Covid-19 drop-in vaccination clinics now open for boosters and third primary doses in Northamptonshire

Covid-19 drop-in vaccination clinics now open for boosters and third primary doses in Northamptonshire Selected Covid-19 drop-in vaccination clinics across Northamptonshire are now open for boosters and third primary doses for those eligible.

Drop-in clinics have opened more sessions across the county to accommodate those eligible for booster and third primary doses in a bid to vaccinate as many people as possible against Covid-19. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Northampton: Air quality warning at hospital's maternity unit

Northampton: Air quality warning at hospital's maternity unit Pollution levels near a town's maternity unit are regularly exceeding safe limits, campaigners have warned.

Dr Scott Mabbutt, an obstetrics registrar at Northampton Hospital, warned of a link between high pollution levels and miscarriage and stillbirth.

West Northamptonshire Council said roads nearest the hospital had "persistently recorded levels within legal limits". BBC Northampton

See also: 

• One baby born breathing toxic air every two minutes in the UK Asthma UK
• Clear the air: Improving air quality to protect future generations and level up our communities (report) Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation
• More than 250,000 British babies are born in toxic air hotspots every year, a study has revealed The Daily Mail
• Baby born in area with ‘dangerously polluted air’ every two minutes in UK, study finds Evening Standard

Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021

Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented his Autumn Budget and Spending Review to Parliament on Wednesday 27 October 2021. HM Treasury

See also:

• Chancellor’s pledge of £5.9bn to tackle backlog must be matched by a workforce to deliver BMA
• Health Foundation response to Spending Review 2021 The Health Foundation
• Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 Institute for Fiscal Studies
• The King's Fund responds to the Comprehensive Spending Review The King's Fund
• NHS Confederation responds to Spending Review NHS Confederation
• Welcome investment but delivery difficult without community workforce NHS Providers
• Spending Review leaves social care the poor relation and facing uncertainty Nuffield Trust
• RCN responds to latest Budget: ‘Patient care is paying a heavy price’ Royal College of Nursing
• RCP responds to Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review announcements Royal College of Physicians
• RCPsych responds to the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Autumn Budget 2021: Key points at-a-glance BBC News
• Budget 2021: Tax rises likely to leave middle earners worse off BBC News
• Budget 2021: Eight ways Rishi Sunak's plans affect you BBC News
• Budget 2021: Sunak unleashes spending spree partly funded by higher taxes Channel 4 News
• With hands tied behind its back, Sunak tells NHS to deliver The Independent
• Budget 2021: Social care ‘left out in the cold’ this winter iNews
• Throwing money at equipment 'not enough' to fix the NHS, warn nurses Nursing Notes
• Chancellor promises NHS workers another pay rise in 2022 Nursing Notes

Economic security and long-term conditions

Economic security and long-term conditions This analysis found that at the point of diagnosis, when living with long-term conditions and in looking to the future, people living with multiple long term-term conditions experience specific challenges in maintaining economic security. It also found that compared to those with one or no long-term conditions, those with multiple long-term conditions have the lowest levels of subjective economic security. In this briefing, supported by a full data report, six recommendations are identified for national government and local systems to support people living with multiple long-term conditions. Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce 

Patient harm 'almost certain' due to ambulance handover delays

Patient harm 'almost certain' due to ambulance handover delays Patients are being put at "catastrophic risk" of harm due to ambulance handover delays, health bosses say.

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) has raised its risk rating for such delays to its highest level for the first time in its history.

The risk rating shows the trust believes patient harm is "almost certain" due to the handover hold-ups. BBC News 

'Patient dying in my ambulance triggered PTSD'

'Patient dying in my ambulance triggered PTSD' For paramedic Ollie Springett, seeing a patient die in the back of his ambulance of respiratory issues was too much.

It was the run-up to Christmas last year, and Ollie was on shift with the London Ambulance Service during the darkest days of the Covid pandemic.

The pressure of working on the NHS frontline led to him developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He is far from alone, NHS staff have been seeking help in record numbers. BBC News 

29p depression pill is found to slash unvaccinated patients' risk of hospitalisation

29p depression pill is found to slash unvaccinated patients' risk of hospitalisation A cheap antidepressant may cut the risk of an unvaccinated Covid patient needing hospital care by a third, a large Brazilian study suggests. 

Fluvoxamine — available on prescription in the UK under the name Faverin — is thought to calm down the immune system due to its anti-inflammatory abilities.  The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Effect of early treatment with fluvoxamine on risk of emergency care and hospitalisation among patients with COVID-19: the TOGETHER randomised, platform clinical trial (open access) The Lancet Global Health
• Wearing face coverings protected wearers from COVID-19 infection – large scale study University of Oxford 
• Covid cases were already falling in children BEFORE half-term The Daily Mail
• Give Covid booster jabs to middle-aged and young adults, No10 scientist says The Daily Mail
• Covid UK: 'Less than 20% chance' government will activate plan B, Whitehall sources say The Daily Mail
• Novavax applies for UK approval of its Covid vaccine - which Britain has bought 60 million doses of The Daily Mail
• NHS Test and Trace is still lavishing millions on nearly 2000 consultants The Daily Telegraph
• Boris Johnson wears face mask in Commons for first time in months The Guardian
• Generation Burnout: how Covid-19 pushed NHS staff to the brink The New Statesman

Double whammy of flu and Covid will overwhelm NHS this winter, modelling warns

Double whammy of flu and Covid will overwhelm NHS this winter, modelling warns The NHS will be overwhelmed this winter by a lethal combination of Covid-19 and flu, new modelling has suggested, amid warnings that Europe is on track for a “severe” influenza season.

The modelling, compiled by the health analytics firm Airfinity, explores the threat posed to the health service if coronavirus hospitalisation rates remain stable and flu prevalence mirrors the years preceding the pandemic. The Daily Telegraph 

NHS workers could strike in bid for 15% pay rise

NHS workers could strike in bid for 15% pay rise NHS union GMB plans to escalate opposition to the Government’s 3% pay rise for NHS workers.

GMB will ballot tens of thousands of NHS employees working across 22 NHS Trusts in Yorkshire and North Derbyshire between 10 November and 15 December. Any strikes would then take place early next year. Pulse