#GPnews: GP negotiating in ‘capable hands’, as Dr Richard Vautrey takes the reins

15:20 A report on the state of mental healthcare in England, published today by the CQC, has warned that too many patients are in locked up units far from their home.

The CQC also warned that patients stay on the wards for too long, at an average of 341 days, leaving patients at risk of becoming ‘institutionalised’ and with less of a chance of rehabilitation into society.

It also warned that a third of mental health services needed improvements related to patient safety, reports the BBC.

CQC mental health lead Dr Paul Lelliott said that findings ‘this many’ locked rehabilitation beds was a ‘surprise’.

He said: ‘We can’t say exactly how many of the people on these wards don’t need to be in locked facilities, but we do suspect that quite a high proportion of people in these services could, and should be, moved back to be much closer to home and be cared for in residential settings that provide much more independence, and also be supported by community services rather than being in hospital.’

Dr Andrew Molodynski, national mental health lead of the BMA’s consultants’ committee, said: ‘The findings in this report echo those from our investigation into out of area placements for adults receiving mental health care and the unacceptable increases in patients treated for mental illness in an unfamiliar place, far from friends and family.

‘While we support the Government’s aims to eliminate out-of-area placements, this is not due to happen until 2020-21 and patients are being failed by a system at breaking point right now, which shows limited signs of improving.’

11:45 BMA chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul has also taken to Twitter to congratulate his former deputy.

Congratulations @rvautrey on being elected Chair @BMA_GP and commiserations to @MarkSanfordWood who will contnue to be a great asset to GPC

— Chaand Nagpaul (@CNagpaul) July 20, 2017

10:55 The wait is over, as Dr Richard Vautrey is elected the next GPC chair, having been deputy for a very, very long time.

As Pulse editor Nigel Praities points out, the GPC is in safe hands.

The GPC is in capable hands – congratulations @rvautreyhttps://t.co/oTgeqatTnj

— Nigel Praities (@nigelpraities) July 20, 2017

10:30 As we eagerly await the outcome of the election of a new chair of the BMA’s GP Committee, taking place this morning, outgoing chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul has been given a leaving present from the team. Nice work, guys.

Great catching up with my old team presenting best ever end of chairmanship gift from @BMA_GP GPC of Ronnie Scotts membership – big thanks! pic.twitter.com/udpjBTbdis

— Chaand Nagpaul (@CNagpaul) July 19, 2017

09:50 Researchers studying why people develop dementia have found that around 35% of the risk is determined by factors people can themselves influence.

The remaining 65% is out of their hands, theLancet -published study found.

In order to cut the risk however, people can during their lifetime ensure that they do things like protect their hearing and keep physically active, reports the BBC.

The nine risk factors are listed as:

• mid-life hearing loss – responsible for 9% of the risk
• failing to complete secondary education – 8%
• smoking – 5%
• failing to seek early treatment for depression – 4%
• physical inactivity – 3%
• social isolation – 2%
• high blood pressure – 2%
• obesity – 1%
• type 2 diabetes – 1%

Researchers said they didn’t have enough data to include alcohol consumption or dietary habits but thought these could also play important roles.