A report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has found that an estimated 90,000 Britons will die by 2050 from infections that are treatable unless effective action is taken to deal with the problem of antimicrobial resistance.
News Archive
The NMC has reported that there has been a modest increase in midwife numbers in the last five years. The increase has been driven by a rise in UK trained nurses and midwives and those trained outside the EU. The number of people trained in the UK and registered to work has increased by 3,457 over the last twelve months. While numbers from outside the EU have increased by 2,808.
A report by NHS Providers entitled ‘Steeling ourselves for winter 2018-19’ has said there are clear warning signs that the coming winter could be even tougher than the last for NHS Trusts, staff and patients. The Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, warned: “Staff shortages are growing, putting additional strain on a workforce already overstretched during an exceptionally busy summer.”
A report in The Lancet has found that there has been a remarkable global decline in the number of children that women are having. Fertility rate falls meant nearly half of countries now have insufficient children to maintain their population size. The researchers said the findings were a huge surprise and means there would be profound consequences for societies.
The Health Secretary; Matt Hancock; set out his long-term vision for the NHS ‘Prevention is better than cure’ plan which aims to boost healthy life expectation. The plan promised a funding boost for community and primary care services, as part of a new national strategy on illness prevention. Plus, it recommends that people in England should be told to cut back on alcohol, sugar, salt and fat.
Responding to the Health Secretary, Sue Killen, Interim Chief Executive and Registrar of the NMC, said: “Preventing ill health is essential to protecting and improving public health across the UK. Nurses and midwives play a vital role in the delivery of preventative care, supporting and enabling people to make informed decisions about their health and advising on ways to better manage their health to maximise their quality of life.
We’re absolutely committed to supporting the delivery of high quality, preventative care. Our brand new education standards, give nurses a much greater understanding across all areas of public health as well as enhanced skills and knowledge in key areas such as technology and genomics. It’s these skills that will enable the nurses of the future to continue to deliver world class care in communities across the country in the years to come.”
The fifth annual MBRRACE-UK report of “Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care” has been published. The report examines the care of women who died during or up to one year after pregnancy between 2014 and 2016 in the UK and Ireland. It reports on both mental and physical health related deaths and the inequalities between women.
The National Institute for Health Research has launched a brand new senior nurse and midwife research leadership programme which will strengthen the research voice and drive improvements in future care. The 70@70 NIHR Senior Nurse and Midwife Research Leader Programme is aimed at senior nurses and midwife clinical leaders with experience of building a research-led care environment for patients.
Mental health services in England will receive an injection of £2 billion as part of the recent budget announcements. Some of the funding will go towards treating people with conditions such as PTSD, depression and anxiety, and particularly for young people. Support will also be available around the clock in every A&E department in England, and schools will receive individual crisis teams.
The NMC have appointed a new chair to their midwifery panel. Anna van der Gaag is the independent chair of the panel, is a visiting professor in ethics and regulation at the University of Surrey and a former chair of the Health and Care Professions Council.
Tommy’s and Sands have announced a jointly-funded new research project looking at the cost-effectiveness of a package of care for pregnant women when their baby’s movements are reduced. The study will build on the findings from a recently-completed research trial which tested whether this package of care can reduce stillbirth.
Donna recently visited the University Hospital of Wales (Cardiff and Vale University Health Board) to see how they are providing care for bereaved mothers and families. During her visit she saw examples of good practice and met many members of the team. Donna’s blog for the NMC is featured on their website and can be read here.
Baby Loss Awareness Week
Donna Ockenden, Senior Midwifery Adviser to the Chief Executive and Registrar at the NMC released a statement regarding Baby Loss Awareness Week. She said: “It is heart breaking and life changing when families experience the loss of a baby and it’s vital that they feel fully supported and able to talk about their experience if they wish to. It’s really important too, that parents and families are aware of the support available to them.