As a nation we’re living longer than ever before. Our population currently has more than three million people aged over 80 years old. By 2030, this figure is projected to almost double, and by 2050 reach eight million. Today one-in-six of the population is aged 65 and over, and by 2050 it will be one-in-four. […]

NHS England has published a new Practical Guide to Healthy Ageing with Age UK, to help people improve their health and general fitness, particularly those aged 70 or over with ‘mild frailty’. The evidence-based guide covers key areas that have been identified as the main risk factors for older people living at home, but if they […]

Some solutions can be hidden in plain sight. Those of us closely connected with intermediate care will certainly see these services as an important part of the solution for our overheated health and social care system, and as a platform for multi-agency working and better integrated care. The user group is predominantly older people with […]

We all welcomed the emphasis on prevention in the NHS Five Year Forward View launched by Simon Stevens earlier this month. Disease prevention, the role of employers in promoting employee health and the recognition of the increasing significance of obesity to future health are all now priorities for the NHS. This Chief Nursing Officer’s Conference […]

NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens will today (July 1) applaud “a major NHS success story” as new figures show about 600 more patients are surviving major trauma since changes to services in April 2012. The 16,000 life-threatening major traumas are the biggest cause of death in children and adults under the age of 40 annually.  In all, some 37,000 are seriously injured in England […]

Dr Mike Bewick, Deputy Medical Director for NHS England, outlines the aims of the Eye Care Call To Action: Early access to preventative eye care and accurate early diagnosis is vitally important to patients. While NHS England has a limited role in the direct commissioning of eye health services, it is one of the common […]

Since the publication of this blog John Holden has left NHS England. Your feedback In response to interest expressed by all three of our engagement and advisory groups (Providers, Clinicians and Patient & Public), we are planning to organise a joint meeting of these groups and the review team are currently working to find an […]

NHS England and the Care Quality Commission have issued joint guidance to Trusts on the delivery of the ‘Hard Truths’ commitments associated with publishing staffing data regarding nursing, midwifery and care staff levels. The guidance has been issued by Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Professor Sir Mike Richards, Chief Inspector of Hospitals, […]

How will responsible officers (ROs) make decisions on language competency? Do responsible officers have the autonomy to accept other language tests? How will responsible officers evaluate the level and relevance of English language qualifications awarded in other EU countries? What will happen with doctors already practising in this country if there is concern regarding their […]

Expo 2014 will see the launch of NHS Change Day as it bids to get half a million pledges to improve care for people. Last year’s Change Day initiative proved to be the biggest day of collective action for improvement in the history of the NHS. The initial goal of mobilising people to gain 65,000 […]