Digital Ophthalmology in the UK – Diabetic Retinopathy Screening and Virtual Glaucoma Clinics in the National Health Service

2020 ◽  
Vol 237 (12) ◽  
pp. 1400-1408
Author(s):  
Heinrich Heimann ◽  
Deborah Broadbent ◽  
Robert Cheeseman
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Retinopathy ◽  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Health ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Diabetic Retinopathy Screening ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Imaging Results ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Retinopathy Screening

AbstractThe customary doctor and patient interactions are currently undergoing significant changes through technological advances in imaging and data processing and the need for reducing person-to person contacts during the COVID-19 crisis. There is a trend away from face-to-face examinations to virtual assessments and decision making. Ophthalmology is particularly amenable to such changes, as a high proportion of clinical decisions are based on routine tests and imaging results, which can be assessed remotely. The uptake of digital ophthalmology varies significantly between countries. Due to financial constraints within the National Health Service, specialized ophthalmology units in the UK have been early adopters of digital technology. For more than a decade, patients have been managed remotely in the diabetic retinopathy screening service and virtual glaucoma clinics. We describe the day-to-day running of such services and the doctor and patient experiences with digital ophthalmology in daily practice.

National trends and cost of litigation in UK National Health Service (NHS): a specialty-specific analysis from the past decade

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 168-174
Author(s):  
Jenni Lane ◽  
Rahul Bhome ◽  
Bhaskar Somani
Keyword(s):  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Health ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Total Annual Cost ◽  
Legal Reforms ◽  
Specific Analysis ◽  
Uk National Health Service ◽  
The Uk ◽  
National Trends

Background and aims Medical litigation claim and costs in UK are rising. This study aims to analyse the 10-year trend in litigation costs for individual clinical specialties in the UK from 2009/10 to 2018/19. Methods Data were procured from National Health Service (NHS) Resolution. Number of claims, total litigation costs and cost per claim were ascertained for each financial year. The data collected also includes the number of claims and average amount per claim per speciality during the years 2009–2019 (2009/2010 to 2018/2019 financial years). Results The total annual cost of NHS litigation is currently £3.6 billion(2018/2019). Damages make up the greatest proportion of costs(£1.5 billion). Surgical specialties have the greatest number of claims annually(2847) but Obstetrics has the greatest total litigation(£1.9 billion) and cost per claim(£2.6 million). Number of claims, total costs and cost per claim are significantly greater in 2018/2019 than in 2009/2010. Conclusions Addressing the issue of litigations is complex. Medically there are speciality specific issues that require attention, whilst some general measures are common to all: effective communication, setting realistic targets and maintaining a motivated, adequately staffed workforce. These, alongside legal reforms, may reduce the financial burden of increasing litigation on the NHS.

scholarly journals Pharmacogenomics in the UK National Health Service: opportunities and challenges

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (17) ◽  
pp. 1237-1246
Author(s):  
Richard M Turner ◽  
William G Newman ◽  
Elvira Bramon ◽  
Christine J McNamee ◽  
Wai Lup Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Health ◽  
Genomic Medicine ◽  
Improve Patient Care ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Patient Representatives ◽  
To Come ◽  
Uk National Health Service ◽  
The Uk

Despite increasing interest in pharmacogenomics, and the potential benefits to improve patient care, implementation into clinical practice has not been widespread. Recently, there has been a drive to implement genomic medicine into the UK National Health Service (NHS), largely spurred on by the success of the 100,000 Genomes Project. The UK Pharmacogenetics and Stratified Medicine Network, NHS England and Genomics England invited experts from academia, the healthcare sector, industry and patient representatives to come together to discuss the opportunities and challenges of implementing pharmacogenomics into the NHS. This report highlights the discussions of the workshop to provide an overview of the issues that need to be considered to enable pharmacogenomic medicine to become mainstream within the NHS.

Disability and forced migration

2021 ◽  
pp. 193-200
Author(s):  
Rebecca Yeo
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Health ◽  
Basic Principle ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Case Histories ◽  
The Uk

Forced migration and disability often are ignored in the research literature. In spite of the equalities legislation for the rights of disabled people, often the responses to disabled migrants are not helpful. In theory, the UK’s National Health Service is founded on the basic principle of universalism. The theoretical hegemonic commitment to universal human rights has often been most overtly broken in relation to migrant rights. In contrast to official condemnation of racism and disablism, successive governments of different political persuasions have continued to, and indeed competed to, prove their hostility towards migrants, whether they are disabled or not. The British asylum system itself is disabling by design. Some people are disabled on arrival in the UK; others become disabled later on. Disabled asylum seekers often describe the system as psychological torture. Therefore, ongoing mental distress can create difficulties in further adjustment, thus compounding problems. Using case histories, this chapter illustrates some of the difficulties faced by migrants with disabilities. A fundamental systemic change is needed to address the injustice encountered by disabled asylum seekers.

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