The National Health Service (NHS) is embracing new technology and innovations like artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce the number of missed hospital
appointments and improve waiting times for elective care.
Following a successful pilot in Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, the health service is set to roll out AI software to 10 more trusts across England in
the coming months.
The software, developed by Deep Medical in collaboration with a frontline worker and NHS clinical fellow, helps reduce the number of missed appointments by
offering patients convenient time slots and backup booking options.
Since the AI programme was piloted six months ago, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust has seen a 30 per cent fall in non-attendances.
During the pilot period, a total of 377 did not attends (DNAs) were prevented and an additional 1,910 patients were attended.
The NHS claims that it's been able to save taxpayers £1.2 billion in just three years by procuring hundreds of hospital medicines at a better price.
The adoption of cheaper versions of a single drug - adalimumab - which is used to treat more than 45,000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel
disease and psoriasis, has accounted for about one third of the savings.
After the exclusive patent on the drug - originally known as its brand name Humira - expired in 2018, the NHS struck cost-saving deals to bulk-buy generic versions,
which have the same quality, safety and efficacy of a branded one.
Since then, tens of millions of pounds have been saved by buying cheaper generic versions of other medicines for conditions ranging from severe skin infections to
aggressive blood cancers.
Four in five medicines prescribed in the NHS are now non-branded, helping the NHS to achieve significant savings while ensuring the continuity of high-quality
patient care.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: "Smart deals by the NHS mean patients are getting the best medicines and taxpayers are getting best value.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, visited St Margaret's Hospital in Epping, West Essex, on Thursday (1 August) as part of an ongoing series
of planned engagements with NHS trusts across England.
Accompanied by NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, Streeting observed how NHS staff are using innovative technology to monitor patients at home and prevent
unnecessary hospital admissions.
He met with staff from the hospital's Care Coordination Centre and the 'hospital at home' hub, which work to reduce unnecessary A&E admissions and facilitate
quick and safe discharges home.
Before the hospital tour, the health secretary met the trust's falls response team, which uses a specially equipped 'falls car' to assist patients who have
fallen at home, preventing A&E visits.
Later, Streeting visited the Ross Practice GP surgery in Harlow before holding a town hall event with health leaders in the region.
Seven NHS trusts in England are set to begin trials of new wireless technologies to help improve patient care and strengthen connectivity in A&Es and
ambulance bays.
They have been awarded around £1 million as part of NHS England's Wireless Trials programme, which aims to leverage advanced wireless technologies to enhance
patient care and experiences while freeing up more staff time.
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust will introduce an innovative approach of combining satellite and cloud-based wireless solutions to enhance connectivity
across its 10 hospital sites and wider community services.
At Mid Cheshire and Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS trusts, wireless trackers will be installed on medical equipment and hospital beds. This will allow real-time
monitoring and location tracking, enabling easy accessibility for staff to locate necessary items promptly.
Lack of staffing and increased demand from patients is mounting unsustainable pressure on the NHS, putting patient safety and care at risk, a new poll of NHS
leaders by the NHS Confederation revealed.
NHS leaders in England warned that the service has reached a "tipping point" with nearly 88 per cent saying "the demands on their organisation are unsustainable."
The survey, published ahead of the monthly performance figures for the NHS England, covered leaders across hospitals, ambulance services, mental health providers, community services, primary care and integrated care systems.
It highlighted primary care, urgent and emergency care as greatest areas of concern, with record levels of demand on A&E departments and increasing bed occupancy
rates.
A groundbreaking research project has revealed that the public is urging the government to prioritise primary and community care over hospitals.
The study also found a strong public willingness to pay higher taxes to enhance NHS services.
The Health Foundation and Ipsos UK conducted the research, combining nationwide polling with in-depth public deliberative workshops.
These workshops, held in King's Lynn, Leeds, and London, constitute one of the most comprehensive public consultations about the future of the NHS in England.
The study published on 16 May underscores the public's desire for a redistribution of NHS resources. If the NHS budget remains unchanged, 60 per cent of those
polled believe the government should focus on improving access to community-based services like general practice and dentistry.
Trust leaders involved in the New Hospital Programme (NHP) have warned that further delays in the government scheme will lead to more patient harm,
disappointment among staff, and higher costs for taxpayers.
According to NHS Providers, delays in the government scheme that promised 40 new hospitals in England by 2030 are draining millions of pounds from scarce NHS
funds every month.
Some trusts are compelled to spend over £1 million a month from their under-pressure budgets due to spiraling cost pressures, on-hold building projects, and the
bill for having to patch up deteriorating sites.
While there has been some progress over the past year, trust leaders remain apprehensive that "uncertainty over funding and shifting timetables risks putting
their promised buildings further out of reach."
In a significant move to enhance the working conditions of over 50,000 postgraduate doctors in the National Health Service, NHS England has unveiled a
series of measures aimed at providing greater choice and opportunities to the new entrants in the medical profession.
With flexible rotas, reducing payroll errors, and easing the financial burden of course fees, the NHS has taken steps to address the issues faced by junior
doctors in order to support their well-being.
In recent announcement, 83 per cent of senior doctors and dentists accepted the government's pay offer.
Alongside the junior doctors who still fighting for fair pay and recognition, the senior medical professionals demanded that the authorities help them tackle
issues pertaining underfunding and overworking in the NHS.
Junior doctors in training also often face challenges with frequent moves between trusts, leading to short notice changes in work schedules and duplicated
inductions when transitioning to new hospitals.
As a measure taken by the health serivces, the committee aims to review the minimum legal requirements for statutory and mandatory training, potentially halving
the time burden for such training and allowing doctors to spend more time caring for patients as part of the long-term workforce plan.
NHS England will collaborate with "a number of system suppliers" to increase the number of trusts using electronic prescription service (EPS) over the next
few years.
Nishali Patel, clinical lead for digital medicines at NHS England, announced it during the Clinical Pharmacy Congress, held at the Excel, London, on Friday, 10 May
2024.
According to Nishali, at least half of all NHS secondary care trusts could be using EPS by 2026.
This digital service allows prescribers to send prescriptions electronically to a patient-nominated pharmacy. It is widely used in primary care, where over 95
per cent of prescriptions are now electronically generated. NHS recently extended the service to secondary care settings.
NHS England is encouraging people to get their flu and Covid vaccines as hospitals dealt with the highest number of norovirus and flu cases this winter.
An average of 688 patients with norovirus were in hospital each day last week, 75 per cent higher than the same time last year (393), according to the latest
data from NHS England.
The data also showed an average of 2,226 patients with flu in hospital each day last week, which is three-quarters higher than the same week last January (1,290).
Compared to last month, there has been an 80 per cent increase in the daily count of norovirus cases and 70 per cent in flu cases.
In the week ending Dec 31, NHSE recorded 1,312 hospital admissions due to norovirus and 376 and 1,312 flu cases each day.
Thanks to a new service added to the NHS App, patients in England can now see their prescriptions online and collect their prescribed medication from
the nominated pharmacy or a pharmacy of their choice without a paper prescription.
NHS England has introduced digital prescriptions in the app following a successful trial last year involving over a million users.
Users without a nominated pharmacy can collect their prescriptions from any pharmacy using the barcode in the app, but this is not required for patients with
a nominated pharmacy as details would be sent to their pharmacy electronically.
From now on, patients waiting for elective hospital treatment can also check the average waiting time for their procedure at their local trust using the NHS App.
Britain on Monday (January 10) put the biggest private health companies on high alert to deliver crucial treatments such as cancer surgery should Omicron
overwhelm National Health Service hospitals in England.
The United Kingdom's death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic stands at 150,154, the world's seventh worst official Covid toll after the United States, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Peru.
Prime minister Boris Johnson has bet on refraining from lockdowns to deal with the Omicron variant which in recent weeks has swept across the UK, albeit with death
rates significantly lower than previous waves.
In a sign of just how stretched the NHS could become, health secretary Sajid Javid ordered England's NHS to strike a three-month deal with private health companies to allow patients to get treatments such as cancer surgery outside.
"Millions of patients have already got their tests and treatment quicker thanks to our existing deal with independent providers," said David Sloman, NHS England chief operating officer and Covid incident director.
In a strategic move to enhance healthcare delivery, the NHS has announced plans to intensify the utilisation of virtual wards under the the Urgent and
Emergency Care Recovery Plan.
The NHS virtual wards are aimed to reduce avoidable hospital admissions across England.
This follows a comprehensive analysis revealing significant benefits from virtual wards over the past year.
"Virtual wards offer a transformative approach to healthcare delivery, allowing patients to receive medical care from the comfort of their own homes," remarked
NHS national director for urgent and emergency care, Sarah-Jane Marsh.
"This initiative not only reduces the burden on hospital resources but also ensures that patients receive timely and personalised care."
NHS England has commissioned the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) to develop guidance that helps community and hospital pharmacy teams across Britain to
reduce the impact of pharmacy services, pharmaceutical care and medicines on the environment.
The RPS said the Greener Pharmacy Guidance will enable pharmacies to self-assess their impact against the standards, benchmark and improve through evidence-based
activities and actions.
"I'm delighted our strong commitment to helping pharmacy reduce its environmental impact can now be taken to the next level through developing guidance and
accreditation for pharmacy teams," RPS president Professor Claire Anderson said.
"Medicines account for 25 per cent of carbon emissions within the NHS and this initiative underscores our commitment to promoting sustainable healthcare and
supporting the NHS's goal of achieving 'net zero' emissions by 2040."
Peter Morgan, medicines assistant director at NHS England, commented: "Pharmacy staff are involved in the purchasing and dispensing of almost every medicine used
in the NHS and the new Greener Pharmacy Guidance and Self-accreditation scheme will provide support for pharmacy professionals by outlining clear actions to deliver
more environmentally sustainable pharmacy practices."
The RPS said the guidance and digital self-assessment toolkit will integrate with carbon calculator tools to help pharmacy teams to measure their carbon footprint,
action plan to reduce use of carbon and improve sustainability.
Great news for multiple sclerosis patients! The NHS has introduced a new 10-minute injection that can slow the progression of disability while reducing
hospital treatment time by over 90 per cent.
Currently, MS patients in England receive ocrelizumab (Ocrevus), manufactured by Roche, through twice-yearly intravenous (IV) infusions that can last up to
four hours.
Now, around 9,000 NHS patients in England will be able to receive the drug via a quick 'under-the-skin' twice-yearly injection. It takes just ten minutes,
enabling patients to spend less time in the hospital receiving treatment.
This roll-out follows approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), making the NHS one of the first healthcare systems
worldwide to offer this new MS injection. Drug stocks are expected to be available in the coming weeks.
The recent industrial action by junior doctors and hospital dental trainees, which is considered the longest strike in NHS history, caused a significant
impact on the NHS services.
Data published by NHS England showed that 113,779 inpatient and outpatient appointments were rescheduled due to the strike, which began on Wednesday 3 January
at 7.00am and finished at 7.00am on Tuesday 9 January.
Junior doctors make up around half of all doctors in the health service, but 25,446 staff remained absent from work at the peak of the last week's latest action.
The ongoing dispute between junior doctors and government over the 2022/23 pay award has disrupted more than one million hospital appointments so far.
The junior doctors' strike in December 2023 impacted 86,329 hospital appointments, and their previous action in October saw over 86,000 appointments cancelled.
In a significant move aimed at improving patient care and alleviating hospital pressures, the National Health Services (NHS) has expanded its same day
emergency care services across the UK.
This has resulted in thousands more individuals receiving rapid tests and treatment, effectively avoiding overnight hospital stays.
Recent data paints a promising picture, revealing an 11 per cent increase in the number of patients discharged on the same day they were admitted as emergencies.
This advancement translates to several patients receiving urgent care within hours, subsequently freeing up beds for others in need.
Over the past year alone, an impressive 206,446 more patients have been discharged on the same day, amounting to 2,024,129 individuals in the year leading up to
January 2024, compared to 1,817,683 in the preceding year.
The successful rollout of same day emergency care to every hospital in England has played a pivotal role in easing bed congestion and reducing hospital admissions
by up to 30 per cent in certain NHS Trusts.
NHS England has confirmed the initial sites that will test and implement Martha's Rule in the first phase of the programme.
This follows the announcement in February regarding NHSE funding for the major patient safety initiative for this financial year.
The scheme is named after Martha Mills, who died from sepsis at the age of 13 in 2021. She had been treated at King's College Hospital, London, where a failure
to escalate her to intensive care and a lack of response to her family's concerns about her deteriorating condition contributed to her death.
Martha's Rule aims to provide a consistent and understandable way for patients and families to seek an urgent review if their or their loved one's condition
deteriorates and they are concerned this is not being responded to.
NHS England on Monday (27 May) announced that the scheme will be implemented at 143 hospital sites across the country by March 2025.
England is set to reopen temporary field hospitals to contain a possible overspill of inpatients due to a surge in coronavirus cases, the national health service said Thursday.
Fuelled by the highly contagious Omicron variant, daily cases have ballooned, standing at more than 183,000 on Wednesday.
NHS England said it would start building the structures in the grounds of eight hospitals in cities including London, Bristol and Leeds from this week, with each
designed to house around 100 extra patients.
"Given the high level of Covid-19 infections and increasing hospital admissions, the NHS is now on a war footing," National medical director Stephen Powis said.
The extra beds are designed for patients who are recovering from illnesses, including those who no longer have Covid, to free up space and staff to treat large numbers of virus cases.
In 2023, almost 14,000 people in England are estimated to have died due to excessive waits in emergency departments, averaging more than 260 deaths per week,
according to new figures from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM).
The RCEM estimate is based on a large study of NHS patients published in the Emergency Medicine Journal in 2021, which found one excess death for every 72 patients
who spent eight to 12 hours in an A&E department.
Following a Freedom of Information audit of NHS trusts, the college has found that 65 per cent of people waiting 12 hours or more in A&E were patients waiting for
a hospital bed.
NHS data for England revealed that over 1.5 million patients waited 12 hours or more in major emergency departments last year. Based on the RCEM calculation, this
indicates that over a million of those patients were waiting for a bed.