Police issued 177 fixed penalty notices over ONE WEEKEND for Covid breaches across Northamptonshire

Police issued 177 fixed penalty notices over ONE WEEKEND for Covid breaches across Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Police issued a "disappointing" number of Covid fines over the weekend after almost 200 lockdown breaches took place in the county. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• 'Overwhelmingly positive first day back': Northampton schools full of joy with return of all pupils Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Second lateral flow testing centre opens in Corby Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Ethnic minorities left at 'significantly higher risk' of Covid due to ‘colour-blind' vaccination model Northamptonshire Telegraph

Over 70000 calls made to Northamptonshire's 24/7 mental health number in its first year

Over 70000 calls made to Northamptonshire's 24/7 mental health number in its first year Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) have received over 70,000 calls since launching their 24/7 mental health support number in collaboration with mental health charity, Mind, in March 2020. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Let's get on with it, Kettering MP tells ministers over KGH rebuild funding

Let's get on with it, Kettering MP tells ministers over KGH rebuild funding Kettering's MP has called on Government ministers to engage 'Project Speed' so the town can have a hospital it will be proud of - and he wants an early advance on funding. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Seeking an anchor in an unstable world: experiences of low-income families over time

Seeking an anchor in an unstable world: experiences of low-income families over time This report draws on the experiences of 14 low-income families over a five-year period ending on the eve of the pandemic. In most of the families in the study, either a parent, child or both had ongoing physical and/or mental health issues. This had implications over time for families' work opportunities, income, and plans. The report also examines other issues such as housing, employment, benefits, family composition, and support from formal and informal sources. Joseph Rowntree Foundation 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the different effects on men and women in the UK, March 2020 to February 2021

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the different effects on men and women in the UK, March 2020 to February 2021 Analysis of previously published data from across the Office for National Statistics and the government highlights the different effects on men and women throughout the first year of the coronavirus pandemic in charts.

See also: 

• Covid: Women more anxious and overworked amid pandemic BBC News

Staff experience: Adapting and innovating during COVID-19

Staff experience: Adapting and innovating during COVID-19 This resource showcases some of the NHS trusts that have adapted and innovated during the pandemic, to provide examples that may serve to strengthen local approaches and inform future practice in supporting staff experience. NHS Employers

New analysis of lateral flow tests shows specificity of at least 99.9%

New analysis of lateral flow tests shows specificity of at least 99.9% New analysis published today shows lateral flow tests (LFD) to have a specificity of at least 99.9% when used to test in the community and could be as high as 99.97%. Department of Health and Social Care

See also: 

• Research and analysis: COVID-19: reported SARS-CoV-2 deaths in England Public Health England

Cancer patients 'less protected' after first jab

Cancer patients 'less protected' after first jab Cancer patients are much less protected against Covid-19 than other people after one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, the first real-world study in this area suggests.

With a 12-week wait for the second dose this could leave them vulnerable, says the King's College London and Francis Crick Institute research team. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid blood protein offers clues for treatments BBC News
• Covid-19: False test results 'ruining' return to school BBC News
• Covid: Brazil experts issue warning as hospitals 'close to collapse' BBC News
• Anti-vaxx propaganda about fertility and Covid jabs driving vaccine hesitancy The Daily Mail
• BAME communities are being put at risk by UK's 'colour-blind' Covid vaccine strategy, experts warn The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: Kent Covid variant 'is up to TWICE as deadly as older versions' The Daily Mail
• Boris Johnson sparks lockdown extension fears as he warns of European Covid 'surge' The Daily Mail
• NHS to send text messages telling you it's time for your Covid jab The Daily Telegraph
• Concerns over huge buildup of used PPE at hospitals in England The Guardian
• Is test and trace really the most wasteful public spending programme ever? The Independent
• Government coaching Serco on how to win honours for running test-and-trace programme The Independent
• NHS trust bows to pressure in reinstating full sick pay for cleaners and porters The Independent
• European regulator raised concern over quality of early Pfizer vaccine batches, leaked emails show The Independent
• Covid vaccine: UK has up to 10 million extra jabs, as surge in supply means NHS can ramp up second doses iNews

LGBT+ groups' 'deep concern' over minister's approach to conversion therapy ban

LGBT+ groups' 'deep concern' over minister's approach to conversion therapy ban Nearly 20 LGBT+ organisations and campaigners have written to the equalities minister to express their "deep concern" at her response to calls to ban so-called conversion therapy. BBC News

See also: 

• Ministers 'must quickly ban LGBT+ conversion therapy' BBC News
• ​Equality adviser quits accusing ministers of creating ‘hostile environment’ for LGBT people The Independent
• Government creating 'hostile environment' for LGBT+ people says adviser as she quits over conversion therapy ITV News

NHS recruits thousands of overseas nurses to work on understaffed wards

NHS recruits thousands of overseas nurses to work on understaffed wards More than 8,000 overseas nurses have been recruited by the NHS in the last 10 months to help fill gaps on overstretched hospital wards, The Independent can reveal. 

Tiny swallowable cameras will check for cancer in 'sci-fi' development

Tiny swallowable cameras will check for cancer in 'sci-fi' development Swallowable cameras the size of capsules will be given to NHS patients in a “sci-fi” bid to check for cancer.

Taking more than 57,000 pictures as they work through the digestive system, the disposable devices are intended to replace complicated and uncomfortable endoscopies. The Daily Telegraph