Six more coronavirus deaths confirmed at Northamptonshire's hospitals

Six more coronavirus deaths confirmed at Northamptonshire's hospitals NHS chiefs have today confirmed six more coronavirus deaths during a four-day period at Northamptonshire's hospitals. 

Wednesday's daily bulletin revealed that two Covid-19 patients died at Northampton General Hospital on Sunday (November 22) and one on Saturday. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

See also:

• Everything you need to know ahead of Thursday's big reveal on which tier Northamptonshire goes into Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 'We are ready to go with Covid-19 vaccine in Northamptonshire as and when it is ready' Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Tier One. Two or Three? Here's when Northamptonshire will find out what Covid restrictions we will be living with Northamptonshire Telegraph
• GPs will be given 10 days notice before Covid vaccine rollout - who will get the jabs first? Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton mental health expert expects 'significant rise' in group numbers next year

Northampton mental health expert expects 'significant rise' in group numbers next year An army veteran who set up a mental health support group this year has said he expects an increase in the numbers of men joining in 2021. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Hospital bed availability at Northampton General Hospital Trust lags below pre-pandemic levels

Hospital bed availability at Northampton General Hospital Trust lags below pre-pandemic levels NHS Providers has warned the health service is facing a "real problem" across England, as the number of beds open to patients is still well below last year's figures.

NHS data shows an average of 728 beds were available overnight at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust between July and September. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Social prescribing and NHS facilities: how could the NHS better use its facilities to support social prescribing, holistic care and community resilience?

Social prescribing and NHS facilities: how could the NHS better use its facilities to support social prescribing, holistic care and community resilience? The NHS Long Term Plan has pledged to refer at least 900,000 people to social prescribing by 2023/24 to help improve people’s wellbeing; the fitter, healthier and more socially connected people are, the less likely it is they’ll need to access local GP or other health professionals. This report, based on a survey conducted with over 2,000 people in England, shows that there's also a strong appetite from the public for these services. The research was commissioned by NHS Property Services. The King's Fund

Finding our own way home: a ‘big conversation’

Finding our own way home: a ‘big conversation’ This report, jointly written by the Housing LIN and Learning Disability England, outlines the key results from research conducted into the housing opportunities and blockages for people with a learning disability and/or autism. 

Covid-19: supply of ventilators

Covid-19: supply of ventilators This report recognises the achievement and the hard work, collaboration, and commitment of individuals across both the public sector and UK industry. However, it argues that the UK Government lost a month because it was “underprepared and reacted slowly” to the shortage of mechanical ventilators. It concludes that there was no plan in place to source additional critical care equipment needed in the event of an emergency. House of Commons Public Accounts Committee

Tiering decisions to be made through national command structure

Tiering decisions to be made through national command structure The Health Secretary will today set out in Parliament the tier which each local authority in England will fall under, in line with the measures set out in the COVID-19 Winter Plan published on Monday. Department of Health and Social Care 

Covid: Tiers and Christmas - a recipe for disaster?

Covid: Tiers and Christmas - a recipe for disaster? With England's lockdown coming to an end, it's all change.

A new system of regional tiers will come into force next week. That will be followed by a relaxation of rules at Christmas across the UK which will allow up to three households to meet over the festive period.

But scientists are warning the move risks a third wave of Covid. Is the government making a mistake? BBC News

See also:

• Government plan to exit lockdown is ‘full of risks and threatens to undo progress’ The BMA
• Covid: England's regional tiers to be set out BBC News
• Covid: US doctor's video simulates what dying patient sees
• Long Covid: How knowledge of ME could help sufferers
• Coronavirus: Doctors in South West England were sent 'clearly used' gloves in PPE blunder The Daily Mail
• Britain's daily Covid cases drop again week-on-week to 18,213 The Daily Mail
• Manufacturing error clouds Oxford's Covid-19 vaccine study results The Daily Telegraph
• UK scientists warn of third wave of Covid after Christmas The Guardian
• Hancock's former neighbour won Covid test kit work after WhatsApp message The Guardian
• Most of England to enter two toughest tiers when lockdown is lifted The Guardian
• Lockdown tier predictions - which areas are likely to be in Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 The Independent
• Boris Johnson facing growing backbench revolt over England tiers The Independent

Social care funding falls 'alarmingly short' - council directors

Social care funding falls 'alarmingly short' - council directors Extra funding announced for care services falls "alarmingly short" of the amount needed to meet demand, council directors in England have said. 

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) said the £1bn the chancellor announced for social care was "fragmented" and "short-term".

It said Covid-19 had led to a huge surge in demand for care services. BBC News

Calls for permanently free hospital parking for NHS staff

Calls for permanently free hospital parking for NHS staff South Lakes MP Tim Farron has joined over 40 cross-party MPs in writing to the Prime Minister to call for hospital parking for NHS staff to be made permanently free.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced on March 25 the Government would cover the costs of car parking for NHS staff who he said were "going above and beyond every day" at hospitals in England. ITV News

Spending Review: Over a million NHS staff to receive pay rise as part of a cash boost for the health service

Spending Review: Over a million NHS staff to receive pay rise as part of a cash boost for the health service Over a million nurses, doctors and others working in the NHS will get a pay rise as part of a £3bn boost to the health service aimed at trying to bring down the enormous backlog in operations and scans due to the pandemic. iNews

See also:

• Spending Review does not provide the NHS ‘whatever it needs’, with funding for backlog ‘beyond inadequate’ The BMA
• Spending Review leaves NHS England £6bn short next year The Health Foundation
• Spending Review to fight virus, deliver promises and invest in UK's recovery HM Treasury
• The Spending Review is 'unlikely to be enough to address health and care pressures' The King's Fund
• Member briefing: Spending Review 2020 NHS Confederation
• Spending Review 2020 NHS Employers
• Nuffield Trust response to the Spending Review Nuffield Trust
• Spending Review: Key points from Rishi Sunak's statement BBC News
• Spending review: Rishi Sunak’s extra £55bn to fight Covid brings bill for the disease to £12,000 per household The Independent
• Key numbers and policies from Rishi Sunak’s spending review The Independent
• NHS staff will be awarded a pay rise next year, confirms Sunak Nursing Notes
• Public sector pay rises targeted at NHS and low income staff Personnel Today

Premature babies three times more likely to be hospitalised with infections in childhood, Oxford study finds

Premature babies three times more likely to be hospitalised with infections in childhood, Oxford study finds Premature babies are three times more likely to be hospitalised with infections later in childhood, a major Oxford study has found.

Health risks associated with being born earlier than 37 weeks (more than three weeks before the normal gestational period of 40 weeks) decline as children get older. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Gestational age and hospital admissions during childhood: population based, record linkage study in England (TIGAR study) The BMJ