Doctors continue fight against Covid as number of virus deaths at Northampton General Hospital nears 1000

Doctors continue fight against Covid as number of virus deaths at Northampton General Hospital nears 1000 Specialist hospital teams are continuing the fight against Covid-19 by offering potentially life-saving medication to some the most vulnerable people in Northamptonshire. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Doctors continue fight against Covid as number of virus deaths at Kettering General Hospital nears 800 Northamptonshire Telegraph

Where does the buck stop? Understanding accountabilities and structures in the national health and care system in England

Where does the buck stop? Understanding accountabilities and structures in the national health and care system in England The Health and Care Act 2022 and concurrent reforms to the public health system have introduced a range of changes and some simplifications to the landscape of national bodies in the health and care system.

Here, we explain the core functions of the national bodies with the most significant role in setting policy for and shaping the operation of the health and care system. We also look at how these organisations are held accountable for carrying out those functions and the extent to which central government can direct them. The King's Fund

72-hr discharge follow-up target for mental health patients missed 38,000 times

72-hr discharge follow-up target for mental health patients missed 38,000 times New analysis by the Royal College of Psychiatrists shows that between April 2020 and May 2022, 37,999 follow-ups with mental health patients after leaving inpatient facilities weren’t made within a critical 72-hour window.

The risk of suicide is highest on the second and third days after leaving a mental health hospital, that’s why the target of following up with at least 80% of people within three days after discharge was introduced.

The target has never been achieved in England since the introduction of the policy in 2019/20, leaving too many patients without specialist mental health support during this critical time.

See also:

• Almost 38,000 mental health appointments miss vital 72-hour window The Guardian

Policy paper: Building the right support for people with a learning disability and autistic people

Policy paper: Building the right support for people with a learning disability and autistic people An action plan to strengthen community support for people with a learning disability and autistic people, and reduce reliance on mental health inpatient care. Department of Health and Social Care

NHS trials smart goggles to give nurses more time with patients

NHS trials smart goggles to give nurses more time with patients High tech goggles will be worn by community nurses on home visits to free up time with patients, as part of a cutting-edge NHS pilot.

As long as a patient consents, the virtual reality style headset can transcribe the appointment directly to electronic records, reducing time-consuming admin for nurses.

Staff will be able to share live footage directly with hospital colleagues to get a second opinion, avoiding the need for further appointments or hospital admission, and includes thermal imaging to help assess how wounds and injuries have healed. NHS England

See also:

• New smart glasses to help nurses maximise time with patients on home visits The Independent
• 'Pioneering' new smart glasses to be trialled by nurses to help them spend more time with patients Sky News

Covid infections in UK continue to fall

Covid infections in UK continue to fall The number of people infected with coronavirus in the UK is continuing to fall, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show.

Its latest data estimates 1.7 million people - about one in 40 of us - would have tested positive two weeks ago.

That is down significantly from 3.5 million in early July and school holidays may be part of the reason. BBC News

See also:

• Covid infections continue to subside with just 1.4million infected in England last week (one in 40) The Daily Mail
• The worst of Covid is over for most of us, but it still lingers for those with learning disabilities | Sonia Sodha The Guardian
• ‘Covid is over’ idea may threaten booster uptake in England, scientists warn The Guardian
• Real-world study details average duration of infectiousness for COVID-19 Imperial College London
• New study reveals when people with Covid are infectious and for how long The Independent
• First real-world study gives detailed new insights into when people with COVID are infectious Sky News
• Onset and window of SARS-CoV-2 infectiousness and temporal correlation with symptom onset: a prospective, longitudinal, community cohort study (open access) The Lancet Respiratory Medicine

Monkeypox cases declining - particularly in London

Monkeypox cases declining - particularly in London New cases of monkeypox appear to be reducing with just 20 people a day becoming infected, UK health officials say.

In a report on the virus, they say the epidemic in London has declined since mid-July and is now the same size as in the rest of the country.

UK vaccine supplies are set to run out until a new delivery arrives sometime in September. BBC News

See also:

• UK monkeypox case numbers show overall decline UK Health Security Agency

Minimise A&E use this winter amid 'substantial' pressure on the NHS, public to be asked - Evening Standard

Minimise A&E use this winter amid 'substantial' pressure on the NHS, public to be asked Health chiefs are preparing to launch a public awareness campaign encouraging people to reduce A&E usage in a bid to protect the NHS from collapse this winter, according to reports.

In a letter to staff, NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said winter planning has begun earlier than usual as the “pressure on the NHS is likely to be substantial, particularly in urgent and emergency care”. Evening Standard

UK energy bills crisis could set back health equality by decades, say experts

UK energy bills crisis could set back health equality by decades, say experts A  failure to tackle soaring energy bills could set back health equality by decades and see the NHS faced with a “humanitarian crisis” of people unable to keep warm or eat properly, NHS leaders and public health experts have warned.

With one help service receiving calls from almost 100 people in a single day who had had their power disconnected, there are fears that many clinically vulnerable people could die or be forced to stay in hospital because it is unsafe to send them back to a freezing home. The Guardian

See also:

• Could the energy crisis cause a public health emergency? NHS Confederation
• GPs could prescribe money off energy bills under Treasury plan The Guardian
• GPs reject Treasury plan for them to prescribe money off energy bills The Guardian
• Government ‘has lost the plot’ over plan for GPs to prescribe heating bill discounts The Independent
• NHS bosses warn soaring energy bills will make people sick if government does not offer more support ITV News

Overseas hiring spree planned for care homes in England amid winter fears

Overseas hiring spree planned for care homes in England amid winter fears Foreign workers could be recruited for care homes in England amid concerns about staff shortages this winter, under government plans.

The health secretary, Steve Barclay, wants the overseas recruitment spree to include sending NHS managers to countries such as India and the Philippines to hire thousands of nurses, the Times reported. The Guardian

Prescribing e-cigarettes on the NHS could help up to 40% of smokers quit, study claims

Prescribing e-cigarettes on the NHS could help up to 40% of smokers quit, study claims Dishing out vapes on the NHS can help even 'hardened' cigarette smokers quit, researchers say.

A pilot scheme saw more than 300 traditional smokers given £25 vape shop vouchers, as well as support from the health service's stop smoking service.

Within one month, four in 10 of those who used the coupons said they had turned their back on cigarettes for good. The Daily Mail

See also:

• A pilot e-cigarette voucher scheme in a rural county of the UK (open access) Nicotine and Tobacco Research
  

Autism breakthrough as scientists find 70 genes 'strongly linked' to condition

Autism breakthrough as scientists find 70 genes 'strongly linked' to condition Scientists have discovered dozens of genes that are strongly linked to autism, in what could be a breakthrough.  

Researchers hope the more than 70 newly-identified genetic variants could pave the way for new tests and treatments for the condition. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Rare coding variation provides insight into the genetic architecture and phenotypic context of autism Nature Genetics

NHS blows £1million on 'woke groups' for staff

NHS blows £1million on 'woke groups' for staff The NHS has spent more than £1million on hundreds of 'woke' staff networks at a time when it desperately needs more cash for patient care.

Nearly 500 of these groups have been set up by health trusts across the UK – taking up around 36,000 hours of staff time a year. Despite ministers' calls for the NHS to cut back on 'waste and wokery', some groups use taxpayers' money to put on events around transgender issues, sexuality and racism, often held during the working day. The Daily Mail