Many trusts didn’t recognise or couldn’t verify the payments Findings raise important questions about unrecognised conflicts of interest Pharmaceutical companies have paid an estimated £156 million to NHS trusts in England between 2015 and 2022 without the public being told what the payments are for, reveals an investigation by The BMJ today. ...
More than 1 in 3 waited longer than required standard, single centre study reveals Waiting more than 4 hours in emergency care for treatment is linked to heightened risks of death and a longer hospital stay for hip fracture patients, reveals a single centre study, published online in Emergency Medicine Journal. ...
Most preventable, underscoring need for new approaches to surveillance, say researchers Harmful diagnostic errors may be occurring in as many as 1 in every 14 (7%) hospital patients—at least those receiving general medical care—suggest the findings of a single centre study in the US, published online in the journal BMJ Quality ...
Eight in ten commissioning boards in England cut or froze funding for services such as heart monitoring and minor surgery as a proportion of their overall spending Many general practices are facing financial ruin, says BMA committee chair Budgetary decisions by commissioners across England are affecting GPs’ ability to offer ...
Effect size is small, but improvement still meaningful given high levels of these disorders, say researchers Remote video consultations between patients and mental health specialists show a small but significant improvement on symptoms of depression and anxiety, finds a trial published by The BMJ today. Although the effect size is small, the ...
Doctors and medical trainees need to be fully informed about pros and cons of these tools A fifth of family doctors (GPs) seem to have readily incorporated AI into their clinical practice, despite a lack of any formal guidance or clear work policies on the use of these tools, suggest ...
Over past decade, practice numbers fell by 20%, but average list size expanded by 40% Total NHS general practice workforce grew 20% in 2015-22, but GP numbers fell by 15% Over the past decade the number of NHS general practices in England has shrunk by 20%, but patient list sizes ...
Outpacing 45% increase in world’s population during the same period (1990-2019) Older people worldwide bear the brunt, with steepest rise among 65-69 year olds The proportion of patient harms associated with medical procedures, treatment, and contact with healthcare systems rose by 59%, from 11 million to 18 million globally between ...
Landmark WHO resolution marks an important step towards a healthy world For the first time in the World Health Organization’s 76 year history, world leaders have unanimously committed to put social participation - people, communities and civil society - at the heart of health decision making processes. This landmark pledge ...
Patients’ concerns too often go ignored, says England’s first patient safety commissioner “The NHS’s relentless focus on finance and productivity is failing patient safety,” argues patient safety commissioner Henrietta Hughes in an interview for The BMJ today. “The patient’s anecdote is the canary in the coal mine,” she says. It’s the thing ...
