Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 13 May 2024.

The government has funded 350 additional medical school places in England for the academic year 2025 to 2026 in latest step to deliver NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

• The government has funded 350 additional medical school places in England for the academic year 2025 to 2026
• This is the next stage in delivering the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan commitment to double medical school places by 2031
• The places have been allocated to medical schools across the country but targeted to address disparities in the distribution of places and support under-doctored areas

The government has allocated an additional 350 medical school places, to deliver the future workforce the NHS requires.

Last year, the NHS set out its Long Term Workforce Plan, backed by more than £2.4 billion in government funding. It outlines how the NHS will recruit and retain hundreds of thousands more staff over the next 15 years – delivering the biggest training expansion in the health service’s history.

One of the key commitments is doubling the number of medical school places in England to 15,000 by 2031 and levelling up the geographic training of places to help tackle unequal access to services.

In the next step to deliver this commitment, the Office for Students (OfS) has now allocated 350 places in the academic year 2025 to 2026 to medical schools across the country.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

Thanks to the government’s plan for a faster, simpler and fairer healthcare system, the NHS now has record funding and a record number of doctors.

I want to make sure that we will have the medical professionals we will need in the years ahead.

That’s why we are delivering the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and doubling the number of medical school places, so we can train the next generation of world-class doctors to offer patients the highest-quality care.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:

Our frontline health workers do tremendous work in serving the nation every single day and ensuring all of us receive the care we need.

I know what a popular career medicine is among young people and it’s so important they have the chance to pursue their ambitions.

With this expansion of places – alongside our new doctor degree apprenticeship – the opportunities for a career in medicine are greater than ever

Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of NHS England, said:

This is a hugely important moment for the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and marks one of the first steps towards our ambition to train more doctors in England than ever before – the record expansion will help us boost care for patients right across the country.

The ambitious blueprint for our workforce, is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put NHS staffing on a sustainable footing, particularly as we continue to adapt to new and rising demand for health services.

Dr Katie Petty-Saphon, CEO, Medical Schools Council, said:

The Medical Schools Council welcomes the announcement of 350 additional student places from 2025.

Medical schools are committed to widening participation to the profession and particularly important is the need for local recruitment in under-doctored areas.

We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure that the NHS has the staff it needs to deliver high-quality patient care.

Places have been provided across the country, but the OfS has used analysis of geographical distribution provided by NHS England to target under-doctored areas in its allocation of the places.

This includes substantial increases to medical schools at universities in Sunderland, Leeds, East Anglia, Anglia Ruskin, Plymouth and Surrey. The University of Surrey is also receiving government-funded places for the first time.

This is the second year of expansions to deliver the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. Delivery started a year early, allocating 205 additional medical school places for the 2024 to 2025 academic year, including providing government-funded places to 3 schools for the first time.

This builds on the 25% expansion of medical school places in England that the government completed in 2020, taking the total number of places to 7,500 per year and delivering 5 new medical schools.

A combination of the additional medical places this year and next, along with medical apprenticeship places, puts us on track to exceed current plans.

Through the allocation of places for 2026 to 2027 and beyond, the government and NHS England will work closely with partners including medical schools, NHS trusts and the General Medical Council to deliver ambitious reforms to medical education set out in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

Full list of medical school allocations

London

University	Number of places
Brunel University London	3
Queen Mary, University of London	3
St George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London	1
University College London	3
Total	10

South East

University	Number of places
Universities of Brighton and Sussex	4
Universities of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church	9
University of Southampton	17
University of Surrey	34
King’s College London: Portsmouth Medical School (in partnership with the University of Portsmouth)	13
Total	77

Midlands

University	Number of places
Aston University	10
University of Birmingham	8
Keele University	7
University of Leicester	3
University of Nottingham: Lincoln Medical School (in partnership with University of Lincoln)	4
University of Nottingham	4
University of Warwick	10
University of Worcester	12
Total	58

East of England

University	Number of places
Anglia Ruskin University Higher Education Corporation	28
University of East Anglia	27
Total	55

North East and Yorkshire

University	Number of places
Universities of Hull and York	8
University of Leeds	16
University of Newcastle upon Tyne	2
University of Sheffield	9
University of Sunderland	17
Total	52

North West

University	Number of places
Edge Hill University	13
University of Central Lancashire	6
University of Chester	5
Imperial College: Pears Cumbria Medical School (in partnership with Imperial College London)	8
Lancaster University	5
University of Liverpool	13
University of Manchester	4
Total	54

South West

University	Number of places
University of Bristol	17
University of Exeter	10
University of Plymouth	17
Total	44

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 13 May 2024.

The changes will allow pharmacists to spend more time with patients, levelling the playing field between smaller pharmacies and larger chains.

• The government confirms plans to make ‘hub and spoke’ dispensing models available to all local pharmacies
• The change aims to make local pharmacies more efficient and free up time for more complex elements of dispensing and clinical care
• Move is part of government’s drive to make patient access to medicines and treatment more efficient across the NHS

Patients stand to benefit thanks to an efficiency drive that will allow all local pharmacies to dispense medicines more efficiently, the government announced today.

Currently, larger pharmacy chains can take advantage of the efficiencies and cost savings that come with centralising the dispensing of medicines at a larger ‘hub’.

But smaller independent pharmacies are unable to operate the same model due to legal restrictions on dispensing for pharmacies under different ownership, meaning they can face additional costs and workload.

Under the changes announced today, the government will progress in making the hub and spoke model universally available, allowing pharmacies belonging to different legal entities to use hubs belonging to other companies. This will level the playing field between smaller pharmacies and larger chains.

The changes will enable pharmacists to dispense medicines more efficiently and spend more time dealing face to face with patients.

Primary Care Minister Andrea Leadsom said:

We’re continuing our drive to make access to medicines and care faster, simpler and fairer for all patients, including at local pharmacies.

These proposals will level the playing field and enable our hardworking community pharmacies to benefit from centralised dispensing.

It will also free up highly skilled pharmacists from back-office duties to deliver patient-facing services, including Pharmacy First and contraception consultations, supply medicines and provide advice.

The government ran a consultation on its plans for a wider hub and spoke model rollout in 2022 and received an overwhelmingly positive response.

Now, subject to Parliamentary approval, all pharmacies will have an option of 2 hub and spoke models from 2025.

The proposed legislation was a commitment made under the primary care recovery plan and is the latest of several initiatives being delivered to improve the efficiency of pharmaceutical services across the country.

Legislation to give greater powers to pharmacy technicians was also laid in April which, if approved by Parliament, will free up staff to carry out more tasks and free up more time for pharmacists.

Background information

Hub and spoke dispensing: consultation response

Dispensing medicines covers a number of processes, including:

• the receipt of a prescription
• the clinical and accuracy checks
• sourcing of the products
• the preparation, assembly and supply of medicines
• advising the patient to ensure they know how and when to take the medicine

Traditionally, all of these different processes have been done in a single pharmacy based in the community.

The concept of hub and spoke dispensing is that the routine elements of dispensing activity can take place on a large scale at a pharmacy known as the ‘hub’, separate to the pharmacy at which the prescription was handed in, which is known as the ‘spoke’.

Existing hubs usually make use of automated processes to realise economies of scale and efficiencies, freeing up time and space for pharmacists and pharmacy teams to focus on delivering other services to patients.

Read more about new powers for pharmacy technicians

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 8 May 2024.

The government has announced its new national action plan on antimicrobial resistance to protect people and animals from the risk of drug-resistant infections.

• New national action plan on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) launched to protect people and animals from the risks of drug-resistant infections
• Plan supports the government’s 20-year vision to contain and control AMR by 2040
• Plan builds on the progress made in the previous 5-year national action plan and lessons learned from COVID-19 and sets ambitious targets to drive down inappropriate use of antibiotics and stimulate further development of new drugs and vaccines

A new plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance, a global issue that makes infections difficult or impossible to treat, has been launched today (8 May 2024).

The national action plan will commit the UK to reducing its use of antimicrobials – such as antibiotics, antifungals and antivirals – in humans and animals, strengthen surveillance of drug-resistant infections before they emerge and incentivise industry to develop the next generation of treatments.

It commits to continue to innovate through initiatives such as indicating that that the world-first ‘subscription model’ for antimicrobials, which was launched in 2019 as a pilot, could be expanded. This will see more companies paid a fixed annual fee for antimicrobials based primarily on their value to the NHS, as opposed to the volumes used.

The plan will build on progress towards the UK’s 20-year vision for antimicrobial resistance, which will see AMR contained, controlled and mitigated – protecting public health by increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, disability and death.

Health Minister Maria Caulfield said:

Almost 8,000 people in the UK die from drug-resistant infections every year. If this continues to spread, common infections and injuries that were once easily treatable become harder, and in some cases impossible, to treat.

Our 5-year action plan outlines our commitment to leading the way in tackling AMR, including through expanding our world-first subscription model to accelerate research into new treatments.

In a world recovering from the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, international collaboration and preparedness for global health challenges have taken on an unprecedented level of importance.

This is the second of a series of 5-year national action plans that will ensure sustained progress by tackling the global threat of AMR.

Learning from the achievements and challenges faced in delivering the previous plan, which was launched in 2019, this new national action plan will run from 2024 to 2029. It embeds lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and will include specific commitments focusing on infection prevention and control, and the development and use of diagnostics and vaccines.

Action has already been taken across sectors, including the medical and farming industries, to decrease the number of infections and prevent AMR from spreading.

The new plan has 9 strategic outcomes organised under 4 themes:

1. Reducing the need for, and unintentional exposure to, antimicrobials – this includes activity to prevent infections arising in the first place (through good infection prevention and control, including vaccination), to monitor the emergence and spread of AMR through strengthened surveillance, and to minimise release of antimicrobials and resistance into the environment.
2. Optimising the use of antimicrobials – through ensuring antimicrobials are only used when needed in humans, animals and the environment.
3. Investing in innovation, supply and access – by supporting and incentivising the development of new vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics (including alternatives to antimicrobials), making them accessible to those who need them, and ensuring our work on AMR is informed by cutting edge research.
4. Being a good global partner – maintaining the UK’s role as an international leader on AMR and supporting low and middle income countries to respond to the threat of AMR through research, good supply chains and access to antibiotics.

AMR occurs when bacteria, and other microorganisms, develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs, such as antibiotics, making them less responsive or unresponsive to treatment. Avoiding unnecessary antibiotic usage in humans and animals is crucial to slowing the development and spread of antibiotic resistance.

In 2022, the government invested £210 million to partner with countries across Asia and Africa to tackle AMR and reduce the threat posed to the UK, through the Fleming Fund.

It is estimated that in 2019, 1.27 million deaths globally were caused by infections resistant to antibiotics. The UK is committed to playing a central role in the global effort to confront AMR by taking a comprehensive approach that leverages the country’s expertise and domestic experience.

The scale of the AMR threat, and the need to contain and control it, is widely acknowledged by governments, international agencies including the World Health Organization and World Bank, researchers and private companies alike.

Chief Medical Officer Professor, Chris Whitty, said:

Antibiotics are one of the most powerful tools we have against infection. Resistance to these drugs therefore poses a significant threat to the lives of many people in the UK and around the world.

AMR is not just a matter for clinicians – it is important to work across sectors to help preserve these vital medicines to minimise the impact of AMR.

UK Special Envoy on AMR, Dame Sally Davies, said:

It is incomprehensible for any of us to imagine a world without effective antibiotics.

But we are facing an antibiotic emergency already. And this menace is deeply unfair – with the burden disproportionately falling on the world’s most vulnerable, in low and middle income countries and also children.

We have to work together, across the world, with those countries that need action the most, to make progress and contain AMR.

Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said:

Antimicrobial resistance is a threat to all of us – simple lifesaving interventions in the form of antimicrobials are in danger of becoming ineffective.

Through our priority AMR programme, including One Health surveillance, collaborative working with the health service, international collaborations and novel approaches to therapies and diagnostics, UKHSA has risen to meet this active threat – but it will take collective action across government, industry, academia and the public to ensure that antimicrobials remain available for ourselves and our communities, now and in the future.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden, said:

AMR is the invisible threat we must tackle to protect the welfare of our society and safeguard the NHS.

I am pleased to see the publication of this second national action plan, which fulfils our commitments in the Biological Security Strategy to progress towards the vision of a world where AMR is effectively contained, controlled and mitigated by 2040.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, said:

The UK has made fantastic progress in the past 10 years to reduce AMR in animals, working between government, farming industry, vets and animal keepers to reduce the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals by more than half.

The new national action plan will build upon these achievements, and I urge vets and animal keepers to continue to support the UK’s 20-year vision to contain and control AMR.

Richard Torbett, Chief Executive, Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, said:

AMR is a pressing health challenge which requires urgent global action. The UK has been proactive in finding practical solutions to this problem, and this new national action plan sets a precedent that countries worldwide should follow.

Expanding the pilot of the innovative antibiotic subscription model is a crucial next step with our industry’s full support. This type of innovative thinking is needed to address the issues associated with AMR and safeguard public health from this shared threat.

James Anderson, Executive Director, Global Health at the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) and Chair of the AMR Industry Alliance, said:

Tackling the rising threat of AMR will depend on having a continuous pipeline that delivers new, innovative antibiotics.

To do this, society needs to take bold action to redefine the value we place on them and attract more R&D investment.

The successful results of the UK’s pilot programme provide an important reference point ahead of this year’s UN high-level meeting on AMR. As a truly global challenge, we need to see countries working together to make a step change in how the world is addressing AMR.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said:

Effective antibiotics are fundamental to providing the best care and treatment for patients both in the NHS and globally, so it is only right that we move to tackle the major issue of antibiotic resistance.

We welcome this new strategy by the Department of Health and Social Care, as the NHS continues to lead the world by developing a new subscription-style payment model to create greater incentives for new antibiotics to help tackle this issue, with both national and global partners.

Background information

See the UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029.

The UK will continue to innovative and influence with expansion to the subscription-style model, piloted in 2019, to more antimicrobials across the UK.

The Fleming Fund is a UK aid programme supporting up to 25 countries across Africa and Asia to tackle AMR.

There has already been progress made towards reducing antibiotic use in animals – sales of antibiotics for use in food-producing animals fell by nearly 10% in the last year and have more than halved since 2014.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 April 2024.

Professor Sir Chris Whitty writes for The Guardian on smoking addiction and MPs’ historic opportunity to vote on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Addiction to smoking traps then slowly disables and kills thousands of our fellow citizens, especially the most vulnerable. The great majority of smokers wish they had never started, but their choice was taken away at a young age by marketing that deliberately promoted addiction to nicotine.

About 80,000 people a year die in the UK as a result and many more are harmed. The burden of smoking-related diseases is very heavily weighted towards people living in areas of deprivation, with about one-third of smokers in England living in the most deprived 2 deciles. Smoking is one of the most important modifiable drivers of the substantial inequalities in health we see across the country.

If the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which gets its second reading in parliament today, is passed it will have a major effect on preventing disease. No child or young person turning 15 from this year on will ever legally be sold a cigarette or other forms of tobacco, leading over time to a smokefree generation.

Stopping smoking is backed by the overwhelming majority of doctors, nurses and health charities, who see the effects of the habit on vulnerable people. It is also backed by a substantial majority of the public, according to polling, and by the governments of all 4 UK nations. In addition, the bill will substantially reduce the ability of vape companies to market to children, an utterly unacceptable practice.

Some of the effects of a smokefree generation will take decades to fully have an effect, but many will be rapid. About 70% of lung cancer cases, the UK’s largest cause of cancer deaths, are caused by tobacco, along with premature smoking-related strokes, heart disease and dementia.

These major diseases do not usually come on before late middle age, so the effects of a smokefree generation will not be felt for more than 3 decades – but will then be substantial.

Some benefits will be immediate, like reducing asthma attacks in children exposed to secondhand smoke.  Some of the earliest effects of a smokefree generation will be on smoking in pregnancy.

All mothers want the best for their newborn, but addiction to nicotine means many find it very hard to stop. Smoking in pregnancy is heavily weighted to pregnancies in the youngest mothers, and to the most deprived communities. Smoking leads to problems including significantly increased rates of stillbirth and premature babies. Disparities in poor birth outcomes between the most affluent and the most deprived areas are deeply depressing – smoking is one driver of them that we can and should prevent.

The tobacco industry, which is very wealthy, is the one winner from the death and disease induced by its products. Its talking points, usually introduced by paid lobbyists, need to be addressed head on. It tries to link its products to ‘choice’, despite the fact sales are based on addiction (taking choice away). It always claims illegal cigarette sales will go up with new control measures, despite evidence that they actually go down (due to reduced demand).

It makes a big thing about age cutoffs for its products, but public health measures have always been based on various age cutoffs, including screening and vaccination.

It tries to pass off new tobacco products as ‘safe’, as it did with ‘low tar cigarettes’ and cigarette filters – but no tobacco products are safe.

If passed, the smokefree generation this bill proposes would be a major step forward in public health, with a substantial positive effect on preventing disease, disability and death long into the future.

This generation of children should not have to endure the damage caused by tobacco seen in adults in wards and GP surgeries across the country. MPs today have a major opportunity to reduce health inequalities for children now and in the future.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 April 2024.

MPs to vote on legislation to create first smokefree generation, protecting young people turning 15 this year or younger from harms of smoking.

MPs will vote today (16 April 2024) on world-leading legislation to protect future generations across the UK from the harmful effects of smoking.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009 – children aged 15 or younger today. Smoking itself would not be criminalised and anyone who can legally buy tobacco today will never be prevented from doing so in the future by the legislation. If passed, the bill will progress to the next stage, bringing the UK closer to creating the first smokefree generation.

Responsible for around 80,000 deaths annually, smoking is the UK’s single biggest preventable killer and costs the NHS and economy an estimated £17 billion a year – far more than the £10 billion annual revenue from tobacco taxation.

It is also highly addictive – 4 in 5 smokers start before the age of 20 and remain addicted for the rest of their lives despite most smokers having tried to quit.

The legislation will cover all tobacco products, recognising that tobacco kills two-thirds of long-term users. In England alone, almost every minute someone with a smoking-related condition is admitted to hospital.

The bill will help deliver the Prime Minister’s commitment of creating a smokefree generation, which could prevent over 470,000 cases of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and other deadly diseases by the turn of the century.

Alongside action to prevent creating future smokers, the government has already announced significant additional funding for stop smoking services over the next 5 years, effectively doubling the money available for local initiatives that can help existing smokers to quit. The government is also rolling out an innovative financial incentives scheme to help all pregnant smokers to quit.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:

Too many people know someone whose life has been tragically cut short or irreversibly changed because of smoking, which despite significant progress remains the UK’s biggest preventable killer.

The truth is that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. It is uniquely harmful and that is why we are taking this important action today to protect the next generation.

This bill will save thousands of lives, ease the strain on our NHS and improve the UK’s productivity.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would also give the government new powers to tackle youth vaping by restricting flavours and regulating the way that vapes are sold and packaged to make them less appealing to children.

While vaping can play a useful role in helping adult smokers to quit, non-smokers and children should never vape. The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine contained within them can be highly addictive.

To ensure compliance with the new rules, trading standards officers will be given new powers to issue on-the-spot fines (fixed penalty notices) to retailers unlawfully selling tobacco or vapes to children. All the money raised would be used to fund further enforcement action.

The bill follows the government’s previously stated commitment to ban the sale and supply of disposable vapes under existing environmental legislation, which have been a key factor behind the rise in youth vaping. The ban is planned to take effect from April 2025.

Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said:

Smoking is the number one preventable cause of disability, ill health and death in this country. Once it becomes a habit, its addictive nature means that it is extremely difficult to stop.

Because the case against these harmful products is so strong, it’s not surprising that the majority of the British public – including those who smoke and those who sell tobacco – support plans to protect the next generation from the misery of smoking.

Our plan will save lives, ease the strain on our NHS and ensure a brighter future for our children.

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said:

Smoking kills and causes harm at all stages of life from stillbirths, asthma in children, stroke, cancer to heart attacks and dementia.

This bill, if passed, will have a substantial impact – preventing disease, disability and premature deaths long into the future.

Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said:

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill being voted on today is radical but, hard as it is now to believe, so were the smokefree laws when they were put before Parliament. Parliamentarians can be reassured that the public they represent back the bill.

New research just published by ASH shows that the majority of tobacco retailers and the public, including smokers, support the legislation and the smokefree generation ambition it is designed to deliver. This historic legislation will consign smoking to the ‘ash heap of history’.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation, said:

Smoking continues to devastate the nation’s health, taking 15,000 UK lives every single year due to cardiovascular disease alone.

Raising the age of sale for tobacco each year will be a game changer, meaning that future generations are protected from serious disease and death caused by smoking.

Decisive action is needed to end this ongoing public health tragedy – we urge every MP to vote for this landmark legislation at the bill’s second reading.

Professor Steve Turner, Royal College for Paediatrics and Child Health President, said:

Without a doubt the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will save lives.

By stopping children and young people from becoming addicted to nicotine and tobacco we decrease their chances of developing preventable diseases later in life, and will protect children from the harms of nicotine addiction.

As paediatricians, we strongly urge MPs to use the important responsibility they have and support this bill to protect children’s and our nation’s current and future health.

Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said:

Today’s vote is a critical step towards the UK becoming a world leader in tobacco control. By voting in favour of the age of sale legislation, MPs will be putting us on the right side of history, and helping to create the first ever smokefree generation.

Smoking is still the leading cause of cancer in the UK. Now is the time to take action, end cancers caused by smoking and save lives.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 April 2024.

A new call for evidence launched today aims to capture and consider views about how the duty of candour is honoured, monitored and enforced.

• Duty of candour being examined to ensure honesty and transparency
• Call for evidence to explore whether current system is working as it should
• The review follows a number of measures to boost patient safety

The government is reviewing how patients and their families are kept informed when healthcare goes wrong.

A new call for evidence launched today (16 April 2024) aims to capture and consider views about how the duty of candour system is honoured, monitored and enforced in health and social care settings.

The duty of candour requires health and care providers to be open and honest when things go wrong. It means that patients and families have a right to receive explanations for what happened as soon as possible and a meaningful apology.

The current system has been in place for a decade and this review will look at how it is operating amid concerns that there is some inconsistency in how it is being applied.

Minister for Mental Health and Women’s Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield, said:

I spent 20 years working as a nurse in the NHS, and I know how important it is that health and care providers are open with patients and their loved ones – especially if something has gone wrong.

I want to ensure that our system of duty of candour is kept up to date, so I urge anyone with views or experience to respond to the call for evidence to help inform our review, which will ensure that honesty and integrity remain at the heart of our health and social care services.

The duty of candour review call for evidence has opened today and will run for 6 weeks.

It follows a range of measures the government has announced to improve patient safety. In February, the department announced the rollout of Martha’s Rule to over 100 acute sites by March 2025. Martha’s Rule entitles patients and family members, who are concerned that their condition is deteriorating, to initiate a rapid review by someone outside of their initial care team.

This week, the Department of Health and Social Care also confirmed that the strengthening of death certificate safeguards would come into force in September, with medical examiners looking at the cause of death in all cases that have not been referred to the coroner.

The review into duty of candour has gained widespread support from the health and care sectors, which see the review as an important way to ensure that healthcare providers are adhering to best practice.

Patient Safety Commissioner, Henrietta Hughes, said:

I welcome the fact that duty of candour is being reviewed because it is important that people do not struggle to get information when something has gone wrong. Working with patients as partners is an opportunity for us to learn and improve.

I would urge the public and clinicians to respond to this call for evidence.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 15 April 2024.

To strengthen safeguards, medical examiners will look at the cause of death in all cases that have not been referred to the coroner.

• Widely welcomed reforms to the system will provide greater transparency to the bereaved and help protect the public
• All deaths not investigated by a coroner will be reviewed by medical examiners, from 9 September 2024
• Cases such as those involving Harold Shipman and Lucy Letby highlighted the need for an extra layer of scrutiny

Public protection and support for bereaved families are at the heart of a government overhaul of how deaths are certified.

From September, medical examiners will look at the cause of death in all cases that have not been referred to the coroner in a move designed to help strengthen safeguards and prevent criminal activity.

They will also consult with families or representatives of the deceased, providing an opportunity for them to raise questions or concerns with a senior doctor not involved in the care of the person who died.

The changes demonstrate the government’s commitment to providing greater transparency after a death and will ensure the right deaths are referred to coroners for further investigation.

Health Minister, Maria Caulfield, said:

Reforming death certification is a highly complex and sensitive process, so it was important for us to make sure we got these changes right.

At such a difficult time, it’s vital that bereaved families have full faith in how the death of their loved one is certified and have their voices heard if they are concerned in any way.

The measures I’m introducing today will ensure all deaths are reviewed and the bereaved are fully informed, making the system safer by improving protections against rare abuses.

Medical examiners are senior medical doctors that independently scrutinise the causes of death. Since 2019, NHS trusts have appointed medical examiners to scrutinise most deaths in acute healthcare settings and some community settings on a non-statutory basis.

From 9 September 2024 it will become a requirement that all deaths in any health setting that are not referred to the coroner in the first instance are subject to medical examiner scrutiny.

Welcoming the announcement today, Dr Suzy Lishman CBE, Senior Advisor on Medical Examiners for the Royal College of Pathologists, said:

As the lead college for medical examiners, the Royal College of Pathologists welcomes the announcement of the statutory implementation date for these important death certification reforms.

Medical examiners are already scrutinising the majority of deaths in England and Wales, identifying concerns, improving care for patients and supporting bereaved people. The move to a statutory system in September will further strengthen those safeguards, ensuring that all deaths are reviewed and that the voices of all bereaved people are heard.

National Medical Examiner, Dr Alan Fletcher, said:

I am delighted that the statutory basis for independent medical examiners is confirmed. This will ensure all bereaved people have a voice, supporting patient safety learning and improvement, including through accurate coroner referrals.

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Eluned Morgan, said:

I am pleased to see death certification reforms are taking a long-awaited step forward today.

The legislative framework I have laid for Wales will pave the way for greater public protection and an improved service for the bereaved.

Moving the current medical examiner service onto a statutory basis will also introduce independent scrutiny of all deaths and an increased opportunity for learning and improvement across the health sector.

Laying the regulations before Parliament today and setting out a timeline for the new system to be implemented means all those involved in the death certification process have the chance to prepare before it comes into force.

Work is already ongoing across government and the health service to ensure that the appropriate operational processes are in place to deliver the changes, which have the backing of all key stakeholders.

There will be further communication regarding legislative changes and operational guidance between now and September.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 10 April 2024.

The Department of Health and Social Care has today published the terms of reference for the statutory inquiry following the deaths of mental health inpatients in Essex.

The inquiry – which is chaired by Baroness Lampard CBE – was set up to understand the events that led to the tragic deaths of mental health inpatients under the care of NHS trusts in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

The terms of reference will enable the inquiry to continue the work of the former Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry and will play an important role in identifying learnings from those events for the future. The chair will be responsible for the progress of the inquiry and will set out a series of recommendations to improve the provision of mental health inpatient care.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:

Patients should feel confident, safe and supported – especially when receiving help for their mental health, which can be an incredibly vulnerable experience.

This was not the case for mental health inpatients in Essex between 2000 and 2023, where so many patients ended up tragically and needlessly passing away – leaving their bereaved families with questions that need answering.

We take this need seriously and through the Lampard Inquiry, we will ensure lessons are learned and patient safety is improved. We have today published the terms of reference, to allow the inquiry to continue, and for families to get the answers they’re looking for.

The terms of reference are set by the Health and Social Care Secretary after consultation with the chair, who has engaged with the families and other stakeholders.

When investigating the inpatient deaths, the inquiry will cover:

• the serious failings related to the delivery of safe and therapeutic inpatient treatment and care
• the actions, practices and behaviours of staff providing mental health inpatient care
• the culture and governance of and at the trusts and how that affected care and treatment
• the quality of investigations and responses by and on behalf of the trusts
• the interaction between the trusts and other public bodies including commissioners, coroners, professional regulators and the Care Quality Commission

The government confirmed on 28 June 2023 that the inquiry would be placed on a statutory footing and it was formally converted to a statutory inquiry on 27 October 2023. This gives the inquiry legal powers to compel evidence from relevant individuals and organisations. The chair undertook a public consultation on the proposed terms of reference for the inquiry in November 2023 and wrote to the Secretary of State with her recommendations in December 2023.

Baroness Lampard is a former barrister with experience in leading high-profile government reviews, including the NHS investigations into Jimmy Savile and investigations into the Borders, Immigration and Citizenship System. She took over as chair of the inquiry from Dr Geraldine Strathdee, who stepped down in 2023 for personal reasons.

The chair will provide a final report as soon as practically possible.

For more detail, visit the Lampard Inquiry website.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 14 March 2024.

Patients benefit from tests and scans at 155 centres now open in England, with AI scanners on the way to further bolster diagnostic offer.

• Community diagnostic centre (CDC) programme is backed by part of the £2.3 billion capital investment in diagnostic transformation – the largest cash investment in MRI and CT scanning in the history of the NHS
• CDCs have now delivered more than 7 million tests, checks and scans across England
• Centres play a vital role in speeding up diagnosis and treatment, helping to further reduce pressure on hospitals
• Milestone comes after government delivers record diagnostic tests for each month in 2023 and announces investment in new AI technology
• There are now 155 open CDCs delivering tests, checks and scans, including ultrasound, X-ray and cancer checks

NHS patients have benefited from more than 7 million tests, checks and scans at CDCs across the country, helping speed up diagnoses and treatments.

CDCs, in settings like shopping centres and university campuses, play a vital role in helping to identify and treat illnesses in quicker time and closer to home, further helping reduce pressure on hospitals and allow for a speedier diagnosis so patients receive potentially life-saving care sooner.

The milestone comes as figures show diagnostic activity in every month in 2023 was the highest for that month on record, with the government pledging to deliver 17 million tests across CDCs and its other investments in diagnostic capacity by March 2025.

Last week, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced further investment in the sector, promising 100 new AI-fitted MRI scanners that will help doctors deliver results more quickly and accurately to 130,000 patients every year. These will be funded through the landmark £4.2 billion Public Sector Productivity Plan, under which the NHS will be given £3.4 billion to double its investment in digital transformation, including IT upgrades and AI investment.

Health Minister Andrew Stephenson said:

Diagnostic centres are playing a vital role in helping to cut waiting lists by delivering checks and scans to people who need them, helping reduce pressures faced by hospitals across the country. This is a key part of our long term plan to make the NHS faster, simpler and fairer for patients.

Placing these centres in easy-to-reach locations, such as shopping centres and near football stadiums, means that people can get the support they need more quickly.

There are now 155 CDCs open across the country, which play a crucial role in faster diagnosis for illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.

The 7 million CDC tests, checks and scans have been delivered by the CDC programme since its inception in July 2021, which is backed by £2.3 billion, constituting the largest cash investment in MRI and CT scanning capacity in the history of the NHS. One hundred and fifty-five centres are currently open in England, with the government on track to meet its target to open 160 by March 2025.

Patients can be referred to CDCs via their GP, or acute consultant, and healthcare staff use CT scanners, MRI scanners and other new diagnostic equipment to diagnose a range of health conditions. Early diagnosis and treatment are key in preventing death and illness.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 13 March 2024.

Smokers in England are being urged to make a quit attempt this No Smoking Day to improve their health and wealth.

• 5.3 million smokers in England urged to make a quit attempt this No Smoking Day, as one of the best things they can do for their health and their wealth
• With up to 2 in 3 long-term smokers dying from smoking and causing 64,000 deaths in England each year, No Smoking Day remains important 40 years on from its launch
• “It’s never too late to quit”: presenter Coleen Nolan tells us why she is stopping smoking following a recent health scare and reassures others on taking first steps to a smokefree life
• It comes as the Prime Minister’s landmark legislation to create a smokefree generation is due to be introduced

Leading charities, including Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), Cancer Research UK and Asthma + Lung UK, are joining forces with the government to encourage the nation’s 5.3 million smokers to make a quit attempt this No Smoking Day, 13 March 2024.

The campaign comes as part of the government’s bold plans to bring about the first smokefree generation and introduce legislation so children turning 15 this year or younger can never legally be sold tobacco.  Almost every minute of every day someone is admitted to hospital in England with a smoking-related disease and in 2022 to 2023 there were over 400,000 hospital admissions in England due to smoking.

Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health, at any age, and the benefits begin immediately. After 8 hours your oxygen levels recover and the harmful carbon monoxide level in your blood will have reduced by half. After 48 hours all carbon monoxide will have been flushed out, your lungs will clear out mucus and your sense of taste and smell improve.

Stopping smoking is also one of the best things people can do to save money to spend on other things. The average smoker spends around £47 a week on tobacco, which is around £2,450 a year. More broadly, it costs society over £17 billion per year, which includes a £14 billion cost to productivity and a £3 billion cost to the NHS and social care.

Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said:

Smoking is the biggest preventable killer in the UK and places a huge burden on our NHS. Cigarettes are responsible for 64,000 deaths a year in England – no other consumer product kills up to two-thirds of its users.

That’s why No Smoking Day is still so important 40 years on from its launch.  We are taking action to prevent our children from ever lighting a cigarette, and our proposed historic Tobacco and Vapes Bill will safeguard the next generation from the harms of smoking and risk of addiction.

Up to 2 in 3 long-term smokers will die from their smoking. Despite the harms associated with smoking, it’s estimated that nearly 50 million cigarettes are smoked every day in England, with every single one negatively impacting the smoker’s health.

Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor ​​Chris Whitty, said:

Cigarettes kill. They cause at least 15 different types of cancers and increase your risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions.

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health – no matter your age or how long you have smoked.

Today, presenter, singer and TV personality Coleen Nolan – who smoked for over 40 years and is currently on her quitting journey following a health scare – shares her story to encourage others to join her.

Singer and presenter Coleen Nolan said:

I smoked for about 40 years and was heavily influenced by my friends and family around me. At such a young age I wasn’t aware of the health risks of smoking and soon found myself becoming addicted.

Following a recent health scare, I realised how precious life is and became determined to quit, not just for my own health, but so I can be there fully for my children and grandchildren. To anyone out there thinking of giving up smoking, my advice is do it!

She is joined by ex-smoker and cancer survivor Sue Mountain, who shares her story in a bid to urge smokers to quit smoking before it’s too late. Sue features in a powerful TV advert released by the department as part of a new smokefree campaign, encouraging people to quit smoking.

Sue Mountain said:

I never once thought I’d get cancer. Not once. To tell your family you’ve got cancer through smoking is really hard. My kids thought they were going to lose their mam.

Smoking rates have reduced by two-thirds since the first year of No Smoking Day 40 years ago, but smoking is still the single largest preventable cause of death in England – estimated to account for 64,000 deaths annually.

Stopping smoking is the best thing people can do for their health, and it can significantly reduce the risk of younger people taking up smoking and becoming addicted. Currently, 4 in 5 smokers start before the age of 20 and smoking from a younger age is linked to being more likely to smoke in later years.

Better Health offers a range of free quitting support, including a ​​local stop smoking services look-up tool and advice on stop smoking aids, including information on how vaping can help you quit smoking.

As part of the government’s Swap to Stop scheme, almost 1 in 5 of all adult smokers in England will have access to a vape kit alongside behavioural support to help them quit the habit and improve health outcomes.

Plans to introduce the most significant public health intervention in a generation and phase out smoking are progressing at pace, with the UK now in the lead to be the first country in the world to create a smokefree generation. The government is proposing the phasing out of the sale of tobacco so that any child born on or after 1 January 2009 can never legally be sold cigarettes.

Be part of the change and help build a smokefree generation. For free support to quit this No Smoking Day, search ‘smokefree’.