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Welcome
The phrase “culture eats strategy for breakfast” is often attributed to management guru Peter Drucker. Whether they’re his words or not, it seems to me that they describe a familiar healthcare scenario. It’s all too easy for longer term ambitions to be side-lined by the immediate and the urgent. And yet, while we’re busy dealing with the day to day challenges, it’s the future that concerns us: the future of our NHS, the future of care, the future of local services.
That’s why I’m so excited about the East Sussex Better Together programme and its implementation of a three year strategy. It’s just passed the 100 week milestone on its 150 week mission to integrate health and social care in a system that’s better aligned with local people's needs. You can catch up on their progress to date below in my blog – we wish them well for the final third of their journey.
With best wishes
Blog
People first, services together
East Sussex Better Together (ESBT) is developing a fully integrated health and social care system that is more responsive to people's needs. It’s just passed week 100 of a 150 week programme and has seen the launch of a number of successful new services, including support for people with frailty to live independent and healthy lives out of hospital ...
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Treatment vs dignity: end of life dilemma
Guest blog
Tracey Faraday-Drake, Director for Living Well For Longer
Last week the International Journal for Quality in Health Care (QHC) reported that more than a third of elderly patients with advanced, irreversible conditions - such as cancer - get treatments that are of no benefit and which often prevent a comfortable death.
QHC report
This is the biggest review of its kind and analysed patients from 10 countries worldwide, including Britain. It found 1.2 million patients subjected to "excessive" and unnecessary treatments that make no difference to their health. Treatments included chemotherapy to terminally ill patients in the last six weeks of life, prescriptions of antibiotics and heart medicines, dialysis and blood transfusions. The study also found that a quarter of patients who had Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders were resuscitated. Dr Magnolia Cardona-Morrell, who led the research, said doctors were "torn by the ethical dilemma" at end of life because they are trained to save lives, not focusing on the patient's right to die with dignity.
Battle
In March the BMA published its own report about end of life care. Their findings support this insight into the internal battle that doctors experience. It describes how their fear of being seen as a failure by patients’ families often acted as the driving force for treating dying patients beyond the point that it provides benefit.
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Simon Stevens launches fast track funding
In his speech at the NHS Confederation Conference on 17 June, Simon Stevens, NHS England Chief Executive, announced that the NHS will provide a national reimbursement route for new medtech innovations. This will accelerate uptake of new medtech devices and apps for patients with diabetes, heart conditions, asthma, sleep disorders, and other chronic health conditions.
Read his speech in full on the NHS England website
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Patient safety impact report
The report, ‘Patient Safety Collaboratives – Making care safer for all’ shows how KSS PSC and the 14 other Collaboratives in England are spreading improvements and influencing system leadership, two years after they were set up in response to the Berwick Report.
Read the report in full here
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Five big issues for health and social care after the Brexit vote
The King's Fund explores how the UK’s vote to leave the EU could impact on health and social care. There are five topics of discussion: staffing, accessing treatment here and abroad, regulation, cross border cooperation and funding and finance.
Read the report in full here
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What if?
The Kings Fund has published the first in a series of "What if?" essays that explore hypothetical major changes to the NHS and how they might impact on our world. We'll share some of them with you over the coming weeks.
What if: the NHS was to go carbon neutral?
The NHS currently accounts for around four per cent of all UK greenhouse gas emissions. What choices would the NHS have to make should global warming take full effect and how would it weigh human health against environmental harm?
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What if: there were community services for older people 24/7?
Getting care right for older people is crucial, especially with an ageing population, rising demand, and pressures on workforce and funding. So, in an ideal world, how do we create and implement these services to better the future of our NHS? Professor David Oliver gives his view.
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Animation explains all!
Come on a journey with Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network and learn about the impact we make in our region. Watch our new animation for some more insight into the work we do.
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Innovate: the domino effect
The latest edition of Innovate looks at the growing importance of speeding up the spread and adoption of innovative technology. Making this process faster and more consistent is crucial to delivering the new models of care described in the 5YFV.
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Governing body specialist clinician
NHS Crawley and NHS Horsham and Mid Sussex CCGs are looking for a motivated and dynamic secondary care clinician (Medical or Nurse Consultant), who can commit to 2 days a month to be part of transforming healthcare for our populations. Support and training will be provided. Remuneration is determined by the remuneration committee and is currently £15,190 pa.
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Hydration
Our Hydrate in Care Homes project aims to improve hydration in older people living in residential and nursing homes. It already has 102 care homes on board and174 hydration champions, with 3,200 residents expected to benefit.
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10 minute meeting
We’re pleased to be able to share a new User Guide showcasing Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust’s award winning 10 Minute Meeting initiative: one that allows Medical Emergency and Cardiac Arrest Teams to meet and define roles, should an emergency call be made.
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Innovation surgeries
Innovation surgeries bridge the gap between industry and the NHS, to help new products and services reach patients faster. Just a couple of slots remain for this month's surgeries, with further dates just announced in London in September.
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Breathing Matters
Our respiratory workstream has its own newsletter, Breathing Matters. This edition highlights the improved outcomes in mortality rates for people with community acquired pneumonia.
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