Norovirus cases increase significantly in England

Norovirus cases increase significantly in England National surveillance data shows laboratory reports of the virus are 66% higher than the average at this time of year. The biggest increase in laboratory confirmed norovirus has been seen in the group of those aged 65 years and over. While high numbers of cases in this age group is expected at this time of year, these levels haven’t been seen in over a decade. UK Health Security Agency

National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published

National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published Weekly national influenza and coronavirus (COVID-19) report, COVID-19 activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses. UK Health Security Agency

Is Heatherwood Hospital a model for the future of the NHS?

Is Heatherwood Hospital a model for the future of the NHS? It is a specialist elective hub where patients can come in for routine but life-changing surgery at a super-charged pace with theatres working at full tilt, six days a week. Sky News

Mental health sick days for NHS staff surge – and cost more than £460m in a year

Mental health sick days for NHS staff surge – and cost more than £460m in a year Mental health sick days cost the NHS almost half a billion pounds as staff anxiety and stress levels haved skyrocketed.

Costs have almost doubled compared to before the pandemic from £279 million to £468 million. The Independent

Children in mental health crisis spent more than 900,000 hours in A&E in England

Children in mental health crisis spent more than 900,000 hours in A&E in England Children suffering mental health crises spent more than 900,000 hours in A&E in England last year seeking urgent and potentially life-saving help, NHS figures reveal.

Experts said the huge amount of time under-18s with mental health issues were spending in A&E was “simply astounding” and showed that NHS services for that vulnerable age group were inadequate. The Guardian

See also:

• ‘Waiting is damaging’: how NHS England fails young mental health patients The Guardian

Ministers accused of being ‘happy to let public suffer’ over NHS pay row

Ministers accused of being ‘happy to let public suffer’ over NHS pay row Unison has accused the government of being “happy to let the public suffer” by dragging out the NHS pay dispute before Friday’s action by as many as 15,000 ambulance workers.

As firefighters called off planned strikes after securing an improved pay offer from employers, Unison highlighted the contrast with the NHS, where ministers have declined to reopen the 2022 settlement. The Guardian

See also:

• Strikes Update: How Friday 10 February’s walkouts will affect you BBC News
• NHS crisis: do strikes threaten the improving hospital waits? Channel 4 News
• 140,000 cancelled operations and appointments: How badly have NHS strikes hit YOUR hospital? The Daily Mail
• Ministers accused of being ‘on strike’ as action by nurses in England continues The Guardian

The AI doctor will see you now: ChatGPT passes gold-standard US medical exam

The AI doctor will see you now: ChatGPT passes gold-standard US medical exam ChatGPT has passed the gold-standard exam required to practice medicine in the US - amid rising concerns AI could put white-collar workers out of jobs.

The artificial intelligence program scored between 52.4 and 75 percent across the three-part Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE). Each year's passing threshold is around 60 percent.

Researchers from tech company AnsibleHealth who did the study said: 'Reaching the passing score for this notoriously difficult expert exam, and doing so without any human reinforcement, marks a notable milestone in clinical AI maturation.' The Daily Mail

See also:

• Performance of ChatGPT on USMLE: Potential for AI-assisted medical education using large language models (open access) PLOS Digital Health
• How may ChatGPT AI disrupt the NHS? Digital Health
• Expert reaction to study on ChatGPT almost passing the US Medical Licensing Exam Science Media Centre

England's biggest Covid wave confirmed by series of fascinating charts

England's biggest Covid wave confirmed by series of fascinating charts England's biggest Covid wave was not one that thrust the country into lockdown, fascinating data revealed today.

Analysts at the Office of National Statistics (ONS) assessed the spread of the virus across six distinct waves.

Experts also calculated which age group was the most likely to catch which Covid virus over the course of the pandemic. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest insights Office for National Statistics
• More than 86 million Covid vaccination appointments booked through NHS online system in first two years NHS England

Some Northamptonshire children who need specialist mental health help left waiting more than a year

Some Northamptonshire children who need specialist mental health help left waiting more than a year Some children in Northamptonshire who need specialist help after suffering trauma are having to wait for more than a year for treatment. A senior manager at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) conceded some waits are “too long”.

Children with “moderate to severe” mental health problems are sometimes having to wait “around eight to nine months” to see a specialist, Sharon Robson, NHFT’s assistant director for children’s services, said. Northants Live

Kettering: Knife crime charity's bid to save lives

Kettering: Knife crime charity's bid to save lives A charity trying to eradicate knife crime has held its first training session designed to help stop "critical bleeds" after stabbings.

Off the Streets was set up in August 2021 to tackle knife violence following the fatal stabbing of teenager Dylan Holliday in Wellingborough.

The community group has co-ordinated the installation of life-saving equipment and education sessions. BBC Northampton

Blue plaque on maternity home funded by shoe boss

Blue plaque on maternity home funded by shoe boss A blue plaque has been unveiled at a maternity home which a shoe manufacturer helped fund almost 90 years ago.

William Barratt gave £20,000 to build the Barratt Maternity Home in Northampton in 1936. BBC Northampton

Waiting list grew by 1 million in a year, despite elective care recovery plan

Waiting list grew by 1 million in a year, despite elective care recovery plan Commenting on the one year anniversary of the publication of NHS England’s elective care recovery plan, senior policy fellow Tim Gardner said:

'There were 7.2 million people waiting for routine hospital treatment at last count, up from 6 million a year ago. Behind these numbers are patients left in pain, and people enduring unnecessary suffering. The public and government must be under no illusion: there is still a significant mountain to climb before waiting lists are back to a more acceptable level.' The Health Foundation

Does it matter that people are opting out of the NHS into private treatment?

Does it matter that people are opting out of the NHS into private treatment? Debates about privatisation in the NHS have been around for decades – is it good or bad, is it happening now, will it happen in the future? Over time the content of the debate shifts and changes, even if the word privatisation stays the same.  The King's Fund

Progress in improving mental health services in England

Progress in improving mental health services in England This report focuses on the implementation of NHS commitments to improving mental health services.

Since 2016, the NHS has taken some important first steps towards closing the historical and acknowledged gap between mental and physical health services. DHSC and NHSE made a series of clear commitments and plans to expand and improve mental health services, but they have not defined what achieving full parity of esteem for mental health services would entail.

Consequently, it is unclear how far the current commitments take the NHS towards its end goal, and what else is needed to achieve it. While funding and the workforce for mental health services have increased and more people have been treated, many people still cannot access services or have lengthy waits for treatment. Staff shortages continue and data that would demonstrate the results of service developments are limited. National Audit Office

See also:

• Millions with mental health needs not seeking NHS help, watchdog says The Guardian

Patient Safety Commissioner: 100 days report

Patient Safety Commissioner: 100 days report Dr Henrietta Hughes, England’s Patient Safety Commissioner, has released a report of her first 100 days in the role. The report outlines how Dr Hughes has heard from patients, families, healthcare professionals and senior leaders on what needs to change to improve the safety of medicines and medical devices. In it, she calls for a cultural change throughout the health system and sets out her plans for the future. Office of the Patient Safety Commissioner

Nobody’s listening: what families say about prison healthcare

Nobody’s listening: what families say about prison healthcare According to this report, involving families more proactively in prisoners’ health care would reduce deaths in custody, relieve pressure on the NHS and the criminal justice system, and cut crime. It makes a series of recommendations to improve the way that health care providers and prisons can involve families more proactively. They include: diverting more appropriately risk-assessed people with mental health problems to community treatment and secure treatment settings; training for staff to ensure that they understand how to involve family members; and a single point of contact at every prison to champion the role of families in the health care process. Pact

Clinical academics in the NHS inquiry

Clinical academics in the NHS inquiry Clinical academics are qualified doctors who combine working as a specialist doctor with research and/or teaching responsibilities. The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee have concluded an inquiry into clinical academics in the NHS. This letter to Steve Barclay MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, sets out their findings as well as their conclusions and recommendations. The overarching conclusion is that, rather than an additional pressure on the resources of the NHS, engagement with research can help to mitigate workforce challenges and improve patient outcomes. However, they also conclude that the clinical research environment in the NHS is on a precipice and without action these benefits could be lost. House of Lords Science and Technology Committee

Hundreds of thousands more patients to benefit from major NHS surgical capacity boost

Hundreds of thousands more patients to benefit from major NHS surgical capacity boost Hundreds of thousands more patients will benefit from NHS treatment by next year thanks to dozens of new surgical spaces, the NHS announced today.

As part of the biggest and most ambitious catch-up plan in NHS history, an estimated 780,000 additional surgeries and outpatient appointments will be provided at 37 new surgical hubs, 10 expanded existing hubs and 81 new theatres dedicated to elective care. NHS England

The best start for life: a progress report on delivering the vision

The best start for life: a progress report on delivering the vision This report sets out the progress that the government has made in implementing The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days since its publication in March 2021, following the Early Years Healthy Development Review. Department of Health and Social Care

NHS to use test that prevents babies going deaf

NHS to use test that prevents babies going deaf A rapid test that can help preserve the hearing of newborn babies is set to be used by NHS hospitals.

For some babies, commonly used antibiotics can become toxic. The drugs damage sensory cells inside the ear leading to permanent hearing loss.

The test - which analyses babies' DNA - can quickly spot those who are vulnerable.

It means they can be given a different type of antibiotic and avoid having a lifetime of damaged hearing. BBC News

 

See also:

• NICE recommends genetic test to prevent newborn babies going deaf National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
• Rapid Point-of-Care Genotyping to Avoid Aminoglycoside-Induced Ototoxicity in Neonatal Intensive Care (open access) JAMA Pediatrics