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Jeremy Hunt said "as part of our determination to make the NHS the safest and most transparent healthcare system in the world, I want to tell you about two new important regulations that came into force yesterday".
The first is the Statutory Duty of Candour, which places a legal duty on hospital, community and mental health trusts to inform patients of mistakes which have led to significant harm or death. This is a key response to Francis, and a significant step towards a more transparent and open NHS. At the same time, the General Medical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council are consulting on a new Professional Duty of Candour which would mean that there would be an obligation on doctors, nurses and other health professionals to inform patients when something goes wrong. This is all designed to bring concerns into the open much more quickly, so that we develop a learning and improvement culture. I hope it will mean the NHS becomes the first healthcare system in the world that starts to get close to eliminating avoidable harm, including the 1,000 avoidable deaths we have every month across the system.
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Further 5,000 are left seriously injured by devices including pacemakers and MRI scanners
More than 300 patients a year are dying due to faulty NHS equipment, according to a damning new report. Nearly 5,000 people were left seriously injured last year after using faulty equipment including pacemakers, MRI and CT scanners, according to a report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. In the highest annual total of deaths since records began, 309 patients died last year in 'adverse incidents' linked to medical devices.
In total, there were 13,642 incidents relating to faulty equipment reported to health officials last year. Medics have also been forced to delay life-saving operations because their machines and tools don't work. There are concerns a lack of engineers to maintain equipment might be exacerbating the problem. Patients also suffered delays and injuries after issues with incubators, wheelchairs, artificial limbs, syringes and specialist beds.
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Media multitasking 'brain shrink' claims unproven
Are there too many screens in your life?
"Multitasking makes your brain smaller," the Daily Mail reports. UK researchers found that people who regularly "media multitasked" had less grey matter in a region of the brain involved in emotion.
The researchers were specifically interested in what they term media multitasking; for example checking your Twitter feed on your smartphone while streaming a boxset to your tablet as you scan your emails on your laptop. In the study, 75 university students and staff were asked to complete a questionnaire about their media multitasking habits. The researchers compared the results with MRI brain scans and found that people with the highest level of media multitasking had a smaller volume of grey matter in a region of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which is believed to be involved in human motivation and emotions.
Read more: Media multitasking 'brain shrink' claims unproven
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Given the option, would you want to think faster and have sharper attention? Research suggests that electrical brain stimulation kits could have just those effects. But now some companies are selling such devices online, leading to calls to regulate the technology.
It may sound too good to be true but scientists say the technology is promising. Transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS), which passes small electrical currents directly on to the scalp, stimulates the nerve cells in the brain (neurons). It's non-invasive, extremely mild and the US military even uses TDCS in an attempt to improve the performance of its drone pilots.
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Sir Bruce Keogh says the provision of 7-day services across the NHS is his “number one priority” Speaking at an NHS Improving Quality event in London, “Delivering Services, Seven Days A Week”, NHS England’s national clinical director told delegates: “We all know in our heart of hearts the service we offer at weekends isn’t as good, and we have to tackle that and do the right thing. “How quickly you have your scan and your tests, or start your treatment, shouldn’t depend on how sick you are or when you turn up. “Speaking personally, the provision of services at weekends remains my number one priority.”
Read more: Sir Bruce makes “Delivering NHS Services, Seven Days A Week” his top target
