Healthcare Roundup

Seven days in the NHS and health IT

Cost of living crisis could trigger ‘significant humanitarian crisis’

The UCL Institute of Health Equity has warned that the ‘cost of living crisis’ could trigger a humanitarian crisis. In a new report, professor Sir Michael Marmot and professor Ian Sinha say the annual toll of 6,000-7,000 deaths from fuel poverty is likely to be exceeded this year. But the lasting impact will be on the 5-10 million children living in cold, damp, homes; as these conditions are linked to poor school performance, respiratory and mental health conditions (The Independent). Sir Michael says short-term gimmicks like tax-cuts are not a solution; and “we need to solve fuel poverty and health inequality in the longer term” (The Guardian).

Cost of living crisis sends hospital energy bills upwards

Hospital trusts are facing “eye watering” rises in energy bills that have not been funded by the government and which are likely to lead to cuts elsewhere. Last week, the Metro reported that October’s price hike will increase the fuel bill for the city’s trust by £4 million, taking it to £19.4 million. This week, a survey by the BMJ suggests that trusts are budgeting for further increases of between 100% and 200%. Rory Deighton from the NHS Confederation said an emergency Budget or action in the planned autumn Budget will be needed to avoid making the expected winter crisis worse (The Guardian).

NHS news: Barclay orders efficiency drive; trusts with dangerous buildings to be added to ’40 new hospitals’ programme

Health and social care secretary Steve Barclay has ordered a recruitment freeze at NHS England and other arms-length bodies, as part of an efficiency review (Health Service Journal). Barclay had already told NHS England to cut the use of consultants (HSJ). The government is planning to add five trusts with unsafe roofs to the final tranche of eight trusts in its new hospital programme (HSJ). Thirty four trusts have concrete roofs that are so unstable they could fall down at any time (The Guardian). NHS Providers has noted the programme is moving at a glacial pace and is unlikely to have the funding it needs to deliver (The Guardian).

Health IT news: about the NHS App, portals, SMS and kiosks

The NHS is looking for a new HR system in a tender worth up to £1.7 billion (The Register). The procurement appears to mark the end of plans for a single finance and HR system (HSJ). A new feature of the NHS App is being spun as a way for patients to “shop around for hospitals with the shortest queue.” Average wait time data is available on My Planned Care, and NHS England announced it would be incorporated into the app this year. But the Daily Mail and other papers have said Steve Barclay wants GPs to use it to give people “a meaningful choice” of provider.

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has announced that its Induction Zesty portal will now work with NHS Login (digitalhealth.net). The trust says enabling patients to manage appointments through the MyCARE portal has cut did not attend rates by 50%. University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Foundation Trust says it has cut its waiting list by 10%, just by sending patients a text to ask if they still require the service they are waiting for (digitalhealth.net). The trust has been using Accurx for the initiative. Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has put eight digital kiosks in community settings to connect individuals with mental health services and advice (Health Tech Newspaper).

Creating the digital health workforce of the future

Highland Marketing Blog

How are trusts and health tech suppliers going to find the people they need to develop deploy and optimise critical clinical information systems in the future? Highland Marketing’s advisory board invited Paul Rice from Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to outline how he has been thinking about the challenge.