The NHS is heading for its worst winter crisis ever with half of hospitals already packed. Bed occupancy rates are more than 95 per cent in 72 NHS trusts – 10 per cent above official safety levels. And 24 of those are struggling at 98 per cent of beds full – with almost no capacity to take more patients, a Labour analysis of the first week of winter stats shows. It means 54 per cent of the nation’s 134 trusts are in severe trouble. Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “Our hospitals are already overcrowded and winter has only just begun. “Tory politicians can’t bury their heads in the sand. Our NHS needs an urgent plan to get through winter. Patients won’t forgive ministers if they allow a repeat of last year’s winter crisis.” That was so bad that 2.5million patients waited over four hours in A&E with 614,000 of them on trolleys. Over 3,400 were on trolleys for 12 hours or more while 100,000 had to wait in ambulances, … [Read more...] about NHS heading for worst winter on record with 50% of hospitals already full
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Review into denial of NHS care to overseas patients kept secret by government
Ministers are keeping secret a review that appears to expose how overseas patients are being wrongly denied NHS treatment after being told to pay upfront charges, The Independent can reveal. Care has not been “safely withheld” when payment is not provided in some cases, after the controversial rules were introduced last year, a brief statement on the report’s conclusions suggests. The Department of Health and Social Care admitted some NHS trusts are failing to “ensure some groups of vulnerable overseas visitors understand their entitlements and treatment options”. Join Indpendent Minds For exclusive articles, events and an advertising-free read for just £5.99 €6.99 $9.99 a month Start your free trial Get the best of The Independent With an Independent Minds subscription for just £5.99 €6.99 $9.99 a month Start your free trial Get the best of The Independent Without the ads – for just £5.99 … [Read more...] about Review into denial of NHS care to overseas patients kept secret by government
Watchdog probes claims that NHS Tayside misused funds
News / Dundee by Jon Brady December 15, 2018, 6:06 am FacebookTwitterLinkedInWhatsAppEmail Sign up to our Daily newsletter Scotland’s charity watchdog is to issue a report on claims that NHS Tayside misused endowment funds, it has announced. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regular (OSCR) has confirmed it has finished its investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds from the Tayside Health Fund. An investigation was launched by the regulator in April after £3.6 million of charity cash was used on day-to-day health spending. The board of trustees managing the fund temporarily breached their own constitution to allow the money to be reallocated. NHS Tayside swiftly issued promises to pay it back, with the payment expected to be put through the books this month. Its chairman, John Brown, has since said “several steps” have been taken to prevent such an event from happening again. A spokesman for the OSCR said: “We can … [Read more...] about Watchdog probes claims that NHS Tayside misused funds
Long-term plan for NHS funding delayed amid Brexit chaos
The government’s chaos over Brexit has forced NHS leaders to delay publication of the health service’s long-term plan. The document, which will set out how the NHS in England will spend the £20.5bn budget increase Theresa May has promised, was due to come out early next week, but that has been postponed until January. Well-placed sources said the immersion in the Brexit process in Downing Street and the Treasury meant they lacked the “bandwidth” to properly consider the plan, which ministers hope will generate positive headlines. Further tension between the NHS England chief executive, Simon Stevens, and ministers over how ambitious the plan will be – first reported by the Guardian last week – had also held things up, sources added. The plan will not emerge until 7 January at the earliest – the day MPs return to parliament after their Christmas and new year break. Ministers are aware that launching it in January, with the NHS’s … [Read more...] about Long-term plan for NHS funding delayed amid Brexit chaos
Isle residents invited to NHS Trust’s governors’ meeting
A local health trust is to hold its next council of governors’ meeting in Scunthorpe. Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) will hold the meeting on Friday May 15 starting at 1.45pm at Glanford Park, Jack Brownsword Way, Scunthorpe DN15 8TD.Items will include the latest finance and performance data and feedback on the recent work of the Governors.Anyone is welcome to head along to the meeting but should contact the Foundation Trust Office on freephone 0800 015 0370 if they plan to attend. The full agenda and associated papers will be available on the Trust Website www.rdash.nhs.uk prior to the meeting. Doncaster Rovers and Doncaster rugby league stars tour hospital children’s wards delivering presents to poorly youngsters. … [Read more...] about Isle residents invited to NHS Trust’s governors’ meeting