High air pollution warnings for Friday as 'dirty air' gets trapped over Northamptonshire

High air pollution warnings for Friday as 'dirty air' gets trapped over Northamptonshire Weather watchers have issued a rare warning for high pollution levels in parts of Northamptonshire on Friday (March 25).

Stagnant air and light winds are trapping pollutants with government agencies predicting the worst of the dirty air could be over eastern England. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Spiking Covid-related absences in county schools could 'seriously damage' exam grades, warn headteachers

Spiking Covid-related absences in county schools could 'seriously damage' exam grades, warn headteachers Teachers fear more Covid-related student absences in Northamptonshire schools will impact grades in this year's exams.

Latest government figures showed the number of pupils off school for reasons linked to the virus nationally rose to 201,600 on 17 March, nearly FOUR TIMES the figure of 45,100 a fortnight earlier. Northamptonshire Telegraph

University of Northampton launches study of new at-home kit to help adults with high blood pressure

University of Northampton launches study of new at-home kit to help adults with high blood pressure A new study launched by PHD students from the University of Northampton (UoN) is seeking adult volunteers with high blood pressure to help test a new, potentially more convenient treatment for the condition. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Volunteers sought for study looking at ways exercise can lower blood pressure University of Northampton

Bespoke rulers invented by hospital pharmacy staff led to 35% reduction in loss of controlled liquid drugs

Bespoke rulers invented by hospital pharmacy staff led to 35% reduction in loss of controlled liquid drugs Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust — where the rulers were trialled — says the device could save the NHS £1.2m a year if used across all NHS hospital trusts. The Pharmaceutical Journal

Spring Statement 2022: what you need to know

Spring Statement 2022: what you need to know Analysis of what the Spring Statement means for health and social care. NHS Confederation

See also:

• Spring Statement 2022 HM Treasury
• Disappointing that Government has failed to listen to calls for further investment for the NHS BMA
• A government that truly valued the nation's health would have gone further today to protect families The Health Foundation
• Spring Statement 2022 - An initial response Institute for Fiscal Studies
• NHS leaders call for urgent action to offset spiralling fuel prices and keep vital health care staff on the road NHS Confederation
• Measures to help cost of living welcome but pressures on NHS remain NHS Providers
• Nuffield Trust response to the Chancellor’s Spring Statement Nuffield Trust
• Inflation Nation: Putting Spring Statement 2022 in context Resolution Foundation
• Cut in fuel duty not enough to help cash-strapped community nursing staff Royal College of Nursing
• Spring Budget 2022: Health inequalities and gender Women's Budget Group

Local government public health funding:

Local government public health funding: The majority of local government spending on public health comes through a direct annual grant from the Department of Health and Social Care, received every year since 2013/14, when public health functions were transferred from the NHS to local government. The King's Fund

Accelerating the transition: towards a net zero NHS

Accelerating the transition: towards a net zero NHS Today the health care sector faces an array of formidable pressures, including an ageing population with increasing comorbidities, inequalities in access to healthcare and worsening environmental impacts on health.

These pressures, compounded by Covid-19, increase demand and competition for already stretched budgets.

Alongside these challenges, the impact of industries on the environment, including the health sector, is drawing greater stakeholder focus. Today, the NHS alone accounts for 4% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. Of this, Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that occur in the supply chain) make up a staggering 62%. Philips and University of Exeter

Government preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic: lessons for government on risk

Government preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic: lessons for government on risk This report concludes that the UK government was underprepared for a pandemic like Covid-19 and also failed to learn from both simulation exercises and actual incidents. It also expresses concerns about the government approach to risk management and says it must introduce robust central leadership, accountability and oversight for cross-cutting risks. House of Commons Public Accounts Committee

Investigation into the government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd

Investigation into the government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd Government had to move very fast at the start of the pandemic to increase testing capacity, but did not document key decisions adequately when awarding a contract to Randox Laboratories Ltd (Randox) for COVID-19 testing services, according to the National Audit Office.

NHS under pressure from new Covid wave across England, says Chris Whitty

NHS under pressure from new Covid wave across England, says Chris Whitty The NHS is coming under “significant” pressure amid a rise in Covid cases in virtually every area of England, the chief medical officer has warned, with hospitalisations likely to continue increasing at least until April.

Prof Chris Whitty said the mounting numbers of people becoming infected was likely to be largely driven by the new Omicron variant, BA.2. The sharp resurgence of the coronavirus underlined that the crisis “is not over”, Whitty added. The Guardian

See also:

• Chris Whitty says there's a 'HIGH CHANCE' that a Covid variant worse than Omicron will emerge The Daily Mail
• UK Covid cases breach 100,000 again as daily figure rises 12% in a week The Daily Mail
• People infected with Omicron do NOT clear the virus quicker than past variants, scientist claims The Daily Mail
• Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine safe for children as young as six months old The Daily Mail
• NHS steers public away from free Covid tests as English scheme scaled back The Guardian
• The claim that the NHS 'coped' with Covid is not true - it's drowning and damaged | Rachel Clarke The Guardian
• Why can’t some scientists just admit they were wrong about Covid? The Guardian
• Covid crisis ‘not over’ as hospitalisations to rise for two weeks, warns Chris Whitty The Independent
• Two years on from UK’s first Covid lockdown, cases may be rising but deaths remain low iNews
• COVID-19: Pandemic can't be beaten without easy access to testing, warns WHO Sky News

Commonly prescribed anti-nausea drugs may TRIPLE the risk of a stroke, study suggests

Commonly prescribed anti-nausea drugs may TRIPLE the risk of a stroke, study suggests Taking anti-vomiting drugs could more than triple your risk of a stoke, a study suggests.

The drugs, called antidopaminergic antiemetics, are often prescribed on the NHS to treat nausea due to conditions like migraines, or sickness resulting from cancer care.

But a study of more than 30,000 people prescribed three types of the drugs suggested users may have between a 2.5 and 3.5 times increased risk of a ischaemic stroke. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Risk of first ischaemic stroke and use of antidopaminergic antiemetics: nationwide case-time-control study (open access) The BMJ