A round-up of the health news in the papers on Tuesday 31 January
How do you feel about the Government's NHS reforms? How would you like to go through it all over again in five years time? The Telegraph reports that the editors of three ‘reputed health journals' have come together to warn that if the reforms are pushed through, another major reorganisation will be needed within five years.
The editors of the British Medical Journal, Health Service Journal and the Nursing Times have warned that the Health and Social Care Bill is so badly thought out that it will leave ‘an unstable system that is only partially fit for purpose'. They continue to say the bill is ‘unnecessary, poorly conceived, badly communicated and a dangerous distraction at a time when the NHS is required to make unprecedented savings'.
Half of GPs feel negative, cynical and even callous towards their patients according to a study reported, again, in the Telegraph on page 10 (in paper version only). The survey of more than 500 GPs in Essex found that a large number were at risk of ‘burning out' with male doctors who had been working for less than 20 years the most affected.
Scientists from Exeter University who carried out the study said: ‘Whatever the reasons, a significant number of doctors is in trouble... The NHS needs to review its policies, especially when generating increased pressure for doctors'. You can attempt to gauge the mood of GPs in Essex yourself by reading Copperfield's blog, from the looks of things, these results aren't surprising.
Following on from its investigation into organ donors yesterday, the Times (paywall) reports today that almost half of families refuse to give consent for their relative's organs to become available for donation.
Out of 2,416 families approached for consent in 2010-11, 57% gave it and only 957 of 4,023 potential donors went on to actually donate their organs. Although patients who sign up to the donor registration list have given their consent in the case of their death, the family can then overrule this once they have died.
