Kettering General Hospital staff win awards for outstanding care

Kettering General Hospital staff win awards for outstanding care DAISY Awards honour and celebrate the exceptional care that many nurses and midwives provide every day.

Staff at Kettering General Hospital have received awards for the outstanding, compassionate and sensitive care they have given to patients. Northamptonshire Telegraph

St Andrew’s Healthcare mental health community service rated 'good' in first watchdog inspection

St Andrew’s Healthcare mental health community service rated 'good' in first watchdog inspection A Northampton-based community service that helps people with common and complex mental health issues across the county and beyond has been rated ‘good’ by an independent regulating body. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

'Special educational needs families are falling through the cracks'

'Special educational needs families are falling through the cracks' The mother of a boy with autism wants to change the way parents of children with suspected special education needs or disability (SEND) are treated when their children do not attend school. BBC Northampton

The state of health and care 2022

The state of health and care 2022 The pandemic has rapidly accelerated an existing trend of decline in access and outcomes. This is creating the conditions for an ‘opt-out’ by those who have the means – embedding a two-tier system.

There is near-universal public support for retaining a universal, free, comprehensive and tax-funded NHS. Our polling shows a consensus in public support for the basic principles of the NHS as a system that universalises the benefits of the best healthcare and shares the cost across the population. Institute for Public Policy Research

See also:

• Up to 2million Brits gave up on the NHS and went private during Covid, report warns The Daily Mail
• Private healthcare boom adds to fears of two-tier system in UK The Guardian
• Warning over ‘two-tier’ healthcare system amid rise in private patients The Independent

Addressing racial and ethnic inequities in data-driven health technologies

Addressing racial and ethnic inequities in data-driven health technologies This report highlights the opportunities and barriers for artificial intelligence to improve the health of the UK’s minority ethnic groups. Data-driven technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are powerful tools demonstrating potential in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as skin cancer. Yet these could inadvertently worsen the health inequalities experienced by minority ethnic groups if current challenges such as biased algorithms, poor data collection and a lack of diversity in research and development are not urgently addressed. The report calls for further research and transparent discussion on the creation and use of these technologies in health care. Imperial College London

Health and Care Bill: Lords Report Stage joint briefing

Health and Care Bill: Lords Report Stage joint briefing NHS Confederation, NHS Providers and the King's Fund share concerns about the erosion of NHS independence as a result of the Health and Care Bill.

NHS Chief launches new campaign to combat the fear of Cancer

NHS Chief launches new campaign to combat the fear of Cancer A new campaign taking a radically different approach to detecting cancer early for patients, when it is easier to treat, has been announced today by NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard.

Running across TV, radio, and social media from tomorrow, the campaign is the first to focus on tackling the fear of cancer rather than specific symptoms. NHS England

Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment to end

Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment to end Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment in health and social care will be revoked on Tuesday 15 March, the Health and Social Care Secretary has confirmed.

Following a public consultation, where 90% of responses supported the removal of the legal requirement for health and social care staff to be double jabbed, the government is revoking the regulations. Department of Health and Social Care

Compulsory Covid jabs for care home staff scrapped

Compulsory Covid jabs for care home staff scrapped Regulations requiring care workers to be vaccinated against Covid are being lifted from 15 March in England.

The government says things have changed since the policy was made in preparation for a tough autumn and winter.

It says the UK population now has lots of immunity to the virus thanks to vaccines. BBC News

See also:

• Diabetes caused by Covid may only be temporary: Half of patients had blood sugar return to normal The Daily Mail
• Daily cases fall by just 5% as declining trend finally slows down The Daily Mail
• Mandatory Covid jabs for NHS staff in England to end from mid-March The Guardian

White people at much higher risk of most cancers in England, study finds

White people at much higher risk of most cancers in England, study finds lack, Asian and mixed-heritage people are much less likely to develop cancer than white people, in England, an analysis suggests.

But there are exceptions - prostate and blood cancer are two to three times more common in black people.

The Cancer Research UK study said many cancers were preventable. BBC News

See also:

• Differences in cancer incidence by broad ethnic group in England, 2013–2017 (open access) British Journal of Cancer

Vaccines could mean only one smear test a lifetime

Vaccines could mean only one smear test a lifetime Women who have the HPV vaccine may need only one smear test to prevent cervical cancer in their lifetime, according to a leading scientist.

Women are currently invited for screening every three to five years in the UK.

Prof Peter Sasieni said the vaccine was leading to such dramatic reductions in cancer that the screening programme would need to change soon. BBC News

Treasury 'preventing' NHS from maximising taxpayers' money

Treasury 'preventing' NHS from maximising taxpayers' money NHS leaders have hit out at Her Majesty’s Treasury for failing to set out a long-term workforce plan, warning services are being forced to spend billions in taxpayer funds on temporary staff.

Chris Hopson, chief executive for NHS Providers which represents all NHS trusts, has said quality of care is now being compromised and that the Treasury’s silence on workforce funding. The Independent

See also: 

• Nursing and midwifery vacancies in NHS reach new record high The Independent
• NHS calls on 'reservists' to bolster staff numbers The Independent

GPs will be forced to work Saturdays: NHS pushes ahead with delayed plan in wake of appointments row

GPs will be forced to work Saturdays: NHS pushes ahead with delayed plan in wake of appointments row All GP practices in England will have to open on Saturdays in order to make it easier for patients to get appointments. 

Family doctors will also have to offer face-to-face consultations until 8pm Monday to Friday under a new NHS contract. 

Practices will have to offer a full service during the new extended hours, which come into effect from October. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Patients promised face-to face appointments on Saturdays The Daily Telegraph
• BMA 'bitterly disappointed' as imposed GP contract forces 9-5 Saturday opening GPonline