Tag: health

Zero tolerance for failure under package of tough NHS reforms

Health and Social Care Secretary will outline how government and NHS leaders have a duty to patients and taxpayers to get the system working well

  • Wes Streeting to reveal package of reforms and announce new league table of NHS England providers, with top talent attracted to most challenging areas and persistently failing managers to be sacked
  • Turn around teams sent into struggling hospitals, while best performers given greater freedoms over funding to modernise technology and equipment
  • No more rewards for failure, with reforms to ensure every penny of extra investment into NHS is well spent and waiting times for patients slashed

NHS league tables will be introduced to help tackle the NHS crisis and ensure there are ‘no more rewards for failure’, as part of a tough package of reforms to be announced by the Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting today (Wednesday 13 November).

Addressing the nation’s health leaders at the NHS Providers’ annual conference in Liverpool, he will outline how government and NHS leaders have a duty to patients and taxpayers to get the system working well and get better value for money.

NHS England will carry out a no holds barred sweeping review of NHS performance across the entire country, with providers to be placed into a league table. This will be made public and regularly updated to ensure leaders, policy-makers and patients know which improvements need to be prioritised. 

Persistently failing managers will be replaced and turn around teams of expert leaders will be deployed to help providers which are running big deficits or poor services for patients, offering them urgent, effective support so they can improve their service.

High-performing providers will be given greater freedom over funding and flexibility. There is little incentive across the system to run budget surpluses as providers can’t benefit from it. The reforms today will reward top-performing providers and give them more capital and greater control over where to invest it in modernising their buildings, equipment and technology.

The government will deliver a health service fit for the future, fixing the foundations while delivering change with investment and reform to deliver growth, get the NHS back on its feet, and rebuild Britain.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The Budget showed this government prioritises the NHS, providing the investment needed to rebuild the health service. Today we are announcing the reforms to make sure every penny of extra investment is well spent and cuts waiting times for patients.

“There’ll be no more turning a blind eye to failure. We will drive the health service to improve, so patients get more out of it for what taxpayers put in.

“Our health service must attract top talent, be far more transparent to the public who pay for it, and run as efficiently as global businesses.

“With the combination of investment and reform, we will turn the NHS around and cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks.”

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive said: “While NHS leaders welcome accountability, it is critical that responsibility comes with the necessary support and development.

“The extensive package of reforms, developed together with government, will empower all leaders working in the NHS and it will give them the tools they need to provide the best possible services for our patients.”

The NHS Oversight Framework which sets out how trusts and integrated care boards are best monitored – will be updated by the next financial year to ensure performance is properly scrutinised.

Deep dives into poorly performing trusts will be carried out by the government and NHS England to identify the most pressing issues and how they can be resolved.

Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England: “People value the hard work of NHS staff, but it’s frustrating when services fail to operate effectively. So, a fresh approach to improving NHS performance is welcome.

“Currently, living in an area with either an outstanding or poorly performing NHS trust feels like a postcode lottery. When a service is underperforming, it often takes far too long for patients to see the necessary improvements.

“This is because the current system focuses on evaluating service performance based on the number of tasks it completes and it does not do enough to measure patients’ overall outcomes and experiences.

“Establishing a better system that encourages NHS managers to focus on delivering the best care as efficiently as possible, and leads to quicker changes at struggling trusts, would be good news for everyone.”

NHS senior managers who fail to make progress will also be ineligible for pay increases. There will be financial implications for Very Senior Managers (VSMs) such as Chief Executives if they are failing to improve their trust’s performance, or letting patients down with poor levels of care.  

A new pay framework for VSMs will be published before April 2025. Senior leaders who are successfully improving performance will be rewarded, to ensure the NHS continues to develop and attract the best talent to the top positions. 

The changes are made in response to Lord Darzi’s investigation into the NHS, which found that: “The only criteria by which trust chief executive pay is set is the turnover of the organisation. Neither the timeliness of access nor the quality of care are routinely factored into pay. This encourages organisations to grow their revenue rather than to improve operational performance.”

The cost to the health service of hiring temporary workers sits at a staggering £3 billion a year. Under joint plans to be put forward for consultation in the coming weeks, NHS trusts could be banned from using agencies to hire temporary entry level workers in band 2 and 3, such as healthcare assistants and domestic support workers. The consultation will also include a proposal to stop NHS staff resigning and then immediately offering their services back to the health service through a recruitment agency.

Rachel Power, Chief Executive, Patients Association: “We welcome today’s commitment to improving NHS performance and accountability. These reforms signal an important drive for positive change in our health system. The focus on tackling poor performance and rewarding excellence sends a clear message about raising standards across the NHS.

“At the same time, we know from the experience of patients, that real transformation comes through genuine partnership with patients. We look forward to working with NHS England to ensure patient voices help shape how any league tables are developed and how success is measured.

“The proposed support teams for struggling trusts could be particularly effective if they include patient representatives and focus on building a culture of patient partnership. This is an opportunity to combine better management with deeper patient involvement – creating an NHS that is both more efficient and more responsive to people’s needs.

“We hope trusts who receive greater funding freedom will use this money wisely – to cut waiting times, make the waiting experience better for patients, and strengthen the ways they work with patients to improve services. These are the things that matter most to people using the NHS.”

Lord Darzi’s investigation into the NHS found that hospital productivity has ‘nosedived’ in the past five years. During that time resources have increased by 20%, but the number of patients treated has only increased by 3%.

This comes a month after the Health and Social Care Secretary kicked off the biggest national conversation about the future of the NHS since its birth, calling on the entire country to share their experiences of our health service and help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan. 

Members of the public, as well as NHS staff and experts, are sharing their experiences, views and ideas for fixing the NHS via the Change NHS online platform, which will be live until the start of next year, and available via the NHS App.

Empowering the future of medical research

MEDICAL RESEARCH SCOTLAND ENGAGES ALMOST 1,400 PUPILS FROM 47 SCHOOLS THROUGH INSPIRING VIRTUAL LEARNING EVENTS

Medical Research Scotland, Scotland’s largest independent medical research charity, has ignited young people’s passion for science, education and careers with the return of its Medical Research Scotland Academy, linking secondary school pupils with industry experts.

For 2024, the Medical Research Scotland Academy reached 1,400 pupils from 47 secondary schools spanning from Aberdeen, across the Central Belt to the Scottish Borders. This free to access program successfully engaged S4, S5 and S6 pupils with a keen interest in STEM subjects. The innovative academy was delivered virtually allowing sessions to be utilised within the usual teaching schedules.

Throughout the online academy, pupils from schools across Scotland participated eagerly in live-streamed interactive lessons every Friday morning for the month of March. These sessions – directly broadcasted to science classrooms – allowed students to learn from the comfort of their familiar learning environments.

Led by scientists, industry leaders, and PhD students, whose research is funded by Medical Research Scotland, students were treated to a series of inspiring and insightful presentations.

This year, the academy introduced “Live from the Lab”, a new route which allowed pupils to look inside loa PhD researcher’s working environment and the interesting research they too could be conducting post-secondary school.

Kilgraston School in Perth is one of the many schools that have seen the benefits of these online sessions.

Through the weekly series, pupils had the unique opportunity to delve into topics including: How medical research can change the world, The power of data in research, Making medicines and The future in medical research. 

These sessions were presented by esteemed scientists from leading Scottish universities including the Universities of Aberdeen, St Andrews, Edinburgh and Strathclyde as well as organisations including Generation Scotland and Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility.

Gerry Young, Director of Science at Kilgraston School, said: “It has been great to see the return of the Medical Research Scotland Academy for 2024.

“The online webinars have had a huge impact on our pupils that have shown a keen interested in STEM related subjects and a medical path post-secondary school.

“Throughout this virtual academy, our students have gained a priceless understanding of medical research by interacting with top experts in the field, enhancing their understanding of scientific principles.

“Experiencing real-world medical research has sparked a passion for science in our students. We appreciate this invaluable opportunity, which has empowered them to pursue careers in the medical research field.”

Professor Heather Wallace, Chair of Medical Research Scotland, said: “As Chair of Medical Research Scotland, I’m proud of Scotland’s legacy in producing top-tier research scientists helping to drive global health breakthroughs.

“The 2024 Medical Research Scotland Academy continues our mission, fostering connections between aspiring medical professionals and esteemed academics. Witnessing the enthusiasm among students from schools across the country reaffirms the academy’s value.”

Medical Research Scotland is dedicated to advancing health in Scotland and beyond through the support of cutting-edge research aimed at enhancing the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases.

To join us in our mission, please visit our website at:

medicalresearchscotland.org.uk and explore ways to contribute.

If you would like to view this year’s Medical Research Scotland academy webinars, please visit our YouTube channel here.

Funding for ‘game-changing’ tech which could destroy cancers and predict disease

Millions invested in eight innovative companies behind lifesaving new medical technology which could destroy liver cancer tumours, detect Alzheimer’s and quickly spot those at risk of stroke

Countless lives could be saved thanks to a multi-million pound UK government investment in potential breakthrough medical devices.

As part of a £10 million funding package for boosting access to medical technology, eight innovative tech companies will be supported to bring their devices to market. It could help transform the way we treat some of the biggest causes of death and disability in the UK.

One device, by HistoSonics, aims to identify and destroy liver cancer tumours using focused ultrasound waves. These waves break down tumours without damaging healthy tissue, offering a safer alternative to radiotherapy and other high intensity treatments. It could improve quality of life for many patients going through treatment – reducing hospital visits, post procedure complications, and making pain management easier.

Today’s announcement is part of the government’s long-term plan to ensure the NHS and its patients can get quicker access to new ‘groundbreaking’ technologies. It follows the unveiling of our groundbreaking blueprint for boosting NHS medtech and turning innovation into real benefits for society last year.

Health Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “NHS staff need access to the latest technology to deliver the highest quality care for patients and cut waiting lists – one of our top five priorities. 

“These cutting-edge technologies could help thousands of patients with a range of conditions, including cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer’s, while easing pressure on our hospitals and reducing healthcare inequalities.

“Our investment in these pioneering companies is part of our long-term plan for a faster, simpler and fairer health care system, and demonstrates our clear commitment to ensuring the UK is the most innovative economy in the world.”

One company is developing a blood test for Alzheimer’s Disease which means patients could be identified and treated earlier.  Roche Diagnostics Ltd has developed the Amyloid Plasma Panel – a blood test which could help clinicians decide if patients with cognitive impairment should undergo tests or imaging to confirm Alzheimer’s Disease.

A portable blood test, from Upfront Diagnostics, could help paramedics identify stroke patients more quickly. Currently, ambulance workers can’t recognise a patient with a blood clot blocking the flow of blood and oxygen to their brain, who would require urgent treatment at stroke centres rather than local hospitals.

The blood test could help them recognise these cases on the spot – so patients could be taken to a comprehensive stroke centre for immediate, vital treatment. It could mean thousands are spared long-term disability and the associated care costs, while reducing pressure on A&E departments nationwide.

Dr Marc Bailey, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Chief Science and Innovation Officer, said: “We are very excited to announce the final eight selected technologies in the new IDAP pilot scheme.

“This is designed to explore how support from the regulator, UK health technology organisations and NHS bodies can accelerate the development of transformative medical devices from their initial proof of concept through to uptake in the NHS.

“The pilot criteria prioritises patient need in all aspects of decision-making and, by supporting innovative medical technologies, will ease pressure on the healthcare system. Most important, it’s an initiative which could be life-changing for many patients.

“We are committed to being a regulator that establishes the UK as a centre of medical innovation and look forward to working with the wider healthcare system to achieve this.”

The funding is part of a radical new programme called The Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP), which aims to bring state-of-the-art technologies and solutions to the forefront of the NHS. Currently in the pilot stage, the funding will be used to test the new technologies for use on a large scale as quickly as possible.

The government is investing £10 million in the pilot as part of a wider programme of work to accelerate access to medical technology.

The programme is run by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), NHS England, Health Technology Wales, and Scottish Health Technology Group. They will be providing tailored, intensive advice on regulatory approval, health tech assessments and access to the NHS.

Jeanette Kusel, Director of NICE Advice (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) said: “NICE’s ambition is to drive innovation into the hands of health and care professionals to enable best practice in health and care treatment.

“Through IDAP and our support service NICE Advice, we aim to be a trusted adviser, providing tailored advice and supporting businesses along the whole product lifecycle helping them realise their ambition and helping bring the very best of innovation into the NHS and the hands of patients.”

Lenus Health Ltd. is using artificial intelligence to predict patients at risk of hospitalisation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which causes the airways to become narrow and damaged, resulting in breathing difficulties.

The company collects data from wearable devices, sensors and apps and uses AI to predict which patients are at greater risk of hospital admissions. This allows them to be monitored and treated more effectively, while simultaneously reducing pressure on hospitals. 

Another device aims to reduce inequalities in the field of lung health. Oximeters – devices clipped over the end of a fingertip – are used widely at hospitals and at home to assess how well the lungs and circulatory system are working. However, research suggests this technology may not accurately detect falling oxygen levels in people with darker skin tones.

EarSwitch has produced a device which detects oxygen levels from the inner ear-canal instead, which is not pigmented irrespective of the person’s skin colour. It could offer better quality readings and a more innovative approach to oxygen level monitoring. 

Vin Diwakar, Interim National Director of Transformation, NHS England, said: “This is an important milestone in our work to ensure the NHS continues to get the best new technologies and treatments to patients faster, having already rolled out more than 100 new treatments through the cancer drug fund and setting up a dedicated programme to prepare for new Alzheimer’s treatments once they are approved.

“We will be working closely with our partners to support those companies selected for the pilot so that more game-changing, life-saving technologies are introduced quickly and safely on the NHS.”

Other technologies set to benefit from a share of the funding include:

  • Multiple Sclerosis fatigue app: Avegen Ltd. has developed a new smartphone app that delivers exercises, cognitive behaviour therapy and targeted physical activity in a personally customisable format to help patients manage Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
  • Self-test for neutropenia: 52 North Health. has developed a new device to allow chemotherapy patients to self-test at home – using a finger-prick blood test – for neutropenic sepsis. This is a life-threatening condition in patients whose immune system is suppressed.
  • Algorithm infection predictor: Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) is a life-threatening medical condition caused by the body’s overwhelming response to infection or inflammation. Presymptom Health Ltd. has developed a new test and algorithm with the potential to predict infection status up to three days before conventional diagnosis is possible.

Dr Susan Myles, Director of Health Technology Wales, said: “Health Technology Wales is proud to have played a role in the selection of eight pilot IDAP technologies which have the potential to support clinicians and improve the lives of patients across the UK.

“We look forward to continuing to support the adoption of innovative health technologies by the NHS.”

Pet Fostering Service Scotland calls for ban on restrictive housing policies 

Call comes as the charity struggles to find homes for all animal companions after record number of people look to put their pet up for fostering after being made homeless 

Animal care charity Pet Fostering Service Scotland is calling for an end to restrictive housing policies after its service has seen a record number of people looking to put their pets up for fostering.  

The charity has seen over 1,000 enquiries to use Pet Fostering Service Scotland’s aid this year, a rise in over 20% compared to last year, and is now unable to find a foster home for all pets of owners in need, which could result in pets not having a safe place to stay.  

With pets often abandoned by the people they depend on for care and support, Pet Fostering Service Scotland helps those in emergency situations who are eager to keep their furry companions. 

Due to a multitude of reasons, pet owners can experience serious disruption to their home lives, often resulting in the dilemma of how to survive whilst also keeping their beloved pet.  

Pet Fostering Service Scotland is a charity which has been supporting pet owners for 40 years. Now, the charity is calling for a ban on restrictive housing policies.

Those who have been evicted and made homeless can often feel there is no option other than to abandon their pets. According to the charity implementing less restrictive housing policies could avoid situations like these taking place. 

Often accommodation for those who have either been made homeless or require refuge has a no pet policy. There has also been a rise in pet owners looking for new accommodation that accepts pets, currently having to wait one year for suitable housing to become available.

As a result, Pet Fostering Service Scotland has had to put pets into fostering for a year or longer, which is detrimental to the animal’s health as it is too long a period. This can also be distressing for owners due to the loss of consistent and familiar companionship provided by pets.   

The cost-of-living increase has had a significant impact on finding temporary accommodation for those who have been made homeless, as most housing options exclude the homing of pets. 

Pet Fostering Service Scotland has processed over 1,000 enquiries for pet care across Scotland this year. 37% of those were from people in a homeless or re-housing situation and as a result could not care for their pets in the short term.  

Bob Sinclair Chair at Pet Fostering Service Scotland said: “For those who have been made homeless or are facing an emergency situation, being housed alongside their beloved pet is so important.

“The significance of the companionship between a pet and owner is important for wellbeing for both sides. Changing restrictive housing policies and allowing pets into temporary accommodation could be life changing for these individuals and result in far fewer abandonment scenarios.” 

The Pet Fostering Service is non-chargeable and relies solely on donations for the work they provide, and volunteers can apply to become pet fosterers.

Pet fostering gives volunteers the companionship of a pet without the long-term responsibility and can bring a sense of reward from helping those in need, both human and animal.  

The charity currently has over 300 volunteers. 

If you are interested in fostering a pet or want to hear more about the charity, please visit https://www.pfss.org.uk/

The shape of things to come? UK Government boosts use of private sector to cut NHS waits

Thirteen new community diagnostic centres are opening across England to deliver more than 742,000 additional scans, tests and checks a year

  • The Elective Recovery Taskforce – formed last year to identify ways to cut waiting times – publishes plan to maximise independent sector capacity to treat NHS patients more quickly
  • Measures include better use of data to help the NHS identify potential opportunities for the independent sector to support patient care, and expanding training opportunities for staff

Thirteen new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) – including eight independently run CDCs – are being launched across England as part of UK government plans to use the independent sector to cut NHS waiting lists, Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay will announce today.

Five of these independent sector-led CDCs will operate in the South West of England, with permanent sites fully opening in 2024 in Redruth, Bristol, Torbay, Yeovil and Weston Super Mare. Additional diagnostic testing capacity is already being rolled out in the region via the use of mobile diagnostic facilities, to provide additional diagnostic services while these sites are constructed.

Three others will open in Southend, Northampton and South Birmingham – with the former commencing activity from November and the latter two from December. These independently run CDCs will help to make it easier for patients to receive checks closer to home and will remain free at the point of use for patients. This adds to the four CDCs run by the independent sector that are already operational in Brighton, North Solihull, Oxford, and Salford.

Five more NHS-run centres will also open across the country, delivering on our ambition to open up to 160 across the country by 2025, backed by £2.3 billion. These will be in Hornchurch, Skegness, Lincoln, Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said: “We must use every available resource to deliver life-saving checks to ease pressure on the NHS.

“By making use of the available capacity in the independent sector, and enabling patients to access this diagnostic capacity free at the point of need, we can offer patients a wider choice of venues to receive treatment and in doing so diagnose major illnesses quicker and start treatments sooner.

“The Elective Recovery Taskforce has identified additional diagnostic capacity that is available in the independent sector which we will now use more widely to enable patients to access the care they need quicker.”

As well as being more convenient for patients, CDCs drive efficiency across the NHS by shielding elective diagnostic services from wider hospital pressures.

The government has also set out a range of new measures to unlock spare capacity within the independent healthcare sector. This comes following actions from the Elective Recovery Taskforce which was established last December.

Chaired by Health Minister Will Quince and made up of academics and experts from the NHS and independent sector, the taskforce looked for ways to go further to bust the Covid backlogs and reduce waiting times for patients.

The measures include a commitment to using data on independent sector providers to identify where they have capacity to take on more NHS patients to help clear the backlog and increasing the use of the independent sector in training junior NHS staff.

These thirteen new CDCs will provide capacity for more than 742,000 extra tests a year once all are fully operational, bolstering access to care.

Independent sector led centres will function like NHS-run CDCs, but staff will be employed by the independent sector, which also owns the buildings. The South West network will be run by InHealth, a specialist provider of diagnostic tests which has worked with hospitals and commissioners across the health service for more than 30 years. By utilising independent sector staff, the NHS will be able to keep pace with rising demand in the region and deliver a high number of tests for patients.

There are currently 114 CDCs open across the country, which have delivered an additional 4.6 million tests, checks and scans since July 2021. Alongside this, significant progress has already been made to cut waiting lists, with 18-month and two-year waits virtually eliminated.

Health Minister and Elective Recovery Taskforce Chair, Will Quince, said: “We have already made significant progress in bringing down waiting lists, with 18 month waits virtually eliminated.

“I chaired the Elective Recovery Taskforce to turbocharge these efforts and help patients get the treatment they need.

“These actions will bolster capacity across the country and give patients more choice over where and when they are treated.”

The taskforce aims to form strong local relationships between NHS organisations and the independent sector. This will help to support improved training opportunities for junior doctors through first-hand experience of procedures. This follows the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan which will deliver the biggest training expansion in NHS history and recruit and retain hundreds of thousands more staff over the next 15 years.

The department has also published its response to a consultation on a new procurement system known as the Provider Selection Regime, which will give commissioners of healthcare services more flexibility when selecting NHS and independent sector healthcare providers. This is intended to remove unnecessary levels of competitive tendering and barriers to integrating care, which will help to promote collaboration across the NHS and wider healthcare system.

NHS England will evaluate the independent sector’s impact on healthcare capacity and has already begun publishing regular monthly data on independent sector use, showing its contribution to tackling the backlog.

NHS England National Clinical Director for Elective Care, Stella Vig, said: “Hardworking staff across the NHS have made significant progress towards recovering elective care, and it is testament to their efforts that widespread innovative measures are already being rolled out to transform our services and bring down the longest waits for patients.

“Alongside this, we have increased our use of the independent sector by more than a third since April 2021  – carrying out 90,000 appointments and procedures every week, including more than 10,000 diagnostic tests – and independent providers will continue to play a key role as we work towards the next milestone in our recovery plan, as well as the additional one stop shops announced today as part of NHS England’s rollout of community diagnostic centres.

“As this report details, we have already made significant progress in this area, including operating mutual aid systems across both the NHS and independent sector, and by expanding My Planned Care to make it easier for patients to choose where they receive care.”

David Hare, Chief Executive of IHPN, who sat on the Taskforce, said: “The publication of this report is good news for patients. This is a real, significant step forward to unlocking more of the capital, capacity and capability of the independent sector.

“Today’s report builds on the Prime Minister’s recent welcome announcements about how the government is committed to providing patients with better choice over who provides their NHS care, as well as positive changes in how services are procured, which can help add overall capacity and speed up waiting times for NHS patients.

“The report’s commitment to open further independent sector-led Community Diagnostic Centres is also good news for patients, deploying some of the private capital that is available to build new facilities and to help ensure that more NHS patients can get the tests and scans that they need.”

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, said: “We are advocates of patients having choice and welcome today’s announcement. In particular, the news that GPs will tell patients, at the point of referral, of options for treatment other than the local hospital or clinic.

“Patients in England already have a right to choose where they are treated but not all patients are aware of this right or exercise it. Our expectation is that once GPs offer patients a choice of where to receive treatment, more and more patients will choose to travel further to receive treatment if that means shorter waits.”

Justin Ash, CEO of Spire Healthcare, said: “The best way to cut waiting times for patients is for the independent sector to be fully integrated as part of the solution, and to offer patient choice.

“We welcome the Elective Recovery Taskforce’s recognition of this and are pleased that it has recommended some bold and far-reaching steps to encourage collaboration, promote patient choice and engage the independent sector to help deliver the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

“The Taskforce’s work will genuinely benefit patients, who’ll be able to choose where they can receive treatment most quickly, regardless of whether that’s at an NHS or an independent sector hospital.”

This builds on previous work to give patients greater choice. At the point of referral (for example, at a GP appointment), patients will be actively offered a list of providers which are clinically appropriate for their condition.

This will be a minimum of five providers where possible. And by October 2023, all patients waiting over 40 weeks who have not had a first outpatient appointment booked or where a decision to treat has been made but the patient does not have a date for their treatment will be able to initiate a request to transfer to another provider and receive treatment more quickly.

Last month, the Health and Social Care Secretary also convened ministers, clinical leaders and health experts for the NHS Recovery Summit to collaborate and drive forward ideas to help cut waiting lists and improve care for patients.

Millions of children get access to life-saving defibrillators

Every state school in England now has a defibrillator with 20,376 devices delivered to 17,862 schools

The government has confirmed that all state-funded schools in England now have a life-saving defibrillator, drastically increasing the chances of surviving cardiac arrest for all state school pupils in England.

Following the government’s £19 million rollout, over 20,000 defibrillators have successfully been delivered to almost 18,000 schools since January.

In June, the Department for Education oversaw the successful completion of deliveries of defibrillators to secondary schools. Now, all eligible primary, special and alternative provision schools who did not already have a defibrillator have received deliveries, boosting their numbers in communities across the country.

Today’s milestone marks another step in the government’s commitment to delivering stronger, safer communities across the country.

In July 2022, the government committed to delivering these devices before the end of the 2022 to 2023 academic year to ensure that all state funded schools in England had access to a defibrillator, following the campaigning from Mark King of the Oliver King Foundation to ensure all schools have a defibrillator.

Mark tragically lost his son, Oliver, after he suffered sudden cardiac arrest at school during a swimming lesson when he was 12-years-old.

Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan said: “Having access to defibrillators in schools drastically increases the chance of pupils, teachers and visitors surviving a cardiac arrest.

“Thanks to the tireless campaigning of Mark King, Jamie Carragher and Nicola Carragher we are proud to say that every state-funded school in England now has access to a defibrillator.

“Teachers and pupils across the country can now be reassured that they will have access to one on school grounds should tragedy strikes.”

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, said: ““Having access to defibrillators in schools drastically increases the chance of pupils, teachers and visitors surviving a cardiac arrest.

“Thanks to the tireless campaigning of Mark King and Jamie Carragher we are proud to say that every state-funded school in England now has one of these potentially life-saving machines.

“So however rare these events are, teachers, parents and pupils across the country can now be reassured they will have access to a defibrillator on school grounds, should the worst happen.”

Oliver King Foundation founder, Mark King: “We as a family and foundation will continue to strive for change so no other family has to suffer as we are.

“We would like to say a massive thank you to Nadhim Zahawi, Lord Stuart Polak, Jamie Carragher and the DfE for helping us aim for legislation. Oliver’s memory will live on and lives will be saved.”

Large schools have been provided with 2 or more defibrillators so that they can be strategically placed in areas of the schools where a cardiac arrest is more likely, such as sports halls.

A defibrillator is a machine that is placed externally on the body and is used to give an electric shock when a person is in cardiac arrest i.e. when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body. Prompt defibrillation can help save a person’s life.

The government is also supporting schools in making defibrillators available to the community, with 1,200 external heated defibrillator cabinets being provided to primary and special schools by the end of 2023 in areas of deprivation, where provision is generally lower.

The rollout will build on existing requirements for schools to teach first aid as part of the curriculum, with secondary school pupils being taught life-saving methods such as CPR and the purpose of defibrillators. This rollout will help protect schools and their local communities against cardiac arrest, delivering wider access to these devices.

Project aims to speed up delivery of treatments for motor neuron disease

A new project by researchers in Edinburgh aims to identify combinations of existing drugs that could be used together to treat motor neuron disease (MND).

Led by Prof Siddharthan Chandran, Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and Director of the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, both at the University of Edinburgh, the £3.3 million project is funded by the medical research charity LifeArc, as part of an ongoing partnership between the charity and the UK DRI.

The partnership brings together the strengths of UK DRI’s research into discovery science with LifeArc’s translational expertise to take exciting lab discoveries forward and translate them into tangible benefits for patients.

MND is a life-limiting condition that causes progressive weakness of the muscles due to the degeneration of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. There is currently only one drug approved to treat the disease in the UK, riluzole, which has only a modest effect.

There is an urgent unmet need for effective therapies to treat MND. But the brain is complex, and targeting one biological pathway with a single drug might not be enough to slow down or stop the degeneration of motor neurons.

The new project seeks to drastically accelerate the development of new treatments by identifying existing drugs which target multiple disease mechanisms implicated in MND.

Typically, new drugs can take up to 15 years to progress through development and clinical trial stages, but with this approach, treatments could be tested in the clinic within four years.

Prof Siddharthan Chandran, Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and Director of the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, both at the University of Edinburgh, said: “As has been shown for cancer therapy, using combinations of drugs that target different pathways might be our best chance of slowing or stopping the progression of MND.

“This innovative project is an important next step in identifying effective medicines for MND.”

In the first stage of the study, the researchers will prioritise the top drug candidates, using both laboratory-based tests on motor neurons grown in the lab from patient donated stem cells, and a machine-learning, artificial intelligence approach to review published scientific studies of MND.

Next, the top candidate drugs will be tested in pairs in combination in the stem cell models of MND, against different biological pathways known to be implicated in MND.

The ultimate goal is to seek regulatory approval to test the most promising and effective combinations of drugs in the Euan MacDonald Centre’s MND-SMART (Motor Neuron Disease – Systematic Multi-arm Adaptive Randomised Trial) trial.

This pioneering trial across 20 sites in the UK is designed to shorten the time it takes to find medicines that can slow or stop MND. Unlike typical clinical trials which test a single treatment, MND-SMART is testing several treatments at the same time. It is also an adaptive trial which means that new drugs can be added, and those proven ineffective can be dropped.

This new project complements another recently announced MND initiative, EXPERT-ALS, which aims to rapidly identify promising drug candidates in small scale trials, before definitive evaluation in Phase 3 platform trials such as MND-SMART.

Dr Paul Wright, MND Translational Challenge Lead at LifeArc said: “Our involvement in this research is part of an ambitious long-term £100m funding programme we have launched to help tackle neurodegenerative conditions and find treatments where none currently exist. 

“By working with UK DRI we are uncovering promising life science research, like Professor Siddharthan’s, that we can support with funding or by offering our scientific resources and expertise in translational research.

“Ultimately, our aim is to accelerate the process of finding medical breakthroughs that can prevent and stop these life-threatening diseases progressing.”

Briggs: NHS Lothian A&E Waiting Times showing no sign of improving

Date ↓% within 4 hours
19 March 202360
20 March 202261.5
21 March 202184.1
22 March 202094.6
24 March 201986.6

Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Lothian Miles Briggs said: “The figures are an embarrassment for Humza Yousaf and are indicative of the extent to which he failed in his role as Heath Secretary.

“It is completely unacceptable that in the space of 3 years the percentage seen withing 4 hours dropped almost 35% from 94.6% to 60% in Lothian.

“Despite being well into the swing of Spring, the figures for Lothian are now worse than at the peak winter times.

“In taking his eye off the ball and doing his best to appease the independence hardliners during the leadership contest, Lothian and Scotland’s figures have deteriorated further.

“While as Health Secretary he was clearly unable to find a solution to the mess he created, one of his first priorities as the new First Minister must be to get on top of the situation and find someone who can clear up the disaster that he presided over.”

OPAT scheme is helping more people to be treated closer to home

Innovative OPAT scheme saves 45,000 hospital admission bed days

A new service which has already saved 45,000 hospital bed days this year is being further rolled out over the coming months.

The Out-patient Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) service allows people to be treated at home or in out-patient settings – reducing the need for hospital admission or long stays.

Patients are able to receive intravenous antimicrobial therapy or other complex antibiotic treatment in an out-patient clinic at a time convenient to them, and in some areas even at home rather than as an inpatient.

The service, part of the right care in the right place initiative, is just one of many innovative programmes which health boards are using to help reduce pressures on the rest of the system.

Figures published by the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group show that between 17 January 2022 and 21 August 2022 on average 250 people per week have been treated by the OPAT service and more than 45,000 hospital admission bed days have been avoided in that period.

OPAT services are supported by £50 million of Scottish Government funding through the Urgent and Unscheduled Care Collaborative.  

Beleaguered Health Secretary Humzah Yousaf welcomed a piece of good news. He said: “I am pleased to see the roll-out of the Out-patient Antimicrobial Therapy service.

“We know that our accident and emergency departments continue to be under significant pressure, and that is why we are working at pace to deliver this scheme, and others like it, to provide more care in the community while reducing pressure on hospitals.

“We know there is a real benefit to treating people at home where possible. We are determined to build on this success and want to see this approach adopted across as many health boards as possible.”

Dr Andrew Seaton, Chair of the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group and Consultant in Infectious Diseases, said: ““Hospitals are under significant pressure as we try to recover from the effects of the COVID pandemic and there is a real need for initiatives to support recovery and promote different ways of caring for our patients traditionally managed in hospitals.

“OPAT is an excellent example of how nurses, pharmacists and doctors can work together to provide high quality patient centred care without the need for a hospital bed. The focus now on further developing virtual capacity and new ways of working with support across Scotland for initiatives like ours is very welcome”.

Nine health boards currently use OPAT services and the programme will be rolled out further over the coming months.

Yesterday’s announcement was somewhat overshadowed by news that the latest hospital waiting times in Scotland are the WORST EVER.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP said the figures showed the “crisis in A&E is not merely continuing, but deepening”.

Buckingham Palace: A Statement

“Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”

Price Charles is now with the Queen, who is 96, and other members of the royal family are now travelling to Balmoral.