Sat 2nd
Law firm is helping Bradgate patients to gain ‘sanctuary’” – relaxation room, not part of core NHS service
p. 16 a letter by James A Hutchinson under “Who will staff the health centre?” Building firm’s plans, supported by P. Soulsby
1st
Bowel cancer target missed”, subtitled “Waiting for screening services” – more than six weeks for colonoscopy results
31st
Teenager had twice tried to take his life”, subtitled “Schoolboy suffered from severe anxiety and depression, inquest told – question of failure to hospitalise (continued from yesterday)
p. 8 “New doctors (at UHL hospitals) in shock at being left underpaid”, subtitled “Health chiefs start investigation”- non-payment as well as massive underpayment
http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/leicester-doctors-short-changed-latest-399703
“More doctors on overnights to help targets”, subtitles ‘September surge’ plan from tomorrow in a bid to cut waiting times” – Leixester Royal Infirmary Emergency Department
http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/radical-plan-cut-citys-ae-401052
30th
“’Our son would still be alive if he had been hospitalised’”, subtitled “Teenager with extreme social anxiety was found hanged” – family had asked for hospitalisation
p. 19 “ GP surgery put in special measures”, subtitled “Inspectors concerned about patient safety” – The Surgery, Ashby
29th
http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/look-inside-childrens-emergency-department-396360
There was no online version of the Leicester Mercury article that announced a possibly earlier than expected decision on the Children’s Congenital heart unit,
Heart centre verdict soon”, subtitled “Children’s surgery unit could go”
I promised that I would update you when I had any significant news on the NHS England review of CHD services in England .
On Thursday last week I received a letter from John Stewart Acting Director of Specialised Commissioning, NHS England. In this letter he very helpfully reassured me that NHS England is committed to reaching a decision on its proposals for congenital heart disease services in England as soon as possible, and that he has instructed his team to do everything possible to bring a recommendation to the earliest possible NHS England Board meeting, which would be the 28th September 2017. This is extremely positive news and will go a long way in reducing the uncertainty that has previously hung over our service. He has said that meeting this timetable is dependent upon his team being able to collate all the information and assurance required for the Board to take final decisions, including thorough analysis of the 7000+ responses received to the public consultation.
In his letter John Stewart asked us to work closely with our regional commissioning colleagues to provide some more clarity on our growth plan, and more details of our plans to move the children’s heart service across to the main children’s hospital at the Royal Infirmary.
In order to facilitate this we had a helpful meeting with our regional commissioning colleagues on Monday and have subsequently provided them with some updated information about our compliance against all the standards, as is happening for all centres. I will be meeting John in early September, and between now and then we will be continuing the dialogue with our network colleagues to discuss more detail around the growth plan and how we can improve our current referral pathways to achieve the numbers we need.
We have had a strong response to our latest advertisement to fill the Consultant Surgeon post once Simone Speggiorin leaves, and interviews are taking place this week. It is a great indication of the respect our service commands that we have yet again had such a strong field of applicants, despite the uncertainty surrounding us. Simone leaves us at the end of August and I am sure you will join with me in thanking him again for his hard work and wishing him every success in his new role.
John Adler
28th
letter by E Green under “Call off the clowns from GP surgeries “ – questioning the CQC’s decisions
article from Financial Times
Family doctors have been leaving the National Health Service at a rate of more than 400 a month, threatening the government’s pledge to ensure general practitioners can provide the public with a seven-day-a-week operation. A total of 5,159 GPs departed from the NHS in England between April 2016 and March 2017, according to NHS Digital, which collects health data. The figures emerged after the Financial Times revealed that recruitment agencies could be paid up to £100m by the NHS to find 5,000 GPs — about half of them from overseas — to fill worsening staffing gaps in England.
https://www.ft.com/content/16875d1c-8e4e-11e7-9084-d0c17942ba93
