for delivering patient-centred care - as well as the support required for the health workforce to deliver quality care and pain management for patients. It will be an opportunity to evaluate the recent updates to NICE’s guidance for chronic pain management, and the development of integrated care systems in the context of the Health and Care Bill. There will also be discussion on alternative approaches to chronic pain management including psychological therapies, social prescribing and complementary medicine, with NICE commencing medical cannabis clinical trials for people with chronic pain. Overall, areas for discussion include priorities and next steps for: long-term management of chronic pain conditions improving diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain, and developing person-centred community care widening awareness and understanding of chronic pain conditions understanding risk factors for developing chronic pain conditions, and approaches to prevention supporting the wellbeing of people living with chronic pain, and improving access to mental health services new, diverse treatment programmes for sufferers of chronic pain regulation and guidance for new treatments for chronic pain. Register
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EventuntilAt this Bevan Brittan webinar, Dr Bell, a Consultant in Intensive Care and Anaesthesia will cover the following: 1. Background on scenarios in which consideration is given to treatment limitations. 2. Factors influencing decision-making. 3. The evolution of conflict. 4. Clinical perspective on the role of the courts. Register
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EventuntilCVDPREVENT will provide a foundation for professionally-led quality improvement in individual GP practices across Primary Care Networks (PCNs). It will support primary care in understanding how many patients with CVD and/or the six main high-risk conditions are potentially undiagnosed, or under or over treated. These include atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, non-diabetic hyperglycaemia and chronic kidney disease. The audit will provide data to highlight gaps, identify inequalities, and opportunities for improvement. This event will be the first publicised presentation of the CVD publication, being presented live by Dr Pete Green, Clinical Lead CVD Prevent & Chair, Heart UK. This event has been sponsored by Daiichi Sankyo UK. This webinar is for Govconnect registered members who are UK healthcare professionals and allied personnel in commissioning, AHSN and health policy only. Speakers: Dr Yassir Javaid, Clinical Advisor for Cardiology, Royal College of GPs Dr Pete Green, Clinical Lead CVD Prevent & Chair, Heart UK Vishal Mashru, Head of Medicines & Research, Cross Counties & North Blaby PCN Dr Ravi Pawa, Country Medical Director, Daiichi Sankyo Register
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EventSarah Miller, Director of Partnerships, Patient Safety Movement Foundation is joined by Ariana Longley, Chief Operating Officer of the PSMF to discuss how you and your loved ones can prepare before going into the hospital. Ariana highlights the importance of knowing possible risks and alternatives to proposed treatments, things you should bring to your hospital visit, and shares the free resources the Patient Safety Movement Foundation has to offer, both general and COVID-19 resources.
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EventSince the emergence of the disease, severe Covid infections have been associated with a risk of severe and dangerous coagulopathy. And in recent weeks two vaccines have been linked to a rare increased risk of clotting, in particular cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) which requires urgent and specific treatment. This Royal Society of Medicine webinar will tell the story of our understanding of these coagulation disorders, looking at the causes, risks, diagnosis, and treatments. Register
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EventThe Professional Records Standard Body (PRSB) are holding a workshop on 4 March to help us develop a shared decision-making standard, so that individuals can be more involved in the decisions that affect their health, care and wellbeing. The online workshop will bring together health and care professionals, patients and system vendors to focus on different topics including diabetes and other long-term conditions, mental health, child health, gynaecology, colorectal cancer, genetic conditions, multi-medications and orthopaedics. We will be asking questions about the way information about treatment and care options are discussed and decisions recorded. This would include consent for treatment, when it is agreed, and any pre-operative assessments and requirements. By standardising the process, it will ensure that information can be shared consistently using any digital systems. If you’re interested in getting involved in the project, please contact info@theprsb.org
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EventCancer affects us all. Survival in England is at a record high and patients’ experience of treatment and care has never been higher, but we won’t stop there. We want every person with cancer to have the very best diagnosis, treatment and care. NHS England & Improvement The NHS Long Term Plan set out a clear pathway for the improvement of cancer care, the aim being: • Enable an extra 55,000 people each year to survive for five years or more following their cancer diagnosis. • Three in four cancers (75%) will be diagnosed at an early stage. This virtual conference aims to showcase the forward-thinking and innovative initiatives that are already being implemented across the country. Register
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Content ArticleThe government has published a draft Mental Health Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. The bill aims to modernise the Mental Health Act for the 21st century.
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Content Article
Extravasation: a patient safety priority
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Extravasation
Extravasation injuries occur when some intravenous drugs leak outside the vein into the surrounding tissue causing trauma. This leaflet describes the risks posed by extravasation to patients, the extent of the problem in the NHS and what is currently being done to reduce the risk of avoidable harm. The leaflet sets out the action to prevent, recognise, treat and report extravasation which is urgently needed. It emphasises the importance of all suspected extravasation injuries being reported and investigated, with reviews undertaken to learn and take action to prevent harm to future patients. -
Content ArticleDr Harsha Master, Dr Ashish Chaudhry, Dr Nicholas Gall, Dr Louise Newson, Dr Sarah Glynne, and Dr Paul Glynne present their experiences of diagnosing, managing, and referring patients with long COVID and associated conditions. Read this article to learn more about: the definition, prevalence, and symptoms of long COVID exclusion of alternative diagnoses, and identification of red-flag symptoms the authors’ experiences of managing long COVID and its complications.
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Content Article1 in 6 people in the UK live with a neurological condition, but there simply isn’t the workforce or services in place to provide the support they need. Every two years, The Neurological Alliance runs My Neuro Survey to give a picture of the experience of care, treatment and support for people with neurological conditions. From a lack of mental wellbeing support, delays to life changing treatment and care and a lack of information and support at diagnosis, over 8,500 people living with or affected by neurological conditions across the UK shared their experiences in the 2021/22 My Neuro Survey.
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Content Article
Waiting Lists Tracker
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Suggest a useful website
Get information on waiting times for treatment at NHS Trusts in England. This data is sourced from NHS England, and is published two months in arrears. Please note that some data may not be available. This could be because a) the Trust does not provide treatment for the selected condition, b) data has not been submitted, or c) some services (e.g. mental health) are not covered in the source data.
