Tag: Department of Health and Social Care

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 11 March 2024.

Millions at risk from ‘silent killer’ as NHS campaign warns there are often ‘no clues’ when it comes to high blood pressure.

• Up to 4.2 million people in England could be living with undiagnosed high blood pressure, according to NHS
• The ‘silent killer’ often has no symptoms but if left untreated, can lead to fatal heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and vascular dementia
• New survey data shows that despite the majority of high blood pressure cases being asymptomatic, only one in 14 respondents (7%) thought the condition has no symptoms
• The Get Your Blood Pressure Checked campaign has been launched to highlight that there are often ‘no clues’ as to who has high blood pressure – backed by Gloria Hunniford and Graeme Souness
• With the NHS expanding blood pressure checks in community pharmacies – including capacity for an additional 2.5 million tests – the national campaign is urging those aged 40 years and over to get a free blood pressure test at a participating pharmacy
• Campaign backed by British Heart Foundation, Stroke Association, Heart Research UK, Blood Pressure UK, May Measurement Month, British Society for Heart Failure, and more

Today, the NHS is launching a new national campaign to find the ‘missing millions’ who have undiagnosed high blood pressure.

High blood pressure, often described as a ‘silent killer’, affects an estimated 32% of adults. As the condition rarely has any symptoms, approximately 3 in 10 of these remain undiagnosed, equating to 4.2 million people in England.

The public are today being warned that there are often ‘no clues’ about who might have high blood pressure – the only way to know is to have a simple test.

With the NHS announcing an additional 2.5 million blood pressure checks in community pharmacies over this year and next, those aged 40 years and over are now being urged to get a free blood pressure test at a participating pharmacy. The procedure is quick, non-invasive and you do not need to book in advance.

This comes as new survey data reveals widespread misconceptions about the condition among those at risk.

Despite the majority of high blood pressure cases being asymptomatic, only one in 14 respondents (7%) thought the condition has no symptoms. The survey also revealed one in 6 (17%) of those surveyed have been put off having a blood pressure check because they do not feel unhealthy or stressed.

Health Minister Andrea Leadsom said:

Millions of adults in England unknowingly have high blood pressure, without experiencing any symptoms. As part of our Pharmacy First programme, the NHS has expanded its pharmacy offering to include 2.5 million more blood pressure checks within local pharmacies.

Knowing if you have a healthy blood pressure is so important and this new drive will help to prevent the potentially fatal consequences of untreated high blood pressure.

I urge people to go to their local pharmacy today to get their blood pressure checked. It could be a life-saving trip.

Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and vascular dementia.

However, the survey of over 2,000 adults aged 40 and over revealed worrying numbers who do not know the potentially fatal effects of high blood pressure – with 4 in 10 (41%) unaware that, if left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart disease, and over a fifth (22%) being unaware that it can cause strokes and heart attacks.

To encourage more over 40s to come forward for potentially life-saving blood pressure checks, new advertising features a fictional detective struggling to solve the mystery of high blood pressure, due to a lack of ‘clues’ and ‘insufficient evidence’.

The campaign is being backed by Graeme Souness, TV pundit and former footballer, who is affected by high blood pressure and had a heart attack, and Gloria Hunniford, TV presenter and broadcaster, whose dad and husband have suffered strokes.

The pair appear alongside other patients affected by the condition, and pharmacist Deepak Bilakhia, in a mock police line-up to demonstrate how any of us could be unknowingly walking around with the condition.

Gloria Hunniford said:

This campaign is very close to my heart – both my husband and my father sadly suffered from a number of strokes due to high blood pressure, so I know from personal experience just how important it is to get your blood pressure checked, even if you feel healthy.

That’s why I’m so pleased to hear that pharmacies offer free, quick blood pressure checks for people aged 40 and over – thankfully, this really will save lives.

Graeme Souness said:

It’s so important to get your blood pressure checked – in my experience, high blood pressure doesn’t only affect the ‘usual suspects’, it can and does affect anyone so you could be at risk without knowing it.

I’ve had high blood pressure for years but have been able to manage it with a routine of healthy eating, regular fitness and regular blood pressure checks.

It is hoped that the campaign will urge those at risk to prioritise getting their blood pressure checked, even if they have no symptoms – after the survey revealed that blood pressure checks are low on the list of people’s annual priorities.

The majority of those at risk currently prioritise annual tasks such as getting their car MOTd (56%), getting their boiler serviced (55%) or renewing insurances (60%), above checking their blood pressure (43%) – despite its life-saving potential.

Meanwhile 2 in 5 (44%) were not aware they could get a free blood pressure check at a pharmacy, with even more being unaware that they do not need an appointment (59%).

Chief Medical Officer for England Sir Professor Chris Whitty said:

High blood pressure usually has no symptoms but can lead to serious health consequences such as a fatal heart attack, a stroke, kidney disease and vascular dementia.

The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get a simple, non-invasive blood pressure test. Even if you are diagnosed, the good news is that it’s usually easily treatable.

Getting your blood pressure checked at a local pharmacy is free, quick and you don’t even need an appointment, so please go for a check today – it could save your life.

Helen Williams, Pharmacist and National Clinical Director for CVD Prevention, NHS England, said:

It can be easy to dismiss the risks of stroke and heart attack associated with high blood pressure, especially as it often has no signs or symptoms so I would encourage everyone over the age 40 to know their blood pressure numbers.

With thousands of pharmacies across the country now offering free blood pressure checks with healthy living advice, it’s a quick, easy and convenient way to keep on top of your cardiovascular health at a time and place that suits you.

Deepak Bilakhia, a Nottingham-based community pharmacist, said:

Campaigns like this are so important because high blood pressure can be a silent killer and really can affect anyone, including those with no symptoms at all.

Too many people are unaware that pharmacies offer this kind of service, without needing to book an appointment.

So, if you’re 40 and over and have not had a check in the last 6 months, don’t put it off any longer.

Checking your blood pressure at a local pharmacy is so simple to do but could save your life – and your pharmacist is here to help.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 11 March 2024.

Government outlines action to make UK a world leader in tackling ethnic and other biases in medical devices.

• Plan comes in response to independent report identifying the extent and impact of ethnic and other biases in the design and use of medical devices
• It is part of ongoing work to tackle disparities within the healthcare system, which includes addressing issues from the design stage and extra funding for applications for new devices that work without bias

The government has today announced action to tackle potential bias in the design and use of medical devices, as it accepts recommendations from a UK-first independent review into equity in medical devices.

The Department of Health and Social Care commissioned senior health experts to identify potential biases in these devices and recommend how to tackle them.

The government fully accepted the report’s conclusions and has made a series of commitments, including ensuring that pulse oximeter devices used in the NHS can be used safely across a range of skin tones, and removing racial bias from data sets used in clinical studies.

Minister of State, Andrew Stephenson, said:

I am hugely grateful to Professor Dame Margaret Whitehead for carrying out this important review.

Making sure the healthcare system works for everyone, regardless of ethnicity, is paramount to our values as a nation. It supports our wider work to create a fairer and simpler NHS.

Ministers agree that unless appropriate action is taken, ethnic and other unfair biases can occur throughout the medical device life cycle, from research, development and testing, to approval, deployment and post-market monitoring, as well as in the use of devices once deployed.

As a result, significant action is already being taken to overcome potential disparities in the performance of medical devices. This includes:

• the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) now requests that approval applications for new medical devices describe how they will address bias
• NHS guidance has been updated to highlight potential limitations of pulse oximeter devices on patients with darker skin tone
• the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is currently accepting funding applications for research into smarter oximeters

The government will also:

• work with MHRA to ensure regulations for medical devices are safe for patients, regardless of their background, while allowing more innovative products to be placed on the UK market. This includes a commitment to ensure pulse oximeters are safe and effective for all patients, with work underway to mitigate any inaccuracy in the devices
• drive forward work to remove racial bias in datasets, including ensuring diverse skin tones are included in data used by researchers for clinical studies
• support ongoing work with NHS England to upskill clinical professionals on issues including health equity
• work with partners to improve transparency of data used in the development of medical devices using artificial intelligence (AI), as well as AI products which influence clinical decisions

The government appointed Professor Dame Margaret Whitehead, professor of public health at the University of Liverpool, to lead the review. Professor Whitehead has vast experience in tackling health inequalities, and for many years has led the work of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Centre for Policy Research on the Determinants of Health Equity.

The review followed concerns that pulse oximeters – widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic to monitor blood oxygen levels – were not as accurate for patients with darker skin tones, which could have led to delays in treatment if dangerously low oxygen levels in patients with darker skin tone were missed. However, the review found no evidence from studies in the NHS of this differential performance affecting care.

The medical devices review focused on 3 areas – optical devices such as pulse oximeters, AI-enabled devices and polygenic risk scores (PRS) in genomics.

Professor Dame Margaret Whitehead, chair of the review, said:

The advance of AI in medical devices could bring great benefits, but it could also bring harm through inherent bias against certain groups in the population, notably women, people from ethnic minorities and disadvantaged socio-economic groups.

Our review reveals how existing biases and injustices in society can unwittingly be incorporated at every stage of the lifecycle of AI-enabled medical devices, and then magnified in algorithm development and machine learning.

Our recommendations therefore call for system-wide action, requiring full government support. The UK would take the lead internationally if it incorporated equity in AI-enabled medical devices into its global AI safety initiatives.

The review also recommended ways of developing bias-free medical devices in the future and to improve standards globally.

Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive, said:

MHRA acknowledges that inequities can exist within medical devices and we therefore welcome the publication of Dame Whitehead’s independent review.

We are highly committed to ensuring equitable access to safe, effective and high-quality medical devices for all individuals, and the recommendations set out in this report will support and strengthen the impact of our ongoing work in this area.

We are committed to working collaboratively with government, regulatory bodies, healthcare professionals and stakeholders to address these issues effectively.

Professor Bola Owolabi, NHS England’s director of healthcare inequalities, said:

Ensuring all patients get equitable access to high-quality healthcare remains crucial to reducing health inequalities and a priority for the NHS.

I welcome the report’s findings and the NHS will work alongside government and MHRA to implement them and ensure NHS staff have the resources and training they need to tackle racial bias.

There is ongoing work to ensure healthcare is equitable. In recent years, the government has created schemes providing targeted support for the cost of living and the COVID-19 pandemic and established the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), a government unit dedicated to reducing negative health disparities across the country.

We have:

• commissioned work like Core20Plus5, a national NHS England approach to inform action to reduce healthcare inequalities
• established the Maternity Disparities Taskforce
• invested £50 million in health inequalities research for local authorities

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

The investment will be provided over the next 3 years to ensure maternity services listen to and act on women’s experiences.

• £35 million investment to fund specialist training for staff and additional midwives to improve maternity services
• £9 million dedicated to prevent avoidable brain injuries in childbirth
• women’s voices and experiences to be prioritised with funding allocated to improve care

Almost £35 million will be invested to improve maternity safety across England with the recruitment of additional midwives and the expansion of specialist training to thousands of extra healthcare workers.

The investment, which was announced as part of the Spring Budget 2024, will be provided over the next 3 years to ensure maternity services listen to and act on women’s experiences to improve care.

The funding includes:

• £9 million for the rollout of the reducing brain injury programme across maternity units in England, to provide healthcare workers with the tools and training to reduce avoidable brain injuries in childbirth
• investment in training to ensure the NHS workforce has the skills needed to provide ever safer maternity care. An additional 6,000 clinical staff will be trained in neonatal resuscitation and we will almost double the number of clinical staff receiving specialist training in obstetric medicine in England
• increasing the number of midwives by funding 160 new posts over 3 years to support the growth of the maternity and neonatal workforce
• funding to support the rollout of maternity and neonatal voice partnerships to improve how women’s experiences and views are listened to and acted on to improve care

Ahead of Mother’s Day, the Health and Social Care Secretary visited Cambridge University Hospital. She spoke with health experts from the hospital and microbiology faculty about a range of women’s health issues, including maternity care and breast cancer.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

I want every mother to feel safe when giving birth to their baby.

Improving maternity care is a key cornerstone of our Women’s Health Strategy and with this investment we are delivering on that priority – more midwives, specialist training in obstetric medicine and pushing to improve how women are listened to in our healthcare system.

£35 million is going directly to improving the safety and care in our maternity wards and will move us closer to our goal of making healthcare faster, simpler and fairer for all.

This investment follows a recent announcement of a new set of Women’s Health Strategy priorities for 2024, which include:

• better care for menstrual and gynaecological conditions
• expanding women’s health hubs to improve women’s access to care
• tackling disparities and improving support for vulnerable women including victims of sexual abuse and violence
• bolstering maternity care before, during and after pregnancy by continuing to deliver on NHS England’s 3-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services and focusing on preconception and postnatal care for women, raising awareness of pregnancy sickness and actioning the recommendations set out in the Pregnancy Loss Review
• investment into more research in women’s health and improving how women are represented in medical research

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

This extra funding will help clinicians deliver the best care for expecting mothers and improve maternity safety.

I especially welcome the expansion of posts for midwives, who play a crucial role in delivering babies safely and caring for expectant mother pre- and postnatally.

Crucially, as part of this investment, we’re also rolling out a training programme to prevent avoidable brain injuries in childbirth.

As part of the government’s  commitment to action the recommendation of the Pregnancy Loss Review, the baby loss certificate service launched last month to allow parents who experienced a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks to apply for a certificate to acknowledge their loss. Since the launch of the service, as of 4 March 2024, the total number of completed requests was 37,268.

Chief Midwifery Officer for England, Kate Brintworth, said:

We are focused on ensuring that women receive the safest high-quality care before, during and after their pregnancy.

The rollout of maternity and neonatal voice partnerships is an important step in improving care by listening to women’s views and experiences and acting upon them.

Our workforce must also have the right skills for improving maternity safety and this investment helps ensure all those working in maternity services in England have the tools and training to reduce avoidable brain injuries in childbirth.

We will continue our plans to grow the midwifery workforce and nearly double the number of staff who have received specialist training in obstetric medicine in England.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 March 2024.

NHS-funded nursing care rates provided to care homes for the nursing needs of their residents are rising in April.

• The rate paid to care homes for NHS-funded nursing care will increase by 7.4% for 2024 to 2025
• The standard weekly rate per person eligible for NHS-funded nursing care will increase from £219.71 to £235.88 from 1 April 2024

Increased funding for care homes providing nursing will support tens of thousands of care home residents with nursing needs, following confirmation that the government will increase the rate by 7.4% for 2024 to 2025.

The standard weekly rate per person provided for NHS-funded nursing care will increase by 7.4% from £219.71 to £235.88 from 1 April 2024, with funding paid by the NHS directly to care homes who provide nursing care. For the higher rate, it will increase from £302.25 to £324.50. This allows eligible care home residents with specific nursing needs to benefit from NHS-funded nursing care.

Registered nurses provide support to people eligible for NHS-funded nursing care with a variety of needs, including people with learning disabilities, those living with enduring physical or mental health needs and various conditions associated with old age. This type of nursing requires a range of skills and training, with the extra funding supporting this important role.

The NHS-funded nursing care rate helps cover the costs of nursing care, ensuring the vital provision can continue to support the needs of residents within nursing homes. The uplift for the 2024 to 2025 financial year is based on adult social care data which is quality assured and independently verified, and cost collection data submitted by adult social care providers which has been quality assured.

Providing this nursing care also helps reduce the pressure on hospitals, ensuring the government’s record funding can be used to help discharge medically fit patients into social care settings. This care eases pressure on the NHS and delivers on the government’s plan to cut waiting lists.

The government has a 10-year vision for adult social care. To support that vision, the government has made available up to £8.6 billion over this financial year and next for adult social care and discharge.

This funding will enable local authorities to buy more care packages, help people leave hospital in a timely way, improve workforce recruitment and retention, and reduce waiting times for care. Patients get the care they need more quickly.

The government is additionally investing up to £700 million to make major improvements to the adult social care system. These include:

• improving care workers’ skills and supporting career progression
• investing in technology
• innovation and digitisation and adapting people’s homes to allow them to live independently

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 March 2024.

The British Medical Association (BMA) and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) will put the offer forward for a vote in the coming weeks.

• The BMA and HCSA will put the consultants offer forward for a vote in the coming weeks
• Offer invests in modernising the consultants’ pay structure – reducing the number of pay points and the time it takes to reach the top
• The offer will also deliver reform to reflect modern ways of working, such as enhanced shared parental leave

The government and unions representing consultant doctors in England have reached an agreement to put a revised offer to union members following constructive negotiations.

The BMA and HCSA will recommend the offer to their members and put it forward for a vote in the coming weeks.

Constructive talks between the government and the unions were reopened last month and all parties negotiated in good faith after the initial offer was narrowly rejected. This revised offer represents a good deal for doctors, a good deal for patients and a good deal for taxpayers – it will improve equalities by mitigating the gender pay gap and deliver much needed reform.

The government’s position remains that the headline pay uplift for 2023 to 2024 was settled through the pay review body process. This updated offer adds further clarity and specificity to the original one, as well as addressing some of the concerns that consultants have raised. For example, it continues to invest in modernising the consultants’ pay structure – reducing the number of pay points and the time it takes to reach the top.

It also provides greater clarity on the pay progression arrangements, more details on reform of the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) to ensure unions have confidence in the process, and a consolidated uplift for those in years 4 to 7 of the contract.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

Ending strike action in the NHS is vital if we want to cut waiting lists and make sure patients are getting the care they deserve.

This improved offer demonstrates that we are seeking a fair agreement that is good for consultants, good for patients and good for the taxpayer.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

I hugely value the work of NHS consultants and am glad that unions are recommending this revised offer to their members – they clearly recognise the various benefits it offers.

If accepted, it will modernise pay structures – directly addressing gender pay issues in the NHS – and enhance consultants’ parental leave options.

It paves the way to ending industrial action by consultants following many weeks of constructive dialogue and represents a good offer for consultants, patients and the taxpayer.

The core contract for consultants has not been updated for 20 years and this offer will deliver reform to reflect modern ways of working, such as enhanced shared parental leave, in line with other NHS staff.

The pay scale reforms will also help mitigate the gender pay gap by delivering a key recommendation made by Professor Dame Jane Dacre in her review on the gender pay gap in medicine.

To enable these reforms, unions have agreed to end Local Clinical Excellence Awards (LCEAs) going forward – an employer-level bonus scheme – which have been seen to contribute to pay inequalities.

No strike action for consultants will be called by the BMA consultant and HCSA executive committees while members are being consulted. The BMA has also agreed to end the use of its rate card – which advises doctors on how much to charge for non-contractual work, including cover during strikes.

Moving forward, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will support the NHS to address existing vacancies and meet the challenges of a growing and ageing population by training, recruiting and retaining hundreds of thousands more staff over the next 15 years – backed by more than £2.4 billion in government investment.

The government has listened carefully to the concerns of consultants and their representatives – particularly around retention, motivation and morale. This offer has been carefully balanced to meet those concerns but also to ensure value for the taxpayer. If accepted, it will come into effect from 1 March 2024.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 March 2024.

Those struggling with their mental health will be better supported thanks to a £10 million funding boost for charities working to prevent suicides.

• £10 million for 79 charities across England to help prevent suicide
• New funding will benefit helpline services, support in schools and groups in area with highest rates of suicide
• Delivers on government’s suicide prevention strategy which sets out plans to prevent self-harm and suicide to save lives
• Organisations benefiting include helplines, groups providing therapy to men at risk of suicide and charities providing targeted support in high-risk areas

People struggling with their mental health will be better supported thanks to a £10 million funding boost for organisations working to prevent suicides.

A total of 79 organisations, including a suicide prevention helpline, will receive funding through the government’s Suicide Prevention VCSE Grant Fund. This will expand access to support services covering every region in the country, including the areas with the highest rates of suicide.

Both national charities and small community-led charities, which provide tailored support for local areas, will receive new funding to support people with their mental health.

Many charities will deliver services through partnerships and alliances, to help ensure joined-up support for individuals seeking help.

This represents an important milestone in delivering the suicide prevention strategy, which sets out the government’s actions to prevent self-harm, suicide and save lives.

Minister for Mental Health Maria Caulfield said:

Every suicide is a tragedy which leaves a terrible mark on the families and communities affected.

Non-profit organisations play a hugely important role in supporting people with their mental health and preventing suicide in England.

This new funding will support people who need it the most and build on the brilliant work happening across the country on suicide prevention.

The fund was announced in the 2023 Autumn Statement to support charities in either meeting increased demand for suicide prevention services, or to support a range of diverse and innovative activity that can help to prevent suicides in England.

The organisations set to receive grants include James’ Place Charity and PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide – both have been awarded £625,000.

James’ Place Charity will use the funding to prevent men dying by suicide in Liverpool, Newcastle and London, and will provide 2 full-time-equivalent therapists in each James’ Place centre, to help save the lives of men in active suicidal crisis.

PAPYRUS aims to establish 6 new community hubs, largely down the east coast of England, which will go towards engaging and training parents and caregivers, providing them with free resources and free training.

Professor Sir Louis Appleby, the national advisor to the suicide prevention strategy, said:

The new funding is in recognition of the role of voluntary organisations large and small in suicide prevention.

They offer support to people in crisis or on the margins of society because of poverty, disability or prejudice.

They often work alongside the NHS but in settings where many who need help feel more comfortable.

The new government strategy says that bringing down the suicide rate is a national priority, and the ability of the voluntary sector to reach people at risk is vital.

We Hear You CEO, Lucy Kitchener, said:

Along with every other charity we know, We Hear You is finding fundraising extremely challenging right now.

Hearing the news that we have been awarded suicide prevention funding is wonderful, therefore.

Better still, this grant will fund counselling sessions with the people who come to our service feeling the most distraught.

Public Health England figures show that 1 in 10 suicides are from people with a chronic health condition. We Hear You supports people who are affected by cancer and life-threatening conditions.

The Samaritans will receive a grant of £530,000, to support its 24/7 helpline services and wider innovative suicide prevention activities.

This will include:

• postvention, which is an intervention that takes place after a suicide by supporting the family and friends of the person who has died, in schools and colleges
• preventing suicides in high-risk locations
• research to increase understanding of the needs of callers and how to reach people who don’t use the service
• targeting groups including marginalised communities, such as ethnic minorities, LGBT, and people in the justice system

Julia Bentley, CEO of Samaritans, said:

This funding will help Samaritans continue our mission to save lives.

The voluntary sector plays a crucial part in suicide prevention and, in this challenging environment, financial support for charities has never been more important.

Today’s announcement is a welcome step towards the resourcing needed to deliver the national suicide prevention strategy.

The suicide prevention strategy commits to more than 130 measures, from prevention and earlier intervention, through to more targeted and proactive support for people in crisis.

Background information

See the full provisional shortlist for the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund 2023 to 2025.

All grants awarded are currently provisional and subject to finalisation of grant agreements. Funds will begin being distributed from April.

See our suicide prevention strategy for England: 2023 to 2028.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 March 2024.

New patient premium starts to offer dentists cash incentives to take on new NHS patients.

• From 1 March 2024, dentists to benefit from extra payments for seeing new NHS patients
• Participating NHS practices to benefit from payments of up to £50 per new patient treated
• Part of the government and NHS’s plan to deliver an additional 2.5 million dental appointments

Dental practices will benefit from extra cash for taking on new NHS patients from today (Friday 1 March 2024) in the latest milestone in the government and NHS’s plan to make millions more dental appointments available.

The new patient premium will mean that participating NHS practices can benefit from payments of either £50 or £15, depending on care, for each new patient treated. This will apply for any patient who has not seen an NHS dentist over the past 2 years. The level of the payment will depend on the complexity of the treatment required and is on top of existing funding the practice receives for treating patients.

Dentists delivering core NHS services, including examination, diagnosis and treatment, will be eligible for the new patient premium. The premium will be paid to dental practices automatically after treating a patient who has not been seen within the past 2 years.

Through the scheme and wider measures in the dental recovery plan – which is backed by £200 million – the government and NHS aim to deliver an extra 2.5 million appointments for patients over the next 12 months.

The plan builds on existing work to improve access to dentistry, with the government investing more than £3 billion each year to support the sector. Last year, 1.7 million more adults and around 800,000 more children saw an NHS dentist compared to the previous year.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

I want to make access to dentistry faster, simpler and fairer for patients – particularly those who have not been able to see a dentist in the past 2 years.

This scheme is good for patients and good for dentists. It will see millions more appointments made available for those who need them, while also rewarding those dentists who are taking on new NHS patients.

It’s all part of our plan to put NHS dentistry on a sustainable footing for the long term and ensure that good oral health is a reality for everyone.

Primary Care Minister Andrea Leadsom said:

Healthy gums and teeth are crucial for wider good health, and our dental recovery plan sets out how we are working to improve access and help the dental sector recover from the impact of the pandemic.

I want to thank the many hard-working dentists for all their efforts. This new patient premium will mean they are able to provide around 2.5 million more dental appointments – giving around a million extra patients the high-quality treatment and care they need.

The scheme is particularly designed to improve the oral health of those who do not have an existing relationship with a dental practice. The latest GP Patient Survey – based on January to March 2023 data – shows that patients who have no relationship with an NHS practice had a 33% success rate in accessing care, whereas patients already known to a dental practice had an 83% success rate.

The new patient premium will mean that around 1 million new patients – defined as patients who have not seen an NHS dentist in 2 years or more – will be able to access appointments.

Jason Wong MBE, Interim Chief Dental Officer for England, said:

Good oral health remains essential for good general health and now more patients will be able to access NHS dental services – thanks to the majority of dental practices across England being eligible to introduce new patient premiums.

This is just one part of our recently announced package of measures to improve access while also better supporting dental teams across the country to provide high-quality care.

Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS England National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, said:

This is an important next step in recovering and reforming NHS dentistry, and giving dentists a new patient payment will help to treat around a million additional patients who have not seen an NHS dentist in over 2 years.

This forms part of a range of wider initiatives to improve access to local health services, including making it easier to get help from your GP practice and expanding the services community pharmacies offer.

The plan also includes measures to boost the dental workforce – including by implementing measures in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to increase training places for dental professionals by 40% by 2032.

The government has also recently launched a consultation on cutting red tape so that dentists who have been trained overseas are able to practise in the NHS more quickly. Around 30% of all dentists on the General Dental Council’s register qualified outside of the UK.

The plan also outlines how the government will reform the dental contract to make NHS work more attractive – building on reforms brought in in 2022 to incentivise practices to deliver more dental care, including by increasing the amount of money practices receive for high-need patients and allowing dentists to carry out more than their usual contracted NHS work.

Louise Ansari, CEO at Healthwatch England, said:

The patient premium, if taken up by dentists, has the potential to be a game-changer for people who’ve struggled to access appointments in the past 2 years.

It could mean that children get their first ever check-up, while adults get treatment for problems that have long caused them pain or prevented them from eating, working or socialising.

It’s now important that the NHS makes it easy for people to find out which dentists will be offering new appointments based on the 2-year criteria, so they only seek appointments from the relevant practices. NHS commissioners of dental services should also promote these new appointments to people who have struggled to access care in recent years, especially those on lower incomes, women and some ethnic minority patients.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 22 February 2024.

Baby loss certificates for parents who experienced a loss of pregnancy before 24 weeks are now available for application from 9am today (22 February 2024).

• Baby loss certificates launched to support parents who have experienced a loss of pregnancy before 24 weeks
• The voluntary scheme is designed to formally recognise the devastating loss of a baby during pregnancy
• It delivers on priorities set out in the Women’s Health Strategy for England and on recommendations from the Pregnancy Loss Review

Parents who have experienced the devastation of losing a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy can apply for a certificate to have their grief recognised from today.

The government is launching a voluntary scheme to allow parents to record and receive a certificate to provide recognition of their loss. Parents can access this free service from 9am today (22 February 2024).

The government is committed to ensuring bereaved parents feel supported through their grief and recognise their loss, acknowledging their pain and ensuring they feel heard. The certificates will not be compulsory – it remains the choice of all parents to manage the difficult time of a loss, however they see fit.

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

Losing a baby can be a hugely traumatic event and the introduction of certificates to formally acknowledge the loss of life is a positive step towards better supporting women and parents affected.

I’d like to thank charities and campaigners for their continuous work in bringing awareness to baby loss and making the certificates launching possible.

Improving women’s health care and maternity support is a priority, and this demonstrates progress in delivering our Women’s Health Strategy and ensuring parents feel supported during this heart-breaking experience.

Delivering on baby loss certificates was part of the government’s response to the independent Pregnancy Loss Review. The review was commissioned in 2018 to consider the registration and certification of pregnancy loss occurring before 24 weeks gestation and on the quality of care.

The review concluded that while it currently may not be possible to prevent many pre 24 week pregnancy losses from occurring, much more can be done to ensure each grieving parent receives excellent care and compassionate support.

Improvement to maternity care and birth trauma support were announced as a priority area within the women’s health strategy for England in 2024 – a vital plan to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls.

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

We have listened to parents who have gone through what can be an unbelievably painful experience of losing a baby, and that is why today we are introducing baby loss certificates to recognise their loss, as part of our wider long-term plan for women’s health in our country, the Women’s Health Strategy.

I would like to thank the tireless work of campaigners and charities for their work in supporting this agenda and making the certificates a reality.

To ensure all women get the support they need, the government is investing £25 million in women’s health hubs. Women’s health hubs provide integrated services for women in the community, enabling easier access to essential services for menstrual health, contraception, pelvic pain, menopause care and more.

Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England – NHS England, said:

Compassionate and personalised care at every stage of pregnancy is vital, and I am pleased that women in England will now be able to access a baby loss certificate which recognises the impact and importance of early pregnancy loss to them and their families.

The NHS is improving maternity and neonatal bereavement care across England, including by next month bereavement services will be available in almost every NHS trust, 7 days a week for women and families who sadly experience loss.

The government recognises the tireless work of campaigners who have spoken publicly about their experience with loss, and charities including Tommy’s, Sands, the Miscarriage Association and the Mariposa Trust, for continuing to raise awareness of this important issue.

Supportive stakeholder reaction

Zoe Clark-Coates MBE BCAh, founder and CEO of the Mariposa Trust, co-chair and author of the Pregnancy Loss Review, said:

Over the past 5 years, it has been my honour to co-chair and write the Pregnancy Loss Review on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health. The 73 recommendations that Sam and I submitted within the review offer a real opportunity to revolutionise baby loss care in England.

My passion and long-term commitment is to help all bereaved families, and by the implementation of these recommendations, I believe we will make great strides in addressing the disparities in the care, support, education and training that currently exist. One of those pivotal recommendations was for the introduction of a new certificate of loss, which the Mariposa Trust (sayinggoodbye.org) has tirelessly campaigned for over the past 9 years. I’m thrilled that from today millions of families will finally get the formal acknowledgment that their baby existed and I hope this will help their grieving process.

I would like to thank Dame Floella Benjamin for working with us to make this happen and the government for their commitment to bereaved families. My focus will now turn to the other 72 recommendations to ensure their successful implementation.

Samantha Collinge, Bereavement Lead Midwife, George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and co-chair of the Pregnancy Loss Review, said:

Today marks a milestone moment for not just Zoe and myself, the co-chairs and co-authors of the independent Pregnancy Loss Review but for the millions of people who have experienced pre 24 week baby loss.

Since I was appointed as a bereavement midwife in 1998 I have campaigned for a standardised care pathway that ensures that every parent experiencing baby loss (regardless of the gestation or type of loss) receives the physical and emotional care and support they deserve.

The Pregnancy Loss Review with its 73 recommendations for improving care offers a real opportunity to change the landscape of pre 24 week loss and I feel enormously privileged to have co-led this piece of work.

Miscarriage and other types of pre 24 weeks baby loss is often minimised and treated as a ‘clinical event’ or ‘just one of those things’ rather than the loss of a baby and sadly the emotional impact of the loss is often disregarded.

Zoe and I hope that the introduction of a national certificate of baby loss will give bereaved parents the official recognition that their babies did exist and that their babies lives, however brief, really do matter.

Ruth Bender Atik, National Director of the Miscarriage Association, said:

We warmly welcome the introduction of optional certificates for those who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss since September 2018, and we very much look forward to the scheme being extended to losses prior to that date as soon as possible.

For many, if not most people, even the earliest of losses can be deeply distressing, both emotionally and physically. It means the loss not only of this pregnancy but also of the hopes, plans and dreams that they had for this new life. And having no formal acknowledgement or marker of their loss can compound their grief.

The new certification scheme will make a genuinely positive difference to many who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss, offering formal recognition of the tiniest of lives.

Background information

The certificate is available for either parent to access following a loss under 24 weeks since 1 September 2018. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and have been living in England at the time of the loss.

The certificate is an official but not legal document.

We will look to expand eligibility for certificates pre-dating September 2018 as soon as we can.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 21 February 2024.

Millions invested in eight innovative companies behind lifesaving new medical technology which could destroy liver cancer tumours, detect Alzheimer’s and quickly spot those at risk of stroke.

Countless lives could be saved thanks to a multi-million pound government investment in potential breakthrough medical devices.

As part of a £10 million funding package for boosting access to medical technology, eight innovative tech companies will be supported to bring their devices to market. It could help transform the way we treat some of the biggest causes of death and disability in the UK.

One device, by HistoSonics, aims to identify and destroy liver cancer tumours using focused ultrasound waves. These waves break down tumours without damaging healthy tissue, offering a safer alternative to radiotherapy and other high intensity treatments. It could improve quality of life for many patients going through treatment – reducing hospital visits, post procedure complications, and making pain management easier.

Today’s announcement is part of the government’s long-term plan to ensure the NHS and its patients can get quicker access to new groundbreaking technologies. It follows the unveiling of our groundbreaking blueprint for boosting NHS medtech and turning innovation into real benefits for society last year.

Health Minister Andrew Stephenson said:

NHS staff need access to the latest technology to deliver the highest quality care for patients and cut waiting lists – one of our top five priorities.

These cutting-edge technologies could help thousands of patients with a range of conditions, including cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer’s, while easing pressure on our hospitals and reducing healthcare inequalities.

Our investment in these pioneering companies is part of our long-term plan for a faster, simpler and fairer health care system, and demonstrates our clear commitment to ensuring the UK is the most innovative economy in the world.

One company is developing a blood test for Alzheimer’s Disease which means patients could be identified and treated earlier.  Roche Diagnostics Ltd has developed the Amyloid Plasma Panel – a blood test which could help clinicians decide if patients with cognitive impairment should undergo tests or imaging to confirm Alzheimer’s Disease.

A portable blood test, from Upfront Diagnostics, could help paramedics identify stroke patients more quickly. Currently, ambulance workers can’t recognise a patient with a blood clot blocking the flow of blood and oxygen to their brain, who would require urgent treatment at stroke centres rather than local hospitals.

The blood test could help them recognise these cases on the spot – so patients could be taken to a comprehensive stroke centre for immediate, vital treatment. It could mean thousands are spared long-term disability and the associated care costs, while reducing pressure on A&E departments nationwide.

Dr Marc Bailey, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Chief Science and Innovation Officer, said:

We are very excited to announce the final eight selected technologies in the new IDAP pilot scheme. This is designed to explore how support from the regulator, UK health technology organisations and NHS bodies can accelerate the development of transformative medical devices from their initial proof of concept through to uptake in the NHS.

The pilot criteria prioritises patient need in all aspects of decision-making and, by supporting innovative medical technologies, will ease pressure on the healthcare system. Most important, it’s an initiative which could be life-changing for many patients.

We are committed to being a regulator that establishes the UK as a centre of medical innovation and look forward to working with the wider healthcare system to achieve this.

The funding is part of a radical new programme called The Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP), which aims to bring state-of-the-art technologies and solutions to the forefront of the NHS. Currently in the pilot stage, the funding will be used to test the new technologies for use on a large scale as quickly as possible.

The government is investing £10 million in the pilot as part of a wider programme of work to accelerate access to medical technology. The programme is run by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), NHS England, Health Technology Wales, and Scottish Health Technology Group. They will be providing tailored, intensive advice on regulatory approval, health tech assessments and access to the NHS.

Jeanette Kusel, Director of NICE Advice (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) said:

NICE’s ambition is to drive innovation into the hands of health and care professionals to enable best practice in health and care treatment.

Through IDAP and our support service NICE Advice, we aim to be a trusted adviser, providing tailored advice and supporting businesses along the whole product lifecycle helping them realise their ambition and helping bring the very best of innovation into the NHS and the hands of patients.

Lenus Health Ltd. is using artificial intelligence to predict patients at risk of hospitalisation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which causes the airways to become narrow and damaged, resulting in breathing difficulties.

The company collects data from wearable devices, sensors and apps and uses AI to predict which patients are at greater risk of hospital admissions. This allows them to be monitored and treated more effectively, while simultaneously reducing pressure on hospitals.

Another device aims to reduce inequalities in the field of lung health. Oximeters – devices clipped over the end of a fingertip – are used widely at hospitals and at home to assess how well the lungs and circulatory system are working. However, research suggests this technology may not accurately detect falling oxygen levels in people with darker skin tones.

EarSwitch has produced a device which detects oxygen levels from the inner ear-canal instead, which is not pigmented irrespective of the person’s skin colour. It could offer better quality readings and a more innovative approach to oxygen level monitoring.

Vin Diwakar, Interim National Director of Transformation, NHS England, said:

This is an important milestone in our work to ensure the NHS continues to get the best new technologies and treatments to patients faster, having already rolled out more than 100 new treatments through the cancer drug fund and setting up a dedicated programme to prepare for new Alzheimer’s treatments once they are approved.

We will be working closely with our partners to support those companies selected for the pilot so that more game-changing, life-saving technologies are introduced quickly and safely on the NHS.

Other technologies set to benefit from a share of the funding include:

• Multiple Sclerosis fatigue app: Avegen Ltd. has developed a new smartphone app that delivers exercises, cognitive behaviour therapy and targeted physical activity in a personally customisable format to help patients manage Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
• Self-test for neutropenia: 52 North Health. has developed a new device to allow chemotherapy patients to self-test at home – using a finger-prick blood test – for neutropenic sepsis. This is a life-threatening condition in patients whose immune system is suppressed.
• Algorithm infection predictor: Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) is a life-threatening medical condition caused by the body’s overwhelming response to infection or inflammation. Presymptom Health Ltd. has developed a new test and algorithm with the potential to predict infection status up to three days before conventional diagnosis is possible.

Dr Susan Myles, Director of Health Technology Wales, said:

Health Technology Wales is proud to have played a role in the selection of eight pilot IDAP technologies which have the potential to support clinicians and improve the lives of patients across the UK.

We look forward to continuing to support the adoption of innovative health technologies by the NHS.

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

New proposals would give the General Dental Council powers to provisionally register dentists trained overseas to start delivering care as quickly as possible.

• Highly skilled dentists with qualifications obtained overseas must currently undergo lengthy registration process to work in UK
• New proposals would give the General Dental Council (GDC) powers to provisionally register those dentists to start delivering care as quickly as possible
• Plans are part of wider government and NHS plans to boost the dental workforce and improve access to care for patients

Patients will benefit from plans to boost the dentistry workforce by cutting red tape and making it quicker and easier for dentists from overseas to work in the UK.

Under current rules, highly skilled dentists who qualified overseas and are attempting to register to practise in the UK are required to pass exams that can take years to complete – meaning lengthy delays in them being able to provide dental care.

The government’s proposals – which are the subject of a public consultation being launched today (16 February 2024) – mean GDC, which regulates dentists working in the UK, would be given new legal powers to provisionally register dentists with overseas qualifications. This would speed up the process and encourage more dentists trained abroad to come to the UK as part of a long-term plan to improve access to dentistry services.

Around 30% of all dentists on the GDC register qualified outside of the UK, and in 2022, 46% of new additions to the register were trained overseas. The government’s proposals would mean that overseas-qualified dentists would be able to start practising in the UK as quickly as possible.

Primary Care Minister Andrea Leadsom said:

Our dental recovery plan will create millions more dental appointments, improve access for patients and ease pressure on the sector. Our hard-working dentists deserve our gratitude and this is the start of our plan to put the sector on a sustainable footing.

Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions and our proposals would abolish red tape that currently prevents fully qualified overseas dentists from working in this country, while ensuring the highest standards of care and patient safety.

We have a long-term plan to make access to NHS dental care faster, simpler and fairer for all, and I want to make sure we hear views from across the sector as we drive this forward.

GDC would be given autonomy in setting the terms for provisional registrations to ensure the highest levels of patient safety and quality of care are maintained. Those on the provisional register will be able to work in the UK, but only under the supervision of a fully GDC-registered dentist.

The consultation forms part of the government and NHS’s wider dental recovery plan, which aims to significantly improve access to dental care across the country. It goes alongside work as part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to increase training places in the UK for dental professionals by 2032, with the number of dentist places increasing by 40% to 1,100.

Other measures in the plan include dentists being offered additional payments for taking on new NHS patients and ‘golden hellos’ worth £20,000 over 3 years for those willing to go and work in underserved areas. These and other measures are expected to create an additional 2.5 million dental appointments.

Jason Wong, Interim Chief Dental Officer for England, said:

Improving access to dental appointments for patients is a priority for the NHS, and increasing the number of dentists available would make it easier for patients to get the dental care they need.

The NHS dental recovery plan represents an important milestone for dental services across the country – opening up more appointments for patients – and these proposals could be another vital step towards transforming NHS dental services to ensure faster access for patients.

Stefan Czerniawski, Executive Director, Strategy, GDC, said:

We very much welcome the government’s openness to new ideas for ways of streamlining international registration.

Provisional registration is an exciting opportunity that will require commitment and collaboration from across dentistry on the design and delivery of the new approach.

We need to move at pace, but we need to take the time to get this right – and we will work with stakeholders across the dental sector and 4 nations to do so.

Following conclusion of the 3-month consultation, responses will be analysed and fed into a final report. They will also be used to finalise the legislation that is planned to be laid before Parliament for MPs to debate.

Consultation on provisional registration for overseas-qualified dentists