Coronavirus: Care home probed over 15 deaths rated 'inadequate'

Coronavirus: Care home probed over 15 deaths rated 'inadequate' A care home at the centre of a police investigation after the deaths of 15 residents during the coronavirus pandemic has been rated inadequate.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) identified "serious failings which led to people suffering harm" at Temple Court care home in Kettering.

The home was closed in May amid serious concerns from the CQC after a major coronavirus outbreak. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Coronavirus: Care home 'a dumping ground' for patients BBC Northampton
  
• Temple Court Care Home Care Quality Commission
• Temple Court care company accuses regulator of 'sweeping Covid-19 cause' under the carpet Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 'We're not out of the woods yet', warns health chief as number of new Covid-19 cases falls in Northamptonshire Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Spread of coronavirus slows down across Northamptonshire Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northamptonshire's firefighters clock up 700 hours working as ambulance crew during Covid-19 crisis Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Relative of Temple Court survivor says health and social care authorities have questions to answer Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Inspectors slam Kettering care home at centre of Covid death scandal as it's put into special measures Northamptonshire Telegraph
• No covid care home deaths in Northants for first week since April Northamptonshire Telegraph
• KGH records its first Covid death for a week Northamptonshire Telegraph

Resilience is much more than hospital beds

Resilience is much more than hospital beds At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was much discussion that England’s public services, after a decade of austerity, lacked the necessary resilience to ride the storm of the pandemic. As the country starts to think of recovery after the first wave of Covid-19, there needs to be a discussion about what a resilient health and care system would look like, so resilience is baked into recovery plans. The King's Fund

The Health Foundation Covid-19 survey

The Health Foundation Covid-19 survey The Health Foundation commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct a representative poll of the general public in Great Britain. Topics covered in the report included: experience of using NHS services during the pandemic and perceptions as to how services are managing; the impact of Coronavirus on people’s health and wellbeing, including mental health; levels of support or opposition to the government’s handling of the Coronavirus pandemic; attitudes towards a potential smartphone app to ‘track and trace’ Coronavirus outbreaks; and trust towards certain professional groups, including those working in health and social care.

Covid-19: understanding inequalities in mental health during the pandemic

Covid-19: understanding inequalities in mental health during the pandemic This briefing paper, supported by 13 other national mental health charities, explores the mental health inequalities that are associated with the pandemic in the UK. It finds that the virus and the lockdown are putting greater pressure on groups and communities whose mental health was already poorer and more precarious. Centre for Mental Health

See also:

• The mental health effects of the first two months of lockdown and social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK Institute for Fiscal Studies
• What has Covid-19 taught us about supporting workforce mental health and wellbeing? The King's Fund

Life after lockdown: tackling loneliness among those left behind

Life after lockdown: tackling loneliness among those left behind The Covid-19 crisis has made loneliness worse, with some people more affected than others. This report shows that although social distancing and lockdown measures will continue to be eased, loneliness will remain and for those most left behind, it may continue to grow. British Red Cross

A hat trick of failures: how ‘the blob’ led the British Government down the wrong path

A hat trick of failures: how ‘the blob’ led the British Government down the wrong path  This report criticises the Government's handling of the Covid-19 crisis. It looks at the death rate per capita compared to other countries; the economic cost of the reaction to the pandemic; and the preparedness for easing lockdown restrictions. Civitas

Guide for Audit and Risk Committees on Financial Reporting and Management during COVID-19

Guide for Audit and Risk Committees on Financial Reporting and Management during COVID-19 The National Audit Office (NAO) has today published a guide to help audit and risk committees of government departments and arms-length bodies advise their organisations on financial management and reporting during, and in the period immediately after, the COVID-19 outbreak. National Audit Office

Health Secretary calls on country to get tested as access is expanded even further

Health Secretary calls on country to get tested as access is expanded even further Six new ‘walk through’ local testing sites are now offering appointments to people in England, with the capacity to test hundreds of people each day. Department of Health and Social Care 

See also:

• Plans to ease guidance for over 2 million shielding Department of Health and Social Care
• Transparency data: NHS test and trace statistics (England): 11 June to 17 June 2020 Department of Health and Social Care
• Major milestone hit as 2 billion items of PPE delivered Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Meeting people from outside your household from 4 July Department of Health and Social Care
• Thousands to be offered repeat testing in care homes Department of Health and Social Care
• Coronavirus life assurance scheme updates NHS Employers
• Beyond the data: understanding the impact of Covid-19 on BAME groups Public Health England
• Guidance: Immunisation training guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic Public Health England
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the UK Public Health England
• GPs predict ‘huge surge’ in patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to COVID-19 Royal College of General Practitioners

Brexit, Covid and flu: The perfect storm bearing down on the health service this winter

Brexit, Covid and flu: The perfect storm bearing down on the health service this winter A combination of a second wave of coronavirus, a potential flu epidemic, a rise in urgent cancer and other non-virus-related cases and Brexit chaos could leave Britain facing an unprecedented 'perfect storm' this winter, experts have warned as they called on the government to take immediate evasive action. The Independent

Coronavirus: Volunteers wanted for antibody test trials

Coronavirus: Volunteers wanted for antibody test trials Volunteers are being sought from NHS staff and other public service workers for a study into the effectiveness of Covid-19 antibody home testing kits.

A number of the rapid response kits are to be studied, including one from a consortium including Oxford University.

The test to see if someone has already had coronavirus has been described by the prime minister as a game changer to get people back to work. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: UK must prepare for second virus wave - health leaders BBC News
• Coronavirus death rate falling in hospitals BBC News
• Coronavirus: Antibody test lacks 'proper assessment' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Most children 'experience only mild disease' BBC News
• Lister and Watford hospitals discharged 130 without Covid-19 tests BBC News
• Coronavirus: 70% of BAME pharmacists have had no risk assessment - survey BBC News
• Coronavirus: Tracers ask over 100,000 to self-isolate BBC News
•  Coronavirus: Between 1,900 and 3,200 people catching Covid-19 per day in England The Daily Mail
• Half of coronavirus-infected Brits give NO contact details to NHS test and trace  The Daily Mail
• Covid-19 antibody tests are NOT 'game-changers', top scientists warn  The Daily Mail
• Health chiefs urge UK public to cooperate with contact tracers The Guardian
• Hancock introduces 'walk-through' test centres following fierce criticism The Guardian
• Government's dithering risks unleashing a second Covid-19 wave in England The Guardian
• Why doctors say UK is better prepared for a second wave of coronavirus The Guardian
• UK coronavirus death toll rises by 154 to 43,081 The Independent

Seven victims in three days as NHS announces latest deaths at Northampton General Hospital of patients testing positive for Covid-19

Seven victims in three days as NHS announces latest deaths at Northampton General Hospital of patients testing positive for Covid-19 NHS figures today revealed a rise in the number of Covid-19 victims in Northamptonshire this week. 

The latest information on deaths in hospitals showed seven more deaths being reported at Northampton General Hospital since the weekend — the highest figure of any English NHS Trust. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northampton hotels for homeless scheme extended BBC Northampton
• Northampton General Hospital boss writes to thank children of staff ITV News
• Northampton General Hospital writes 2000 thank you letters to children and family members of NGH staff Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Covid-19 has killed 43 people in Corby since the start of the pandemic Northamptonshire Telegraph

Tackling racial inequalities in health and care

Tackling racial inequalities in health and care The shocking murder of George Floyd, the protests in the UK and around the world, and the efforts of the Black Lives Matter movement have once again underlined the injustice, discrimination and racism faced by Black people. The King's Fund

Readying the NHS and adult social care in England for COVID-19

Readying the NHS and adult social care in England for COVID-19 Today’s report by the National Audit Office (NAO) provides a factual overview of the response by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and other bodies during March and April 2020 to prepare the NHS and adult social care in England for the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the second report in the NAO’s programme of work on government’s response to the outbreak.

The mental health effects of the first two months of lockdown and social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK

The mental health effects of the first two months of lockdown and social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK This report discusses the impact of Covid-19 on mental health. It finds that mental health in the UK has worsened substantially as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly for groups that already had lower levels of mental health before Covid-19, such as young adults and women. Institute for Fiscal Studies

Covid-19 and inequalities

Covid-19 and inequalities This report aims to bring together what has emerged so far about the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis on inequalities across several key domains of life. It argues that the years leading up to the Covid-19 crisis, and in particular the hangover from the last economic crisis of the late 2000s, had already left households in a precarious position. Institute for Fiscal Studies

Detailed guide: NHS test and trace: how it works

Detailed guide: NHS test and trace: how it works An overview of the NHS test and trace service, including what happens if you test positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) or have had close contact with someone who has tested positive. Department of Health and Social Care 

See also:

• Local authorities across England receive funding to support new Test and Trace service Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): how to self-isolate when you travel to the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Weekly COVID-19 surveillance report published Public Health England

Coronavirus: Positive tests continue to fall in England, says ONS

Coronavirus: Positive tests continue to fall in England, says ONS The number of people testing positive for coronavirus in England is continuing to fall, according to estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

Around one in 1,700 people were infected between 25 May and 7 June, or 33,000 individuals, compared to one in 1,000 before then.

The figures are based on 20,000 tests on people in private households. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: BAME safety plan not published BBC News
• Coronavirus: 'Start public inquiry now to prevent more deaths' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Care home moves had 'tragic consequences' BBC News
• England test and trace system identifies 31,000 contacts BBC News
• Easing Britain's lockdown any further may be 'disastrous' and lead to 75,000 more Covid-19 deaths The Daily Mail
• Matt Hancock says co-operation with NHS Test and Trace is public's 'civic duty' The Daily Telegraph
• Uncertainty over 2-metre distancing rule in England 'causing chaos' The Guardian
• NHS unable to trace contacts of 33% of people with coronavirus The Guardian
• Government ignored warning to stockpile PPE as Covid-19 spread The Guardian
• Coronavirus: 25,000 patients discharged into care homes without being tested, report finds The Independent
• Coronavirus: Unlawful do not resuscitate orders imposed on people with learning disabilities The Independent

Coronavirus: Children's home has 16 Covid-19 positive tests

Coronavirus: Children's home has 16 Covid-19 positive tests A children's home has had at least 16 people test positive for Covid-19.

Thirteen staff and three children at Arnold House in Northampton, a small residential home specialising in care for young people with autism, have tested positive since mid-May.

Northamptonshire County Council said it "ensured that there is adequate staffing in place". BBC Northampton

See also:

• A further 41 hospital patients die with coronavirus in the Anglia region ITV News
• Northampton General sends cancer patients to private Three Shires Hospital during pandemic Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Premature discharge from hospital

Premature discharge from hospital This is a report of a qualitative survey that explored unsafe, premature discharge from hospital. It shows how serious the consequences can be of discharging someone from hospital who is not ready to go home. Particular themes emerge around pressures on beds, and how premature discharge of people from mental health settings can quickly lead them to harm. Patients Association

Detailed guide: Meeting people from outside your household

Detailed guide: Meeting people from outside your household How you can see people that you do not live with while protecting yourself and others from coronavirus (COVID-19). Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Extra mental health support for pupils and teachers 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
• NHS Staff Council statement on annual leave and shielding during COVID-19 NHS Employers
• Clinical negligence indemnity arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic NHS Resolution

Coronavirus: Growing calls for government to scrap 2m rule

Coronavirus: Growing calls for government to scrap 2m rule The government is facing calls from Tory backbenchers to drop the 2m (6ft) social distancing rule in England.

MPs, including former cabinet ministers Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Damian Green, say it is essential for the economy. 

The government has said it is constantly reviewing its coronavirus lockdown guidance. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: 'Earlier lockdown would have halved death toll' BBC News
• Ministers consider coronavirus-tracing app rethink BBC News
• Coronavirus UK: Death toll hits 41,000 with 245 new fatalities The Daily Mail
• What is a support bubble, and how does it fit into the social distancing rules? The Daily Telegraph
• Doctors fear 'tsunami' of investigations over delayed care in COVID-19 pandemic GPonline
• Enforcing UK lockdown one week earlier 'could have saved 20,000 lives' The Guardian
• UK coronavirus border controls more effective if done earlier, MPs told The Guardian
• 'Support bubble' plan lets people living alone in England combine households The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Government spent £220m creating Nightingale hospitals The Independent

Huge disruption to cancer care revealed

Huge disruption to cancer care revealed Cancer care in England has faced major disruption during the pandemic with big drops in numbers being seen following urgent referrals by GPs, figures show.

The number of people being assessed by a cancer doctor within two weeks of a referral fell to 79,500 - a drop of 60% in April.

Meanwhile, patients starting treatment that month dropped to 10,800 - 20% below the numbers seen in April 2019.

The NHS said it had tried to protect services. BBC News

See also:

• 'Chemo buses' rolled out by NHS to ease cancer treatment backlog The Daily Telegraph
• 'It's the bit the NHS cannot fix'. Demand for cancer support soars during lockdown The Guardian
• Chemo buses and at-home treatment increased to help cancer sufferers during lockdown The Independent

Donna Kinnair on racism in the NHS: 'If you aren't white, your illness isn't taken as seriously'

Donna Kinnair on racism in the NHS: 'If you aren't white, your illness isn't taken as seriously' The head of the Royal College of Nursing on why the health service is failing people of colour – both patients and its workforce. The Guardian

Northamptonshire's Covid-19 death toll now stands at 571 lives lost in just 81 days

Northamptonshire's Covid-19 death toll now stands at 571 lives lost in just 81 days Covid-19 is now known to have claimed the lives of at least 571 people in Northamptonshire.

Official figures released yesterday put the total at 447 in the county's two main hospitals, plus another 124 among care home residents. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Coronavirus: Northampton school closed as two staff test positive BBC Northampton
• Official figures reveal coronavirus deaths in the Anglia region have increased by 124 ITV News
• Death rate slows but two more Covid-19 victims adds to tragic total at Northampton General Hospital Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northamptonshire's hospitals were "in the dark" over new rules on face coverings for visitors and staff Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northampton General Hospital says a big thank you to its army of volunteers Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Personal message from Sir Simon Stevens on Black Lives Matter and health inequalities

Personal message from Sir Simon Stevens on Black Lives Matter and health inequalities The following is a personal message from NHS Chief Executive Simon Stevens, shared internally yesterday with all NHS England and NHS Improvement staff. NHS England

Learning from staff experiences of Covid-19: let the light come streaming in

Learning from staff experiences of Covid-19: let the light come streaming in  month before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United Kingdom, the 2019 NHS Staff Survey results were released. The results made for grim reading including the highest levels of stress ever recorded among NHS staff. There is a workforce crisis in the NHS in the United Kingdom with more than 100,000 vacancies, more than a third of GPs intending to quit, nurses’ and midwives’ stress levels leading to sickness absence levels at a new high, and nurses feeling desperate with chronic excessive workload and staff shortages. We were already in a very dark crisis. And then the tidal wave that is the pandemic broke upon the health and care system. The King's Fund

Getting the NHS back on track: planning for the next phase of Covid-19

Getting the NHS back on track: planning for the next phase of Covid-19 This report outlines the key challenges that local organisations will face over the coming months. It also suggests some changes in policy and practice that will be required as the NHS prepares to restart a wide range of services either paused or stopped when the pandemic struck. The key challenges identified are: funding; capacity; rehabilitation; health inequalities; regulation and inspections; system working; and managing public expectations. NHS Confederation

Face masks and coverings to be worn by all NHS hospital staff and visitors

Face masks and coverings to be worn by all NHS hospital staff and visitors All staff in hospitals in England will be provided with surgical masks which they will be expected to wear from 15 June. All visitors and outpatients must wear face coverings at all times. Department of Health and Social Care
 
See also:

• NHS volunteers extend support to frontline health and social care staff Department of Health and Social Care
• COVID-19 tests offered to every care home for elderly or those with dementia Department of Health and Social Care
• Study launched to monitor prevalence of COVID-19 in schools Department of Health and Social Care
• BAME women and Covid-19: research evidence Fawcett Society
• Covid-19 rapid summary: modelling the pandemic House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology
• 'The true death toll for Covid-19 is significantly higher than the numbers reported so far' The King's Fund
• COVID-19 is creating an 'epidemic of loneliness', says RCGP in response to 'undetected' home deaths Royal College of General Practitioners

Coronavirus: NHS waiting list 'could hit 10 million this year'

Coronavirus: NHS waiting list 'could hit 10 million this year' Health bosses fear the Covid-19 crisis could see the number of people waiting for NHS treatment double to 10 million by the end of the year.

The NHS Confederation said challenges include a backlog of cases, maintaining social distancing, and staffing.

The body, which represents health and care leaders, said emergency funding and longer-term spending were needed.

The Department of Health has said it will continue to provide the resources, funding and support the NHS needs. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus came to UK 'on at least 1,300 separate occasions' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Is R number balanced on knife edge? BBC News
• Coronavirus: 40,000 UK deaths - what happened? BBC News
• Coronavirus: NHS trust bosses not consulted over new face mask rules BBC News
• Coronavirus: Malaria drug hydroxychloroquine 'does not save lives' BBC News
• UK's REAL coronavirus death toll is at least 10,000 too low The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: SAGE experts question Test and Trace scheme The Daily Mail
• Health Minister blames scientists for care home deaths before backtracking The Daily Mail
• Doctors blast report they say did nothing to explain why Covid hits black and ethnic minorities hard The Daily Mail
• UK patients face a TWO-YEAR wait for elective surgery with NHS backlog set to hit 650,000 The Daily Mail
• All BAME staff must be risk-assessed before seeing patients face-to-face, warns NHS England GPonline
• Britons with life-threatening conditions denied care during pandemic The Guardian
• Omission of air pollution from report on Covid-19 and race ‘astonishing’ The Guardian
• ‘We need a strategy’: senior clinicians fear UK has no plan for second wave The Guardian
• UK ministers face legal challenge for refusal to order PPE inquiry The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Why are there so many different death tolls? The Independent

NHS blood unit systematically racist, internal report finds

NHS blood unit systematically racist, internal report finds Large London site ‘toxic’ and ‘dysfunctional’ with promotion ‘based on race and class’

A large unit within the NHS’s blood and organ transplant division has been found to be “systematically racist” and “psychologically unsafe”, according to an internal investigation into working conditions that was leaked to the Guardian.

The report will raise renewed concern about discriminatory practices across the NHS, following allegations last week from the Royal College of Nursing that nurses routinely faced “structural racism”. The Guardian

Babylon Health admits GP app suffered a data breach

Babylon Health admits GP app suffered a data breach Babylon Health has acknowledged that its GP video appointment app has suffered a data breach.

The firm was alerted to the problem after one of its users discovered he had been given access to dozens of video recordings of other patients' consultations.

A follow-up check by Babylon revealed a small number of further UK users could also see others' sessions. BBC News

Covid-19 testing station will be set up in Northampton this weekend

Covid-19 testing station will be set up in Northampton this weekend A mobile Covid-19 testing station will be set up in Northampton this weekend as the nation's battle against the virus continues.

The unit is in town for three days from Sunday until Tuesday and anyone showing symptoms of the deadly bug is urged to sign up via the Government website. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• A further 21 patients have died with coronavirus in hospitals in the Anglia region ITV News
• Medics admit they are puzzled why Northamptonshire remains a Covid-19 hotspot Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Coronavirus outbreak at Wellingborough Royal Mail delivery office Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Academy trust warned over local spike days before it closed school Schools Week

The Health Foundation Covid-19 survey

The Health Foundation Covid-19 survey This report contains polling data from Ipsos MORI that reveals the UK public’s awareness of and attitudes towards the planned smartphone app. It warns that the government’s delayed contact tracing app has the potential to exacerbate existing health inequalities, leaving some people at greater risk of Covid-19 than others. The Health Foundation

Spotlight on... the impact of Covid-19 on mental health trusts in the NHS

Spotlight on... the impact of Covid-19 on mental health trusts in the NHS This briefing sets out the immediate challenge of Covid-19 for mental health trusts, how the sector has responded and what is needed to navigate the next phase. It argues that NHS trusts providing mental health and learning disability services have been playing a critical role, both to maintain services and to respond to the current environment alongside their colleagues in the acute, community ambulance and primary care sectors. NHS Providers

Medical use of cannabis

Medical use of cannabis This briefing provides an overview on the recent change in the law and debate on medicinal cannabis products. House of Commons Library

NHS urges trusts to raise awareness around COVID-19

NHS urges trusts to raise awareness around COVID-19 NHS leaders are calling on all hospital trusts and other healthcare providers to ensure additional information and guidance around social distancing, hand hygiene and PPE measures are widely promoted and accessible to staff working at all levels within their organisation. NHS England

See also:

• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Weekly COVID-19 surveillance report published Public Health England
• Guidance: How to wear and make a cloth face covering Public Health England
• Covid-19 workforce survey Skills for Health

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey pilot: 5 June 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey pilot: 5 June 2020 Initial data from the COVID-19 Infection Survey. This survey is being delivered in partnership with IQVIA, the University of Oxford and UK Biocentre. Office for National Statistics

Virus cases down to 5,600 a day, says ONS survey

Virus cases down to 5,600 a day, says ONS survey The number of people infected with coronavirus in homes in England has fallen to 5,600 a day, from 8,000 last week, statisticians suggest.

The estimate is based on swab tests of 19,000 people in 9,000 households by the Office for National Statistics.

Some scientists have said reaching a low level of cases is key to easing the lockdown further. BBC News
 
See also:

• Coronavirus: Outbreak exercise showed ‘clear gap’ in readiness BBC News
• Coronavirus: Dementia deaths up during pandemic BBC News
• Coronavirus: AstraZeneca to begin making potential vaccine BBC News
• Coronavirus: NHS contact-tracing app in place by end of month, says minister BBC News
• Coronavirus: No return to 'business as usual' for dentists BBC News
• Coronavirus: Face coverings to be mandatory on public transport BBC News
• Private hospitals commandeered for Britain's Covid-19 crisis are STILL empty The Daily Mail
• Covid-19 infection rate is TOO HIGH for the strict two-metre social distancing rules to be lifted The Daily Mail
• Only a third of dental surgeries will open from Monday, survey reveals The Daily Telegraph
• Coronavirus infections in England and Wales hit peak days before lockdown, study finds The Daily Telegraph
• At least 11 countries have reimposed restrictions amid fears of coronavirus second wave The Daily Telegraph
• The Lancet has made one of the biggest retractions in modern history. How could this happen? The Guardian
• Doctor quits NHS over Dominic Cummings' refusal to resign The Guardian
• Almost 30,000 invalid UK coronavirus tests had to be redone The Guardian
• Too little data for recommendations in Covid-19 BAME report, says minister The Guardian
• 'Way behind the curve': test, trace and a local credibility gap The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Patients refusing treatment because of fake news on social media, NHS staff warn The Independent

Police probe home's 15 suspected coronavirus deaths

Police probe home's 15 suspected coronavirus deaths Police are investigating a care home that was ordered to close following a major coronavirus outbreak.
 
Fifteen residents of Temple Court in Kettering, Northamptonshire have died with Covid-19 or suspected Covid-19.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates care homes, said it had serious concerns and residents were moved out of the home last month. BBC Northampton

See also:

• County warning as coronavirus cases fail to fall as fast as elsewhere ITV News
• More than 550 Covid-19 patients are now known to have died in Northamptonshire's hospitals and care homes Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Coronavirus deaths at KGH and NGH trusts among highest in England Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Police investigation begun into Kettering care home closed after major Covid-19 outbreak Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Eight more Covid deaths at Kettering General Hospital Northamptonshire Telegraph

Access resources to tackle racism and discrimination

Access resources to tackle racism and discrimination Access resources to help tackle racism and discrimination to implement change in your organisation. NHS Employers

Principles of safe video consulting in general practice during COVID-19

Principles of safe video consulting in general practice during COVID-19 New guidance aimed at NHS general practice staff who are consulting via video with patients at home has been published. Royal College of General Practitioners 

Supporting carers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Supporting carers during the COVID-19 pandemic During the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacies have had to make necessary changes to their usual ways of working in order to ensure local communities can continue to access their medicines. Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee

Research and analysis: National COVID-19 surveillance reports

Research and analysis: National COVID-19 surveillance reports National COVID-19 surveillance reports, including weekly summary of findings monitored through various COVID-19 surveillance systems. Public Health England 

See also:

• Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing: privacy information 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

Asymptomatic care workers unknowingly spread coronavirus

Asymptomatic care workers unknowingly spread coronavirus Large numbers of staff could have been unknowingly spreading coronavirus through care homes, according to the UK's largest charitable care home provider.
 
Data from MHA shows 42% of its staff members who recently tested positive were not displaying symptoms.

Nearly 45% of residents who had a positive test were also asymptomatic. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Can superspreading be stopped? BBC News
• Stalled vaccine programmes 'put children's lives at risk' BBC News
• Coronavirus: How the UK is sleeping under lockdown BBC News
• Alok Sharma: Cabinet minister tested for virus after being taken ill BBC News
• WHO will RESUME trials of hydroxychloroquine The Daily Mail
• Head of UK's Covid-19 test and trace scheme Baroness Dido Harding faces grilling by MPs The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus world round-up: Brazil and Mexico report record daily death tolls The Daily Telegraph
• England had the chance to prepare for lifting lockdown, but our leaders wasted it | Chris Ham The Guardian
• Boris Johnson declares himself 'very proud' of coronavirus response The Guardian
• Censorship row over report on UK BAME Covid-19 deaths The Guardian
• Care home staff could be asked to work without PPE under council plan The Guardian
• NHS Test and Trace: Jeremy Hunt warns coronavirus tracing 'severely hampered' by slow testing iNews
• Reduced levels of service inevitable as NHS moves into 'recovery' phase OnMedica
• GPs told not to direct any Covid-19 patients to NHS 111 Pulse

Cancer patients are 'refusing' to go to Northampton General Hospital during lockdown, report reveals

Cancer patients are 'refusing' to go to Northampton General Hospital during lockdown, report reveals Dozens of cancer patients have "refused" to go to critical appointments at Northampton General Hospital under the coronavirus lockdown. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

See also:

• 21 more hospital patients die with coronavirus in the Anglia region ITV News
• It's too soon! Northampton's reaction to easing the lockdown restrictions as number of victims rises Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Government writes off £108m of historical debt for Northampton General Hospital - with another £8m to pay for Covid-19 bills Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Executive boxes at Franklin's Gardens being used as maternity care clinic for Northampton General Hospital Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Covid-19 symptom app showing cases in Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northants could help "ease us out of lockdown" Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Covid-19 drug trial using Northamptonshire patients halted over health fears Northamptonshire Telegraph
• KGH Covid-19 recovery data won't be released Northamptonshire Telegraph

The structure of the NHS in England

The structure of the NHS in England This briefing provides an overview of the funding and accountability relationships within this NHS in England, and an introduction to the roles of key organisations including NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission. It also highlights some key health policy issues, including patient safety, funding, and the integration of health and social care. House of Commons Library

CQC publishes data on deaths of people with a learning disability

CQC publishes data on deaths of people with a learning disability The information that care homes submit to CQC about the deaths of people in their care is published on a weekly basis as part of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reporting on deaths. The ONS data is not broken down by whether the person who died had a disability.

Supported by ONS we have completed a targeted piece of analysis to better understand the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on people with a learning disability, some of whom may also be autistic, and how the number of deaths during this period compares to the number of deaths last year. Care Quality Commission

Research and analysis: COVID-19: review of disparities in risks and outcomes

Research and analysis: COVID-19: review of disparities in risks and outcomes This is a descriptive review of surveillance data on disparities in the risk and outcomes from COVID-19. The review looked at different factors including:

• age and sex
• where people live
• deprivation
• ethnicity
• people’s occupation
• care home residence

The review’s findings are based on the latest surveillance data available to PHE and from links to wider health data sets. Public Health England

See also:

• Corporate report: Coronavirus Act report: May 2020 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
• Covid-19 has exposed the 'stark inequalities' that exist in our society: The King's Fund responds to the PHE report on disparities of the risks and outcomes of Covid-19 The King's Fund
• Research and analysis: Statements regarding COVID-19 tests evaluated by PHE Public Health England

Coronavirus: Why we don't know how many are being tested

Coronavirus: Why we don't know how many are being tested The government has not published the number of people tested for coronavirus since 22 May.

It's also been criticised for not detailing who was swabbed - staff, patients or those isolating at home.

The UK Statistics Authority chairman has written to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock, saying the published official figures are "far from complete and comprehensible". BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Government criticised over use of testing data BBC News
• Coronavirus: Ethnic minority report is published BBC News
• Coronavirus: Ibuprofen tested as a treatment BBC News
• Coronavirus: Deaths at lowest level since March BBC News
• Coronavirus: Drugs are 'essential' as a vaccine will take YEARS The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: Death rate higher among BAME individuals The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: 2m rule STAYS despite calls for it to be halved The Daily Mail
• Deaths of people with learning disabilities DOUBLED during Covid-19 crisis The Daily Mail
• 'Fewer than 2000 people' contacted in first four days of NHS Test and Trace coronavirus scheme Evening Standard
• GPs face hundreds of complaints over shielding and PPE during pandemic GPonline
• UK coronavirus death toll nears 50,000, latest official figures show The Guardian
• Calls mount for public inquiry into UK BAME Covid-19 death rate The Guardian
• Covid-19 spilling out of hospitals and care homes, says UK expert The Guardian
• Exclusive: Government censored BAME covid-risk review Health Service Journal
• Coronavirus: More than 25,000 patients discharged to care homes in crucial 30 days before routine testing The Independent
• Coronavirus: Care watchdog warns of risk to learning disabled people as deaths double The Independent

ECT depression therapy should be suspended, study suggests

ECT depression therapy should be suspended, study suggests The use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to treat people with depression should be immediately suspended, according to a new study.

ECT involves passing electric currents through a patient's brain to cause seizures or fits.

The study's lead author says there was "no place" for ECT in evidence-based medicine due to risks of brain damage. BBC News

See also:

• Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression: A Review of the Quality of ECT versus Sham ECT Trials and Meta-Analyses (abstract) Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry

Number of Covid-19 victims continues to rise at Northampton General Hospital

Number of Covid-19 victims continues to rise at Northampton General Hospital Northampton is continuing to report increasing numbers of people dying at the town's major hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 victims.

On the day further easing of the Government's lockdown restrictions came into force, NHS data revealed four more fatalities among patients testing positive for the coronavirus at Northampton General Hospital. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northampton hospital reveals biggest one-day spike in Covid-19 deaths since April 23 Daventry Express
• Anglia region has second highest daily coronavirus death toll in England ITV News
• A further 19 patients have died with coronavirus in hospitals in the Anglia region ITV News

Preventing and managing the Covid-19 pandemic across long-term care services in the WHO European Region

Preventing and managing the Covid-19 pandemic across long-term care services in the WHO European Region This technical guidance identifies ten policy objectives for decision-makers, policy-makers and national or regional health authorities as they strive to prevent and manage the COVID-19 pandemic in long-term care settings. The focus is on older people above the age of 65 years who use long-term care services in their homes, day centres or designated facilities (residential homes and nursing homes). World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe

UK reaches 200,000 coronavirus testing capacity target a day early

UK reaches 200,000 coronavirus testing capacity target a day early Following the rapid expansion of coronavirus testing, the UK reached the 200,000 capacity target on Saturday 30 May, including capacity for 40,000 antibody tests a day. 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
• Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): looking after people who lack mental capacity Department of Health and Social Care
• Top NHS doctor issues advice for children going back to school NHS England
• Guidance: COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable Public Health England
• Guidance: PHE data series on deaths in people with COVID-19: technical summary Public Health England
• Relaxation of lockdown measures is not a 'green light' to return to previous way of life, College warns patients Royal College of General Practitioners

Coronavirus: How dangerous is lifting lockdown?

Coronavirus: How dangerous is lifting lockdown? Lockdown is starting to ease.

Across the UK we can meet more people, while in England some children are back in school and car showrooms and open-air markets have reopened.

But some scientists, even those advising government, have been in mutinous mood - saying ministers are acting too soon.

And the lifting of restrictions has been described as a "dangerous moment" even by England's deputy chief medical officer. BBC News

See also:

• Relaxing lockdown 'risky' and 'political decision' BBC News
• Coronavirus: GPs not told when patients removed from 'shielding lists' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Shielders in England allowed outdoors again from Monday BBC News
• Coronavirus: More than two million in UK waiting for cancer care BBC News
• Coronavirus: UK exceeds 200,000 testing capacity target BBC News
• Coronavirus England: Experts warns end of shielding is 'rushed' The Daily Mail
• Chris Whitty thwarted Boris Johnson's wish to downgrade UK's coronavirus threat level The Daily Mail
• NHS contact tracing system to tackle coronavirus is STILL not working properly The Daily Mail
• Five new drugs to be trialled on NHS Covid-19 patients The Daily Mail
• NHS trusts were told to carry out thousands of tests with two days notice in race to hit 200000 target The Daily Telegraph
• What the new UK lockdown rules mean for you The Daily Telegraph
• Exercise Cygnus: NHS doctor's legal bid to force Government to release papers on pandemic preparedness The Daily Telegraph
• Privacy group prepares legal challenge to NHS test-and-trace scheme The Guardian
• Coronavirus in England: half of those with symptoms not isolating The Guardian
• NHS England 'knew nothing' of change to shielding guidance Health Service Journal
• NHS Test and Trace: Matt Hancock admits he can't say how many people have used Covid-19 contact tracing system five days after it launched iNews