Useful links:
February
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJsTrenFNrxnG_GFYQEV_XJiwR0MxTw2wjswvDvU8Kec3tIY2b8T_AvnECianG3l2lGGPWcZc=
Paramedics not sent to a quarter
https://lowdownnhs.info/comment/ways-to-raise-the-money-the-nhs-needs/
Ways to raise the money the NHS needs
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/feb/02/pioneering-nhs-trial-targets-brain-tumours-before-surgery-radiotherapy?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://lowdownnhs.info/comment/thumbs-down-for-ken-clarkes-not-so-cunning-plan/
https://news.sky.com/story/weve-cut-out-the-middleman-how-nhs-virtual-wards-mean-acute-patients-are-now-being-treated-at-home-12801768
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/12/nhs-hospital-trusts-to-pay-out-further-55bn-under-pfi-scheme?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/oct/03/mount-vernon-nhs-cancer-hospital-neglected-should-be-closed-report?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Mount Vernon neglected:Should be closed
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJtUXHS3-uqroY8ygp3RMRYq3pJ81ImdMQiUJuk24YnWFc09-6UKweuuP5Fi2RFzsmuB0GrCM=
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJtUXHTHseXkoxMpWIIbOV4Yl-oHSVyDRK-vJRwM-LultuQxZdM6EApTiUGEWni8ljq9qXGwI=
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJtli-N56Wso_0ftLp4XUFkNTsamxNM7uPGM9HWChg1A5IviLdlNxjwLU7jV3vy6MZHJiJ9ls=
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/03/virtual-wards-rishi-sunak-patients-hospitals-nhs?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/
The funding crisis and how to solve it
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJkThu8t8dz2ZDHhvwB2Nn66cvHzZxEIxEjH3L9DYYzvin8Ia7RU71Z_AT9JvI5u8k3P6G1H0=
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJkThu8l2eoAMcKbnfNrqv5Ivg_2GW63Fr6WX5lQ6InxjhYONuQTKhO6izUeCjsgPdw2doAbg=
https://news.sky.com/story/virtual-hospital-wards-no-substitute-for-real-people-says-patient-waiting-for-hip-operation-12798791
Hospitals at home no substitute
https://news.sky.com/story/thousands-more-hospital-beds-and-800-new-ambulances-promised-amid-plan-to-fix-emergency-care-12798563
https://news.sky.com/video/share-12798971
https://news.sky.com/story/nottingham-university-hospitals-nhs-trust-fined-for-failing-to-give-safe-care-to-wynter-andrews-who-died-23-minutes-after-birth-12795950
https://news.sky.com/story/shopping-habits-could-help-spot-signs-of-ovarian-cancer-12796422
Shopping habits: ovarian cancer
https://news.sky.com/story/should-you-pay-to-see-a-gp-12796188
https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-crisis-politicians-are-not-offering-a-comprehensive-solution-on-how-to-fix-the-health-service-12796293
https://nextdoor.co.uk/p/4NWDfzRH2fs5?utm_source=share&extras=MTc1OTIxOTYxOTI0OTg%3D
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJklkrp9tLzwGqcnvNAAdlMA9eSOd9UUD-XLezohlICdW2ZoE2zGh1hiVUCLxPXOD-aKWVOwY=
Government delays pension reform
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJklkrptEUskpT8oMYqcYXCAMIxHUtpG1yJtdDZDFl937bGE3f5cUwfkbDsNaRKVvIR5Lk9C0=
https://news.sky.com/story/inadequate-staffing-at-berkshire-mental-health-unit-put-young-people-at-risk-12796489
Berkshire low staff mental unit
https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-to-treat-50000-elderly-and-vulnerable-patients-in-virtual-wards-at-home-12797570
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64439121
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jan/29/risk-of-future-deaths-coroner-issues-rare-warning-to-health-secretary-over-hospitals-crisis?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Coroner: risk of future deaths
https://apple.news/AvBeeZKPYS-KrJf-hB5kEdw
NHS black hole devouring country
https://news.sky.com/story/culture-of-silence-as-nhs-staff-are-scared-to-report-problems-fearing-repercussions-12798287
Repercussions for whistlblowers
January media
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJgy2KT7miPWhfR2d8mp_AaTGMZxq5E9HpGFCLrOrJtZj0h5XCUGgmIuRUJmNcXxR7yy-5Bdo=
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJhuyn3-Y5OsP2oTjDV7GNPQTgwdKZIYH9IZ0D5uLpCFGoC0SAvwlK-OwgBPzCKvv7fSrSQys=
New hospital delays £13 million a month
https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-what-a-12-hour-paramedic-shift-is-really-like-12794417
What a 13 hour paramedic shift...
https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-crisis-life-at-the-royal-free-hospital-where-some-wait-27-hours-for-a-bed-and-the-patients-are-more-ill-than-ever-12794345
https://news.sky.com/video/share-12794510
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64337138
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJh-KonvFqQtKHNp2zkOcHdtmhLLVJGy2GbAGsiER8I7pRJQrkJCQmwVUD-GIy-w3e0DdHvTE=
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJgtltv8tMQzU91_5V2YNzuUQEMowT6timJppkSYofUQZqPpLUEXYnpOh7Ngsb-35aX1_Nzsw=
https://lowdownnhs.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/holding-back-NHS-recovery-V3-compressed.pdf?mc_cid=6515479863&mc_eid=93ce5bae9e
https://lowdownnhs.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/holding-back-NHS-recovery-V3-compressed.pdf?mc_cid=6515479863&mc_eid=93ce5bae9e
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJfkQyzitcNjRNwX7V5Gkr0GAjv1iJS3trTeutph9w4Du8l2U5lfDJY5RHbH2_gdfplfwUhOE=
National
safety review
https://news.sky.com/story/girl-4-left-fighting-for-her-life-after-suspected-strep-a-turned-into-flesh-eating-disease-12793689
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-64371050
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-64364377
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJfKEZDqHNeIomQT1ynUwJLdKCF1pYendDV4Ma57O0WJGWxiLgtPTTzMtEY_7uYmcmiE9Rk8w=
https://news.sky.com/story/ambulance-workers-strike-for-third-time-in-five-weeks-as-pay-and-staffing-dispute-rumbles-on-12793303
https://lowdownnhs.info/explainers/nurses-and-paramedics-pay-fact-sheet/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64350758
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jan/23/gordon-brown-warns-tories-two-tier-healthcare-system-charges-undermine-nhs?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/mar/02/private-healthcare-boom-two-tier-system-uk?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/sep/19/84-of-care-home-beds-in-england-owned-by-private-firms?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/23/ambulance-nhs-strikes-jeremy-hunt-blockage-unison-sara-gorton/
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJfcVT1iZl7eyPlLthO2PColosRyUXUpawZkGMJB2WujEipaI4QX6m7ihdvIGdC2FYBsFR8H8=
Two hundred k to whistleblower
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJfcVT1iZl7eyPlLthO2PColosRyUXUpawZkGMJB2WujEipaI4QX6m7ihdvIGdC2FYBsFR8H8=
The government announcement of an extra £200 million to move patients
fit to discharge from NHS beds to care homes, and other settings, has received
a mixed reception – NHS leaders say they need the money as soon as possible
to begin freeing up beds and are concerned there will be delays, in contrast
social care leaders warn that the pressure to discharge patients fast has already
led to inappropriate placements and the scheme is just another “sticking
plaster” that doesn’t address the long-term problems.
There are an estimated 13,000 people in NHS hospitals that are fit to discharge
and the scheme, announced by Health and Social Care secretary Steve Barclay,
aims to free-up around 2,500 beds by funding “maximum stays of up to four
weeks per patient” in care homes or other settings. The scheme runs for
just three months to the end of March 2023.
The scheme is similar to the national discharge scheme begun in 2020 as the
NHS needed beds for Covid patients, which led to thousands of patients moving
out into care homes. Funding for this scheme ended in April 2022.
This £200m is in addition to the £500m adult social care discharge
fund(ASCDF), announced in September 2022. However, Barclay claims that the extra
£200m means the NHS will be able to “immediately buy up beds in
the community.”
NHS leaders fear, however, that the distribution of the money will be as slow
as the £500m ASCDF; it took many weeks to distribute the first £200m
of the ASCDF, and the final £300m is only now being distributed to organisations
.
One national NHS leader told HSJ: “If this announcement is to be anything
more than politically-driven theatre and have an impact before the start of
spring, then the money needs to be in place in the next week to 10 days.”
In contrast, The British Geriatrics Association (BGA), the Association of Directors
of Adult Social Services (ADASS), the Local Government Alliance (LGA), and charities
that work with the elderly, fear that the rapid discharge of people from hospital
means they could end up in care homes or hotels which are totally unsuitable
for their needs. The BGA noted:
“In order for this to have the intended impact, care homes must be able
to provide the necessary rehabilitation to help older people recover. This requires
expert input from nurses, therapists and medical staff. If this expertise is
not in place to aid recovery, then older people’s health will continue
to decline and hospital readmission becomes more likely.”
The ADASS is also concerned about the focus on care homes, when if the right
care package is in place, home is the best place. Chief executive Sheila Norris
noted:
“Use of the funding should be guided by the ‘home first’ principle,
rather than the default being that people are discharged into care homes. Otherwise
we run the risk of people being inappropriately placed and then remaining in
residential provision indefinitely. Legally, and morally, it is right that they
have a choice about where they live.”
Hospitals in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset are already discharging patients into
hotels. With beds booked in hotels in Plymouth and Bournemouth for what are
described as “medically fit guests” with social care needs.
Louise Jackson, health and care manager for Age UK, told the BBC that care hotels
were “unlikely to be appropriate settings” and added that “this
is another sticking plaster, whereas what we need is sustained core investment.”
This constant reliance on short-term funding schemes, means that nothing has
been done to tackle the root problems of why so many people are ending up in
hospital. David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA community wellbeing board told
CommunityCare:
“A decade of consistent underfunding of social care and underinvestment
in community health services has led us into this crisis and it will not be
fixed through tacked-on funding that fails to address any of the root causes
of this situation.”
Fothergill added:
“Until the government presents social care as an essential service in
its own right – valued equally highly as the NHS – we will continue
to lurch from one sticking plaster to the next”.
Jane Townson, Chief executive of the Homecare Association, the membership body
for home care providers, highlighted that the 13,000 people waiting to be discharged
from hospital was a small fraction of the approximately 500,000 awaiting a social
care assessment or service, according to ADASS data.
“We need to fix the problem at both ends,” she said, “buying
up care home beds is a necessary sticking plaster for this winter but does not
address underlying causes, so people will continue to be left waiting for care
at home.”
It is clear that these short-term funding schemes also do not address one of
the major issues in social care, the workforce crisis.
Home care providers can not provide the capacity needed to meet demand, according
to Townson, as they were unable to recruit and retain staff, with vacancy rates
of 14.1% as of October 2022. Overall, there were 165,000 vacancies in social
care, up 52% over the previous year. With the median hourly rate of a care worker
listed as just £9.50 and with an HCA with two years experience getting
only £11.30, it is clear that pay is an issue. Supermarkets and other
retail outlets pay more.
Without a plan for long-term funding increases, however, neither homecare companies
nor care homes can invest in new staff or increase pay rates. Martin Green of
Care England, which represents the largest private care home providers, has
said it wants the government to pay them £1,500 a week per person, citing
the need to pay care workers more and hire rehabilitation specialists. The current
rate of pay is described by Green as “inadequate”.
More than anything, however, the industry would like a long-term plan, as the
chief executive of the National Care Forum Vic Rayner told Community Care:
“There may not be enough money, but make a plan, provide some certainty
to enable organisations to take on new staff, to invest in new facilities and
to develop their in-house rehabilitative resources. Without this long term vision,
all of this money will be swallowed into short term fixes such as over reliance
on agency staff, or the prioritisation of hospital patients over those with
urgent needs in the community.”
And as the BGA notes what happens after the three months of funding ends, it
will be the same problems just in a few weeks time:
“There is a risk that discharging older people to care homes will simply
move the problem down the line and we will be in the same crisis situation in
two to three weeks as older people come to the end of the funding period and
have ongoing health and social care needs.”
https://news.sky.com/story/cold-snap-could-cause-strokes-and-heart-attacks-doctors-warn-12788268
https://lowdownnhs.info/social-care/mixed-reception-for-hospital-discharge-scheme/
Mixed reception discharge scheme
https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-patient-trapped-in-hospital-for-months-due-to-lack-of-adequate-community-care-12788371
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJXsslSQlNgo3ZBHCBIHa817OOT2NKGioNywhX9Jvudx0ZbTmSn9dKr6IS4gg-dvlKgIuehBw=
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJY_sLbkmCczfob1tB82uR_m8wk4vsNu6tae-A_eRpAiiGmvlfaT9Ckpc13jGl_goqWhanjsM=
https://news.sky.com/story/health-secretary-steve-barclay-says-10-pay-rise-for-nurses-not-affordable-as-strikes-continue-12789546
https://news.sky.com/story/the-pm-has-to-listen-hundreds-of-striking-nurses-descend-on-downing-street-12789648
https://news.sky.com/story/it-cant-continue-like-this-paramedics-in-wales-warn-patients-are-waiting-up-to-26-hours-to-get-into-hospital-12789702
https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-leaders-making-contingency-plans-as-biggest-walkout-in-its-history-looms-12789895
https://lowdownnhs.info/comment/right-wing-trying-to-drag-nhs-back-to-pre-war-system/
https://news.sky.com/story/nurses-are-working-the-equivalent-of-one-day-a-week-for-free-research-says-12731952
The first duty of a doctor is to his patient
The first duty of a Foundation Trust frontline worker is to the Trust-any criticism,
whistleblowing is rewarded by bullying, refer to GMC, no employment/labelled
as troublemaker…
The first duty of a private corporation is to generate the highest profit for
its executives and shareholders
Staff shortages caused by Treasury result in Agency locus-£4500 or £2500
for a single shift: bonkers
Frontline staff often leave direct employment for “ bank” work
Private companies, outsourcing, often have poor results- Capita, Carillon,
Serco
Firms like United Health and Centene often pull out of contracts if the profit
is too low…
I am sure it would be far better, and less expensive to improve the existing
model of tax funded public NHS, and supervise S C ; privatisation gives far
worse, more expensive results
Where rich patients demand better care from a fragmented service
Real integration, as pre Lansley- gives far better service- with all staff feeling
pride at the NHS
Or cut corners- like many ANPs, locums, trainees rather than supervising GPS
And cut clerical data records staff to increase profits
Sent from my iPad
GPS were urged by CCGs not to refer patients for tests, in hospital, to save
money
While Hunt urged GPS to refer more for tests, for better, earlier diagnosis
In 1948 the state were given all the hospitals
Foundation Trusts we’re small non profit businesses asked to make a profit
With PFI, the consortium of builders, banks and hedge funds now own the hospitals-not
the state, not the taxpayers
https://news.sky.com/story/kaylea-titford-emergency-crews-felt-physically-sick-when-seeing-shocking-conditions-where-22-stone-teenager-died-court-hears-12790512
Crews
physically sick
https://news.sky.com/video/share-12790544
Hosp video
https://lowdownnhs.info/explainers/bypass-your-gp-self-referral-good-idea/
https://lowdownnhs.info/comment/to-get-nhs-out-of-this-hole-stop-digging/
https://www.gponline.com/refusal-suspend-qof-iif-pushing-general-practice-closer-collapse/article/1810679
https://www.gponline.com/pressure-gps-will-grow-unless-government-finds-compromise-end-nhs-strikes/article/1810528
https://lowdownnhs.info/comment/thumbs-down-for-ken-clarkes-not-so-cunning-plan/
https://news.sky.com/story/ambulance-workers-to-stage-10-further-strikes-as-row-over-pay-and-staffing-escalates-12790743
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64330670
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58038752
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-64333162
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-64214471
This government has intentionally disintegrated our NHS and S C into a thousand particles-with the aim that no one can ever reassemble into one coherent NHS as existed up to 2010 and Lansley’s unwanted, unnecessary dividing Monster bill.
If the government can assemble a coherent single insurance policy that can provide ALL cancer diagnosis, scanning, treatment including all required cancer drugs, for, say £100 a month-then trial that system before destroying the existing NHS system.
33
hours inside A & E
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/dec/13/like-a-horrific-board-game-33-hours-inside-an-nhs-in-crisis
13
hours inside A&E
https://news.sky.com/story/woman-describes-relatives-36-hour-wait-ordeal-in-ae-where-patients-were-climbing-over-people-and-there-was-blood-on-the-floor-12784955
nurse
miscarriage
https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-nurse-suffers-miscarriage-following-five-hour-wait-in-ae-12785092
Our
A & E visit
https://nextdoor.co.uk/p/7ZQ4ngFFCp9T?utm_source=share&extras=MTc1OTIxOTYxOTI0OTg%3D
Private
companies
https://labourhub.org.uk/2023/01/11/sha-response-to-use-of-private-health-companies/
Scotland
Ops cancelled
https://news.sky.com/story/one-of-uks-largest-health-authorities-suspends-non-urgent-operations-due-to-ae-crisis-12784553
https://news.sky.com/story/rishi-sunak-reveals-he-is-registered-with-nhs-gp-but-went-private-in-the-past-12784314
Rishi
is NHS GP now
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64136691
Ambulance
service misused
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/63970986
Is
the Pay Review body independent?
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJQ_uMtOA-zgJqCt4otZw1cm8N-ToNqxLq1601OoOLE4r00qQ6gWoZD_cx68DOP6k-M5kyPsc=
Slight
waiting fall
https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-england-waiting-lists-fall-slightly-for-first-time-since-may-2020-12784873
https://news.sky.com/story/gmb-union-to-consider-six-more-ambulance-strike-dates-after-failed-talks-with-health-secretary-12784924
More
strike dates
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64243044
Could
not get ambulance: died
https://news.sky.com/story/nhs-tracker-postcode-search-see-how-your-local-trust-is-performing-through-the-winter-12491807
How
your Trust performing
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/ournhs/tory-links-of-health-agencies-exposed-as-hunt-lines-up-next-nhs-selloff-in-england/
sell
off
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJOs2UPBI92KYkfLcfkWxB-OwPGD1cAq5aFKFbxImTG2MnpZjt2k8NOG9WAB79RwW6oRYKZgk=
Errors
in A & E
https://news.sky.com/story/diabetics-to-get-artificial-pancreas-on-nhs-which-injects-insulin-via-body-worn-tracker-12783422
Pancreas
sensor
https://news.sky.com/story/anti-strikes-bill-will-protect-lives-and-respect-right-to-strike-business-secretary-grant-shapps-says-12783492
Government
anti strike bill
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64211479
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64219016
Union
response to strike bill
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJOa5Y2IoYCeLqHDtxKATYNOrWp_mdldCP3pQTYUBBPQ8yqa3jaRygtJJQOuJ4ZxsFOY03DNU=
Long
cancer waits record
https://go2.wilmingtonplc.com/OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGJOa5Y2dg50QsIamN_IhNN8F0g4GNaSUYMeV4T0Zl0Urr4BTQ-zN5GEfTpCDeLDimp21nhz8=
NNW
failing hospital
https://news.sky.com/story/downing-street-considering-one-off-payment-for-nurses-after-rejecting-idea-before-christmas-12782963
One
off payment for nurses
https://news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-unions-talks-strikes-45-minutes-12593360
One
off payment to end strikes
https://www.hsj.co.uk/daily-insight/the-primer-tearing-up-the-gp-model/7034007.article
Tearing
up the GP model
https://www.rcn.org.uk/Professional-Development/publications/investing-in-patient-safety-and-outcomes-uk-pub-010-567
Patient
safety and outcomes
https://www.rcn.org.uk/-/media/Royal-College-Of-Nursing/Documents/Publications/2022/November/010-567.pdf
Patient
safety and outcomes pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/08/social-care-reforms-homes-hospitals-discharge-patients-councils?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/sep/19/84-of-care-home-beds-in-england-owned-by-private-firms?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Climate of fear:Whistleblowers
brilliant analysis of Coffey...
More flaws in "integrated care"
Allyson
Pollock
Health
Diktat?
GP died lack of beds, consultants
Why we must oppose the HSC bill
health and social care bill 2021 Google search
Allyson Pollock First article to MPs
Optum Health: How cwe v"help"...
NHS Support Federation, Community Base, 113 Queens Road, BN1 3XG
Email: nhssocres@gmail.com
Inside the NHS dentistry crisis
Patients resort to diy dentistry
N I hospitalvunerable patients
Hospitals with aerated autoclave concrete planks, collapsing and help up with hundreds of Acrow props should have a larger new hospital built properly on adjacent land-if it has not been sold off already to balance the underfunded books…
Dismantling the NHS in England
Fixing the NHS nigh impossible after decade of Toriesi
We need another hospital already
Mothers uncovering big maternity scandal