Northamptonshire hospitals' plea as NHS confirms 60 coronavirus deaths in two weeks

Northamptonshire hospitals' plea as NHS confirms 60 coronavirus deaths in two weeks NHS England has confirmed 60 deaths among coronavirus patients recorded by Northamptonshire hosptials trusts in the last two weeks. 

The bulletin showed five more deaths on Saturday at Kettering General Hospital taking the total there to 30 in the previous 14 days. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• A new variant of Covid-19 has been identified - here’s what it means Northamptonshire Telegraph

Build Back Fairer: The COVID-19 Marmot Review

Build Back Fairer: The COVID-19 Marmot Review This report has been produced by the UCL Institute of Health Equity and commissioned by The Health Foundation as part of its COVID-19 impact inquiry to investigate how the pandemic has affected health inequalities in England.

See also:

• Government must put health at heart of nation’s pandemic recovery The Health Foundation
• Covid: 'Children put at risk by health inequalities' BBC News
• Austerity and government neglect of public health have helped fuel UK’s Covid crisis, report finds The Independent
• Pre-existing inequality led to record UK Covid death rate, says health chief The Guardian
• Children in Crisis: Coronavirus inequalities risk ‘condemning the next generation to a less flourishing life’ The Independent

Non-COVID-19 NHS care during the pandemic

Non-COVID-19 NHS care during the pandemic This short analysis summarises trends in activity from key NHS services in England, from the beginning of the pandemic to the most recent months for which data are available (up to October and November 2020). This covers the first peak of the pandemic in March, April and May, through to September, October and November, when infection rates began to rise again. The data cover urgent and emergency care, general practice and hospital services. The Health Foundation 

See also:

• England's poorest get least GP time as rich get most, study reveals The Guardian

Why have Black and South Asian people been hit hardest by COVID-19?

Why have Black and South Asian people been hit hardest by COVID-19? The coronavirus pandemic has hit some parts of society harder than others. When looking at social, economic and environmental factors there are differences, particularly for Black and South Asian ethnic groups. Office for National Statistics

See also: 

• Coronavirus and the social impacts on different ethnic groups in the UK: 2020 Office for National Statistics
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey: characteristics of people testing positive for COVID-19 in England and antibody data for the UK: December 2020 Office for National Statistics
• BAME groups hit by Covid 'triple whammy', official UK study finds The Guardian

Unequal impact? Coronavirus and BAME people

Unequal impact? Coronavirus and BAME people Third report from the Women  and Equalities Committee exploring how the pre-existing inequalities facing BAME people and how these inequalities have impacted on their vulnerability to Covid-19. 

See also:

• Coronavirus: Health checks recommended for ethnic minorities from age 25 BBC News

Obesity and coronavirus: where next for policy?

Obesity and coronavirus: where next for policy? This report explores what the data tell us about obesity, the current policy landscape and the likely effectiveness of policies announced to date in the government’s obesity strategy. It draws on desk research and data analysis, as well as a nationally representative survey from Opinium, commissioned as part of this study. It finds that the government's appeal to Britons to slim down in response to Covid-19 have not helped most people living with obesity to lose weight. Social Market Foundation 

Opportunities to strengthen place-based systems approaches to consider and address associated health inequalities

Opportunities to strengthen place-based systems approaches to consider and address associated health inequalities This report outlines the findings of a research project which aimed to understand local authorities' familiarity with and use of a whole systems approach and place-based approaches. It explores what approaches local authorities were taking to address health inequalities within their whole systems approach to obesity and how they could be better supported to strengthen these approaches. Public Health England 

Official Statistics: REACT-1 study of coronavirus transmission: November 2020 final results

Official Statistics: REACT-1 study of coronavirus transmission: November 2020 final results Results of real-time assessment of community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) during November 2020.

REACT-1 is the largest population surveillance study being undertaken in England that examines the prevalence of the virus causing COVID-19 in the general population. It uses test results and feedback from over 150,000 participants each month. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Statement to Parliament: Sharp rise in coronavirus numbers and a new variant Department of Health and Social Care
• Speech: Health and Social Care Secretary's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 14 December 2020 Department of Health and Social Care
• London, South Essex, and South Hertfordshire to move to Tier 3 restrictions Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Full list of local restriction tiers by area Department of Health and Social Care
• Policy paper: JCHR report on COVID-19 human rights implications: government response Department of Health and Social Care
• Patient Group Direction COVID-19 vaccines NHS England
• PHE investigating a novel strain of COVID-19 Public Health England

'New variant' of coronavirus identified in England

'New variant' of coronavirus identified in England A new variant of coronavirus has been found which is growing faster in some parts of England, MPs have been told.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said at least 60 different local authorities had recorded Covid infections caused by the new variant.

He said the World Health Organization had been notified and UK scientists were doing detailed studies. BBC News

See also:

• New Covid strain: How worried should we be?  BBC News
• New variant of Covid-19 is 'not more dangerous' - Prof Whitty BBC News
• Covid: Matt Hancock on 'new variant’ of Coronavirus BBC News
• Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine: Bogus reports, accidental finds - the story of the jab BBC News
• Covid: GPs complain of delays in receiving virus vaccine BBC News
• What has changed since the tiers came in after lockdown? BBC News
• Covid: Twelve charts on how Covid changed our lives BBC News
• COVID-19 vaccines are here - Now what? The Daily Mail
• 'Pretty high' chance of Oxford vaccine being rolled out before end of year, says lead scientist The Daily Telegraph
• London in Tier 3 from Wednesday after 'big increase' in infections The Daily Telegraph
• What do we know about the spread of Covid-19 among children in the UK? The Guardian
• Vaccinating entire UK population will take nearly a year, without interruptions, experts warn The Independent
• Post-Thanksgiving Covid spike should serve as warning for UK ahead of Christmas, NHS leader says The Independent
• Covid vaccine: NHS official who ran PPE efforts in spring is now in charge of roll-out iNews

Gay 'conversion therapy': Man given electric shocks demands apology

Gay 'conversion therapy': Man given electric shocks demands apology A gay man who went through months of electric shock "therapy" in a university psychology department 50 years ago has demanded an apology. 

Chris - not his real name - went to his GP for advice in the 1970s, when he became aware of his sexuality in his mid-20s.

The doctor said he knew someone who could "cure" him. He was referred to a clinical psychologist at the University of Birmingham. BBC News

Ingrowing toenails and STIs among inappropriate 999 calls ‘putting lives at risk’

Ingrowing toenails and STIs among inappropriate 999 calls ‘putting lives at risk’ A 999 caller asked for bandaging for his ingrowing toenail, an ambulance service revealed as it warned that inappropriate requests were putting lives at risk.

Another man begged for help because he was worried he had caught a sexually transmitted infection by “full-on snogging” with a woman. The Independent