RECENT NEWS

Aspen Healthcare, the operator of four private acute hospitals, two cancer centres and three ambulatory day surgery centres, has extended its investment in Datix software to support the organisation’s updated quality governance framework.

An online decision support tool, providing specialist diagnostic advice for paediatricians, GPs and nurses, along with other healthcare professionals, will ensure children get the right treatment at the earliest opportunity – preventing delays in care and potentially reducing avoidable child deaths.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued Technology Appraisal Guidance (TAG) for Lynparza (olaparib), recommending it as a cost-effective option for women with platinum-sensitive relapsed (PSR) BRCA-mutated (BRCAm) high-grade serous ovarian cancer who have had three or more courses of platinum-based chemotherapy

The NHS in England risks its traditionally poorer levels of performance in winter becoming the norm in summer, reveals an extensive analysis of the last five years of data by leading health charities the Nuffield Trust and the Health Foundation.

Patients first diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer will now get immediate access to a drug which studies have shown can extend their life by more than a year compared to current options, NHS England has announced.

The British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey for 2015 reports a five percentage point fall in satisfaction with the National Health Service compared to 2014, according to data published by The King’s Fund.

A Lancashire company has been awarded nearly £100,000 to develop a system to prevent older patients falling from their beds. Lancaster-based Rinicare has received £99,694 through the Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare (SBRI Healthcare).

Eastwood Park Training has agreed a formal partnership with ECRI Institute. These two renowned healthcare organisations will be working closely together to improve effective asset management and maintenance of hospital medical devices, supporting each business’s ultimate mission for continued improved and effective patient safety.

Public Health England (PHE) has announced that rubella (German measles) susceptibility screening in pregnancy will end in England on 1 April 2016. The decision to stop screening follows a review of evidence by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) in 2003 and 2012.

Nuffield Health, working together with Royal Philips has announced the opening of a state-ofthe-art diagnostic suite to provide imaging and wellbeing services to the people of Manchester.

A census of consultant physicians and higher specialty trainees has shown that there are significant concerns around filling gaps in trainee rotas, prompting fears over the impact on patient care.

The Infection Prevention Society (IPS), in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has launched a revised Infection Prevention and Control Commissioning Toolkit.

The first major evaluation of the NHS Health Check in England has found that the programme is effectively identifying people at risk of developing a major cardiovascular incident such as heart attack or stroke.

The Commission on Improving Urgent Care for Older People is calling for a fundamental change to the way care for older people is designed and delivered.

Results from The UK Collaborative Trial for Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS) demonstrate that screening may reduce ovarian cancer mortality by an estimated 20% after a follow up period of up to 14 years.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow have found a way to make swallowable cameras more effective at detecting cancers of the throat and gut.

The rate of children dying from cancer has dropped by 24% in the last decade, according to the latest figures published by Cancer Research UK.

Following a recent meeting, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has made a number of new recommendations, including:

Scientists are embarking on a new approach to overhaul the system for safe research and use of medicines which will help tackle medication errors.

The National Performance Advisory Group (NPAG) has announced that the Theatres, Sterile Services & Decontamination Conference is taking place on 16 March at Drayton Manor Theme Park.