Charities fear mental health crisis after 300-plus youngsters admitted to Northamptonshire hospitals after self-harming last year

Charities fear mental health crisis after 300-plus youngsters admitted to Northamptonshire hospitals after self-harming last year Charities fear a mental health crisis among youngsters after figures revealed more than 300 were admitted to Northamptonshire hospitals after intentionally poisoning themselves or self-harming last year. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

A women’s health agenda: redressing the balance

A women’s health agenda: redressing the balance This report highlights the importance of embracing a culture of change in the design and delivery of women’s health to achieve national systems and local services fit to meet the expectations and needs of the 21st century woman. It describes the many failings of health services across the world whose default position is to treat women as second-class citizens and place unnecessary barriers to the delivery of high-quality accessible care. The report sets out recommendations, founded on common sense and rooted in the belief that women should be in control of their own bodies. Public Policy Projects

Equality, diversity and inclusion: targets, progress and priorities for 2022

Equality, diversity and inclusion: targets, progress and priorities for 2022 The GMC has published its first update on progress towards the equality, diversity and inclusion targets it set last year. The report shows: the gap between employer referral rates for ethnic minority doctors and international medical graduates, compared to white doctors, has reduced slightly; fairness measures for medical education and training remain at similar levels; as an employer, the GMC has improved ethnic minority workforce representation at all levels and progression rates for ethnic minority staff. General Medical Council

Race 2.0: time for real change

Race 2.0: time for real change This report (also available in an alternative format) highlights the scale and scope of the challenge to improve racial equality across the NHS, alongside the commitment of boards, trust leaders and NHS Providers to drive real change in this area. The report sets out trust leaders' views on what constitutes good practice. Ten key priorities were identified, including: building closer engagement with staff and community networks, fostering safe spaces, better education, focusing on personal values and behaviours, and openly challenging discrimination. But despite this good practice, the new report also found just four per cent of trust leaders said race equality was fully embedded as part of their board’s business. NHS Providers 

All COVID-19 travel restrictions removed in the UK

All COVID-19 travel restrictions removed in the UK The government will remove the remaining COVID-19 international travel restrictions for all passengers from 4am Friday 18 March. Department of Health and Social Care 

NHS struggling with 'long tail' of pandemic mental ill health

NHS struggling with 'long tail' of pandemic mental ill health The number of referrals for specialist NHS mental health care reached a record high in England by the end of 2021, an analysis suggests.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists says the pandemic has led to unprecedented demand and backlogs and services are struggling to keep up.

There were 4.3 million referrals, for conditions such as anxiety and depression, in 2021, NHS Digital says. BBC News

See also: 

• Mental health toll of lockdown shown as services received record 4.3 MILLION referrals in 2021 The Daily Mail

Number of Covid-positive patients in English hospitals hits 10000

Number of Covid-positive patients in English hospitals hits 10000 The number of Covid-positive patients in English NHS hospitals has hit more than 10,000 for the first time since mid-February, as admissions continue to increase and pressures on emergency services worsen.

On Monday the NHS recorded 10,576 patients in its hospital beds, as figures rose by 18 per cent week on week. The Independent

See also:

• Covid in Scotland: Omicron sub-variant driving increase case numbers BBC News
• China: Businesses shut as officials widen Covid lockdowns BBC News
• Did Covid testing REALLY cost £2bn a month? The Daily Mail
• NHS hospitals are continuing to bar virtually all relatives over Covid concerns The Daily Mail
• All Covid travel restrictions to be scrapped in boost for Easter holidays The Daily Telegraph
• The Guardian view on rising rates of Covid: there’s no plan beyond vaccines | Editorial The Guardian
• Hospitals ease visiting restrictions despite Covid uptick The Independent

NHS trust to stop filming mental health patients in their bedrooms

NHS trust to stop filming mental health patients in their bedrooms An NHS trust has ended the use of a monitoring system that continuously records video of mental health patients in their bedrooms amid concerns it allows trauma to resurface in sexually abused women.

Camden and Islington NHS foundation trust (C&I) discontinued use of the Oxevision system after female patients and staff warned that it undermined the care of victims of sexual abuse and assault. The Guardian 

Welsh solar farm exceeds expectations in powering Swansea hospital

Welsh solar farm exceeds expectations in powering Swansea hospital The UK’s first solar farm owned by a health board and linked directly to a hospital has exceeded expectations by, at times, providing all the electricity needed to run the site, even during the winter months.

Health chiefs and Welsh government ministers had hoped the solar farm in south-west Wales would supply Morriston hospital in Swansea with a fifth of its energy consumption every year. The Guardian 

Why 10,000 steps a day is NOT holy grail: Study finds 6,000-8,000 cuts risk of early death in HALF

Why 10,000 steps a day is NOT holy grail: Study finds 6,000-8,000 cuts risk of early death in HALF Ten thousand daily steps is not the sweet spot for health, according to a study that suggests just 6,000 is enough.

American researchers have found that getting between 6,000 and 8,000 steps each day reduces the risk of an early death for people over the age of 60 by up to 54 per cent. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts (open access) The Lancet Public Health