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Friday, 27 January 2023
Evaluating a hospital-based youth violence intervention programme
Evaluating a hospital-based youth violence intervention programme Knife crime and other offences among young people are not just an issue for the criminal justice system, they can also affect the health of young people and the health services they use. As part of the RSET project, John Appleby describes the findings of an evaluation of a youth violence intervention programme run by the charity Redthread in collaboration with clinicians at University College London Hospital. Nuffield Trust
Latest winter situation report reveals that the NHS is under more pressure than it was last year
Latest winter situation report reveals that the NHS is under more pressure than it was last year The latest winter situation report shows the continued pressures that NHS leaders and their staff are under. As they get further into the new year, our members say they are continuing to work in difficult conditions as they contend with sustained industrial action which carries risks to patient safety. NHS Confederation
See also:
- Urgent and Emergency Care Daily Situation Reports 2022-23 NHS England
- Rod Stewart calls Sky News offering to pay for NHS hospital scans The Guardian
- NHS figures show ambulance handovers and flu cases improving ITV News
- NHS crisis: 'Over my dead body' - Proposals to make some patients pay for care spark backlash Sky News
- NHS crisis: Patients share their negative and positive experiences Sky News
- NHS figures: Ambulance delays slowly improving after record waits over Christmas Sky News
UK poverty 2023: the essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK
UK poverty 2023: the essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK This report sets out recent trends in poverty across the UK and how levels of poverty differ between groups of people and regions. It also describes the impact it has on people’s lives, including physical and mental health. Joseph Rowntree Foundation
National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published
National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published Swab positivity for flu has decreased to 2.8% in week 3, compared to 6.5% in week 2. The highest positivity is seen in those aged 5 to 14 years and in those aged 15 to 44 years at 4.5%.
Hospital admission rates decreased in the last week and are at low activity levels. Intensive care units (ICU) and high dependency units (HDU) hospital admission rates have also decreased, and approached the baseline range of activity levels. UK Health Security Agency
Shopping purchases may help spot ovarian cancer
Shopping purchases may help spot ovarian cancer Tracking what shoppers buy, via loyalty-card data, can help spot those with early signs of cancer, doctors who have been running a study say.
Frequent purchases of over-the-counter painkillers and indigestion tablets revealed a higher risk of ovarian cancer, they found.
Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed late.
There is no reliable screening test and the symptoms, such as bloating, can be vague and confused with other common, harmless conditions. BBC News
See also:
- Association Between Purchase of Over-the-Counter Medications and Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis in the Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS): Observational Case-Control Study (open access) JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
- Loyalty cards could be used to spot cancer cases sooner, study suggests The Daily Mail
NHS pay dispute could cause serious long-term harm, says health boss
NHS pay dispute could cause serious long-term harm, says health boss he NHS faces “serious and significant” long-term damage unless the increasingly bitter pay battle between staff and ministers is resolved soon, a senior health service boss has said.
The growing wave of strikes will hamper the NHS’s efforts to tackle the growing chaos in A&E and the 7.2 million-strong backlog of people needing hospital treatment, Sir Julian Hartley said. The Guardian
Doctors issue warning over life-threatening disease as cases spike in children
Doctors issue warning over life-threatening disease as cases spike in children The number of children being treated for Kawasaki disease has risen dramatically by more than double over the last five years.
Experienced mostly in children aged five and below, the NHS has issued a plea for more plasma donations as cases rise.
Latest figures from NHS Blood and Transplant revealed a total of 706 children needing treatment for the disease between 2020-21. The Independent
Blood-based test could detect Alzheimer's disease early, study suggests
Blood-based test could detect Alzheimer's disease early, study suggests A test could detect Alzheimer’s disease three and a half years before it is diagnosed, a study suggests.
The research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London established a blood-based test that could predict the risk of the condition. The study supports the idea that components in blood can influence the formation of brain cells. The Daily Mail
See also:
Another £6 BILLION of PPE and Covid tests down the drain: Critics slam £14.9bn of waste
Another £6 BILLION of PPE and Covid tests down the drain: Critics slam £14.9bn of waste Another £6billion of taxpayer cash was 'wasted' on Covid-era equipment last year, it was revealed today.
It means the Department of Health has now lost £14.9billion on over-priced, faulty or unused PPE, tests and drugs since the pandemic began. The Daily Mail
See also:
Norovirus warning in NHS: Health bosses fear rocketing cases of vomiting bug could cripple hospitals
Norovirus warning in NHS: Health bosses fear rocketing cases of vomiting bug could cripple hospitals A post-pandemic surge in norovirus cases could cripple hospitals, health chiefs fear.
Hospital cases of the winter vomiting bug have risen by nearly a tenth in a week — with rates over a third higher than before the pandemic struck.
An average of 371 beds were occupied by patients with tell-tale symptoms of the contagious bug across England last week. For comparison, this is twice as high as levels seen at the same time last year. The Daily Mail
See also:
- Official Statistics: National norovirus and rotavirus surveillance reports: 2022 to 2023 season UK Health Security Agency
Thursday, 26 January 2023
Basis of negotiation: recommendations to improve the NHS pay review process
Basis of negotiation: recommendations to improve the NHS pay review process With the NHS pay review process recently coming in for criticism, Billy Palmer presents an 11-point plan to help make it more fit for purpose. He sets out practical recommendations – for the UK governments, pay review bodies and unions – that would improve the current arrangements. Nuffield Trust
Government Action on Major Conditions and Diseases
Government Action on Major Conditions and Diseases Tackling the major conditions that lead to people spending more years in ill health is a significant opportunity to improve the lives of millions of people. That is why today, I am announcing that, in consultation with NHS England and colleagues across government, my Department will develop and publish a Major Conditions Strategy.
The Strategy will set out a strong and coherent policy agenda that sets out a shift to integrated, whole-person care, building on measures that we have already taken forward through the NHS Long Term Plan. Interventions set out in the Strategy will aim to alleviate pressure on the health system, as well as support the government’s objective to increase healthy life expectancy and reduce ill-health related labour market inactivity. UK Parliament
See also:
- BPS responds to government plans for a Major Conditions Strategy British Psychological Society
- NHS leaders will welcome government’s recommitment to narrowing the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy by 2030 NHS Confederation
- UK government fall massively short on cross-Government plan promise Mind
- National Voices’ response to the announcement of a Major Conditions Strategy National Voices
- NHS in England will have one strategy for all major conditions, including cancer The BMJ
- Government sets out plans for 'major conditions' health strategy GPonline
- Major Conditions Strategy Announcement Divides Opinion Medscape
- Health secretary announces new Major Conditions Strategy National Health Executive
JCVI advises an autumn COVID-19 vaccine booster
JCVI advises an autumn COVID-19 vaccine booster In its interim advice to government on the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme for 2023, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that plans should be made for those at higher risk of severe COVID-19 to be offered a booster vaccination this autumn (2023).
The JCVI also advised that for a smaller group of people, such as those who are older and those who are immunosuppressed, an extra booster vaccine dose in the spring should also be planned for. Advice regarding the spring 2023 COVID-19 programme will be provided shortly. UK Health Security Agency
The JCVI also advised that for a smaller group of people, such as those who are older and those who are immunosuppressed, an extra booster vaccine dose in the spring should also be planned for. Advice regarding the spring 2023 COVID-19 programme will be provided shortly. UK Health Security Agency
See also:
- Independent report: COVID-19 vaccination programme for 2023: JCVI interim advice, 8 November 2022 Department of health and Social Care
- NHS issues final call to come forward for COVID booster NHS England
- UK health chiefs crank up plans for spring AND autumn Covid vaccine roll-outs The Daily Mail
- JCVI recommends targeted COVID-19 vaccination programme in 2023 GPonline
- Warning of big change to Covid vaccines in UK The Independent
Mental health first aid law proposed in parliament
Mental health first aid law proposed in parliament A new law requiring businesses to offer mental health first aid training has been presented to parliament.
Tory MP Dean Russell told the Commons the move will lead to more people spotting the early signs of mental health issues in the workplace.
Many businesses already offer mental health training to first aiders, but it is not a legal requirement.
Mr Russell told MPs that requiring mental health first aid training in the workplace would save lives. BBC News
Physiotherapists, 'the quiet NHS miracle workers', walk out
Physiotherapists, 'the quiet NHS miracle workers', walk out Thousands of NHS physiotherapists in England have become the latest group to join the ongoing industrial action over pay in the health service.
Physios and their support staff at 30 NHS services - one in seven - are staging a 24-hour walkout on Thursday.
It is the first time members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) have gone on strike.
As with other striking health staff, physios will continue to provide care in the most urgent cases. BBC News
See also:
- First ever physiotherapy strike over pay takes place in England Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
- Advice for NHS patients affected by physiotherapy strikes Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
- Thousands of NHS physiotherapists go on strike time for first time Evening Standard
- Thousands of NHS physiotherapists to strike over pay The Independent
NHS chief executive says patients need to know hospitals 'are not safe places'
NHS chief executive says patients need to know hospitals 'are not safe places' Nick Hulme, who is in charge of two large NHS trusts, delivered a damning assessment of hospitals at a board meeting of health staff. ITV News
See also:
- In ambulances wait times in England caused record severe harm exposure The Guardian
- The A&E scandal in the NHS has the spotlight. The hidden disaster is the state of long-term care The Guardian
- How well do you understand what's going on in the NHS? Sky News
- NHS in crisis: A day in the life of a GP surgery Sky News
UK facing crisis point in abortion provision, experts say
UK facing crisis point in abortion provision, experts say The UK is facing a “crisis point” in abortion provision, experts say, with rising demand and restricted access to care in many areas putting unprecedented pressure on struggling NHS services.
Healthcare professionals described a “terrifying” state of affairs in which women are travelling hundreds of miles for appointments or waiting several weeks before they are seen. The Guardian
See also:
NHS trust failed in care of baby who died 23 minutes after birth
NHS trust failed in care of baby who died 23 minutes after birth The mother of a baby girl who died in hospital 23 minutes after being born has said she was “failed in the most cruel way” by an NHS Trust that has admitted failings in their care.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) prosecuted the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust after it admitted that its maternity services had not provided safe care and treatment to mother, Sarah Andrews, and her baby, Wynter Andrews. The Guardian
See also:
Hope for more than 150,000 migraine sufferers as NHS approves new wonder drug
Hope for more than 150,000 migraine sufferers as NHS approves new wonder drug A new drug is set to transform the lives of thousands of migraine sufferers after it was approved for use on the NHS.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is recommending eptinezumab for around 164,000 adults where at least three previous preventive treatments have failed.
The drug, given as an intravenous infusion every 12 weeks in hospital, has been found to reduce both frequency and severity of migraine attacks. The Daily Mail
See also:
- Eptinezumab for preventing migraine (guideline in development) NICE
- Nice approves new migraine drug for NHS use in England and Wales The Guardian
- New NHS drug will help thousands with migraines The Independent
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