Seven days in medicine: 21-27 September 2016
BMJ 2016; 354 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i5246 (Published 29 September 2016) Cite this as: BMJ 2016;354:i5246
NHS
Thousands more NHS operations are cancelled
Nearly 42 000 operations were cancelled in 2015-16 one to three days before patients were admitted to hospital, but these were not recorded in official figures, a BBC investigation found. NHS England requires hospitals to inform it only when an operation is cancelled on the day or the day before it is scheduled. Some 74 806 operations were cancelled in 2015-16—the highest figure in 15 years.
Clear plan for digital NHS is needed
The government and NHS leaders must set out a clear and compelling plan for expanding the use of digital technology, a King’s Fund report said. Digital technology can transform how patients engage with services and can improve efficiency and care coordination, the fund said, but it warned that expectations may be set too high amid financial and operational pressures. All levels of staff, particularly clinicians, should be involved in designing and rolling out new technology for the plan to succeed, said the report. (Full story doi:10.1136/bmj.i5185)
Elderly care
Call for action on older people’s needs
The United Kingdom’s ageing population is let down by …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £173 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£38 / $45 / €42 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.