RECENT NEWS

A leading healthcare charity representing operating theatre professionals has warned of cancelled operations if predictions of a swine flu pandemic come to pass.

New guidance, produced by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) and NHS organisations across England and Wales, has been released aimed at ensuring safer systems are in place to treat patients needing oxygen.

The Royal College of Nursing has published results from its 2009 Employment Survey, which highlights how pressures on workload and staffing levels can impact on patient care.

One in four patients, undergoing common surgery such as hernia repair or gallbladder removal are confused and worried about their operations after researching them on the internet, according to a new study published in the Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Around a million more people registered to become organ donors in the last year, figures show.

People admitted to English hospitals in an emergency on the first Wednesday in August have, on average, a 6% higher mortality rate than people admitted on the previous Wednesday.

A study that included twins has found that the risk of hip fracture is significantly increased following a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with analysis also suggesting a genetic predisposition to the development of CVD and fractures.

People with heart failure are being better diagnosed and treated than they were three years ago, according to the results of the National Heart Failure Audit.

People with high levels of a protein called C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for inflammation in the blood, may be at higher risk for heart attack and death but not stroke, according to a study published in the October issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

In 2008, out of 2.2 million women who were sent an invitation for screening, 1.7 million attended – around 73%. Now experts are predicting that if all women attended screening when invited, then around 600 extra lives could be saved each year.

A national survey of people’s experiences of acute mental health inpatient services reveals that many feel they were let down in some important aspects of the care they received, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The BMA has uncovered Department of Health data that estimates that junior doctor staffing rotas in the UK were short by almost 3,000 doctors at the end of 2008.

The Care Quality Commission performance ratings show that the NHS is performing well against a rigorous assessment on quality, with more Trusts rated “excellent” or “good”.

Which? has found that, when it comes to complaining about healthcare, private patients do not have the same options and support as NHS patients.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has warned that the NHS may fail to spot concerns about patient safety unless it improves its monitoring of out-of-hours GP services.

The AfPP has warned of cancelled operations if predictions of a swine flu pandemic come to pass. The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) represents over 8000 professionals working in the UK’s operating theatres many of which look set to close to provide extra beds for flu patients needing isolation care. It is estimated that across the UK over 18 million could be infected of which 1 per cent – or 180,000 people – will need hospitalising.

The NHS may be at risk of failing to prevent harm to patients from medicines unless it improves sharing of vital information when people move between services, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The regulator recently assessed how well patients’ medication is being managed after leaving hospital and found that there were serious issues.

Speaking at the AfPP Anuual Congress, Dame Christine Beasley, Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health, warned of tough times ahead for the health service, but assured delegates that plans to focus on quality will not be “shelved”.

The Royal College of Nursing has published results from its 2009 Employment Survey, which highlights how pressures on workload and staffing levels can impact on patient care. The survey shows fewer nurses responding positively to views on workload than in 2007, particularly those working in the NHS.

The Care Quality Commission performance ratings show that the NHS is performing well against a rigorous assessment on quality, with more Trusts rated “excellent” or “good”. In particular, the CQC commended the significant improvement in ratings for financial management, which it described as “good news” in the face of predicted pressures on public spending.