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Welcome to all of our new members and E-members Following the recent successful West Midlands focus group looking at the image of nursing in the region, we will also be holding a focus group on the same theme in the London region. We hope to have focus groups in other regions over the course of the year. Meeting dates and times are still to be confirmed, but if you are interested in attending please let us know by emailing events@patients-association.com
1. Care Quality Commission's State of Care Report
2. GP Complaints rise by over 25% in a decade.
3. BMA campaigns to "Look after our NHS"
4. News of designer hospital gowns heading to the NHS goes global 5. Disagreement over the funding of care Lay member required for the Assembly of the new professional leadership body for pharmacists
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1. Care Quality Commission's State of Care Report 1.7 million adults in England will need home care by 2030 according to the Care Quality Commission's "State of Care" report to Parliament published this week. The report highlighted the lack of co-ordination between the provision of health and social services. The report recognised the need for health and social services to co-ordinate the provision of services but estimated that up to £2 billion a year currently spent on treating elderly patients in hospital could be saved by investing in services that help to maintain people's independence and health. A further £2.7 billion could be saved by helping people manage long-term conditions more effectively, treating them closer to home and avoiding unnecessary hospital visits. The report praised improvements in the number of health and social care services, councils and PCTs assessed as either "good" or "excellent". The CQC also acknowledged the success in reducing NHS non-emergency care and waiting times and the reduction in infection rates. However, variation among services or organisations that to not meet the minimum safety and quality standards was described as unacceptable. Five percent of NHS trusts were rated "weak" and two percent of adult social care services were regarded to be "poor". Patients Association Director Katherine Murphy said "the Care Quality Commission report confirms yet again that patients aren't as safe as they should be and that the postcode lottery is as persistent as ever. It is a scandal that some providers are still not meeting essential standards of safety and quality. Many others are improving year on year, leaving little excuse for those failing to improve. "Despite messages to the contrary from the Department of Health we see patient safety is still not the top priority of the NHS. Year after year after year safeguarding, safety and workforce training continue to be areas of concern. Failings in these areas lead to avoidable serious harm and death. This means vulnerable children and adults not being protected from harm. This means patients waking up to find they've been seriously harmed by an error that could have been prevented. This means patients being cared for by staff who haven't had mandatory training. It simply isn't good enough. "We welcome the clear direction given in the report for the NHS and social care to start working more closely together and applaud those organisations highlighted as leading the way in this area. It is vital that this approach becomes widespread if we are to make the most of increasingly restricted budgets and ensure users get a responsive service." To view a copy of the report click the link below: |
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2. GP complaints rise by over 25% in a decade. The number of people lodging complaints about their GP or dentist has risen by 26% over the last ten years according to official statistics released by the NHS with more than 48,000 formal complaints being made in 2008/09. This compares with around 36,000 in 2000 before a decade in which GPs' average pay rose by 47% and 90% of family doctors opted out of providing out of hours care. Patients Association President Claire Rayner said that "too often people who are ill and frightened are not getting the care they need, especially when they are trying to get care outside normal surgery hours." Director Katherine Murphy said that "in part it might be a good thing, people are starting to complain more, but it might also represent a real change in quality. Well-publicised problems with out of hours care might be one reason for the rise. Islington has the highest number and was heavily criticised when journalist Penny Campbell died in 2005. The Department of Health and each PCT needs to look closely at these figures and ensure they understand why this has happened. We don't want complaints disappearing into a black hole and not improving the service." |
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3. BMA campaigns to "look after our NHS" "Look after our NHS" opposes private sector involvement in the NHS. The BMA argue that the focus of private companies will always be profits and dividends for their shareholders rather than reinvesting the money in better care, treatments, or research and development. They are worried that private companies are also able to 'cherry-pick' which clinical services they provide, meaning that they focus on routine procedures - which are the most profitable - to the detriment of more complex and expensive measures which must then be picked up by the NHS. The campaign argues that if budget cuts are inevitable given the state of the UK's public finances then the brunt of these cuts should focus on the cost of private sector involvement in the NHS. The NHS should be publicly funded and its services should be publicly provided. The campaign plans to distribute leaflets and posters to GP practices through its members and the recently revamped website can be accessed at www.lookafterournhs.org.uk.
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4. News of designer hospital gowns heading to the NHS goes global The new gowns no longer feature the infamous opening back, which was criticised for leaving many patients exposed, but still allow doctors and nurses easy access through cleverly placed 'entrance points'. The designer said "you are away from home, ill, and in hospital and you have to wear this horrific garment with your arse hanging out. Give me a break." PA Director Katherine Murphy welcomed the news, saying "very often when people are admitted to hospital they don't have enough time to bring some pyjamas or a dressing gown with them and have to wear hospital gowns. But when you are ill, the last thing you need is to be embarrassed as well.” To see some of the global news coverage click below: http://www.patients-association.org.uk/News/333
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5. Disagreement over the funding of care The Conservatives accused Labour of planning to levy a £20,000 "death tax" to be taken from the value of the house or any other assets left after a patient's death in order to pay for their care. Health Secretary Andy Burnham denied the accusation and insisted that the government had made no firm decisions about plans for a flat rate to fund the care service. This follows last week's criticism from the Association of Directors for Adult Social Services who said that the funds allocated for the scheme were barely half of what would be needed. The government wants local councils in England to provide free care similar to an existing scheme in Scotland. However, in an open letter to The Times, more than 70 local councillors from across the country have called on the government to commission an independent review of the proposals and how they might be funded. The letter also warns that the scheme would not be possible without cuts in other services or possible rises in council tax. Similar criticisms of a 'funding gap' have also been levelled against Prime Minister Gordon Brown's new promise that every cancer patient in England will be offered free, one-to-one home care by specialist nurses if Labour wins the general election later this year. PA Policy Director Kieran Mullan said "Ahead of the election we can expect all of the parties to be vying for votes, making promises and pledges on both health and social care. What is needed is clear, detailed plans for people to examine so they can make their minds up and cast their votes accordingly. And we would encourage people to take each parties policies as a whole and not be distracted by catchy initiatives and promises in one area alone, however appealing they might be. The devil is of course in the detail." |
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Lay member required for the Assembly of the new professional leadership body for pharmacists
Location: Central London
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is currently the regulatory and professional body for pharmacists in England, Scotland and Wales. Following the Government’s decision that each health profession should have separate organisations responsible for regulation on the one hand and professional leadership on the other, the Society is becoming a dedicated professional leadership body. It will be governed by an Assembly, responsible for overall strategic direction on GB-wide issues, good financial management and organisational governance.
Lay Member: To sit on the Assembly of the Society as a professional body for a term of one year. Applicants do not need to be pharmacists but should be committed to the role of pharmacists and pharmacy in improving the health of the nation and able to view issues that come in front of the Assembly from a patient’s and member of the public’s perspective.
How to apply: For more information and an application form please email janet.mumbray@rpsgb.org or call Janet Mumbray on 020 7572 2201.
Closing date: February 15 2010. The appointment will then be made by the Chairs of the three National Pharmacy Boards and the Vice Chair of the English Pharmacy Board. An induction for Assembly members will take place on March 2 and the first meeting of the Shadow Assembly will be held on March 3.
All appointments follow the Society’s equal opportunities guidelines.
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How can you help? Full membership and donations provide direct support for our work. If you also wish to become a full member for only £10 a year you can now sign-up online at http://patients-association.org.uk/Membership-Subscription or email mailbox@patients-association.com for details. You can make a donation here http://www.patients-association.org.uk/Support-the-PA You can also show us your support by leaving your comments on our new Twitter page: |
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If you have been forwarded this email and would like to receive your own copy in future sign up for free as a Patients Association E-Member on the website: |
