Fresh call for people in Northamptonshire to get their Covid-19 vaccinations As infection levels rise in Northamptonshire, the NHS is urging those eligible for Covid-19 vaccinations to come forward as soon as possible.
People aged 75 and over or 12 and over with a weakened immune system are particularly being reminded to get a spring booster vaccine. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Was the NHS overwhelmed last winter? Throughout the pandemic, politicians and other policymakers have emphasised the need to protect the NHS from collapse or overwhelm: even before Covid-19, the health service struggled to stay above water given worsening capacity, staffing and demand issues, especially during the colder months. So what happened to urgent and emergency hospital care last winter, when another wave of the virus hit the country during a time when it would be stretched to its absolute limits even absent of a pandemic? The Nuffield Trust
Getting the best out of remote consulting in general practice – practical challenges and policy opportunities The Covid-19 pandemic triggered a very sudden and widespread shift to remote consulting in general practice. While many patients and clinicians have welcomed the convenience, quality and safety of remote consulting, inherent tensions still exist in choosing between remote and face-to-face care when capacity is constrained. This new Nuffield Trust report explores the opportunities, challenges and risks associated with this technological shift, and the practical and policy implications of recent learning.
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Monkeypox: UK cases hit more than 1,000 Monkeypox cases have hit more than 1,000 across the UK, as public health officials send a warning over large summer events.
Cases of the virus are surging nationally with 1,076 cases confirmed on Monday - up by 166 on Friday 24 June.
UK Health Security Agency, which will be publishing updates twice weekly, said it expects to confirm more cases in the coming days. The Independent
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Kettering General Hospital medics honoured at professional excellence awards The professional excellence of medical students, junior doctors and consultants at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) has been celebrated with an annual award. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Warnings of mental health crisis among ‘Covid generation’ of students The pandemic has had a lasting legacy on the mental health of the “Covid generation” of students, exacerbating rates of anxiety, depression and self-harm and resulting in a “significant rise” in young people struggling at university, experts have said. The Guardian
Health chiefs issue fresh advice after new Covid variants lead to rise in hospitalisations in Northamptonshire Public health officials have reminded the public that Covid-19 has not gone away after to new variants of the virus have emerged in Northamptonshire, leading to an increase in hospital admittances. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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What is Scotland’s new National Care Service? The Scottish government this week published landmark legislation to support its vision of social care reform. It will see a new national body, the National Care Service, being formed to set standards and commissioning priorities for delivery by newly established local care boards. Nuffield Trust
Cervical Screening Awareness Week: Figures show one in three Northamptonshire are not having smear tests Nearly one in three Northamptonshire women are regularly skipping routine smear tests which can detect early stages of cancer.
Charity Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust believes many are avoiding the straightforward procedures through fear, embarrassment, or a lack of understanding of what they involve. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Hormone replacement therapy prescriptions rise 42% in one year Shortages of hormone replacement therapy products have been in the news recently, and the number of prescription items in England related to HRT have doubled over the last seven years. John Appleby shows how a large part of this increase was during 2021/22. Nuffield Trust
Northampton General Hospital unveils brand new 'game-changing' £16million 'state of the art' critical care unit Northampton General Hospital (NGH) has unveiled its new 'game-changing' £16million 'state of the art' critical care unit.
A £15.9 million grant was given to the hospital to build a new on-site critical care unit through capital funding from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to upgrade and improve NHS buildings. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Covid daily hospital admissions rise to over 1,000 for first time since April The daily number of Covid cases being admitted to hospitals in England has topped 1,000 for the first time since April, new figures show. The number of patients with Covid admitted to hospitals across the country hit 1,055 on Monday – up from 722 the week before.
The latest data shows a 46 per cent increase week on week. According to the figures, the northwest saw the largest increase on Monday, at 56 per cent. The Independent
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Monkeypox cases in UK surge by 38% as hundreds of new infections detected A further 219 cases of monkeypox have been detected in the UK, bringing the nationwide total to 793.
In new data released on Tuesday, the UK Health Security (UKHSA) said 99 per cent of infections were among men; just five women have so far been infected with the viral disease. The Independent
NHS Healthy Start: Figures show 1,800 Northamptonshire families missing out on help to buy food as inflation jumps again Families are being urged to check if they can get vouchers to help buy food for their children after figures revealed more than 1,800 eligible Northamptonshire households were not claiming.
Pregnant women or parents and guardians with kids aged under four who receive certain benefits are entitled to NHS Healthy Start vouchers to help buy fruit, vegetables, milk and infant formula. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
KGH patient champions campaign to prevent delayed diagnosis of devastating blood cancer A patient at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) is championing a national campaign to prevent long waits to diagnosis of a cancer of the blood.
Myeloma is the third most common type of blood cancer. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Typhoid-causing bacteria have become increasingly antibiotic resistant – study Typhoid-causing bacteria have become increasingly antibiotic resistant and have spread widely over the past three decades, a new study has suggested.
The largest genome analysis of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) also reveals that resistant strains – almost all originating in south Asia – have spread to other countries nearly 200 times since 1990. The Independent
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Here’s what health chiefs are saying as Covid cases and hospitalisations rise in Northamptonshire Anybody hoping that Covid-19 was dead and gone might need to think again, according to experts.
Health chiefs are warning of early signs indicating Northamptonshire may be at the start of a new wave of coronavirus infections Northamptonshire Telegraph
Psychiatric podcast returns with schizoaffective patient’s recovery journey at Northampton hospital Self-harm, psychosis and borderline personality disorder are just some of the key themes that patients from a psychiatric hospital will discuss in a forthcoming podcast about life as an inpatient. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Where next for NHS nurses' pay? The gruelling effects of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis have accelerated the need to review the current approach to NHS nurse pay determination, to ensure it can be fit for purpose as part of an overall NHS workforce strategy.
This analysis looks at the impact of high inflation and other factors affecting nurse pay, assessing the potential implications for the 2022 NHS Pay Review Body recommendations on nurses' earnings. Secondly, we consider the extent to which the current pay determination system could be improved to meet NHS nurse workforce priorities. The Health Foundation
Britain’s mental health faces ‘threat of pandemic proportions’ from cost of living crisis The mental health of the nation faces a “threat of pandemic proportions” due to the deepening cost of living crisis, the head of the Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned.
Dr Adrian James said pressure on the NHS could reach unprecedented levels as people try to cope with the rising price of food, fuel and other essentials, adding that those who already living with a mental illness “are more likely to suffer the consequences of the looming economic downturn”. The Independent
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Shattered hopes: black and minority ethnic leaders’ experiences of breaking the glass ceiling in the NHS This report from the BME Leadership Network spotlights the findings from a recent survey and engagement on the experience of senior black and minority ethnic leaders in the NHS. NHS Confederation
