Kettering family's concerns investigated after baby death

Kettering family's concerns investigated after baby death Jessica Mitchell believes she was discriminated against by NHS workers in Kettering who did not "care enough" to save her baby.

Her son Reggie died at home on 5 March from an as yet unknown illness. He was just six weeks old.

Ms Mitchell, 18, says Kettering General Hospital "refused to do proper checks" after Reggie "went floppy and began shaking" in February.

A spokesperson for NHS Northamptonshire said a multi-agency review of the case was under way. BBC Northampton

Major study outlines wide health inequalities in England

Major study outlines wide health inequalities in England People living in the most deprived parts of England are diagnosed with serious illness earlier and die sooner than their peers in more affluent areas, a major new study finds. The Health Foundation

See also:

• Quantifying health inequalities in England The Health Foundation

Pulling teeth: why have successive governments failed dentistry?

Pulling teeth: why have successive governments failed dentistry? After a BBC investigation this week reported that nine in 10 NHS dental practices across the UK are not accepting new adult patients for treatment under the health service, Nigel Edwards describes some of the problems in the sector and how they could provide a warning for the unfolding crisis in GP services. Nuffield Trust

Commissioning quality standard: alcohol and drug services

Commissioning quality standard: alcohol and drug services This commissioning quality standard (CQS) sets standards that will guide local partnerships to commission alcohol and drug services more effectively. This guidance helps partnerships to: clarify the commissioning process they should follow; plan and deliver harm reduction, treatment and recovery interventions; understand local need for alcohol and drug services; assess whether anyone affected by problem alcohol and drug use is able to access the right support at the right time; and provide high-quality support from a multi-disciplinary skilled workforce for children, young people and adults affected by problem alcohol and drug use. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

Prime Minister launches 'Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission'

Prime Minister launches 'Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission' Prime Minister Boris Johnson launches national mission to tackle dementia and doubles research funding to £160 million a year by 2024. Department of Health and Social Care

NHS checks for bowel cancer hit record-high thanks to Dame Deborah

NHS checks for bowel cancer hit record-high thanks to Dame Deborah Record numbers of people have come forward for bowel cancer checks thanks to lifesaving awareness raising by Dame Deborah James, the NHS said today.

Between the months of May and July, referrals for suspected lower gastro-intestinal cancers reached record levels, with over 170,500 people referred for checks during that period – up over 30,000 compared to the same period last year, and nearly 80,000 higher than the same period two years ago. NHS England

Covid: Evusheld antibody protection ruled out for most vulnerable

Covid: Evusheld antibody protection ruled out for most vulnerable A Covid protection for people with weakened immune systems has been shelved in the UK because of a lack of evidence over how well it works against the Omicron variant.

The Department of Health said it would not be buying doses of the Evusheld injection. BBC News

See also:

• Levels of the 'stress hormone' are key indicators as to whether a person will suffer long-Covid The Daily Mail
• UK decision not to buy Covid drug Evusheld disappoints charities The Guardian
• Government urged to classify Covid as an occupational disease The Guardian

Some antidepressants may make heatwave challenging

Some antidepressants may make heatwave challenging People taking some mental health medication need to be extra cautious during the heatwave, the ex-head of the Royal College of Psychiatrists says.

Some antipsychotic medications and antidepressants may hinder the body from regulating temperature properly.

Certain drugs can also cause people to sweat excessively, not register thirst or make skin more sensitive to sun. BBC News

Thousands more NHS beds to be created in England this winter

Thousands more NHS beds to be created in England this winter England's health chiefs say they will create an extra 7,000 beds to tackle "substantial" pressures this winter.

It comes after government scientific advisers warned that "high numbers of beds may be needed for respiratory patients".

The extra beds will include more temporary units at hospital sites and 2,500 "virtual ward spaces" with patients monitored at home. BBC News

See also:

• NHS sets out package of measures to boost capacity ahead of winter NH England
• NHS will send 2,500 patients to 'virtual wards' in in time for inevitable winter crisis The Daily Mail
• NHS to create thousands more beds and boost 999 staff numbers ahead of winter Evening Standard
• New targets to curb hours lost to ambulances waiting outside A&E in bid to cut winter pressures The Independent

Thousands of patients forced to travel far from home for NHS mental health treatment

Thousands of patients forced to travel far from home for NHS mental health treatment Thousands of people are being forced to travel tens or even hundreds of miles to access mental health treatment on the NHS - because beds are not available locally.

In May alone, there were 575 "inappropriate out of area mental health placements" in England. Sky News

Ministers admit 34 hospital buildings in England have roofs that could collapse

Ministers admit 34 hospital buildings in England have roofs that could collapse Thirty-four hospital buildings in England have roofs made of concrete that is so unstable they could fall down at any time, ministers have admitted.

The revelation has prompted renewed fears that ceilings at the hospitals affected might suddenly collapse, injuring staff and patients, and calls for urgent action to tackle the problem. The Guardian

Britons are LESS happy than during pandemic: More people worry about their health and feel lonely

Britons are LESS happy than during pandemic: More people worry about their health and feel lonely Britons are less happy now than they were during some parts of the pandemic, shock official figures show.

More people are concerned about their physical and mental health than they were in mid-2020, just months after the coronavirus outbreak sent the country into its first lockdown.

And Britons are struggling more with relationships and loneliness than ever before. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Quality of life in the UK: August 2022 Office for National Statistics

Data privacy fears as GPs are sharing patient records on Word documents

Data privacy fears as GPs are sharing patient records on Word documents GPs are sharing patient records on Word documents via email amid ongoing disruption due to the NHS cyberattack.

There are concerns the move could risk patient privacy. 

Advanced, a major IT provider to the health service, are being held ransom by hackers amid concerns millions of confidential records could be affected. The Daily Mail

See also:

• NHS cyber attacks hit record levels in four in five trusts after Russian invasion The Daily Telegraph
• NHS 111 systems could be offline until next week following cyber attack GPonline
• NHS at risk of further major cyberattacks this year, experts warn The Independent
• Ransomware attack on NHS systems could take weeks to fix, major IT provider warns Sky News
• Ministers coordinating 'resilience response' after 'major' cyber attack hits NHS systems across UK Sky News