Letters, personal belonging drop-offs and a helpline: The additional ways NGH is helping patients during pandemic

Letters, personal belonging drop-offs and a helpline: The additional ways NGH is helping patients during pandemic A number of services have been launched at Northampton General Hospital to help patients and their loved ones during the coronavirus pandemic.

While visiting is generally prohibited, with only a few exceptions, the hospital is working hard to make sure patients can still hear from their loved ones. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Coronavirus: Four Stanwick care home residents die with virus BBC Northampton
• Coronavirus deaths in the Anglia region up by more than 100 to 1270 ITV News
• Northamptonshire's community and mental health heroes say a big "THANK YOU" for your support Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northampton hospital's Covid-19 death toll climbs past 60 with 113 victims across the county Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Fears over more Covid-19 deaths in care homes as 16 new fatalities are recorded in Northamptonshire hospitals Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Number of patients going to A&E at Northampton General Hospital drops by nearly 2500 in March Northampton Chronicle and Echo

£107m of debt at Northampton General Hospital written off by government

£107m of debt at Northampton General Hospital written off by government From the start of this month, almost £3.5 billion of NHS debt from 23 trusts across the Midlands will be scrapped, as announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock last week.

And yesterday (April 9) it was revealed that Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust’s level of debt to be written off amounts to almost £108 million. This includes revenue debt of £97.78 million and capital debt of £10.18 million. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• KGH has £167m debt written off Northamptonshire Telegraph

Covid-19 rapid guideline: managing symptoms (including at the end of life) in the community

Covid-19 rapid guideline: managing symptoms (including at the end of life) in the community The purpose of this guideline is to provide recommendations for managing Covid‑19 symptoms for patients in the community, including at the end of life. It also includes recommendations about managing medicines for these patients, and protecting staff from infection. NICE

See also:

• Covid-19 rapid guideline: managing suspected or confirmed pneumonia in adults in the community NICE

Policy paper: Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan

Policy paper: Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan Cross-government UK-wide plan to ensure that critical personal protective equipment (PPE) is delivered to those on the frontline responding to coronavirus (COVID-19). 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
• Press release: Government sets out plan for national effort on PPE Department of Health and Social Care
• Health Secretary launches biggest diagnostic lab network in British history to test for coronavirus Department of Health and Social Care
• Student docs and nurses praised for joining ‘NHS Army’ to tackle historic coronavirus threat NHS England
• Thousands of former NHS staff are back on the front line in the NHS fight against coronavirus NHS England
• Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional: week ending 3 April 2020
• Covid-19: management of exposed healthcare workers and patients in hospital settings Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: track coronavirus cases Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: infection prevention and control (IPC) Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: personal protective equipment use for aerosol generating procedures Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection Public Health England
• Risk of 'serious consequences' if non-COVID conditions unmanaged or untreated, warns College Royal College of General Practitioners

Coronavirus: More tests promised for care homes

Coronavirus: More tests promised for care homes All care home residents and staff with Covid-19 symptoms will be tested for coronavirus as laboratory capacity increases, the government has promised.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was "determined" to ensure everyone who needed a test had access to one.

Labour welcomed the pledge but said the social care sector needed more support.

Care providers have been calling for more testing for weeks, with charities saying the virus is "running wild" amid outbreaks at more than 2,000 homes. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Virus causes jump in total number of deaths BBC News
• Coronavirus: Nurse's PPE 'like soldier without combat gear' BBC News
• UK Biobank: DNA to unlock coronavirus secrets BBC News
• 'Difficult' cancer care decisions taken due to coronavirus BBC News
• Coronavirus: Baroness Altmann says health system is 'stacked against' care homes BBC News
• Coronavirus: Scientists to review impact of lockdown measures BBC News
• Coronavirus: Body-bag stocks 'in danger of running out' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Gown supply 'critically low' in some hospitals BBC News
• Covid-19 Deaths in England Are 15% Higher Than NHS Reports Bloomberg
• Why is it so hard to make a reliable coronavirus antibody test? The Daily Mail
• Boss of Britain's largest care operator claims TWO THIRDS of homes have had coronavirus The Daily Mail
• UK's coronavirus death toll could be 15% higher than official figures show The Daily Mail
• One THIRD of NHS workers tested for coronavirus are positive The Daily Mail
• Patients with severe COPD should have advanced care plans, says NICE COVID-19 advice GPonline
• NHS hospitals accused of risking staff lives by abandoning PPE fit-tests The Guardian
• How close is the NHS to getting the 18,000 ventilators it needs? The Guardian
• 'I feel fear and guilt': an NHS junior doctor on the effect of getting Covid-19 The Guardian
• England coronavirus testing has not risen fast enough - science chief The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Thousands of virus deaths may be being under-reported, warn experts The Independent
• Coronavirus: Doctors call for suspension of NHS charging regulations as vulnerable groups ‘effectively denied’ healthcare The Independent