Wednesday, 28 December 2022

NHS set to eliminate Hepatitis C ahead of rest of the world

NHS set to eliminate Hepatitis C ahead of rest of the world The NHS is on track to eliminate Hepatitis C by 2025 thanks to a pioneering drug deal and a concerted effort to find people at risk, which is helping dramatically cut deaths five years ahead of global targets.

Following a five-year contract worth almost £1bn to buy antiviral drugs for thousands of patients, deaths from Hepatitis C – including liver disease and cancer – have fallen by 35%. That improvement in outcomes means the NHS has exceed the World Health Organisation’s target of 10% by more than three-fold, putting England in pole position to be among the first countries in the world to eliminate the virus as a public health concern. NHS England

See also:
at No comments:

NHS launches new dementia diagnosis drive

NHS launches new dementia diagnosis drive Hundreds more people will be checked for dementia thanks to a new specialist service being trialled across the country, the NHS announced today.

Care home residents will be proactively assessed for the condition by specialist nurses and other healthcare professionals through 14 new pilot schemes being rolled out in the new year. NHS England
at No comments:

Artificial intelligence revolutionising NHS stroke care

Artificial intelligence revolutionising NHS stroke care Tens of thousands of stroke patients across the country are benefitting from quicker treatment and improved outcomes thanks to government investment in cutting edge artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose and determine the best treatment for patients who suffer a stroke.

Early-stage analysis of the technology, which received funding from the first round of the government’s AI in Health and Care Awards, shows it can reduce the time between presenting with a stroke and treatment by more than 60 minutes, and is associated with a tripling in the number of stroke patients recovering with no or only slight disability – defined as achieving functional independence - from 16 percent to 48 percent. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:
at No comments:

Guidance: The R value and growth rate

Guidance: The R value and growth rate The latest reproduction number (R) and growth rate of coronavirus (COVID-19). 

This publication of the R value and growth rate on 23 December 2022 will be the final one. Coronavirus (COVID-19) incidence data will continue to be accessible from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) COVID-19 Infection Survey, UK Statistical bulletins. UK Health Security Agency

at No comments:

Further nurse strike dates announced in England

Further nurse strike dates announced in England Nurses will go on strike again on 18 and 19 January in England unless pay talks are opened, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said.

Nurses at more hospital trusts than before will be involved in the strike action in the new year, the union said.

Meanwhile, the GMB union has called off a second day of ambulance strikes planned in England and Wales for 28 December.

But it announced a new co-ordinated walkout on 11 January. BBC News

See also:
at No comments:

A new way of killing cancer cells could pave the way for a cure, scientists say

A new way of killing cancer cells could pave the way for a cure, scientists say A new way of using DNA to kill cancer cells which could pave the way for a cure for the disease has been created by scientists.

The method targets human cervical cancer and breast cancer-derived cells, as well as malignant melanoma cells in mice.

It uses a pair of hair clip shaped, cancer-killing DNA which were injected into cancer cells. The Independent

See also:

at No comments:

More people face being shut out of NHS mental health services, experts warn

More people face being shut out of NHS mental health services, experts warn More people will be shut out from mental health services if no new cash is invested in the next two years, experts have warned.

Sean Duggan, chief executive of the mental health network at the NHS Confederation, which represents the health and care system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said that a lack of long-term investment combined with a potential surge in demand due to the cost of living crisis would cause unsustainable pressure on the system. The Guardian
at No comments:

Midlands hospital investigating forceps left inside patient after surgery

Midlands hospital investigating forceps left inside patient after surgery A hospital is investigating how a pair of metal surgical forceps were left inside a patient after they had been stitched up after abdominal surgery.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS trust has apologised unreservedly and said the incident at Redditch’s Alexandra hospital was “exceptionally rare”. The Guardian
at No comments:

Nearly two-thirds of junior doctors are 'looking to leave the NHS'

Nearly two-thirds of junior doctors are 'looking to leave the NHS' More than six in 10 junior doctors have 'actively researched' quitting their job in the NHS, a poll shows as the medics are set to vote on whether they should strike over pay.

The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents 45,000 junior doctors in England, quizzed nearly 4,000 on whether they have 'actively researched leaving the NHS' in the last year.

Results showed two-thirds had while eight in 10 said they 'often think about leaving' the health service. The Daily Mail

See also: 
at No comments:

The dieting 'red flags' experts are warning people to avoid

The dieting 'red flags' experts are warning people to avoid Beware of 'quick-fix' new year diets, as they can be harmful to your health, experts have warned.

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has published a list of 'red flags' to watch out for when it comes to diets for a new year and a new you.

Dietitians warn people should avoid diets using the word 'detox', telling people to eat only one type of food, like cabbage, or promising rapid weight loss of more than two pounds (1kg) of body fat a week. The Daily Mail

See also: 
at No comments:

Friday, 23 December 2022

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.

at No comments:

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:
at No comments:

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
at No comments:

£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
at No comments:

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
at No comments:

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:
at No comments:

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:
at No comments:

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:
at No comments:

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
at No comments:

Thursday, 22 December 2022

Northamptonshire stroke patients' initiative wins a top prize at a national event

Northamptonshire stroke patients' initiative wins a top prize at a national event A county stroke team has won a top national prize for the way it has involved patients in shaping future care.

The Northamptonshire Community Stroke Team has won the UK Stroke Forum’s Patient, Carer and Public Involvement Prize.

The team – which is based at Northampton General Hospital but serves the whole county – won the prize for their entry “Meaningfully amplifying the patient voice in a Northamptonshire Community Stroke Team.” Northampton Chronicle and Echo
at No comments:

Kettering: Man appears at Crown Court accused of murdering nurse and children

Kettering: Man appears at Crown Court accused of murdering nurse and children A man accused killing an NHS nurse and her two young children has been remanded in custody until next year.

Anju Asok, 35, Jeeva Saju, six, and Janvi Saju, four, were found with serious injuries at Saju Chelavalel's home in Kettering on Thursday.

Mr Chelavalel, 52, of Petherton Court, appeared via video link at Northampton Crown Court and was remanded until a plea hearing on 24 March. BBC Northampton

See also:
at No comments:

'It's not about pay' - 'underfunded, misused and mistreated' Kettering ambulance crews explain why they are striking

'It's not about pay' - 'underfunded, misused and mistreated' Kettering ambulance crews explain why they are striking East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) staff – paramedics and technicians – have been manning picket lines in their first 24-hour strike.

Some staff will still be attending 999 calls for the most serious categories of emergency as colleagues highlight the state of the ambulance service.

The GMB trade union, that represents EMAS staff, received enough votes to mandate strike action, including its Northamptonshire employees. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:
at No comments:

Ambulance staff strikes: facts and figures on the ambulance workforce

Ambulance staff strikes: facts and figures on the ambulance workforce A summary of key facts and statistics to help understand the ambulance workforce and the strikes. Nuffield Trust

See also:

at No comments:

Connected: remote technology in mental health services

Connected: remote technology in mental health services This briefing summarises evidence from six studies on the use of digital and telephone technology to deliver mental health services. It finds that using remote technology can improve access to mental health support for rural communities, disabled people or people needing a specialist service far from home. It has the potential to increase access and choice in mental health care. But it also risks exacerbating inequalities for people who are digitally excluded. Centre for Mental Health
    at No comments:

    Understanding the fundamental role of racism in ethnic inequities in Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy

    Understanding the fundamental role of racism in ethnic inequities in Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy The briefing from the Runnymede Trust and the University of Manchester’s Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity uses data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study to show that institutional and community-level factors, driven by structural and institutional racism, explain the large majority of ethnic inequities in vaccination rates. Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity
    at No comments:

    UK cements 10-year-partnership with Moderna in major boost for vaccines and research

    UK cements 10-year-partnership with Moderna in major boost for vaccines and research Patients in the UK will be protected against potential future global health threats, including potential pandemics, thanks to a deal struck between the government and Moderna.

    The investment means NHS patients will be able to receive UK-manufactured mRNA vaccines, as the UK cements its status as a life sciences superpower.

    The partnership with Moderna will see a new Innovation and Technology Centre in the UK, which will create more than 150 highly skilled jobs and have the capacity to produce up to 250 million vaccines per year in the event of a pandemic. Department of Health and Social Care
    at No comments:

    Ambulance strike: Warning of very challenging days ahead

    Ambulance strike: Warning of very challenging days ahead Hospitals were quieter than normal during Wednesday's ambulance strikes, but Thursday is likely to be "very challenging" with lots of patients turning up, health bosses say.

    Only the most serious 999 calls were responded to.

    But there was no evidence of people going to A&E in taxis or their own cars, NHS Providers told the BBC. BBC News

    See also:
    at No comments:

    UK hospices warn of bed closures and staff cuts as energy bills soar

    UK hospices warn of bed closures and staff cuts as energy bills soar Hospice charities providing end-of-life services in partnership with the NHS have warned they will have to shut beds and sack staff because of the catastrophic impact of rising energy bills on their day-to-day running costs.

    The UK’s network of independent, mainly voluntary-run palliative care providers said hospices were experiencing a perfect storm of soaring costs and rising demand just as revenues from traditional public fundraising methods are collapsing. The Guardian
    at No comments:

    So where DOES the money go? The graph breaking down the 'broken' NHS's finances

    So where DOES the money go? The graph breaking down the 'broken' NHS's finances The NHS could stump up cash to pay striking staff better wages if it cut down on 'unacceptable levels of waste and mismanagement', campaigners claimed today.

    Thousands of ambulance staff today staged walkouts across England and Wales, in the largest 999 strikes since the 1980s. Nurses have also walked out twice in the last week and junior doctors could join them in the new year. The Daily Mail
    at No comments:

    Wednesday, 21 December 2022

    What patients can expect as East Midlands Ambulance Service staff strike across Northamptonshire

    What patients can expect as East Midlands Ambulance Service staff strike across Northamptonshire Paramedics and staff from East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) staff will be on strike on Wednesday (December 21) in a dispute with the Government about pay.

    The GMB trade union that represents EMAS staff received enough votes to mandate strike action, which will include Northamptonshire employees. EMAS says of its workforce of more than 4,000, the strike action could affect up to 50 percent. Northamptonshire Telegraph

    at No comments:

    Striking nurses hold vigil for mum and two children

    Striking nurses hold vigil for mum and two children A group of nurses broke away from the picket line to hold a one-minute silence in memory of a colleague who died along with her two children.

    Anju Asok, 35, Jeeva Saju, six, and Janvi Saju, four, were found with serious injuries at an address in Petherton Court, Kettering, Northamptonshire, on Thursday. BBC Northampton
    at No comments:

    Northampton General Hospital information champions do well in national awards

    Northampton General Hospital information champions do well in national awards Work by information governance experts at Northampton General Hospital has been rated as some of the best in the country in a national awards scheme.

    Sally Berrill, has won the Information Sharing Champion of the Year Award in the National Health and Social Care Strategic Information Governance Network Awards. News (dsptoolkit.nhs.uk). Northampton Chronicle and Echo

    at No comments:

    Managing expectations: the NHS’s challenging activity and efficiency targets

    Managing expectations: the NHS’s challenging activity and efficiency targets The NHS in England approached the Autumn Statement amid deep concern over rising costs and alarming performance statistics. The extra £3.3bn allocated in 2023/24 and 2024/25 will have been greeted with relief. Although NHS England’s Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard said this funding should be ‘sufficient’ to fulfil the NHS’s key priorities, it is hard to overstate the scale of the task ahead. The Health Foundation

    at No comments:

    Recovering elective waits inclusively: where to start?

    Recovering elective waits inclusively: where to start? Can the NHS effectively combine the aims of clearing the elective backlog and tackling health inequalities? It’s a question that systems and providers have been faced with since NHS England requested that recovery in the wake of the pandemic is managed inclusively. Some may think these aims are at odds with one another, while others will champion their unification. In the first stage of a new research project about inclusive approaches to reducing the backlog, we have been looking at what we can learn from NHS boards about how this issue is playing out. The King's Fund
    at No comments:

    Comparisons of all-cause mortality between European countries and regions: 28 December 2019 to week ending 1 July 2022

    Comparisons of all-cause mortality between European countries and regions: 28 December 2019 to week ending 1 July 2022 Comparisons of all-cause excess mortality on a weekly basis since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Measures include relative age-standardised mortality rates and relative cumulative age-standardised mortality rates. Office for National Statistics

    See also:
    at No comments:

    Ambulance strike: Hospital chiefs warn of patient safety risk

    Ambulance strike: Hospital chiefs warn of patient safety risk The risk to patients will only get worse unless the government reaches an agreement to prevent further strikes, NHS leaders have warned.

    In a letter to the prime minister and health secretary, they said there was "deep worry" about Wednesday's strike.

    People are being asked to only call 999 in a life-threatening emergency, but NHS England says emergency care will continue to be provided.

    Ambulance response times are already twice as long as two years ago. BBC News

    See also:
    at No comments:

    I’ve never seen the NHS pushed so hard. It’s not the system that’s breaking now, it’s the people

    I’ve never seen the NHS pushed so hard. It’s not the system that’s breaking now, it’s the people | The Secret Consultant This week, the chair of the General Medical Council offered an extraordinary message of support to doctors. What was striking about this was not its tone, but its content. Nowhere was anything said about how to do our jobs, or how to be better doctors; the message was simple. It asked us to be compassionate and to be kind, to ourselves and to one another. The Guardian
    at No comments:

    A cure for long covid? Combination of concussion and ADHD drugs could treat brain fog and memory

    A cure for long covid? Combination of concussion and ADHD drugs could treat brain fog and memory Two already-approved drugs may effectively treat the millions of Americans estimated to have long Covid.

    Guanfacine, an Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) drug sold under the name Tenex, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a concussion drug that is branded Mucomyst were found to reduce brain fog in two-thirds of patients. The Daily Mail

    See also:
    at No comments:

    Tuesday, 20 December 2022

    NHS 'shining stars' celebrated at awards ceremony in Northamptonshire

    NHS 'shining stars' celebrated at awards ceremony in Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) held its annual staff awards ceremony on Thursday 15 December 2022 to recognise and honour its ‘shining stars’ – the doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and other NHS colleagues working to provide outstanding care to patients across the county. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
    at No comments:

    Are local authorities equal partners in statutory integrated care systems?

    Are local authorities equal partners in statutory integrated care systems? Partnership working between local government and the NHS has come a long way in recent years. Back in 2016, when some of my colleagues first began delving into the inner workings of sustainability and transformation partnerships – the precursors to today’s integrated care systems (ICSs) – the picture was not always pretty. Many local government leaders told us that they felt little ownership over the system plans to which, at least nominally, they were partners. One said that ‘the majority of chief execs in [our area] just think it’s a joke’. The King's Fund
    at No comments:

    What’s the story behind NHS staff losing their sparkle?

    What’s the story behind NHS staff losing their sparkle? Having recently joined the Health Foundation after a career trying to turn evidence into guidance at NICE, whenever I read a research output, I find my first question is still, ‘What recommendations can be derived from this research?’. Developing evidence-based guidance also taught me that there is very rarely a straightforward answer to the question of ‘what’: often ‘what’, and indeed ‘how’, can’t be answered without considering ‘why’.

    at No comments:

    A vision for pharmacy professional practice in England

    A vision for pharmacy professional practice in England This report, produced in partnership with The King’s Fund, outlines key ambitions for the future of pharmacy in England over the next decade. It sets out how pharmacy teams can support better patient care and address key challenges facing the nation’s health. It calls for the complete integration of pharmacy professionals across health and care systems to enable a transformation in patient care, supported by a comprehensive pharmacy workforce strategy, improved use of data and research to drive better patient outcomes, and strong skilful leadership and collaboration to inform professional practice. Royal Pharmaceutical Society
      at No comments:

      NHS campaign reminds public to use NHS 111 online ahead of the festive season

      NHS campaign reminds public to use NHS 111 online ahead of the festive season The NHS is reminding people they can get assessed and directed to the care they need by using NHS 111 online without leaving the comfort of their homes, with new TV adverts running from today.

      As part of the next stage of the NHS ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign, television adverts will show people travelling to a range of healthcare settings on their sofas, armchairs or beds, as they answer questions about their health concern on NHS 111 online. NHS England
      at No comments:

      Nurses to strike as ambulance crews plan walkouts

      Nurses to strike as ambulance crews plan walkouts About 10,000 NHS nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are to strike for the second time in less than a week in protest over their pay.

      Wednesday will see ambulance staff in England and Wales walk out too, unless a meeting later with the health secretary can avert it.

      Steve Barclay has invited three unions representing paramedics to talks.

      It follows warnings of extensive disruption to services at a very challenging time of year for the NHS. BBC News

      See also:
      at No comments:

      NHS trust apologises as man kept in hospital for more than a year

      NHS trust apologises as man kept in hospital for more than a year A man with physical and mental health problems is "living" in a hospital despite being fit to leave, a court has heard.

      The man, who is in his 30s, has been in hospital for more than a year.

      A barrister leading the man's legal team told how he had tried to "escape" and broke an arm during the attempt.

      The Court of Protection heard that he remained in hospital because no "available alternative accommodation" had been found. BBC News
      at No comments:

      Care workers paid £8,000 less than NHS equivalents in England - study

      Care workers paid £8,000 less than NHS equivalents in England - study A care worker in England is paid on average £8,000 a year less than NHS staff with the same skills, research for a care provider suggests.

      The charity, Community Integrated Care, also told BBC News it was having to provide food parcels for some staff who were struggling to pay their bills.

      Separate research shows low pay is the most common reason why care staff quit. BBC News

      See also:
      at No comments:

      Government to sue Mone-linked PPE firm for £122m

      Government to sue Mone-linked PPE firm for £122m The government is suing a company that supplied it with personal protective equipment (PPE) for £122m plus costs.

      PPE Medpro won contracts through the so-called VIP lane in 2020, after being recommended by Tory peer Baroness Mone.

      The government is attempting to get its money back on one of the deals in the High Court, claiming the medical gowns supplied "did not comply with the specification in the contract". BBC News

      See also:
      at No comments:

      Revealed: Mental health patients who reported ‘abuse’ ignored by NHS and regulator

      Revealed: Mental health patients who reported ‘abuse’ ignored by NHS and regulator Patients and their families who reported allegations of abuse at a chain of mental health units did not even receive responses from the regulator and the NHS, The Independent can reveal.

      An investigation by The Independent and Sky News last month exposed how “systemic abuse” went unchecked at hospitals run by The Huntercombe Group over a number of years.

      Now more patients have come forward – bringing the total number of cases past 50 – and shown how they tried to raise the alarm to the health service and Care Quality Commission, but say they were ignored while abuse continued.

      See also:

      at No comments:

      Breakthrough new NHS drug can delay spread of breast cancer

      Breakthrough new NHS drug can delay spread of breast cancer Breast cancer sufferers will be granted extra months of life thanks to a new drug that has been approved for NHS use.

      Enhertu, or trastuzumab deruxtecan, will be rolled out to 600 women a year in England. Trials have shown that that drug improves the survival of recipients by halting the spread of tumours.

      It gives patients an extra 22 months of life, on average, before the cancer progresses. The Independent

      See also:

      at No comments:

      NHS hopes new artificial intelligence software will be able to spot damage in heart scans in seconds

      NHS hopes new artificial intelligence software will be able to spot damage in heart scans in seconds Artificial intelligence software is poised to drastically slash NHS cardiology waiting lists and give heart patients a faster diagnosis.

      The program can carry out complicated measurements in less than a minute that normally take doctors about 20 minutes. The Daily Mail
      at No comments:

      Monday, 19 December 2022

      Man charged with murders of nurse and her two children

      Man charged with murders of nurse and her two children A man has been charged with murdering an NHS nurse and her two young children.

      Saju Chelavalel, 52, was arrested after police were called to his home at Petherton Court in Kettering, Northamptonshire, on Thursday morning.

      Anju Asok, 35, her son Jeeva Saju, 6, and daughter Janvi Saju, 4, were found at the property with serious injuries. BBC Northampton

      See also:
      at No comments:

      The costs of Brexit make severe challenges even harder for the NHS and social care

      The costs of Brexit make severe challenges even harder for the NHS and social care The seismic changes to the relationship with our nearest neighbours and the impact of Brexit have only added fuel to the fire of severe challenges facing health and social care in the UK today, making people less healthy and widening health inequalities.

      The warning comes from the Nuffield Trust think tank, which has published the most up to date look at the impact of Brexit on the UK’s health and care services.

      See also:
      at No comments:

      Chart of the week: Pay has fallen in real terms for most NHS staff groups since 2010

      Chart of the week: Pay has fallen in real terms for most NHS staff groups since 2010 Strike action is affecting a number of sectors across the UK this month, including within the NHS. With widespread discontent over pay and conditions, Lucina Rolewicz, Mark Dayan and Billy Palmer have expanded on our previous staff pay analysis to include other NHS staff groups. Nuffield Trust

      at No comments:

      Double vision: a roadmap to double medical school places

      Double vision: a roadmap to double medical school places This report develops a detailed and costed roadmap to enable 15,000 medical students a year to enrol on courses in England by 2029. It identifies seven pathways to enable this, with recommendations including the opening of 12-15 new medical schools over the coming decade; expanding and diversifying the talent pool, including an expansion of graduate entry places; expanding the role of innovation including the use of simulation-based learning and ‘virtual placements’; and to improve alignment between placement providers, medical schools and the wider health system through the development of Placement Planning Boards. Policy Exchange
        at No comments:

        Government response to the independent inquiry report into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson: 12-month implementation progress update

        Government response to the independent inquiry report into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson: 12-month implementation progress update The report of the independent inquiry into the issues raised by Paterson was published on 4 February 2020. This report details the government’s progress in implementing its response to the report of the independent inquiry into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson. It also includes details on how these actions have impacted the health system and where there remains ongoing activity. It is organised under four themes: patient-centred information; making challenge heard; ensuring accountability; and putting things right. Department of Health and Social Care
          at No comments:

          Nasal flu vaccine may help reduce cases of group A strep

          Nasal flu vaccine may help reduce cases of group A strep Analysis by UKHSA suggests a nasal spray vaccine that offers protection to children against flu may also help reduce the rate of group A strep infections. UK Health Security Agency

          See also:
          at No comments:

          NHS visits every care home to offer life-saving jabs ahead of Christmas

          NHS visits every care home to offer life-saving jabs ahead of Christmas NHS vaccination teams have visited every care home across the country to offer life-saving covid boosters and flu jabs ahead of the festive period.

          Every care home in England has been visited by NHS staff ensuring residents have maximum protection from winter viruses and allowing them to spend time with families and friends during Christmas and the New Year. NHS England
          at No comments:

          Ambulance strike cover must be sufficient, says health secretary

          Ambulance strike cover must be sufficient, says health secretary Unions must ensure there will be "sufficient" staffing during this week's ambulance strike to protect patients, the health secretary says.

          Workers in England and Wales will walk out on Wednesday in a dispute over pay, but life-threatening emergencies will be responded to.

          Unions say discussions were still taking place with ambulance trusts to draw up detailed plans for cover.

          Steve Barclay said there is a lack of clarity about what is being offered. BBC News

          See also:
          at No comments:

          Wes Streeting: I won't pretend NHS is envy of world

          Wes Streeting: I won't pretend NHS is envy of world Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has said he would not "pretend the NHS is the envy of the world" as he promised reforms under a Labour government.

          He gave a speech setting out Labour's plan to fix the NHS in England, which he said was in "existential" crisis.

          Labour would train more staff and use the private sector to bring down waiting lists, he said. BBC News

          See also:
          at No comments:

          'Exhausted NHS staff anxious about delivering care', says NHS Confederation director

          'Exhausted NHS staff anxious about delivering care', says NHS Confederation director We were joined by Layla McCay, Policy Director at the NHS Confederation – the organisation that represents the healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Channel 4 News
          at No comments:

          The mental health patients dying on NHS wards from starvation and neglect

          The mental health patients dying on NHS wards from starvation and neglect A systemic failure to provide basic physical care on NHS mental health wards is killing patients across the country, despite scores of warnings from coroners over the past decade, The Independent can reveal.

          An investigation has uncovered at least 50 “prevention of future death” reports – used by coroners to warn health services of widespread failures – since 2012, involving 26 NHS trusts and private healthcare providers.

          at No comments:

          Patients forced to wait months for vital NHS diagnostic tests

          Patients forced to wait months for vital NHS diagnostic tests Medical teams have warned that some diagnostic services in the NHS are “close to failure”, with more than 184,000 patients in England waiting three months or longer for key tests.

          Children in some specialist hospitals are among those waiting several weeks for diagnostic procedures, in breach of government targets. The Guardian

          See also:
          at No comments:

          Hospital stays sending patients' dementia into 'fast forward' amid NHS and social care gridlock, say families

          Hospital stays sending patients' dementia into 'fast forward' amid NHS and social care gridlock, say families People with dementia are six times more likely to experience delirium in hospital than patients who don't have the condition. Some studies suggest delirium can be linked to accelerated cognitive decline. Sky News
          at No comments:

          Covid-19 UK: Winter wave picks up pace as hospital admissions soar by a third

          Covid-19 UK: Winter wave picks up pace as hospital admissions soar by a third England's Covid hospitalisations have surged by a third in a week, official figures revealed today amid warnings that the NHS will be battered by flu.

          UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures show 965 coronavirus patients were admitted on Monday, up from 724 the week before.

          And separate Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures today showed there were 1.1million infected with the virus on any given day in the week up to December 5.  The Daily Mail

          See also:
          at No comments:

          Nearly seven in ten men are overweight or obese - up from 58 per cent in 1993, survey reveals

          Nearly seven in ten men are overweight or obese - up from 58 per cent in 1993, survey reveals More than two-thirds of men are now overweight or obese, with men particularly prone to middle-aged spread.

          A new public health survey for 2021, released yesterday, vividly illustrates England's obesity epidemic.

          While just 13 per cent of men were obese in 1993, when records began, now 25 per cent are obese. The Daily Mail
          at No comments:

          Friday, 16 December 2022

          Nurses at two Kettering hospitals take to picket lines in first ever RCN strike

          Nurses at two Kettering hospitals take to picket lines in first ever RCN strike Royal College of Nursing (RCN) staff based at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) and St Mary’s Hospital have been on picket lines this morning in their first ever strike.

          Despite freezing cold temperatures staff, who were not needed to maintain a safe service, showed their support for the industrial action. Northamptonshire Telegraph

          at No comments:

          'We're underfunded and understaffed': Northampton GP surgery manager's plea to patients during time of 'unsustainable pressure'

          'We're underfunded and understaffed': Northampton GP surgery manager's plea to patients during time of 'unsustainable pressure' A practice manager of a GP surgery in Northampton has spoken out about the “unsustainable pressure” staff are under during a time when the healthcare system is at breaking point.

          The practice manager of St Luke’s Primary Care Centre in Timken Way South, Duston, posted on Spotted Duston – and shared with Northampton Chronicle & Echo - an account of what has been happening in the healthcare setting during a time were GP surgeries, 111 and A&E departments are unprecedentedly busy.

          at No comments:

          NHS sees significant 111 demand as flu cases in hospitals continue to rise

          NHS sees significant 111 demand as flu cases in hospitals continue to rise NHS staff dealt with a significant number of NHS 111 calls last week with over 700,000 calls in one week alone – an increase of over 60% compared to the previous week (from 440,047 to 706,129).

          Excluding two weeks in the first month of the Covid pandemic (March 2020), this is the highest number of 111 calls ever recorded.

          The NHS experienced more calls demand from parents concerned about rising Strep A infections, with the number of calls more than doubling compared to the equivalent week last year. NHS England

          See also:
          at No comments:

          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.

          So far this season (from 12 September to 11 December) there have been 7,750 notifications of scarlet fever. This compares to a total of 2,538 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

          See also:
          at No comments:

          Digital divide poses exclusion risk for people with mental illness

          Digital divide poses exclusion risk for people with mental illness A stark digital skills deficit among people with severe mental illness means they struggle to access key services which are increasingly online, according to research by scientists at the University of York.

          See also:

          at No comments:
          Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)