Tuesday 10 November 2020

The NHS is preparing for 7 day coronavirus vaccine clinics - but can ‘normal life’ really resume by spring?

The NHS is preparing for 7 day coronavirus vaccine clinics - but can ‘normal life’ really resume by spring? Following the news that a new Covid-19 vaccine has been found to provide 90 per cent protection against the virus, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that the NHS is ready to begin providing the vaccine “as fast as safely possible.” Northamptonshire Telegraph

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Certain key services will remain separate as Northampton and Kettering hospitals move to 'group model' next year

Certain key services will remain separate as Northampton and Kettering hospitals move to 'group model' next year A new management model that will see Northamptonshire’s two hospital trusts working ‘collaboratively’ will not affect certain key services.

Announced in January, the ‘group model’ will see Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital ‘making the most’ of staff and resources at both sites. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Brackley Medical centre and community hospital to welcome its first patients

Brackley Medical centre and community hospital to welcome its first patients Brackley's new medical centre will be welcoming its first patients on Monday November 16, although the opening has to be kept low key, due to lockdown. Buckingham Advertiser

Continuing healthcare: getting it right first time

Continuing healthcare: getting it right first time NHS continuing healthcare is administered by local NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) with oversight from NHS England and NHS Improvement. This report draws on 60 cases resolved in the last three years relating to continuing healthcare. It has found not only significant failings in care and support planning but also failings in reviews of previously unassessed periods of care. The report's recommendations are rooted in the findings from the casework and point to essential changes that should be made to prevent similar failings for future care users. Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

    What factors make a community more vulnerable to COVID-19?

    What factors make a community more vulnerable to COVID-19? In July 2020, the British Academy convened a workshop, chaired by Professor Sir Ian Diamond FBA, on what we know and need to know about the factors affecting the prevalence of COVID-19 in different communities. A holistic, multidisciplinary approach is needed to understand the causes of vulnerability and the workshop brought together distinguished researchers across a range of disciplines with insights into the available evidence.

    This summary elaborates these main points and highlights the common themes around how to identify and support vulnerable communities, exploring ways to reduce the impact of the virus itself and prevent COVID-19 from exacerbating inequalities. The British Academy

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    The state of the state 2020-21: government in the pandemic and beyond

    The state of the state 2020-21: government in the pandemic and beyond In its ninth edition, this annual collaboration with Deloitte explores people's perceptions of public services, spending after the pandemic and the government's 'levelling up' agenda. The report is informed by a national survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI, and interviews with 40 public sector leaders. Reform

      Government response: UK government response to Pfizer/BioNTech’s publication of efficacy data of their COVID-19 vaccine

      Government response: UK government response to Pfizer/BioNTech’s publication of efficacy data of their COVID-19 vaccine Pfizer/BioNTech (Monday 9 November) published positive efficacy results from Phase 3 studies of their potential Covid-19 vaccine, showing it to be more than 90% effective in preventing coronavirus in participants. Department of Health and Social Care

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      Covid vaccine: First vaccine offers 90% protection

      Covid vaccine: First vaccine offers 90% protection The first effective coronavirus vaccine can prevent more than 90% of people from getting Covid-19, a preliminary analysis shows.

      The developers - Pfizer and BioNTech - described it as a "great day for science and humanity".

      Their vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised. BBC News

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      'Inhuman' use of restraint on disabled adults

      'Inhuman' use of restraint on disabled adults Every 15 minutes, on average, a patient with learning disabilities was restrained in hospital last year, new BBC File on 4 analysis shows.

      In 2019, restraint was used just over 38,000 times in England. In 2017, there were 22,000 reports of restraint.

      Harriet Harman, chairwoman of the House of Commons joint select committee on human rights, said this suggested "inhuman and degrading" treatment.

      The Department of Health said restraint "should only be used as a last resort". BBC News

      One in five Covid patients develop mental illness within first three months, study shows

      One in five Covid patients develop mental illness within first three months, study shows One in five Covid-19 patients were diagnosed with a mental illness for the first time within three months of their infection, a study has shown.

      Mental health experts said the findings, which were based on an analysis of the electronic medical records of 69 million people in the US, suggest that coronavirus survivors could have an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders. The Independent

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      Visa rules forcing migrant NHS workers to leave UK amid Covid second wave

      Visa rules forcing migrant NHS workers to leave UK amid Covid second wave ‘Shameful’ treatment of health and care workers comes amid 122,000 shortage in England

      Migrant healthcare workers are having to return to their countries of origin, potentially hampering Britain’s response to the second wave of coronavirus, after the expiry of visas to support the NHS, trade unions and charities have warned. The Guardian

      Number of deaths from type 2 diabetes more than DOUBLED at the peak of pandemic, study finds 

      Number of deaths from type 2 diabetes more than DOUBLED at the peak of pandemic, study finds The number of deaths from type 2 diabetes in England more than doubled at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in April, a study has revealed.

      Around 3,050 people died from the preventable condition — a figure that is 110 per cent higher than the 1,450 who were expected to die based on the 10-year average. The Daily Mail