United Kingdom: National Health Service (NHS) news

[Ryan31337]

I saw this reported in another article recently. I don't know all the details and certainly don't have any interest in defending the government but it didn't seem quite as shocking as the headline would suggest.

An Amazon source said the 'health data' amounted to what was freely available on the NHS website, just very general guidance on a variety of common diseases/illness. To me this is quite different to how some reports are trying to frame it as an invasion of privacy or rights...

 

[Arnie Pye]

A very frightening link on the future of the NHS from the BMJ :

A new public health body for the UK

A commentary on the BMJ article can be found here :

NHS: ‘Centralised and secretive’ medical industrial complex being constructed

And the references in that article to Centene are very relevant to many people in some parts of the UK - and we can expect to hear more about them in future :

Centene: Undemocratic takeover of GP services

Centene – the toxic firm that’s rapidly expanding into our NHS

 

[DokaGirl]

Very concerning.

 

[Sly Saint]

NHS Expert Patients Programme

Had not heard of this before although it appears to have been around since 2002(?); it seems to be available across the NHS:

The Expert Patients Programme (EPP) is a six-week course for anyone living with one or more long term health conditions such as asthma, chronic fatigue, COPD, depression, diabetes, heart disease, MS, Parkinson’s disease, HIV, ME, on-going back pain etc.

The course is designed to help you cope with your health condition, find solutions to common problems & feel more in control.

What can self-management offer me?
People with long-term health conditions face many similar issues such as fatigue, pain, frustration, stress and depression. The course looks at how to manage these whilst working alongside your healthcare providers.

By participating in the course you will:

• Learn new skills to manage your health condition better.
• Develop confidence in the daily management of your specific condition.
• Meet others and share similar experiences.
• Learn about developing more effective relationships with health professionals.

What do we learn?
The course focuses on what you can do, rather than what you can’t. Weekly sessions cover useful topics such as managing symptoms, dealing with pain and tiredness, coping with depression and other feelings, relaxation techniques, healthy eating, exercise, setting realistic goals and communicating effectively with health professionals.

How has it helped other people?
People who have taken part in an EPP course have reported that it has helped them to:

• Feel confident and more in control of their life
• Manage their condition and treatment together with healthcare professionals
• Be realistic about the impact of their condition on themselves and their family
• Use their new skills and knowledge to improve their quality of life.

https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/epp/

I haven't looked fully into this but it appears that in 2018 there was a change

"With the NHS no longer holding a national licence for the range of self-management programmes that formed The NHS Expert Patients Programme (NHS EPP), this discussion paper looks at why these programmes are as relevant today as they were when first launched over 15 years ago.
The NHS EPP was launched in 2002 and was arguably one of the largest peer led programmes in any health care system to date with over 100,000 patients having experienced the programme by 2012. The result of a forward thinking white paper by the UK Government “Saving Lives Our Healthier Nation” it put forward the concept of the Expert Patient and that people can be equal partners in their own care If they have the confidence, knowledge and skills.
The NHS EPP was a way to provide people with those skills."

https://www.talkinghealth.org/downloads/What-Is-Self-Management.pdf

BBC radio4 discussion (2005) on the subject when it was first proposed (includes transcript):
https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/expertpatient.shtml

Trisha MacNair investigates the new NHS Expert Patient Programme.

Thursdays 4 & 11 August 2005, 8.00-8.30pm

Nearly a third of the UK population is living with a chronic medical condition. Until now the NHS has been responsible for their care. But a new concept is being launched by the government, known as the Expert Patient Initiative.

from transcript:

“This patient knows more about her disease than I do."

This was a consultant's statement to a group of medical students 30 years ago as they stood around the bed of a woman with diabetes.

Then, the comment was self-deprecating and tongue-in-cheek.

However, now the British government is intentionally creating a breed of expert patients.

Can it ever be that the patient tells the doctor what they want?

A survey reported that only 21% of doctors were in favour of the expert patient initiative, with over half of GPs predicting that it would mean more work for them, without improving relationships with their patients.

However, the data shows that better-informed patients actually visit the doctor less frequently.

seems the project started off with good intentions. Not sure if what they ended up with (ie the 6 week course) is really how they meant it to be.

 

[Amw66]

The Health and Care Bill 2021

England .

There has not been much coverage by MSM but there are key adverts of this bill that will affect those with chronic illness .

This twitter thread provides an overview

Contacting MPs to raise concerns needs to be prioritised ( bill goes before HoC next week)

 

[Invisible Woman]

There are two parliamentary petitions regarding the NHS in the twitter thread:

Renationalise the NHS, scrap integrated care systems, and end PFI contracts

We demand the Government restore England’s publicly funded, publicly provided NHS by reversing all privatising legislation, ending ongoing PFI contracts, and scrapping plans for Integrated Care Systems and for-profit US-style ‘managed care’.

Link to the petition-

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/598732

And

Amend the Health and Care Bill to protect the NHS.

1. Make the NHS the default for NHS contracts and tender competitively if not;
2. Ensure governance by those whose fiduciary duty is to patients rather than to shareholders.
3. Retain the duty on the Health Secretary to provide a high quality health and care service, free at the point of use.

Link to that petition -

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/592557

 

[Sly Saint]

A new national NHS Learn from patient safety events service (previously called the patient safety incident management system – PSIMS – during development) is in the final stages of development as a central service for the recording and analysis of patient safety events that occur in healthcare. We have now commenced the public beta stage, where some organisations can begin using the system, instead of the NRLS.

LFPSE is replacing the current National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) and Strategic Executive Information System (StEIS), to offer better support for staff from all health and care sectors.

LFPSE applications
LFPSE will initially provide two main services:

Record a patient safety event – organisations, staff and patients will be able to record the details of patient safety events, contributing to a national NHS wide data source to support learning and improvement. Once local systems are made compatible, larger organisations such as NHS trusts will record patient safety events to the national system via a direct upload from their Local Risk Management System (LRMS). Other organisations, such as primary care providers (see our dedicated primary care LFPSE webpage) can record patient safety events directly via the online recording service. A dedicated service for patients and families to use will be developed. In the meantime patients can continue to record incidents to the NRLS via the existing patient eform.

Access data about recorded patient safety events – Providers will be able to access data that has been submitted by their teams, in order to better understand their local recording practices and culture, and to support local safety improvement work.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/learn-from-patient-safety-events-service/

(there is a short video that explains how the system will work)

I've not been able to access the patient eform so I don't know what information they ask for.

 

[Sly Saint]

Merged thread

The nation has relied heavily on NHS healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic and an effective workforce requires good mental health. However, robust evidence is still lacking on the size and impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers, who is at risk, and what support they may require, if any. This study is investigating the psychosocial and occupational outcomes of the pandemic on NHS staff in England, using a well-defined sampling frame across 18 partner NHS Trusts. The research is also exploring the extent to which different types of intervention and support programmes have been offered to staff and their effectiveness.

"The NHS CHECK study is led by Professor Sir Simon Wessely and is a large collaborative project across a number of institutions and NHS trusts."

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/policy-institute/research-analysis/covid-health-wellbeing-nhs-staff

 

[John Mac]

"The NHS CHECK study is led by Professor Sir Simon Wessely and is a large collaborative project across a number of institutions and NHS trusts."

So no doubt the newspaper headlines have already been written

 

[rvallee]

But he already made available a powerful piece of novel technology that meets the absolute highest levels of evidence in psychosocial evidence-based medicine: "it can be of benefit to some". This is basically the BPS equivalent of 17 sigma in physics.

The problem is clearly solved. The mindfulness apps will be increased until morale appears to improve on biased questionnaires. This is the highest standard of care in biopsychosocial land, it's considered equivalent to 100% effectiveness and directness.

At least the overpaid MBA consultants make quirky recommendations like ping-pong tables and Hawaiian shirt Fridays. It's the lowest of bars but that's still better than this BS.

 

[Sean]

What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Lou B Lou]

Moved posts

Simon Wessely appointed as one of three new NHS England Non Exec Directors

'NHS England appoints leading clinicians to board'

'NHS England has added a wealth of clinical expertise and experience to its board with the appointment of three new non-executive directors.

Baroness Mary Watkins, Professor Sir Simon Wessely and Professor Sir Mark Walport are renowned leaders in their respective fields of nursing, mental health, and life sciences and research. They will take up their positions on the NHS England Board from 27th January.

.... Professor Sir Simon Wessely is Regius Professor of Psychiatry at King’s College London and has worked as a clinical psychiatrist, specialising in general hospital psychiatry, for the past 35 years. He has held a number of leadership roles and was President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists prior to being the first psychiatrist to be elected President of the Royal Society of Medicine. Professor Wessely has served on numerous national governmental committees connected with military health, emergency response, population health and mental health.....'


.... Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “As the NHS begins its 75th year, I am delighted to welcome Baroness Mary Watkins, Professor Sir Simon Wessely and Professor Sir Mark Walport to the NHS England Board.

“As we deal with record demand for our services, continue to make progress on recovery following the pandemic, and strive to transform care for the future, I know their extensive clinical knowledge, skills and experience will help us improve services for patients across the country, and I look forward to working with them over the coming months.”


https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/01/nhs-england-appoints-leading-clinicians-to-board/

 

[Shadrach Loom]

Simon Wessely appointed as one of three new NHS England Non Exec Directors

'NHS England appoints leading clinicians to board'

'NHS England has added a wealth of clinical expertise and experience to its board with the appointment of three new non-executive directors.

Baroness Mary Watkins, Professor Sir Simon Wessely and Professor Sir Mark Walport are renowned leaders in their respective fields of nursing, mental health, and life sciences and research. They will take up their positions on the NHS England Board from 27th January.

.... Professor Sir Simon Wessely is Regius Professor of Psychiatry at King’s College London and has worked as a clinical psychiatrist, specialising in general hospital psychiatry, for the past 35 years. He has held a number of leadership roles and was President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists prior to being the first psychiatrist to be elected President of the Royal Society of Medicine. Professor Wessely has served on numerous national governmental committees connected with military health, emergency response, population health and mental health.....'


.... Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “As the NHS begins its 75th year, I am delighted to welcome Baroness Mary Watkins, Professor Sir Simon Wessely and Professor Sir Mark Walport to the NHS England Board.

“As we deal with record demand for our services, continue to make progress on recovery following the pandemic, and strive to transform care for the future, I know their extensive clinical knowledge, skills and experience will help us improve services for patients across the country, and I look forward to working with them over the coming months.”


https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/01/nhs-england-appoints-leading-clinicians-to-board/

Worrying not so much because NEDs can change much at the front line, but more because pf what it says about the people involved in the selection process which resulted in this appointment.

 

[Lou B Lou]

Worrying not so much because NEDs can change much at the front line, but more because pf what it says about the people involved in the selection process which resulted in this appointment.

I couldn't find the appropriate thread to post that, but knew it would be moved to a better one.

I would think the overt justification for appointing Wessely would be for mental health services/guidance, as he was Chair of the Review of the Mental Health Act etc.

I had zero hopes for NHS England appropriately/safely responding to ME and LC. Now I have minus zero hopes.

 

[JemPD]

Oh God.

that is bad, really really bad

I feel sick

 

[V.R.T.]

Moved posts

Simon Wessely appointed as one of three new NHS England Non Exec Directors

'NHS England appoints leading clinicians to board'

'NHS England has added a wealth of clinical expertise and experience to its board with the appointment of three new non-executive directors.

Baroness Mary Watkins, Professor Sir Simon Wessely and Professor Sir Mark Walport are renowned leaders in their respective fields of nursing, mental health, and life sciences and research. They will take up their positions on the NHS England Board from 27th January.

.... Professor Sir Simon Wessely is Regius Professor of Psychiatry at King’s College London and has worked as a clinical psychiatrist, specialising in general hospital psychiatry, for the past 35 years. He has held a number of leadership roles and was President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists prior to being the first psychiatrist to be elected President of the Royal Society of Medicine. Professor Wessely has served on numerous national governmental committees connected with military health, emergency response, population health and mental health.....'


.... Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “As the NHS begins its 75th year, I am delighted to welcome Baroness Mary Watkins, Professor Sir Simon Wessely and Professor Sir Mark Walport to the NHS England Board.

“As we deal with record demand for our services, continue to make progress on recovery following the pandemic, and strive to transform care for the future, I know their extensive clinical knowledge, skills and experience will help us improve services for patients across the country, and I look forward to working with them over the coming months.”


https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/01/nhs-england-appoints-leading-clinicians-to-board/

Insane. An insult to everyone who has suffered and died because of Wessleys handling of ME. Bodes very ill for the future of me and LC in the UK

 

[CRG]

It might be galling to see Wessely ascending the greasiest of poles in the NHS but I'm not sure it has much material impact - there was always going to be a psych put on Board and Wessely fits the bill with all his acquired honours - it's just how things in the UK operate. The Board has a fairly limited role and unless it is co-opted by the Government to support some major politically sensitive intiative then it'll just roll on as a rather dull bureaucratic juggernaut:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/nhs-england-board/

"The Board is the senior decision-making structure for NHS England. It has reserved key decisions and matters for their own decision, including strategic direction, overseeing delivery of the agreed strategy, the approach to risk, and establishing the culture and values of the organisation.

Key responsibilities to support the Board’s strategic leadership to the organisation include:

• Approving the business plan and monitoring performance against it.
• Holding the organisation to account for performance and the proper running of the organisation (including operating in accordance with legal and governance requirements).
• Determining which decisions it will make and which it will delegate to the Executive via the Scheme of Delegation.
• Ensuring high standards of corporate governance and personal conduct.
• Providing effective financial stewardship.
• Promoting effective dialogue between NHS England, government departments, other arms length bodies (ALBs), partners, integrated care systems, their constituent organisations and the communities they serve."

 

[JemPD]

I'm not sure it has much material impact - there was always going to be a psych put on Board and Wessely fits the bill with all his acquired honours - it's just how things in the UK operate.

I wish that were true, but I think the indirect impact will be massive. In terms of cementing his influence, in terms of the overall direction of services, and mostly in terms of governance's beliefs about/attitudes towards PwME/LC, which filters down into the whole of the NHS.

It was bad enough before, but with him there it gives all his arguments more weight. I honestly feel sick thinking about what he can do, indirectly, from that position.
Sorry i think this is a major blow to progress.

Edited:I hope i am being an inappropriate voice of doom, in which case i'm sorry, but I'm basing my thoughts/feelings on what the history of SW + ME/CFS tells me

 

[NelliePledge]

Maybe it’s better his involvement is out in the open, as being a behind the scenes influence is completely unaccountable

 

[rvallee]

.... Professor Sir Simon Wessely is Regius Professor of Psychiatry at King’s College London and has worked as a clinical psychiatrist, specialising in general hospital psychiatry, for the past 35 years. He has held a number of leadership roles and was President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists prior to being the first psychiatrist to be elected President of the Royal Society of Medicine. Professor Wessely has served on numerous national governmental committees connected with military health, emergency response, population health and mental health.....'

Literally omitting his claims to infamy, including the one that got him a knighthood. Safe to say there is no pretense of a meritocracy here. Even the records are scrubbed for political effect. I don't think it's true that his specialty is "general psychiatry", he's always been mostly interested in somatization, psychosomatics and the like, especially "mass hysteria".

The textbook says: first, do no harm
Actual reality: reward the max harm dude, he has so much to teach us