We will be back on Wednesday 28th of December

Our daily news service is taking a short break for the festive season and will be back on Wednesday the 28th of December.

Wishing all our readers a very happy Christmas.

Coroner's warning after man, 21, died at Northampton General two days after taking toxic weight-loss drug

Coroner's warning after man, 21, died at Northampton General two days after taking toxic weight-loss drug A coroner has issued a stern warning after a 21-year-old man died in Northampton General Hospital after taking drugs for body-building and weight loss.

Jack Knapman, aged 21, suffered severe toxicity and cardiac arrest after taking a “substantial quantity” of the drug which assistant coroner Phil Barlow says in a report should “never be used for human consumption”. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• DNP: Bodybuilding substance death prompts Northamptonshire coroner warning BBC Northampton
• Weight loss drug warning after Northants man died two days after taking toxic fat-burning supplement NorthantsLive

Suicide: 'You're not alone, we all experience dark thoughts'

Suicide: 'You're not alone, we all experience dark thoughts' A man who set up a mental health support charity after his daughter took her own life has urged people to talk to others if they are struggling.

We Mind & Kelly Matters was founded by friends and family of Kelly Hewitt, a prison officer who died in December 2018.

The charity, based in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, has launched a beer mat and poster campaign at pubs across the county, with the aim of starting conversations and spreading suicide awareness over Christmas. BBC Northampton

£3.6 million social prescribing funding to bolster mental health support and ease pressure on GPs

£3.6 million social prescribing funding to bolster mental health support and ease pressure on GPs Thousands of people will continue to access innovative types of mental health support, proven to improve healthy living, reduce overprescribing and save capacity for GPs, following £3.6 million of government funding for the National Academy of Social Prescribing (NASP).

Social prescribing can help those experiencing grief, addiction, dementia and loneliness through a wide range of community-led social activities, services and opportunities that have proven benefits to people’s health and wellbeing. Department of Health and Social Care

UKHSA update on scarlet fever and invasive group A strep

UKHSA update on scarlet fever and invasive group A strep Latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to show an out of season increase in scarlet fever and group A streptococcus infections and a higher number of cases than seen in a typical year.

So far this season (from 12 September to 18 December) there have been 27,486 notifications of scarlet fever. This compares to a total of 3,287 at the same point in the year during the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018 – although cases in that season started to rise at a different point. In 2017 to 2018 there were 30,768 scarlet fever notifications overall across the year. UK Health Security Agency

Two thirds increase in hospital flu cases amid rising staff absences and pressure on NHS 111

Two thirds increase in hospital flu cases amid rising staff absences and pressure on NHS 111 The number of patients with flu in hospital has increased by two thirds in one week amid significant pressure on services, the NHS said today.

New published data shows the post-pandemic impact of viruses circulating again with an average of 1,939 flu cases in England’s hospitals every day last week (up from 1,162).

Weekly winter data shows the wide ranging set of pressures faced by the NHS ahead of Christmas, with another seven days of rising flu hospital cases, increased calls to 111 and more staff sickness. NHS England

See also:

• Gift yourself a life-saving vaccine this Christmas holiday Department of Health and Social Care
• Winter figures reveal a significant increase in flu and ambulance handover delays NHS Providers
• National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: Seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccine uptake in frontline healthcare workers: monthly data 2022 to 2023 UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in GP patients: monthly data, 2022 to 2023 UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in children of school age: monthly data, 2022 to 2023 UK Health Security Agency
• Influenza batters NHS with cases up to SIXTY times higher this year than last winter, figures show The Daily Mail
• Flu and COVID-19 wave leaves GPs struggling as strep A child deaths hit 24 GPonline
• Stay at home if you’re unwell, say experts, as flu and Covid cases rise in England The Guardian
• Covid: Britons told to stay at home if unwell in final Christmas warning as cases rise again The Independent
• Number of flu patients in hospitals in England soars while Strep A 'partly drives' near record demand for NHS 111 services Sky News
• Avoid the elderly if you have a cold or cough, Britons told Sky News

Molnupiravir Covid antiviral treatment hastens recovery - trial

Molnupiravir Covid antiviral treatment hastens recovery - trial An antiviral drug tested by more than 25,000 vaccinated Covid patients has been found to reduce recovery time from the disease.

Molnupiravir was given to people twice a day, for five days at home, while they had the Omicron variant of Covid.

Those chosen were at a higher risk of death or hospitalisation from Covid due to age or underlying health conditions.

Despite aiding recovery, the drug did not decrease death rates or hospital admissions. BBC News

See also:

• Molnupiravir plus usual care versus usual care alone as early treatment for adults with COVID-19 at increased risk of adverse outcomes (PANORAMIC): an open-label, platform-adaptive randomised controlled trial (open access) The Lancet
• Two years after Covid food still tastes rotten BBC News
• Covid drug DOESN'T cut risk of dying but it might help you recover quicker at home The Daily Mail
• Antiviral does not cut Covid hospital admissions or deaths in vaccinated – study The Independent

Ambulance workers in England to strike again in January

Ambulance workers in England to strike again in January Ambulance staff in five areas of England are to stage two further strikes in January, union leaders say.

The industrial action on 11 and 23 January is likely to heap more pressure on emergency care, which is already under serious strain.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said further strike action was in no one's best interest.

Unison leaders say the action is a direct result of the government's refusal to negotiate over pay. BBC News

See also:

• NHS Confederation responds to first day of ambulance worker industrial action NHS Confederation
• NHS Providers responds to announcement of two new strike dates by ambulance staff NHS Providers
• Further strikes inevitable unless government holds talks and moves on NHS pay UNISON
• Pat Cullen: Who is the RCN nursing union boss leading strikes? BBC News
• Health Secretary Steve Barclay keen to focus on next year's NHS pay deal BBC News
• Ambulance workers announce fresh strikes in January The Daily Telegraph
• NHS faces months of disruption as unions ramp up campaign of strikes The Guardian
• More NHS strikes to come over ‘pitiful’ pay award as government digs in The Guardian
• NHS ‘close to overheating’ as unions reveal new strike dates for January The Independent
• NHS ‘cannot go on coping’ with more strikes, health leader warns iNews
• NHS staff to be offered expedited pay award to call off strikes Nursing Notes
• NHS staff could be offered pay rise in spring as health sec rules out movement on current wages Sky News

Record waiting times in England’s ambulances in week before strikes

Record waiting times in England’s ambulances in week before strikes Close to one in four ambulance patients in England waited more than an hour with crews before being admitted to A&E, in what was the worst winter week on record.

The record numbers came a week before thousands of ambulance staff, paramedics and others in England and Wales went on strike on Wednesday, leaving the NHS unable to respond to many 999 calls. The Guardian