Increase in Covid-19 patients in Northamptonshire hospitals as Omicron fears see alert level raised

Increase in Covid-19 patients in Northamptonshire hospitals as Omicron fears see alert level raised NHS figures revealed a jump in coronavirus patients in Northamptonshire hospitals ahead of Chief Medical Officers' raising the UK's Covid-19 Alert Level. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• NHS appointments will be postponed to make way for Covid boosters Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• All the new Covid rules as work from home guidance kicks in today Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• This is who is eligible for their booster as millions able to book jab from Monday Northamptonshire Telegraph

New rules as visitors to KGH and NGH must provide proof of negative Covid test

New rules as visitors to KGH and NGH must provide proof of negative Covid test New rules are being introduced for visitors to the county's two main hospitals to help prevent the spread of Covid as cases of the Omicron variant continue to rise across the UK. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Coroner's 'concern' over ambulance service's lack of action following Kettering boy's tragic death

Coroner's 'concern' over ambulance service's lack of action following Kettering boy's tragic death A coroner will take the rare step of issuing a prevention of future deaths report after an inquest uncovered concerns over the ambulance service called out to help a much-loved Kettering boy when he had a fatal epileptic seizure. Northamptonshire Telegraph

A&E trips to Northampton General Hospital 35 percent higher than 2020 and adding to pressure on already-stretched NHS

A&E trips to Northampton General Hospital 35 percent higher than 2020 and adding to pressure on already-stretched NHS Fewer patients went to A&E at Northampton General Hospital in November – but numbers were still up by more than one-third on the same period in 2020. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

West Northants: Rough sleeper numbers 'massively reduced'

West Northants: Rough sleeper numbers 'massively reduced' Emergency measures introduced in the pandemic have "massively reduced" the number of rough sleepers in a council district, according to charity workers.

West Northamptonshire Council's annual rough sleeper count recorded 15 people as sleeping on its streets. BBC Northampton

See also: 

• Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust's sexual health team holds HIV testing session for homeless with help from Hope Centre Northampton Chronicle and Echo

UK coronavirus (COVID-19) alert level increased from Level 3 to Level 4

UK coronavirus (COVID-19) alert level increased from Level 3 to Level 4 Following advice from the UK Health Security Agency and in the light of the rapid increase in Omicron cases, the UK Chief Medical Officers and NHS England National Medical Director have recommended to ministers that the UK COVID-19 alert level should increase from Level 3 to Level 4. Department of Health and Social Care

See also: 

• Daily rapid testing for COVID-19 contacts launches this week Department of Health and Social Care
• Public urged to get boosted as 22 million top-up jabs delivered Department of Health and Social Care
• Prescription charge waiver for COVID-19 antivirals and therapeutic clinical trials Department of Health and Social Care
• NHS to roll out life-saving booster jab to people aged 30-plus NHS England
• COVID-19 variants identified in the UK UK Health Security Agency

Covid: New booster target as Johnson declares Omicron 'emergency'

Covid: New booster target as Johnson declares Omicron 'emergency' Booster jabs will be offered to everyone over 18 in England from this week, the PM has announced, as he declared an "Omicron emergency".

"No one should be in any doubt, there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming," Boris Johnson said on Sunday.

A new target has been set to give boosters to all adults who want one by the end of the month, he said. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid: First UK death recorded with Omicron variant BBC News
• Covid: UK in a 'race between virus and vaccine' over Omicron, says Sajid Javid BBC News
• Covid: Work-from-home guidance reintroduced in England BBC News
• Omicron: Better to act now than to wait for deaths - Javid BBC News
• Covid: First people in UK hospitals with Omicron variant BBC News
• Covid Omicron wave: 'We have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best' BBC News
• Covid: Omicron study suggests major wave in January BBC News
• Covid: Care home visitors cut to three to slow Omicron spread BBC News
• Covid booster jabs extended to over-18s — here’s how to book yours The Daily Telegraph
• Under 'Plan B' omicron could lead to 75,000 Covid deaths in five months The Daily Telegraph
• UK’s 1m a day booster rollout is strategy of short-term pain for long-term gain The Guardian
• Hospitals told to increase critical care bed numbers within weeks The Independent
• COVID-19: Concerns about 'scale and pace' of booster programme with NHS 'already beyond full stretch' Sky News

Seventy-five people have died in autism and learning disability units in England since 2015

Seventy-five people have died in autism and learning disability units in England since 2015 Seventy-five people with a learning disability or autism have died in inpatient units in England since 2015, Sky News can reveal.

It follows an independent review, commissioned by NHS Midlands, which found the death of Clive Treacey - one of the 75 - was "potentially avoidable". Sky News

Blood supplies could soon become 'critical,' NHS warns

Blood supplies could soon become 'critical,' NHS warns NHS stocks of blood may become “critical” this winter, a regulator has warned, as Covid and higher than average winter rates of cold and flu risk donation levels.

The NHS Blood and Transplant authority declared a major incident at the end of October after its supply of blood supplies dropped to critical levels. The Independent 

The secret NHS trust boss: the strain on hospitals is visible and visceral

The secret NHS trust boss: the strain on hospitals is visible and visceral The chief executive of an acute hospital NHS trust in England talks anonymously about the pressures the service is facing. The Guardian 

Number of healthy patients ‘stranded’ in English hospital wards rises by 80%

Number of healthy patients ‘stranded’ in English hospital wards rises by 80% The number of patients stuck in hospital in England despite being medically fit to leave nearly doubled between February and November this year. The rise is worrying health experts, who say it is more evidence that the crisis in the adult care system is creating backlogs in the NHS.

NHS England data shows that the number of times hospital trusts were unable to discharge a patient who no longer met the criteria to stay in hospital increased from 223,593 in February to 402,211 in November – a rise of almost 80%. The Guardian