Elderly patients could be put at risk by pressure to empty NHS beds, warns social care chief inspector

Elderly patients could be put at risk by pressure to empty NHS beds, warns social care chief inspector

ByMatthew Betteridge

This article was taken from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/18/elderly-patient-could-put-risk-pressure-empty-nhs-beds-warns/ By:Laura Donnelly, health editor  Pressures on hospitals to empty thousands of beds ahead of winter could risk the safety of frail elderly patients, the chief inspector of social care has warned. Andrea Sutcliffe said she was concerned that vulnerable patients would be moved into inadequate facilities, after councils were told funding…

NHS provokes fury with indefinite surgery ban for smokers and obese

NHS provokes fury with indefinite surgery ban for smokers and obese

ByMatthew Betteridge

This article was taken from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/17/nhs-provokes-fury-indefinite-surgery-ban-smokers-obese/ By:  Laura Donnelly, health editor  The NHS will ban patients from surgery indefinitely unless they lose weight or quit smoking, under controversial plans drawn up in Hertfordshire. The restrictions – thought to be the most extreme yet to be introduced by health services – immediately came under attack from the Royal College of…

More than 100,000 terminally ill patients denied hospice care

More than 100,000 terminally ill patients denied hospice care

ByMatthew Betteridge

One in four terminally ill people who need expert end-of-life care are not receiving it because of funding pressures, the hospice movement has told Sky News. Hospice UK said as many as 118,000 people in the UK with terminal or life-limiting conditions are not able to access palliative care from its members. Britain’s 200 hospices…

Mental health staff recruitment plan for England

Mental health staff recruitment plan for England

ByMatthew Betteridge

Thousands more mental health workers are to be recruited by the NHS in England, the health secretary has said. The plans involve increasing the number of trained nurses, therapists and other mental health professionals. Jeremy Hunt said it was time to end the “historic imbalance” between mental and physical health services. But Labour says the…