Health and care sector latest developments
Resetting the relationship: towards a social model of health creation and care
The report from NHS Confederation, PPL and Local Trust, based on work with health system and community leaders, looked at how the shift of care into the community should be championed in the upcoming ten-year health plan.
It found that leaders agreed the neighbourhood model is the ‘way out of the NHS and wider health systems’ crisis’, because this is where the most proactive health initiatives and ideas already happen.
However, it said that the success of this model depends on the assets, such as local spaces, that exists in each neighbourhood.
It suggested providing funding for areas of high deprivation to develop these assets and focus on one key health and wellbeing outcome in each area.
It also said: ‘The success of a neighbourhood health service is dependent on the quality of the assets, networks and organisations that exist in neighbourhoods. This is the social infrastructure: the local spaces, groups, organisations and networks that provide people with the capacity and skills they need to act collectively to improve their health and wellbeing.
‘Yet these are the very things that have been eroded over the past decade, particularly in the most deprived parts of England.’
Education Select Committee
During the Education Select Committee discussion today on SEND (special educational needs and disabilities), Sarah Walter, director of ICS Network at NHS Confederation, highlighted several key issues.
She emphasised that misaligned priorities and financial incentives across different sectors, including health and education, undermine joint commissioning efforts.
Walter noted that short-term funding cycles and significant funding cuts, such as the 50 per cent reduction being worked through with integrated care boards and NHS England, add instability and impact strategic planning. She also pointed out the need for a shift towards a more preventative, place-based approach in healthcare, as outlined in the ten-year plan. Walter stressed the importance of understanding population health needs at the local level and improving data sharing and commissioning capabilities within ICS.
She called for better alignment of national and local priorities to enhance long-term health outcomes for children and young people. Additionally, Walter discussed the need for proactive health approaches beyond the NHS, emphasising the importance of a neighbourhood model of care and co-production as strategic priorities. She also addressed the role of tribunals, advocating for better mediation and joint resolution efforts to avoid driving more children into unfavourable situations.
Calls grow for men to join breast screening workforce amid staff crisis
Health experts are calling for men to be allowed to perform breast screenings to help tackle severe workforce shortages, the BBC reports.
Mammograms, offered to women aged 50 to 71, are currently carried out exclusively by female staff.
The Society of Radiographers reports a 17.5 per cent vacancy rate among specialists and argues that opening the role to men could boost recruitment. They note that expanding the workforce could boost recruitment and service delivery.
Milkshakes and lattes set to be hit by sugar tax in new obesity crackdown
The government is considering extending the sugar tax to include milkshakes, lattes, and plant-based alternatives like oat or rice drinks.
A newly launched public consultation proposes ending the exemption, as part of efforts to reduce obesity - an expansion which was hinted at by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last year’s Autumn Budget.
Ministers say the current law, which mostly affects fizzy drinks, created a loophole allowing high-sugar dairy drinks to escape scrutiny.
The levy, introduced in 2018, currently targets fizzy drinks with over 5g of sugar per 100ml, but new plans would lower that to 4g. Government analysis suggests 93 per cent of pre-packed milk drinks on the market would be affected.
Critics, including Mel Stride, warn it will hit household budgets, while health campaigners have welcomed the move.
The Treasury argues the health benefits outweigh concerns, with the consultation running until 21 July and a final decision is expected in the autumn budget.
New NICE guidelines to reduce falls admissions
Personalised fall-risk assessments are now recommended for older, vulnerable people, incorporating home environment checks, medical history review, and individualised interventions to reduce fall-related hospital admissions in England.
The updated NICE guidelines expand coverage to include residential care homes and hospitals, recommending comprehensive assessments for those who have fallen within the past year, particularly people living with frailty or medical conditions that increase fall risk.
Prevention measures include home modifications (like grab rails), medication reviews to identify fall-risk drugs, and community-based exercise programmes, with potential to reduce the £4.4 billion annual cost of fragility fractures.
Fridge-free vaccines to be trialled in UK
British scientists have launched the world’s first human trial of a fridge-free vaccine, a breakthrough hailed by health secretary Wes Streeting as a potential “global lifesaver”.
Developed by UK biotech firm Stablepharma, the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine (SPVX02) remains stable at room temperature, eliminating the need for costly refrigeration - a key barrier in global vaccine delivery.
The trial at University Hospital Southampton could pave the way for widespread use by 2027. With up to 60 vaccines identified for similar development, the innovation promises to reduce waste and improve access in poorer nations.
