Charity warns government is 'sleepwalking' into crisis after nearly 90,000 in Northamptonshire referred to mental health services during 2021

Charity warns government is 'sleepwalking' into crisis after nearly 90,000 in Northamptonshire referred to mental health services during 2021 Nearly 90,000 people were referred to mental health services in Northamptonshire last year, new figures show.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists says the coronavirus pandemic is the "biggest hit" to England's mental health in generations and has urged the Government to address growing referral lists across the country. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Covid-19: Spring booster invitations going out to Northamptonshire's most vulnerable as cases rise again

Covid-19: Spring booster invitations going out to Northamptonshire's most vulnerable as cases rise again Thousands of the most vulnerable people Northamptonshire are getting invitations for a FOURTH Covid booster jab.

The latest rollout comes as the number of positive tests, hospital cases and deaths continues to rise in the county. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Access to and delivery of general practice services: a study of patients at practices using digital and online tools

Access to and delivery of general practice services: a study of patients at practices using digital and online tools This briefing examined data from 146 GP practices in England using the askmyGP online consultation system between 1 March 2019 and 30 September 2021. The analysis found that that ten per cent of patient care requests made to GP practices indicate a preference for a face-to-face consultation. Recently, the increasing use of online consultations systems such as askmyGP caused concern about the risk of digital tools creating inequalities by making it difficult for some patients to access care. However, the analysis shows that patients often choose remote over face-to-face consultations and that GP practices can mitigate the risk of digital exclusion via a blended approach. The Health Foundation

Tackling the drug problem in the UK and Portugal

Tackling the drug problem in the UK and Portugal The UK government tackles drugs as a criminal justice matter focused on punishment, rather than a public health matter focused on support. But many countries are taking a different approach, most famously Portugal which in 2000 decriminalised all drugs and concentrated instead on public health and harm reduction. The result? From one of the highest drug death rates in Europe to one of the lowest.

How did they do it and what can we learn? Podcast from The Health Foundation

The government’s response to the Health and Social Care Committee report: children and young people’s mental health

The government’s response to the Health and Social Care Committee report: children and young people’s mental health This is the government’s policy paper response to the 25 recommendations made by the Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) in its report published in December 2021. The government welcomes the HSCC report. The recommendations related to rising demand for services, future funding, access to mental health services, mental health support in schools, the importance of community-based and digital mental health support, the role of inpatient care, and self-harm and a public health approach to suicide. Department of Health and Social Care

Almost 150,000 people book Spring boosters

Almost 150,000 people book Spring boosters Since the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Programme began rolling out spring boosters for the first time yesterday, just under 150,000 eligible people had booked their vaccination. NHS England

No evidence Covid vaccines lead to young deaths - ONS

No evidence Covid vaccines lead to young deaths - ONS There is no evidence that Covid vaccines have led to an increase in deaths in young people, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna jabs have been linked to very rare heart problems, particularly in young men.

The ONS looked at outcomes shortly after vaccination, when the risk of any side effect is highest. BBC News

See also:

• COVID-19 vaccination and mortality in young people during the coronavirus pandemic Office for National Statistics
• Lockdown: How residents of London's Corona Road coped BBC News
• Daily cases FALL for first time in three weeks in 14% drop The Daily Mail
• Over ONE BILLION visors bought by No10 are STILL sitting in warehouses The Daily Mail
• Covid DID trigger a 'baby boom': Official data shows 1.5% uptick in live births in 2021 The Daily Mail
• More than 70% of COVID-19 patients who go into a coma while on a ventilator eventually wake up The Daily Mail
• Scramble for last free Covid tests in England as programme is scaled back The Guardian
• Call for clarity over NHS Covid tests The Independent
• Covid absences in schools triple in two weeks The Independent
• Number of Covid patients in English hospitals up 20 per cent in a week The Independent

Leicestershire boy with cerebral palsy learns to walk

Leicestershire boy with cerebral palsy learns to walk A five-year-old boy who has cerebral palsy has learned to walk after a life-changing operation and months of physiotherapy.

The part of Joey's brain that controlled muscle tone and movement was damaged, meaning he couldn't sit, stand or walk.

He underwent a neurosurgical procedure, which destroyed the problematic nerve roots in his spinal cord that were sending abnormal messages to his leg muscles. BBC News

England's CNO says 50000 more NHS nurses 'no longer enough'

England's CNO says 50000 more NHS nurses 'no longer enough' The chief nursing officer for England has spoken about the ongoing shortages of nurses across the country and how the government’s previous pledge for 50,000 more nurses is now “not enough”.

At one of her first in-person speeches since the start of the pandemic, Ruth May also revealed that she thought the removal of the student nurse bursary in England was “fundamentally the wrong decision”. Nursing Times

NHS 'set to miss 2040 net zero target without urgent action'

NHS 'set to miss 2040 net zero target without urgent action' Urgent action is “critical” to put the NHS on course to reach its 2040 net zero target, new research has warned.

In order to slash its emissions, including from its wider supply chain which makes up 62 per cent of the NHS's carbon footprint, greenhouse gases must be cut by 8 per cent a year from 2020 to 2036 – a rate far higher than its current 1 per cent yearly average. The Independent

See also:

• Urgent action ‘critical’ to tackling NHS carbon emissions and reaching 2040 net zero target University of Exeter Business School

‘You lose your human rights’: Mental Health Act usage up by 12%

‘You lose your human rights’: Mental Health Act usage up by 12% “When you’re sectioned under the Mental Health Act, you not only lose your voice, but you lose your human rights too”, Kelly a 47-year-old from Surrey tells The Independent.

Verdict on drive to cut sugar in UK diets now expected a year late

Verdict on drive to cut sugar in UK diets now expected a year late Campaigners believe report is delayed because it will show ministers’ calls for 20% cut have been ignored

Ministers have delayed by a year publication of a report that will show whether they have achieved their goal of reducing the sugar content of a wide range of foodstuffs by 20%.

The official assessment of the government’s high-profile drive to cut the amount of sugar in Britain’s diet was originally due to be published last autumn. However, it was initially put off until early this year and has now been held back again and will not appear until this autumn. The Guardian

Crib sheet: experts issue advice for new parents to cope with sleepless nights

Crib sheet: experts issue advice for new parents to cope with sleepless nights Durham University’s Infancy and Sleep Centre launches kit to help manage expectations and reduce negative thinking. The Guardian

NIH study of Reddit posts finds that self harm is 'addictive'

NIH study of Reddit posts finds that self harm is 'addictive' An analysis of online posts to Reddit show that many people who self-harm exhibit similar patterns towards the behavior that those addicted to substances like drugs and alcohol do. 

Researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), trawled the subreddit r/SelfHarm to analyze posts from users that frequent the board. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Getting “clean” from nonsuicidal self-injury: Experiences of addiction on the subreddit r/selfharm (open access)  Journal of Behavioral Addictions