An extremely busy fortnight. What to include?
Mid & South Essex (MSE) Integrated Care Partnership pilots an innovative new programme to improve access to NHS dental services which has started well.
MSE Integrated Care Board (ICB)’s new Chief Executive reiterates commitment that patient and public communications and engagement remain top priorities. Our suggestion to survey transport access to medical services and appointments welcomed. Our health services face the same challenges as the whole NHS. Papers at https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/publications/nhs-mid-and-south-essex-integrated-care-board-meeting-paper-12-september-2024/ show positives and negatives.
The final report about the consultations into community health services and future of St Peter’s Hospital is published. MSEICB has announced a six-month delay in the final decision-making regarding the reconfiguration of community hospital beds, a midwife-led birthing unit and ambulatory care services. An independently chaired group will look at viable options. https://swfhealthsocial.co.uk/2024/09/19/nhs-chiefs-agree-delay-to-final-decision-on-community-hospital-changes/
Junior Doctors, now titled Resident Doctors, have settled their industrial dispute. Government and doctors are working to resolve wider workforce issues including training and rotational placements
We’ve helped the NHS to develop ways to help patients prepare for medication reviews. Invitations to contribute patients’ views to such activities makes a real difference.
MSE has new innovative secure digital Shared Care Record system giving doctors, nurses, social workers and other professionals access to patient and service user information. This improves delivering more effective holistic care.
Significant reports and inquiries are:
Lord Darzi concludes the NHS “Is in a critical condition but its vital signs are strong.” It struggles with the pandemic’s aftershocks. Managerial capacity and capability have been degraded by disastrous management reforms. The trust and goodwill of many frontline staff are lost. The service is chronically weakened by lack of capital investment, lagging behind similar countries by £10s of billions. Demand has grown as the nation’s health has deteriorated. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66e1b49e3b0c9e88544a0049/Lord-Darzi-Independent-Investigation-of-the-National-Health-Service-in-England.pdf . Better decisions would only have made marginal differences. Extraordinary clinical skill, passion and determination are the NHS’s beating heart. The principles that the NHS is taxpayer funded, free at the point of use, based on need not ability to pay, remain unquestionable. We can’t afford not to have the NHS. It’ll take time to recover as it’s taken a decade for the NHS’s disrepair.
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is taking evidence about the impact on patients, healthcare workers and the wider NHS.
Baroness Lampard’s public inquiry into more than 2,000 mental health related deaths at NHS-run children and adult inpatient units in Essex between 2000 and 2023 opened in Chelmsford.
The Thirlwall Inquiry into the handling of Lucy Letby’s crimes started looking at experiences of the babies’ parents, considering the conduct of hospital staff and looking at NHS-wide relationships between professional groups, the culture within hospitals, and the effects on the safety of newborns in neonatal units.
The theme “If we’re not vaccinated, we’re not protected” continues. Amongst conditions of concern are: 0-5-year-olds’ multiple vaccinations; students against meningitis; measles; HPV (Human Papillomavirus); RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus); STIs including gonorrhoea and syphilis; the latest Covid variant.
SWF’s GPs start Covid & Flu vaccinations in October and are delivering RSV vaccinations; all by invitation. Public health news is on our website and in weekly e-newsletters. SWF Library provides online services and help with internet access. For health & welfare information and subscription to our newsletter, email swfhealthsocial@outlook.com , or leave voicemails on 01245 322079 https://swfhealthsocial.co.uk/
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