Military personnel brought in to support East Midlands Ambulance Service with non-emergency responses

Military personnel brought in to support East Midlands Ambulance Service with non-emergency responses Arrangements have been made for 60 military personnel to support East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) with responding to non-emergency patients in the coming weeks. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Integration and innovation in action: community capacity

Integration and innovation in action: community capacity This report outlines a range of examples where NHS organisations are working collaboratively to improve outcomes for patients and local communities. Based on interviews with NHS leaders, it reflects on the opportunities and challenges of models of care that aim to treat patients in the community. NHS Confederation 

Diverting children from unnecessary hospital attendances in York

Diverting children from unnecessary hospital attendances in York This case study shows how local GP provider organisation Nimbuscare worked with the local authority, volunteers, local businesses and health providers in York to turn an area of wasteland into the beginnings of a health village. The disused car park hosts an innovative paediatric hub pilot scheme to help prevent under-fives from going into hospital, provides preventative health checks and delivers flu, Covid-19 and booster vaccinations on behalf of the eleven GP practices within the city. NHS Confederation 

People with a positive lateral flow test no longer required to take confirmatory PCR test

People with a positive lateral flow test no longer required to take confirmatory PCR test From 11 January, most people with a positive lateral flow test do not need to take a confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm they have COVID-19. UK Health Security Agency 

Is the worst of Omicron really over?

Is the worst of Omicron really over? Covid cases in the UK are on the way down - at least according to the daily figures released by the government.

The number of cases confirmed over the past seven days is 13% down on the previous week.

But does this really mean the Omicron wave has peaked? BBC News

See also: 

• Covid: Half of Europe to be infected with Omicron within weeks - WHO BBC News
• Covid: Quebec to impose health tax on unvaccinated Canadians BBC News
• Covid-19 vaccine: Why are some athletes so reluctant to get the jab? BBC News
• Downing Street party: What Covid rules would it have broken? BBC News
• MPs demand answers over Covid drinks claim BBC News
• Doctor reveals every critically ill Covid patient being treated at his hospital is unvaccinated The Daily Mail
• Pfizer plans to produce up to 100 million doses of new Omicron-specific Covid vaccine by spring The Daily Mail
• Garden party hangover might explain why Boris Johnson didn’t sack Dominic Cummings straight away The Daily Telegraph
• What does the Omicron winter crisis mean for the NHS? The Guardian
• One in seven could still be infectious after five-day Covid isolation The Guardian
• ‘The party’s over, Boris’: what the papers say about Johnson’s No 10 crisis The Guardian
• UK records 379 Covid deaths and 120,821 new cases as PCR test rule change begins The Independent
• No 10 staff told to ‘clean up’ phones amid lockdown party allegations, sources claim The Independent
• Police fined more than 800 people for breach of Covid rules in week of Downing Street party The Independent

RSV: Parents should be alert to symptoms of common winter virus

RSV: Parents should be alert to symptoms of common winter virus A charity is warning parents to be alert to a common winter virus that can cause breathing problems in very young children.

The British Lung Foundation says respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) could rebound in January after few cases last winter - but numbers are currently low.

As with Covid, most children have mild symptoms but a small number need hospital treatment. BBC News 

Ex-NHS chief bids to force ministers to 'reveal hand' on mental health cash

Ex-NHS chief bids to force ministers to 'reveal hand' on mental health cash A move that would force the Government to show it is “putting its money where its mouth is” on mental health funding has been proposed at Westminster by a former NHS boss.

Against the backdrop of other pressing issues such as tackling operation waiting lists, Lord Stevens of Birmingham stressed the need for the sector to remain a priority. The Independent 

As a paramedic, I see an NHS ambulance service at breaking point, letting down those who need it most

As a paramedic, I see an NHS ambulance service at breaking point, letting down those who need it most | The Secret Paramedic Patients wait up to 12 hours. Some die waiting. How long must we wait for this dire situation to improve?

Waiting, and waiting, and waiting. For a GP appointment, a routine screening, a vaccine. To see a clinician in A&E, or for an ambulance to take you there. Waiting for a referral appointment, for the community nurse to arrive, for a care worker to call. The NHS waiting list feels endless. The Guardian 

Covid: Military help could be sought in Northamptonshire

Covid: Military help could be sought in Northamptonshire Military help could be sought to deal with a major Covid-19 incident, according to council boss.

Northamptonshire declared a major incident on Friday, with critical services facing staff shortages.

West Northamptonshire Council's chief executive Anna Earnshaw said the decision would help keep residents and patients safe. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Northamptonshire: Health director to leave Covid major incident county BBC Northampton
• Northampton vaccination site gives more than 1,300 Covid-19 jabs in a single day with just eight vaccinators Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northamptonshire will get TWO £100,000-a-year public health directors under latest local government shake-up Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northamptonshire's director of public health quits to take new job Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Crucial Covid rule change affecting use of PCR tests takes effect today Northamptonshire Telegraph

Hundreds of Northamptonshire patients don't discover they've got cancer until it's already at most deadly stage, figures show

Hundreds of Northamptonshire patients don't discover they've got cancer until it's already at most deadly stage, figures show Hundreds of cancers are not discovered until they have progressed to the most deadly stage of illness in Northamptonshire, new figures show.

And a leading charity fears a 'cancer catastrophe' could be on the cards if more is not done to reduce the number of people receiving late diagnoses. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

The Health and Care Bill: House of Lords, Committee of the whole House, 11 & 13 January 2022, consideration of clauses 1-34

The Health and Care Bill: House of Lords, Committee of the whole House, 11 & 13 January 2022, consideration of clauses 1-34 This briefing on the Health and Care Bill provides commentary on amendments tabled for the Committee Stage in the House of Lords, scheduled to take place on 11 and 13 January 2022. NHS Providers 

NHS strikes new COVID surge deal with independent sector

NHS strikes new COVID surge deal with independent sector Local hospitals will be able to quickly activate surge capacity in the independent sector as part of the national COVID response, under a new deal announced today.

A three-month agreement with multiple independent healthcare organisations will see their staff and facilities put on standby to support the NHS should the Omicron variant lead to unsustainable levels of hospitalisations or staff absences. NHS England 

Covid PCR tests end for asymptomatic cases in England

Covid PCR tests end for asymptomatic cases in England People without Covid symptoms no longer need a PCR test to confirm a positive lateral flow in England.

The change reflects the high prevalence of coronavirus in the community and the accuracy of rapid tests, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

The surge in Omicron cases has seen many with positive lateral flow tests struggling to book a follow-up PCR. BBC News

See also: 

• 100 invited to Downing Street garden lockdown drinks BBC News
• 'Is this for real?' No escape for No 10 from party claims BBC News
• PM on Covid testing: We'll look at science over shortening isolation BBC News
• Covid-19: Common cold may give some protection, study suggests BBC News
• Covid: Fact-checking the doctor who challenged the health secretary BBC News
• UK's Covid cases fall 10% in a week to 142,224 while hospitalisations flatten out The Daily Mail
• Ministers brace to live with Covid amid push for five-day isolation The Daily Mail
• Britain is close to 'living with Covid' as pressure on NHS and public services diminishes The Daily Telegraph
• Covid patient numbers in hospital continue to rise in England and Scotland The Guardian
• NHS England had no choice but turn to private hospitals during Covid surge The Guardian
• What the latest Covid-19 data does, and doesn’t, tell us about Omicron surge The Independent
• Boris Johnson ‘attended No 10 lockdown-breaking party’ with 100 Downing Street staff invited The Independent
• Top doctors urge Government to act on NHS staff exodus with record numbers quitting over Covid trauma iNews
• Email proves Downing Street staff held drinks party at height of lockdown ITV News
• In full: The Westminster parties alleged to have happened during 2020 Covid restrictions ITV News

NHS staff: 'We're doing the absolute best we can'

NHS staff: 'We're doing the absolute best we can' "Just had a cry in the meds room - the NHS is at breaking point and so are many of its staff."

That's what Emma Scott-Spivey, a student paramedic, tweeted after a January shift in a North Yorkshire hospital. BBC News 

First pig heart to human transplant is a game-changer, say surgeons

First pig heart to human transplant is a game-changer, say surgeons Surgeons at the University of Maryland in the US have successfully completed the world's first pig to human heart transplant.

Muhammad Mohiuddin, who co-founded the university's xenotransplantation programme, said that the heart is beating very well and beyond expectations.

David Bennett, 57, who received the pig heart in a seven-hour experimental operation, had been deemed ineligible for a human heart transplant. BBC News 

Covid: Northamptonshire declares major incident amid critical staff shortages

Covid: Northamptonshire declares major incident amid critical staff shortages Northamptonshire has declared a major Covid-19 incident with hospitals, care homes and other services facing critical staff shortages.

Public Health Northamptonshire figures show there were 1,406.3 Covid cases per 100,000 people in the week up to 2 January.

The decision was made by the Local Resilience Forum (LRF), made up of front-line services across the county. BBC Northamptonshire

See also:

• Covid-19: Can you get long Covid from Omicron? BBC News
• Northamptonshire declares major county wide incident services due to Covid surge The Daily Mirror
• Health and emergency services declare 'major incident' over surge in Northamptonshire Covid Omicron cases Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Declaration of ‘major incident’ in Northamptonshire is ‘proactive’ measure ahead of ‘expected surge’ of Omicron cases Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Two pints of lager and a Covid jab, please ... Northampton village pub is latest walk-in vaccination venue Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Experts dismiss claims of new ‘Deltacron’ Covid strain found in Cyprus Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Northamptonshire Covid cases double in the space of a week as emergency declared Northants Live
• Northamptonshire declares major incident over Covid staff shortages Northants Live

Briefing on the Health and Care Bill: House of Lords Committee stage

Briefing on the Health and Care Bill: House of Lords Committee stage The Health and Care Bill (House of Lords Bill 2021–22) introduces new measures to promote and enable collaboration in health and care, building on earlier recommendations made by NHS England and NHS Improvement in 2019. The Bill also contains new powers for the Secretary of State to intervene in the health and care system, and targeted changes to public health, social care, and the oversight of quality and safety. The King's Fund 

Healthcare regulation: deciding when statutory regulation is appropriate

Healthcare regulation: deciding when statutory regulation is appropriate This consultation is seeking views on the criteria used to make decisions on which health and social care professions should be regulated. It considers how the powers to introduce and remove professions from regulation might be used in the future. The consultation closes on 31 March 2022. Department of Health and Social Care 

New campaign launched to help parents improve children's diet

New campaign launched to help parents improve children's diet The government's New Better Health campaign, including a new NHS Food Scanner App, launches today to help parents improve their children's diet. Department of Health and Social Care 

Boosters continue to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from Omicron in older adults

Boosters continue to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from Omicron in older adults Latest data from UKHSA shows booster doses are continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant among older adults. UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• Independent report: JCVI statement on the adult COVID-19 booster vaccination programme and the Omicron variant Department of Health  and Social Care
• New campaign launched urging pregnant women to Get Boosted Now Department of Health  and Social Care
• Top GP urges families to protect children with NHS Covid jab NHS England
• Guidance: The R value and growth rate UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports: 2021 to 2022 season UK Health Security Agency
• Virus Watch Study: Non-household activities COVID risk, 20 December 2021 Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies