Latest news with #healthwatchdog
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Disability centre residents say ‘bank cards kept in safe by staff'
A number of residents of disability centres said their bank cards were kept in a safe by staff and they had to ask to access their own money, the health watchdog has reported. In a report published by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) on Friday, it found that while many residents showed an awareness of their rights, some spoke about challenges with their rights. Advertisement A number reported how they could not always go out because of staff shortages or felt they did not have enough say in decisions, like going shopping or what to buy. Some residents also shared experiences where they felt their rights of choice and decision-making were limited. HIQA published its 2024 Resident Forums report, which captures the voices and experiences of people living in residential services for people with disabilities. HIQA said it held 13 face-to-face forums across the country, with 103 residents across 13 different service providers, to hear about their experiences of living in residential services. Advertisement The watchdog said that residents showed a strong awareness of their rights and gave examples of how these are respected in their daily lives. These included the ability to see family, lock their door, manage their own money and live in a safe and comfortable home. Residents told inspectors about the importance of staff knocking before entering their rooms and having privacy when visitors come over. Some residents also felt staff should be reminded to always knock before entering their rooms. Some residents also spoke about challenges with their rights. A few residents said their bank cards were kept in a safe by staff, meaning they had to ask to access their own money. Advertisement Many residents also wanted to have HIQA inspection reports made more accessible, and asked for them to be shared with them. Many told HIQA that they did not know what happened after an inspection and said they wanted to be more involved about its results. Residents also spoke about choice and independence, and described deciding where they went, what they ate and how important it was to be part of the community. Others spoke about how much their independence meant to them and how they had been supported to take part in education and work. Advertisement Many residents said they had regular meetings in their homes where they discussed things like food choices and activities. Another said their house did not have meetings. Some also felt that when they did speak up, their views were not always listened to. Some residents shared experiences where they felt their rights of choice and decision-making were limited. Two residents mentioned a concert which they wished to attend but the trip was cancelled at the last minute without explanation. Advertisement They felt it was due to concerns about another resident potentially having a 'wobble' at the event, which meant no one was able to go. Another resident said their doctor decided what food they could eat because of their weight and staff would not let them have a takeaway if they wanted one. Another resident shared how they did not get a say when they moved house. HIQA said that, overall, residents felt their rights were respected in many ways but also saw areas where things could improve. This was particularly around communication, decision-making and ensuring their privacy and independence were always upheld.
ABC News
08-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
AHPRA takes action against more than 50 practitioners in medicinal cannabis crackdown
The health-practitioner watchdog has put medicinal cannabis prescribers on notice, saying poor prescribing practices and surging consumer demand are leading to "significant" patient harm. AHPRA today released new guidelines urging prescribers to put patient wellbeing above profits, as medicinal cannabis prescriptions rise rapidly due to telehealth companies providing a one-stop shop for quick access to medicinal cannabis. The regulator said some businesses were using "aggressive and sometimes misleading advertising that targets vulnerable people" and online questionnaires that coached patients to say "the right thing" to justify prescribing. The ABC can reveal AHPRA has now taken action against 57 medical practitioners, pharmacists and nurses over medicinal cannabis prescribing practices. "We're currently investigating a further 60 right now as we speak. And for those that choose not to meet our requirements, we will be knocking on their door in the near future," AHPRA chief executive Justin Untersteiner said. The crackdown comes after a series of ABC investigations revealed patients with a history of psychosis had been hospitalised after being prescribed medicinal cannabis and one patient had died following inappropriate prescribing. The investigations also revealed concerns from doctors who said they were being treated like drug dealers and pressured to write medicinal cannabis scripts by the telehealth companies. While AHPRA said the majority of practitioners do the right thing, the agency uncovered half a dozen who issued more than 10,000 scripts in a six-month period, including one who issued over 17,000, or one every four minutes in a working day. Mr Untersteiner said the regulator held serious concerns for patient safety due to excessive and inappropriate prescribing. "We've seen patients present to emergency departments with medicinal-cannabis-induced psychosis, and this can particularly happen where there are patients that have pre-existing mental health conditions or substance abuse or other issues like that. "Another area that worries us is … prescribing excessive quantities or even prescribing multiple different prescriptions to a single patient so they can try which one suits them. "Again, that's completely inappropriate," he said. The new AHPRA guidelines explicitly state that except for childhood epilepsy, muscle spasms and pain associated with multiple sclerosis, cancer and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, "there is little evidence to support the use of medicinal cannabis". According to Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) data, the main conditions medicinal cannabis is being prescribed for include insomnia, chronic pain and anxiety. The guidelines state medicinal cannabis should not be prescribed as a first-line treatment and should only be used when there is an evidence-supported clinical indication and when other treatments have not worked. They also insist patients be thoroughly assessed, proper medical records be taken, and an exit strategy is developed to help patients stop taking the medication. Most medicinal cannabis products prescribed in Australia are unapproved, meaning they have not been assessed by the TGA for safety, quality, performance or effectiveness, something patients must now be informed of during consultations. The majority of cannabis products prescribed in Australia also contain THC, which causes psychoactive effects and makes them Schedule 8 medicines due to the risks of misuse, abuse and potentially addictive properties. "We don't prescribe opioids to every patient who asks for them and medicinal cannabis is no different. Patient demand is no indicator of clinical need," Medical Board of Australia Chair, Dr Susan O'Dwyer said. AHPRA and the Medical and Nursing and Midwifery Boards said they were working with other regulators like the TGA and may investigate practitioners with high rates of prescribing even without receiving complaints. Patients and doctors are encouraged to report unsafe practices to help protect others by calling the AHPRA Notifications Hotline on 1300 361 041.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Littlehampton care home rated 'inadequate' over risk of falls
A care home has been rated inadequate by a health watchdog over concerns about the management of the risks of falls after it was notified a person using the service had died and another had sustained a serious injury. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors found that Brockenhurst, in Littlehampton, West Sussex, was lacking systems to keep people found several breaches of regulations relating to the management of risks, administration of medicines, staffing, person-centred care, dignity and respect, and the management of the service.A spokesperson for the home said improvements were made within weeks of the inspection to keep people safe, but there was more to be done. Serena Coleman, the CQC's deputy director of operations in the south, said: "During our inspection of Brockenhurst care home, we found widespread and significant issues with its leadership had placed people at risk of harm.""The inspection did not examine the circumstances of the death or the fall that prompted the inspection, but these incidents are subject to further investigation," a CQC spokesperson said. "The information shared with CQC about the incidents indicated potential concerns about the management of risks of falls and this inspection examined those risks." 'Robust action' Brockenhurst which cares for people with dementia said they took immediate action after the inspection in March to create an action plan addressing safety concerns within weeks."We took robust action to enhance the safety of all residents," said Phil Hale, an independent care consultant, working with the care home said accidents had been analysed and action taken for individual residents who have had falls, to reduce the risk of further falls. "We have therefore concentrated on making sure residents are safe and their wellbeing enhanced," added Mr Hale. The CQC report said failures in identifying people's needs had led to people needing to move from the Mr Hale said residents "were not moved out", rather that a decision had been made for a few residents that their care needs would be better met Hale also said that relatives regularly told him that they did not want their loved ones moved because they were happy with the level of care they CQC says in its report that "people and their relatives spoke positively about staff and described them as kind and caring".The home say they look forward to the CQC reinspecting later this year, "so that their rating can more accurately reflect the quality of care being provided now".
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Breakthrough Alzheimer's drugs rejected for use on the NHS. Here's how they work
Two drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease have been rejected for use on the NHS because their benefits are 'too small' to justify their cost, the health spending watchdog has said. Donanemab and lecanemab are targeted antibody drugs that slow down the early stages of Alzheimer's by targeting a known cause, rather than just treating symptoms. Both drugs bind to amyloid, a protein which builds up in the brains of people living with Alzheimer's disease, and are designed to help clear the build-up and slow down cognitive decline. However, in publishing its final draft guidance, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said the treatments have been shown to delay progression from mild to moderate Alzheimer's by four to six months, which it described as only 'modest benefits at best'. What are the medicines? Donanemab and lecanemab are targeted antibody drugs that slow down the early stages of Alzheimer's. They represent a huge step forward in research because they target a known cause of the disease, rather than just treating the symptoms. Both drugs bind to amyloid, a protein which builds up in the brains of people living with Alzheimer's disease. By binding to amyloid, the drugs are designed to help clear the buildup and slow down cognitive decline. How effective are they? Donanemab has been shown in clinical trials to slow the rate at which memory and thinking get worse by more than 20 per cent. Evidence suggests that people get the most benefit if they are given the treatment earlier in the disease. Results also suggest the drug leads to a 40 per cent slowing in the decline of everyday activities such as driving, enjoying hobbies and managing money. Lecanemab has also been shown to successfully remove protein build-up from the brains of people living with early Alzheimer's disease. For people taking lecanemab, this meant the decline in their thinking and memory skills was slowed down by 27 per cent. It also slowed down the decline in quality of life by up to 56 per cent. How are the drugs given? Donanemab, developed by the pharmaceutical company Lilly, is given to patients via an intravenous drip once every four weeks. Lecanemab, developed by Eisai, is also given this way, but fortnightly. Are there any side effects? Side effects of the drugs can be serious, and people undergo monitoring to check for them. In one clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2023, 24 per cent of people receiving donanemab had side effects, including brain swelling and infusion-related reactions. Four people died during the trial, with their deaths thought to be related to the drug's side effects. Lecanemab resulted in infusion-related reactions in around 26 per cent of people on the trial and followed up, while 14 per cent suffered amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, causing brain swelling. Others suffered minor bleeds, picked up on scans. Around one in 10 people suffered headaches, according to updated results published in May 2024. Overall, four deaths during the follow-up period were thought to be due to treatment. How much do the drugs cost? NHS England published a briefing paper last year suggesting the cost of bringing the drugs to the health service could be £500 million to £1 billion per year. Around 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the total estimated cost relates to the drug price, with the remaining cash spent on patient assessment, diagnosis and administering the treatment. How many people in England might the drugs have worked for? NHS England estimated that between 50,000 and 280,000 patients could be eligible for the new treatments if they were approved for the NHS. To get the drugs, patients need a baseline MRI scan and then either a PET-CT scan or lumbar puncture to confirm Alzheimer's. It is possible that blood tests will be available in the future to diagnose the disease, so NHS England did warn there should be caution about driving a 'massive expansion' in other diagnostics, which could become redundant in the longer term. What do scientists think? Scientists and doctors have been divided on whether the drugs represent a real clinical benefit that is noticeable in patients' day-to-day. Some argue the drugs represent a huge advance, and people should be given the chance to try them. But others say the benefits are too small. Jennifer Keen, associate director of evidence, policy and influencing at the Alzheimer's Society, has said that 'we remain at an important and exciting moment'. 'There are currently 182 active clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease… We are on the cusp of major scientific breakthroughs beginning to improve the outlook for those with the disease.' Professor Rob Howard, from University College London, said that 'nobody should be surprised that Nice have confirmed their earlier view that the new Alzheimer's disease treatments would not be cost-effective if used within the NHS. 'Well-conducted clinical trials demonstrated that the actual size of benefits experienced by patients were too small to be noticeable, treatment carries risks of side-effects, and the annual cost of the drugs and safety monitoring required would have been close to the cost of a nurse's salary for each treated patient. 'We need better treatments that can make an appreciable difference to the lives of people with dementia and these can only come from further research and study.'
News.com.au
16-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Health watchdog warns public warned about suspended dentist Peter Terzi
The public have been warned about a dentist who was suspended by the health watchdog but may still be operating on patients. Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) released its first public statement under new laws to warn consumers about Peter Terzi, also known as Peter Taylor, who held a dual dentist and nurse registration. Mr Terzi is under investigation and was suspended from practising both professions in February this year. AHPRA allege the suspended Western Australian practitioner poses a serious risk to people because of his conduct. 'He remains under investigation and AHPRA believes he may be continuing to present himself as a registered dentist or nurse while he is suspended and unregistered,' the statement read. Mr Terzi is facing criminal charges for recklessly holding himself as a registered dentist and carrying out a restricted dental act and is before the court. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. AHPRA chief executive officer Justin Untersteiner said the power to issue a warning to the general public came into force two years ago, but Monday's public statement is the first time these powers have been used. 'We take the matter of issuing public statements very seriously and will only ever issue such statements in exceptional circumstances where the public needs to be informed from a safety perspective,' he said. 'The threshold for issuing a public statement is set at a high level. The decision to issue a public statement may only be made when AHPRA or a National Board form a reasonable belief that a practitioner or person poses a serious risk to the public. 'Issuing this statement today means we can warn the public while we continue to take steps to assess and investigate matters that could raise a serious risk to the public.' Anyone who suspects they may have received treatment from or employed Peter Terzi/Taylor, or who has information that he has claimed to be a dentist or a nurse since February 26, is urged to contact AHPRA's Criminal Offences Unit.
