More visitors might be allowed at Northamptonshire hospitals and care homes while coronavirus infection rate is low

More visitors might be allowed at Northamptonshire hospitals and care homes while coronavirus infection rate is low More visitors might be allowed at hospitals and care homes in Northamptonshire while the coronavirus infection rate remains relatively low.

People will be able to see their loved ones more than previously permitted during the 'window of opportunity', dependent on risk assessments. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

How will Northamptonshire roll out flu vaccine to 380000 people following new eligibility rules?

How will Northamptonshire roll out flu vaccine to 380000 people following new eligibility rules? Northamptonshire's healthcare is facing the challenge of vaccinating up to 380,000 people this winter after the rules for who can claim a free vaccine were changed this year. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Creating culture at speed in a crisis

Creating culture at speed in a crisis To build a hospital in 13 days is a big challenge. To build a culture in 13 days is an even bigger one. But that is what we had to do at NHS Nightingale Hospital North West. The King's Fund

As if Expendable: the UK government’s failure to protect older people in care homes during the covid-19 pandemic

As if Expendable: the UK government’s failure to protect older people in care homes during the covid-19 pandemic As lockdown began, thousands of patients were sent from hospitals into care homes. In three months 18,562 people living in Care Homes died with COVID-19. Our report As if Expendable highlights the UK Government's failure to protect older people in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amnesty International 

See also:

• Covid: Care homes policies violated human rights, says Amnesty BBC News
• Coronavirus UK: Care home policies 'exposed residents to virus then BLOCKED them from medical care' The Daily Mail

Delivering a ‘net zero’ National Health Service

Delivering a ‘net zero’ National Health Service This report provides an account of the NHS’ modelling and analytics underpinning the latest NHS carbon footprint, trajectories to net zero and the interventions required to achieve that ambition. It lays out the direction, scale and pace of change. It describes an iterative and adaptive approach, which will periodically review progress and aims to increase the level of ambition over time. NHS England

1 in 8 people in England have now been tested for coronavirus

1 in 8 people in England have now been tested for coronavirus 1 in 8 people have now received a coronavirus test at least once since the launch of NHS Test and Trace on 28 May. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• PHE statement on delayed reporting of COVID-19 cases Public Health England
• Research and analysis: National COVID-19 surveillance reports Public Health England

Covid: 16,000 coronavirus cases missed in daily figures after IT error

Covid: 16,000 coronavirus cases missed in daily figures after IT error A technical glitch that meant nearly 16,000 cases of coronavirus went unreported has delayed efforts to trace contacts of people who tested positive.

Public Health England said 15,841 cases between 25 September and 2 October were left out of the UK daily case figures.

They were then added to Saturday's figure of 12,872 new cases and Sunday's 22,961 figure. BBC News

See also:

• Covid: UK announces more than 10,000 daily cases for first time BBC News
• Covid: Things 'bumpy to Christmas and beyond' - PM BBC News
• Coronavirus: How do monoclonal antibodies work? BBC News
• How Covid-19 infection rates DOUBLED in most local lockdown areas in England The Daily Mail
• Did early focus on hand washing and not masks aid spread of Covid-19? The Guardian
• Leak reveals possible harsher three-tier Covid plan for England The Guardian
• Military will help distribute Covid-19 vaccine, says Hancock The Guardian
• UK hospitals already using Trump antibody drug, says expert The Guardian
• Coronavirus: First wave caused ‘substantial harm and distress’ to vulnerable people, charities warn ahead of second spike The Independent
• Coronavirus: Only half of UK population to get vaccine, task force boss says The Independent

‘It’s essential that intervention is possible’: Women, isolation, and suicide

‘It’s essential that intervention is possible’: Women, isolation, and suicide The ONS has shown that the number of women taking their own lives annually is at its highest level since 2004. We need to talk about isolated women and what effect coronavirus might have on these statistics. The Independent

Care watchdog to target NHS maternity units after baby death scandals

Care watchdog to target NHS maternity units after baby death scandals The care watchdog is to target poorly performing NHS maternity units after a series of maternity scandals revealed by The Independent.

The Care Quality Commission is drawing up plans to spot high-risk maternity units and will use data on their patient outcomes and culture to draw up a list of facilities for targeted inspection.

Overstretched health visitors caring for up to 2,400 families each

Overstretched health visitors caring for up to 2,400 families each Overstretched health visitors have been forced to care for up to 2,400 families with newborns at a time, 10 times the recommended number, according to the sector’s most senior figure.

Prompting fears that breastfeeding rates will drop to new lows and a generation of babies could face a troubled future, Cheryll Adams, the chief executive of the Institute of Health Visiting, told the Guardian that as sickness and redeployment struck, some health visitors were having to care for thousands of families. The Guardian

Most of Boris Johnson's promised 40 new hospitals will not be totally new

Most of Boris Johnson's promised 40 new hospitals will not be totally new After election pledge, bulk of £3.7bn scheme’s projects involve rebuilding or consolidation

Ministers have set out more details of Boris Johnson’s much-scrutinised election promise to build 40 new hospitals in England, revealing that the bulk of the projects involve rebuilding or consolidation, and that only four have been started.

The scheme comes with a promised spending package of £3.7bn. However, NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, said the real cost of building 40 new hospitals would be more like £20bn. The Guardian

See also:

• Press release: PM confirms £3.7 billion for 40 hospitals in biggest hospital building programme in a generation Department of Health and Social Care