Public perceptions of health and social care: what the new government should know

Public perceptions of health and social care: what the new government should know This report presents findings from the second survey in our programme of research into public perceptions of health and social care, delivered in partnership with Ipsos. 

Health and social care services are under extreme strain and improvements in life expectancy are stalling. As the new prime minister sets out her agenda for government, understanding what the public thinks should inform policy. And the public perceives the standard of NHS and social care services as having declined in the past 12 months – and is more likely to expect that standards will get worse over the next year rather than improve. But the public also has strong support for the NHS as an institution and points to clear priorities for improving services. The Health Foundation

See also:

• Fix workforce crisis and fund health service properly – public send clear message to government to back the NHS The Health Foundation

Letter to the new Prime Minister : winter health service emergency without urgent government action

Letter to the new Prime Minister : winter health service emergency without urgent government action The NHS Confederation, NHS Providers, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, National Voices and the Richmond Group of Charities have penned a joint letter to the new Prime Minister warning that without urgent action on key priorities the NHS risks being trapped in a relentless cycle unable to meet rising patient need and demand.

See also:

• It’s not just Covid: the triple threat that could overwhelm the NHS this winter The Guardian
• Health leaders warn of busy winter for NHS as they call on PM to take action The Independent
• GPs warn of ‘tsunami of demand’ this winter as patient contacts surge 200% The Independent
• NHS waiting list for routine hospital treatment hits new record high of 6.8 million The Independent

Can Therese Coffey deliver her NHS A, B, C and D?

Can Therese Coffey deliver her NHS A, B, C and D? New Health Secretary Therese Coffey has been quick to spell out her priorities.

They are, she says, the A, B, C and D of the NHS - ambulance, backlogs, care, and doctors and dentists.

It is easy to understand why she highlights these areas - they are critical to the immediate future of both the health service and patients in England (health is devolved so she only has responsibility for this nation).

The delays being seen in responding to 999 calls are, quite simply, putting lives at risk. BBC News

See also:

• Angry health unions accuse Coffey of being 'out of touch' and on a 'collision course' with medics The Daily Mail
• Therese Coffey promises to 'deliver for patients': New Health Secretary unveils 'ABCD' of priorities The Daily Mail
• Therese Coffey claims she WON'T seek to change abortion laws The Daily Mail
• Therese Coffey rules out GP visit fees and promises to 'stand up for patients' on access GPonline
• Thérèse Coffey considers paying care homes in England to free hospital beds The Guardian
• ‘Disappointment’ over nursing omission in new health secretary’s priorities Nursing Times

Post-menopause HRT treatment to be sold in UK pharmacies

Post-menopause HRT treatment to be sold in UK pharmacies Women experiencing vaginal dryness as a result of the menopause can now buy a treatment over the counter in the UK.

Estradiol tablets, sold under the brand name Gina10, were previously offered on prescription only.

They will be available to women over the age of 50 who have not had a period for more than a year, as part of hormone replacement therapy treatment (HRT). BBC News

See also:

• Hormone replacement therapy and menopause: What you need to know about HRT BBC News

New malaria vaccine is world-changing, say scientists

New malaria vaccine is world-changing, say scientists A malaria vaccine with "world-changing" potential has been developed by scientists at the University of Oxford.

The team expect it to be rolled out next year after trials showed up to 80% protection against the deadly disease.

Crucially, say the scientists, their vaccine is cheap and they already have a deal to manufacture more than 100 million doses a year. BBC News

See also:

• Efficacy and immunogenicity of R21/Matrix-M vaccine against clinical malaria after 2 years' follow-up in children in Burkina Faso: a phase 1/2b randomised controlled trial (open access) The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Ministers cut NHS Covid jabs ad budget by 63% despite winter wave fears

Ministers cut NHS Covid jabs ad budget by 63% despite winter wave fears Funding to promote the uptake of NHS England’s autumn Covid and flu jabs has been slashed by 63%, it can be revealed, even as the World Health Organization warned of a wave of winter deaths.

The government’s “lifesaving autumn booster rollout” started on Monday, but ministers have cut the £11m budget earmarked for advertising to £4m, it is understood. The Guardian

See also:

• Study finds link between poor mental health and long Covid The Guardian
• Government admits 50 firms were in VIP lane for test and trace contracts The Guardian
• What scientists have learnt from COVID lockdowns Nature
• COVID app that detects virus in your voice 'more accurate than lateral flow tests' Sky News

Life-extending prostate cancer drug rejected for NHS

Life-extending prostate cancer drug rejected for NHS A drug which can extend the lives of some men with prostate cancer will not be approved for use on the NHS.

In final guidance which rubber-stamps an earlier decision, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said olaparib (also called Lynparza) is not a good use of NHS money at its current price. The Independent

Getting a flu jab may cut your risk of a stroke, study finds

Getting a flu jab may cut your risk of a stroke, study finds Getting your annual flu vaccine could protect you from a stroke, a study suggested today.

Spanish researchers compared the health of more than 75,000 over-40s, including thousands who had suffered a stroke.

Results showed people who had received a jab were 12 per cent less likely to suffer the life-threatening event, compared to people who decided against getting their yearly top-up. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Influenza Vaccination and Risk of Ischemic Stroke: A Population-Based Case-Control Study (abstract) Neurology

I'm leaving the NHS for better pay privately - I wish I didn't have to

I'm leaving the NHS for better pay privately - I wish I didn't have to On my very first day as an NHS Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) therapist, I was shown around the office by a senior colleague.

It was during this induction that they told me they were actually leaving the NHS to work as a private therapist. At the time I didn’t think much of it, staff turnover in the NHS is nothing new.

Years later, I recognise it was one example of what I can see is a growing trend among therapists. Metro