CQC asks for feedback on improvements to regulatory model

The changes, the CQC is proposing to make to its regulatory model will result in most services being inspected more often and our inspections becoming more targeted. As a result of these changes, the CQC is asking for feedback from the public, providers, commissioners, stakeholders and our staff the chance to comment.

Third State of Care report published

The CQC has published its third annual report into the state of health and adult social care in England for the year to the end of March 2011. The report’s main sections are: The shape of health and social care provision; Access to care services; Choice and control; Quality and safety

NPSA releases Organisation Patient Safety Incident reporting data (Wales) September 2011

There tHEThere were 565,153 patient safety incidents in England occurring between 1 October 2010 and 31 March 2011, an increase of 8.5% on the previous reporting period. The most common types of incident were: patient accidents – slips, trips and falls (28%); medication incidents (11%); incidents relating to treatment and/or procedures (11%).

Epidural Injection Safety

Recent articles in the media about epidural safety have prompted the Royal College of Anaesthetists to issue a statement in partnership with the APAGBI.

Why people matter in medicine

This report from the RCP highlights the part that patient understanding and belief plays in determining whether or not a medicine is taken as advised, or even taken at all and notes that ‘conversations need to be derived from what the public wants and needs to know about medicines and their effects – not from what professionals want to tell them.

The Higher Risk General Surgical Patient: Towards Improved Care for a Forgotten Group

This RCS report says that the NHS must address the significant variations in care experienced by the 170,000 patients who have major emergency abdominal surgery each year. It makes nine recommendations, which if implemented within two years, will reduce complications and deaths, as well as reduce the cost of treating a group of patients who account for almost 90 per cent of post-operative general surgical deaths.

Women giving birth to twins or triplets should be offered specialist care

NICE's says that women with multiple pregnancy should be referred to a team of doctors, midwives and ultrasonographers once their scan is confirmed. The team should offer women information and emotional support specific to such births at first contact, and that on-going opportunities for further discussion should be given.