NHS Millions Research Articles

Community rectal pathology clinics could save the NHS millions

Ammara Hughes looks at a new model of care for rectal medicine

Turning the taps on: Is water fluoridation closer to becoming a reality?

There are some things in life so simple and obvious you have to wonder why they're not ingrained pillars of society. Basic common courtesy, equality, vaccinations, cheese and jam sandwiches. OK, maybe not the last thing there, but you get the picture. A decade ago as a fresh-faced PR and Press Officer and my foray into dentistry, one of those simple and obvious things to me was water fluoridation. You didn't have to be a genius to see its benefits, namely a cost-effective public health intervention that would improve the oral health of the population and save the NHS millions of pounds spent on tooth extractions under anaesthetic. Open in a separate window

Electronic prescriptions expected to save UK NHS millions

Electronic prescriptions expected to save UK NHS millions

A community based approach to reduce the incidence of preventable pressure ulcers.

The prevention of pressure ulcers in the community is a major challenge for healthcare organisations. Pressure ulcers cost the NHS millions of pounds in treatment and prevention strategies. Everyone involved in the care of individuals at risk of developing pressure ulcers has a role to play in their prevention. Community specialist practitioners are in an ideal position to provide education and skills to healthcare workers in community settings. They are experts in their field so are valuable within the community setting.

More MS nurses needed to reduce waiting lists.

New analysis shows the number of emergency department admissions for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) continues to rise, costing the NHS millions.

Home care services could save NHS millions, says report

Home care services could save NHS millions, says report

Chewing sugarfree gum could save the NHS millions

Chewing sugarfree gum could save the NHS millions

Examining Dementia Caregivers’ Experiences

There are 46.8 million people living with dementia in the world, and this number is expected to rise. The burden on caregivers can be enormous, yet in the UK they save the NHS and social care services millions of pounds every year. This paper explores the experiences of informal caregivers when caring for someone with dementia. Some 417 letters and blogs were sent over a four-year period to Tommy Whitelaw, a carer/campaigner on dementia care. He, himself an informal caregiver, had looked after his mother who had dementia over five years and had found the experience challenging. This encouraged him to speak to health care professionals and government ministers on the difficulties when caring for loved ones who have dementia. He then asked caregivers to write to him describing their own experiences. This correspondence was analysed thematically. The key themes identified within it were casualty of caring, frustration, economics of caring, and patchwork care. It is hoped that these findings will help future practitioners understand the nature of caring for someone at home.

Avoiding injury the Wanless way.

Good posture control could help save the NHS millions of pounds a year, writes Christian Duffin

Cut agency staff and use money to train nurses, says think tank.

Boosting nurse training places would save the NHS millions of pounds and improve patient safety, a leading think tank has said.

Reforming drug prescribing policies could save NHS millions

The only people who should pay for NHS health care in the UK are our many health tourists. For everyone else, the NHS should remain free.

Pointing to the cost

Nurse should encourage with patients to use nhs resources responsibly, according to NHS England director of patient experience Neil Churchill. He says, 'nudge' techniques that prompt changes in behaviour could reduce the drugs bill and A&E attendance.Nudging patients can also encourage them to take better care of themselves.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and acute kidney injury

Kidney disease and diabetes are both complex conditions that cost the NHS millions to treat. Therefore, it is essential to prescribe the right drugs and understand how they work. In the first drug focus, Adrian Coleman and Mee Onn Chai outline the mechanisms of action of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and discuss their use in acute kidney injury using a case study

Using human insulin not analogues could save UK NHS millions

Using human insulin not analogues could save UK NHS millions

RCN inundated with ideas that could save the NHS millions

Nurses are on course to save the NHS millions of pounds with their innovations to improve patient care, according to the RCN.

RCN inundated with ideas that could save the NHS millions

RCN inundated with ideas that could save the NHS millions

Generic substitution: authors' response

We thank Professor Peterson for clarifying the standards by which regulatory authorities consider the bioequivalence of generic products. We did not intend to perpetuate a myth that downplays the quality assurance for equivalence of generic drugs and, if this was the result, we apologise. Since our publication went to press, the Department of Health (DoH) in England (speaking for the whole of the UK) decided against plans detailed within the 2009 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) for pharmacist-led generic substitution of medicines in primary care [1]. Following a consultation process, the DoH was swayed in its decision by the ‘strong perception (by consultees) that generic substitution poses a threat to patient safety’. However, looking at the responses it seems that many others were in favour of these plans. The DoH was also unconvinced of the cost-effectiveness of generic substitution, recommending instead that other mechanisms should be utilitized to support the use of generic medicines. As noted in our article [2], only in a minority of cases is generic substitution inappropriate, and the proposals permitted the dispensing of a branded medicine when indicated explicitly by the prescriber. Nevertheless, concerns about the minority have seemingly influenced a decision that would have saved the NHS millions of pounds annually. Moreover, in anticipation of the efficiencies achieved from generic substitution which the drug companies involved had agreed to, the PPRS made provisions for a 0.5% compensatory increase in the price of branded medicines, which account for around 80% of the NHS drugs bill, over the next 3 years. Thus while the proposal for generic substitution has been shelved, the costs of branded medicines to the NHS in the UK are allowed to rise. This decision seems perverse at a time of financial austerity.

Use of generic clopidogrel could save UK NHS millions

Use of generic clopidogrel could save UK NHS millions

Performance indicators – a quest to improve patient care

Nurses working in the field of tissue viability constantly strive to improve pressure ulcer prevention and management in their clinical areas, knowing that pressure ulcers cause pain and suffering to patients while costing the NHS millions of pounds to treat. The aim of this initiative was for the tissue viability team to develop an audit tool based on recently devised performance indicators. The purpose of the audit was to provide the mechanism for reviewing the quality of everyday care. The tool utilizes the 'traffic light' system to categorize the results. The initiative has improved clinical outcomes for patients and increased the awareness, education, knowledge and confidence of nurses in pressure ulcer prevention and management across a combined primary and secondary care Trust.

Rx drug wastage costing UK NHS millions, says new report

Rx drug wastage costing UK NHS millions, says new report