New trial blood test to detect cancers early arrives in Northamptonshire

New trial blood test to detect cancers early arrives in Northamptonshire A new trial blood test to detect cancers before symptoms appear has arrived in Northamptonshire.

Selected residents aged between 50 and 77 in Northampton and Wellingborough are being invited to take part in the trial at a mobile clinic that will be in the county until the end of the month. Northamptonshire Telegraph

The economic case for investing in the prevention of mental health conditions in the UK

The economic case for investing in the prevention of mental health conditions in the UK This report estimates that mental health problems cost the UK economy at least £117.9 billion annually in 2019 — approximately five per cent of the UK’s GDP. Almost three quarters of the cost (72 per cent) is due to the lost productivity of people living with mental health conditions and costs incurred by unpaid informal carers who take on a great deal of responsibility in providing mental health support in our communities. The report, produced together with the London School of Economics and Political Science, makes the case for a prevention-based approach to mental health which would both improve mental wellbeing while reducing the economic costs of poor mental health. Mental Health Foundation

NHS treating record number of young people for eating disorders

NHS treating record number of young people for eating disorders More young people than ever before are receiving treatment for eating disorders according to the latest figures, the NHS said today.

Almost 10,000 children and young people started treatment between April and December with record demand for services – an increase of a quarter compared to the same period last year and up by almost two thirds since before the pandemic. NHS England

Policy paper: Joint statement on delivering the 100 Days Mission

Policy paper: Joint statement on delivering the 100 Days Mission This joint statement between UK government, CEPI and Industry Associations commits to taking forward specific steps needed for future pandemic preparedness. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Research: COVID-19 variants: genomically confirmed case numbers UK Health Security Agency

Covid vaccines not linked to deaths, major US study finds

Covid vaccines not linked to deaths, major US study finds A major study of vaccine side-effects in the US found no link between two Covid jabs and the number of deaths recorded after vaccination.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 92% of reported side-effects after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were mild. BBC News

See also:

• Safety of mRNA vaccines administered during the initial 6 months of the US COVID-19 vaccination programme: an observational study of reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and v-safe (open access) The Lancet Infectious Diseases
• Scans reveal how Covid may change the brain BBC News
• SARS-CoV-2 is associated with changes in brain structure in UK Biobank (open acess) Nature
• Covid UK: 126,605 cases recorded in last three days as outbreak rebounds 54% in a week The Daily Mail
• Nearly 30MILLION people in England have dodged Covid The Daily Mail
• Global Covid death toll reaches 6 MILLION: US leads the world with 950,000 deaths The Daily Mail
• UK government may have bought 3bn PPE gloves made by forced labour The Guardian
• Covid pandemic sparks steep rise in number of people in UK with long-term illness The Guardian

International Women's Day: UTI testing '50 years out of date'

International Women's Day: UTI testing '50 years out of date' A painful infection that mainly affects women is too often dismissed as "women's problems".

One in every two women suffer a urinary tract infection (UTI) and they are the second most common infection globally. BBC News

NHS experts seek proof new A&E standards will improve patient care

NHS experts seek proof new A&E standards will improve patient care Leading experts have asked NHS England for proof that new A&E measures – set to replace the four-hour waiting times target – will improve patient care.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), Nuffield Trust and King’s Fund have all expressed concern that data from pilot studies in 14 NHS trusts has not been made public. The Independent

Dozens of NHS surgeries are owned by foreign companies raising fears of backdoor privatisation

Dozens of NHS surgeries are owned by foreign companies raising fears of backdoor privatisation Analysis by i of more than 90,000 properties owned by overseas companies – from car parks to luxury homes – shows that the titles on nearly 100 primary care buildings in England are held by private firms registered in tax havens. iNews

NHS: Video appointments with GPs offer 'minimal' benefits, study suggests

NHS: Video appointments with GPs offer 'minimal' benefits, study suggests Video appointments with GPs offer "minimal" benefits, a study has suggested.

Researchers at the University of Oxford set out to examine why just 0.5% of GP appointments in England are held on video, according to the latest figures. Sky News

See also:

• Why do GPs rarely do video consultations? qualitative study in UK general practice (open access) British Journal of General Practice

Government to set out NHS reforms for patients to benefit from improved and personalised care

Government to set out NHS reforms for patients to benefit from improved and personalised care Health Secretary Sajid Javid is expected to set out reforms including giving patients more choice if waiting times are long, expanding personalised care and health budgets, and the increased use of the NHS app. Sky News

See also:

• General practice must sit at the heart of NHS reform plans Nuffield Trust
• NHS to pay for patients' taxis and hotels if they go to hospitals away from their home The Daily Telegraph
• Sajid Javid to unveil his new vision for NHS reform Digital Health
• Private hospitals offered for NHS patients waiting too long The Independent

Temperature-related deaths will increase by 42% in England and Wales if temperatures rise by 3.6°F

Temperature-related deaths will increase by 42% in England and Wales if temperatures rise by 3.6°F Deaths linked to extreme temperatures will increase by up to 42 per cent in England and Wales if temperatures rise by just 3.6°F (2°C), a new study has warned.

This means an increase from around 117 deaths per day, averaged across the 10 hottest days of the year, to around 166 deaths per day, according to the team from UCL and the University of Reading. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Non-linear response of temperature-related mortality risk to global warming in England and Wales (open access) Environmental Research Letters
• Higher risk of temperature-related death if global warming exceeds 2°C University College London

Tens of thousands of Northamptonshire women are missing 'vital' breast cancer screenings

Tens of thousands of Northamptonshire women are missing 'vital' breast cancer screenings Tens of thousands of Northamptonshire women were not up to date with potentially life-saving breast cancer checks last year, figures show.

Charities say an "alarming" drop in screenings across England is a reminder of the devastating impact Covid-19 has had on cancer care and diagnosis. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Damning report rates Corby Urgent Care Centre as INADEQUATE

Damning report rates Corby Urgent Care Centre as INADEQUATE Long waiting times, inadequate staffing levels, an ineffective triage system and worries over the care of children.

That's the scathing verdict of inspectors from the Government's health regulator who have rated Corby Urgent Care Centre (UCC) as inadequate in the their latest inspection report. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Corby Urgent Care Centre Care Quality Commission
• Locals bite back over 'godsend' Corby urgent care centre's inadequate inspection report Northamptonshire Telegraph

People cutting NHS staff some slack during Covid leads to drop in complaints at Northampton General Hospital

People cutting NHS staff some slack during Covid leads to drop in complaints at Northampton General Hospital NHS chiefs believe patients recognising pressure on NHS staff during the Covid-19 pandemic is behind a drop in complaints to Northampton General Hospital last year. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• People cutting NHS staff some slack during Covid leads to drop in complaints at Kettering General Hospital Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals invest in £1.7 million surgical robot to help patients recover quicker

Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals invest in £1.7 million surgical robot to help patients recover quicker A new £1.7 million surgical robot is being used for the first time across Northamptonshire this week.

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group – which runs Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals – has invested in the £1.7m surgical robot as part of its clinical strategy.

The robot is said to aid surgeons performing operations, by creating smaller wounds that heal faster. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Surgical robot with tentacle arms helping save lives in Northants Northants Live

The cap on care costs: what does the government proposal mean?

The cap on care costs: what does the government proposal mean? Later this month, peers and MPs will vote on a key change to the proposed social care cap. It’s a technical change, but one with a really profound impact on people. This blog attempts to set out as simply as possible what the change is, and why it matters. Put simply, it means that some people will still face what are, to them, catastrophic care costs and could need to sell their home to pay for care: people with lower levels of wealth, which disproportionately affects people in some geographies in the North and Midlands, and working-age adults with long-term disabilities. The King's Fund

A Racial Equity Framework for Assessing Health Policy

A Racial Equity Framework for Assessing Health Policy Public policy is a powerful determinant of racial inequity in health, but we lack tools for examining how the entire policymaking process impacts racial inequities.

The Racial Equity and Policy (REAP) framework provides a conceptually sound, empirically grounded basis for systematically assessing racial equity in health policy. The Commonwealth Fund

Government over halfway to delivering 50,000 more nurses by 2024

Government over halfway to delivering 50,000 more nurses by 2024 The government is on track to meet its manifesto commitment to deliver 50,000 more nurses in the NHS by 2024, with over 27,000 more nurses now working across the NHS.

A progress report published today shows that overall total nurse numbers now stand at 327,907, as of December 2021, compared to 300,904 in September 2019. Department of Health and Social Care

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).

These estimates represent the transmission of COVID-19 2 to 3 weeks ago due to the time delay between someone being infected, developing symptoms, and needing healthcare.

There is increased uncertainty in both national and regional estimates at present, due to changes in testing policy, which make trends in data streams less clear. UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• Independent report: REACT-1 study of coronavirus transmission: December 2021, final results UK Health Security Agency

UK Covid deaths plunge after all restrictions abandoned – but infections are creeping back up

UK Covid deaths plunge after all restrictions abandoned – but infections are creeping back up Coronavirus deaths in the UK have fallen since restrictions were lifted, but cases have started to creep back up.

Daily cases on Wednesday saw a week-on-week rise for the first time in a month. The Independent

See also:

• Covid in Scotland: Fourth jab rolled out for most vulnerable BBC News
• SAGE to stop meeting regularly in recognition that worst of Covid is over The Daily Mail
• UK's Covid cases soar 40% in first week after No10's 'Freedom Day' The Daily Mail
• Just 41% of people are now 'very worried' about Covid - lowest proportion since pandemic began The Daily Mail
• Why have some people never caught Covid? The answers could help protect us all The Guardian
• COVID-19 expert claims he was told to 'correct his views' after criticising 'implausible graph' shown during official briefing Sky News