Gynaecology virtual special issue

Gynaecology virtual special issue
Clinical Radiology October 2018 v73, Issue 10

• This virtual special issue brings together papers discussing the emerging roles of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the gynaecological tract, covering developmental, benign, and malignant indications.

Cancer Taskforce update - NHS England Board meeting 26 September 2018

Update on Cancer Programme
NHS England Board meeting, 26 September 2018

• Update on progress on implementation of the Cancer Taskforce strategy Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for the NHS 2015-2020 and the development of the cancer strategy in the long-term plan. Including:
• Investment through Cancer Alliances in 17/18 and 18/19 to transform diagnostic services and care during and after treatment 
• Radiotherapy upgrade programme 
• Data and information from across the cancer pathway – including screening, diagnosis, treatment and patient experience – is being presented in a single dashboard to Cancer Alliances by a new Cancer Alliance Data, Evidence and Analysis Service (CADEAS). (See presentation here.) 
• New performance standard - Faster Diagnosis Standard (cancer diagnosis or an ‘all clear’ within 28 days of urgent GP referral)  being rolled out
• Timed pathways for three key cancer types – colorectal, prostate and lung cancer 
• Ten multidisciplinary rapid diagnostic and assessment centres set up to test new ways of working and to establish the evidence of what works to speed up cancer diagnosis 
• The 100,000 Genomes Project has developed an exemplar cancer pathway to maximise the quality of material available for molecular diagnostics. 
• Cancer Workforce Plan (HEE December 2017) 
• Operational support - the impact of push to earlier diagnosis, has resulted in increased referrals. Actions are being put in place around closer operational oversight, targeted improvement support and prioritise system transformation to support delivery. Specific support to manage the spike in urology referrals. 
• Work to reduce health inequalities

Manual for Prescribed Specialised Services 2018/19

Manual for Prescribed Specialised Services 2018/19
NHS England updated 18 September 2018

• Detailed technical document that describes which element of specialised services are commissioned by NHS England and which by Clinical Commissioning Groups. (382pp)
• See the List of available services (5pp)

Trustedoctor to facilitate virtual consultations for cancer patients

New Digital Health Tech Accelerator Opens Up NHS To Cancer Specialists
Forbes 18 September 2018

• Trustedoctor, one of the most recent additions to the NHS DigitalHealth accelerator program, a cloud-based, open platform that allows specialist physicians to quickly assess patients and consult with expert colleagues in a virtual setting. DigitalHealth.London will be supporting Trustedoctor in deploying a solution that could help alleviate the complexities that surround ongoing cancer care and support.
• According to Professor Karol Sikora, Professor of Oncology and Dean of Medicine at the University of Buckingham. “Trustedoctor’s technology could help to improve connectivity between patients, clinicians and NHS Trusts, speeding up diagnosis. It could also ensure the right expertise can be brought to the patient more speedily and effectively, even to those living at some distance from a cancer centre.”
• According to Paul Grundy, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Southampton Hospital, Chair of NHS England Clinical Reference Group for CNS Tumours and Secretary of the British Neuro-Oncology Society "Trustedoctor could be a great asset to the NHS by facilitating virtual consultations, allowing patients the benefits of being seen in the comfort and convenience of their own home and freeing up valuable clinic space in hospitals for those patients that do require an on-site appointment."

National Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Audit: Annual report 2018

National Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Audit: Annual report 2018
HQIP 13 September 2018

• Up-to-date information on the quality of OG cancer care provided by NHS organisations in England and Wales
• Includes trends in patterns of care over a five-year period, between April 2012 and March 2017 and documents the evolution of staging investigations, with an increased use of PET-CT scans among patients who are candidates for curative treatment.

Presentations relating to Cancer services, NHS Expo 2018

Presentations relating to cancer services from NHS Health & Care Expo September 2018

• Transforming cancer care: the bigger picture and what's next
• Implementing new models and standards for earlier and faster diagnosis of cancer
• Early Diagnosis: Serious but non-specific symptom pathway
• Vague symptoms pathways (Cheshire & Merseyside Cancer Alliance)
• Multi-disciplinary diagnostic centres (ACE Wave Two Programme)
• Rapid Access Diagnostic Clinic (South East London)

RCP position paper on Artificial intelligence (AI) in health

Artificial intelligence (AI) in health
Royal College of Physicians 3 September 2018

• The RCP has issued recommendations for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to support doctors in providing patient care. The policy statement urges industry to address real-world challenges, doctors to appraise the technology and regulators to develop guidance and evaluation methods.

Patient satisfaction with robotic surgery.

Patient satisfaction with robotic surgery. [Abstract]
J Robot Surg. 2018 Sep;12(3):493-499. doi: 10.1007/s11701-017-0772-3.

• A service evaluation of the robotic-assisted surgery service within the Gynaecology Oncology department at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, around pre-operative care, post procedural pain, length of stay.Almost all patients (99%) were pleased with the overall care that they received and 91% would recommend robotic-assisted surgery as a modality.

Abstract

Delivering Experimental Medicine Research in Critical Care

Delivering Experimental Medicine Research in Critical Care
NIHR Clinical Research Network August 2018

• A report of a workshop held at King’s College London in February 2018 coordinated by the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network Critical Care Experimental Medicine Group. 
• The workshop explored
• How to develop a pipeline of experimental medicine critical care studies (including horizon scanning). 
• How to ensure that the NHS has the capacity to deliver these studies (including trainee development).
• How to engage industry partners.

Open access programme for patients following breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer survivors control their follow-up care in Maidstone
NHS England Case study [no date]

• Open Access Programme at Maidstone hospital puts patients in control of their breast cancer recovery. The programme, supported by the Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance, is based on a similar model at the Royal Marsden Hospital. Patients have access to telephone support, advice and appropriate clinical follow-up, in addition to regular mammograms, for a period of five years following treatment for breast cancer.
• See also patient leaflet on Open Access Follow up service at Imperial College 
• See all NHS England Cancer case studies.

Projections of hip arthroplasty in OECD countries up to 2050

Projections of hip arthroplasty in OECD countries up to 2050 [ PubMed]
Hip Int. 2018 Sep;28(5):498-506. doi: 10.1177/1120700018757940. Epub 2018 May 21.

• The utilisation of hip implants in OECD countries continues to grow by a compound annual growth rate of 1.2%, leading to an increase from 1.8 million per year in 2015 to 2.8 (2.6-2.9) in the year 2050. The mean utilisation rate (incidence) of hip implants will increase from 184 (143-312) to 275 (174-457) per 100.000 total population in the same time. 
• Some countries will face an exponential use of hip arthroplasty of additional 100% or more and thus challenges for their health care budgets. Revision burden will increase disproportionately. 

Abstract