'Government closes' huge Northampton hotel as part of suspected quarantine takeover

'Government closes' huge Northampton hotel as part of suspected quarantine takeover A huge Northampton town centre hotel has closed as part of a 'Government takeover' in a move suspected to be related to quarantine following international travel. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Kettering General Hospital staff recognised for their 'outstanding, compassionate, and sensitive care' with national awards

Kettering General Hospital staff recognised for their 'outstanding, compassionate, and sensitive care' with national awards Two amazing midwives and a nurse from Kettering General Hospital (KGH) have received Daisy Awards for the outstanding, compassionate, and sensitive care they have given to patients. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Northampton midwife attacked by egg-throwers in Coventry

Northampton midwife attacked by egg-throwers in Coventry A midwife who had eggs, flour and water thrown at her by a group of 30 people said the experience would not stop her visiting patients.

Laney Holland, 47, from Northampton, was driving through Coventry when she was attacked.

She said: "It was scary. These people were probably clapping for me before, but now they were throwing stuff."

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust said abuse of staff was "completely unacceptable". BBC Northampton 

Amanda Pritchard Appointed NHS Chief Executive

Amanda Pritchard Appointed NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard has today been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of NHS England.

Pritchard will be the first woman in the health service’s history to hold the post, which she will take up on Sunday August 1.

As NHS chief executive, she will be responsible for an annual budget of more than £130 billion while ensuring that everyone in the country receives high quality care. NHS England

See also: 

• NHS England to appoint first female chief executive BBC News
• Departing NHS boss Sir Simon Stevens' current deputy - Amanda Pritchard - gets top role The Daily Mail
• NHS appoints 'continuity candidate' Amanda Pritchard as first female chief executive The Daily Telegraph
• Amanda Pritchard to replace Simon Stevens as NHS England chief The Guardian

The lived experience of disabled people during the Covid-19 pandemic

The lived experience of disabled people during the Covid-19 pandemic The aim of this research was to understand the impact of Covid-19 on the lives of disabled people, to identify problems that could be resolved through policy changes and to make the changes necessary that would lead to positive outcomes. This report will feed into short-term responses to Covid-19. It will also be considered regarding policies within the Disability Unit’s National Strategy for Disabled People and long-term planning efforts regarding possible future pandemics. Cabinet Office Disability Unit 

Guidance: NHS COVID Pass

Guidance: NHS COVID Pass How to get the NHS COVID Pass and demonstrate your coronavirus (COVID-19) status when travelling abroad and domestically at events and venues in England. Department of Health and Social Care 

Covid: No quarantine for fully jabbed US and EU travellers to England

Covid: No quarantine for fully jabbed US and EU travellers to England People who were fully vaccinated in the EU or US will not need to isolate when coming to England, Scotland and Wales from an amber list country.

The change will come into force at 04:00 BST on Monday.

Currently, only people who received their jabs in the UK can avoid quarantine when arriving from amber list countries, except France. BBC News

See also:

• Covid: Deaf woman wins claim over lack of sign language at briefings BBC News
• Covid-19 UK: Pfizer vaccine works better when spaced out by eight weeks, top scientists say The Daily Mail
• Covid England: One in 75 infected last week as outbreak grew by another 30%, says ONS report The Daily Mail
• Now PHE spots ANOTHER variant: 16 Brits have tested positive for 'Colombian' strain The Daily Mail
• Pfizer reports that third dose of vaccine could boost protection against Indian Delta variant The Daily Mail
• UK Covid cases rise for first time in a week The Daily Telegraph
• Lack of quarantine at England’s borders ‘risks havoc of Covid variants’ The Guardian

One million masks for NHS fail high-grade safety tests

One million masks for NHS fail high-grade safety tests A million masks supplied to the NHS as high grade did not meet the correct level of protection, tests have found.

The masks, assumed to be the FFP3 type, also had invalid CE safety marking, the emblem used to signify compliance with European standards, a report said.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said it was "scandalous" staff working in the pandemic had been put at risk.

The Department of Health and Social Care said a strategy was in place to provide alternatives. BBC News

See also: 

• Revealed: £6bn NHS glove contract shows rocketing cost of PPE  The Guardian

GP clinics at ‘breaking point’ and recovery plan is essential

GP clinics at ‘breaking point’ and recovery plan is essential Doctors are warning that general practice clinics risk cracking under the pressure of “unsustainable” workloads unless the government ramps up the recruitment of medical staff and takes steps to reduce burnout.

The Royal College of GPs is calling on the government to introduce an emergency rescue package to shore up general practice clinics after the pandemic, including recruiting 6,000 more GPs and 26,000 additional support staff, such as nurses and receptionists, by 2024 as well as reducing paperwork and investing in £1bn worth of improvements to infrastructure and technology. Without these changes, patients will not receive the care they need, the college said. The Guardian

See also: 

• College sounds SOS for general practice – and calls for rescue plan Royal College of General Practitioners

West Suffolk hospital chief resigns prior to bullying claims review

West Suffolk hospital chief resigns prior to bullying claims review The chief executive at Matt Hancock’s local hospital is to step down before the publication of a delayed review into bullying allegations involving an unprecedented demand for fingerprints from senior clinicians first revealed by the Guardian.

In January 2020, a “rapid review” was ordered into claims of a “witch-hunt” at West Suffolk hospital trust, from which the former health secretary had to recuse himself because of his friendship with the trust’s chief executive, Stephen Dunn. 

NHS pay: Royal College of Nursing to hold 'summer of action' over 3% pay rise

NHS pay: Royal College of Nursing to hold 'summer of action' over 3% pay rise Nurses across the UK have revealed plans for a "summer of action" over the 3% NHS pay rise.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced a number of events will be taking place throughout the country to raise awareness of its "fair pay" demands. Sky News

See also: 

• RCN launches ‘summer of action’ in protest against below-inflation NHS pay award Royal College of Nursing

NHS urges black Britons to give blood as demand rises over life-saving transfusions for sickle cell patients - iNews

NHS urges black Britons to give blood as demand rises over life-saving transfusions for sickle cell patients 16,000 new donors from the black and mixed black communities must be recruited as demand rises for transfusions for people with sickle cell disease. iNews