A&E trips to KGH one-third higher than 2020 and adding to pressure on already-stretched NHS

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

NHS England figures showed 8,612 patients visited the accident and emergency department last month. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Corby GP practice's abusive patients impacting staff's mental health

Corby GP practice's abusive patients impacting staff's mental health The largest GP practice in Corby has pleaded with frustrated patients to stop abusing their hard-working staff who are 'doing their very best'.

Lakeside Healthcare owns the Lakeside super-practice in Cottingham Road as well as Forest Gate Surgery in Corby, Brigstock Surgery, Headlands Surgery in Kettering and Oundle Medical Practice. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Challenges in implementing digital change

Challenges in implementing digital change Digital change, on which government estimates it spends around £20 billion each year, offers a real opportunity for the government to transform its ways of working and how it provides services to citizens. However, in this report  the PAC is concerned by the number of complex, large-scale digital programmes they continue to see fail and the impact this has on important government services and taxpayers’ money. For example, failures in NHS England’s efforts to transform primary care services potentially put patients at risk of serious harm. Public Accounts Committee

Framework to support inter-hospital transfer of critical care patients

Framework to support inter-hospital transfer of critical care patients This framework document sets out principles to which units and systems should adhere, to maintain equitable and safe access to critical care for both emergency and urgent planned care patients. NHS England 

NHS sets out next steps to accelerate COVID-19 booster rollout

NHS sets out next steps to accelerate COVID-19 booster rollout The NHS has today outlined detailed plans to accelerate the COVID-19 booster programme with more pop-up vaccination centres and extended opening hours as part of plans to protect the nation against the new Omicron variant. NHS England

See also: 

• Prime Minister and Head of the NHS call for volunteers to support National Booster Effort Department of Health and Social Care
• Statement to Parliament: Health and Social Care Secretary Oral statement on COVID-19 Department of Health and Social Care
• Defence steps up support to vaccine programme Department of Health and Social Care
• NHS to offer booster booking to every adult by end of December NHS England

Covid: Call for volunteers as 500k book boosters in a day

Covid: Call for volunteers as 500k book boosters in a day More than half a million people booked their Covid booster jabs on Monday - despite the NHS website crashing as thousands sought top-up doses.

Boris Johnson revealed the figure a day after pledging that boosters would be offered to all over-18s by 31 December.

Long queues formed at walk-in vaccination sites on Monday, with some people waiting five hours to get jabs. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid: PM faces big rebellion as MPs vote on new restrictions BBC News
• GPs step up rollout of Covid-19 boosters BBC News
• Omicron UK: TWO Covid jabs should cut risk of dying or hospitalisation 84%, says SAGE The Daily Mail
• Boris's 'million jabs a day' drive in chaos on first day The Daily Mail
• No more lateral flow home test kits available in England, say officials The Guardian
• Covid: NHS in crisis mode as hospitals told to discharge patients where possible The Guardian
• UK omicron cases estimated at 200000 infections every day, Sajid Javid says The Independent
• Will there be another lockdown before Christmas as omicron cases rise? The Independent
• COVID-19: NHS could run 24/7 vaccine clinics and discharge patients to hotels under 'level four' plans Sky News

NHS trusts criticised over system that films mental health patients in their bedrooms

NHS trusts criticised over system that films mental health patients in their bedrooms NHS trusts are facing calls to suspend the use of a monitoring system that continuously records video of mental health patients in their bedrooms amid concerns that it breaches their human rights.

Mental health charities said the Oxevision system, used by 23 NHS trusts in some psychiatric wards to monitor patients’ vital signs, could breach their right to privacy and exacerbate their distress. The Guardian 

How does the NHS decide who they pay to treat - and who misses out?

How does the NHS decide who they pay to treat - and who misses out?  The numbers are mind-blowing. In England alone, the NHS spends an average of £52 million on prescription medicines every day. 

Over the past decade, the annual drugs bill has soared from £13 billion to £19 billion. The Daily Mail