Injustice? Towards a better understanding of health care access challenges for prisoners

Injustice? Towards a better understanding of health care access challenges for prisoners Many prisoners still struggle to access hospital services despite their significant health care needs, and early data suggests the pandemic has worsened access further. This report considers new evidence relating to pre-existing health conditions before prison, the use of remote consultation, different ethnic groups' use of health services and the early impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. An accompanying explainer describes how prison health care is delivered. Nuffield Trust 

Assessing the impact of Covid-19 on the clinically extremely vulnerable population

Assessing the impact of Covid-19 on the clinically extremely vulnerable population By February 2021 more than 4 million people across the UK had been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 and advised to shield. 

Our briefing shows the scale of the challenge of ensuring that the most clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 are kept safe, and in providing high-quality health and social care during the pandemic. It also indicates that there are substantial unmet needs that should be prioritised to ensure that the mental and physical health of this group does not deteriorate further. The Health Foundation 

NHS delivers booster vaccine to half of eligible people aged 50 and over

NHS delivers booster vaccine to half of eligible people aged 50 and over Half of eligible people aged 50 and over have already received their COVID booster jab in England, as the biggest and fastest vaccination programme in NHS history continues. More than 4.5 million people aged 50 and over – 4,547,927 people – have received a top up in protection in less than six weeks. NHS England 

Covid: Are cases about to plummet without Plan B?

Covid: Are cases about to plummet without Plan B? Rising Covid cases have been putting both the NHS and ministers under huge pressure.

But could this be about to change - and change quite dramatically?

It is dangerous to read too much into a few days of data - especially given the way infection levels in the south-west of England have been skewed by the lab test failings. But the recent rise that has caused so much concern does appear to have slowed and maybe is starting to drop in England. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid: Vaccine study links virus to rare neurological illness BBC News
• WHO says up to 180,000 health care workers globally have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began The Daily Mail
• UK's daily Covid cases FALL for second day in a row to 45,113 and deaths drop 16% The Daily Mail
• Sajid Javid admits he is 'leaning towards' making Covid vaccines compulsory for all NHS staff The Daily Mail
• Compulsory Covid jab for NHS staff could ramp up vaccine uptake, says Javid – video The Guardian
• Vaccine passports could fuel spread of Covid, says leaked government report The Independent
• Top five Covid hotspots revealed as cases rise by nearly 37,000 The Independent
• Covid cases to fall this winter even without restrictions, expert says The Independent
• Covid ‘more likely’ to cause neurological issues than vaccines The Independent

Why women may wait decades for an ADHD diagnosis

Why women may wait decades for an ADHD diagnosis Gender bias is leaving many women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder undiagnosed, leading psychologists are warning.

The prevailing stereotype ADHD affects only "naughty boys" means at least tens of thousands in the UK, it is estimated, are unaware they have the condition and not receiving the help they need. BBC News 

How the number of NHS beds in England has halved

How the number of NHS beds in England has halved The total number of hospital beds has fallen from 300,000 to 141,000 over the last 30 years.

As we enter the winter months, with Covid-19 cases having already surpassed 50,000 a day and 5.7 million people waiting for NHS treatment, the impact of a bed shortage will be felt more acutely than ever. New Statesman 

Budget boost of £2bn planned for digital overhaul of NHS

Budget boost of £2bn planned for digital overhaul of NHS Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to award a fund of £2.3bn in this year’s Budget, which will go towards improving IT and technology in NHS hospitals in England. Healthcare IT News 

Covid-19: Northamptonshire health boss calls for continued safety measures

Covid-19: Northamptonshire health boss calls for continued safety measures A public health boss has called for people to continue wearing face coverings and practice social distancing where they can.

Lucy Wightman, director of public health for Northamptonshire, said the county has "got to make sure we're using all of the tools in the box".

A further 763 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the county in the latest 24-hour period. BBC Northampton

See also: 

• University of Northampton staff and students told they must wear face masks in lectures again Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 'Test, test, test' plea with Covid-19 cases doubling and more younger people in Northamptonshire hospitals Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Jabs in secondary schools to be speeded up after half-term as Northampton, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough lag behind most of UK Northamptonshire Telegraph

Team behind 'The Mental Health Number' in Northamptonshire wins national award

Team behind 'The Mental Health Number' in Northamptonshire wins national award The Northamptonshire Integrated Response Hub (IRH) - known as The Mental Health Number - has won a prestigious award at the Positive Practice in the Mental Health National awards. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Northamptonshire charities asked to help prisoners freed to sleep rough

Northamptonshire charities asked to help prisoners freed to sleep rough Probation officers have been writing to homelessness charities asking for tents and sleeping bags for prisoners released from jail on to the streets.

The BBC has seen emails sent from workers asking for help as people have "nowhere to go". BBC Northampton

Going green: what do the public think about the NHS and climate change?

Going green: what do the public think about the NHS and climate change? With the NHS aiming to become the world’s first ‘net zero’ emissions health care system, understanding the views of the public will support the development and implementation of policies to successfully transition to net zero.

This long read explores public perceptions of climate change, health and the NHS. It highlights key findings from a nationally representative survey of 1,858 UK adults, conducted by Ipsos MORI in July 2021.  The Health Foundation

Homecare deficit exposed

Homecare deficit exposed A new report from the Homecare Association details the findings of enquiries, made under freedom of information legislation, to 340 public organisations which purchase homecare across the United Kingdom. 

See also:

• Homecare costs outstrip funding from councils, says report BBC News

Budget 2021: Extra £5.9bn pledged for NHS backlog in England

Budget 2021: Extra £5.9bn pledged for NHS backlog in England The NHS in England is to receive an extra £5.9bn in this week's Budget, the government has announced.

The money will be used to help clear the record backlog of people waiting for tests and scans, which has been worsened by the pandemic, and also to buy equipment and improve IT.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak called the announcement "game-changing". BBC News

See also: 

• Sajid Javid says £5.9bn for NHS is 'new money' BBC News
• Rishi Sunak to announce almost £6bn to tackle England’s record NHS waiting list The Guardian
• Sajid Javid can’t say if fresh billions will clear NHS backlog in three years The Independent
• Rishi Sunak to unveil £6bn NHS Budget boost to clear Covid scan and treatment backlogs iNews
• Budget 2021: £5.9 billion boost to tackle NHS backlog and digitise service ITV News

Delta 'Plus' Covid variant may be more transmissible

Delta 'Plus' Covid variant may be more transmissible A new mutated form of coronavirus that some are calling "Delta Plus" may spread more easily than regular Delta, UK experts now say.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has moved it up into the "variant under investigation" category, to reflect this possible risk.
 
There is no evidence yet that it causes worse illness. BBC News

See also:

• Prepare to trigger Covid Plan B curbs, say scientists BBC News
• Covid: Protect schools from anti-vax protests - Starmer BBC News
• Ros Atkins on… Rising Covid cases in the UK BBC News
• Doctors accuse No10 of 'wilful negligence' for ruling out masks and WFH The Daily Mail
• UK daily Covid hospitalisations hit 1,000 for first time in six weeks The Daily Mail
• Almost one in 50 people now have Covid in England, official figures reveal The Daily Mail
• Ministers to ramp up Covid vaccine rollout as hospitalisations rise The Guardian
• ‘Darker skies and colder weather provide perfect conditions... for Covid-19 to thrive’ The Guardian
• UK government paves way to bring in tough ‘plan B’ Covid rules The Guardian
• UK facing ‘another lockdown Christmas if we don’t act soon’ The Guardian
• Only 8% of UK schools have received air monitors that were promised by government The Guardian
• Sajid Javid says NHS staff who aren't vaccinated against Covid risk 'patient safety' iNews
• COVID-19: Former vaccine chief Dr Emily Lawson returns to NHS amid concerns about pace of booster jabs rollout Sky News

Five charts that show how the NHS is under acute pressure

Five charts that show how the NHS is under acute pressure With rising Covid infections and a big backlog of patients, many in the NHS want action to prevent a winter crisis

The NHS is caring for a rising number of Covid patients at the same time as it deals with a backlog of more than 5.7 million patients in England alone.

The head of the NHS Confederation warned the government this week that it must implement “plan B” winter measures – such as mask wearing and vaccine passports – to help deal with this accumulation of demand. The Guardian

See also: 

• Breaking point: Inside the NHS's looming crisis The Independent
• Sajid Javid risks sparking exodus of NHS managers, union warns The Independent
• It's NHS shortages we need to worry about this Christmas, not turkeys Metro
• COVID-19: NHS 'already in terrible place and struggling to cope', says A&E boss Sky News

NHS maternity services near breaking point, warns top doctor

NHS maternity services near breaking point, warns top doctor The NHS could soon be unable to deliver “the care it needs to” for women giving birth if the surge in Covid cases continues, the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has said.

Dr Edward Morris, the UK’s most senior gynaecologist, became the latest high-ranking clinician to raise the alarm about the increasing pressures on the health service as Covid cases rise and it battles a huge backlog of 5.7 million patients caused by the first and second waves of the virus. The Guardian 

Rare ‘flesh eating’ STI becoming more common in the UK, says doctor

Rare ‘flesh eating’ STI becoming more common in the UK, says doctor A sexually-transmitted infection that causes angry red ‘flesh-eating’ genital ulcers is becoming more common in the UK, a doctor has warned.

Donovanosis is still extremely rare, with only 20 or 30 cases each year, and is more common in India, South America and Southeast Asia.

However, Dr Shree Datta from MyHealthCare Clinic, said that “figures suggest that Donovanosis ... is becoming more common on these shores.” The Independent 

Northamptonshire reaches 100,000 Covid-19 cases amid warning delays to plan B risks longer NHS hospital waiting lists

Northamptonshire reaches 100,000 Covid-19 cases amid warning delays to plan B risks longer NHS hospital waiting lists Northamptonshire is poised to pass 100,000 positive coronavirus tests since the pandemic began amid growing numbers of hospital patients and deaths nationally. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Northamptonshire NHS mental health helpline receives 100,000 calls in August alone as demand expected to rise

Northamptonshire NHS mental health helpline receives 100,000 calls in August alone as demand expected to rise A 24/7 mental health Helpline in Northamptonshire has seen a sharp rise in demand following the end of national lockdowns.

The number, which launched in March 2020 by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) and the mental health charity Mind, has seen calls increase from an average of 60-a-day in its first three months to as many as 500-a-day by October this year. In August alone there were over 100,000. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Five leaders, five reflections about public health and the Covid-19 pandemic

Five leaders, five reflections about public health and the Covid-19 pandemic Recently we published our report about the experiences of directors of public health (DsPH) in eight different local areas during the Covid-19 pandemic. To take a wider view of England’s emergency response to Covid-19, we also spoke to five other leaders working at either a national or regional level across the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and NHS Improvement and Public Health England (just before it was closed and replaced by the UK Health Security Agency and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities). The King's Fund