Northampton General Hospital hits targets for treating cancer patients despite extra pressures of Covid-19

Northampton General Hospital hits targets for treating cancer patients despite extra pressures of Covid-19 Cancer patients at Northampton General Hospital are being seen within NHS target times despite the worst winter ever.

While coronavirus cases climbed alongside the pressures of winter illnesses during December 2020, the hospital hit seven national targets to provide cancer care. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

'I firmly hope and believe that this time, if we get it right and we keep the rates down, this could be the last lockdown'

'I firmly hope and believe that this time, if we get it right and we keep the rates down, this could be the last lockdown' Colum from Northamptonshire's Director of Public Health, Lucy Wrightman. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

See also:

• DJ Jo Whiley welcomes news thousands of adults with learning disabilities will be prioritised for a coronavirus vaccine Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northampton councillor reveals he came close to death from Covid-19 - and hopes his experience will warn others Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Wellingborough man, 57, admits stealing £1900 from Northampton General Hospital patient

Wellingborough man, 57, admits stealing £1900 from Northampton General Hospital patient Offender conditionally discharged after being ordered to pay back outstanding cash. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Spring Budget 2021: what’s in store for health and care?

Spring Budget 2021: what’s in store for health and care? What might the Chancellor have in store for health in the upcoming Budget? If we think narrowly about health and care services, then the answer is likely to be not very much. But if we think more widely about the population’s health, then there could be much more at stake. The King's Fund

How can policymakers plan better for the long term

How can policymakers plan better for the long term Coronavirus (COVID-19) has shown why governments must prepare better for an uncertain future. This long read explores what long-term planning means and how it could be improved. The Health Foundation 

Understanding clinical decision-making at the interface of the Mental Health Act (1983) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005)

Understanding clinical decision-making at the interface of the Mental Health Act (1983) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005) The Mental Health Act (1983) (MHA) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA) both provide a legal means by which people can be deprived of their liberty and admitted to hospital on a formal basis when they lack capacity to consent to their admission and treatment. A key interface of the MHA and the MCA arises where an individual lacks the capacity to decide whether to be admitted to hospital to receive care and treatment, and are not objecting to admission or treatment, then the decision of which Act to use for these purposes is that of professionals involved. This report looks at that decision-making process. Partnership for Responsive Policy Analysis and Research 

Maternal death: Learning from maternal death investigations during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Maternal death: Learning from maternal death investigations during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic Through our maternity investigation programme, we’ve investigated 20 maternal deaths that happened between 1 March and 31 May 2020. These deaths all happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The women had contact with many areas of the healthcare system, including primary and secondary care, ambulance services and NHS 111.

The purpose of this national learning report is to review the findings of our maternal death investigation reports and identify any potential themes and areas of learning. This learning could potentially improve maternal care if a future surge of COVID-19 cases occurs. Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch

See also:

• Ban on attending hospitals with pregnant partners 'may have contributed to maternity deaths'  The Daily Telegraph

Ban lifted to allow UK blood plasma to be used for life-saving treatements

Ban lifted to allow UK blood plasma to be used for life-saving treatements Thousands more critically ill patients will soon be able to benefit from life-saving treatments made from UK-sourced blood plasma, as the government lifts a decades-old ban on donations of plasma in the UK being used to manufacture some medicines. Department of Health and Social Care 

JCVI advises inviting people on Learning Disability Register for vaccine

JCVI advises inviting people on Learning Disability Register for vaccine JCVI has advised the government to invite all people on the GP Learning Disability Register for COVID-19 vaccination. Public Health England 

See also:

• Letter from the Health and Social Care Secretary on COVID-19 vaccination in people with learning disabilities Department of Health and Social Care

Is Covid at risk of becoming a disease of the poor?

Is Covid at risk of becoming a disease of the poor? Alum Rock is an inner city suburb of Birmingham. It is deprived and ethnically diverse, with a large Pakistani community.

The area has seen high rates of infection and yet it has among the lowest number of people coming forward for vaccination. Just six in 10 of those aged over 80 have had the jab.

A few miles to the north is Sutton Four Oaks, an affluent area with detached houses and tree-lined streets. Infection rates have been three times lower in recent weeks, but close to 95% of over-80s have been vaccinated. BBC News 

See also:

• Serco: Test and trace firm's boss defends scheme BBC News
• Johnson and Johnson vaccine: FDA finds the single-shot jab safe BBC News
• Covax vaccine plan: What is it and how will it work? BBC News
• People with learning disabilities to be prioritised for Covid vaccine BBC News
• How Britain's second wave of Covid has drastically changed The Daily Mail
• Covid UK: Lockdown ease may SLOW if cases spike, says SAGE adviser The Daily Mail
• Covid UK: Matt Hancock claims cases of variants 'falling sharply' The Daily Mail
• Frontline workers and BAME groups will not be prioritised for UK vaccines The Guardian
• Gwyneth Paltrow's Covid advice challenged by NHS England director The Guardian
• Two doses of Pfizer vaccine produce higher number of antibodies, study shows The Independent

Covid: Half with cancer signs didn't contact GP in first wave

Covid: Half with cancer signs didn't contact GP in first wave Almost half of people with potential cancer symptoms did not contact their GP during the first wave of the pandemic, a survey suggests.

Symptoms left unchecked included coughing up blood, lumps and changes to the appearance of moles.

NHS figures showed a fall in referrals to cancer services last spring. BBC News

See also:

• Cancer symptom experience and help-seeking behaviour in the UK adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic Covid Health and Help Seeking Behaviours Study (CABS)
• Nearly half with cancer symptoms in the UK did not see GP in first wave of pandemic The Guardian

Ministers warned over new powers to control patient safety watchdog

Ministers warned over new powers to control patient safety watchdog Plans to give the health secretary control over a patient safety watchdog risks “massive untold consequences” for the NHS, experts have warned.

Under proposals, Matt Hancock would be able to determine which incidents the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) should investigate, while also being able to remove protections for NHS staff that mean they can give evidence without fear of reprisals. The Independent 

NHS issued legal challenge over contract with Palantir

NHS issued legal challenge over contract with Palantir The tech-justice firm Foxglove has issued a lawsuit on behalf of news site openDemocracy over a National Health Services deal with the controversial big data firm Palantir Technologies. Healthcare IT News

See also:

• Why we’re suing over the £23m NHS data deal with Palantir openDemocracy
• Revealed: Data giant given 'emergency' Covid contract had been wooing NHS for months The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
• NHS facing legal action from tech activists over patient data deal The Daily Mail
• NHS facing legal challenge over data deal with controversial Silicon Valley firm Palantir Sky News