No cases of monkeypox in Northamptonshire', says public health boss

No cases of monkeypox in Northamptonshire', says public health boss Public Health Northamptonshire is taking steps to re-assure and advise Northamptonshire residents about monkeypox as well as provide guidance as to what to do if they believe they may be infected. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Ministers should be wary of declaring war on the NHS

Ministers should be wary of declaring war on the NHS Words count – they can motivate or demotivate thousands of public servants and often signal the direction of policy. So the prime minister’s claim that some public bodies have a ‘post-COVID mañana culture’ will baffle hard-pressed NHS workers. The emerging narrative from government briefings – that the health service needs radical reform – will worry them even more. The Health Foundation

Reforming health care: reflections from a former health minister

Reforming health care: reflections from a former health minister The NHS is experiencing an unusual set of pressures at the moment, with waiting lists of 6.5 million, staff shortages, ambulance delays, long waits and much more.

Meanwhile, public satisfaction with the NHS has nosedived, according to the recent British Social Attitudes survey. While politicians acknowledge the challenges and repeat their support for the NHS, outriders on the political right are flexing muscles and calling for more fundamental reform – despite the ink only just drying on the last set of NHS reforms with the Health and Care Bill receiving royal assent.

Lord Norman Warner has been top civil servant, health minister from 2003 to 2007 and in the House of Lords for over 20 years, and has written about it all in his new book In Pursuit of Competence. He joins our Chief Executive Dr Jennifer Dixon to share his insights and reflect on what might be ahead. Podcast from The Health Foundation

Chart of the week: The over-representation of Black people as restricted patients in secure hospitals

Chart of the week: The over-representation of Black people as restricted patients in secure hospitals People with severe mental health problems who are in contact with the criminal justice system can be held as restricted patients in hospitals if they have been assessed as needing treatment. Miranda Davies takes a closer look at new data that shows that 16% of restricted patients in hospital are Black or Black British, despite only making up 3% of the general population. Nuffield Trust

South Asian Dementia Pathway Toolkit (ADaPT)

South Asian Dementia Pathway Toolkit (ADaPT) This toolkit aims to provide improved culturally sensitive support for people living with dementia from South Asian communities. People from South Asian communities are at greater risk of developing dementia but are less likely to access all points of the care pathway – and more likely to present in crisis and/or at a later stage. They are more likely to face barriers including a late or missed diagnosis, reduced access to treatments, and inappropriate or inadequate support coupled with problems caused by language barriers. They often rely on local, community-led organisations for support. Race Equality Foundation

Mental Health Act reform: race and ethnic inequalities

Mental Health Act reform: race and ethnic inequalities The Government announced plans in the Queen’s Speech to bring forward legislation to reform the Mental Health Act 1983. The proposals include approaches to reduce the disproportionate number of individuals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities subject to compulsory detention and treatment. This briefing outlines research on race and ethnic inequalities in relation to the Act, summarises proposals for reform and stakeholder views. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

New review sets out action to improve patient access to primary care

New review sets out action to improve patient access to primary care Neighbourhood teams must be central to improving access to primary care for patients, a new review has said today.

The teams, evolving from Primary Care Networks, should bring together general practice with other parts of the health and care system to improve access and offer regular support to those with complex needs such as elderly people or those with long-term conditions. NHS England

See also:

• Next steps for integrating primary care: Fuller Stocktake report NHS England
• Fuller sets a welcome vision for integrated primary care, but core general practice is in desperate need of support The Health Foundation
• On the day briefing: The Fuller stocktake report - next steps for integrating primary care NHS Providers
• The Fuller Stocktake report: a moment of opportunity? Richmond Group of Charities
• RCGP response to Fuller Stocktake on integrating primary care Royal College of General Practitioners
• Patients must have access to same day GP appointments, says NHS review The Daily Telegraph
• New neighbourhood teams would improve patient access to GPs and NHS, report says Evening Standard
• PCNs should evolve into 'integrated neighbourhood teams', says Fuller review GPonline
• New neighbourhood teams would improve patient access to GPs and NHS, report says The Independent

National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published

National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published Weekly national influenza and coronavirus (COVID-19) report, COVID-19 activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses.

Surveillance indicators suggest that at a national level, COVID-19 activity (including case rates and hospital admissions) has decreased in week 20 of 2022.

The number of acute respiratory infection incidents (suspected outbreaks) increased slightly in England to 129 in week 20, compared to 127 in the previous week. UK Health Security Agency

Scandal-hit Nottingham maternity services ordered to improve

Scandal-hit Nottingham maternity services ordered to improve A mother whose baby died after mistakes by staff said she "felt like I was dying" as the NHS trust responsible is told to improve its maternity services.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said units at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust - which is under review after dozens of baby deaths and injuries - were still inadequate. BBC News

See also:

• Donna Ockenden to investigate latest NHS maternity scandal The Daily Telegraph
• Shropshire baby deaths inquiry midwife to lead Nottingham review The Guardian
• Women and babies still at risk at scandal-hit Nottingham hospitals, watchdog warns The Independent
• Nottingham maternity scandal: Concerns over staff ability to monitor babies heart rates The Independent

Monkeypox tracker ‘being developed to track UK cases’

Monkeypox tracker ‘being developed to track UK cases’ Health officials are reportedly planning a dashboard to track monkeypox cases in the UK - similar to one launched during the Covid pandemic.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is currently providing regular updates on their website on the situation across the country.

The total number of cases in the UK rose to 90 on Thursday - up from 75 the day before. The Independent

See also:

• Monkeypox cases confirmed in England – latest updates UK Health Security Agency
• Clinical features and management of human monkeypox: a retrospective observational study in the UK (open access) The Lancet
• Monkeypox: Cases detected in three more countries for first time BBC News
• Monkeypox outbreak may have been imported to UK FOUR YEARS ago, says ex WHO doctor The Daily Mail
• Health chiefs only have enough monkeypox vaccine doses for 10,000 people The Daily Mail
• First monkeypox cases identified in Wales and Northern Ireland as UK total rises to 90 The Independent
• Monkeypox: Six of your questions answered by an expert virologist The Independent
• Monkeypox: Vet who caught disease in 2003 says new outbreak is a 'wake-up call for the world' Sky News

Bristol surgeon ‘harmed’ 203 women with unnecessary operations

Bristol surgeon ‘harmed’ 203 women with unnecessary operations More than 200 women were harmed when a rogue surgeon carried out operations on them unnecessarily, an NHS inquiry has found.

Some of the women were left with life-changing physical problems or unable to work, while many also suffered trauma and serious psychological harm as a result. The Guardian

See also: 

• Bristol NHS Trust finds 200 patients harmed by mesh bowel surgery BBC News

GPs: It could take a year and a half for face-to-face appointments to get back to normal

GPs: It could take a year and a half for face-to-face appointments to get back to normal Face-to-face GP appointments won't get back to pre-pandemic levels for another year-and-a-half unless ministers act urgently to improve access, campaigners warned today.

Official data shows just 63 per cent of consultations were done in person in England in April, up just 1 percentage point in a month — despite the worst of Covid being over and GPs told to get back to 'normal'. The Daily Mail

See also:

• GP teams still working to their absolute limit, shows latest consultation data Royal College of General Practitioners