Northampton councils miss out on levelling-up cash

Northampton councils miss out on levelling-up cash Projects in Northamptonshire have missed out on a share of £4.8bn from the government's latest round of Levelling Up Fund spending.

North and West Northamptonshire councils said they were "disappointed" and were considering proposed projects would be affected.

West Northamptonshire Council's bids included £20m for a leisure centre, cinema, library and new home for health and social services in Weston Favell in Northampton.

A bid of £13m was submitted to restore the stables at Delapré Abbey in the county town, as well as creating a new wellbeing hub and establishing a cancer care centre at Northampton General Hospital. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Northampton projects miss out on Government’s Levelling Up funding - council and opposition ‘disappointed’ Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Council expresses disappointment over Levelling Up Fund bids West Northamptonshire Council

Mental health services boosted by £150 million government funding

Mental health services boosted by £150 million government funding Anyone experiencing a mental health emergency will benefit from more tailored emergency care and support in the community through specialised mental health ambulances, more crisis services, and improved health-based places of safety.

A £150 million investment up to April 2025 will better support people experiencing – or at risk of experiencing – mental health crises to receive care and support in more appropriate settings outside of A&E, helping to ease pressures facing the NHS. Department of Health and Social Care

Ambulance staff on strike in England and Wales

Ambulance staff on strike in England and Wales Ambulance staff belonging to three unions - GMB, Unison and Unite - are on strike in a dispute over pay.

In line with previous industrial action, life-threatening 999 calls will be attended to, but other emergencies may not be, or could face delays.

The biggest day of industrial action for the NHS in this dispute is set to happen on 6 February, when nurses will walk out too.

Governments say the above-inflation pay rises requested are unaffordable. BBC News

See also:

• NHS England boss: Repeated strikes make workload more challenging BBC News
• Thousands of treatments lost during nurse strikes BBC News
• Ambulance strikes: Unite workers announce new days of walkouts BBC News
• NHS strikes will only end if ministers offer workers a 10 PER CENT pay rise, warns union boss The Daily Mail
• Jeremy Hunt led calls for big pay rise for NHS nurses last summer The Guardian
• NHS leaders voice alarm as 10 more ambulance strikes planned The Guardian
• Health staff strikes making workload ‘more challenging’, says NHS chief The Guardian
• Everything you need to know about the ambulance strikes The Independent
• Tory ministers ‘looking to privatise’ NHS, says union boss The Independent
• As the NHS prepares for its biggest ever walkout, how will strikes impact you? ITV News
• Ambulance workers strike for third time in five weeks as pay and staffing dispute rumbles on Sky News
• Union leader accuses government of 'lying' and suggests it is 'looking to privatise the NHS' Sky News

Mental health: NHS crisis lines failing to answer suicide calls

Mental health: NHS crisis lines failing to answer suicide calls Suicidal patients in England are being put at risk of serious harm, with one in five calls to NHS helplines going unanswered, BBC research shows.

One caller said after repeatedly trying to get through, staff eventually told her to "think happy thoughts".

Coroners have expressed fears over how patients are assessed. One man who died told staff he wanted to end his life, but was not referred for support.

NHS England said crisis lines had seen "record demand". BBC News

Pandemic drinking: Alcohol misuse treatment up 10%

Pandemic drinking: Alcohol misuse treatment up 10% The number of adults treated for alcohol misuse in England climbed 10% in the year to March 2022, fuelled by a rise in drinking during lockdown.

New government data shows this rise pushed the number of people receiving treatment for all types of substance misuse to 289,215, a seven-year high.

And experts say there are many more people struggling with drug or alcohol use who are not receiving treatment. BBC News

Sexual assault and domestic violence ‘going unchecked’ by regulators, NHS staff warn

Sexual assault and domestic violence ‘going unchecked’ by regulators, NHS staff warn Patients and staff are in danger as regulators are accused of poor handling of sexual assault allegations made against doctors and nurses, The Independent has been told.

Campaigners and frontline staff who spoke to The Independent warned that professional regulators are not dealing adequately with allegations of sexual assault, harassment and domestic violence.

£800000 rapid research projects 'to help tackle NHS winter crisis using AI’

£800000 rapid research projects 'to help tackle NHS winter crisis using AI’ Sixteen rapid research projects have been awarded £800,000 to help tackle NHS winter pressures by using existing health data records and artificial intelligence.

These projects – which include helping reduce ambulance wait times and understanding the effects of cold homes on health – have been launched by Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Evening Standard

See also:

• Technology can help the NHS, says AstraZeneca boss BBC News
• £800,000 rapid research projects ‘to help tackle NHS winter crisis using AI’ The Independent
• 'Digital mimics' among 16 projects launched to help NHS with winter pressure Sky News

Long NHS waiting lists cutting chances of pregnancy, fertility chief warns

Long NHS waiting lists cutting chances of pregnancy, fertility chief warns Prospective parents’ chances of having a baby are being affected by long NHS waiting lists for women’s health treatments, the UK’s fertility chief has warned.

Julia Chain, chair of UK fertility regulator the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), said delays to women getting diagnoses and treatments for gynaecological issues were preventing them from starting IVF quickly, which meant it was less likely to work. The Guardian

Sajid Javid calls for patients to pay for GP and A&E visits

Sajid Javid calls for patients to pay for GP and A&E visits Patients should be charged for GP appointments and A&E visits, Sajid Javid has said, as he called the present model of the NHS “unsustainable”.

The former health secretary said “extending the contributory principle” should be part of radical reforms to tackle growing waiting times. The Guardian

See also:

• Gordon Brown warns of Tories ‘testing the water’ for two-tier healthcare The Guardian
• Mark my words: this will be the end of the NHS if the Tories have their way | Gordon Brown The Guardian
• Sajid Javid says patients should be charged for GP and A&E visits to ease waits ITV News
• Former health secretary, Sajid Javid, has called for a new NHS funding system ITV News
• Patients should be charged for GP appointments and A&E visits to ease waits, Sajid Javid says Sky News

One in four British dementia patients taking antidepressants but scientists say they are harmful

One in four British dementia patients taking antidepressants but scientists say they are harmful Dementia patients are being put on antidepressants even though the treatment could do more harm than good, experts have warned.

Close to one million Britons are living with the neurological illness, which causes progressively worsening problems with memory and movement – and roughly one in four are prescribed the tablets to combat low mood, agitation and anxiety, which are also common symptoms.

Yet while the drugs are proven to be effective in patients without dementia, a recent series of studies suggest they provide little or no benefit to those with the condition. The Daily Mail

Britons with severe asthma to get 'life-changing' jab that 'turns off' attacks, reducing risk by 70%

Britons with severe asthma to get 'life-changing' jab that 'turns off' attacks, reducing risk by 70% Britons with severe asthma could benefit from a 'life-changing' jab that can reduce the risk of attacks by up to 70 per cent.

The at-home injector pen contains a drug called tezepelumab – which blocks a key chemical that triggers attacks – and is more effective than current treatments.

Insiders have told The Mail on Sunday that the treatment is due to be approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) later this year following 'dramatic' trial results.