Covid's 'grim human toll' revealed as figures show 1771 more Northamptonshire than usual people sadly died during pandemic Nearly 2,000 more people sadly died in Northamptonshire during the coronavirus pandemic than would be expected in normal years, according to new Office for National Statistics data.
The ONS figures revealed 1,771 more deaths than the five-year average in the county between March 2020 and June 2022. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Thursday, 22 September 2022
Higher inflation to erode NHS spending power
Higher inflation to erode NHS spending power After the new Prime Minister made headlines by suggesting she would divert money planned for the NHS into social care instead, John Appleby and Sally Gainsbury take a closer look at how inflation is already significantly reducing the spending power of the health service. There is a pressing need for increased capacity in the care sector, but a raid on already pinched NHS funds is not the solution. Nuffield Trust
Cancer screening: the urgent shouldn’t crowd out the important
Cancer screening: the urgent shouldn’t crowd out the important With A&E and ambulance waiting times dominating the headlines and over 6.7 million people waiting for elective surgery, prevention can unfortunately fall down the priority list. But cancer screening helps pick up cancers at an earlier and more treatable stage, improving survival rates and lessening pressure on the NHS in the long run. It is therefore important that it is not forgotten in the face of seemingly more urgent demands. The King's Fund
Easing the pain: rehabilitation, recovery and reducing health inequity
Easing the pain: rehabilitation, recovery and reducing health inequity The report, based on a literature review, outlines how people in marginalised groups and communities, such as those from ethnic minorities, are not only more likely to live shorter lives but spend a greater proportion of their lives struggling with health difficulties and disabilities. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
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Health and Social Care Secretary to set out new plan for patients and call on public to play a part in national endeavour
Health and Social Care Secretary to set out new plan for patients and call on public to play a part in national endeavour A new drive to improve access to general practice appointments will be the centrepiece of a new Our Plan for Patients that will be unveiled by the Health and Social Care Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister on Thursday 22 September.
As the first step in her efforts to put the NHS and social care on a resilient footing, Thérèse Coffey will set out her expectation that everyone who needs one should get an appointment at a GP practice within two weeks – and that the patients with the most urgent needs should be seen within the same day. Department of Health and Social Care
See also:
- Health Secretary’s new plan brings us closer to the demise of general practice BMA
- Additional targets will not create more GPs Nuffield Trust
- More expectations without addressing GP workforce shortage not best way forward Royal College of General Practitioners
- GP appointments: New health secretary makes same-day pledge BBC News
- Health Secretary Therese Coffey 'will end 8am Glastonbury-esque scramble for GP appointments' The Daily Mail
- Government unveils two-week access target for GP appointments GPonline
- No one should wait more than two weeks to see GP, Coffey to say The Guardian
- No sanctions if GPs miss two-week target, health secretary suggests The Guardian
Hundreds of 999 call handlers to join strikes in October
Hundreds of 999 call handlers to join strikes in October Hundreds of 999 call centre staff are set to join strike action scheduled for next month, their union has said.
Some 40,000 BT Group workers will strike on 6, 10, 20 and 24 October in a dispute over pay, said the Communications Workers Union (CWU).
The union said it expected 400 workers employed as 999 emergency call handlers would also take part. BBC News
Infected blood transfusions probably killed 1,800 in UK - study
Infected blood transfusions probably killed 1,800 in UK - study An estimated 1,820 people died in the UK after being given contaminated blood transfusions between 1970 and 1991, a report has found.
The authors calculated that 26,800 people - possibly more - were probably infected with hepatitis C after being given the donated blood during childbirth or a hospital operation. BBC News
UK's first Early Cancer Institute is launched in Cambridge
UK's first Early Cancer Institute is launched in Cambridge The UK's first institute dedicated to detecting and studying cancers at the earliest stage has been launched.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge's Early Cancer Institute (ECI) will focus on hard-to-treat cancers, such as lung and pancreas.
Institute director Rebecca Fitzgerald said the research was essential to improve survival rates in patients. BBC News
Why is the NHS in crisis, and can it be fixed? - podcast
Why is the NHS in crisis, and can it be fixed? - podcast The UK’s new health secretary, Thérèse Coffey, has not taken on an easy job. Almost two-thirds of trainee GPs plan to work part-time just a year after they qualify, reporting that the job has become too intense to safely work more. A record 6.8 million people are waiting for hospital treatment in England, and 132,139 posts lie vacant across the NHS in England. Ian Sample hears from acute medicine consultant Dr Tim Cooksley about what’s happening within the NHS, and speaks to the Guardian’s health policy editor, Denis Campbell, about how the UK’s health and social care systems ended up in crisis and whether they can be fixed The Guardian
New NHS data reveals how best to avoid A&E waits
New NHS data reveals how best to avoid A&E waits NHS figures reveal more about how accident and emergency services are running as the country recovers from the pandemic. Sky News analysis shows where the best performing NHS trusts were last year, who relies most on A&E, and when you should turn up to avoid the longest waits. Sky News
Flawed breast cancer surgeries leave thousands of women at risk of a relapse, review warns
Flawed breast cancer surgeries leave thousands of women at risk of a relapse, review warns Breast cancer surgery guidelines are leaving thousands of women at risk of the disease returning, a major review has found.
Around one in five women who undergo treatment to remove tumours are having insufficient breast tissue removed, researchers say.
This leaves them with a much higher chance of cancer recurring in the breast or elsewhere, making it incurable. Breast cancer is the second most deadly cancer for women, causing 11,400 deaths a year. The Daily Mail
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Motor neurone disease breakthrough as drug helps wheelchair-bound sufferer walk again
Motor neurone disease breakthrough as drug helps wheelchair-bound sufferer walk again A new drug for motor neurone disease allowed one wheelchair-bound man to walk again, researchers declared today.
Tofersen slowed the progress of the debilitating condition in some patients with no other options. The Daily Mail
See also:
- Trial of Antisense Oligonucleotide Tofersen for SOD1 ALS (abstract) New England Journal of Medicine
- Promising MND drug helps slow disease progression and benefits patients physically The University of Sheffield
- 'Truly remarkable' drug helps motor neurone disease BBC News
Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Kettering General Hospital shortlisted twice for national patient safety award
Kettering General Hospital shortlisted twice for national patient safety award Kettering General Hospital has had two of its internal initiatives shortlisted for a national award for the way it works to make patient safety, and kindness and respect between staff, a top priority.
The hospital is in the finals of the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2022 in the changing culture category for a shared learning initiative called Yokoten and one to promote kindness, goodwill and civility, called Compassionism. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Workload issues affecting GP trainees’ plans for their future careers
Workload issues affecting GP trainees’ plans for their future careers For the fifth time since 2016, The King’s Fund has surveyed GP trainees on their plans for their own careers and on the future of general practice more generally. Each time we ask questions about trainees’ intended future working patterns, one year, five years and ten years after completing their qualifications. This year’s survey of GP trainees shows excessive workload and intensity is having a significant impact on how trainees plan to work in future.
Health and care workforce in Europe: time to act
Health and care workforce in Europe: time to act All countries of the WHO European Region currently face severe challenges related to the health and care workforce (HCWF). This report focuses on identifying effective policy and planning responses to these HCWF challenges across the Region. The report presents an overview of the HCWF situation in the Region (focusing on medical doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, pharmacists and physiotherapists, for whom data are available)and identifies relevant policy options, their expected benefits and potential facilitators or barriers to successful implementation. Examples of sound evidence-informed practices in countries are also provided. World Health Organization. European Region
Barriers and opportunities: improving access to mental health support for refugees and people seeking asylum
Barriers and opportunities: improving access to mental health support for refugees and people seeking asylum This report explores access to and experience of mental health support for refugees and people seeking asylum in England. It finds a need for a person-centred, trauma-informed approach where the specific needs of the individual are considered and most appropriate mental health support is offered. It also details an opportunity to improve communication with refugees and people seeking asylum in the provision of mental health support including longer appointment times to overcome language barriers, preference for face-to-face appointments, written and translated communication and consistent access to professional interpreters. British Red Cross
Many English maternity units not meeting safety standards
Many English maternity units not meeting safety standards More than half of maternity units in England fail consistently to meet safety standards, BBC analysis of official statistics shows.
Health regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rates 7% of units as posing a high risk of avoidable harm. A further 48% require improvement.
The figures are slightly worse than a few years ago, despite several attempts to transform maternity care.
The regulator says the pace of improvement has been disappointing. BBC News
Covid: Oxford oncologist in plea to government over Evusheld
Covid: Oxford oncologist in plea to government over Evusheld A leading academic is calling on new Health Secretary Therese Coffey to reconsider rolling out a Covid drug for people with weakened immune systems.
Last month the government decided it would not supply Evusheld in the UK.
But Dr Lennard Lee, an academic medical oncologist from Oxford University who is backed by more than 120 leading scientists and clinicians, said a rethink was needed. BBC News
Last month the government decided it would not supply Evusheld in the UK.
But Dr Lennard Lee, an academic medical oncologist from Oxford University who is backed by more than 120 leading scientists and clinicians, said a rethink was needed. BBC News
See also:
- Covid-19 pandemic is over in the US - Joe Biden BBC News
- Why even mild Covid is now being linked to long-term heart trouble The Daily Mail
- UK could face ‘twindemic’ if winter flu surge combines with new Covid wave The Independent
- Covid and poor access to NHS care ‘may be driving irregular heartbeat deaths’ ITV News
- EU health regulator says COVID pandemic not over Reuters
What does the NHS need before winter?
What does the NHS need before winter? The new health secretary, Therese Coffey, says her plan for the NHS in England will have an "ABCD" focus – ambulances, backlogs, (social) care, and doctors and dentists.
She's due to outline more details of her proposals as parliamentary business returns. Sky News
Millions of children regularly suffer poor mental health, survey claims
Millions of children regularly suffer poor mental health, survey claims Millions of teens are struggling to cope with their mental health and social pressures, it has been claimed.
A poll of 1,000 teenagers found 31 per cent had struggled with their mental health, feeling that way for an average of more than two years.
And 56 per cent regularly felt anxious, with social media and the increased cost-of-living blamed. The Independent
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