We'll be back with all the national and local health news and updates on Monday the 9th of January.
Wishing all our readers a very happy 2023.
Friday 30 December 2022
Critical incident declared at Northampton and Kettering hospitals as NHS battles “toughest winter”
Critical incident declared at Northampton and Kettering hospitals as NHS battles “toughest winter” Bosses at NHS acute hospitals in Northampton and Kettering have declared a critical incident in response to “significant ongoing pressure” as the health service battles “one of the toughest winters in its history”.
A spokesman for Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital trusts said the decision was taken to “help our teams to ensure patients continue to receive safe and appropriate care.” Northamptonshire Telegraph
See also:
- Northampton and Kettering General Hospital suspend visiting BBC Northampton
- NHS hospitals introduce ban as some brand it 'wrong and cruel' Birmingham Live
- NHS hospitals ban visitors and bring back mask mandates due to wave of winter bugs The Daily Mail
- Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals suspend visitors due to spike in infections ITV News
- Visits stopped and masks back at Northamptonshire hospitals after flu and Covid spike Northants Live
- Hospital apologises after Kirstie Allsopp challenges tweet saying visiting was suspended Nottinghamshire Live
Number of defibrillators to be increased with new funding
Number of defibrillators to be increased with new funding The public will have faster access to life-saving defibrillators as the government announces a new £1 million fund to increase the number of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in communities most in need - providing an estimated 1,000 new defibrillators in community spaces across England. 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 19 September to 25 December) there have been 33,836 notifications of scarlet fever. This compares to a total of 4,672 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.
So far this season (from 19 September to 25 December) there have been 33,836 notifications of scarlet fever. This compares to a total of 4,672 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.
See also:
- Strep A: At least 30 children have died in UK since mid-September BBC News
- Another four children die of Strep A as UK's death toll hits 30 The Daily Mail
- Strep A: 122 deaths recorded across all age groups in England in the past four months The Independent
- At least 30 children in UK have died from invasive Strep A Sky News
Covid: Why are some places testing Chinese arrivals?
Covid: Why are some places testing Chinese arrivals? When a country of 1.4 billion people suddenly ended its zero-Covid policy after nearly three years, there was little doubt what would happen.
Poor immunisation levels and little natural immunity meant an explosion of cases - just as China is about to lift restrictions on its citizens travelling abroad.
So now, some countries - wary of an influx of cases - are imposing Covid testing, and possible quarantine, on visitors from China. BBC News
Poor immunisation levels and little natural immunity meant an explosion of cases - just as China is about to lift restrictions on its citizens travelling abroad.
So now, some countries - wary of an influx of cases - are imposing Covid testing, and possible quarantine, on visitors from China. BBC News
See also:
- Covid in China: Checks on visitors under review - defence minister BBC News
- Could China's Covid outbreak push the fight against the virus back to square one? The Daily Mail
- UK ministers under pressure to screen China arrivals for Covid The Guardian
- China Covid: experts estimate 9,000 deaths a day as US says it may sample wastewater from planes The Guardian
- Covid: Government under pressure to introduce China testing policy The Independent
- Could the UK impose new Covid travel restrictions? The Independent
- UK COVID response to China travel 'under review' after some countries step up restrictions Sky News
Doncaster surgery sends cancer text instead of festive message
Doncaster surgery sends cancer text instead of festive message A GP surgery accidentally told patients they had aggressive lung cancer instead of wishing them a merry Christmas.
Askern Medical Practice sent the text message to people registered with the surgery in Doncaster on 23 December. BBC News
Revealed: Crisis in A&E departments drives 15,000 deaths
Revealed: Crisis in A&E departments drives 15,000 deaths The crisis in Britain’s A&E departments has been linked to more than 15,000 deaths in 18 months, with as many as 500 patients a week dying because of long waits for emergency care.
Expert analysis shows that the number of avoidable deaths has been three times as high as it would have been if hospital waits for emergency treatment had stayed at pre-pandemic levels. The Independent
Mental health issues are 'parallel pandemic' that NHS is not equipped to tackle, leaders warn
Mental health issues are 'parallel pandemic' that NHS is not equipped to tackle, leaders warn The NHS is not equipped to tackle the hidden “parallel pandemic” in mental ill health with many patients going without adequate treatment, leaders have warned.
The cost of living crisis and the after-effects of the Covid epidemic have led to a spike in the number of people suffering from mental health issues.
But the true extent of the problems could be even greater, health experts warn, because it is impossible to tell how many people have yet to come forward for care. The Independent
Man given a year to live now cancer-free after immunotherapy trial
Man given a year to live now cancer-free after immunotherapy trial Further studies under way as ‘remarkable’ results offer new hope in treating biliary tract cancer
A man given a year to live after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer is now disease-free thanks to a UK trial of a personalised drug regime.
Robert Glynn, 51, a welder from Worsley in Greater Manchester, said he “wouldn’t be here” if it were not for the remarkable results of the immunotherapy trial run by the Christie NHS foundation trust in Manchester. The Guardian
See also:
Flu jab uptake among NHS staff tumbles to lowest level in A DECADE despite warnings of a 'flu-nami'
Flu jab uptake among NHS staff tumbles to lowest level in A DECADE despite warnings of a 'flu-nami' Only four in ten frontline NHS staff has rolled up their sleeves for the flu vaccine – the lowest uptake in a decade – MailOnline can reveal.
Despite begging vulnerable Britons to get the jab amid predictions of a dire winter the NHS itself has failed to convince most of its staff to do the same.
Frontline medics such as doctors and nurses are offered the vaccine for free every year to help stop them inadvertently spreading the virus to any vulnerable people they encounter at work, like the elderly or cancer patients. The Daily Mail
NHS trials helper robot to deliver medicines around hospitals
NHS trials helper robot to deliver medicines around hospitals A robot that uses the same technology as self-driving vehicles is transporting medicines around hospitals as part of a new trial.
The 'helper bot' is being used to carry and deliver prescriptions and other items around Milton Keynes University Hospital, helping to relieve pressure on human staff. The Daily Mail
See also:
- MKUH trials Helper Robots to support staff Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Pharmacists to refer suspected cancer patients for checks
Pharmacists to refer suspected cancer patients for checks Pharmacists will be trained to spot signs of cancer in a bid to boost early detection and improve survival rates.
Customers who repeatedly come in for cough medicine or other drugs that could be a sign of more serious illness will be sent for cancer checks without having to see a GP first.
Those with symptoms including a persistent cough, difficulty swallowing or blood in their urine will be referred to hospital for further tests as part of a pilot scheme starting in Cornwall next month. The Daily Mail
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