GP satisfaction dropping in Northamptonshire as NHS battles to cope with ‘unprecedented demand’

GP satisfaction dropping in Northamptonshire as NHS battles to cope with ‘unprecedented demand’ Satisfaction with GP services in Northamptonshire has dropped, new figures show, as demand rises to “unprecedented levels”. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Persistent understaffing of NHS a serious risk to patient safety, warn MPs

Persistent understaffing of NHS a serious risk to patient safety, warn MPs The NHS and social care face the greatest workforce crisis in their history, compounded by the absence of a credible government strategy to tackle the situation, say MPs in a new report. In the NHS, persistent understaffing poses a serious risk to staff and patient safety in routine and emergency care.

See also:

• Health workforce report illustrates staffing emergency and dire consequences for staff and patients BMA
• Expert report exposes urgent need for government to sort NHS staff shortages NHS Providers
• Failure to adequately plan for workforce putting patient care at risk Nuffield Trust
• Government must act now and invest in England’s NHS maternity services and staff says the RCM as ‘crisis’ looms Royal College of Midwives
• RCN responds to Health and Social Care Committee's report on the health and care workforce Royal College of Nursing
• NHS in England facing worst staffing crisis, MPs warn BBC News
• Worst NHS staffing crisis in its history is putting patients at serious risk, MPs warn The Guardian
• ‘Persistent’ NHS understaffing ‘poses serious risk to staff and patient safety’ The Independent
• NHS faces 'greatest workforce crisis' in history - putting safety at 'serious risk', MPs say Sky News

Protecting human rights in care settings

Protecting human rights in care settings This report warns that gaps remain in how vulnerable people are protected in care settings, leaving their human rights at risk of being breached. It finds that mechanisms such as Do Not Attempt Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation notices and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are often not applied correctly, meaning treatment can be wrongfully withheld or an individual’s liberty infringed. It calls on the Government to work with the Care Quality Commission to ensure there is stringent oversight of how care providers implement safeguards designed to protect the human rights of care users. Joint Committee on Human Rights

Palliative and end of life care: statutory guidance for integrated care boards (ICBs)

Palliative and end of life care: statutory guidance for integrated care boards (ICBs) This guidance has been developed by NHS England to support Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) with their duty to commission palliative care services. ICSs have a key role to play in ensuring that people with palliative and end of life care needs can access and receive high quality personalised care and support. It also contains links to resources and good practice for ICSs when planning locally and working collaboratively with local partners. NHS England

UK Covid cases continuing to rise

UK Covid cases continuing to rise Around 3.8m people - one in 17 of the UK population - has coronavirus, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest.

That's up by a quarter of a million - 7% - on the week before when there were 3.5m Covid infections recorded.

The number of people testing positive across the UK has been rising since the start of June but the rate of rise is showing signs of slowing down. BBC News

See also:

• Covid cases rise by another 10% in England... but experts say it's proof outbreak really has peak The Daily Mail
• Why do the minority who haven’t had Covid account for most new infections? The Guardian
• This Covid wave may be cresting – now let’s prepare for the next one | Kit Yates The Guardian
• New top Covid symptom in patients revealed by latest data as infections surge across UK The Independent

WHO declares highest alert over monkeypox

WHO declares highest alert over monkeypox The monkeypox outbreak has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.

The classification is the highest alert that the WHO can issue and follows a worldwide upsurge in cases.

It came at the end of the second meeting of the WHO's emergency committee on the virus. BBC News

See also:

• Second meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox World Health Organization
• Accelerated monkeypox vaccination rollout in London as UKHSA secure more vaccines NHS England
• UK needs urgent vaccine drive to curb monkeypox, campaigners say The Guardian
• What is monkeypox and how worried should we be? The Guardian
• Monkeypox: Virus can be spread through ‘any close physical contact’ The Independent

Woman found decomposing at home after mental health services failed to check in on her

Woman found decomposing at home after mental health services failed to check in on her A 37-year-old woman from east London was found decomposing after mental health services failed to check in on her for weeks, an inquest has found.

Sophia Yurferev was found by police in her home in Hornchurch on 16 November 2021, more than a month after she had died. The Independent

'Exhaustion, sadness and stress': Midwives leaving the job as burnout takes its toll

'Exhaustion, sadness and stress': Midwives leaving the job as burnout takes its toll Exhausted midwives are walking away from the profession with burnout as growing staff shortages create a "toxic cycle" of resignations and further pressure on those who remain. Sky News

Maternity failings account for the majority of the NHS's £13bn spend on negligence

Maternity failings account for the majority of the NHS's £13bn spend on negligence Maternity failings continue to account for the majority of billions of pounds spent by the NHS on clinical negligence claims, as an NHS body warns of the “devastating” consequences of poor care.

Two-thirds of the £13bn spent by the NHS in 2021-21 in respect of negligence claims was related to maternity care, according to new data.

A report released by NHS Resolution said it was “a stark reminder that although the NHS remains one of the safest healthcare systems in the world within which to give birth, avoidable errors within maternity can have devastating consequences for the child, mother and wider family, as well as the NHS staff involved.” The Independent

NHS has 'broken' its promise to the public over the ambulance service

NHS has 'broken' its promise to the public over the ambulance service The NHS has broken its “fundamental promise” to the public that life-saving emergency care will be available when they need it, a top NHS doctor has said, as ambulances continue to lose tens of thousands of hours waiting outside hospitals. The Independent

Charge patients for hospital stays to help fund NHS, says report

Charge patients for hospital stays to help fund NHS, says report Patients would be charged £8 a day when in hospital under proposals from a former health service boss to raise more money for the NHS.

Prof Stephen Smith is also urging ministers to bring in charges of £4 to £8 to help cover the costs of medical equipment that patients need, such as hearing aids and walking devices. The Guardian

Potential fabrication in research images threatens key theory of Alzheimer's Disease

Potential fabrication in research images threatens key theory of Alzheimer's Disease A neuroscience image sleuth finds signs of fabrication in scores of Alzheimer’s articles, threatening a reigning theory of the disease.

In August 2021, Matthew Schrag, a neuroscientist and physician at Vanderbilt University, got a call that would plunge him into a maelstrom of possible scientific misconduct. Science

See also:

• Seminal Alzheimer's study may have been manipulated The Daily Mail