Northamptonshire health boss says major Covid incident not over

Northamptonshire health boss says major Covid incident not over An NHS chief executive has said a county which declared a major Covid incident "is still in the teeth of it" despite a fall in staff absences.

Northamptonshire made the declaration on 7 January, with critical services facing staff shortages.

The number of staff absent at the county's two hospital sites has since fallen from 910 to 694. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Boris Johnson to give update on lifting Covid Plan B rules today Northamptonshire Telegraph

Care home staffing crisis leaves Northampton and Kettering hospitals facing bed-blocking jam

Care home staffing crisis leaves Northampton and Kettering hospitals facing bed-blocking jam County NHS hospitals are dealing with 300 patients who could be discharged but have nowhere to go because of crippling staff shortages in care services. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Collaborating on the wider determinants of health

Collaborating on the wider determinants of health The Health Foundation’s COVID-19 impact inquiry highlighted how deep-rooted issues – poor health, financial insecurity and strained public services – left the UK more vulnerable to the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. I am struck by how clearly COVID-19 has amplified the stark health inequalities within our society, underlining the need to look beyond health care and improve the many wider determinants of health – from welfare and housing to employment and transport. 

CQC Insight: Issue 15

CQC Insight: Issue 15  This report looks at the data on staff vacancies in care homes, and the quality of ethnicity data recording for mental health services. Care Quality Commission 

Covid: Boris Johnson expected to ease England's Plan B measures

Covid: Boris Johnson expected to ease England's Plan B measures Boris Johnson is expected to announce an easing of England's Covid rules when he makes a statement on Plan B later.

The cabinet will review the latest data before Mr Johnson addresses Parliament in the afternoon.

A government spokeswoman said the decision was "finely balanced" but the latest data was "encouraging", with cases falling since early January. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid: WHO warns pandemic not over amid Europe case records BBC News
• Hong Kong to cull 2,000 hamsters and small mammals over Covid case BBC News
• Government should 'pause' mandatory vaccination of NHS staff, says RCN Channel 4 News
• Covid: 52000 unvaccinated NHS staff in England at risk of losing jobs Channel 4 News
• A QUARTER of all Covid 'deaths' are now patients who died WITH the virus The Daily Mail
• Pfizer's antiviral Covid pill shows effectiveness against the Omicron variant in lab tests The Daily Mail
• Health department warning over vaccine mandate for NHS staff in England The Guardian
• More than 900 Covid deaths recorded in England and Wales in first week of January The Guardian
• ‘I put my arms around her’: doctor’s story captures anger at No 10 parties The Guardian
• Government wins appeal over contract for firm linked to Dominic Cummings The Guardian
• How has Boris Johnson responded to claims of Covid rule-busting parties? The Independent
• When does the NHS vaccine mandate start? The rules on staff Covid jabs explained and how many are unvaccinated iNews
• Downing Street parties: NHS nurse tells of wards like ‘battlefields’ as Dominic Raab defends No 10 iNews

Depression rise at Christmas linked to stress over Covid

Depression rise at Christmas linked to stress over Covid Feelings of depression and anxiety rose sharply over Christmas, especially in young people, according to a survey led by University College London (UCL).

Despite fewer restrictions than last Christmas, many still said they were worried about high levels of Covid-19 and the risk to friends and family.

Happiness and life satisfaction also dipped in people of all ages. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid-19 Social Study: Results Release 42 University College London

Should bad science be taken off social media?

Should bad science be taken off social media? How do you solve a problem like bad information?

When it comes to understanding science and making health decisions, it can have life-or-death consequences.

People dissuaded from taking vaccines as a result of reading misleading information online have ended up in hospital or even died. BBC News

See also:

• The online information environment The Royal Society
• How misinformation affected the perception of vaccines in the 20th century based on the examples of the polio, pertussis and MMR vaccines (literature review) The Royal Society
• Harmful misinformation shared online should NOT be removed because it could 'exacerbate feelings of distrust', experts warn The Daily Mail

NHS hospitals given fresh warning over 'vulnerable' blood stocks

NHS hospitals given fresh warning over 'vulnerable' blood stocks Hospitals in England have been sent a fresh warning over national blood stocks and urgently need donations of a rare blood type, The Independent has learnt. 

Waiting six hours in A&E before being admitted can raise your risk of dying, study warns

Waiting six hours in A&E before being admitted can raise your risk of dying, study warns Waiting at least six hours in A&E before being admitted to hospital can raise your risk of dying by almost 10 per cent, a damning report suggests. 

NHS targets state 95 per cent of patients should be seen within four hours when they attend casualty units. However, the health service has continually failed to meet its goal. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Association between delays to patient admission from the emergency department and all-cause 30-day mortality (open access) Emergency Medicine Journal
• Doctors warn hospitals ‘not coping’ as study links A&E waits to deaths The Independent

Incoming NHS England chair Richard Meddings admits he has used private healthcare

Incoming NHS England chair Richard Meddings admits he has used private healthcare Former banker Richard Medding, 63 - who is Sajid Javid's pick to chair the NHS - revealed he chose to use private health care 'late last year' when being treated for deep vein thrombosis. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Prospective NHS chairman used private healthcare in 2021, MPs hear The Independent