NHS confirms six coronavirus deaths in Northamptonshire hospitals

NHS confirms six coronavirus deaths in Northamptonshire hospitals Six more coronavirus deaths have today been confirmed at Northamptonshire's two main hospitals.

NHS England included the information in Tuesday's daily bulletin that four patients died at Northampton General Hospital on between Sunday and Tuesday this week. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Areas of Northamptonshire where coronavirus cases are among the LOWEST in the country Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 11 of the largest lockdown fines issued by police - and what they were for Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• The NHS has been told to prepare for mass Covid vaccinations from 1 December Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Corby special educational needs school shuts after Covid case Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Corby secondary school confirms coronavirus case Northamptonshire Telegraph

Ward evacuated at Northampton General Hospital after roof fire

Ward evacuated at Northampton General Hospital after roof fire Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service scrambled to Northampton General Hospital Wednesday morning. 

It comes as the fire service received reports over the accident and emergency department roof being on fire at 10.15am. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Elective care in England: assessing the impact of Covid-19 and where next

Elective care in England: assessing the impact of Covid-19 and where next This briefing shows there were 4.7 million fewer people referred for routine hospital care – such as hip, knee and cataract surgery – between January and August 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, representing a potential hidden backlog of unmet care needs. The Health Foundation

Nursing and midwifery workforce numbers continue to grow as concern around the long term impact of Covid-19 remains

Nursing and midwifery workforce numbers continue to grow as concern around the long term impact of Covid-19 remains Latest mid-year figures out today (Thursday 12 November) from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) reveal the number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates on its permanent register has grown by 7,909 to 724,516 between 1 April and 30 September - an increase of 1.1 percent.

See also:

• The pandemic is creating problems for continued future growth of nursing numbers Nuffield Trust

Saving a lost decade: how a new deal for public health can help build a healthier nation

Saving a lost decade: how a new deal for public health can help build a healthier nation This report reveals the wider consequences of inaction on health improvement and prevention. It argues that the decision to remove health protection functions from Public Health England to a new National Institute for Health Protection presents an opportunity to reimagine and design a better public health system. Policy Exchange

Early evidence of the development of primary care networks in England: a rapid evaluation study

Early evidence of the development of primary care networks in England: a rapid evaluation study Primary care networks are groups of general practices brought together in July 2019 to develop new services in response to NHS England/Improvement policy using a shared budget. This report examined the early implementation of primary care networks, especially what has helped or hindered progress, how they operate in relation to pre-existing collaborations, and issues for rural networks. National Institute for Health Research

Human rights of Black people not equally protected, say Committee

Human rights of Black people not equally protected, say Committee The Joint Committee on Human Rights have published their Report “Black People, Racism and Human Rights”, which concludes that the Government must urgently take action to protect the human rights of Black people, including within healthcare, criminal justice, nationality and immigration and democracy.

The Committee have now concluded that the Government, NHS and police must now take action to end the stark inequalities in the protection of human rights of the Black community.

See also:

• 60% of black people feel they're treated unequally by NHS, says report Metro

Oxford University and PHE confirm high-sensitivity of lateral flow tests

Oxford University and PHE confirm high-sensitivity of lateral flow tests Extensive clinical evaluation shows lateral flow tests are accurate and sensitive enough to be used in the community, including for asymptomatic people. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): looking after people who lack mental capacity  Department of Health and Social Care
• Research and analysis: COVID-19: deaths of people with learning disabilities Public Health England

Hospitals install pop-up Covid-19 isolation bays

Hospitals install pop-up Covid-19 isolation bays Six NHS Trusts across England are fitting pop-up isolation rooms in their hospitals.

Royal Derby Hospital, part of University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, has just installed 25 of the pop-up bays in their medical assessment unit, to separate patients until they receive the results of a Covid-19 test.

The temporary rooms which are stored in a compact wheeled cart, can be erected in around five minutes to provide an individual room to isolate patients. BBC News

See also:

• Black and Asian people at greater risk from Covid, study finds BBC News
• Students in Leicester take part in rapid coronavirus test  BBC News
• Covid vaccine: 'No decision' on under 50s vaccine plan BBC News
• Russian Covid vaccine shows encouraging results BBC News
• 'These are repurposed bin bags': Fury of NHS workers given flimsy plastic sheets instead of proper PPE to protect against second wave of Covid The Daily Mail
• Two thirds of COVID-19 survivors have symptoms 7 weeks later The Daily Mail
• No10 'nudge' unit suggests paper wristbands for those Covid-negative The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: Death toll tops 50,000 with 595 new victims The Daily Mail
• NHS told to prepare for Covid mass vaccinations from December 1 The Daily Telegraph
• How will a coronavirus vaccine be rolled out to the UK population? The Guardian
• NHS to vaccinate up to 5,000 people a day in Covid immunisation drive The Guardian
• Antibody tests bought by UK government 'less accurate than maker claims' The Guardian
• Oxford coronavirus vaccine expected to be easier to roll out than Pfizer jab The Independent
• Covid patients ‘head to toe’ on trolleys in A&E spark warnings over ‘lethal’ situation The Independent
• Pfizer vaccine: Over 80% of doses already sold to world’s richest countries The Independent
• NHS worker quits to become figurehead for Covid conspiracy movement Metro

Instagram: New tools to ban self-harm and suicide posts

Instagram: New tools to ban self-harm and suicide posts Instagram has launched new technology to recognise self-harm and suicide content on its app in the UK and Europe.

The new tools can identify both images and words that break its rules on harmful posts.

It will make posts less visible in the app and, in extreme cases, remove it automatically. BBC News

Large outbreaks of diseases such as flu likely when social distancing ends, study shows

Large outbreaks of diseases such as flu likely when social distancing ends, study shows Large outbreaks of diseases such as flu could emerge once Covid-19 measures like social distancing end, a study from Princeton University has suggested.

Researchers said that non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as mask wearing and social distancing, which were introduced to reduce the spread of Covid-19, had also lowered the incidence of illnesses including seasonal influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The Independent

See also:

• The impact of COVID-19 nonpharmaceutical interventions on the future dynamics of endemic infections (open access) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Cheshire hospital baby deaths: Nurse to appear in court charged with eight counts of murder

Cheshire hospital baby deaths: Nurse to appear in court charged with eight counts of murder A nurse is due in court charged with eight counts of murder following an investigation into baby deaths at a hospital in Cheshire.

Lucy Letby, 30, was arrested for a third time on Tuesday as part of the investigation into the Countess of Chester Hospital, which began in 2017.

Letby, of Arran Avenue, Hereford, also faces 10 charges of attempted murder relating to the period of June 2015 to June 2016. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Chester hospital baby deaths: Nurse Lucy Letby due in court BBC News
• Lucy Letby: Nurse due in court charged with murdering eight babies at Chester hospital The Independent