Quarter-of-a-million now fully vaccinated in Northamptonshire as 30-year-olds get call for jabs

Quarter-of-a-million now fully vaccinated in Northamptonshire as 30-year-olds get call for jabs More than a quarter-of-a-million people in Northamptonshire have now had two full doses of Covid-19 vaccine as 30-year-olds got the call for their first jabs. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also: 

• Indian variant surge puts June date for Covid restrictions easing at risk Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Hancock warns it’s till ‘too early to say’ if 21 June lifting of lockdown will go ahead Northamptonshire Telegraph

What impact has Covid-19 had on cancer services?

What impact has Covid-19 had on cancer services? By 2028, the NHS aims for 55,000 more people each year to survive cancer for at least five years after diagnosis. Achieving this requires access to timely diagnosis and treatment. However, cancer services were under pressure even before the Covid-19 pandemic, with waiting times for appointments and surgery worsening. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Chart of the week: The pathway to cancer diagnosis Nuffield Trust
• Cancer Quality Watch Indicator Update Nuffield Trust

Pandemic pressures: how Greater Manchester equalities organisations have responded to the needs of older people during the Covid-19 crisis

Pandemic pressures: how Greater Manchester equalities organisations have responded to the needs of older people during the Covid-19 crisis This report highlights a number of recommendations for service commissioners, funders and contractors to contribute to future emergency planning and responses. It recognises the expertise of equalities organisations in understanding and meeting the needs of the communities they represent, and to involve them in coproducing emergency planning and responses. Ambition for Ageing

A New Deal for Surgery

A New Deal for Surgery The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on NHS surgical services in England. All elective (planned) surgery was cancelled in the first wave and many surgical teams were redeployed to help treat COVID-19 patients. Latest figures show the largest ever recorded NHS waiting list in England of 4.95 million people, including more than 430,000 waiting over a year. In addition, there is a ‘hidden waiting list’ of people who have not yet come forward or who have not yet been referred for hospital treatment. Estimates vary, but could mean the waiting list growing to a figure of 9.7 million by 2023/24.

Our report, New Deal for Surgery, highlights the challenges that exist and provides recommendations for recovery. Royal College of Surgeons

See also: 

• Covid: Surgery waiting times could be cut with specialist hubs, say surgeons BBC News

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 variants identified in UK

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 variants identified in UK Public Health England releases weekly updates on the number of confirmed new cases of variants of concern and variants under investigation identified in the UK.

See also:

• Everybody aged 30 and over now able to get their COVID jab NHS England
• Independent report: COVID-19: assessment of hospital-associated SARS-CoV-2 infection and care home outbreaks Public Health England 
• Research: COVID-19 vaccine surveillance reports Public Health England 
• Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports Public Health England 

Does the UK have highest Covid death toll in Europe?

Does the UK have highest Covid death toll in Europe? Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the Labour Party, told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: "We have the highest death toll in Europe."

That is correct but does not take into account population size. Some smaller countries have reported higher rates of deaths per 100,000 people.

The UK did have the worst figures across most measures in the first wave of coronavirus, but has since been overtaken by countries that had worse winters. BBC News

See also:

• WHO virologist urges US to share Covid origins info BBC News
• Coronavirus patients spent a WEEK less in ICU if they had breathing tubes inserted quickly The Daily Mail
• Nearly three-quarters of patients with moderate or severe COVID had at least ONE long-term symptom The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus: Matt Hancock claims Bolton is doing 'tens of thousands' of jabs per day The Daily Mail
• Introducing Covid certificates is a ‘finely balanced’ decision, says Gove The Guardian
• Three-quarters of new UK Covid cases could be India variant, says Hancock The Guardian
• Covid hospital admissions rising with most patients younger people, says NHS leader The Independent
• How many NHS hospital staff have had the Covid vaccine? ITV News

Covid: Matt Hancock answers Dominic Cummings allegations

Covid: Matt Hancock answers Dominic Cummings allegations Matt Hancock has told MPs he got up each day and asked "what must do I to protect life?" as that was the job of the health secretary.

He was asked by Labour shadow Jonathan Ashworth if the claims made by the PM's former adviser Dominic Cummings on Wednesday were correct.

Mr Hancock said the "unsubstantiated allegations around honesty" were not true, as he gave figures on the number of questions, statements and press statements he had answered over Covid. BBC News

See also:

• Bereaved on Cummings' testimony: 'Angry, upset, relieved' BBC News
• The government's Covid strategy was discredited but we're still paying the price The Guardian
• I was straight with people, says Hancock after Cummings claims The Guardian
• How Kate Bingham got caught in the ‘crossfire’, according to Cummings The Guardian
• Hancock faces calls to explain Covid test failings at care homes The Guardian

NHS waiting times: Why dropping four-hour A&E target could be good for patients

NHS waiting times: Why dropping four-hour A&E target could be good for patients Officials say there is “clear evidence” that when it was first introduced, the four-hour target improved care, but that it has only ever focused on one part of a now much more complex range of urgent services for patients.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine had said that the four-hour waiting time target had served the NHS well but was no longer enough to force through clinical improvements. iNews 

NHS Digital set to share medical records with outside third parties

NHS Digital set to share medical records with outside third parties If you live in England, you have until June 23 to opt out of your data being included in a ‘digital scrape’ by the NHS, which it will share with third parties.

Privacy campaigners have harshly criticised the plans of NHS Digital, which will see the medical histories of more than 55 million patients ported into a database, including mental and sexual health data, criminal records and more sensitive information. Metro