PUBLIC HEALTH Knowledge and Evidence DAILY UPDATE 30 January 2015 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH NEWS Regulation of health and social care professionals: response Government’s response on behalf of the 4 countries of the UK to the Law Commissions’ report on regulating health care professionals in the UK and social care professionals in England. Establishing food standards for NHS hospitals This Hospital Food Standards Panel report recommends a set of food standards that should become routine practice across NHS Hospitals. Winterbourne View: 2 years on Explains what is being done to tackle the root causes of the abuse and poor treatment of people at Winterbourne View. Language controls for healthcare and associated professions This consultation has concluded National health screening: government response This is the government’s response to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee report on national health screening. PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND NEWS Public health specialists: regulation This consultation has concluded Improving young people’s health and wellbeing: a framework for public health A framework for national and local action to address the specific health needs of young people and ensure their future health. Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in GP patients: 1 September 2014 to 31 December 2014 Data showing the number of GP registered patients in England having the seasonal influenza vaccine. NHS ENGLAND NEWS GPs have a vital care home dementia role – Alistair Burns Alistair Burns, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Dementia, teams up with two GP colleagues, Maggie Keeble and Nick Cartmell, to give their views on improving care – including GP-led diagnosis – in care homes NHS England statement on the 2015/16 national tariff proposals Paul Baumann, Chief Financial Officer at NHS England said: “Monitor will shortly be announcing the results of their consultation on the 2015/16 tariff. CARE QUALITY COMMISSION NEWS Guidance for providers to display ratings We have issued draft guidance for consultation on how providers across England can make sure they are meeting the Government's new requirement for them to prominently display their performance ratings from April. For more information on this publication please contact:- [email protected] LOCAL NEWS Ipswich Hospital’s emergency department one of the top 10 performing for hitting Government target for seeing patients in four hours Ipswich Hospital bosses praised the “amazing” work of emergency department staff last night, as it emerged the unit was among the top 10 in the country for seeing patients within four hours. New figures released by NHS England put the Heath Road trust as the eight best out of almost 140 departments for hitting the Government target of seeing, treating and admitting or discharging 95% of patients in that timeframe, between October and December. Ipswich Star p1 & 4 30/1 print edition, available from the library EADT p1 & 5 30/1 print edition, available from the library THOUSANDS ARE FAILING TO PICK UP THE BATON FOR A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE New figures show that the number of people regularly taking part in sport is rising across Suffolk – but almost half of us have not taken the recommended 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on a single occasion in the last month. Of 3,578 people asked, 56.4% said they got half-an-hour of moderate exercise on at least one day in the last month, with one person in 10 being active at least 3 times a week. However there is still thousands of people doing little or no exercise. EADT p10 & 11 30/1 print edition, available from the library Mental health recommendations made following review of death of Ruth Jacobs at Needham Lake Investigators have decided the death of a woman pushed into a lake by her mentally ill husband was “neither predictable nor preventable”. A review concluded that the killing of 60-year-old Ruth Jacobs four years ago could not have been foreseen, despite there being knowledge of the couple’s troubled relationship. Stephen Jacobs was detained under the Mental Health Act indefinitely for killing his wife at Needham Lake on February 20, 2011. Academies defended by headteachers after poor performances in GCSE results Headteachers launched a strong defence of academies in Suffolk last night after it emerged they were behind the majority of the worst performing schools for GCSE results. The worst five schools in the county for students achieving at least five A* to C grades including English and maths last year were sponsored academies, Department for Education (DfE) figures showed. A breakdown of the research found that out of the 46 of 73 secondary schools in Suffolk for which the DfE published GCSE results, only one academy featured inside the top 25. Ipswich Star p1,2 & 3 30/1 print edition, available from the library EADT p1, 2, 3 & 4 30/1 print edition, available from the library CAFÉ NEURO OPENS TO OFFER SUPPORT A café with a difference has officially opened up to offer people with neurological conditions more support. Senior staff from Sue Ryder officially opened up Café Neuro on Monday to give people the chance to come together to share each others’ experieices, while also getting more information from local support groups. EADT p13 30/1 print edition, available from the library Peterborough parents 'could' pay towards their children in care Asking parents whose children are in care in Peterborough to contribute towards the costs has been branded a "preposterous" idea by a councillor. The Conservative-led city council is considering the move as part of a review of its child social care system. Only those who could afford would be asked to pay and it could discourage some from placing their children in care, it said. Linden Centre staff 'missed opportunities' to treat Matthew Leahy Staff at a mental health centre "missed opportunities" to provide better care for a patient found dead in his room, an inquest has heard. Psychiatrist Claire Royston told Chelmsford Coroner's Court Matthew Leahy's paperwork was incomplete and a key worker was not assigned to him. He was found dead at the Linden Centre, Chelmsford, in November 2012. For more information on this publication please contact:- [email protected] LOCAL NEWS King’s Lynn hospital’s progress impresses Health Secretary on visit A west Norfolk hospital that was placed in special measures 18 months ago is making progress and patients should be encouraged by the commitment of its staff and management, health secretary Jeremy Hunt said today. Mr Hunt paid a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital following concerns raised by watchdogs about inadequate staffing levels, too long waiting times and its unsatisfactory financial performance . NATIONAL NEWS Training cuts could harm patients, doctors warn. Proposals to shorten medical training for doctors in the UK could seriously compromise patient care and safety, leading doctors have warned. Doctors' organisations say there is a lack of evidence for the plans, which could see the time it takes to reach consultant level cut by two years. They have called on the government to "pause" the training review. Child obesity rates 'levelling off' among under-10s The rise in childhood obesity, which has left one in three children overweight, may be beginning to level off in the under-10s, a study suggests. It found a steady rise in the proportion of overweight children in England in 1994-2003, but in the past decade it has remained at about 30%. The King's College London researchers add obesity rates among 11- to 15-year-olds are still rising, however. Bedtime 'has huge impact on sport' Our internal body clock has such a dramatic impact on sporting ability that it could alter the chances of Olympic gold, say researchers. The team at the University of Birmingham showed performance times varied by 26% throughout the day. Early risers reached their athletic peak around lunchtime, while night owls were best in the evening. Distraction during surgery 'reduces anxiety and pain' Using a stress ball or watching a DVD during surgery can reduce a patient's anxiety levels, suggests a study from the University of Surrey. Patients said their pain levels were also reduced by chatting to nurses while under local anaesthetic. Nearly 400 patients were distracted in different ways while having varicose vein surgery after which their pain and anxiety levels were measured. Hospitals and NHS bosses at loggerheads over funding A row has broken out about the system for giving NHS hospitals in England their income. Hospital chiefs have rejected plans for next year's payment system, warning that safe care could not be guaranteed under what was being proposed. Much of a hospital's funding comes from a set of tariffs that rewards them per patient treated. Tamiflu DOES halt the spread of influenza, major review finds The most thorough study to date suggests that the controversial antiviral drug Tamiflu is affective. The controversial drug Tamiflu does halt the spread of influenza a major study has found, justifying the government’s decision to spend £500 million stockpiling the medication. Research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Michigan found that oseltamivir, which is marketed as Tamiflu, cuts the length of disease by one day and significantly reduces the chances of life-threatening complications. One in four of all births now by caesarean section, statistics reveal Rise in number of older mothers a likely factor, with the proportion of births to women over 40 doubling since 1993. The number of babies being born by caesarean section increased to more than a quarter of all births last year. Health organisations say a rise in the number of older mothers is the cause. The latest statistics show that 26.2% of births in 2014 were by C-section – up 0.7% on the previous year. For more information on this publication please contact:- [email protected]