News
Extra funds for equivalent of 3,000 staff this winter
‘Our hard-working doctors and nurses continue to see the vast majority of patients quickly, and to treat them compassionately. But this extra support will help them deal with the pressures winter brings.’ Mr Hunt added that he expects performance to improve. As Emergency Nurse went to press, the four-hour measure had been consistently below 94% for weeks, while the overall weekly average since April was just below 95%. RCN England director Tom Sandford said the extra funds were welcome, but added: ‘The fundamental problem is underinvestment in the health service. NHS budgets are being squeezed while levels of demand continue upwards and the result is a system under immense strain. ‘NHS winter planning has been useful, and additional funding and extra staff are greatly needed, but it is a sticking-plaster solution to the massive financial challenges facing the health service.’ NHS Confederation chief executive Rob Webster said that, while the winter funding would help ease pressures, it is not a long-term solution. ‘Our members tell us short-term funding does not help them to plan effectively,’ he said. See also analysis, pages 8-9
Professionals welcome promise of £300 million but warn that demand will continue to grow
Pharmacists asked to dispense advice as part of NHS campaign
and overtime arrangements equivalent to employing 2,000 nurses and 1,000 doctors during winter. Bed capacity will be increased by 2,500, meanwhile, and £50 million will be ploughed into ambulance services. The money, which represents a big increase on the £400 million set aside for winter 12 months ago, will also help pay for social care, as well as pharmacy and GP services, particularly at weekends. Unprecedented The health secretary said he wants to reduce the number of people presenting to EDs and make discharging patients from hospital easier. ‘The NHS faces unprecedented demand, with a million more visits to A&E each year compared to 2010 and 2,000 extra ambulance journeys a day.
iStock
By Nick Triggle MORE NURSES will be employed in England over the coming months to help emergency department (ED) staff cope with ‘unprecedented pressures’, ministers say. As the announcement was made, it was revealed that an extra £700 million has been allocated to the NHS to deal with an expected rise in demand this winter. During the summer, £400 million was earmarked for NHS staff to tackle a rise in demand but health secretary Jeremy Hunt increased the figure after performance deteriorated during the autumn. Since the end of August, performance against the four-hour waiting-time standard has been dipping regularly below the 95% target, according to the weekly statistics published by NHS England. Mr Hunt said the extra money will help pay for short-term staff contracts
THE NHS has launched a national public awareness campaign to persuade people who are feeling unwell to seek advice from local pharmacists. The Feeling Under The Weather campaign is intended to encourage older people and those with respiratory conditions in particular to tackle health problems early. NHS England’s clinical director for acute care Keith Willett said: ‘As a doctor who has spent 30 years working in A&E, I know we have to do better at helping people stay well and not just pick up the pieces when they fall seriously ill.’ Find out more Details are available at tinyurl.com/mqwms9f EMERGENCY NURSE
High blood pressure affects more than one in four adults
Putting a figure on high blood pressure DISEASES CAUSED by hypertension may cost the NHS more than £2 billion a year, according to figures from Public Health England (PHE). More than five million people are unaware they have high blood pressure, the PHE claims, yet it affects more than one in four adults, and is one of the biggest risk factors for premature death and disability in England. National clinical director for heart disease for NHS England Huon Gray said: ‘Over half of all strokes and many heart attacks could be prevented by ensuring people take steps to get their blood pressure into the normal range. Unfortunately, high blood pressure often goes unrecognised.’
December 2014 | Volume 22 | Number 8
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 27, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Extra funds for equivalent of 3,000 staff this winter
‘Our hard-working doctors and nurses continue to see the vast majority of patients quickly, and to treat them compassionately. But this extra support will help them deal with the pressures winter brings.’ Mr Hunt added that he expects performance to improve. As Emergency Nurse went to press, the four-hour measure had been consistently below 94% for weeks, while the overall weekly average since April was just below 95%. RCN England director Tom Sandford said the extra funds were welcome, but added: ‘The fundamental problem is underinvestment in the health service. NHS budgets are being squeezed while levels of demand continue upwards and the result is a system under immense strain. ‘NHS winter planning has been useful, and additional funding and extra staff are greatly needed, but it is a sticking-plaster solution to the massive financial challenges facing the health service.’ NHS Confederation chief executive Rob Webster said that, while the winter funding would help ease pressures, it is not a long-term solution. ‘Our members tell us short-term funding does not help them to plan effectively,’ he said. See also analysis, pages 8-9
Professionals welcome promise of £300 million but warn that demand will continue to grow
Pharmacists asked to dispense advice as part of NHS campaign
and overtime arrangements equivalent to employing 2,000 nurses and 1,000 doctors during winter. Bed capacity will be increased by 2,500, meanwhile, and £50 million will be ploughed into ambulance services. The money, which represents a big increase on the £400 million set aside for winter 12 months ago, will also help pay for social care, as well as pharmacy and GP services, particularly at weekends. Unprecedented The health secretary said he wants to reduce the number of people presenting to EDs and make discharging patients from hospital easier. ‘The NHS faces unprecedented demand, with a million more visits to A&E each year compared to 2010 and 2,000 extra ambulance journeys a day.
iStock
By Nick Triggle MORE NURSES will be employed in England over the coming months to help emergency department (ED) staff cope with ‘unprecedented pressures’, ministers say. As the announcement was made, it was revealed that an extra £700 million has been allocated to the NHS to deal with an expected rise in demand this winter. During the summer, £400 million was earmarked for NHS staff to tackle a rise in demand but health secretary Jeremy Hunt increased the figure after performance deteriorated during the autumn. Since the end of August, performance against the four-hour waiting-time standard has been dipping regularly below the 95% target, according to the weekly statistics published by NHS England. Mr Hunt said the extra money will help pay for short-term staff contracts
THE NHS has launched a national public awareness campaign to persuade people who are feeling unwell to seek advice from local pharmacists. The Feeling Under The Weather campaign is intended to encourage older people and those with respiratory conditions in particular to tackle health problems early. NHS England’s clinical director for acute care Keith Willett said: ‘As a doctor who has spent 30 years working in A&E, I know we have to do better at helping people stay well and not just pick up the pieces when they fall seriously ill.’ Find out more Details are available at tinyurl.com/mqwms9f EMERGENCY NURSE
High blood pressure affects more than one in four adults
Putting a figure on high blood pressure DISEASES CAUSED by hypertension may cost the NHS more than £2 billion a year, according to figures from Public Health England (PHE). More than five million people are unaware they have high blood pressure, the PHE claims, yet it affects more than one in four adults, and is one of the biggest risk factors for premature death and disability in England. National clinical director for heart disease for NHS England Huon Gray said: ‘Over half of all strokes and many heart attacks could be prevented by ensuring people take steps to get their blood pressure into the normal range. Unfortunately, high blood pressure often goes unrecognised.’
December 2014 | Volume 22 | Number 8
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 27, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
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