Covid: React study finds latest wave 'may have peaked' in young

Covid: React study finds latest wave 'may have peaked' in young There are signs that the latest wave of Covid infections may have peaked in children and younger adults, according to scientists tracking the outbreak.

But rates in those older groups most vulnerable to severe disease are continuing to increase in England.

Overall infections in March rose to the highest level recorded in the pandemic, Imperial College's React study found. BBC News

See also: 

• Have I got Covid, a bad cold or something else? BBC News
• Shanghai Covid lockdown extended to entire city BBC News
• Why you DON'T need to panic about new Covid variant 'XE' The Daily Mail
• A NEW Covid variant, named XE, is detected in the UK The Daily Mail
• Thousands of recovered people can't get free test to prove they're negative as infections hit high The Daily Mail
• When should I do a Covid test in England and do I still have to isolate if positive? The Guardian
• Covid-related deaths rise in England with infections at record high The Guardian
• Scientists warn public health at risk as leading Covid surveillance programme ends The Independent

Women are 700% more likely than men to have ‘debilitating’ gut disease

Women are 700% more likely than men to have ‘debilitating’ gut disease Women are 700 per cent more likely than men to have a “debilitating” gut disease called microscopic colitis, new research has found.

The study, carried out by Guts UK, demanded more research is conducted to work out why the gender gap exists to ensure women are diagnosed more quickly and treatment for the illness improves. The Independent

Cancer patients seriously ill after struggle to access Covid drugs in England

Cancer patients seriously ill after struggle to access Covid drugs in England Cancer patients infected with coronavirus in England are becoming seriously ill after they were unable to access antibody or antiviral medicines on the NHS.

Ministers have promised to provide early treatment for 1.3 million people whose immune systems mean they are at higher risk of severe disease, hospitalisation or death. The treatments include the monoclonal antibody sotrovimab (Xevudy) and the antiviral medicines nirmatrelvir and ritonavir (Paxlovid), remdesivir (Veklury), and molnupiravir (Lagevrio). The Guardian 

NHS staffing crisis is jeopardising patients' safe care, say nurses at Northampton and Kettering hospitals

NHS staffing crisis is jeopardising patients' safe care, say nurses at Northampton and Kettering hospitals Patients are at risk of experiencing poor care or harm due to persistent staff shortages, according to nurses in Northamptonshire.

Findings from an annual Royal College of Nursing survey carried out between September and November last year revealed as few as one in six nurses believes there are enough staff for them to do their job properly. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Lack of ‘serious effort’ on cancer workforce shortages risks reversal of survival rates

Lack of ‘serious effort’ on cancer workforce shortages risks reversal of survival rates The absence of a serious effort by Government to tackle gaps in the cancer workforce is jeopardising earlier diagnosis, the key to improving overall survival rates and catching up with comparable countries.

In a highly critical report on cancer services in England, MPs raise the alarm on the damaging and continuing impact of the pandemic and warn of a real risk that gains in cancer survival will reverse. Health and Social Care Committee

See also:

• NHS not making progress on early cancer diagnosis BBC News
• Lack of 'serious effort' on cancer workforce shortages risks reversal of survival rates, scathing MP-led report warns The Daily Mail
• 340,000 cancer patients face late diagnosis due to NHS staff shortages The Guardian
• Warning 340,000 cancer patients could be diagnosed late amid NHS staff shortages The Independent
• Workforce pressures threaten cancer treatment, MPs warn The News Statesman
• Key target for waiting times on cancer treatment missed in 98% of NHS England areas in January Sky News

Five relationships that are essential to successfully managing the elective backlog

Five relationships that are essential to successfully managing the elective backlog Now that the national plan to tackle the elective backlog is public, thoughts will be turning to how to achieve the challenging task ahead. A week before the plan was published, we held a roundtable, supported by Novartis, with local health care leaders to discuss just that. The King's Fund

What next for NHS management? Messages for Messenger

What next for NHS management? Messages for Messenger A review of leadership in health and social care, led by General Sir Gordon Messenger, is underway and due to report in spring 2022. Ahead of the review’s recommendations, the NHS Confederation and independent academics from the University of York and London South Bank University are publishing a series of long reads on NHS management. In this final instalment, Professor Ian Kirkpatrick and Professor Becky Malby examine the implications for the future of NHS management and provide some key messages for the Messenger review and for systems leaders. NHS Confederation

The digital, data and technology playbook: government guidance on sourcing and contracting for digital, data and technology projects and programmes

The digital, data and technology playbook: government guidance on sourcing and contracting for digital, data and technology projects and programmes This document sets out key policies and guidance for how digital projects and programmes are assessed, procured and delivered. There are eleven key policy reforms for how the government should assess, procure and deliver digital projects and programmes which all central government departments and their arms length bodies are expected to follow on a ‘comply or explain’ basis. Cabinet Office

NHS develops world-first bedside genetic test to prevent babies going deaf

NHS develops world-first bedside genetic test to prevent babies going deaf A world-first genetic test that could save the hearing of hundreds of babies each year has been developed and successfully piloted in the NHS.

Taking just 25 minutes, the bedside machine identifies whether a critically ill baby admitted to intensive care has a gene that could result in permanent hearing loss if they are treated with a common emergency antibiotic. NHS England

New review launched into vitamin D intake to help tackle health disparities

New review launched into vitamin D intake to help tackle health disparities A new review has been launched to promote the importance of vitamin D and identify ways to improve intake across the population, including through dietary supplements and fortified food and drink. Department of Health and Social Care

Covid: Nine new symptoms added to official list

Covid: Nine new symptoms added to official list The official list of Covid symptoms has been expanded to include another nine signs of a coronavirus infection.

The UK Health Security Agency's updated guidance now lists symptoms including a sore throat, muscle pains and diarrhoea. BBC News

See also: 

• People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19 UK Health Security Agency
• Covid cases plummet by a THIRD following the end of free testing The Daily Mail
• Covid UK: Free tests will NOT be coming back despite cases hitting pandemic highs, No10 insists The Daily Mail
• Why has it taken so long to add more Covid symptoms to NHS list? The Guardian
• NHS adds 9 ‘new’ official Covid symptoms - but experts ask why it’s taken two years The Independent

Repeated maternity failings uncovered in Sheffield NHS trust

Repeated maternity failings uncovered in Sheffield NHS trust Hospital inspectors have uncovered repeated maternity failings and expressed serious concern about the safety of mothers and babies in Sheffield just days after a damning report warned there had been hundreds of avoidable baby deaths in Shrewsbury. The Guardian

Concern over new Down's syndrome law championed by Tory MP Dr Liam Fox

Concern over new Down's syndrome law championed by Tory MP Dr Liam Fox A row has broken out over new laws designed to provide people with Down’s syndrome better access to healthcare, housing and education.

Campaigners – including parents of children with the condition – have criticised the legislation, which was approved on Friday, branding it discriminatory. The Daily Mail

New NHS blood test provides hope for Crohn's disease sufferers

New NHS blood test provides hope for Crohn's disease sufferers How a simple blood test could save thousands of patients from the agony of painful bowl operations for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

The PredictSURE IBD test can assess the severity of several bowel conditions Studies suggest it can identify 90 per cent of patients who suffer the worst Quick intervention and aggressive treatment can control the illness. The Daily Mail

99% of humans are breathing air that exceeds air pollution limits and that 'threatens their health'

99% of humans are breathing air that exceeds air pollution limits and that 'threatens their health' The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a dire warning Monday that almost all humans on earth are breathing unhealthy air.

According to the agency's standards for air quality, 99 percent of humans live in an area with unacceptable pollution levels.

The organization warned that polluted air is putting nearly everyone's health at risk long-term. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Air quality Database 2022 World Health Organization
• Billions of people still breathe unhealthy air: new WHO data World Health Organization
• Unhealthy air pollution impacts 99 per cent of people on Earth The Independent
• Harmful air pollution now affects 99 per cent of everyone on Earth New Scientist

Covid test requirements for visitors ended at Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital

Covid test requirements for visitors ended at Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital Hospital visitors in Northamptonshire will no longer be asked for proof of a negative lateral flow test now they are no longer freely available.

But medics at Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital say visits must still be booked, you still need to wear a mask and sanitise — and must stay away if you have ANY Covid symptoms. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Five-year-olds to be offered Covid jabs in Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Northampton man lands £400 fine over lies to jump queue for Covid vaccinations Northamptonshire Telegraph

Wellingborough charity We Mind & Kelly Matters gets NHS funding for bereavement support services

Wellingborough charity We Mind & Kelly Matters gets NHS funding for bereavement support services A county charity set up in memory of a Wellingborough woman, who took her own life, has been awarded funding to help support adults and young people bereaved by suicide. Northamptonshire Telegraph

“A service in crisis” Survey reveals GPs concerns about mental health services for children and young people

“A service in crisis” Survey reveals GPs concerns about mental health services for children and young people Most GPs (95%) believe mental health services for children and young people are critically failing and have deteriorated over the past six years. This has triggered many to describe their local NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) as “dangerous” and “unsafe”, new research shows. Stem4

See also:

• NHS is denying children help for mental health issues because they are not considered sick enough The Daily Mail
• Swamped NHS mental health services turning away children, say GPs The Guardian

Expert Panel: evaluation of the Government’s commitments in the area of cancer services in England

Expert Panel: evaluation of the Government’s commitments in the area of cancer services in England The Health and Social Care Committee asked the Expert Panel to evaluate progress against pledges made by Ministers across a range of policy areas - workforce, diagnostics, living well with and beyond cancer, and technology and innovation with CQC-style ratings against five specific commitments. The Expert Panel rated Government progress as ‘inadequate’ against commitments made to improve cancer services in a new report. 

The panel acknowledges that while some progress has been made in areas such as investment in diagnostics and innovative technologies and treatments, they conclude that the lack of adequate long-term planning for, and investment in, the cancer workforce undermines progress made and justified the inadequate rating.

New diagnostic centres deliver nearly three quarters of a million tests

New diagnostic centres deliver nearly three quarters of a million tests From Wednesday 6 April, the first ever dedicated Health and Social Care Levy will begin to raise billions to help tackle Covid backlogs and reform services in the UK.

Over the next three years, a record £36 billion will be invested in the health and social care system to ensure it has the long-term resource it needs while working to reduce patient waiting times and speed up diagnoses. Department of Health and Social Care