New safety body given investigatory powers
A NEW Health Service Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) will be given power to investigate serious patient safety incidents under proposals laid before Parliament by the Department of Health.
Rise in written complaints in England
WRITTEN complaints to GP and dental practices in England increased by 9.7 per cent in 2016/2017 compared to the previous year, according to figures from NHS Digital.
Prescribing guidance for junior doctors
JUNIOR doctors should be given more practical advice on prescribing and be encouraged to learn from mistakes, according to new guidance from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).
Suspect endometriosis in chronic pelvic pain
NICE has released new guidance calling for doctors to suspect endometriosis in women presenting with chronic pelvic pain.
Bid to shorten GDC fitness to practise process
PROPOSED changes could cut several weeks off the General Dental Council’s fitness to practise process.
Bowel cancer red flags missed
ONE in five bowel cancer patients diagnosed after an emergency presentation had at least one "red flag" symptom in the year leading up to their diagnosis in a study funded by Cancer Research UK.
Guidance amended on antibiotic prophylaxis for infective endocarditis
NICE has made a small but significant change to its guidance on the use of antibiotic prophylaxis against infective endocarditis in cardiac patients undergoing dental procedures.
New NICE guidance on addressing multimorbidity
Caring for patients with multiple long-term conditions could require billions of pounds in extra health spending by 2018. NICE has issued a new guideline setting out ways to tailor care for adults with multimorbidity.
Online patient symptom checker in “digital excellence” plan
PATIENTS in England will be able to check symptoms and get medical advice online as part of a multi-million pound “digital excellence” plan.
Hip fracture patients need better follow-up
THE acute care of patients with hip fracture has improved in many areas of the UK but not all patients are receiving properly planned care and rehabilitation after leaving hospital.