Health and care sector latest developments
NHS accused of undercounting number of homicides by mental health patients
The NHS and government have been accused of undercounting the number of mental health homicides, with campaigners calling for “honesty and transparency” over how many patients commit violence.
According to The Times, over four years there were 115 fewer homicides by mental health patients recorded in official statistics compared to information released under the Freedom of Information Act, it has emerged.
The FOI request, collected by Hundred Families, a charity that supports bereaved families, asked NHS England for the number of patient homicides that had been reported to them, by region, for each of the years between 2018 and 2023.
It found a total of 442 homicides, a figure that is still probably an underestimate because it counted perpetrators, rather than victims, so did not account for cases with multiple fatalities or cases where the offender was just under the care of their GP. The request also only related to England rather than the rest of the UK.
UK a ‘long way from end of flu season’, expert warns
Britain is “a long way from the end of the flu season”, a leading epidemiologist has warned as he identified one of the key factors behind the “stubbornly stable” levels of the virus among older people in the UK, despite an overall decline in cases.
The Independent has reported that following an unusually early start to the flu season, levels of flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have declined since mid-December in most age groups – apart from among those over the age of 85, where cases are “showing no signs of a drop”.
Over-85s are most vulnerable to severe illness and hospitalisation, and data published this week shows the number of patients in hospital beds with flu has risen in the first week of January, despite the overall fall in positive cases. Dr Conall Watson, a consultant epidemiologist at UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), explained why this age group is particularly vulnerable to this year’s flu strain. “The virus going around this year is H3N2 and it’s always worse for older adults.”
Pioneering chair stands down after a decade
A trust chair is standing down after more than a decade, having developed a pioneering group of four hospital providers.
Russell Hardy will step away from his role in March, having played a key role in establishing and growing the “foundation group”, consisting of South Warwickshire University, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals, Wye Valley and George Eliot Hospital.
Mr Hardy began as chair of what is now SWFT in 2015, before taking on the additional responsibilities of chair at WVT in 2016, GEH in 2019 and, most recently, WAHT in 2023.
He has led the growth of the group alongside chief executive Glen Burley, who is currently on secondment to NHS England as national director of financial reset and accountability.
It is not one of the largest hospital providers in terms of turnover or staff, but has led the way in applying shared leadership and a “group model” to a growing number of hospital trusts that were struggling with care quality and performance problems.
Trust ‘losing £35 million a year’ from integration contract
An acute trust is considering ending a 20-year partnership with a local authority as the cost of delivering adult social care services is exceeding funding by £35 million per year.
According to the Health Service Journal, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has announced it will conduct a review into the agreement it has with Torbay Council over the delivery of adult social care services.
The trust said that the review could lead to a decision to give 12-months’ notice on its contract which, once expired, would see responsibility for delivering adult social care transferring solely to Torbay Council.
However, TSD chief executive Joe Teape has said that “no decisions have been made yet”.
In a statement, the trust said that the financial context has “changed significantly” and that it is now “carrying all the financial risk for adult social care”, with costs exceeding funding by £35 million per year.
Mr Teape said the trust’s financial pressures “are real and growing” and that it has “a duty to balance our budget and deliver safe services for our population”.
DHSC offers £285,000 for new tech chief
The new national technology lead could become one of the highest paid directors in the Department of Health and Social Care, a new job advert suggests.
DHSC has posted a vacancy for a substantive director general for technology, digital, and data with a maximum advertised salary of £285,000 per year.
This is higher than a number of other DG roles advertised at a maximum of £174,000 a year, as well as the finance and medical director positions which were posted with salaries up to £270,000.
The DHSC permanent secretary role, taken up by Samantha Jones this year, was advertised at up to £200,000.
However, the new DG for commercial and growth – also yet to be appointed – could earn more than the new technology lead when bonuses are factored in. The DHSC medical director role is being advertised with a maximum salary of £250,000.
