What you can and can't do in Northamptonshire from Monday

What you can and can't do in Northamptonshire from Monday March 29 is next step in PM's roadmap out of lockdown — here's what's changing and what's not. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• More than a quarter of care home staff in Northamptonshire not vaccinated against Covid-19 Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northamptonshire's over-50s urged to book Covid jabs before slots dry up next week Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 'Wear your masks' to KGH appointments, urges Kettering hospital chief Northamptonshire Telegraph

Rise in number of cancer patients admitted to Northamptonshire hospitals as 'emergency cases'

Rise in number of cancer patients admitted to Northamptonshire hospitals as 'emergency cases' The number of cancer patients admitted to hospitals as emergency cases in Northamptonshire rose last summer, figures show.

Macmillan Cancer Support said the rising number of cancer patients across England arriving at hospitals via A&E or other urgent routes showed the “devastating" effect of the virus on cancer care. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The data divide: public attitudes to tackling social and health inequalities in the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond

The data divide: public attitudes to tackling social and health inequalities in the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond As part of a partnership with the Health Foundation exploring how the accelerated adoption of data-driven technologies and systems during the pandemic may have affected inequalities, the Ada Lovelace Institute commissioned Survation to conduct a telephone-based, nationally representative survey of 2,023 UK British adults, to explore public attitudes towards a range of technologies deployed during the Covid-19 pandemic for health outcomes, including mental and physical-health apps, symptom-tracking apps, digital contact-tracing apps and vaccine passports. This report summarises the findings. Ada Lovelace Institute

Exploring the potential of AI to help address health inequalities

Exploring the potential of AI to help address health inequalities Our new Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Racial and Ethnic Inequalities in Health and Care research call supports the advancement of AI-driven technologies in health and care to improve health outcomes for minority ethnic populations in the UK.

In this article, Brhmie Balaram, Head of AI Research and Ethics at NHSX and Adam Steventon, Director of Data Analytics at the Health Foundation discuss the programme and its aims. The Health Foundation

Chart of the week: The pandemic costs – how government is providing an additional quarter-trillion funding for Covid-19

Chart of the week: The pandemic costs – how government is providing an additional quarter-trillion funding for Covid-19 Each week we present analysis of data in chart form to illustrate some key issues and invite discussion. This week, Billy Palmer and John Appleby consider the financial cost of the pandemic by analysing the additional funding the government has spent or put aside for dealing with the pandemic, now and into the future – finding that financial support for health and social care is only one element of the wider picture. Nuffield Trust

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy could lead to thousands of extra deaths

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy could lead to thousands of extra deaths Hesitancy around COVID-19 vaccines could lead to thousands of extra deaths over a two-year period, Imperial epidemiologists show.

High numbers of people refusing or delaying a vaccine could increase the mortality rate by up to eight times compared with ideal vaccination uptake. Imperial College London

See also:

• Report 43 - Quantifying the impact of vaccine hesitancy in prolonging the need for Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions to control the COVID-19 pandemic Imperial College London

The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days

The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days In July 2020 the Prime Minister asked Andrea Leadsom MP to chair a review into improving the health and development outcomes for babies in England. The Early Years’ Healthy Development Review focuses on the 1,001 critical days through pregnancy to the age of two. These critical days are when the building blocks for lifelong emotional and physical health are laid down. The Review sets out a vision for best practice across the health system to ensure babies and children can get the best possible start. Department of Health and Social Care

Policy paper: NHS mandate 2020 to 2021

Policy paper: NHS mandate 2020 to 2021 The government's mandate to NHS England and NHS Improvement sets out their objectives and budgets for 2020 to 2021. Department of Health and Social Care 

COVID-19 vaccines have prevented thousands of deaths in older adults, new data shows

COVID-19 vaccines have prevented thousands of deaths in older adults, new data shows Analysis carried out by Public Health England suggests that the COVID-19 vaccination programme prevented 6,100 deaths in England up to the end of February 2021.

See also:

• Top Doctor Says Do Not Delay Getting an NHS Covid Jab NHS England
• Guidance: PHE monitoring of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination Public Health England
• Research and analysis: COVID-19 variants: genomically confirmed case numbers Public Health England
• Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports Public Health England

NICE publishes single guideline for managing COVID-19

NICE publishes single guideline for managing COVID-19 One year on from the first national lockdown, NICE has today (23 March) published a single guideline for the management of COVID-19 in children and adults. 

Covid: What might a third wave look like?

Covid: What might a third wave look like? Lockdown is, step-by-step, beginning to ease across the UK. Next week, the stay-at-home order will be lifted in England and people can start mixing in small groups outdoors.

But with infection rates rising in Europe, the British public is also being warned of the risk of a third wave.

The prime minister himself says it is only a matter of time before the wave from Europe washes up on our shores. But with more than half of adults vaccinated, what would that look like? BBC News

See also:

• Covid: BAME doctors 'still waiting for risk checks' BBC News
• Covid rules: What is the rule of six in England? BBC News
• Wockhardt UK: Inside the factory making the AstraZeneca vaccine BBC News
• Covid-19: Over-50s urged to book jabs before vaccine supplies dip BBC News
• Coronavirus: EU urges unity as leaders meet for key vaccine summit BBC News
• The NHS hospitals that have suffered the most Covid-19 deaths since the pandemic began The Daily Mail
• Covid UK: Daily death toll falls another third to 63, though cases rise 1.5% to 6,397 The Daily Mail
• Will UK be hit by an 'exit wave' of Covid as lockdown is lifted? The Daily Mail
• Moderna, Pfizer vaccines found safe and effective for pregnant women The Daily Mail
• Covid cases are ONLY going up in school-age children, Government data reveals The Daily Mail
• Two care home workers in South Devon arrested over multiple Covid deaths The Daily Telegraph
• Patient safety watchdog launches investigation into NHS 111 advice to Covid patients The Guardian
• 40,600 people likely caught Covid while hospital inpatients in England The Guardian
• UK's emergency Covid rules extended for another six months The Guardian
• More than 6,000 Covid deaths averted due to UK’s vaccine programme, study shows The Independent
• NHS England reduces Covid emergency incident level The Independent

NHS to spend almost £100m improving maternity safety after Shrewsbury care disaster

NHS to spend almost £100m improving maternity safety after Shrewsbury care disaster The NHS is to spend almost £100m to make maternity units across the NHS safer for mothers and babies in a major victory for families and The Independent – which has been campaigning for better training for midwives and doctors.

NHS England announced the investment on Thursday in response to the care scandal at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust.

See also:

• Shrewsbury baby deaths prompt midwife recruitment drive BBC News
• NHS England to invest £95m in maternity services after damning report and campaign Channel 4 News
• Analysis: Why did so many babies have to die for the NHS to take action? The Independent