Category Archives: health

Patients and carers will get more help

March 18, 2013   Cancer, Carers, Depression, Diabetes, disability, health

Thousands of patients with long-term conditions and dementia could benefit as GP contract proposals are unveiled

March 18, 2013

Thousands more patients will soon feel the benefits of better care at their GP surgery as an ambitious vision to improve the lives of people with long term conditions and people with dementia becomes a reality.

From April, changes to the GP contract, which have been announced today, will see millions of pounds redirected into better care for patients.

Money that was once given to doctors for performing routine office functions like record keeping will now be used to reward steps which directly support and benefit patients. This includes better control of blood pressure and cholesterol, to prevent heart attacks and stroke, and assessing patients at risk from dementia.

In total, £164 million will be pulled away from bureaucratic box ticking exercises and into better care.

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A chance to make a real difference for patients and carers!

March 15, 2013   Carers, health

Putting patients first

A major change to the way GPs in England commission local health services will take place in April – and it offers board members of clinical groups the chance to make a real difference for their communities

Dr Charles Alessi

Dr Charles Alessi believes board members of clinical commissioning groups face difficult but exciting challenges. Photograph: Frantzesco Kangaris

While debate was raging at Westminster about the government’s NHS reforms, groups of GPs across England were quietly going about the job of setting up the boards tasked with steering through major changes to the service. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which take over from primary care trusts in April, are designed to put GPs in the driving seat when it comes to commissioning services in their area.

The new boards have a big job ahead. Not only are there significant pressures on budgets, but the fallout from the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust inquiry means, more than ever, the spotlight is on standards of care.

Dr Charles Alessi, chair of NHS Clinical Commissioners, the body set up to represent the new boards, says there are real opportunities for board members to make a difference. “It is a very difficult time for the NHS and perhaps the balance between a robust management style and the clinical dimension needs to be rebalanced,” he says, “with the duty of care to the population taking on a far more important role than it seemed to in the past. For all of us, it’s a new world – it’s very difficult, but very exciting.”

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‘Meal Mates’ feeding scheme helps patients get their meals

March 11, 2013   Carers, disability, health, hospital, Norfolk, Older care

KING’S LYNN: Getting matey at mealtimes

Meal Mates feeding scheme at Tilney Ward in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Helen Wise the meal time co-ordinator with patient Jean Hill.Meal Mates feeding scheme at Tilney Ward in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Helen Wise the meal time co-ordinator with patient Jean Hill.

Published on Saturday 9 March 2013 09:30

Volunteers at Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital have been swapping their desks for dinner trays to help create a mealtime community on the wards and encourage patients to enjoy their food.

The Meal Mates scheme was introduced in August 2011, prompted by staff concerns at the national reports suggesting that patients in some UK hospitals were going without food and drink because nursing staff were too busy to look after them.

Although no allegations had been made against ward staff at the QEH, staff were concerned that on some wards, those with older patients including some with dementia, that nurses were unable to give patients the time and support needed during mealtimes.

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