Health chief hopeful Towcester school's Covid outbreak is contained

Health chief hopeful Towcester school's Covid outbreak is contained Northamptonshire's health chief is hopeful that a Covid-19 outbreak at a county school has been contained.

Six cases of a more transmissible Indian strain of the virus were identified last week, sparking a round of targeted testing at Nicholas Hawksmoor School in Towcester. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Covid cases rising in areas around Northamptonshire is a worry for Public Health chiefs Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• ‘Courageous and selfless’ nurse named 'Northamptonshire’s Covid-19 Champion' Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Government did not have ‘detailed contingency plans’ in place for pandemic Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northamptonshire's Covid heroes appeal for public support on NHS pay

Northamptonshire's Covid heroes appeal for public support on NHS pay Health workers across Northamptonshire are appealing to the public to back their campaign so NHS staff can receive a proper pay rise before the summer. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northamptonshire nurse who spilled content of child's stomach in botched school visit struck off

Northamptonshire nurse who spilled content of child's stomach in botched school visit struck off A Northamptonshire nurse who fumbled with the care of at least eight severely ill children across the county will not return to the job. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Fitness to Practise Committee Substantive Order Review Meeting Nursing and Midwifery Council 

Initial learning from the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Initial learning from the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic Over the last year, the National Audit Office has reported on the breadth of government’s response to COVID-19. Today’s report draws out the initial learning from this work to help government evaluate its performance, capitalise on new ways of working and better manage potential future emergencies.

See also:

• Covid: Government criticised over pre-pandemic planning BBC News
• Legacy data and IT issues ‘laid bare’ during Covid-19, says NAO Computer Weekly
• Covid crisis 'exacerbated inequality' and highlighted decades of underfunding watchdog says The Daily Mail
• Covid laid bare existing weaknesses in UK government, says NAO The Guardian
• COVID-19: Government not as prepared as it could have been for a pandemic, National Audit Office report finds Sky News

Dominic Cummings threatens to reveal ‘crucial’ Covid document to Commons committee

Dominic Cummings threatens to reveal ‘crucial’ Covid document to Commons committee Boris Johnson’s former senior adviser Dominic Cummings has threatened to reveal a “crucial” Covid document ahead of an appearance next week at a Commons committee investigating the government’s handling of the pandemic.

And he also took another public swipe at the government, accusing ministers of pursuing a “joke” borders policy as questions mount over the action taken to prevent the spread of a new strain first identified in India. The Independent

See also:

• Covid: Dominic Cummings accuses government of secrecy BBC News
• Cummings to release ‘crucial document from Covid decision-making’  The Guardian

Covid India variant: Where is it, how does it spread and is it more infectious?

Covid India variant: Where is it, how does it spread and is it more infectious? A variant of the Covid-19 virus first discovered in India is responsible for the majority of new cases in pockets of England.

One of three subtypes of the virus identified on the subcontinent, variant B.1.617.2 is thought to spread more easily - but what does that mean for you? BBC News

See also:

• Covid: Nurse who cared for PM resigns from NHS BBC News
• Covid-19: Too soon to decide on roadmap changes, PM says BBC News
• Coronavirus: Ministers to step up vaccine take-up calls amid variant fears BBC News
• Vaccinating children before poor morally wrong, Oxford scientist says BBC News
• There will be enough Pfizer jabs available to vaccinate children, Matt Hancock says The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus: Indian variant is already dominant in at least 23 parts of England The Daily Mail
• Tory MPs warn Boris Johnson not to delay unlocking country on June 21 over Covid vaccine refuseniks The Daily Mail
• Covid vaccine: 96% of Britons develop antibodies after one jab, study finds The Guardian
• ‘Morale is very low’: NHS staff fear ongoing Covid disruption The Guardian
• Ministers ‘lobbied’ officials over PPE contracts, court hears The Guardian
• Coronavirus: NHS was 'overwhelmed' in January surge, study finds The Independent

Unpublished hospital patient safety reports exposed

Unpublished hospital patient safety reports exposed Serious patient safety issues are being buried in confidential hospital reports, BBC Panorama has found.

Freedom of Information requests revealed 111 reports, written by medical royal colleges, which NHS trusts have a duty to share.

Eighty reports were given to the BBC but only 26 had been shared in full with regulators, and 16 published. BBC News

Over a million hospital admissions for obesity

Over a million hospital admissions for obesity There were more than a million hospital admissions for obesity-related treatment in England in the year leading into the global pandemic, figures reveal.

The record number provides the clearest indication yet of the scale of the obesity problem as coronavirus started to spread across the UK. BBC News 

Air pollution linked to ‘huge’ rise in child asthma GP visits

Air pollution linked to ‘huge’ rise in child asthma GP visits A “huge” increase in the number of visits to doctors by children with asthma problems occurs after a week of raised air pollution, according to a study. The number of inhaler prescriptions also increases significantly.

Dirty air is already known to increase hospital treatment for severe asthma attacks and other respiratory problems. But the new research is the first using clinical data to show increased illness among the much bigger number of people who seek treatment from their GP. The Guardian

See also:

• Spatio-temporal associations of air pollutant concentrations, GP respiratory consultations and respiratory inhaler prescriptions: a 5-year study of primary care in the borough of Lambeth, South London (open access) Environmental Health

Nearly 90m fewer face-to-face GP appointments carried out in 2020 compared to 2019

Nearly 90m fewer face-to-face GP appointments carried out in 2020 compared to 2019 NHS Digital statistics show 147.85million in-person consultations happened between April 2020 and this March - down from the 238.26million during the same 12-month spell the year before. The Daily Mail 

Covid Indian cases in Northamptonshire 'not directly linked to international travel,' says health chief

Covid Indian cases in Northamptonshire 'not directly linked to international travel,' says health chief Six cases of an Indian Covid-19 variant found in Northamptonshire are the first in the county not brought into the county from abroad, according to health chiefs. Northamptonshire Telegraph

The relationship between the adult social care sector and ICSs: time for action?

The relationship between the adult social care sector and ICSs: time for action? This paper brings together GGI's thinking around some of the key pieces of policy pertaining to the adult social care sector, as well as the learning from a series of interviews and a roundtable that GGI convened with ICS (integrated care systems) independent chairs, policy-makers and adult social care providers. Where relevant, we also present example of good practice from across the country. Good Governance Institute

Patient Safety Syllabus launched

Patient Safety Syllabus launched The NHS Patient Safety Syllabus has been launched today to help save lives and protect patients. The multi-professional syllabus has been developed for all staff in the NHS and is a first of its kind which will help identify risks proactively in order to prevent errors before they occur. Health Education England

More flexible storage conditions for BioNTech/Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

More flexible storage conditions for BioNTech/Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has recommended a change to the approved storage conditions of Comirnaty, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer, that will facilitate the handling of the vaccine in vaccination centres across the European Union (EU). European Medicines Agency

NHS invites people aged 36 and 37 for life-saving COVID-19 jab

NHS invites people aged 36 and 37 for life-saving COVID-19 jab The NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme, the biggest in health service history, continues its rollout to people in their thirties, opening to people aged 36 and 37 from Tuesday. More than a million more people will be eligible for a life-saving COVID-19 jab with nhs.uk due to update at 7am. NHS England

See also:

• Open consultation: Making vaccination a condition of deployment in older adult care homes Department of Health and Social Care

Covid: Indian variant cases in 86 council areas - Hancock

Covid: Indian variant cases in 86 council areas - Hancock There are now 86 local authorities with five or more confirmed cases of the Indian Covid variant, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

"This isn't just about Bolton and Blackburn," he said, referring to the areas seeing a spike in cases.

It comes as millions of people can now enjoy new freedoms as lockdown is eased in England, Wales and most of Scotland. BBC News

See also:

• Covid-19: Variant fears could delay England's 21 June easing review BBC News
• Covid: More than 6,000 vaccinated in Bolton over variant BBC News
• Covid UK: 'One shot' Johnson and Johnson vaccine could be targeted at people who refused jabs The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus: How will the UK bring forward second vaccine doses to eight weeks? The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus: SAGE models warn hospital admissions could soar if India variant is more infectious The Daily Mail
• Indian variant may trigger local lockdowns The Daily Telegraph
• How three days of inaction let the Indian variant take hold in Britain The Daily Telegraph
• Don’t travel to amber list countries, says No 10 despite no ban The Guardian
• If we loosen restrictions too early, there is a real risk of a third wave in the UK The Guardian
• India variant will be dominant UK Covid strain ‘in next few days’ The Guardian
• NHS app acts as vaccination record for travellers from today, says Grant Shapps The Independent

Ambulance crews in England to use iPads to assess accident and stroke victims

Ambulance crews in England to use iPads to assess accident and stroke victims Ambulance crews will start using iPads to send photographs of accident and stroke victims to specialist hospital doctors so that they can make rapid diagnoses and save some patients a trip to A&E.

NHS England is giving 30,000 iPads to regional ambulance services to help paramedics decide what care to give and whether to take someone to hospital or treat them at the scene. The Guardian 

NHS accused of racism after reply to application calls woman 'another Nigerian'

NHS accused of racism after reply to application calls woman 'another Nigerian' A Nigerian nurse who caught Covid while working for the NHS was sent a derogatory comment when she applied for another job in the health service. Metro 

Towcester: Six Indian variant Covid cases found at school

Towcester: Six Indian variant Covid cases found at school Six cases of the Indian variant of Covid-19 have been found at a school.

Testing is now taking place at Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School in Towcester, Northamptonshire.

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the new variant could affect the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in the future. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Health chiefs prepared for surge testing if more Covid Indian cases found in Northamptonshire Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Indian Covid variant can ‘spread like wildfire’ among those who haven’t had jab Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Health chief hails Northamptonshire school's quick response to Indian variant Covid outbreak Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Fears Indian variant is 50% more transmissible and could derail lockdown plans Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Over-35s to be offered Covid vaccine in ‘coming week’ as fears grow over Indian variant Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Kettering hospital visitors told don't hug your nan Northamptonshire Telegraph

Demand for A&E at Northampton General Hospital increasing

Demand for A&E at Northampton General Hospital increasing More patients visited A&E at Northampton General Hospital last month, with demand rising well above the levels seen during the first national lockdown last year. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northampton General Hospital now employs more clinical staff compared to this time last year Northampton Chronicle and Echo