Sajid Javid confirms West Northamptonshire's adult social care will stay under council and NHS control in integration plans

Sajid Javid confirms West Northamptonshire's adult social care will stay under council and NHS control in integration plans Sajid Javid has confirmed that West Northamptonshire's adult social care will stay under joint council and NHS control in new health and social care integration plans. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Will the rising cost of living be paid for by our health?

Will the rising cost of living be paid for by our health? This year households across the UK are facing the biggest squeeze in living standards since the 1950s. Most of us will feel the impact, but poor households are being hit the hardest. We know that poverty and the stress of debt harms our health in the short and long term.  

One role of the state is to provide a welfare safety net. After last month's Spring Statement, what should the government do now to support those experiencing the worst effects of rising costs? What impact on households and health are we already seeing? And what more can be done to help?  Podcast from The Health Foundation

Commitment and growth: advancing mental health nursing now and for the future

Commitment and growth: advancing mental health nursing now and for the future This report contains a range of recommendations to develop the mental health nursing workforce. It outlines eight system-wide recommendations addressing issues including career progression and encouraging nurses to remain in the profession. Each set of recommendations is broken down into action points for areas of work - analysing where and how changes can be made, to guide future policy. Health Education England

Integration and innovation in action: provider collaboration

Integration and innovation in action: provider collaboration This report looks at how collaborations between providers at neighbourhood, place and system level are making a positive impact on patient care. It explores different types of collaboration between providers at neighbourhood, place and system level. Based on interviews with leaders and clinicians, it identifies a set of common principles that underpin effective partnership working. NHS Confederation

Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports: 2021 to 2022 season

Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports: 2021 to 2022 season National influenza and COVID-19 report, monitoring COVID-19 activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses. UK Health Security Agency

Longest Covid infection lasted more than 16 months, tests show

Longest Covid infection lasted more than 16 months, tests show UK doctors believe they have documented the longest Covid infection on record - a patient they treated who had detectable levels of the virus for more than 16 months, or 505 days, in total.

The unnamed individual had other underlying medical conditions and died in hospital in 2021. BBC News

See also:

• Covid: Isle of Man sewage testing to give early warning of spread BBC News
• Britain's decision to space Covid vaccines by 12 weeks was right: Wider gap generated nine times more antibodies, study finds The Daily Mail
• Covid-19 deaths registered in England and Wales continue to rise The Independent
• Third of over-75s in England get 'spring booster' in campaign's first month The Independent
• COVID news latest: More than 20% weekly drop in global coronavirus cases and deaths Sky News

NHS to ban products of slavery after PPE concerns

NHS to ban products of slavery after PPE concerns The NHS in England will be barred from using goods and services linked to slavery or human trafficking under a law to be introduced by the government.

It would prevent the health service buying equipment worth billions from parts of China where it is claimed forced labour is used in supply chains. BBC News

Doctors suggest adenovirus link to child hepatitis cases

Doctors suggest adenovirus link to child hepatitis cases Health officials are now investigating 108 cases of sudden-onset hepatitis - or liver inflammation - in children in the UK since the start of this year.

They say it is increasingly likely a virus which causes flu symptoms, known as adenovirus, could be the cause.

Officials are examining 79 confirmed cases in England, 14 in Scotland and 15 across Wales and Northern Ireland. BBC News

See also:

• Increase in hepatitis (liver inflammation) cases in children under investigation UK Health Security Agency

Study reveals clues to cancer causes and potential for personalised treatment

Study reveals clues to cancer causes and potential for personalised treatment Analysis of thousands of tumours has unveiled a treasure trove of clues about the causes of cancer, representing a significant step towards the personalisation of treatment, a study suggests.

Researchers say that for the first time it is possible to detect patterns – called mutational signatures – in the DNA of cancers. The Independent

See also:

• Substitution mutational signatures in whole-genome–sequenced cancers in the UK population (abstract) Science
• Cancer: Huge DNA analysis uncovers new clues BBC News
• ‘Mindblowing’ gene discovery brings tailor-made cancer treatment a step closer The Daily Telegraph

Eating-disorders hospital ‘gave patients unsafe food and staff comments hampered recovery’

Eating-disorders hospital ‘gave patients unsafe food and staff comments hampered recovery’ Patients at a hospital for people with eating disorders were at risk of physical and mental harm because they were given “unsafe and unacceptable” food, a watchdog has found.

Inspectors said they were also concerned about numerous ligature points at the Schoen Clinic York, and patients were not always treated with compassion or respect. The Independent

Priory hospital neglect contributed to death of patient, jury finds

Priory hospital neglect contributed to death of patient, jury finds The death of a 23-year-old man who ran away from a Priory mental health hospital and was killed by a train was “contributed to by neglect” on the part of the institution, an inquest has concluded. The Guardian

Women struggling to ‘sleep and work competently’ amid England’s HRT shortages

Women struggling to ‘sleep and work competently’ amid England’s HRT shortages Women are being left unable to sleep or work competently because of the shortages of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products used to treat symptoms of the menopause, the former cabinet minister, Caroline Nokes, has said.

Millions of women go through the menopause every year, with many experiencing symptoms that can be severe, such as low mood, anxiety, hot flushes and difficulty sleeping, and have a negative impact on everyday life. The number of prescriptions for HRT in England has doubled in the last five years to more than 500,000 a month. The Guardian

Barriers ahead in race to integrated health and care system

Barriers ahead in race to integrated health and care system Barriers remain in the drive to move to a more integrated, prevention-focused health and care system

In a speech in March, health secretary Sajid Javid made a commitment to improve preventative care. “Not only do we need to put the power of every part of the NHS behind prevention, we also need to put the power of the NHS budget behind it too,” Mr Javid told the Royal College of Physicians. Local Government Chronicle