‘I love the NHS, but…’: preventing needless harms caused by poor communications in the NHS

Demos – November 2023

This report makes a case for the urgent need to improve communication within the NHS. It found that more than half (55%) of people have experienced poor communications from the NHS in the past five years, and 1 in 10 say their care has been affected as a result. Demos calls on the government for: an expansion of the system of care co-ordinators; an expansion of the system of care navigators in GP surgeries; and improvements to the uptake and use of the NHS app.

Read the Report – ‘I love the NHS, but…’: preventing needless harms caused by poor communications in the NHS

Exploring public attitudes towards the use of digital health technologies and data

Health Foundation – November 2023

• The NHS is looking to advances in digital health technologies and data to help tackle current pressures and meet rising demand. But ensuring new uses of technology and data have the backing of the public is critical if they are to become business as usual.
• In March 2023, we commissioned a survey of 7,100 nationally representative members of the public (aged 16 years and older) to investigate their attitudes to uses of health technologies and data, and the key factors affecting their views. Our earlier publication based on this survey reported on attitudes specifically towards virtual wards.
• Overall, the public thinks technology improves the quality of health care and is supportive of its many possible uses. But not all technologies are equally liked: those that empower people to manage their health and better connect them with the NHS seem to be more popular, while those that could be seen to ‘come between’ the clinician and patient – like chatbots or care robots – are least popular.

Read the Report – Exploring public attitudes towards the use of digital health technologies and data

Longer, better lives: A manifesto for cancer research and care – Cancer Research 2023

Cancer Research UK – November 2023

Our manifesto sets out the measures and commitments the next government can make to help prevent 20,000 cancer deaths every year by 2040.

Download the manifesto

Prevention of cervical cancer: what are the risks and benefits of different treatments?

NIHR – November 2023

Surgeons use different procedures to remove abnormal cells in the cervix (the neck of the womb) and treat early cervical cancer. These treatments effectively reduce the risk that cancer will develop and spread, but they carry a risk of premature birth in future pregnancies. New research ranked the success and risks of different surgical treatments.

The review brought together studies including almost 89,000 women who had cell changes in the cervix (either pre- or early cancer).

Overall, the review found a trade-off between cancer prevention and the risk of problems in future pregnancies. Procedures that removed more cervical tissue reduced the risk of recurrence but increased the risk of a future premature birth.

The researchers recommend that a woman’s age, wishes for future childbearing, and the type and extent of abnormal cells, should drive the choice of treatment, after weighing up the risks and benefits of each.

This information will enable conversations between women and their surgeons about the approach that is best for them.

Further information – Prevention of cervical cancer: what are the risks and benefits of different treatments?

This Alert is based on Kyrgiou M, Athanasiou A, Cieslak-Jones D. Comparative effectiveness and risk of preterm birth of local treatments for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and stage IA1 cervical cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Lancet Oncology 2022; 23: 1097–108.

Guidance for researchers on the use of generative AI

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK have just published guidance for the use of generative AI in research, alongside a new policy for their use in relation to funding applications. Broadly, they highlight two areas of potential concern for researchers: considerations about what goes into generative AI programs, and concerns around what comes back out.

guidance for the use of generative AI in research,

policy for their use in relation to funding applications

Smoking and Health Manifesto for a Smokefree Future

All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health – November 2023

The APPG tobacco control manifesto calls on the Government to make Big Tobacco pay to deliver a Smokefree Future for us all. The report also includes economic analysis showing that:

• a ‘polluter pays’ levy on tobacco manufacturers could raise up to £700 mn a year
• the cost of smoking to public finances in England is £21 bn in 2023 – nearly double tobacco tax revenues of £11 bn
• the APPG’s recommendations could save £3.1 bn for the public purse during the course of the next parliament

Read the Report – Smoking and Health Manifesto for a Smokefree Future

Supporting people through cancer

NHS Confederation – 26th October

Briefing highlighting examples from NHS organisations across Wales of improving diagnosis, treatment and support for patients with cancer.

Further information – Supporting people through cancer

State of the nation: a comprehensive, retrospective view of NHS data

Wilmington Healthcare – OCTOBER 2023

This report provides a health check for the NHS. The report looks at: hospital episode statistics, including waiting times and length of stay; demographics and disease prevalence – including health inequalities; key statistics on what outcomes the NHS is achieving in major therapy areas; assessment of the NHS on its own KPIs; prescribing insights, nationally and regionally, including the most-prescribed drugs; workforce data – including vacancies and recruitment; regional insights, including performance and challenges of ICSs.

Read the report – State of the nation 2023