The adult care system in the UK is ‘visibly failing’ and ‘unfit for purpose’ according to the findings of a recent survey by the Care and Support Alliance (CSA). Almost 4,000 individuals that identified themselves as having experience of adult social care in England provided a picture of the experiences of the 1.2 million older and disabled people currently unable to get the care they need – a number that’s almost doubled since 2010.
News Archive
As reported by Sands; The Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne are introducing a blood test they helped to develop which could predict a pregnant woman’s likelihood of developing pre-eclampsia.
NHS England is seeking views from GPs, practice teamsand members of the public on what people think about the idea of online consultations with the aim of improving the service and increasing the availability and use of online consultations.
Sands has launched #FindingTheWords campaign to help everyone talk about baby loss. Two out of five parents who went back to work after their baby died said no-one talked to them about their loss a survey of more than 2,500 bereaved parents has found. Dr Clea Harmer, chief executive of Sands, said: “Sadly, the death of a baby is not a rare event but too often, bereaved parents are faced by a wall of silence because people around them, family, friends, and colleagues, are lost for words.
A media report states that 694 school nurses have been axed since 2010 which represents some 23% of the total NHS presence in English classrooms. As a result, pupils with conditions such as asthma, epilepsy and diabetes may no longer be able to attend lessons. The RCN said ‘School nurses are vital in the fight against rising obesity and poor mental health in children’.
The NMC has launched its new standards to ‘shape the next generation of nurses’. The changes will see all nurses in the future trained in the same set of procedures and communication skills regardless of their field of practice. Plus a more modern and innovative approach to the way universities and their practise partners train nurses and midwives has been introduced. The changes will allow greater independence of assessment, and greater innovation by placement providers.
The NMC has come under criticism in a Professional Standards Authority review into the handling of Fitness to practice cases relating to incidents at Furnace General Hospital. The NMC say ‘We take the findings of this review extremely seriously and we’re committed to improving the way we communicate with families, witnesses and all those involved in the fitness to practise process. We will work also closely with the PSA, the professions and other regulators to take forward the report’s important recommendations’.
Many media outlets covered the story and the NMC have published a response.
NHS England has confirmed that new and expectant mums will be able to access specialist perinatal mental health community services in every part of the country by April next year.
The health service is now spending £23 million rolling out the second wave of community perinatal services to underserved parts of the country and is on course to achieve full geographical coverage.
British universities say they risk failing a generation unless students get better mental health care. A Universities UK report found some students risked slipping through the gaps due to a lack of co-ordination between the NHS and universities.
Vulnerable people struggling with dementia have been abandoned by the care system in England, a charity says. The Alzheimer’s Society said people had been left to “fend for themselves” because of inadequate community care from the NHS and councils.
A new Mindfulness for Mental Health Resilience Programme is being used in UK schools to tackle the state of children’s and teachers mental health. At a time when schools are at ‘crisis point’, with the number of referrals for pupils seeking mental health treatment rising by a third in the past three years and with more and more teachers leaving the profession due to work-related stress, education authorities are looking to mindfulness as a way to tackle these issues.
Exploring dementia through art and science. There are over 100 types of dementia but peoples experiences will vary from person to person. Too often, a diagnosis of dementia can be a label that sees individuals effectively sidelined from society. Out of Mind, at University College London Dementia Research Centre, has focused on the experiences of those living with dementia and how the arts can help communicate personal stories.