Northamptonshire's new Covid cases have doubled in a week

Northamptonshire's new Covid cases have doubled in a week Health chiefs say Covid cases are "escalating quite quickly" after seeing new positive tests DOUBLE in a week in Northamptonshire. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also: 

• Face masks and social distancing measures in England set to end on 19 July, new reports suggest Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Boris Johnson to axe face mask laws and confirm July 19 end to Covid rules Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Face masks and social distancing could stay for next 5 years under Covid winter plan Northamptonshire Telegraph

St Andrew's Healthcare defends policies after carer kissed and sent explicit messages to Northampton mental health patient

St Andrew's Healthcare defends policies after carer kissed and sent explicit messages to Northampton mental health patient St Andrew's Healthcare has defended its policies after a former carer was sentenced for kissing and sending explicit messages to a mental health patient at its Northampton hospital.

Adam White, 32, of Woodside Green, was a given a 30-month community order at Northampton Crown Court on Wednesday (June 30) after previously pleading guilty to engaging in sexual activity with the female patient. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Tackling obesity: the role of the NHS in a whole-system approach

Tackling obesity: the role of the NHS in a whole-system approach Rates of obesity in England are high and rising, with a strong systemic relationship between obesity and deprivation. Rates are also higher in women than in men, and in some ethnic minority groups compared to the white British group. 

Recent governments have taken a fragmented approach to tackling obesity, and while some individual policies have been successful, this approach has fallen short of the cross-cutting population health approach that is needed. This briefing explores the role of the NHS in tackling obesity, focusing on how the NHS can work with local partners and engage with communities to deliver targeted interventions to treat and prevent obesity. The King's Fund 

A missed opportunity: BMA response to the Race Report

A missed opportunity: BMA response to the Race Report In its response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities’ (CRED race) report, the BMA refutes the report’s overall findings. The BMA's report highlights structural race inequality as a major factor affecting the outcomes and life chances of many ethnic minority health care workers. British Medical Association 

Working well: How the pandemic changed work for people with health conditions

Working well: How the pandemic changed work for people with health conditions This research from the Centre for Aging Better, produced together with the Institute for Employment Studies, highlights the challenges faced by employees with long-term health conditions and warns that more support is needed to help people manage their conditions in the workplace if the state pension age is to rise further. 

Prime Minister to set out plans ahead of step 4

Prime Minister to set out plans ahead of step 4 The Prime Minister will host a press conference this afternoon (Monday 5th July) to set out plans for the final step of the Roadmap in England, giving businesses and the public more time to prepare.

The Health and Social Care Secretary will announce the plans to Parliament. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street

See also: 

• Health Secretary opinion piece in the Mail on Sunday Department of Health and Social Care
• UK exceeds 600,000 COVID-19 tests genomically sequenced Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: The R value and growth rate Department of Health and Social Care

Covid-19: Compelling health argument for easing lockdown - Javid

Covid-19: Compelling health argument for easing lockdown - Javid England will move into a period without legal restrictions where the public will have to exercise "personal responsibility" including on face masks, the housing secretary has said.

Robert Jenrick told the BBC's Andrew Marr people would "come to different conclusions" over masks, but he trusted people "to exercise good judgement". BBC News

See also:

• Boris Johnson to set out England's final Covid lockdown easing BBC News
• Covid: Keep some restrictions after 19 July, BMA doctors say BBC News
• Covid: Infections rising, but vaccines saving lives BBC News
• Why you shouldn't get a second Covid jab too early BBC News
• UK's daily Covid cases spike 70% in a week to 27,125 as deaths and hospital admissions tick upwards The Daily Mail
• Revealed: Boris Johnson’s five-point plan to end schools chaos The Daily Telegraph
• Politics trumps Covid science in Javid’s push to ‘live with the virus’ The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Delta variant cases in UK rise four-fold in less than a month The Independent

Thousands of patients hit by NHS data breaches

Thousands of patients hit by NHS data breaches The private data of thousands of NHS patients has been wrongly shared with strangers, including a case where a person’s HIV status was released, The Independent has learned.

In one example, strangers turned up at a woman’s door to let her know her private details, including her home address, had been mistakenly sent to other patients.

Johnson to announce controversial plans for greater NHS control

Johnson to announce controversial plans for greater NHS control Boris Johnson is set to spark a political row this week by announcing plans to seize greater control of the NHS, despite warnings that the “power grab” will see ministers blamed for delays in treatment and closure of local hospital units.

The prime minister has told the new health secretary, Sajid Javid, to put the long-awaited health and care bill before parliament despite Javid’s own misgivings and concerns among hospital bosses and doctors’ leaders. The Guardian

Number of NHS mental health beds down by 25% since 2010, analysis shows

Number of NHS mental health beds down by 25% since 2010, analysis shows The number of beds in NHS mental health hospitals has fallen by a quarter since 2010, forcing more patients who are seriously ill to be taken far away from home in order to receive treatment, Labour has revealed.

Its analysis of official figures shows that the NHS in England now has almost 6,000 fewer beds for people with conditions such as schizophrenia or eating and personality disorders. There were 23,447 consultant-led mental health beds in 2010-11 and 17,610 in 2020-21, a reduction of 5,837 (25%). The Guardian

Protests call for end to NHS underfunding and understaffing

Protests call for end to NHS underfunding and understaffing Dozens of protests have called for an end to underfunding and understaffing in the NHS across England, Scotland and Wales to mark the health service’s 73rd anniversary.

Campaigners from Keep Our NHS Public said they wanted an end to health service privatisation, better pay and to highlight threats to patient safety due to working conditions. The Guardian 

Queen awards George Cross to entire NHS for courage during pandemic

Queen awards George Cross to entire NHS for courage during pandemic The Queen has awarded the George Cross to the entire NHS, making public a handwritten note in which she praises the "courage, compassion and dedication" of health workers over more than 70 years.

It is only the third time the award – granted in recognition of “acts of the greatest heroism or of the most courage in circumstances of extreme danger” – has been given to a collective body.  The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NHS Chief Hails ‘Unprecedented’ Honour For Staff NHS England
• Landmarks light up blue to mark NHS 73rd birthday and thank staff for contribution during pandemic NHS England
• Queen gives George Cross to NHS for staff's 'courage and dedication' BBC News
• Queen awards George Cross to NHS in honour of ‘courageous and compassionate’ staff The Independent
• People are thanking the NHS for their work during the pandemic ahead of the organisation’s birthday The Independent
• Queen gives 'courageous' and 'dedicated' NHS the George Cross as William and Kate mark its 73rd birthday Sky News

Why are hospitals turning a blind eye to racist patients who demand a white doctor?

Why are hospitals turning a blind eye to racist patients who demand a white doctor? DR ZESHAN QURESHI: It's 3am at a busy London hospital. I've been called to the delivery of a premature baby. I step into the cubical, where I'm met by the father, who lunges toward me. The Daily Mail

Charities cut adrift dementia patients as dwindling funds see day care groups slashed

Charities cut adrift dementia patients as dwindling funds see day care groups slashed A charity cash crisis has left dementia patients stranded as hundreds of day care services shut up shop for good, a Mail on Sunday investigation has found. Dwindling funds have seen vital local groups for vulnerable adults slashed by a third since the beginning of last year. The Daily Mail