More than 600 mental health crisis referrals to Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust in just a month

More than 600 mental health crisis referrals to Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust in just a month People in crisis were referred for urgent or emergency mental health support at Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust more than 600 times in just a month, figures show. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Warning as Covid variant found in South Africa is ‘most mutated’ strain so far

Warning as Covid variant found in South Africa is ‘most mutated’ strain so far A Covid variant first identified in South Africa “could be more infectious” than all other mutations identified so far, scientists warn.

The C.1.2 strain was detected by scientists in South Africa in May this year and is thought to have the potential to evade coronavirus vaccines. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Covid vaccine uptake: The Northampton areas with the greatest number of teenagers vaccinated Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Campaign launched for Northamptonshire public to 'be kind and bear others in mind' as normality returns Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Covid rule-breakers from Burton Latimer, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough sentenced at court Northamptonshire Telegraph

The good childhood report 2021

The good childhood report 2021 This report shows the latest trends in children's well-being. The research seeks to understand how young people feel about different aspects of their lives. This year school, friendships and appearance continue to cause the greatest dissatisfaction in adolescence. Children's Society 

Responding to the needs of a diverse workforce and community during Covid-19

Responding to the needs of a diverse workforce and community during Covid-19 Solent NHS Trust is a community and mental health trust that covers Portsmouth, Southampton and parts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. At the outbreak of Covid-19, a comprehensive organisational diversity and inclusion response was developed, focussing on five workstreams. This case study describes in detail the five workstreams, accomplishments and lessons learnt for the future. NHS Employers 

NHS COVID ‘grab-a-jab’ initiative boosts ethnic minority vaccinations

NHS COVID ‘grab-a-jab’ initiative boosts ethnic minority vaccinations The NHS COIVD vaccination programme has protected more than 700,000 people from ethnic minority backgrounds since rolling out the grab-a-jab campaign.

An analysis of one grab-a-jab weekend in July found that 2 in 5 of the 80,000 walk-in doses administered were to people from ethnic minority groups, significantly more than the proportion in the wider community.

People have been able to turn up and ‘grab a jab’ at festivals, mosques, town halls, football grounds and other convenient sites since the campaign began earlier this summer. NHS England

See also: 

• Health Secretary article in The Times Department of Health and Social Care

Covid: Delta twice as likely to need hospital care

Covid: Delta twice as likely to need hospital care People are twice as likely to need hospital care if they are sick with the Delta Covid variant, rather than the Alpha variant that was once prevalent in the UK, data from England suggests.

Experts say the big study, published in The Lancet, reinforces why it is important that people get fully jabbed. BBC News

See also:

• Hospital admission and emergency care attendance risk for SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) compared with alpha (B.1.1.7) variants of concern: a cohort study (open access) The Lancet
• Covid: Teen in hospital with virus urges others to get vaccinated BBC News
• New Zealand woman dies after receiving Pfizer vaccine BBC News
• Covid in Scotland: Record number of cases as NHS faces 'perfect storm' BBC News
• Covid origin: US spy agencies publish 'inconclusive' report BBC News
• England will suffer a WORSE Covid outbreak than Scotland following children returning to schools The Daily Mail
• Covid UK: Cases rise 2% in a week to 38,046 as hospitalisations creep up by 10% The Daily Mail
• England's R rate is now definitely ABOVE one for first time in a month and outbreak grew by 9% The Daily Mail
• Unvaccinated care home staff moving to NHS, creating tricky dilemma for Government The Daily Telegraph
• Who is now receiving critical care for Covid? The Guardian
• Up to 600,000 Britons feared to have missed second AstraZeneca dose The Independent
• Why are US anti-vaxxers touting a horse dewormer as a cure for Covid? The Independent

Rugby study finds brain affected in one season

Rugby study finds brain affected in one season After just one season of rugby players at a professional team saw a decline in both blood flow to the brain and cognitive function, a new study claims

The University of South Wales research followed a professional rugby team over the course of a season, testing players pre-season, mid-season and post season.

It will be published in Wednesday's September edition of the Journal of Experimental Physiology. BBC News 

Blood test shortage: NHS chiefs working 'flat out' to resolve shortage of blood sample tubes

Blood test shortage: NHS chiefs working 'flat out' to resolve shortage of blood sample tubes Health chiefs say they are working ‘flat out’ to resolve the nationwide shortage of blood collection tubes that has halted all but the most clinically urgent blood tests.

The British Medical Association warned at the weekend that the shortage of blood tubes across hospitals and GP surgeries is now severe and if the NHS does not reduce the amount being used in the coming days, even the most clinically important blood tests may be at risk. iNews

See also: 

• NHS blood test tube shortage set to worsen BBC News
• NHS blood test tube shortage: Doctors 'facing difficult choices' BBC News
• GPs instructed to halt all non-urgent blood tests until mid-September GPonline
• GPs ordered to halt all non-urgent blood tests across England until September The Independent

Strain on mental health care leaves 8m people without help, say NHS leaders

Strain on mental health care leaves 8m people without help, say NHS leaders An estimated 8 million people in England with mental health problems cannot get specialist help because they are not considered sick enough to qualify, NHS leaders have revealed as the toll of the pandemic is laid bare.

The figure, drawn up by mental health trusts and NHS Providers, underlines the gap between the growing need for care for anxiety, depression and other mental health problems, and the ability of the NHS to treat them. The Guardian

Huge decrease in organ transplants as Covid took hold across world

Huge decrease in organ transplants as Covid took hold across world The number of solid organ transplants fell dramatically around the world between 2019 and 2020, researchers have found, highlighting the widespread impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on health services and patients.

As the pandemic surged, hospitals were forced to delay potentially life-saving organ transplant surgery, because of resources such as intensive care beds being needed for Covid patients and because of concerns including whether it was safe to treat transplant recipients in hospital. The Guardian 

Royal College of Nursing moves conference online following allegations of sexual harassment

Royal College of Nursing moves conference online following allegations of sexual harassment A major nursing conference has been moved online following serious allegations of sexual harassment.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said its 2021 Congress would now be held virtually in order to safeguard attendees. The Daily Telegraph

See also: 

• RCN Congress 2021 to be held exclusively online Royal College of Nursing
• Royal College of Nursing: Conference scrapped over sex harassment claims BBC News