Health chiefs issue fresh advice after new Covid variants lead to rise in hospitalisations in Northamptonshire

Health chiefs issue fresh advice after new Covid variants lead to rise in hospitalisations in Northamptonshire Public health officials have reminded the public that Covid-19 has not gone away after to new variants of the virus have emerged in Northamptonshire, leading to an increase in hospital admittances. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• 'Covid-19 hasn’t gone away' say Northants health bosses as infection rates rise again Northants Live

A reflective learning framework for partnering: insights from the early work of the Healthy Communities Together partnerships

A reflective learning framework for partnering: insights from the early work of the Healthy Communities Together partnerships As integrated care systems develop, NHS, local authority and voluntary sector organisations working in health and care in England are coming together and working in partnership to improve the health and wellbeing of local populations. But what does it take to ensure these new partnerships succeed? Here we offer a framework for reflective learning that partners can use together. The King's Fund

What is Scotland’s new National Care Service?

What is Scotland’s new National Care Service? The Scottish government this week published landmark legislation to support its vision of social care reform. It will see a new national body, the National Care Service, being formed to set standards and commissioning priorities for delivery by newly established local care boards. Nuffield Trust

Integration and innovation in action: population health

Integration and innovation in action: population health This report shows how health and care systems are connecting people, place and power structures to establish partnerships that are sharing power and decision-making – creating healthier, resilient and empowered communities. It spotlights some of these examples, demonstrating how health and care organisations are working in new and different ways to improve population health. It concludes that local health and care systems need to reset their focus to cultivate the conditions for health creation through asset-based community health development. NHS Confederation

Men urged to talk about mental health to prevent suicide

Men urged to talk about mental health to prevent suicide The Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, set out actions being taken to prevent suicides and urged men to talk about their mental health in a speech at suicide prevention charity Papyrus’s headquarters in London today, Friday 24 June 2022. Department of Health and Social Care

UKHSA urges those with new or multiple sexual partners to be vigilant as monkeypox outbreak grows

UKHSA urges those with new or multiple sexual partners to be vigilant as monkeypox outbreak grows The UK Health Security Agency has published its second technical briefing on the ongoing monkeypox outbreak. The briefing shares UKHSA analyses with public health investigators and academic partners.

The latest epidemiological data, findings from interviews with patients and preliminary analyses are included to understand how the outbreak is evolving and to inform timely and effective public health interventions.

See also:

• Research: Monkeypox outbreak: epidemiological overview UK Health Security Agency 
• Guidance: Monkeypox: background information UK Health Security Agency 

COVID-19 variants identified in the UK – latest updates

COVID-19 variants identified in the UK – latest updates The UK Health Security Agency is reminding people to ensure their COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date and to continue following COVID-safe behaviours, as latest technical data indicates BA.4 and BA.5 have become dominant in the UK and are driving the recent increase in infections.

UK sees another jump in Covid infections

UK sees another jump in Covid infections Covid infections are continuing to rise in the UK, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

The data suggests about 1.7 million people were estimated to have Covid in the week ending 18 June.

This is about one in 35 people - an increase of 23% on the week before.

Experts say two new fast-spreading subvariants of Omicron - called BA.4 and BA.5 - are likely to be driving new infections. BBC News

See also:

• How many cases in your area? BBC News
• Sir Jonathan Van-Tam: I don't wear a face mask anymore BBC News
• Covid's comeback sees outbreak grow by a fifth as admissions hit 1,000 for first time since April The Daily Mail
• Over-75s urged to check when they last had a Covid vaccine as cases rise The Daily Telegraph
• Britain is being hit by a new wave of Covid – so what do we do now? The Guardian
• Can our mitochondria help to beat long Covid? The Guardian
• Johnson faces possible legal action over delay to Covid public inquiry The Guardian
• Covid UK: Calls for booster jabs by Autumn as cases continue to rise The Independent
• Covid: UK in ‘fifth wave already’ as experts warn summer events will see infections surge even higher The Independent

Polio: Virus found in London prompts misleading vaccine claims

Polio: Virus found in London prompts misleading vaccine claims Claims are spreading online about what the detection of the polio virus in London sewage means.

Health officials believe the polio they found in sewage samples may have been brought to the UK by someone who was vaccinated abroad with a live form of the virus.

But misleading posts, shared on Twitter and on the encrypted messaging app Telegram, are suggesting that vaccines in general can cause disease outbreaks. BBC News

See also:

• Polio confusion as parents CAN'T tell if their children have been vaccinated The Daily Mail
• From monkeypox to polio, here’s why so many viruses are attacking the UK The Daily Telegraph
• Polio outbreak is ‘jolt’ needed to tackle falling child vaccine uptake ‘before it’s too late’, expert warns The Independent
• What is polio and what happened the last time there was an epidemic in the UK? The Independent
• Polio: Should we be worried about virus found in London sewage? New Scientist

Roe v Wade: US Supreme Court strikes down abortion rights

Roe v Wade: US Supreme Court strikes down abortion rights Millions of women in the US will lose the constitutional right to abortion, after the Supreme Court overturned its 50-year-old Roe v Wade decision.

The judgement paves the way for individual states to ban the procedure.

Half are expected to introduce new restrictions or bans. Thirteen have already passed so-called trigger laws to automatically outlaw abortion.

President Joe Biden described it as "a tragic error" and urged states to enact laws to allow the procedure. BBC News

See also:

• US Supreme Court decision to revoke abortion rights condemned by leading global healthcare organisations Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
• Roe v Wade: The world reacts to US abortion ruling BBC News
• Roe v Wade: Abortion clinics start to close after Supreme Court ruling BBC News
• Roe v Wade: US firms pledge to pay staff travel expenses for abortions BBC News
• Roe v Wade: Fears women will turn to dangerous illegal abortions after US Supreme Court decision The Daily Mail
• Protests resume nationwide for second day following end of Roe v. Wade The Daily Mail
• The supreme court just overturned Roe v Wade – what happens next? The Guardian
• What is Roe v Wade and why was it overturned? The Independent
• After Roe v. Wade: US researchers warn of what’s to come Nature
• Roe v Wade: How did we get here? Sky News

Government aims to tackle racial disparities with mental health reforms

Government aims to tackle racial disparities with mental health reforms The Government is aiming to tackle racial disparities and better meet the needs of those with learning difficulties as it unveils proposed reforms to mental health services.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) published the draft of the Mental Health Bill on Monday. The Independent

NHS England ‘set to eliminate two-year waiting lists’ by July

NHS England ‘set to eliminate two-year waiting lists’ by July NHS England is poised to “virtually eliminate” the list of those who have waited more than two years for treatment, its chief executive has said, as patients are given the option to be treated more quickly at hospitals in different parts of the country.

The number of people who have waited for two years or more to receive treatment has fallen from a peak of 22,500 in January to 6,700, after the Covid-19 pandemic caused waiting lists to mount. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS patients to be offered chance to travel for surgery BBC News
• 500,000 wait for ear, nose and throat treatment after PM has NHS operation The Guardian
• NHS crisis caused by Tory underfunding not Covid, say doctors The Guardian
• NHS: Patients asked to travel for hospital treatment in NHS 'final push' to 'eliminate two-year waiters' Sky News

NHS staff should get at least a 4% pay rise say independent experts

NHS staff should get at least a 4% pay rise say independent experts NHS staff should receive a pay rise of at least 4%, independent experts have advised, setting healthcare workers on a collision course with ministers who have set a firm maximum of 3%.

The pay review body (PRB) will recommend that NHS personnel should an increase this year of somewhere between 4% and 5%, the Guardian understands, despite warnings from the government that undertaking such advice would break the bank.

Women STILL face excruciating contraceptive coil fittings

Women STILL face excruciating contraceptive coil fittings Women are having to endure excruciating contraceptive coil fittings without pain relief – being expected to 'just grit their teeth and cope', experts have warned.

The alert comes despite new guidance issued by health chiefs last year recommending that women should always be offered 'appropriate analgesia' before the procedure, which involves inserting a small T-shaped device, about half the length of a cotton bud, into the womb. The Daily Mail