Health and care sector latest developments
NHS Confederation responds to Medium Term Planning Framework
NHS England has published its Medium Term Planning Framework which sets out the roadmap for the NHS for the next three years.
The plan will strip out layers of bureaucracy, remove complicated and unnecessary rules, and free up local leaders to get on with the job of delivering for patients.
It sets out the NHS plan to get back to delivering against its constitutional standards on elective care, which will see 2.5 million fewer patients waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment by March 2029.
NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor said:
"This is an ambitious plan to get the NHS back on track and health leaders will welcome how it gives them more time to prepare their plans for the new financial year. Local leaders have been more involved in developing the plan and it's a welcome sign of the government and NHS England’s commitment to having a longer-term planning process.”
Read the full comment here: NHS Confederation responds to Medium Term Planning Framework
Pharmacists warn of struggle to 'keep the lights on'
Pharmacists have warned they are struggling to 'keep the lights on', as national analysis found England's network was at its smallest for 20 years due to closures.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said about 90 per cent of council areas had seen at least one pharmacy close in the last three years.
Liverpool was the worst-affected area, followed by York, with cities including Wakefield and Hull also in the top ten, the NPA said.
Ruth Rankine, primary care director and neighbourhood lead at the NHS Confederation, said:
“This analysis from the NPA is very worrying as it shows how pharmacy closures have had the biggest impact on the most deprived council areas with the greatest patient health needs. Community pharmacies are a cornerstone of local healthcare. They are often the first point of contact for patients and play a vital role in providing timely access to care, easing pressure on overstretched GP and hospital services.”
Read the full comment here: Impact of pharmacy closures on council areas with greatest patient needs worrying, health leaders say
Advances in science set to transform treatments for people living with dementia
The government has launched a £5 million research challenge to speed up dementia diagnosis and improve care.
The goal is for over 92 per cent of patients to receive a diagnosis within 18 weeks by 2029, helping people access treatment earlier and easing NHS pressures.
Health Innovation Minister Zubir Ahmed said the initiative marks “a crucial step forward” in building an NHS that is “fit for the future”, adding that faster, more accurate diagnosis will “ensure patients and their families get the support they need earlier”.
This challenge forms part of the £500 million R&D Missions Accelerator Programme and builds on ongoing projects using new technologies to detect dementia sooner and enhance the quality of life for those affected.
Reports of OCD among under-25s triple in ten years
The number of 16-24 year olds in England reporting symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, has more than tripled in a decade, BBC analysis of NHS data has found.
The condition is now the second-most widespread mental health disorder for young adults, according to statistics from a major NHS England survey.
Those who could get seen spoke of a shortage of expert staff and effective treatments.
The average referral time figure for young people to be seen at a national OCD centre in London was 41 weeks last year, nearly three times as long as it was five years previously.
‘Gentler’ prostate cancer drug approved for NHS use
Men with incurable prostate cancer are facing a 'postcode lottery of care', a charity warned, after it raised concerns that some patients may not get access to a new drug approved for NHS use in England.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has given the green light for a new “gentler” treatment for prostate cancer among men whose disease has spread to other parts of the body.
But Prostate Cancer UK said that some men may not benefit, even with the approval. Nice said that about 6,000 men with metastatic prostate cancer will get access to a new treatment combination as it recommended darolutamide, also known as Nubeqa and made by Bayer, for certain men with “hormone sensitive” advanced prostate cancer.
Teacher becomes first UK patient to receive ‘gamechanger’ therapy for MS
A biology teacher has been given a 'gamechanger' therapy to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), becoming the first patient in the UK to receive the procedure, according to the Independent.
Experts believe the CAR T-cell treatment will “transform” lives by halting or slowing down progression of the disease. It is custom-built for each patient in the lab.
The person’s own T cells, which are crucial for hunting out infected or damaged cells, are genetically engineered by scientists and fed back into the patient via an infusion to “re-set” the immune system.
Government delays new NHS workforce plan
The government has pushed back publication of its new NHS workforce plan to spring next year, the Health Service Journal has learned.
Ministers had initially promised to unveil the strategy this year, following publication of the 10 Year Health Plan.
But in a letter sent on Thursday and seen by HSJ, health minister Karin Smyth confirmed this had been delayed to the spring, after health groups called for more time to engage on the plan.
Earlier this year royal colleges, think tanks and membership bodies called on the government to honour its commitment to 'regular, independent workforce planning'.
