Hunt refusing interviews as NHS cancels all non-urgent ops and outpatients

In spite of public anger over the absence of Transport Secretary Chris Grayling today as a major increase in rail fares was announced, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has refused requests for interviews as news broke that NHS England is telling hospitals to cancel all non-urgent operations and outpatient appointments for the whole month of January.

This is far from the first time that Hunt has gone ‘AWOL’ – or hidden – during an NHS crisis.

Last winter, as the NHS struggled through the 2016/17 winter crisis, Hunt disappeared for weeks before finally emerging to give a weak interview to the BBC in which he stated there were ‘no excuses’ for the NHS disaster – before making a list of excuses and blaming all kinds of things for it.

Except himself, of course.

Now, as hospitals all over England are told to cancel thousands of operations for a whole calendar month – on top of cancellations already made in December – the Department of Health (DH) has,

 

Source: Hunt refusing interviews as NHS cancels all non-urgent ops and outpatients

Rises in life expectancy ‘levelling off’ | DisabledGo News and Blog

Austerity may be starting to affect life expectancy in England, according to a leading health expert. Life expectancy has been rising for decades, but the latest data shows the rate of increase has slowed. University College London expert Sir Michael Marmot said he was “deeply concerned” by the situation, saying it was “entirely possible” austerity was affecting how long people live. His suggestion has been dismissed by the government, however. The Department of Health said it was providing the necessary support and funding to ensure life expectancy “continues to increase”. Using Office for National Statistics data, Sir Michael, who has advised both the government and World Health Organization, showed the rate of increase in life expectancy had nearly halved since 2010. Between 2000 and 2015, life expectancy at birth increased by one year every five years for women and by one year every 3.5 years for men. But this compares to one year every 10 years for women and one for every six for

Source: Rises in life expectancy ‘levelling off’ | DisabledGo News and Blog

Chickens coming home to roost: local government public health budgets for 2017/18 | The King’s Fund

With the central government grant falling, David Buck takes a look at local authorities’ plans for public health spending in 2017/18.

Source: Chickens coming home to roost: local government public health budgets for 2017/18 | The King’s Fund

Deprivation of liberty rules are ‘in crisis’ and must be replaced, says Law Commission | DisabledGo News and Blog

Current laws that aim to ensure disabled people are not deprived of their liberty unlawfully are “in crisis” and need to be replaced urgently, according to the government’s advisers on law reform. The current system has led to tens of thousands of people with dementia and learning difficulties being detained in hospitals and care homes without the appropriate independent checks that their rights have not been breached, according to the Law Commission. This week, following a public consultation, the commission published its final report on Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty, which includes proposals for new legislation on how the law should ensure that people without the capacity to give their consent to their care arrangements are the least restrictive they can be and are also in that person’s best interests. The current system, the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), has been described as an “administrative and bureaucratic nightmare”, and the report says it is “overly

Source: Deprivation of liberty rules are ‘in crisis’ and must be replaced, says Law Commission | DisabledGo News and Blog

NHS whistleblowers to get more protection under new plans

Protections for NHS whistleblowers are to be extended under new Government plans.

Source: NHS whistleblowers to get more protection under new plans

Department of Health ignores NHS continuing healthcare human rights warnings : DNS.

A first class cheek! DWP’s benefit-slashing officials spend £100k a year on luxury travel : Daily Record.

Government ‘leaves self-advocates with #NoVoice’ after scrapping forum’s funding | DisabledGo News and Blog

Government ‘leaves self-advocates with #NoVoice’ after scrapping forum’s funding – 10 Dec 2016

Source: Government ‘leaves self-advocates with #NoVoice’ after scrapping forum’s funding | DisabledGo News and Blog

Junior doctors have won court case against Jeremy Hunt even though judge ruled against them. Here’s the reason | Vox Political

Headlines have been claiming that the junior doctors of Justice for Health have lost the judicial review of Jeremy Hunt’s new contract for them – but these are based on a misunderstandi…

Source: Junior doctors have won court case against Jeremy Hunt even though judge ruled against them. Here’s the reason | Vox Political

Strapped for cash? Poppycock! As the NHS wails that it’s broke, the woman who fought to account for every penny of public spending says it’s pouring millions down the drain : Daily Mail.