Number of deaths in Northampton was double in April compared to average of last five years

Number of deaths in Northampton was double in April compared to average of last five years The number of people who died in Northampton was double last month compared to the average over the last five years. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Lockdown domestic abuse cases 'tip of the iceberg', says refuge BBC Northampton
• Coronavirus: Northampton rough sleepers will return, charity boss fears BBC Northampton
• A further 31 hospital patients have died with coronavirus in the Anglia region ITV News
• Forty-eight-year-old woman charged after PPE equipment was stolen from Northampton General Hospital Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Second personal protective equipment (PPE) survey of UK nursing staff report

Second personal protective equipment (PPE) survey of UK nursing staff report The RCN has undertaken two surveys of health and care staff to identify their experiences and ongoing issues with the supply of and access to PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic. This report details the findings of the second survey (May 2020). Although there has been some improvement since the April 2020 survey, there are still shortages of essential PPE in all settings, and health and care staff are still reliant on PPE items being donated or home-made in some cases. The findings also highlighted a contrast in the experience and safety of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) respondents. Royal College of Nursing

Six-country survey on Covid-19

Six-country survey on Covid-19 This discussion paper presents a new data set collected on representative samples across six countries: China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, the UK and the four largest states in the US. The information collected relates to work and living situations, income, behavior (such as social-distancing, hand-washing and wearing a face mask), beliefs about the Covid-19 pandemic and exposure to the virus, socio-demographic characteristics and pre-pandemic health characteristics. Institute of Labor Economics

Loneliness, social isolation and Covid-19: practical advice

Loneliness, social isolation and Covid-19: practical advice The LGA, together with the Association of Directors of Public Health, have produced this guide for directors of public health and others leading the response to the loneliness and social isolation issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Local Government Association

Government failing to follow advice of own SAGE group in opening schools June 1

Government failing to follow advice of own SAGE group in opening schools June 1 It is not safe enough for all schools to re-open on June 1, says a report from Independent SAGE, the 12-strong committee chaired by former Chief Scientific Adviser Sir David King, The report concludes that the government is not following the advice of its own scientists.

The report says that modelling from the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) shows R increasing if schools re-open. It notes that since it published its draft report last week, the government has also heightened the risks of a resurgence of COVID-19 cases by undermining its own messaging.

It says: ‘Public adherence to social distancing is influenced by trust in the government and its messaging. This trust is increasingly strained.’

£5 million funding given to mental health community projects

£5 million funding given to mental health community projects Community projects supporting people with their mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will benefit from their share of £5 million of additional funding. Department of Health and Social Care 

See also:

• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Updated guidance on risk assessments for staff NHS Employers
• Research and analysis: National COVID-19 surveillance reports Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: advice for smokers and vapers Public Health England
• Research and analysis: Statements regarding COVID-19 tests evaluated by PHE Public Health England

About 7% have had coronavirus, says ONS survey

About 7% have had coronavirus, says ONS survey About 7% of people in England have been infected with coronavirus, antibody tests on a random sample of households suggest.

"Herd immunity is not worth worrying about" at that level, say experts involved in the Office for National Statistics study.

The results are based on blood samples taken from 885 people from private households after 26 April. BBC News

See also:

• NHS Seacole: Covid-19 rehab centre takes first patients BBC News
• Coronavirus: How the virus is hitting some harder than others BBC News
• Coronavirus: Dental practices to reopen from 8 June BBC News
• Coronavirus: R number 'very similar' across UK BBC News
• Coronavirus UK: Government's contact tracing site crashes The Daily Mail
• April was the deadliest month on record in England and Wales: Figures show 88,000 people died The Daily Mail
• Contact tracing in England 'not fully operational until end of June' The Guardian
• Government rejected radical lockdown of England's care homes The Guardian
• I'm an NHS consultant. We're exhausted – and a second surge is on its way The Guardian
• Matt Hancock's obsession with hospitals has warped priorities and cost lives The Guardian
• NHS will keep personal data of people with coronavirus for 20 years The Guardian
• Nearly 17,000 fines for alleged breaches of coronavirus lockdown rules issued in England and Wales The Independent
• Coronavirus: What’s the risk of catching Covid-19 from a surface? The Independent

Covid-19 death-rate may be slowing but we're far from out of the woods yet, warns Northampton hospital boss

Covid-19 death-rate may be slowing but we're far from out of the woods yet, warns Northampton hospital boss Doctors fear Northampton is far from out of the woods yet over Covid-19 despite a falling death-rate and the Government easing lockdown laws.

Schools and are due to reopen next week with non-essential shops also unlocking their doors for the first time in 12 weeks on June 15.

Yet staff at Northampton General Hospital are warning the county's death-rate may be slowing, but it is not slowing as fast as in major cities such as London and Birmingham. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Returning NHS waiting times to 18 weeks for routine treatment: the scale of the challenge pre-Covid-19

Returning NHS waiting times to 18 weeks for routine treatment: the scale of the challenge pre-Covid-19

Returning to ‘normal’ levels of activity is expected to take some time and, even before Covid-19, there were substantial challenges with waiting times. As the NHS looks to start to recover services, this long read looks at the context in which planned treatment will recommence. Specifically, it looks at what would have been needed – if the NHS were operating within a ‘business as usual model’ – to return to delivering the standard of 92 per cent of patients being treated within 18 weeks, given the waiting lists and waiting times backlog that had built up by January 2020. The Health Foundation

Age, death risk, and the design of an exit strategy: a guide for policymakers and for citizens who want to stay alive

Age, death risk, and the design of an exit strategy: a guide for policymakers and for citizens who want to stay alive This discussion paper provides information on the strong age-pattern in the risk of death from three countries (China, Italy, the UK). If politicians want an imminent removal of the lockdown, the safest approach in our judgment would be a rolling age-release strategy combined with the current principle of social distancing. But even if that is not the policy adopted, citizens need to be shown graphs of the kind in this paper. Honest guidance ought to be given to those in midlife and beyond. Governments have to allow people to understand their personal risk after any release from lockdown. Institute of Labor Economics

Government launches NHS Test and Trace service

Government launches NHS Test and Trace service New guidance means those who have been in close contact with someone who tests positive must isolate for 14 days, even if they have no symptoms. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Detailed guide: NHS test and trace: how it works Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: NHS test and trace: workplace guidance Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Latest COVID 19 guidance updates NHS Employers
• Guidance: COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection Public Health England
• Guidance: Guidance for contacts of people with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection who do not live with the person Public Health England

Coronavirus: Matt Hancock outlines new isolation guidelines

Coronavirus: Matt Hancock outlines new isolation guidelines From Thursday, those who have been contacted by the NHS will be asked to isolate, even if they do not have symptoms. 

In the government's daily briefing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock set out details for the test and trace system, which will start tomorrow in England.

The aim of the test and trace system is to move from lockdown for all towards more targeted measures. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Test and trace system kicks off in England BBC News
• Coronavirus: Everyone in the UK is now eligible for a test BBC News
• Coronavirus: Schools and workplaces could see 'local lockdowns' BBC News
• Cheltenham Festival and Liverpool's Champions League match led to MORE deaths The Daily Mail
• UK's test, trace and isolate scheme will only cut infections by 5%, scientists warn The Daily Mail
• The NHS Test and Trace system, explained The Daily Telegraph
• Significant regional variation in COVID-19 care home deaths GPonline
• Coronavirus is whipping up a mental health storm for NHS workers The Guardian
• England's coronavirus tracing plan: 'beset by conflict and confusion' The Guardian
• Cancer, transplant and asthma patients axed from shielding list by text message The Guardian
• Test and trace: New NHS coronavirus track scheme could prove very difficult to put into practice, doctors warn iNews
• Coronavirus: New guidance issued to protect black, Asian and ethnic minorities working in English hospitals Sky News

NHS hospital car parking policies in the UK

NHS hospital car parking policies in the UK This briefing sets out policies on NHS hospital parking charges in the UK. Hospitals may charge for car parking in all NHS hospitals in England and Northern Ireland. Most hospital car parking charges were abolished in Wales in 2008 and Scotland in 2009. House of Commons Library

Northamptonshire's Covid-19 death toll still trending downwards, despite rise in positive tests

Northamptonshire's Covid-19 death toll still trending downwards, despite rise in positive tests Northamptonshire's Covid-19 death-rate in our two main hospitals continued to slow with one more victim in the latest 24-hour period.

The death at Kettering General Hospital on Sunday (May 17) took the total to a sobering 357 at the two NHS trusts since the coronavirus outbreak claimed its first victim on March 3. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• NHS reports 18 more coronavirus deaths in hospitals in the Anglia region ITV News
• Covid-19 claims its 500th victim among Northamptonshire's hospital patients and care home residents Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Zero Covid-19 deaths at KGH announced today Northamptonshire Telegraph

Shielded voices

Shielded voices At the beginning of the acute phase of the Covid-19 crisis, we could reason that it might have been necessary and understandable to make big decisions about health and care (and much else) quickly without much input from patients or users. However, as we move tentatively out of the acute phase, with health and care services working through how they deliver much needed support, the need to ensure we are hearing from people and communities using services, particularly those living with ill health or disabilities, becomes ever more pressing. The King's Fund

The Covid-19 pandemic, financial inequality and mental health

The Covid-19 pandemic, financial inequality and mental health This briefing discusses the mental health effects of financial inequalities in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. It draws evidence from the “Coronavirus: Mental Health in the Pandemic” research – a UK-wide, long-term study of how the pandemic is affecting people’s mental health. The study is led by the Mental Health Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, Swansea University, the University of Strathclyde and Queen’s University Belfast.

Girlguiding research briefing: early findings on the impact of Covid-19 on girls and young women

Girlguiding research briefing: early findings on the impact of Covid-19 on girls and young women This report summarises research of 7,000 members and reveals how girls and young women aged 4–18 in the UK are coping with the changes to their daily lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Findings reveal over half of girls aged 15 -18 feel lockdown has had a negative impact on their mental health – amidst high levels of worry, stress and loneliness. Girlguiding

Selected NHS patients to access coronavirus treatment remdesivir

Selected NHS patients to access coronavirus treatment remdesivir The anti-viral drug remdesivir will be made available to patients meeting certain clinical criteria to support their recovery in hospital. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Coronavirus (Covid-19): antibody tests Department of Health and Social Care
• Government significantly boosts UK PPE supply with more than 100 new deals Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• MHRA guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19) Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Coronavirus deaths fall to six-week low

Coronavirus deaths fall to six-week low Coronavirus death registrations in the UK in the week to 15 May reached their lowest point since the beginning of April.

Between 11 and 15 May, there were 4,210 death registrations mentioning Covid-19, across the UK.

Down from 4,426 the previous week, it is the lowest weekly figure since the 3,801 for the week ending 10 April. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: The human cost of virus misinformation BBC News
• Coronavirus: Why can I shop but not visit my relatives? BBC News
• Coronavirus: One week in one hospital BBC News
• Coronavirus UK: MHR tells labs to STOP analysing home tests The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: One in 20 London care home residents have died The Daily Mail
• Remdesivir drug to be available for selected NHS Covid-19 patients The Guardian
• Sally Daghlian: 'Some migrants are too scared to seek healthcare' The Guardian
• Outside socialising may be relaxed in England within weeks The Guardian
• Hancock: local lockdowns will be used to suppress infection The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Psychiatric effects 'could last a decade' as NHS fears impact of lockdown on children  The Independent

Ten more coronavirus patients die at KGH

Ten more coronavirus patients die at KGH Ten more Covid-19 patients at KGH have died, bringing the hospital's sobering death toll to 164.

The NHS confirmed three deaths at the Rothwell Road hospital yesterday with a further seven confirmed today (Sunday).

All of the deaths took place over four days with five in just one 24-hour period. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Coronavirus: Mum of boy with cerebral palsy talks of lockdown struggle BBC Northampton
• A further 11 hospital patients have died with coronavirus in the Anglia region ITV News
• Northampton's NHS heroes get a special 'thank you' every time they go to work Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Good news for pregnant women...Northampton General Hospital opens three new community maternity hubs Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• First double-digit rise in a week in number of Northamptonshire hospitals' Covid-19 victims Northamptonshire Telegraph
• RPA firm automates monitoring of oxygen supply at Northampton General Hispital to support COVID-19 patients Med-Tech Innovation

The impact of Covid-19 on working relationships

The impact of Covid-19 on working relationships Recovery plans are gearing up to deal with the legacy of an emergency response that put many services on hold to prevent Covid-19 from overwhelming the health and care system. Efforts are focusing on unmet need – deferred treatment, late presentations and the long-term physical and mental health effects of the crisis – alongside a determination to retain and embed some of the innovations resulting from new ways of working. But, while some individuals and teams are flying, with energy to capitalise on the opportunities, there are other, harder to acknowledge, aspects of unmet need emerging. The King's Fund

Minimum bridging competencies for general practice nurses transitioning to community nursing: for use during Covid-19 pandemic

Minimum bridging competencies for general practice nurses transitioning to community nursing: for use during Covid-19 pandemic These competencies aim to support nurses who are taking up new roles at short notice during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Queen's Nursing Institute 

Overview of the UK government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Overview of the UK government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic This report provides an overview of government’s wide-ranging response to Covid-19. It finds that between 31 January and 4 May, the government made over 500 announcements. The report sets out £124.3 billion of programmes, initiatives and spending commitments in response to the pandemic. It concludes that the costs of government’s response are large and uncertain and will depend on the continuing health and economic impacts of the pandemic. National Audit Office

Government to offer antibody tests to health and social care staff and patients in England

Government to offer antibody tests to health and social care staff and patients in England New antibody testing programme to provide tens of thousands of antibody tests per day across the UK from next week. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Trial of rapid coronavirus test launched in Hampshire Department of Health and Social Care
  
• £300 million additional funding for local authorities to support new test and trace service Department of Health and Social Care
• £22 million awarded to life-saving health charities during virus outbreak Department of Health and Social Care
  
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Government announces 14-day quarantine arrangements including exemptions for healthcare workers NHS Employers
• NHS thanks Muslim staff working through Ramadan and urges care over Eid NHS England
• NHS expands offer of help to people with diabetes during coronavirus outbreak NHS England
• Weekly COVID-19 surveillance report published Public Health England

Coronavirus: WHO halts trials of hydroxychloroquine over safety fears

Coronavirus: WHO halts trials of hydroxychloroquine over safety fears Testing of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a possible treatment for coronavirus has been halted because of safety fears, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

Trials in several countries are being "temporarily" suspended as a precaution, the agency said on Monday. 

It comes after a recent medical study suggested the drug could increase the risk of patients dying from Covid-19. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: UK authorises anti-viral drug remdesivir BBC News
• Coronavirus: The search for antibody super donors BBC News
• Coronavirus: Can it affect eyesight? BBC News
• Coronavirus: Sports events in March 'caused increased suffering and death' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Can we stay safe as lockdown eases? BBC News
• Coronavirus: How to keep safe while shopping BBC News
• Human coronavirus vaccine trials to begin in Australia TODAY with 130 people The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: Death toll hits 36,914 with 121 new fatalities The Daily Mail
• Three in 10 negative coronavirus tests may be wrong, a doctors' union warns The Daily Mail
• NHS won't be the service people had previously, health chief says The Daily Mail
• Six in 10 UK health workers killed by Covid-19 are BAME The Guardian
• Dominic Cummings: resign or be sacked, says leading doctor The Guardian
• Cummings' trip could harm test-and-trace strategy, experts say The Guardian
• Huge backlog in operations building due to lack of PPE and staff testing The Guardian
• UK coronavirus R number stays the same for two weeks in a row The Guardian
• Trust chiefs lead NHS criticism of 'disgraceful' Cummings Health Service Journal
• Coronavirus: UK hospital closes A&E and no longer accepting new patients The Independent
• It will take months for NHS services to resume, health leaders warn ITV News
• Coronavirus: NHS doctor threatens to resign if Dominic Cummings does not Sky News

Northampton General Hospital implements robot to help plan care of Covid-19 patients

Northampton General Hospital implements robot to help plan care of Covid-19 patients Northampton General Hospital has started using robotic technology to free up healthcare workers' time when looking after Covid-19 patients.

The hospital has introduced a bot to monitor and record the its crucial supply of compressed oxygen - something that otherwise needs a healthcare worker to do manually every hour of the day. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Coronavirus: Family 'feel lied to' over care home virus death BBC Northampton
• A further 15 patients with coronavirus die in hospitals in the Anglia region ITV News
• Northampton General Hospital looking at bringing back suspended home birth service as NHS starts to reopen Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• New report highlights impact of Covid-19 crisis on medical tests at Northampton General Hospital Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Number of people going to A&E in Northampton drops by 50% in April compared to last year Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 'We want answers' say family of widower who died after contracting Covid-19 at Kettering care home Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Northamptonshire's Covid-19 death toll still trending downwards, despite rise in positive tests Northamptonshire Telegraph

Why are improvements in life expectancy slowing in the United Kingdom and across Europe?

Why are improvements in life expectancy slowing in the United Kingdom and across Europe? International monitoring and co-operation can be invaluable in tackling global health problems because often the drivers and solutions are common across national boundaries. This is vital and done routinely in the context of infectious disease, as evident currently in the Covid-19 (coronavirus) context, but it can be important also in the context of non-communicable diseases. The King's Fund

Statement from the UK Chief Medical Officers on an update to coronavirus symptoms

Statement from the UK Chief Medical Officers on an update to coronavirus symptoms New information about coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms has been announced. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Everyone in the United Kingdom with symptoms now eligible for coronavirus tests Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for care homes Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Helping NHS staff get the essentials they need NHS England
• Research and analysis: Position statement regarding COVID-19 tests evaluated by PHE Public Health England

Coronavirus: Cancer surgery delays risk 'thousands' of deaths

Coronavirus: Cancer surgery delays risk 'thousands' of deaths The NHS must ensure cancer-surgery delays do not cost more lives than the number of Covid-19 patients saved, the Institute of Cancer Research says.
 
In some cancers, a three-month delay could make the difference between a tumour being curable or not, Prof Clare Turnbull said.

And her modelling suggested delaying surgery risked thousands of additional deaths.

NHS England is already urging people to seek help for worrying symptoms. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Total deaths in England and Wales down BBC News
• Coronavirus: Poor data left care homes ‘fighting a losing battle’ BBC News
• Coronavirus: 'We didn't get ahead of testing early enough' - Greg Clark BBC News
• Coronavirus: 'Wash hands at least six times a day' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Diabetic people offered support BBC News
• Coronavirus symptoms: UK adds loss of smell and taste to list BBC News
• Cycle of six-week lockdowns could be the safest way to beat coronavirus, scientists say The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: Death toll hits 35,023 with 227 more deaths The Daily Mail
• People with COVID-19 experience psychiatric problems, study suggests The Daily Mail
• UK is bulk buying hydroxychloroqine as potential Covid-19 treatment The Guardian
• Jeanelle de Gruchy: ‘The NHS is not set up to focus on preventing illness’ The Guardian
• UK coronavirus home test kits run out as eligibility list is expanded The Guardian
• Rollout of NHS contact-tracing app to be delayed until June The Guardian
• At least 23 nationalities among NHS staff killed by covid Health Service Journal
• Extent of coronavirus spread in England hospitals not shared with NHS trusts ITV News
• Scrap 'unfair and unjust' charges for foreign NHS workers, govt urged Sky News
• Coronavirus: 'We did decide to focus upon NHS' says justice secretary Sky News

Your parents are heroes, hospital boss tells children

Your parents are heroes, hospital boss tells children A hospital chief executive has written to the children of his staff members telling them their parents are "true heroes" of the coronavirus crisis.

Simon Weldon, the chief executive at Kettering Hospital, wrote the letter on Monday. 

In it he tells children their parents are "working really hard to help all of the poorly people in the hospital". BBC Northampton

See also:

• Lung cancer patient died after surgery cancellation BBC Northampton
• Covid-19: How it feels to recover from the virus ITV News
• A further 14 patients die infected with coronavirus in hospitals in the Anglia region ITV News
• At last! You can go and see a dentist in Northamptonshire if you really need to Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Six more Covid-19 victims takes total to 342 in Northamptonshire's two main hospitals Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 'I Am One Nurse': NGH teams up with Screen Northants to mark International Nurses Day Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• New Northampton mum puts expectant parents' at ease with lockdown birthing advice Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS performance summary: March–April 2020

NHS performance summary: March–April 2020 Our monthly round-up of the latest NHS performance data. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Figures show a seismic shift in the way people are using health services The Health Foundation
• New data shows 'rising levels of unmet need for care' The King's Fund
• Dramatic drop in A&E numbers reflects people putting off urgent care because of Covid-19 Nuffield Trust

Tough challenges but new possibilities – shaping the post Covid-19 world with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector

Tough challenges but new possibilities – shaping the post Covid-19 world with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector The voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, which includes almost 40,000 charities playing a vital role in the health and care system, is probably facing its toughest-ever test as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The King's Fund

What are we learning from the workforce about the impacts of COVID-19?

What are we learning from the workforce about the impacts of COVID-19? To date, the Royal College of Physicians has conducted three surveys of its members and fellows during COVID-19. The first on 1–2 April, the second on 22–23 April and the most recent one on 13–14 May.

Psychiatrists see alarming rise in patients needing urgent and emergency care and forecast a 'tsunami' of mental illness

Psychiatrists see alarming rise in patients needing urgent and emergency care and forecast a 'tsunami' of mental illness Mental health services are dealing with a rise in urgent and emergency cases but also preparing for a ‘tsunami’ of mental illness still to come, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

A new survey of over 1,300 mental health doctors from across the UK reveals that 43% of psychiatrists have seen an increase in their urgent and emergency caseload while 45% have seen a reduction in their most routine appointments.

Government begins large scale study of coronavirus immunity

Government begins large scale study of coronavirus immunity Up to 20,000 people are being asked to take part in a new government-funded study to further track the extent of the coronavirus spread across England, Scotland and Wales.
 
The research will measure blood antibodies to help determine what proportion of the population has already had the infection, the duration of immunity after being infected, and why the virus affects people differently. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• COVID-19 detection dogs trial launches Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for care homes Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance on carrying out risk assessments for BME staff. NHS Employers
• Guidance: COVID-19: management of exposed staff and patients in health and social care settings Public Health England
• Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for educational settings Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings Public Health England
• RCGP calls on health secretary to move away from 'hitting targets' to testing 'the right people at the right time' to ease lockdown and avoid a second wave of COVID-19 Royal College of General Practitioners

Coronavirus: UK daily death figure dips to lowest level since March

Coronavirus: UK daily death figure dips to lowest level since March The UK's daily figure for coronavirus deaths has dropped to 170 - the lowest since the day after lockdown began.

The announcement comes a week after the first easing of restrictions in England - and while numbers are typically lower on Sundays, the figure is almost 100 fewer than the 268 reported a week ago.

But the overall death toll remains the highest in Europe, and is now 34,636. BBC News

See also:

• Children 'seem less capable of spreading virus' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Imaging equipment ‘woefully underfunded’ BBC News
• Coronavirus: Half a million access suicide prevention course BBC News
• Psychiatrists fear 'tsunami' of mental illness after lockdown BBC News
• Coronavirus: '10,000 unaccounted for deaths in care sector' BBC News
• Coronavirus: When did care homes go into lockdown? BBC News
• Coronavirus and dementia: 'I'm scared to go out after lockdown' BBC News
• Britain's £130 million plan to manufacture a coronavirus vaccine The Daily Mail
• Almost a third of negative coronavirus tests could be WRONG The Daily Mail
• One in three patients who fall severely ill with coronavirus develop deadly blood clots The Daily Mail
• NHS coronavirus contact tracing app risks sidelining millions of people who don't have a mobile The Daily Mail
• What are the five levels of Covid-19 alert? The Daily Telegraph
• Trump Administration to restore partial funding to WHO The Daily Telegraph
• Over three-quarters of BAME doctors fear they will contract Covid-19
• UK contact-tracing applicants wrongly told hiring paused in latest 'misstep' The Guardian
• Up to 20% of hospital patients in England got coronavirus while in for another illness The Guardian
• UK bars and hair salons get more help than care homes, say providers The Guardian
• Antibody test 'unlikely to be widely available' in UK any time soon The Guardian
• Michael Gove tells councils to 'look to their responsibilities' and open schools The Guardian
• The week of 'staying alert' that left the government in a daze The Guardian
• Majority of doctors have 'little to no confidence' that NHS will cope in coming weeks, BMA survey finds The Independent
• Coronavirus: UK's testing strategy 'undermining confidence' of NHS staff, warn doctors The Independent

Covid-19 death toll hits 200 at Northampton General Hospital

Covid-19 death toll hits 200 at Northampton General Hospital NHS staff on the Covid-19 front line at Northampton General Hospital have now seen 200 victims of the bug die in just 57 days.

Confirmation that two more patients died at the Cliftonville site took the grim total to exactly 200 since the first victims died there on March 16 to the most recent on May 12. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northants NHS worker ill with Covid-19, says trust chairman Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Social care reform: fit for purpose or simply fit for a crisis?

Social care reform: fit for purpose or simply fit for a crisis? The Covid-19 (coronavirus) crisis has laid out in stark relief just how critical social care is to the people who rely on it to live the lives they want to, to communities and the economy, and yes, to the NHS too. Too often, politicians of all parties decided they couldn’t afford the political capital and the financial cost of social care reform. We can only hope that the current crisis is showing that they can’t afford not to. The King's Fund

Covid-19 and the nation’s mental health: forecasting needs and risks in the UK

Covid-19 and the nation’s mental health: forecasting needs and risks in the UK According to this report, the global Covid-19 pandemic is likely to increase the number of people in Britain experiencing a mental health problem in the next two years. It uses evidence from previous epidemics internationally and from the aftermath of the 2008 banking crisis to estimate what effect Covid-19 will have on mental health at population level in the UK. Centre for Mental Health

Digital transformation in the NHS

Digital transformation in the NHS This report was prepared before the Coronavirus pandemic. We recognise that the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS have unprecedented operational priorities to deal with, and we have agreed with them to publish this report because it contains valuable information that will remain relevant and help with digital transformation in the NHS in the longer-term.

Progress in transforming digital services in the NHS has been slower than expected. Today’s report by the National Audit Office has found that recent investment in digital transformation has been inadequate, and it is uncertain whether current funding will be sufficient to meet the government’s ambitions because plans are based on very limited cost data. National Audit Office

70 million face masks for NHS and care workers through new industry deal

70 million face masks for NHS and care workers through new industry deal More than 70 million face masks will be manufactured in the UK and delivered to frontline health and care workers following an agreement with a global technology company. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• NHS Roadmap To Safely Bring Back Routine Operations NHS England
• Statistical data set: COVID-19: number of outbreaks in care homes – management information Public Health England
• Research and analysis: National COVID-19 surveillance reports Public Health England
• Covid-19: resetting emergency department care Royal College of Emergency Medicine

Health unions publish blueprint for the safe opening up of the NHS

Health unions publish blueprint for the safe opening up of the NHS The nine-point plan, jointly released by the RCN and 15 other unions, details measures that must be in place to protect the NHS, patients and staff as outpatient clinics and operations resume.

These include fast, comprehensive and accessible testing and the ongoing, ample supply of personal protective equipment. Royal College of Nursing

See also:

• NHS Trade Unions’ Blueprint for Return Royal College of Nursing

Coronavirus: Reopening NHS services must be safe, unions say

Coronavirus: Reopening NHS services must be safe, unions say Rapid testing and an adequate supply of protective equipment must be in place when the NHS reopens services cancelled during the peak of the coronavirus oubreak, health unions have said.
 
The unions have put forward a nine-point plan for the NHS to reopen safely as lockdown restrictions ease.

And staff working through the crisis should be paid overtime and a public sector pay freeze ruled out, they say. BBC News

See also:

• Doctors 'told not to discuss PPE shortages' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Mental health of NHS staff at long-term risk BBC News
• One in 400 people in England have coronavirus, tests suggest BBC News
• Coronavirus is FIVE TIMES deadlier than the seasonal flu, report finds The Daily Mail
• TALKING in confined spaces can spread coronavirus, study finds The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: Contract tracing may mean 770k self-isolate a day The Daily Mail
• Army called in after PPE distribution 'beset by chaos' The Daily Telegraph
• England's Covid-19 infection rate too high for further easing, experts say The Guardian
• MPs and peers call for legal requirement to delete UK contract-tracing data The Guardian
• NHS coronavirus advisory board split over ditching government app The Guardian
• Quarter of Covid-19 deaths in English hospitals were of diabetics The Guardian
• Drivers tell of chaos at UK's privately run PPE stockpile The Guardian
• 23,000 extra care home residents die in five months with 12,500 linked to coronavirus, new figures reveal The Independent

Kettering care home forced to close as at least eleven residents die from suspected Covid-19 - Northamptonshire Telegraph

Kettering care home forced to close as at least eleven residents die from suspected Covid-19 A Kettering care hit by a coronavirus outbreak that has killed as many as eleven residents, has been ordered to close its doors.

Residents from Temple Court in Albert Street, Kettering are being moved to other homes in the area after health and local authority bosses are understood to have stepped in after concerns about care levels. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Coronavirus: Residents moved from virus-hit care home BBC Northampton
• Coronavirus: 'Worst' Northamptonshire council axe could be delayed BBC Northampton
• Rise in coronavirus deaths in the Anglia region after weekend decline ITV News
• Ten more Covid-19 victims in Northamptonshire's two main hospitals Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Army's 'Desert Rats' march into Northamptonshire to boost Covid-19 testing for key workers Northamptonshire Telegraph

Restarting health and care services will take many months, leading charities warn

Restarting health and care services will take many months, leading charities warn Three independent health and care charities warn today that it will take many more months before NHS and social care organisations are able to fully restart services following the Covid-19 outbreak. The King's Fund

Detailed guide: Help the government increase coronavirus (COVID-19) testing capacity

Detailed guide: Help the government increase coronavirus (COVID-19) testing capacity The government wants help from businesses to increase testing capacity in the UK as part of its strategy to protect the NHS and save lives. Department of Health and Social Care 

See also:

• Sequencing human genomes in fight against coronavirus Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• A four-nation exit strategy: how the UK and devolved governments should approach coronavirus Institute for Government
• Artificial intelligence against Covid-19: an early review Institute of Labour Economics
• The new normal: balancing Covid-19 and other healthcare needs NHS Providers
• Examples of good practice General Pharmaceutical Council
• Detailed guide: Rapid evaluation of digital health products during the COVID-19 pandemic Public Health England

Coronavirus antibody test a 'positive development'

Coronavirus antibody test a 'positive development' A test to find out whether people have been infected with coronavirus in the past has been approved by health officials in England.

Public Health England said the antibody test, developed by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, was a "very positive development".

The blood test looks for antibodies to see if a person has already had the virus and might now have some immunity.

Until now, officials have said such tests are not reliable enough. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Care homes felt 'completely abandoned' BBC News
• FactCheck: coronavirus in care homes Fact Check 
• Government guidance withdrawn in March did say it was ‘very unlikely’ people in care homes would be infected with Covid-19 Full Fact
• Coronavirus: A&E visits in England down to record low BBC News
• Coronavirus: Re-starting NHS 'may take months' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Up to 100 children affected by rare inflammatory reaction BBC News
• 80% of children in Italian hospital with rare inflammatory disorder tested positive for coronavirus The Daily Mail
• Exclusive: Second more deadly wave of coronavirus 'to hit Europe this winter' The Daily Telegraph
• US immunologist warns of 'darkest winter in modern history' if the coronavirus rebounds The Daily Telegraph
• Health experts warn of Covid-19 mental health crisis The Daily Telegraph
• More than 95,000 people flew into UK during lockdown and nearly 5,000 may have been infected with coronavirus The Daily Telegraph
• A GP's verdict on the shielding list: 'It's been really complicated' The Guardian
• The coronavirus slayer! How Kerala's rock star health minister helped save it from Covid-19 The Guardian
• International NHS and social care staff 'should have right to permanently stay in UK' ITV News
• Coronavirus: NHS tracing app reveals issues in Isle of Wight trial Sky News
• Coronavirus: 'NHS cannot deliver all that is now being asked of it,' health leaders say Sky News

Another grim milestone passed as number of Northamptonshire's Covid-19 victims tops 400

Another grim milestone passed as number of Northamptonshire's Covid-19 victims tops 400 More than 400 Covid-19 victims have died in Northamptonshire according to latest grim figures released on Tuesday (May 12).

Eight more patients have been reported as dying in the county's two main hospitals, taking the toll to 324 among NHS patients. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Coronavirus: Northampton homeless 'will be housed' after crisis BBC Northampton
• Northampton Muslim community comes together to serve up 120 free meals for hospital staff Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Desborough lingerie firm's NHS donation is far from pants Northamptonshire Telegraph

Human Rights and the Government’s Response to Covid-19: Digital Contact Tracing

Human Rights and the Government’s Response to Covid-19: Digital Contact Tracing Report outlining the approaches to contact tracing and the key actions the Government must take to ensure that the app respects human rights including the right to privacy and non-discrimination at the same time as enabling individuals to move around more freely whilst helping to prevent the spread of the virus. Joint Committee on Human Rights

Government expands expert team to rapidly roll out coronavirus test and trace programme

Government expands expert team to rapidly roll out coronavirus test and trace programme The government has announced the expansion of the expert team leading on the rapid nationwide roll-out of the coronavirus (COVID-19) test and trace programme. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• New partnership to sequence human genomes in fight against coronavirus Department of Health and Social Care
• Latest COVID 19 guidance updates NHS Employers
• More nurses should be coronavirus legacy says NHS chief NHS England
• Procurement guidance during Covid-19 Primary Care Commissioning

Coronavirus: Johnson accused of misleading MPs over care home advice

Coronavirus: Johnson accused of misleading MPs over care home advice Boris Johnson is standing by a response at PMQs to the Labour leader, after he was accused of misleading MPs in a row over care homes.

The row centred on official advice at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Sir Keir said the government had been "too slow to protect people", and that up until 12 March, care homes were being told it was "very unlikely" anyone would become infected. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Does lockdown easing 'follow the science'? BBC News
• How do you recover after surviving a near fatal bout of coronavirus? BBC News
• Coronavirus started spreading among the British public BEFORE the first two people tested positive The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: Death toll hits 33,186 with 494 new fatalities The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus test results from thousands of people are 'disappearing into a black hole' The Daily Mail
• Real care home death toll in England and Wales could be as high as 22,000 The Daily Mail
• Britain's COVID-19 death toll could DOUBLE to 73,000 by next year if 10% of people catch the virus The Daily Mail
• Number of patients at London's NHS Nightingale never exceeded one ward The Daily Telegraph
• Millions with health conditions at risk from Covid-19 'if forced back to work' The Guardian
• Testing for coronavirus in UK care homes a ‘complete system failure’ The Guardian
• NHS England seeks advice amid 'shielded' patient concerns Health Service Journal

Northamptonshire care providers given money to help fund personal protective equipment

Northamptonshire care providers given money to help fund personal protective equipment Northamptonshire residential homes and care providers hit financially during the Covid-19 pandemic have been given hundreds of thousands of pounds to help them through the crisis. 

The county council has given the funds to the county’s care providers to help cover additional costs such personal protective equipment and increased operating costs. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Daily total of Covid-19 deaths in hospitals in the Anglia region lowest for seven weeks ITV News
• No new Covid-19 deaths at Northamptonshire hospitals as Boris outlines his way out of lockdown Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northants GPs face challenge of switching to phone and video appointments Northamptonshire Telegraph

Our plan to rebuild: The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy

Our plan to rebuild: The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy The Government’s roadmap for how and when the UK will adjust its response to the COVID-19 crisis. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Press release: Public advised to cover faces in enclosed spaces Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce Department of Health and Social Care
• Press release: Government launches new portal for care homes to arrange coronavirus testing Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Member briefing: The UK government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy NHS Confederation
• Member briefing: ONS data on COVID-19-related deaths by ethnicity in England and Wales NHS Confederation
• 'There is a real crisis in social care': The King's Fund responds to ONS data on social care staff mortality The King's Fund
• Six million more to benefit as NHS locks in the benefits of stronger partnerships NHS England
• Guidance: How to wear and make a cloth face covering Public Health England
• COVID-19: guidance for young people on staying at home and away from others Public Health England

Coronavirus: How many people have died in the UK?

Coronavirus: How many people have died in the UK? The number of people who have died because of Covid-19 is nearly twice as high as the figure we hear announced every day.

By 1 May, the number of coronavirus deaths announced by the UK government was just over 28,000.

Looking back at death registrations filed then, the figure is higher: just under 36,000 death certificates mentioned Covid-19.

The measure preferred by statisticians, counting all deaths above what would be expected, was even higher: more than 50,000.
 
Each measure answers different questions. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Care home deaths 'starting to fall' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Low level of transplants sparks concern BBC News
• Coronavirus: Seacole hospital 'a tribute' to BAME NHS staff BBC News
• UK drug trial for over-50s recruiting BBC News
• So how many patients have died after catching coronavirus in hospital? The Daily Mail
• Nearly 40% of children with coronavirus need a breathing tube and ventilator, small study finds The Daily Mail 
• Coronavirus UK: Vaccine may not be found, warns Boris Johnson The Daily Mail
• Men working in the lowest-skilled jobs face the highest risk of dying from the coronavirus The Daily Mail
• WHO: Herd immunity for the coronavirus is a 'dangerous concept' The Daily Telegraph
• Wuhan to test entire population of 11m as uptick in cases prompts alarm at possible second wave The Daily Telegraph
• Narrow NHS inquiry into covid-19 will not meet needs of BAME staff Health Service Journal
• Pregnant women no more likely to become seriously ill with COVID-19, UK research finds GPonline
• Platitudes won't stop more BAME health workers and patients dying of Covid-19 | Zara Aziz The Guardian
• Track and trace: will the government's new app work? The Guardian
• Boris Johnson accused of misleading MPs over 'stay alert' slogan The Guardian
• UK takes a pasting from world's press over coronavirus crisis The Guardian
• Point by point: the UK government's plan to leave lockdown The Guardian
• NHS Confederation: 'Not the moment to throw away the gains made'  National Health Executive

Colleagues honour NHS nurse who died after contracting Covid-19

Colleagues honour NHS nurse who died after contracting Covid-19 Two-minute silence held for father-of-four Augustine Agyei-Mensah, a highly regarded learning disabilities nurse

Tributes have been paid to a learning disabilities nurse who died after testing positive for coronavirus.

Augustine Agyei-Mensah, known to his colleagues as Gus, was described as a “highly regarded team member” at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS foundation trust (NHFT). The Guardian

See also:

• Coronavirus testing centre set up in Corby - but government gives out wrong address ITV News
• Coronavirus deaths close to 1000 in hospitals in the Anglia region ITV News
• Key worker sent to wrong address for testing after NHS error Metro
• Northamptonshire nurse with four young children tragically dies from Covid-19 Northamptonshire Telegraph
• No new Covid-19 deaths at Northamptonshire hospitals as Boris outlines his way out of lockdown Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton General Hospital announces changes to eye casualty service

Northampton General Hospital announces changes to eye casualty service From today, Northampton General Hospital is changing the way it runs the eye casualty service.

The service, which is usually a walk-in service, will no longer operate in this way.

Instead patients will need to phone the hospital rather than attending. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

False economies: myths about public health spending

False economies: myths about public health spending This briefing paper challenges the belief that spending on public health saves money in the long term by reducing future health care costs. It looks at the response to the Covid-19 crisis in terms of the public health budget, the procurement of personal protection equipment and public health interventions. Institute for Economic Affairs

PM address to the nation on coronavirus: 10 May 2020

PM address to the nation on coronavirus: 10 May 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation on coronavirus. Prime Minister's Office

See also:

• New chair of coronavirus ‘test and trace’ programme appointed Department of Health and Social Care
• Millions more items of PPE for frontline staff from new business partnerships Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Public Called Up To Help The NHS ‘Shine A Light’ For Our Nurses NHS England
• Guidance: COVID-19: guidance for young people on staying at home and away from others Public Health England

Coronavirus: PM to reveal further details on lockdown roadmap

Coronavirus: PM to reveal further details on lockdown roadmap People in England can meet another person from outside their household as long as they are outside and stay 2m apart, the government has confirmed.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said people should "use some common sense" and cannot visit others at their home. 

The new rule is part of a 50-page guidance document to be published by the government later. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Face covering advice given to people in England BBC News
• Coronavirus: Minister defends 'stay alert' advice amid backlash BBC News
• Coronavirus: Care-worker death rate twice that of health workers BBC News
• Boris Johnson speech: PM unveils 'conditional plan' to reopen society BBC News
• Coronavirus: UK sent 50,000 Covid-19 samples to US for testing BBC News
• Coronavirus: Call for public inquiry into BAME death risk BBC News
• UK's crucial coronavirus R rate could be JUST below one, Boris Johnson admits The Daily Mail
• Boris Johnson claims the UK is testing 'literally hundreds of thousands of people every day'  The Daily Mail
• Warmer weather does NOT kill off coronavirus: Two separate studies dash hopes for summer  The Daily Mail 
• NHS will have 'answers' on whether experimental coronavirus drugs work by JUNE  The Daily Mail
• What are the new UK lockdown rules on social distancing? The Daily Telegraph
• NHS waiting lists could double by autumn, amid fears service will be overwhelmed The Daily Telegraph
• Risky plan to ease lockdown threatens second spike in coronavirus cases, warns BMA GPonline
• Coronavirus: doctors call for inquiry into PPE shortages for NHS staff The Guardian
• Drug manufacturing must be brought to UK, NHS bosses and charities tell MPs The Guardian
• More people dying at home during Covid-19 pandemic – UK analysis The Guardian
• Ministers' unfulfilled coronavirus promises eroding UK public trust The Guardian
• Doctors warn of second coronavirus wave as UK lockdown weakens The Guardian
• Public health directors in England are asked to take charge of Covid-19 testing The Guardian
• Tiger Eye protective goggles recalled from NHS hospitals after being found to leave staff at risk iNews
• Coronavirus UK death toll rises by 210 to 32,065 The Independent