Monday 9th May 2016- The Guardian: London HIV clinic fined £180,000 for revealing service users’ names

‘An NHS clinic in London has been fined £180,000 for a serious breach of the privacy of more than 700 users of an HIV service.

Patients and service users who were on the HIV clinic email list of 56 Dean Street, a Soho-based sexual health clinic, said at the time of the breach they were terrified it could leave them open to blackmail or public outing.

A staff error meant anyone receiving the September newsletter from the service could see the email addresses of all the other recipients.

Addresses had been wrongly entered into the “to” field instead of the “bcc” field, and 730 of the 781 email addresses contained recipients’ full names. Most of the recipients were HIV positive though a small number were not.

Chelsea and Westminster hospital NHS foundation trust, which runs the clinic, has been fined £180,000 after the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) found there had been a serious breach of the Data Protection Act, likely to have caused substantial distress.

The information commissioner, Christopher Graham, said it was “clear that this breach caused a great deal of upset to the people affected”.

Graham said the investigation revealed many people recognised other names on the list of recipients, because the clinic served a small area of London, and feared their own name would be recognised too.

The ICO investigation found the trust had previously made a similar error in March 2010, when a member of staff in the pharmacy department sent a questionnaire to 17 patients in relation to their HIV treatment. After the mistake, extra measures were put in place but no specialist training was implemented, the ICO found.

“The trust was quick to apologise for their mistake, and has undertaken substantial remedial work since the breach,” Graham said. “Nevertheless, it is crucial that the senior managers at NHS trusts understand the requirements of data protection law, and the serious consequences that follow when that law is broken.”’

Related Articles:

London HIV clinic fined £180,000 for revealing service users’ names

NHS trust fined for 56 Dean Street HIV status leak- BBC News

Monday 9th May 2016- The British Medical Association: BMA re-enters contract talks

‘The BMA will today re-enter talks with the Government over the junior doctors’ contract.

It comes after the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges called on both sides in the dispute to return to the table — with negotiations chaired by a third party.

Five days of ‘intensive talks’ from Monday to Friday are planned and ACAS chair Sir Brendan Barber will lead the negotiations.

BMA junior doctors committee chair Johann Malawana… said he hoped ‘real progress can be made’.

He said: ‘The BMA has agreed to re-enter talks with the Government on outstanding issues in this dispute, which include, but are not limited to, unsocial hours.

‘Junior doctors’ concerns extend far beyond pay, and our principle in talks will be to deliver a fair contract that does not discriminate against women or any other group, one which addresses the recruitment and retention crisis in the NHS and which provides the basis for delivering a world-class health service.

‘The BMA will also call for any contract offer — agreed or not — to be put to a referendum of junior doctors, as is usual following a contract negotiation.

‘We hope that with both parties back around the negotiating table, real progress can be made to end this dispute through talks.’’

The Telegraph:

‘Doctors are due to be moved onto the new contract over an 18-month period starting in August.

As it currently stands the new contract offers an average basic salary increase of 13.5 per cent and a 19% increase in the basic starting salary.

Those who work one in four Saturdays or more will receive a pay premium of 30 percent for all Saturday hours, however the BMA has demanded that any Saturday working, regardless of minimum number of days, attracts the premium rate.

Four strikes took place between January and early April, but they only affected routine and non-urgent care.

Last week’s two-day strike, however, was the first in the history of the NHS to affect all forms of care, including Accident & Emergency departments, intensive care and maternity units.’

Related Articles:

BMA re-enters contract talks

Junior doctors prepare for fresh talks over contracts- The Guardian

BMA agrees to re-enter talks over disputed junior doctor contracts- The Telegraph

British Medical Association to reopen contract talks with Jeremy Hunt- The Guardian

Junior doctors’ contracts: Fresh talks under way- BBC News

Saturday 27th February 2016- The Guardian: Decayed teeth removed from 128,000 children in England since 2011

‘Tens of thousands of children have had decaying teeth removed in hospitals in England, according to the latest figures, which show an increase for the fourth year in a row.

There has been a rise of almost 10% in child hospital admissions for severe tooth decay in England over a four-year period, with the report’s authors pointing out “a strong correlation between area deprivation and the rate of tooth extraction”.

More than 128,000 children aged 10 and under have needed at least one removed since 2011, often in cases where the decay may have been preventable.

There were 14,445 admissions of children aged five and under between April 2014 and March the following year, and a further 19,336 cases of six- to10-year-olds having teeth taken out in hospital in the same period. More boys than girls were likely to have suffered from severe tooth decay.

The rate of tooth extraction among the most deprived children is almost five times that for those from the least deprived decile, according to the statistics analysed by the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, the tooth extraction rate was more than five times that for the east of England. London had the most children who needed to be admitted to hospital for severe tooth decay, with 8,362 having teeth removed.

Prof Nigel Hunt, the dean of the dental surgery faculty at the Royal College of Surgeons, said the 9.81% increase was unacceptable.

“Not only is tooth decay distressing to children and parents, it has serious social and financial implications,” he said. “The need for tooth extraction continues to be the number one reason why five- to nine-year-old children are admitted to hospital. This issue urgently needs to be addressed, especially since 90% of tooth decay is preventable.”

Related Articles:

Decayed teeth removed from 128,000 children in England since 2011

Tooth decay still on the rise among English children- BBC News

Friday 26th February 2016- The Independent: Asthma: Half of children diagnosed with the respiratory disease may not have it, study suggests

‘More than half of the children being treated for asthma might not actually have the condition, new research suggests.

A study, published in the British Journal of General Practice, found 53 per cent of children had no clinical signs of asthma despite being diagnosed at one of four medical centres in the Netherlands, whose healthcare system is widely regarded as one of the best in Europe.

In the UK last year, researchers found that a third of adults diagnosed with asthma did not actually have it.

Dr Ingrid Looijmans-van den Akker, one of the scientists behind the Dutch research, told The Daily Telegraph: “Over-diagnosis of asthma was found in more than half of the children, leading to unnecessary treatment, disease burden, and impact on their quality of life.

“Previous studies have indicated that asthma is over-diagnosed in children. However, the scale of the over-diagnosis has not been quantified.

“Only in a few children was the diagnosis of asthma confirmed using lung function tests, despite this being recommended in international guidelines. Over-diagnosis gives rise to over-prescription and incorrect use of medication, and to anxiety in parents and children.”

The UK’s National Institute of Clinical Excellence (Nice) has warned that doctors have too often tended to diagnose asthma based on a history of wheezing, coughs and other breathing problems, rather than clinical tests.

Professor Mark Baker, director of clinical practice at Nice, said it was developing new advice on how to properly diagnose the condition.

“As part of this work, Nice is inviting GP practices to take part in a project to check the feasibility of some diagnostic tests that Nice proposes to recommend,” he said.’

Related Articles:

Asthma: Half of children diagnosed with the respiratory disease may not have it, study suggests

Half a million children with asthma may not actually have condition- The Telegraph

Thursday 4th February 2016- The Telegraph: Team GB athlete dies from meningitis after being told by A&E doctor she had stomach bug

‘A young Great Britain athlete died from meningitis just hours after a junior doctor on his first week in A&E wrongly diagnosed a stomach bug, an inquest heard.

Ellie Penrose, a promising 18-year-old triathlete, was taken to hospital by her family after complaining of a headache and sensitivity to light.

She was seen by newly-qualified Dr Don Hettiarachchi who diagnosed gastroenteritis and dehydration and sent her home with paracetamol and ibuprofen.

But an inquest heard she was “inappropriately discharged” from Hull Royal Infirmary, in East Yorkshire, after the “failure in care”.’

‘Hours later, her parents Tom and Pauline dialled 999 after finding her critically ill on her bed at their home. She was taken to hospital, but died later the same day from “overwhelming sepsis” caused by meningococcal septicaemia.

Hours before she died last August, Miss Penrose discovered she had excelled in her A-levels and was destined for university.

Dr Hettiarachchi admitted to the Hull inquest he was “not 100 per cent sure” of the root cause of Miss Penrose’s illness when he saw her in the hospital at 3am on August 12 last year.

With no consultant available, he consulted with fellow trainee Dr Ayman Ghoneim in a corridor before discharging her.

Coroner Professor Paul Marks asked if he had considered meningitis and Dr Hettiarachchi replied: “I did. When I examined her there was no rash. There was blotching on her face. I felt it was more viral.’

‘Questioned by the Penrose family’s lawyer, Dr Hettiarachchi added: “I did not treat it as meningitis because I felt it didn’t fit with the general picture.”

Asked if he would have done anything differently, he replied: “Lots of things. I would have consulted with a registrar or above.”

Dr Hettiarachchi accepted he did not highlight key observations – crucially, Miss Penrose’s high blood pressure, low pulse rate and skin blotching – to Dr Ghoneim, but denied a claim that he had already reached a diagnosis.’

Related Articles:

Team GB athlete dies from meningitis after being told by A&E doctor she had stomach bug

Team GB triathlete Ellie Penrose died after her meningitis was misdiagnosed as stomach pains, inquest hears- The Independent

Triathlete died after doctor failed to diagnose meningitis- The Guardian

Wednesday 3rd February 2016- The Guardian: NHS stops people who have visited areas hit by Zika virus giving blood

‘People who have travelled to countries affected by the Zika virus will not be allowed to donate blood for four weeks after returning home, the NHS has said.

Zika has prompted the World Health Organisation to declare a public health emergency of international concern. It is spread by mosquitoes but there have been a handful of cases where the virus is believed to have been sexually transmitted, the most recent in Texas.

Amid fears that it is linked to thousands of cases in Brazil of the foetal deformation microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with smaller than normal brains, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) announced on Wednesday that it was implementing “precautionary measures”.

A spokeswoman said: “The safety of the blood supply is paramount and it is important we implement any precautionary blood safety measures agreed here as a result of an increasing prevalence of infectious diseases found around the globe.

“From 4 February 2016, we will have a 28-day blood donation deferral for people looking to donate blood in England and north Wales who have travelled to countries where the Zika virus is endemic.’

Related Articles:

NHS stops people who have visited areas hit by Zika virus giving blood

Zika outbreak: NHS bans blood donations for 28 days after travel- The Telegraph

WHO warns against blood donations from people returning from Zika regions- The Guardian

Monday 1st February 2016- The British Medical Association: Junior doctors press ahead with industrial action

‘Junior doctors in England will take a second day of action after contract talks ended without agreement.

Action will take place from 8am on Wednesday 10 February to 8am on Thursday 11 February, with junior doctors providing only emergency care during this period.

Trusts across England have been informed of this change to the originally planned action, which would have seen the first-ever full walkout with no care provided by junior doctors.

The decision comes after talks between the BMA, NHS Employers and the Department of Health were unable to reach an agreement on the issue of unsocial hours.

Originally planned as a full walk-out, action on 10 February will instead mirror that taken on 12 January with junior doctors providing emergency care only until 8am on 11 February.’

‘BMA junior doctors committee chair Johann Malawana said: ‘Over the past few weeks, we have welcomed the involvement of Sir David Dalton in talks about a new junior doctor contract, which recognises the need to protect patient care and doctors’ working lives.

‘His understanding of the realities of a health service buckling under mounting pressures and commitment to reaching a fair agreement has resulted in good progress on a number of issues.

‘It is, therefore, particularly frustrating that the Government is still digging in its heels.’

He added: ‘The Government’s entrenched position in refusing to recognise Saturday working as unsocial hours, together with its continued threat to impose a contract so fiercely resisted by junior doctors across England, leaves us with no alternative but to continue with industrial action.”

Related Articles:

Junior doctors press ahead with industrial action

Next week’s junior doctor strike on- BBC News

Jeremy Hunt digs in as junior doctors announce new strike- The Guardian

Junior doctors’ strike to go ahead on February 10 after negotiations fail, BMA says- The Independent

Junior doctors’ 24-hour strike to go ahead from next Wednesday- The Telegraph

Tuesday 26th January 2016- The Telegraph: Toddler gets world first adult kidney transplant using 3D printing

‘A three-year-old girl from Northern Ireland has become the first to have a life-saving adult kidney transplant, using 3D printing.

At four months old, Lucy Boucher suffered heart failure which starved her kidneys of oxygen. She was told she would need to have kidney dialysis for life, until surgeons at London’s Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Great Ormond Street Hospital performed the transplant.’

‘To conduct the transplant, for which Lucy’s father Chris, 35, donated his kidney, the surgeons made detailed models of Mr Boucher’s kidney and Lucy’s abdomen with a 3D printer, so they could map out the procedure with precision, hence minimising risks.

The surgery, which took place last November, has now been pronounced a success, with both father and daughter in recovery.’

‘According to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust: “It is the first time in the world that 3D printing has been used to aid kidney transplant surgery involving an adult donor and a child recipient.”

Mr Boucher said: “My first reaction when I saw the 3D printout of my kidney was surprise at how big it was and I wondered how it could possibly fit into Lucy.

“Seeing the model of her abdomen and the way the kidney was going to be transplanted inside her gave me a clear understanding of exactly what was going to happen.”‘

Related Articles:

Toddler gets world first adult kidney transplant using 3D printing

Kidney transplant: Antrim parents’ gratitude after innovative surgery aided by 3D printing- BBC News

Tuesday 26th January 2016- The Guardian: Hunt apologises to family of dead boy over NHS sepsis failings

‘Jeremy Hunt has accepted the recommendations of a damning NHS report which found that doctors and the NHS helpline missed four opportunities to save the life of a one-year-old boy.

The health secretary offered a public apology to the family of William Mead, who died in September 2014 of the common sepsis bug, which went undetected despite repeated visits to the GP and a call to the NHS 111 helpline hours before his death.

Speaking in the Commons, Hunt said: “Whilst any health system will inevitably suffer some tragedies, the issues raised in this case have significant implications for the rest of the NHS which I’m determined we should learn from.”’

‘William’s mother Melissa – who has chronicled the family’s campaign for better awareness about sepsis on a blog – welcomed the apology and said that she hoped that a report into the 12-month-old’s death would have far-reaching implications across the health service.’

‘The report found that 16 mistakes had contributed to William’s death. It said the “tickbox” system used by helpline call handlers failed to include “sepsis red flags” despite the fact that it is one of the most common causes of death among children.’

Related Articles:

Hunt apologises to family of dead boy over NHS sepsis failings

Mother tells how NHS 111 helpline failed to save son – video- The Guardian

Jeremy Hunt: we let William Meade down in worst possible way – video- The Guardian

NHS 111 helpline ‘broken’, says mother of baby who died of sepsis- The Guardian

Hunt apologises for NHS failings over baby death- BBC News

William Mead’s ‘fate was sealed’ after NHS 111 call handlers failed to identify his deadly illness, says mother- The Independent

NHS 111 helpline missed chances to save baby William Mead’s life and is ‘unable to detect deadly child illnesses’- The Telegraph

Thursday 21st January 2016- BBC News: Sisters help launch cancer study aiming to end chemotherapy

‘The first patients have had their DNA analysed in a massive study that aims to help replace chemotherapy.

They include three sisters who developed breast tumours within 15 months of each other.

The 100,000 Genomes Project in England will look at their DNA, and that of thousands of other patients, to help the search for precision treatments and understand how tumours develop.

Cancer Research UK said the project was “very exciting”.

In November 2013, Mary Lloyd was diagnosed with breast cancer, as was her younger sister Kerry two months later. In February the following year their sister Sandra was diagnosed too.

Mary, 61 and from Northampton, told the BBC News website: “It was really unbelievable.

“I had just retired and made plans, then to find out Kerry also had breast cancer – she’s got two children still at school – it was just awful.

“Sandra had almost prepared herself [for her diagnosis] and she was devastated as well.

“But because we’re sisters together we’ve been able to support one another. That’s really important as the treatment is horrendous.”‘

‘The sisters are taking part in the 100,000 Genomes Project, run within the NHS, which is trying to understand the mutations that cause or increase the risk of cancer.

It will also determine the drugs that can target tumours. Herceptin works only in patients with specific mutations.

“It’s classed as the beginning of the end of chemotherapy,” said Dr Julian Barwell, a consultant in clinical genetics at the the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

He told the BBC: “This is the first step for the NHS into genomic medicine. If successful it will give individual tumour profiles and identify which drugs are likely to benefit you. It’s hugely exciting.”‘

See:

Sisters help launch cancer study aiming to end chemotherapy