The potential money wasted on unused or partially used medicines could pay for:

• 785 more nurses OR
• 20,000 more treatment courses for Alzheimer’s OR
• 1,319 more treatment courses for breast cancer OR
• 5,393 more hip replacements OR
• 20,811 more cataract operations.

A campaign aimed at reducing unnecessary waste launches today (Feb 20) across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Isle of Wight. The campaign asks patients to:

• Only order what they need
• Return their unwanted medicines to their pharmacy for safe disposal
• Take their medicines with them when they go into hospital.

GPs and pharmacists across the region have joined together in a bid to inform patients about their treatment and to help patients understand more about their medicines and the options they have.

One of the main concerns is repeat prescriptions, which are ordered and collected by patients but then not used. It is estimated that £90 million worth of unused prescription medicines are retained in individuals’ homes, across the UK, at any one time1. Around half of all do not take or use their medicines as prescribed . This can occur for a number of reasons, including:

• patients not believing the medicine is necessary
• possible side effects
• fitting taking or using medicines into daily routines
• choosing between medicines if patients’ feel they are taking too many
• cutting down or stopping medicines they have been taking for a long time.

Posters and leaflets will be displayed in pharmacies and GP practices to raise awareness of medicine waste among both patients and carers. In addition to this a high profile advertising campaign on local buses across the region. Further information may also be found on the national website www.medicinewaste.com

Steve Fairman, Director of Improvement and Efficiency for NHS South of England, said: “Everyone involved in prescribing, dispensing or reviewing medicines needs to make sure that patients are involved in making decisions about their treatment and that more medicines are taken as recommended.

“Unwanted medicines in the home may mean that patients are not getting the benefit they could from their medicines. It also represents a large amount of waste. We want patients on repeat prescriptions to think about what they are ordering and only ask for what they need and are running out of. Any other medicines can be dispensed when needed at a later date, as once medicines have been dispensed, they cannot be recycled”

The latest report from the Department of Health (Nov 23rd 2010) cited Medicine Usage Reviews as a potential way to reduce waste. In 2011, NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) issued new guidelines to healthcare professionals on how to involve patients in making decisions about prescribed medicines and reduce the number of people not taking or using their medicines correctly.

The campaign will encourage patients to have regular reviews of their medicines and to discuss any issues they may have with taking their medication with their GP or pharmacist.

Anyone with unwanted medicines can return them to their local pharmacy where they will be disposed of safely.

ENDS

Contact: Robin Butcher, communication and engagement officer, NHS South of England, 01635 275679.

Deaths from heart attacks across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have dramatically halved over the last decade; partly due to state of the art treatments being trail blazed in local hospitals and faster response times.

More people are surviving heart attacks than ever before, due to life saving treatments provided by the NHS. However despite NHS efforts, more than 1,500 local people died from a heart attack in 2010.

Dr Will Orr, head of the region’s cardiology network and a cardiologist at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, warns that hi-tech treatment is only half the battle.

“Heart attacks are very common and one of the leading causes of death in England, but many heart attacks are preventable.

“Unless the public meet us halfway by taking more responsibility for their own health, we won’t see much more of a reduction in deaths from heart attacks. The best way to stop people dying is to prevent heart attacks in the first place.

“Your risk of a heart attack is increased if you are overweight, smoke, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. We can all lower these risks by adopting a healthier lifestyle.”

Top tips for a healthy heart include:

• Quit smoking – A year after giving up, your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.
• Exercise 30 minutes a day, at least five times a week – Exercise will improve your circulation, help you to lose weight and reduce stress, and halves your risk of dying of heart disease. Examples include going for a brisk walk and swimming.
• Eat a low-fat diet – Foods high in saturated fat such as sausages, cheese and cakes and biscuits, will increase cholesterol. Eat whole grains, oily fish and plenty of fruit and vegetables. Reduce your salt and alcohol intake.

Dr Orr added: “My Valentine’s Day message is start showing your heart some love. Take control of your own health and know that small lifestyle changes can be lifesaving.”

The local NHS now treats heart attack patients with cutting edge primary angioplasty at seven specialist centres across the region; the treatment is available 24/7. This significantly improves survival rates and means patients recover much sooner compared to older style treatments, where a patient could be in hospital for up to a week. Now, most are discharged after 48 hours. Another improvement is that treatment is now able to start much sooner, often when the patient is still having the heart attack, as patients are now taken directly to a specialist centre.

Ends

Notes to Editor

1. For further information or to arrange an interview please call Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 2756123. Please note filming opportunities are available.
2. Over the last decade the rate of men in the region dying from heart attacks has declined by 54% and rate of women dying from heart attacks has dropped by a dramatic 57%. In 2010, 907 men died as a result of a heart attack, compared with 1,556 men in 2001. For women, 621 died from a heart attack in 2010, compared with 1,204 ten years earlier. Local data is from Office of National Statistics Deaths Registrations data.
3. Primary angioplasty is a procedure that involves treatment while the heart attack is still ongoing. Doctors inflate a small balloon into the clogged artery to relieve the pressure and then insert a small stent to keep the artery inflated and prevent further attacks.
4. Primary angioplasty is available at specialist heart centres at the following hospitals:
• Royal Berkshire Hospital
• Southampton General Hospital
• Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital
• Basingstoke and North Hants Hospital
• Oxford Radcliffe Hospital
• Wycombe Hospital
• Wexham Park Hospital in Slough
5. NHS South of England comprises South Central, South East Coast and South West Strategic Health Authorities, which merged on 3 October 2011.

SCSHA went out to tender to procure programmes in pre-registration children’s nursing which offer students the option to progress to a specialist community public health nursing programme. This means students will get the option to gain specialist training in children’s nursing, health visiting or school nursing; workforces which are currently being expanded across Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire.

The university will also be working with the local NHS to develop a neonatal nursing programme, which is expected to start from September 2013.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. For further information please contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.
2. NHS South of England comprises South Central, South East Coast and South West Strategic Health Authorities, which merged on 3 October 2011.

Deaths from heart attacks across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have fallen by half. This is largely due to the state of the art treatments being trail blazed in local NHS hospitals and improved response times.

Over the last decade the rate of men in the region dying from heart attacks has declined by 54% and rate of women dying from heart attacks has dropped by a dramatic 57%. In 2010, 907 men died as a result of a heart attack, compared with 1,556 men in 2001. For women, 621died from a heart attack in 2010, compared with 1,204 ten years earlier.

Pioneering treatment

Heart attack patients across the region are now treated with cutting edge primary angioplasty at specialist centres open 24/7. Primary angioplasty is a procedure that involves treatment while the heart attack is still ongoing. Doctors inflate a small balloon into the clogged artery to relieve the pressure and then insert a small stent to keep the artery inflated and prevent further attacks. Recovery times are much quicker than with older style treatments, where patients could be in hospital for up to a week. Now, most are discharged after 48 hours.

The cardiac team at the Royal Berkshire Hospital are among the fastest in the world at treating heart attack patients. On average the team treats between 200 and 250 heart attack patients each year and this year they have managed to beat the national target in treatment times. Nationally, teams try to treat 75% of patients within 150 minutes of the ambulance being called; at the Royal Berkshire Hospital the cardiac team is doing this for 95% of patients.

Dr Will Orr, lead of the region’s Cardiovascular Network and a cardiologist at the Royal Berkshire Hospital said: “We now have the most comprehensive national cover for primary angioplasty anywhere in the world, and we also have the best times in the world. So it’s not too much of a stretch perhaps to say that in Reading patients are just about getting the best treatment in the world for heart attacks.”

Starting lifesaving treatment sooner

Patients now receive urgent treatment much sooner, as ambulance crews are trained to take heart attack patients directly to a specialist centre. This may not necessarily be the local hospital, but it means state of the art treatment can begin immediately.

Also helping to get treatment started as soon as possible are the 1,000 plus voluntary Community First Responders across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, trained by South Central Ambulance Service and ready and waiting 24/7 to respond to local emergencies. Since April 2011 they have responded to 10,559 calls, often starting cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before the ambulance crew arrives. In the case of a heart attack, for every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, the patient’s chance of survival decreases by 14%.

In November two Ambulance Co-Responders from RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire, saved a life after they were called to assist a man having a heart attack. The flight lieutenant and sergeant responded to the call in Chesham and immediately sprang into action, performing CPR and defibrillating the patient. Shortly after the ambulance arrived and the paramedics took over, the patient was breathing again and the patient was taken to hospital.

Improved prevention

The number of people in England who had a heart attack between 2002 and 2010 has fallen by an impressive five per cent each year, which has been put down to improved prevention of the risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Dr James Mapstone, Deputy Director of Public Health at South Central Strategic Health Authority said: “We can all lower our risk of a heart attack in the first place by adopting a healthier lifestyle; including eating well, doing more exercise and quitting smoking. It’s great to see that our healthy living messages are having a positive effect on people’s behaviours and healthier lifestyles are saving lives.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

1. For further information or to arrange an interview please call Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 2756123. Please note filming opportunities are available.
2. The latest national research on heart attack deaths was conducted by the Department of Public Health at University of Oxford and published in the British Medical Journal on 26 January http://www.bmj.com/press-releases/2012/01/25/deaths-heart-attacks-halved-last-decade The BMJ methodology is here.
3. The local data is from Office of National Statistics Deaths Registrations data.
4. NHS South of England comprises South Central, South East Coast and South West Strategic Health Authorities, which merged on 3 October 2011. For more information please visit www.southeastcoast.nhs.uk/About-us.htm

Met Office weather alerts state a 100% probability of severe cold weather for the rest of the week in all parts of South,  with temperatures falling down as low as minus 6 C and daytime maxima no more than 2 or 3 C.  

Cold weather can be hazardous for health — particularly for older people, those with serious illness and people with respiratory conditions.

Most health problems – including falls and injuries – can be avoided if people can keep warm and take extra care when moving around outside.  But cold weather can also make people with existing illnesses more vulnerable to stroke, heart attacks, and respiratory complications.

Everyone should look after their own health in cold weather, but the well and fit also need to keep an eye on others in their communities, as well.

Dr Gabriel Scally, Director of Public Health for NHS South of England, said:
“It’s important to look out for our neighbours, and make sure they have all they need to help them through the cold spell.

 “Check that elderly or more vulnerable people have at least one living room or area that’s warm, that their heating is working properly and that they have food supplies in so they won’t have to venture out.  Icy pavements are as much of a hazard as icy roads, but they don’t tend to get cleared as quickly.

 “The NHS is always busy in winter with slips, trips and more cold-related illnesses.  It is well prepared this year as it is every year, but a quick check on your neighbours can help take some of the load off our hospitals and doctors.”   

 The Met Office expects the severe winter weather to last until Saturday at least.

 Notes for editors

The Met Office alert is at level 3 until Friday morning.  The Cold Weather alert system has four levels that depend on the severity of conditions.
The four levels are:

• Level 1 winter preparedness — long term planning
• Level 2 severe winter weather is forecast — 60 per cent risk of extreme cold lasting more than 48 hours
• Level 3 response to severe winter weather — we are experiencing severe weather which is expected to have an impact on peoples health and health services
• Level 4 major incident — exceptional widespread winter weather causing disruptions

Despite its comparatively mild winters, England does not compare well with northern European countries in terms of “excess” winter deaths – those deaths that are over and above the number that would be expected.

People in colder countries are generally much better prepared for cold weather, with well-insulated, well-heated, energy-efficient homes and warm, suitable outdoor clothing.

Around 27,000 more people die in England during the winter months than at other times of the year. This number can be substantially increased during very severe weather — there were 34,000 ‘excess’ deaths during the winter of 2008-09. Most deaths are due to heart disease, strokes and respiratory problems, not hypothermia.

On average, cold-related deaths from heart disease increase almost immediately with the onset of cold weather, reaching their highest levels just two days after its arrival. The increase in incidences of stroke takes place later, at approximately five days after the onset of cold weather periods. It usually takes another week for deaths from respiratory illnesses to peak.

During periods of cold weather, many more people visit GPs and hospitals with a range of cold-related health problems.

 Ends

For information contact the Communications Team at NHS South of England 01635 275657

Nursing staff are already making improvements to the way they care for patients, and with the government’s renewed focus on improving the quality of nursing care, and the latest report by the NHS Future Forum, the time is right for the NHS to build on some of the excellent work that is already under way.

Tackling pneumonia in hospital

At the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading nursing staff achieved a reduction of up to 60 per cent in cases of pneumonia over a six-month period, by simply tilting hospital beds by 30 degrees. Raising the patient’s head slightly means any fluid in their lungs collects in one place, rather than covering the whole lung. The innovative scheme won a Patient Safety prize at last year’s Health Service Journal Awards and reduced the length of stay for patients by seven to nine days.

Better communications supporting people with learning disabilities

The NHS in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is working to improve the patient experience for people with learning disabilities with the use of a ‘Hospital Passport’. A document, which stays with the patient, includes key information about their condition, their likes and dislikes and things that they feel are important. The document is helping to ensure the individual needs of people with learning disabilities are understood by all healthcare staff.

Increasing nursing time to care

At Southampton General Hospital, simple changes are making a big difference to patients. Nurses are making it their priority to visit patients at least every hour, to check that they are happy with the care they are receiving. Nurses will check whether a patient needs help with eating and drinking, needs the toilet, or needs to be moved to make them more comfortable. As well as improving patients’ experience of the hospital, increasing the amount of individual nursing care each patient receives has helped to achieve a 25% reduction in patients suffering from pressure ulcers in the last year. There has also been a 30% reduction in falls, as well as a reduction in medication errors, complaints and length of stay.

Chief Nurse for NHS South of England, Liz Redfern, CBE said: “These are great examples of where nurses are working to significantly improve the care of patients by working more productively. This is just what the prime minister meant in his recent speech about the quality of nursing. Nursing directors in hospitals across the region are committed to working together to spread learning and good practice between hospitals so everyone can benefit from this work.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

1. To arrange an interview call Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer NHS South of England on 01635 275613.

2. NHS South of England comprises South Central, South East Coast and South West Strategic Health Authorities, which merged on 3 October 2011.

3. On Friday 6 January the Government announced a new focus on quality and nursing care. For more information see http://bit.ly/z5HWKH

4. The NHS Future Forum was established as an independent advisory panel to drive engagement around the listening exercise, listen to people’s concerns, report back on what we heard and offer advice to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health on how the Government’s modernisation plans for the NHS might be improved.

The latest statistics show that in December 2011, hospitals across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, reported that only seven patients stayed in mixed sex accommodation without clinical justification. This compares to almost 700 patients during the same month last year – a 99% reduction.

Protecting the privacy and dignity of patients is a priority for the NHS, and across England a record 73 per cent of hospitals are now reporting zero cases, compared with 52 per cent this time last year when new monitoring systems were introduced. Figures show that unjustified stays in mixed sex accommodation have fallen by 11,035 in just one year since December 2010 – a decrease of 94 per cent.

Liz Redfern, Director of Nursing across NHS South of England said: “It’s great to see such a huge reduction in breaches. Single sex accommodation is essential for improving the patient experience and treating patients with privacy and dignity. However the improvements need to continue until we reach zero. Local people should be confident that if they are admitted into hospital they will not be sharing their ward with people of the opposite sex.”

Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, said: “Nobody should have to suffer the indignity of staying in mixed accommodation. Patients can now expect same sex accommodation when they need to stay overnight for treatment.

“I congratulate our doctors and nurses across the region who have done a fantastic job to help to improve the experiences of our patients.”

Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director at Age UK says: “We are pleased to see figures finally showing real progress in bringing an end to mixed sex accommodation. We know that many older patients find sharing a ward with the opposite sex significantly compromises their privacy and the experience can be extremely distressing.

“However privacy is just one aspect of dignity. Through the Dignity in Care commission, Age UK is looking at ways to ensure that the essential care needs of older people and their dignity are respected.”

Ends

Notes to Editor

1. For further information or to arrange an interview please contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.

2. Each trust makes an informed choice regarding the appropriate percentage of single room provision based on practical considerations such as site restrictions, affordability as well as clinical and operational limitations. In some cases, providing single rooms for all patients may not be clinically appropriate.

3. There were no breaches of mixed sex accommodation in December 2011 in the following NHS Trusts:

• Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

• Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• NHS Isle of Wight

• Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust

• Oxfordshire Learning Disability NHS Trust

• Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

• Solent NHS Trust

• Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

• University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

4. In December 2010, NHS hospitals in England reported that 11,802 patients were placed in mixed-sex accommodation without any justification. This compares to 767 for December 2011 – a decrease of 94 per cent.

5. The commitment to eliminate mixed sex accommodation can be found in the 2011/12 NHS Operating Framework, which states “All providers of NHS funded care are expected to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation except where it is in the overall best interest of the patient”.

Mixed Sex Accommodation data for individual NHS Trusts is available online at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/Performancedataandstatistics/index.htm

A full statistical press notice with further explanatory notes is available at: http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2012/01/19/mixed-sex-accommodation-breach-december-2011/

Hospital level data is available on the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk

Local NHS Stop Smoking Services helped more than 12,500 people across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight kick the habit between April and September last year. Local people who set out to quit smoking with NHS help were the most successful quitters in the country, with 53% achieving their goal to be smoke free.

Director of Public Health for NHS South of England, Dr Gabriel Scally, said: “It’s great to see that so many people have quit smoking with help from the NHS. Across the south, there are thousands of success stories thanks to the free support services provided by the NHS locally.

“People are four times more likely to quit with support from NHS Stop Smoking Services than if they go it alone. Anyone who has tried to quit for 2012 should remember that there’s a great deal of expert help available.”

A range of free NHS help and services are available to help people quit, including NHS Quit Kits available from local pharmacies and telephone and online support groups. For details of your local NHS Stop Smoking Service call 0800 022 4 332 or enter your postcode at www.nhs.uk/smokefree. To find your nearest stockist of the NHS Quit Kit text ‘SEARCH’ and your postcode to 88088 or search online at www.nhs.uk/smokefree

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. To arrange an interview call Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.

2. To find out about local stop smoking services and arrange a local interview contact your local Primary Care Trust http://http://www.southcentral.nhs.uk/about-us/your-local-nhs/nhs-south-central-primary-care-trusts/

3. The latest Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2011 to September 2011 (Q2 – Quarterly report) are available on the NHS Information Centre website. There are figures available at local PCT level.

www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/nhs-stop-smoking-services/statistics-on-nhs-stop-smoking-services-england-april-2011-to-september-2011-q2–quarterly-report

4. NHS South of England comprises South Central, South East Coast and South West Strategic Health Authorities, which merged on 3 October 2011.

The GPs, who are all leaders of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), will be responsible for commissioning health services for patients from April 2013 subject to the successful passage of the Health and Social Care Bill through Parliament.

The event on January 10 was organised by the NHS Commissioning Board together with NHS South of England.  It was aimed at helping the GPs prepare for their new role and provided them with a range of development opportunities as well as time to network and share their experiences.  Attendees included 88 GPs from as far away as Cornwall and Canterbury.
Dominic Hardy, Director of Commissioner Development at NHS South of England said:  “The event was part of a programme of work we are doing with GPs to help them prepare for the future.  There were sessions on a broad range of topics ranging from involving patients in commissioning to working with local authorities and reducing health inequalities.” 

There was also an opportunity for the GPs to hear directly from the NHS chief executive, Sir David Nicholson, from Dame Barbara Hakin, who is overseeing the transfer of commissioning from Primary Care Trusts to GPs for the Department of Health, and from Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, chief executive of NHS South of England.

Elizabeth Johnston, CCG leader for South Reading, said:  ““It was a very useful event for people like myself who need as much information as possible about what we need to do to prepare for our new roles, and a very welcome opportunity to network with other CCG leaders across the South of England and share best practice.  There are clearly a number of challenges ahead and this was a great opportunity to really think through what needs doing.

“It was also an opportunity to be listened to and influence those people being tasked to turn policies into actions.”

 ENDS

Notes to Editor:
For further information, please contact the communications team on 01635 275657

The health visiting service is currently being expanded and modernised to ensure there are enough health visitors to give all children a healthy start in life and parents the support they need. This is part of a national recruitment drive to train an extra 4,200 health visitors across England by 2015.

The local NHS is currently seeking qualified nurses, midwives or student nurses to begin specialist training this September. Clare Messenger, Associate Director of Children and Young people at South Central Strategic Health Authority added: “We are currently seeking qualified healthcare professionals and students, passionate about the health and wellbeing of children, who are looking for a new career opportunity. This is an exciting time to join the health visiting profession and you will make a real difference to the lives of local families.”

Clare explained: “Health visitors offer free advice and invaluable support to parents when they don’t know where to turn for help or just really need some reassurance.

“They provide support to all parents, regardless of the family situation, on anything around their child’s health and development; from immunisations and breastfeeding, to diet and sleeping patterns. They monitor wellbeing, behaviour, communication skills and learning. Health visitors can also put parents in touch with other NHS or community services, such as breast feeding support groups, child speech therapists or treatment for post-natal depression.”

To help raise awareness of the health visiting profession two final year students from Solent University have produced a video for the NHS. The humorous ‘Grumpy baby’ video, is part of the campaign to raise the profile of health visiting; both as an exciting career option and free NHS service for all parents.

If you have children under five and think you could benefit from the support of a health visitor you can find out more by speaking with your GP or midwife.

For details on how to become a health visitor visit www.southcentral.nhs.uk/healthvisitor

Watch the Grumpy baby video on YouTube http://youtu.be/Vp1iCANZoJU

Ends

Notes to Editor

1. For more information or to request an interview please contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.

2. This is part of a national recruitment drive to train an extra 4,200 health visitors by 2015. For more information visit the Department of Health website http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_124202

3. Breakdown per organisation of estimated training posts available in September 2012 (Exact number of training posts to be finalised, however the below numbers provide a good estimate).

• Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (east Berkshire)           17

• Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust (Hampshire)   39

• Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust (Oxfordshire)      34

• Solent NHS Trust (Portsmouth and Southampton)         29

• Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust (Buckinghamshire) 24

• Milton Keynes Community Health Services                      12

• NHS Isle of Wight                                                                            6

• Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (west Berkshire)          19

 Total                                                                                                    180

Note: Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (west Berkshire) and NHS Isle of Wight have already received significant interest from suitable applicants.

• More than half (53%) of smokers underestimate the number of people who die annually from smoking related diseases by at least 70,000 (the actual figure is over 80,000 deaths a year in England as a result of smoking).
• More than half (58%) of smokers underestimate how many long term smokers die early from smoking related disease (the actual figure is that 1 in 2 of all long-term smokers will die early from smoking related disease).
• More than a third (35%) of smokers underestimate the number of cancer deaths caused by smoking (the actual figure is that smoking is estimated to be responsible for almost a third of all cancer deaths in the England2.
• And surprisingly, 8% of smokers still do not believe that smoking can seriously damage their health and lead to premature death.

Dr James Mapstone, Deputy Director of Public Health at South Central Strategic Health Authority, said: “Giving up smoking is the single most powerful thing a smoker can do to improve their health.  Most people know that smoking is harmful, but may not realise just how harmful or how quickly benefits are felt after quitting. For example after 72 hours breathing will become easier; the appearance of your skin will improve after a month, and after a year the risk of a heart attack falls to about half of that of a smoker.”

“Will-power and determination are perhaps the most important requirement when giving up smoking. However, nicotine is a drug of addiction and many people find giving up a struggle; I would encourage anyone dedicated to quitting smoking to take up the free NHS support available. Evidence shows that you can increase your chances of quitting successfully by using NHS support.

“If you’re interested in giving up, speak to your GP or pharmacist or visit www.nhs.uk/smokefree for more information.”

Smokers also underestimate the financial costs of smoking3 – on average smokers estimate that smoking 20-a-day habit is costing them £1800 per year. With a packet of 20 cigarettes now costing on average £6.59, smokers are underestimating this by more than £600. In reality, a 20-a-day smoker could save £2,405 a year if they quit.
The research also suggested that many smokers are not stopping smoking because of misconceptions they have about quitting: over a third said that they feel too stressed to try to quit (33%), the same amount are not quitting because they don’t feel they have the willpower required (33%) or are not quitting because they tried before and failed (35%). In reality, research shows that smoking causes more stress and anxiety than not smoking and that quitting can help to reduce stress 4.
To find out how to contact your local Stop Smoking Service visit www.nhs.uk/smokefree or speak to your GP.
There is also a new and improved NHS Quit Kit available for free from participating pharmacies. To find your nearest stockiest text SEARCH and your postcode to 88088 or search online at www.nhs.uk/smokefree.

Ends
Notes to Editor
1. To arrange an interview call Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.

2. To find out about local stop smoking services and arrange a local interview contact your local Primary Care Trust http://www.southcentral.nhs.uk/about-us/your-local-nhs/nhs-south-central-primary-care-trusts/

3. References
1YouGov carried out research into 1,000 smoking adults in England, undertaken between 8th-12th December 2011.
2Statistics on Smoking: England, 2010; NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care
3ComRes carried out research into 1,746 adults between 21st – 22nd September 2011, 500 of whom smoked
4In the American Psychological Association’s American Psychologist. Psychologist Andy Parrott, Ph.D., of the University of East London says the evidence shows that the apparent relaxant effect of smoking only reflects the reversal of the tension and irritability that develop during nicotine depletion. Far from acting as an aid for mood control, nicotine dependency seems to increase stress. And reviewing the evidence surrounding smoking cessation and stress, Professor Parrott says studies show that quitting smoking reduces stress .

4. Background facts:
There are over 8 million smokers in England
Smoking is still the biggest cause of premature death and preventable disease in England – bigger than the next six causes put together
Smoking kills 80,000 people a year. Around half of all smokers will eventually die because of a smoking related illness.
Smoking costs the NHS an estimated £2.7bn a year.

Clare Messenger, Associate Director of Children and Young People at South Central Strategic Health Authority, said: “We asked the students to produce a short video for us to help raise awareness of health visiting, both as an important NHS service for new parents and as a rewarding career option for healthcare professionals.”

“I think the video is quite humorous and a bit quirky. Their innovative approach and fresh perspective has helped produce a video which I hope will really get people talking about health visiting.”

The local NHS is recruiting over 180 ‘Trainee Specialist Community Public Health Nurses’ – commonly known as ‘Health Visitors’. The nurses, midwives or student nurses will begin specialist training this September to support families in Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes.

Clare added: “Health visiting is a really attractive career option, you’re not stuck in an office and you get to make a real difference to local families. It’s not just about weighing babies; health visitor’s work with women throughout pregnancy, new-born babies and children up to the age of five.

“We are currently seeking qualified healthcare professionals and students, passionate about the health and wellbeing of children, who are looking for a new career opportunity. This is an exciting time to join the health visiting profession. The service is being expanded and modernised to ensure there are enough health visitors to give all children a healthy start in life and parents the support they need.”

Clare explained: “Health visitors can offer much more to families than I think people realise. Health visitors offer free advice and support at a time when parents may not know where to turn for help or really need some reassurance.

“They provide support to all parents, regardless of the family situation, on anything around their child’s health and development; from immunisations and breastfeeding, to diet and sleeping patterns. They monitor wellbeing, behaviour, communication skills and learning. Health visitors can also put parents in touch with other NHS or community services, such as breast feeding support groups, child speech therapists or treatment for post-natal depression.”

For details on how to become a health visitor visit www.southcentral.nhs.uk/healthvisitor

Watch the Grumpy baby video on YouTube http://youtu.be/Vp1iCANZoJU

 Ends

Notes to Editor

1. For more information or to request an interview please contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.

2. This is part of a national recruitment drive to train an extra 4,200 health visitors by 2015. For more information visit the Department of Health website http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_124202

3. Breakdown per organisation of estimated training posts available in September 2012 (Exact number of training posts to be finalised, however the below numbers provide a good estimate).

• Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (east Berkshire)           17

• Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust (Hampshire)    39

• Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust (Oxfordshire)       34

• Solent NHS Trust (Portsmouth and Southampton)           29

• Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust (Buckinghamshire)  24

• Milton Keynes Community Health Services                         12

• NHS Isle of Wight                                                                               6

• Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (west Berkshire)             19

• Total                                                                                                       180

Note: Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (west Berkshire) and NHS Isle of Wight have already received significant interest from suitable applicants.

Next year, the NHS will get a funding boost of over £2.5 billion. £91.6 billion will go direct to Primary Care Trusts – a 2.8 per cent increase in total allocations.

This investment in the NHS represents a real-terms increase in health spending and shows the Government’s determination to ensure that patients have access to high quality local NHS services – a significant step given the difficult economic climate.

The £91.6bn investment in the NHS can be broken down by:

• £87.5 billion for allocations to Primary Care Trusts to provide care for local patients. This includes £300m for re-ablement services to help give people the community care they need to become more independent after being in hospital, which is double the £150m invested in 2011/12
• £4.1 billion will be invested in dental and eye care, pharmaceutical services and support for joint working between health and social care

Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, said: “I am committed to the NHS and to services for patients. We are continuing to meet our commitment to increase the NHS budget in real terms. This will mean a £2.5bn increase next year.

“The extra investment gives Primary Care Trusts a strong platform to sustain and improve NHS services for patients. But despite this extra spending, the NHS must still strive to get the best value out of every penny it spends to meet rising demand and continue to improve results for patients.

“In the future, we want those closest to patients – doctors, nurses and other clincians – to be in charge of the NHS budget to deliver care for patients. Next year, the NHS will be bringing clinical leadership to the forefront in planning services for patients.”

The allocations place the NHS in a strong position to deliver the Government’s national priorities set out in the recently published 2012-13 NHS Operating Framework.

Notes to Editors

1. A table detailing all the PCT allocations can be found at www.dh.gov.uk/health/2011/12/pct-allocations
2. The real terms increase in funding is 0.1 percentage points above the GDP deflator inflation rate
3. Since the start of 2011/12, we will have invested £450m in reablement services
4. Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, this will be the last round of allocations made to PCTs as the NHS Commissioning Board would be responsible for the allocation of resources and pace of change policy to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) from 2013-14.
5. For further information, please contact the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5221.

GPs are responsible for the majority of patient contact within the NHS and are the gate keepers to specialist healthcare providers. They are therefore central to both the patient, their family and to the NHS as a whole. The performance of a practice in delivering services and care to their registered patient can be a key to the health outcome for the patient as well as the effectiveness of the NHS for that community.

To deliver the commitment the Department of Health has worked with primary care organisations including the Royal College of General Practitioners to bring together clinical service and outcome data on each GP practice in England.

Publishing this data will enable patients, academics, data intermediaries and other organisations to identify relationships and make comparisons, enabling more informed choices. The data can also be considered, linked and analysed to improve the quality of patient care and make services responsive to the people that use them.  Information about practice population, demographics and the prevalence of chronic conditions has been included to help in understanding practice performance.  This information will now be available in one place.

Patients can access some of the data in a user friendly format on the NHS Choices website, through GP practice profiles.  Data intermediaries and NHS organisations are able to access the raw data, in a spreadsheet format through the NHS Information Centre indicator portal. A more user friendly tool to enable patients to make comparisons across all practices will be delivered by April 2012.

NHS Choices, GP practice profiles

NHS Information Centre indicator portal

Ends

Ambulance services and accident and emergency departments are feeling the brunt of demands, so people are again asked to use NHS services appropriately, to ensure that those in genuine emergencies are not placed at risk.

Liz Redfern, CBE, Director of Nursing and Patient Care at NHS South of England said: “The NHS in the South of England has planned carefully for today and we would like to thank people for helping us to maintain services.”

Anyone needing help or advice can contact NHS Direct any time on 0845 4647.

 Ends

ENDS

Notes:
Further details of each winning category can be obtained by contacting the communication team from the respective winning organisation(s) 

Dr Peter Hockey, who ironically is a Consultant Chest Physician at Lymington New Forest Hospital in Hampshire, was left seriously ill in his own hospital with the deadly swine flu virus last winter. Ten months on from his hellish ordeal, Peter, who is also Deputy Medical Director at South Central Strategic Health Authority, is not yet fully recovered; as well as feeling “angry and slightly embarrassed” he still suffers from breathlessness and severe tiredness. As the flu season begins Peter is on a mission to educate people about the devastating effects flu can have and get as many people as possible to have the flu jab.

Peter recalls: “I woke up shivering, shaking, feverish and coughing a week before Christmas. Thanks to caring and astute colleagues the diagnosis of swine flu was rapidly established after admitting me to hospital.

“I’ve lost almost a year of my life to flu. I infected a pregnant colleague and put her unborn baby’s life at risk. I spent three weeks in a hospital bed over Christmas, feeling very scared, as I watched news reports about young people dying of swine flu. I then spent five months at home, struggling to even get out of bed, let alone think about going back to work. What makes me so cross, is the fact that my illness was completely preventable.”

Only half of those under 65 years old who the NHS considers ‘at risk’ protected themselves with a flu jab last year. Peter was among the 197,284 people under 65 years old in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with health conditions, such as asthma, who left themselves defenceless against the virus. Of the 602 people who died with flu in the UK last winter, 70% were young and middle aged, between15-64 years old.

Peter reveals: “As a doctor and someone with asthma; I was offered the vaccine more than once, but didn’t bother. I thought it was something for patients, not clinicians and was completely ignorant to the fact I was putting my life and my patient’s lives at risk.

“I was fit and healthy and thought flu was a virus that could be quite nasty for elderly people, but which younger people could fight off in about week. I now know younger people, with existing health conditions, are just as vulnerable, if not more so, than older people. Nobody is invincible; there is a good reason why medical experts recommend we have certain injections.

“The flu jab is free to people with existing health conditions, completely safe and the best protection against the virus. If you don’t have the jab you are putting your patients, colleagues, friends and family at risk. Whether you’re NHS staff caring for patients or working in a busy office, we all have a personal responsibility to protect ourselves and others.

“If I could roll back the clock I would. I never want to repeat the year I’ve been through and wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. Needless to say I was first in line for the flu jab this year.”

If you have any of the below conditions, are pregnant, a carer or over 65 years old, contact your local GP surgery to book an appointment to have your free flu jab. All NHS staff should also have the vaccine. This year’s vaccine protects against both seasonal flu and swine flu and it does not contain a live virus.

• Chest complaints or breathing difficulties including, bronchitis, asthma and emphysema (COPD).
• Heart problems
• Lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment)
• Liver or kidney disease
• History of stroke or a transient ischaemic attack
• Diabetes
• Neurological conditions e.g. multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy
• A problem with, or removal of, their spleen e.g. sickle cell disease.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

For further information, to arrange an interview with Peter or set up a filming opportunity contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer, NHS South of England, on 01635 275613.

Local figures for vaccine uptake by individual Primary Care Trust are available on the Department of Health website www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_127111.pdf

NHS South of England comprising South Central, South East Coast, and South West Strategic Health Authorities

Actors from stage and screen gave up their time free of charge to appear alongside NHS staff as characters including women waiting for treatment for hair-dye disasters and botched false nails, a pushy mum desperate for her son to be seen by senior doctors for his diarrhoea, and even a man hoping A&E staff will turn their hands to helping out his poorly dog!

Focussing on patients in the waiting rooms, the viewer can’t tell until the end of the films whether they’re in a vet’s surgery, X-factor audition, beauty salon – or a hospital. At the end of each, viewers are reminded that they should go to their local pharmacy for advice on treatment of very minor illnesses and injuries.

The more serious message is that cases such as these put added pressure on already busy A&E and 999 teams. In the last 12 months it is estimated that more than 700,000 people went to A&E departments in the South of England, when they could have been treated and advised by their local pharmacist or GP, or could have looked after themselves at home.

The videos, available on Youtube at http://bit.ly/rGJxLw, are being distributed through social media as part of the NHS’s Choose Well campaign and NHS South of England is appealing for as many people as possible to post them to their Facebook and Twitter profiles, to try and get the message across that A&E and 999 are for serious and life-threatening conditions.

Dr Mike Durkin, Medical Director at NHS South of England, said: “The tales told in the videos are humorous, and they are extreme cases, but there are very serious issues behind them.

“It is estimated that every single attendance at A&E costs a minimum of £59, and as many as one in four people who attend A&E could have been treated by their pharmacist or GP, or did not need any form of medical intervention.

“That puts an enormous and unnecessary strain on the NHS, and not just in financial terms. Every minute that an A&E doctor spends treating very minor problems reduces the time they can spend attending to those who have suffered heart attacks, strokes and life-threatening injuries.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

• NHS South of England covers Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent.
• For further information, to arrange an interview or set up a filming opportunity contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer, NHS South of England, on 01635 275613.
• NHS South of England comprising South Central, South East Coast, and South West Strategic Health Authorities

Although 96% of local people can walk or drive to one of the 700 local pharmacies within 20 minutes, most are not taking advantage of the full range of services available.

As well as supplying and giving advice on medicines, pharmacies offer treatment for colds, skin conditions and allergies. They can also offer smoking and diet counselling and help patients to better manage their diabetes or high blood pressure. Many offer extra services such as chlamydia screening, mole checks, cholesterol checks and the flu jab.

Pharmacists have studied for years to become experts in medicine and many have additional qualifications so they can prescribe medicines directly, saving patients a trip to the GP. They also know exactly when a referral to another healthcare professional, such as a GP, is necessary.

Clare Howard, Pharmaceutical Adviser at South Central Strategic Health Authority, said: “Choosing the most appropriate service for your health problem means being treated much sooner. The NHS has launched a campaign called ‘Choose Well’ which uses a colour-coded thermometer to help people choose the NHS service that will be able to provide them with the right treatment as soon as possible.”

“This winter you could avoid waiting for an appointment with your GP by heading to your local pharmacist as a first point of call. Many people are unaware of the range of free NHS services pharmacies can provide on their doorstep. As well as offering advice on medicines, your pharmacist may be able to diagnose and prescribe treatment for a variety of health problems such as cystitis and vaginal thrush in women and benign prostatic hyperplasia (also called BPH), a condition that affects the prostate gland in older men, causing the flow of urine to be slower and less forceful.

“Many pharmacies are now open until midnight and at weekends and you don’t need to make an appointment, making them much more convenient than visiting your GP.”

To find your nearest pharmacy, go to www.nhs.uk or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

For more information about the range of other NHS services available visit www.southcentral.nhs.uk/news/campaigns/choose-well/

ENDS

Notes to Editor

• Interviews available from Monday 7 November
• For further information, to arrange an interview or set up a filming opportunity contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.

South Central Strategic Health Authority (SC SHA) is seeking bids from an individual organisation or a consortium with the ambition and capacity to develop and deliver an innovative education programme in pre-registration Child Nursing offering the option to progress to a Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) programme to train the children’s nursing, health visiting and school nursing workforce needed in the Buckinghamshire locality. The programme will also need to equip interested students with the knowledge and skills to become Neonatal Nurses. Bidders will be asked to present alternative routes to enter neonatal nursing on qualification and/or using a fast-track programme.

The contract will initially be for three to four cohorts of pre-and post-registration students starting from September 2012 with a last intake in March 2014. SC SHA is seeking to commission this programme essentially for, but not limited to, the Buckinghamshire locality.

Organisations wishing to tender shall need to demonstrate that they have or will have by the start of the contract, as a minimum:

• A BSc (Hons) in Child Nursing (2010 NMC Standards) validated by the NMC, and
• A validated programme in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing.

All organisations expressing an interest will be sent a Memorandum of Information (MoI) and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ). Organisations that are selected from the PQQ will then be issued with an Invitation To Tender (ITT). It is anticipated that the outcome of the tender will be known by the end of January 2012.

To express an interest and/or seek further information regarding the specifications or tender process, please contact Olivia Falgayrac-Jones by email at olivia.falgayrac-jones@nesc.nhs.uk. Should you experience any difficulty using emails, please call Jenny Vincent on 01962 718526.

Closing date for expressions of interest is 17.00 on 11th November 2011.

A PQQ will be sent by 14th November 2011 to everyone who expresses an interest.

The free jab was offered to pregnant women last year for the first time after they were found to be especially vulnerable to life-threatening complications from the swine flu virus. This year’s vaccine protects against both the seasonal and swine flu viruses which are in circulation.

Dr Suzanne Tyler, Associate Director of Maternity and Newborn, at South Central Strategic Health Authority, warns: “It’s worrying that not all mums-to-be are aware that if they catch the flu when pregnant they are more likely to suffer from serious complications such as pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses. If you’re pregnant and already have a health condition such as asthma, you’re at an even greater risk of serious illness and up to 11 times more likely to die from flu than people with no existing health conditions.

“During pregnancy, your immune system is weakened to accommodate your growing baby. Also as the womb increases in size, there is less space for your lungs so you may not be able to breathe as deeply as before. This increases the risk of lung infections that can follow flu.

“Myths persist about the safety of the vaccine, which I’m sure has deterred some people from protecting themselves, but evidence suggests that the vaccine for flu is very safe for pregnant women and there is no evidence of this vaccine doing any harm at all during pregnancy. The vaccine does not contain a live flu virus, so it will not give you flu. The vaccine will actually give your unborn baby some protection against flu during the first six months of life.

“The jab can be given at any stage of pregnancy. The vaccine can take up to two weeks to take effect and the sooner you have the jab the sooner you and your baby will be protected.

“The flu jab is free to pregnant women and the best protection against flu, alongside good hand hygiene to reduce the spread of germs.”

Others ‘at risk’ include people with:

• Chest complaints or breathing difficulties including, bronchitis, asthma and emphysema (COPD).
• Heart problems
• Lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment)
• Liver or kidney disease
• History of stroke or a transient ischaemic attack
• Diabetes
• Neurological conditions e.g. multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy
• A problem with, or removal of, their spleen e.g. sickle cell disease
• Anyone aged 65 years and over
• Carers.

If you are pregnant or have any of the above conditions contact your local GP surgery to book an appointment.

END

Notes to Editors

1. To arrange an interview please contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer, South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.

   NHS South of England comprises South Central, South West and South East Coast Strategic Health Authorities.

2. Local figures for vaccine uptake by individual Primary Care Trust are available on the Department of Health website www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_127111.pdf

New figures show that since December 2010, when monthly collection of mixed sex accommodation was first introduced, the number of reported breaches in acute hospitals locally has fallen by 96 per cent. There were 497 reported breaches in December 2010, compared to just 19 across the entire region in September 2011 – a drop of 478.

What’s more, eight of the 11 acute Trusts in the region (73 per cent) have reported no breaches at all.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “This is great news for people living in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight – 478 less people are staying in mixed sex hospital accommodation, and 73 per cent of their hospitals are reporting no breaches at all thanks to open and transparent information on every Trust in the region.

“These local hospitals have done a fantastic job getting to grips with this. No patient should have to suffer the indignity of mixed sex accommodation where it is not clinically justified. That is why we have introduced a fine of £250 for every breach, which can then be reinvested back into patient care.”

The eight Acute Trusts in the region who reported no breaches in September are:

• Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Foundation Trust
• Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust
• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
• Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Isle of Wight NHS PCT
• Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust
• Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Notes to editors:

A full statistical press notice, with further explanatory notes is available at: http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2011/10/20/msa-breach-data-september-2011/

In December 2010, all hospitals across England reported that 11,802 patients stayed in mixed-sex accommodation, compared to 1,079 in September 2011 – a drop of 10,723 (91 per cent). The data also shows that 117 Acute Trusts (70 per cent) reported zero breaches in September 2011.

In September 2011, acute hospitals in South Central reported that 19 patients were placed in mixed-sex accommodation without any justification. This compares to 43 for August 2011.

In September 2011, all hospitals in England reported that 1,079 patients were placed in mixed-sex accommodation without any justification. This compares to 1,092 for August 2011.

Each trust makes an informed choice regarding the appropriate percentage of single room provision based on practical considerations such as site restrictions, affordability as well as clinical and operational limitations. In some cases, providing single rooms for all patients may not be clinically appropriate.

For more information, please call the Department of Health press office newsdesk on 020 7210 5221.

For the first time teams of acute and community nurses, who are experts at caring for people with learning disabilities, visited neighbouring acute hospitals to see what is working well and which areas need more work.

Julia Barton, Associate Director of Nursing and Patient Experience at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, chaired the review: “We went into each hospital with a critical eye to really scrutinise services and how things work for people with learning disabilities. We want people with learning disabilities to receive a consistently high quality of care in all of our hospitals.”

Julie Kerry, Associate Director of Learning Disabilities at South Central Strategic Health Authority, said: “We find that people with learning disabilities don’t always access urgent healthcare when they should. When they do go into hospital they don’t always get the same care as other people and often face difficulties with communication and anxiety.

“The health needs of people with learning disabilities need to be understood by all hospital staff, from doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and healthcare assistants; to catering teams, porters and receptionists. ‘Reasonable adjustments’ need to be made so patients get the care they need and are kept safe.

“One of the things we hear a lot is ‘we treat everyone the same’ but people with learning disabilities need to be treated differently, for example needing more time with the doctor and information in easy read format.”

Good practices identified through the peer review include:

• Having a specialist learning disability acute liaison nurse working in hospitals
• Use of hospital passports. A document carried with the patient that includes key information about their condition, their likes and dislikes and things that they feel are important
• More EasyRead information
• Picture menus to help people choose what to eat
• Training for hospital staff from people with learning disabilities
• Patient experience surveys for people with learning disabilities

Julie said: “These improvements will help people with learning disabilities to access healthcare more easily and will improve their experience of going into hospital. We want to provide patients with information about their health that they can understand; we need to support them in communicating symptoms and concerns, make sure they get the right treatment and care and don’t stay in hospital longer than other patients. We must also ensure patients are supported when they leave at hospital and are recovering home.”

Areas that need further improvement include:

• More help for new mums with learning disabilities
• More help for people with learning disabilities who are dying
• Making sure that carers are involved and supported
• Making sure that all staff are aware that a patient has a learning disability and are informed of any special adjustments in care needed.

Julie added: “More work is still needed, but things are getting much better. Now we are working to make sure that the good practices we’ve identified are adopted in other hospitals.

“We found the review so useful that we are planning to do a second review in the spring, which will involve people with learning disabilities, families of patients and carers.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. For further information or to arrange an interview contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.

2. The report from the peer review can be found online www.southcentral.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/110719-Learning-Disabilities-Acute-Peer-Review-Report-EasyRead-V2.0.pdf

3. The organisations which took part in the review are:
• Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
• Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• NHS Isle of Wight
• Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust
• Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust
• Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
• Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
• Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust

All doctors who want to work in the UK will have to be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) before applying for medical posts. Currently only doctors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), for example, doctors from Pakistan, Canada or Australia, are routinely scrutinised for their language skills before being able to register with the GMC. European law prevents the GMC from vetting the language skills of doctors from within Europe.

The Department of Health will give the GMC explicit new powers to be able to take action against doctors when there are concerns about their ability to speak English.

In addition, the Department will introduce new powers so doctors can be vetted for their language skills at local level. NHS doctors are overseen by ‘responsible officers’, who make sure that they are appropriately trained and qualified for the role. The regulations governing the roles of these responsible officers will be amended so that they have a mandatory duty to check the English language skills of all foreign doctors before they can be employed by the NHS in England.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “There is considerable anxiety amongst the public about the ability of doctors to speak English properly. We will amend the legislation to prevent all foreign doctors with a poor grasp of English from working in England. If you can’t speak adequate English, you can’t treat patients.”

Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley

The Department of Health will continue to work with the General Medical Council to implement the changes, so that the GMC has more effective means of ensuring that all doctors practising in the UK have the language skills they need.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. For more information, please call the Department of Health newsdesk on 020 7210 5221.

NHS South of England officially came into effect today, made up of three former strategic health authorities – NHS South Central, NHS South East Coast and NHS South West.

The new “cluster” organisation held its first Board meeting in Newbury, confirming Dr Geoff Harris as Chair and Sir Ian Carruthers OBE as Chief Executive, as well as all other Board members.

The four strategic health authority clusters are NHS South of England, NHS London, NHS North of England and NHS Midlands. They have been formed from the previous 10 SHAs in England in order to ensure the organisations are well-placed to continue to improve NHS performance and deliver the NHS reforms during this period of transition.

From 31 March 2013 the strategic health authorities will be succeeded by a new NHS Commissioning Board, working with local clinical commissioning groups, led by GPs.

The first Board meeting of NHS South of England approved the appointments of executive and non-executive directors, and agreed corporate business and priorities.

Dr Geoff Harris said: “I am delighted to confirm the appointments of the new directors to the Board of NHS South of England. There are many challenges ahead but I am confident we will be able to meet these given the exceptional calibre of the people who have been appointed to lead the organisation for the next 18 months.”

Sir Ian Carruthers OBE said: “This is an exciting phase for the NHS. The number one priority is to keep our focus on improving the quality of care and NHS services for the benefit of the 13.4 million people who live in the south of England.

“We also need to make sure services are delivered in a timely and efficient way, so that the taxpayer receives value for money.

“A further important role will be to ensure we facilitate the organisational changes required for a modern NHS, so that the reformed service will be in the best possible position to continue meeting patients’ needs and improving care for the future.”

The executive team was confirmed as follows:

• Chief Executive – Sir Ian Carruthers OBE
• Chief Operating Officer – Andrea Young
• Director of Finance – Bob Alexander
• Medical Director – Dr Mike Durkin
• Director of Nursing – Liz Redfern CBE
• Director of Commissioner Development – Dominic Hardy
• Director of Public Health – Dr Gabriel Scally
• Director of Workforce Development – Sue Webb
• Director of Corporate Affairs – Olga Senior
• Director of Private Offices and Communications – Andrew Millward

The team of non-executive directors was confirmed as follows:

• Dr Geoff Harris – Chair
• Charles Howeson – Vice-Chair
• Kate Lampard – Vice-Chair
• Terry Butler CBE
• Joe McLoone
• Neil Churchill
• Stephen Tinton
• Alison Ryan
• Professor Steven West

The next meeting of the NHS South of England Board will be on Thursday, 1 December 2011 at South West House in Taunton.

ENDS

For further information please contact the communications team on 01635 275613 or 01635 275657.

Notes to Editors:

NHS South of England will:

• Serve a population of 13.4 million
• Oversee an annual budget of £20.7 billion
• Oversee 284,000 NHS staff

Dr Geoff Harris was previously Chair of the South Central Strategic Health Authority, which he joined in 2006. A former medical research scientist, he brought to the Authority a particular interest in clinical as well as corporate governance.

Sir Ian Carruthers OBE was previously Chief Executive of the South West Strategic Health Authority, where he has overseen a transformation of services during the organisation’s five year history. Clinical quality and financial performance have improved so that they are among the best in the country.

The ‘NHS Medicines Service’ aims to make sure patients are taking newly prescribed medicines correctly, after it was revealed that just ten days after starting their medicine a third of patients were not taking it as intended, and two-thirds were experiencing at least one problem with it and needed more information about it.*

The first to benefit from the extra support will be patients who have been prescribed a new medicine for their asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or patients given blood-thinning medicines.

Clare Howard, Pharmaceutical Adviser at South Central Strategic Health Authority explains: “It’s a conversation with your pharmacist to discuss any concerns you might have about your medicines – for example side effects or how to take them. This will take place in a private consultation room at the pharmacy. You’ll get a telephone call a couple of weeks later (or meet at the pharmacy) to resolve any issues or you can be referred back to your GP if you need more help.”

The NHS spends around £11 billion a year on medicines, making them the biggest single expenditure after staff costs. More importantly taking medicines incorrectly can mean patients are suffering from symptoms that could be prevented.

Clare added: “Patients often realise they need help and advice once they have already started taking a new medicine. The New Medicine Service will support patients from day one, by increasing their understanding of their medicine and their condition, helping them get maximum benefit from their treatment. This extra knowledge can be really empowering for patients.”

A range of innovative projects are already up and running, to ensure patients are getting the right medicine, at the right time and are getting the right results. Some local pharmacists are offering patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease an ‘Inhaler Use Review’. The scheme has been rolled out across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Inhaler Use Review

When patients collect their inhaler from their community pharmacist they will have their technique tested, receive advice on a good technique and be given a training device to help them practice that good technique at home. Studies show that over 90% of people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have a poor technique that wastes most of their medication. It is hoped that helping patients to get maximum benefit from their inhalers, will help patients to better control their condition and less likely to need hospital treatment.

Talk with your local community pharmacist to find out if they are offering patients the ‘New NHS Medicines Service’ or an ‘Inhaler Use Review’.

Inhaler use review

ENDS

1. For further information, to arrange an interview or set up a filming opportunity contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer at South Central Strategic Health Authority on 01635 275613.
2. As an advanced service community pharmacies will need to fulfil certain criteria in order to be able to offer the service, however pharmacies can choose whether or not to provide the service.
3. For further detail about the service visit http://www.npa.co.uk/resources/press-releases/practice-matters/new-nhs-pharmacy-service-will-cut-medicines-waste-and-improve-health-/
4. * http://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/13/3/172.full.html
5. The service is funded by the NHS with £55 million available in this financial year and again in 2012/13. It started on 1 October.
6. Four conditions/therapy areas were selected to be included in the initial rollout of the service. These are:
• asthma and COPD
• type 2 diabetes
• antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy
• hypertension.

The ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ awareness ads will aim to make people aware of the early signs of bowel cancer and make it easier for them to discuss this with their GP.

In England, bowel cancer is the third most common type of cancer. An estimated 38,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.  An estimated 16,000 people die annually from bowel cancer. In men, bowel cancer is the third most common cancer after prostate and lung cancer.

Bowel cancer can be present for a long time before any symptoms appear. If bowel cancer is detected before symptoms appear, it is easier to treat and there is a better chance of surviving the disease.

Health Minister Paul Burstow said, “Early diagnosis makes a huge difference to your chance of survival. Results from our regional bowel cancer campaign shows campaigns really work to raise awareness and get people to their GPs.”

>>More about the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer
>>How to eat healthily
>>Cancer Research UK
>>Bowel Cancer UK
>>Read the full press release

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The ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign was originally piloted in the South West and East of England where campaign recognition was high, with 75 per cent of people stating that they had seen the advertising.

There was a 48 per cent increase in people with symptoms visiting their GP and a 32 per cent increase in urgent referrals to hospitals over the campaign period. Its success in these regions will mean that the bowel cancer campaign will be rolled out across England in a bid to save more lives.

TV, radio and print advertisements will highlight the early signs and symptoms of bowel cancer and show real GPs encouraging patients to talk to them about changes in their poo.

More than 90 per cent of people diagnosed with bowel cancer at the early stage survive for at least five years compared with only 6.6 per cent of those diagnosed at the late stage. Around 10,000 lives, across all cancers, could be saved each year if England matched the best cancer survival rates in Europe.

The bowel cancer campaign will also be supported by the launch of a regional lung cancer pilot awareness campaign in the East and West Midlands.

Lung Cancer is the UK’s biggest cancer killer and claims over 28,000 lives a year. TV, radio and print ads will highlight early signs and symptoms of lung cancer and will recommend that people who have a persistent cough for more than three weeks visit their GP. Ads will be aired for five weeks from the 10 October.

Health Minister Paul Burstow said: “No one likes thinking about cancer, or talking about their poo. But the plain fact is no one dies of embarrassment, they can die of cancer if they don’t get an early diagnosis. Tell your GP. It could save your life.

“Early diagnosis makes a huge difference to your chance of survival. Results from our regional bowel cancer campaign shows campaigns really work to raise awareness and get people to their GPs.

“We are concentrating on what is most important to patients and their families – improving cancer outcomes. We’re investing £750million over the next four year to deliver our ambition of saving at least 5,000 additional lives. Alongside the Cancer Drugs Fund, these campaigns will help improve health outcomes.”

Deborah Alsina, CEO, Bowel Cancer UK and Mark Flannagan, Chief Executive of Beating Bowel Cancer said: “We are fully committed to working with the government to raise awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer. We know 90 per cent of people will survive if diagnosed at the earliest stage of the disease. The tragedy however is that only 9 per cent are.

“We work with people every day who tell us they are living proof that bowel cancer is curable. Worryingly awareness of symptoms and the disease is still way too low. We hope this campaign will help change that and encourage people to take the important first step of going to their doctor if they have concerns.”

Sarah Woolnough, Cancer Research UK’s director of policy, said: “We very much welcome the extra money to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of bowel, lung and a range of other cancers. The key reason our cancer survival lags behind the best in the world is that we diagnose the disease late.

“Cancer Research UK and the Department of Health have set up the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative (NAEDI) to work towards ensuring that cancer is diagnosed as early as possible when treatment is more likely to be successful. Campaigns to raise awareness are a vital part of this approach.”

The Government has also committed to invest £200 million per year for a Cancer Drugs Fund, until the end of 2013.

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Notes to editors:

1. For further information please contact the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5221.
2. Bowel Cancer Symptoms may vary, but we know those which might be bowel cancer include:
• Blood in your poo, particularly over the age of 50
• A persistent change in normal bowel habit, such as looser poo, going to the toilet more often and diarrhoea, especially if you are also bleeding from your back passage
• A lump in your tummy or a lump in your back passage felt by your doctor
• Unexplained iron deficiency in men or in women after the menopause
• Unexplained extreme tiredness
3. Advertising for the national pilot campaign has been developed by M&C Saatchi. The pilot bowel campaigns cost £1.75m.
4. The campaign programme is part of a broader range of work to improve cancer services and outcomes. For example, in relation to bowel cancer survival rates, the actions include: extending the screening age to 75, introduction of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening at 55, promoting laparoscopic colorectal surgery, a training programme for lower rectal surgery and an enhanced recovery programme.

The team had won the title under the Efficiency in Medicines Management category as part of the HSJ Efficiency Awards 2011.  The HSJ judges awarded the NHS Isle of Wight team for their “Improving respiratory disease patient outcomes through inhaler technique training”. 

Through this category, judges were looking for evidence of efficiency gains through medicines management either across a whole organisation or patient pathway, or within one part of it and were looking for evidence of a clear strategy, early and continued engagement of managers, clinicians and pharmacists, as well as clear efficiency savings demonstrable from use of more cost-effective drugs, reduction of drug wastage, improved clinician/patient satisfaction and/or improved patient outcomes.

 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust were also “Highly Commended” under the category Efficiency in Training and Education, with their “A national approach to specialist training is more efficient” project submission.

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