Northamptonshire has five times more Indian variant Covid cases than we thought

Northamptonshire has five times more Indian variant Covid cases than we thought Cases of the fast-spreading Indian variant of concern in Northamptonshire are nearly FIVE TIMES more than previously thought.

More than a quarter of the known cases are in East Northants, Corby and Kettering. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Freedom to speak up index report 2021

Freedom to speak up index report 2021 Freedom to Speak Up Index report continues to show an improvement in workers’ perceptions of the speak up culture in NHS Trusts But the disparity between the highest performing organisations and the lowest is increasing. National Guardian's Office 

Global medicine spending and usage trends : outlook to 2025

Global medicine spending and usage trends : outlook to 2025 The future level of global spending on medicines has implications for health care systems and policymakers across developed and emerging economies, and these issues are even more important in light of the global Covid-19 pandemic. This report finds medicine spending growth will continue to be driven by traditional factors including patent expiries, launches of new medicines as well as changing volume demand, particularly in pharmerging and lower income countries. Please note that free registration is required to access this report. IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science 

Dangers of children swallowing magnets prompts NHS call for ban

Dangers of children swallowing magnets prompts NHS call for ban A potentially life threatening TikTok trend, involving tiny magnets that can be easily swallowed, has triggered the NHS to call for a ban. These tiny magnetic balls are widely sold as creative toys, with a recent TikTok craze seeing them used as fake facial piercings by teenagers. NHS England 

NHS Vaccination Programme Jabs Half Of People In Their 30s

NHS Vaccination Programme Jabs Half Of People In Their 30s The NHS Covid Vaccination Programme has jabbed more than half of people in their thirties in just over a fortnight, new figures have revealed. More than five million appointments have been made and 53% of people aged 30-39 have received at least one dose since the programme, the biggest in NHS history, began opening up. NHS England

See also:

• Janssen coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine authorised by UK medicines regulator Department of Health and Social Care
• Life-saving vaccination programme to hit more major milestones as new vaccine added to armoury Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: COVID-19 surveillance and immunity studies Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: The R value and growth rate Department of Health and Social Care
• England’s top NHS nurse says volunteering surge can be positive Covid legacy NHS England

Covid-19: Job not done despite vaccination success, scientist warns

Covid-19: Job not done despite vaccination success, scientist warns The success of the UK's vaccination programme does not mean that the battle with Covid is over, a scientist advising the government has said.

Prof Adam Finn said the country remained vulnerable as there were still large numbers of unvaccinated people.

More than 25 million people in the UK have had two doses of a vaccine - just under half of the adult population. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid-19: UK in early stages of third wave - scientist BBC News
• Covid-19: Concern over June unlocking amid hospital pressure BBC News
• 'Very few' Covid hospital patients had two jabs, NHS boss says BBC News
• Covid: WHO renames UK and other variants with Greek letters BBC News
• Coronavirus: How Matt Hancock's and Dominic Cummings's claims about care home testing compare The Daily Mail
• Vietnam detects new hybrid of Indian and UK Covid-19 variant The Daily Telegraph
• Why the Covid Wuhan lab escape theory, dead and buried months ago, has risen again The Daily Telegraph
• Some long Covid sufferers in England waiting months for treatment The Guardian
• Patients were sent back to care homes without Covid test despite bosses’ plea The Guardian
• NHS test-and-trace workers are charged out at more than double their pay The Guardian
• MPs tell Johnson: you have a duty to help vaccinate the world The Guardian
• Covid: NHS chief warns of hospital pressures as Boris Johnson faces decision on lockdown ending ITV News

'Gene therapy is a game changer for our son'

'Gene therapy is a game changer for our son' Baby Arthur is just five months old. He has no way of knowing the treatment he is receiving in his right arm is the world's most costly medicine.

His devastating progressive disorder causes loss of muscle control.

But he has become one of the first patients to be treated on the NHS with Zolgensma, a gene therapy with a list price of £1.795m. BBC News

Children with Tourette's Syndrome and Tic Disorders are being 'totally neglected', NHS doctor says

Children with Tourette's Syndrome and Tic Disorders are being 'totally neglected', NHS doctor says Children with Tourette's Syndrome and tic disorders are being "totally neglected" with a failure to provide even the most basic services in some areas of England and Wales, according to a leading NHS doctor.

ITV News found almost a third of children referred to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) with the condition were told there was no help available. ITV News

Investigation after woman dies weeks after being ‘dropped’ during surgery

Investigation after woman dies weeks after being ‘dropped’ during surgery An investigation is under way at a hospital in Cumbria after a woman died weeks after being “dropped” from an operating table.

Jeanette Shields, 70, was dropped on the floor after a routine operation at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, according to her husband, John Shields. The Guardian

Did you know the NHS is about to share your records?

Did you know the NHS is about to share your records? I am waiting for a letter from my GP’s surgery asking me whether I consent to having my medical data uploaded on to a national database and made available to researchers, but it doesn’t seem it is going to come.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are millions of people in Britain who are unaware that, unless they formally object by June 23, then a week later their health records will be added to an NHS Digital database, which could then be shared, in anonymised form, with universities, pharmaceutical companies and technology companies. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Collecting GP data - advice for the public NHS Digital
• GPs warn over plans to share patient data with third parties in England The Guardian
• The Guardian view on medical records: NHS data grab needs explaining | Editorial The Guardian
• NHS England’s plans for use of our personal data leaves me very worried The Independent
• New GP data extraction ‘far exceeds’ care.data plans, warn privacy campaigners Pulse