Thursday, 31 March 2022

Have your say on the future of Northamptonshire's hospital services

 Have your say on the future of Northamptonshire's hospital services Hospital chiefs will be listening to public views on the strategy of Northampton and Kettering hospitals at an online event in April.

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group – which runs the two acute units – is collecting feedback on its group clinical strategy which will be re-shaping the way it delivers services. Northamptonshire Telegraph

NHS staff survey 2021

NHS staff survey 2021 Each autumn everyone who works in the NHS in England is invited to take part in the NHS Staff Survey. The survey offers a snapshot in time of how people experience their working lives, gathered at the same time each year. The results of the survey report of under-staffing and in the last year, nearly half of staff reported feeling unwell due to work related stress. The survey also asked questions regarding the changes to working life due to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as diversity and inclusion in the workforce and other topics. NHS Staff Surveys

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    Vulnerabilities: applying All Our Health

    Vulnerabilities: applying All Our Health This guidance helps frontline health professionals, team leaders or managers, and senior or strategic leaders to prevent ill health and promote wellbeing as part of their everyday practice. It recommends important actions that managers and staff holding strategic roles can take. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

      Policy paper: From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives

      Policy paper: From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives A 10-year plan to cut crime and save lives by reducing the supply and demand for drugs and delivering a high-quality treatment and recovery system. Department of Health and Social Care et al.

      Lifechanging technology to be rolled out to all type 1 diabetes patients

      Lifechanging technology to be rolled out to all type 1 diabetes patients Everyone living with type 1 diabetes will be eligible for lifechanging flash glucose monitors on the NHS, thanks to new guidance published today.

      The NHS Long Term Plan has already helped almost three in five people with Type 1 diabetes to access the monitors that allow people to check their glucose levels more easily and regularly. NHS England

      Shrewsbury maternity scandal: Sajid Javid promises 'swift' changes

      Shrewsbury maternity scandal: Sajid Javid promises 'swift' changes Sweeping changes to maternity services in England are expected after a report laid bare catastrophic failures at an NHS trust that may have led to the deaths of more than 200 babies.

      Over 20 years, errors at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust led to babies being stillborn, dying after birth or being left severely brain damaged. BBC News

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      Covid: Can I catch Omicron twice?

      Covid: Can I catch Omicron twice? In the early days of the pandemic, it was extremely rare to hear of people catching Covid twice.

      That's not the case anymore, especially since the Omicron variant emerged in late November 2021. BBC News

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      Warnings that 400,000 patients may miss out on early cancer alert because of NHS shortages

      Warnings that 400,000 patients may miss out on early cancer alert because of NHS shortages More than 400,000 people could miss out on an early cancer diagnosis over the next ten years due to ‘persistent failures’ to address shortages in the NHS, charities warn today.

      Patients in England face the ‘deeply worrying prospect’ of survival rates going backwards unless the lack of staff and equipment is addressed, the head of Cancer Research UK said. The Daily Mail

      MPs vote down plan to scrap scheme allowing women to take full course of abortion pills at home 

      MPs vote down plan to scrap scheme allowing women to take full course of abortion pills at home Women can continue to have abortions at home after Government plans to end the scheme were defeated.

      The 'pills by post' service was set up at the start of the pandemic so that women who were unable to see doctors in person could still access early medical abortions.

      The telemedicine service, relating to termination in the first ten weeks of pregnancy, allows women to take both doses of abortion pills at home. The Daily Mail

      Wednesday, 30 March 2022

      Independent Review of maternity services at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

      Independent Review of maternity services at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust  The final report of the Independent Review of maternity services at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

      This report identifies more than 60 Local Actions for Learning for the Trust and another 15 key Immediate and Essential Actions to improve all maternity services in England, including financing a safe and sustainable maternity and neonatal workforce and ensuring training for the whole maternity team meets the needs of todays maternity services. We state that trust Boards must have oversight and understanding of their maternity services. Trust boards must ensure that they listen to and hear local families and their own staff. Ockenden Maternity Review

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      Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2021: Results from the British Social Attitudes survey

      Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2021: Results from the British Social Attitudes survey Analysis of NatCen's 2021 British Social Attitudes survey in a report by Nuffield Trust and The King's Fund shows a huge and unprecedented drop in public satisfaction with the NHS and its individual services, despite widespread support for the fundamental principles of the health service. So what's driving this change?

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      Shifting the Dial: evaluating a community programme to promote young Black men’s mental health

      Shifting the Dial: evaluating a community programme to promote young Black men’s mental health Young Black men are overrepresented in restrictive mental health settings, but are less likely to get early community-based mental health support. This report shares learning from a three-year project to promote the mental health and wellbeing of young Black men in Birmingham. The project built upon the findings from CMH’s evaluation of an earlier pilot, Up My Street. Shifting the Dial has worked with more than 500 young Black men, offering peer support, mentoring, theatre productions, skills development and community events. Centre for Mental Health

      2022 pre-election period: dos and don'ts for the NHS

      2022 pre-election period: dos and don'ts for the NHS Our tips for NHS organisations' activities over the pre-election period ahead of elections across the UK in May 2022. NHS Confederation

      Investigation into the management of PPE contracts

      Investigation into the management of PPE contracts The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) continues to deal with the contract management issues caused by the need to purchase unprecedented volumes of PPE in 2020 due to COVID-19, with billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money still at risk, according to a report by the National Audit Office.

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      Government sets out next steps for living with COVID

      Government sets out next steps for living with COVID New guidance outlines free COVID-19 tests will continue to be available to help protect specific groups once free testing for the general public ends on 1 April. Department of Health and Social Care

      Endometriosis: A hidden disease affecting one in 10 women

      Endometriosis: A hidden disease affecting one in 10 women Endometriosis is a cruel and debilitating disease that affects one in 10 women globally of reproductive age.

      Although it is common, many women are dismissed and continue life undiagnosed as the average wait for diagnosis is eight years. BBC News

      Free parking for NHS staff introduced during pandemic to end this week

      Free parking for NHS staff introduced during pandemic to end this week Free parking for NHS staff introduced during the Covid pandemic will end this week, the health secretary has said.

      Parking fees were waived for NHS staff working in hospitals in England – but Sajid Javid said this would end on Friday.

      Defending the move, he said over 93% of NHS trusts that charge for car parking have now “implemented free parking for those in greatest need, including NHS staff working overnight.” The Independent

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      Just 64% of people are now self-isolating after Freedom Day, data shows

      Just 64% of people are now self-isolating after Freedom Day, data shows The number of people self-isolating after testing positive for Covid plummeted after Freedom Day in England, official data shows. 

      Just 64 per cent of people with the disease said they stayed home and quarantined for at least five days between February 28 and March 8, according to the Office for National Statistics. The Daily Mail

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      Mobile phone users do not have an increased risk of brain tumours, new study finds

      Mobile phone users do not have an increased risk of brain tumours, new study finds Regularly using a mobile phone does not boost your risk of brain tumours, a major study has concluded.

      Despite becoming a staple of modern life, there have been long-standing fears our phones may emit cancer-causing radiation, often peddled by conspiracy theorists.

      But research that tracked more than 400,000 Britons over a decade uncovered no link between regular mobile phone use and the prevalence of brain cancers. The Daily Mail

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      Tuesday, 29 March 2022

      Northamptonshire Health Charity opens first Swan Room at Northampton General Hospital for family of those in end of life care

      Northamptonshire Health Charity opens first Swan Room at Northampton General Hospital for family of those in end of life care Northamptonshire Health Charity (NHC) has opened its first Swan Room at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) for those in end of life care.

      The room, which cost £3000 - £3500 to kit out, is equipped with a range of amenities designed to make people’s stay there more comfortable and less clinical. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

      Northampton NHS worker won't quit her job despite £1m Lotto win

      Northampton NHS worker won't quit her job despite £1m Lotto win “Working through Covid in the NHS has been tough. The amount of work has increased and, unfortunately, I have lost many family and friends.

      "However, work has kept me going. I love my job and I won’t be leaving even after this amazing win.” Northants Live

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      Integrated care systems need to be different - but how exactly?

      Integrated care systems need to be different - but how exactly? NHS reforms are often accompanied by a dose of healthy (and sometimes unhealthy) scepticism – ‘Haven’t we been here before?’, ‘Are we just shuffling deck chairs?’, and so on. So it’s of no surprise that people have asked whether the latest innovation – integrated care systems (ICSs) – will be any different to their predecessors. The King's Fund

      Personalised Prescribing – Using pharmacogenomics to improve patient outcomes

      Personalised Prescribing – Using pharmacogenomics to improve patient outcomes A report from the British Pharmacological Society and the Royal College of Physicians calls for testing patients for genetic variations that affect how their body will respond to common medicines which must be integrated fully, fairly and swiftly into the NHS.

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      Learning from Emergency Medicine compensation claims

      Learning from Emergency Medicine compensation claims NHS Resolution has published a set of three reports which explore clinical issues that contribute to compensation claims within Emergency Departments.

      Emergency Departments (ED) in England provide a high-quality service to patients under challenging circumstances. It is understanding how claims can provide unique learning to enhance safety and patient experience further which these reports aim to deliver.

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      Productivity of the English National Health Service: 2019/20 update

      Productivity of the English National Health Service: 2019/20 update This report updates the Centre for Health Economics’ time-series of National Health Service (NHS) productivity growth for the period 2018/19 to 2019/20. NHS productivity growth is measured by comparing the growth in outputs produced by the NHS to the growth in inputs used to produce them. NHS outputs include all the activities undertaken for NHS patients wherever they are treated in England. It also accounts for changes in the quality of care provided to those patients. NHS inputs include the number of doctors, nurses, and support staff providing care, the equipment, and clinical supplies used, and the facilities of hospitals and other premises where care is provided.

        Shropshire baby deaths: Report to be 'a blueprint for care'

        Shropshire baby deaths: Report to be 'a blueprint for care' The midwife leading a review into maternity failings at Shropshire hospitals says it will set out a blueprint for safe care.

        The inquiry, led by Donna Ockenden, the largest of its kind in the NHS's history is due to publish its findings on Wednesday. BBC News

        Teenage social media use linked to less life-satisfaction for some

        Teenage social media use linked to less life-satisfaction for some The more time girls aged between 11 and 13 spend on social media, the less likely they are to be satisfied with life a year later, a study suggests.

        The UK study, in Nature Communications, shows the same pattern for boys aged 14 to 15, and 19-year-old boys and girls.

        Scientists speculate the vulnerability to social media at particular ages may be linked to brain, hormonal and social changes during adolescent development. BBC News

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        End of free Covid testing could put vulnerable at risk, say UK experts

        End of free Covid testing could put vulnerable at risk, say UK experts Come the end of March, the lights will dim on the UK’s Covid epidemic. Despite infection levels rising, cases will plummet, as free lateral flow and PCR tests are stopped for the majority of people in England, with other countries in the UK also set to reduce free testing in the coming weeks and months. The Guardian

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        Government must stop treating women ‘like children’ and allow at home medical abortions, MPs warn

        Government must stop treating women ‘like children’ and allow at home medical abortions, MPs warn The government must stop treating women “like children” and permanently allow at home early medical abortions, MPs and health professionals have said.

        Abortion rules changed after Covid hit the UK in March 2020, with the government allowing abortion pills to be sent via post to be taken at home after a phone consultation. The Independent

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        Antibiotics breakthrough could save millions from drug-resistant superbugs

        Antibiotics breakthrough could save millions from drug-resistant superbugs Millions of lives could be saved with a “game-changing” antibiotic that could treat otherwise drug-resistant superbugs following a breakthrough by UK scientists.

        Researchers said they had developed new versions of a molecule thought to be capable of killing bacteria without damaging mammalian tissue. The Independent

        Health and care integration: 'the government has set an impossible task'

        Health and care integration: 'the government has set an impossible task' The government’s flagship proposals to integrate health and social care will be challenging to implement but achieve little benefit for local residents, senior figures in local government believe, an LGC survey suggests.

        The findings follow February’s publication of the long-awaited white paper on integration, Joining up care for people, places and populationsLocal Government Chronicle

        Patient access to GP records via NHS App to be delayed amid 'safeguarding' concerns

        Patient access to GP records via NHS App to be delayed amid 'safeguarding' concerns The enabling of patient access to GP records via the NHS app is set to be delayed again, with NHS England acknowledging concerns around patient ‘safeguarding’, Pulse has learned.

        NHS England told Pulse on background that it was not sure when access would be enabled, but said it would not be on 1 April.

        AI software that can predict daily A&E admissions is rolled out in 100 NHS hospitals TODAY

        AI software that can predict daily A&E admissions is rolled out in 100 NHS hospitals TODAY A computer software is being rolled out in the NHS from today that can predict A&E admissions weeks in advance based on things like Covid rates and 111 calls.

        The AI technology will be used in over 100 hospitals with major A&E departments in England, nearly half of all NHS trusts. The Daily Mail

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        Type 2 diabetics suffer 'middle-age' health woes such as cancer five years earlier

        Type 2 diabetics suffer 'middle-age' health woes such as cancer five years earlier Type 2 diabetics suffer 'middle age' health problems five years earlier, a major study suggests. 

        A study of more than 3million people in the UK looked at over a hundred diseases of middle age, including coronary heart disease, cancer and cataracts.

        Researchers found almost half of these diseases, a total of 57, were more common in people with type 2 diabetes. The Daily Mail

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        Monday, 28 March 2022

        Father 'devastated' at lack of progress on autism care

        Father 'devastated' at lack of progress on autism care The father of an autistic girl locked in a hospital "cell" for nearly two years says more needs to be done to prevent it happening to others.

        It comes after a damning report revealed none of the recommendations made by the health regulator in 2020 to improve care had been fully achieved.

        Bethany - whose surname cannot be published - was locked in a hospital room in Northampton as a teenager. Her only access to the outside world was through a tiny hatch in the door. BBC News

        A matter of life and death: Explaining the wider determinants of health in the UK

        A matter of life and death: Explaining the wider determinants of health in the UK To address health inequalities, we need to change the way that we communicate about the wider determinants of health – to increase public understanding and to build space for policy change. Key to this change is harnessing the power of explanation. The Health Foundation

        Healthy communities together – embarking on a journey of partnership working

        Healthy communities together – embarking on a journey of partnership working Whether you are an NHS trust, local authority or voluntary and community sector leader, the changes afoot in how local NHS services are structured and commissioned will be on the minds of many. Setting aside the details of the Health and Care Bill, its underlying ambition is to support organisations to work more collaboratively, partnering to better serve the needs of their communities. The King's Fund

        Integrated care communications toolkit

        Integrated care communications toolkit This toolkit was developed to help communicate the changes taking place in the health and care system. Resources have been produced to help with explaining integrated systems to the public, elected members and officers of councils, and non-executive directors. The toolkit also includes a jargon buster and some FAQs. NHS Confederation

        Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever case identified in England, following travel to Central Asia

        Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever case identified in England, following travel to Central Asia The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm that a case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) has been confirmed in England. The woman had recently travelled to Central Asia.

        CCHF is a viral disease usually transmitted by ticks and livestock animals in countries where the disease is endemic.

        Guidance: The R value and growth rate

        Guidance: The R value and growth rate UK estimates of R and growth rate are averages over different epidemiological situations and should be regarded as a guide to the general trend rather than a description of the epidemic state. UK Health Security Agency

        UK Covid infections climb by a million in a week

        UK Covid infections climb by a million in a week Covid cases have climbed by a million in a week in the UK, data from the Office for National Statistics reveals.

        Swab tests suggest about one in every 16 people is infected, as the contagious Omicron variant BA.2 continues to spread.

        That's just under 4.3 million people, up from 3.3 million the week before. BBC News

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        Essex mental health services inquiry probes 1,500 deaths

        Essex mental health services inquiry probes 1,500 deaths A public inquiry has learned of the deaths of 1,500 people who were in the care of Essex mental health services over a 21-year period.

        They were either inpatients or individuals who died within three months of being discharged.

        Dr Geraldine Strathdee, chairwoman of the inquiry, said "at this stage we only know the causes of death in 40% of those people".

        She appealed for more people to come forward. BBC News

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        Shewsbury maternity scandal: Families ‘silenced’ after 300 babies died or left brain damaged, inquiry to find

        Shewsbury maternity scandal: Families ‘silenced’ after 300 babies died or left brain damaged, inquiry to find Families have been “silenced or ignored”, a former senior midwife leading a major inquiry into maternity care has said ahead of her report’s publication.

        Three hundred babies died or were left brain damaged due to avoidable errors in care, the independent review will state when published this week, according to the Sunday Times. The Independent

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        NHS in danger of losing staff to supermarkets and coffee shops without better pay, says Unison

        NHS in danger of losing staff to supermarkets and coffee shops without better pay, says Unison Lower wages means 999 call handlers, healthcare assistants, medical secretaries and cleaners are among those being tempted to switch to the private sector, according to the union. iNews

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        Overseas nurses in the UK forced to pay out thousands if they want to quit jobs

        Overseas nurses in the UK forced to pay out thousands if they want to quit jobs International nurses working for NHS trusts and private care homes are being trapped in their jobs by clauses in their contracts that require them to pay thousands of pounds if they try to leave.

        In extreme cases, nurses are tied to their roles for up to five years and face fees as steep as £14,000 if they want to change job or return home early. The Guardian

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        Tents used at overcrowded hospitals 'borderline immoral', Royal College of Emergency Medicine warns

        Tents used at overcrowded hospitals 'borderline immoral', Royal College of Emergency Medicine warns 'Tents' used outside busy A&Es to house ambulance patients  are 'a danger' to health and dignity, doctors have warned as the NHS considers assembling more to cope with demand. The Daily Mail

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        Lifestyle switch has saved thousands of adults from developing diabetes, research shows 

        Lifestyle switch has saved thousands of adults from developing diabetes, research shows A lifestyle overhaul has saved thousands in England from getting type 2 diabetes, research reveals today.

        The obesity crisis led to an epidemic of type 2 diabetes, which is linked to being overweight and inactive, with one in ten predicted to have the condition by 2030.

        But researchers at Manchester University found the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme resulted in around 18,000 fewer people being diagnosed with it in England between 2018 and 2019. The Daily Mail

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        Friday, 25 March 2022

        Spring boosters rolled out to vulnerable groups in Northampton

        Spring boosters rolled out to vulnerable groups in Northampton The NHS has started rolling out its Spring vaccine programme against Covid-19 this week. About 5m people vulnerable people - including care home residents, the over-75s and people who are immuno-suppressed - will be eligible to receive the booster.

        Northamptonshire recorded 6,029 Covid-19 cases in the week up to and including 17 March, which is a 32% rise from the previous week.

        How do people getting their booster at Moulton Park Vaccine Centre feel about the Spring programme? BBC Northampton

        Campaigners in Northamptonshire post slow handclap videos to protest over three per cent pay rise for NHS staff

        Campaigners in Northamptonshire post slow handclap videos to protest over three per cent pay rise for NHS staff People across Northamptonshire have been joining a mass slow handclap against the government’s three per cent pay rise for NHS staff, in a campaign backed by the country’s biggest trade union. Northamptonshire Telegraph

        Restraint, segregation and seclusion review: Progress report

        Restraint, segregation and seclusion review: Progress report Not enough progress has been made to address the recommendations made by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in its 2020 ‘Out of sight – who cares?’ restraint, segregation, and seclusion review. In a progress report published today, CQC finds that there are still too many people in hospital. Once in hospital they often stay too long, do not always experience therapeutic care and are still subject to restrictive interventions.

        Economic and fiscal outlook - March 2022

        Economic and fiscal outlook - March 2022 This report sets out forecasts for the economy over a five year horizon and outlines the impact of the economic outlook on the NHS and associated public services, particularly in relation to pressures on the health service. Office for Budget Responsibility

          NHS announces £127m maternity boost for patients and families  

          NHS announces £127m maternity boost for patients and families The NHS in England has today announced a £127 million funding boost for maternity services across the England that will help ensure safer and more personalised care for women and their babies.

          Announced at the NHS England board meeting today, the NHS said that the major investment will boost the workforce and help improve the culture in maternity units.

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          Microplastics found in human blood for first time

          Microplastics found in human blood for first time Microplastic pollution has been detected in human blood for the first time, with scientists finding the tiny particles in almost 80% of the people tested.

          The discovery shows the particles can travel around the body and may lodge in organs. The impact on health is as yet unknown. But researchers are concerned as microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory and air pollution particles are already known to enter the body and cause millions of early deaths a year. The Guardian

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          Pregnant women to receive life-saving pre-eclampsia check

          Pregnant women to receive life-saving pre-eclampsia check A simple blood test can help spot pre-eclampsia, a potentially dangerous condition in pregnancy, and should be offered to women on the NHS, new draft guidelines for England say.

          Early diagnosis of this disorder, which affects up to 6% of pregnancies, can save lives, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says. BBC News

          Persistent cough may be tuberculosis not Covid, doctor warns

          Persistent cough may be tuberculosis not Covid, doctor warns The UK's top public health doctor says anyone with a persistent cough and fever should not dismiss it as Covid - and should consider other infectious illnesses like tuberculosis (TB).

          Dr Jenny Harries' warning comes as provisional data shows there were 4,430 cases recorded in England in 2021, despite sharp declines in recent years. BBC News

          Government’s ‘living with Covid’ plan to cost NHS £500 million

          Government’s ‘living with Covid’ plan to cost NHS £500 million The NHS has been asked to cut £500 million from its budget to fund Covid testing as the national programme is wound down by the government.

          The government’s “living with Covid” plan will cost the NHS millions as it is forced to channel funding from its “core” budgets, according to the NHS’s chief finance officer. The Independent

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          Thousands more women getting tested for autism after ‘being missed for decades’

          Thousands more women getting tested for autism after ‘being missed for decades’ Tens of thousands more women tested themselves for autism last year with numbers seeking tests now far outstripping men, new data shows.

          Statistics seen by The Independent show around 150,000 women took an online test verified by health professionals to see if they have autism last year, up from about 49,000 in 2020.

          People with depression or anxiety are twice as likely to get health benefits from regular exercise

          People with depression or anxiety are twice as likely to get health benefits from regular exercise People with depression or anxiety are twice as likely to get health benefits from regular exercise, a study suggests.

          Researchers tracked the exercise regimes of more than 50,000 people in their late 50s, up to a third of which were diagnosed with the conditions.  The Daily Mail

          Thursday, 24 March 2022

          High air pollution warnings for Friday as 'dirty air' gets trapped over Northamptonshire

          High air pollution warnings for Friday as 'dirty air' gets trapped over Northamptonshire Weather watchers have issued a rare warning for high pollution levels in parts of Northamptonshire on Friday (March 25).

          Stagnant air and light winds are trapping pollutants with government agencies predicting the worst of the dirty air could be over eastern England. Northamptonshire Telegraph

          Spiking Covid-related absences in county schools could 'seriously damage' exam grades, warn headteachers

          Spiking Covid-related absences in county schools could 'seriously damage' exam grades, warn headteachers Teachers fear more Covid-related student absences in Northamptonshire schools will impact grades in this year's exams.

          Latest government figures showed the number of pupils off school for reasons linked to the virus nationally rose to 201,600 on 17 March, nearly FOUR TIMES the figure of 45,100 a fortnight earlier. Northamptonshire Telegraph

          University of Northampton launches study of new at-home kit to help adults with high blood pressure

          University of Northampton launches study of new at-home kit to help adults with high blood pressure A new study launched by PHD students from the University of Northampton (UoN) is seeking adult volunteers with high blood pressure to help test a new, potentially more convenient treatment for the condition. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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          Bespoke rulers invented by hospital pharmacy staff led to 35% reduction in loss of controlled liquid drugs

          Bespoke rulers invented by hospital pharmacy staff led to 35% reduction in loss of controlled liquid drugs Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust — where the rulers were trialled — says the device could save the NHS £1.2m a year if used across all NHS hospital trusts. The Pharmaceutical Journal

          Spring Statement 2022: what you need to know

          Spring Statement 2022: what you need to know Analysis of what the Spring Statement means for health and social care. NHS Confederation

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          Local government public health funding:

          Local government public health funding: The majority of local government spending on public health comes through a direct annual grant from the Department of Health and Social Care, received every year since 2013/14, when public health functions were transferred from the NHS to local government. The King's Fund

          Accelerating the transition: towards a net zero NHS

          Accelerating the transition: towards a net zero NHS Today the health care sector faces an array of formidable pressures, including an ageing population with increasing comorbidities, inequalities in access to healthcare and worsening environmental impacts on health.

          These pressures, compounded by Covid-19, increase demand and competition for already stretched budgets.

          Alongside these challenges, the impact of industries on the environment, including the health sector, is drawing greater stakeholder focus. Today, the NHS alone accounts for 4% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. Of this, Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that occur in the supply chain) make up a staggering 62%. Philips and University of Exeter

          Government preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic: lessons for government on risk

          Government preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic: lessons for government on risk This report concludes that the UK government was underprepared for a pandemic like Covid-19 and also failed to learn from both simulation exercises and actual incidents. It also expresses concerns about the government approach to risk management and says it must introduce robust central leadership, accountability and oversight for cross-cutting risks. House of Commons Public Accounts Committee

            Investigation into the government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd

            Investigation into the government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd Government had to move very fast at the start of the pandemic to increase testing capacity, but did not document key decisions adequately when awarding a contract to Randox Laboratories Ltd (Randox) for COVID-19 testing services, according to the National Audit Office.

            NHS under pressure from new Covid wave across England, says Chris Whitty

            NHS under pressure from new Covid wave across England, says Chris Whitty The NHS is coming under “significant” pressure amid a rise in Covid cases in virtually every area of England, the chief medical officer has warned, with hospitalisations likely to continue increasing at least until April.

            Prof Chris Whitty said the mounting numbers of people becoming infected was likely to be largely driven by the new Omicron variant, BA.2. The sharp resurgence of the coronavirus underlined that the crisis “is not over”, Whitty added. The Guardian

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            Commonly prescribed anti-nausea drugs may TRIPLE the risk of a stroke, study suggests

            Commonly prescribed anti-nausea drugs may TRIPLE the risk of a stroke, study suggests Taking anti-vomiting drugs could more than triple your risk of a stoke, a study suggests.

            The drugs, called antidopaminergic antiemetics, are often prescribed on the NHS to treat nausea due to conditions like migraines, or sickness resulting from cancer care.

            But a study of more than 30,000 people prescribed three types of the drugs suggested users may have between a 2.5 and 3.5 times increased risk of a ischaemic stroke. The Daily Mail

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            Wednesday, 23 March 2022

            Charity warns government is 'sleepwalking' into crisis after nearly 90,000 in Northamptonshire referred to mental health services during 2021

            Charity warns government is 'sleepwalking' into crisis after nearly 90,000 in Northamptonshire referred to mental health services during 2021 Nearly 90,000 people were referred to mental health services in Northamptonshire last year, new figures show.

            The Royal College of Psychiatrists says the coronavirus pandemic is the "biggest hit" to England's mental health in generations and has urged the Government to address growing referral lists across the country. Northamptonshire Telegraph

            Covid-19: Spring booster invitations going out to Northamptonshire's most vulnerable as cases rise again

            Covid-19: Spring booster invitations going out to Northamptonshire's most vulnerable as cases rise again Thousands of the most vulnerable people Northamptonshire are getting invitations for a FOURTH Covid booster jab.

            The latest rollout comes as the number of positive tests, hospital cases and deaths continues to rise in the county. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

            Access to and delivery of general practice services: a study of patients at practices using digital and online tools

            Access to and delivery of general practice services: a study of patients at practices using digital and online tools This briefing examined data from 146 GP practices in England using the askmyGP online consultation system between 1 March 2019 and 30 September 2021. The analysis found that that ten per cent of patient care requests made to GP practices indicate a preference for a face-to-face consultation. Recently, the increasing use of online consultations systems such as askmyGP caused concern about the risk of digital tools creating inequalities by making it difficult for some patients to access care. However, the analysis shows that patients often choose remote over face-to-face consultations and that GP practices can mitigate the risk of digital exclusion via a blended approach. The Health Foundation

              Tackling the drug problem in the UK and Portugal

              Tackling the drug problem in the UK and Portugal The UK government tackles drugs as a criminal justice matter focused on punishment, rather than a public health matter focused on support. But many countries are taking a different approach, most famously Portugal which in 2000 decriminalised all drugs and concentrated instead on public health and harm reduction. The result? From one of the highest drug death rates in Europe to one of the lowest.

              How did they do it and what can we learn? Podcast from The Health Foundation

              The government’s response to the Health and Social Care Committee report: children and young people’s mental health

              The government’s response to the Health and Social Care Committee report: children and young people’s mental health This is the government’s policy paper response to the 25 recommendations made by the Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) in its report published in December 2021. The government welcomes the HSCC report. The recommendations related to rising demand for services, future funding, access to mental health services, mental health support in schools, the importance of community-based and digital mental health support, the role of inpatient care, and self-harm and a public health approach to suicide. Department of Health and Social Care

                Almost 150,000 people book Spring boosters

                Almost 150,000 people book Spring boosters Since the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Programme began rolling out spring boosters for the first time yesterday, just under 150,000 eligible people had booked their vaccination. NHS England

                No evidence Covid vaccines lead to young deaths - ONS

                No evidence Covid vaccines lead to young deaths - ONS There is no evidence that Covid vaccines have led to an increase in deaths in young people, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.

                Both the Pfizer and Moderna jabs have been linked to very rare heart problems, particularly in young men.

                The ONS looked at outcomes shortly after vaccination, when the risk of any side effect is highest. BBC News

                See also:

                Leicestershire boy with cerebral palsy learns to walk

                Leicestershire boy with cerebral palsy learns to walk A five-year-old boy who has cerebral palsy has learned to walk after a life-changing operation and months of physiotherapy.

                The part of Joey's brain that controlled muscle tone and movement was damaged, meaning he couldn't sit, stand or walk.

                He underwent a neurosurgical procedure, which destroyed the problematic nerve roots in his spinal cord that were sending abnormal messages to his leg muscles. BBC News

                England's CNO says 50000 more NHS nurses 'no longer enough'

                England's CNO says 50000 more NHS nurses 'no longer enough' The chief nursing officer for England has spoken about the ongoing shortages of nurses across the country and how the government’s previous pledge for 50,000 more nurses is now “not enough”.

                At one of her first in-person speeches since the start of the pandemic, Ruth May also revealed that she thought the removal of the student nurse bursary in England was “fundamentally the wrong decision”. Nursing Times

                NHS 'set to miss 2040 net zero target without urgent action'

                NHS 'set to miss 2040 net zero target without urgent action' Urgent action is “critical” to put the NHS on course to reach its 2040 net zero target, new research has warned.

                In order to slash its emissions, including from its wider supply chain which makes up 62 per cent of the NHS's carbon footprint, greenhouse gases must be cut by 8 per cent a year from 2020 to 2036 – a rate far higher than its current 1 per cent yearly average. The Independent

                See also:

                ‘You lose your human rights’: Mental Health Act usage up by 12%

                ‘You lose your human rights’: Mental Health Act usage up by 12% “When you’re sectioned under the Mental Health Act, you not only lose your voice, but you lose your human rights too”, Kelly a 47-year-old from Surrey tells The Independent.

                Verdict on drive to cut sugar in UK diets now expected a year late

                Verdict on drive to cut sugar in UK diets now expected a year late Campaigners believe report is delayed because it will show ministers’ calls for 20% cut have been ignored

                Ministers have delayed by a year publication of a report that will show whether they have achieved their goal of reducing the sugar content of a wide range of foodstuffs by 20%.

                The official assessment of the government’s high-profile drive to cut the amount of sugar in Britain’s diet was originally due to be published last autumn. However, it was initially put off until early this year and has now been held back again and will not appear until this autumn. The Guardian

                Crib sheet: experts issue advice for new parents to cope with sleepless nights

                Crib sheet: experts issue advice for new parents to cope with sleepless nights Durham University’s Infancy and Sleep Centre launches kit to help manage expectations and reduce negative thinking. The Guardian

                NIH study of Reddit posts finds that self harm is 'addictive'

                NIH study of Reddit posts finds that self harm is 'addictive' An analysis of online posts to Reddit show that many people who self-harm exhibit similar patterns towards the behavior that those addicted to substances like drugs and alcohol do. 

                Researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), trawled the subreddit r/SelfHarm to analyze posts from users that frequent the board. The Daily Mail

                See also:

                Tuesday, 22 March 2022

                Covid-19: Northamptonshire's grim death toll two years on from first national lockdown

                Covid-19: Northamptonshire's grim death toll two years on from first national lockdown More than 2,000 people in Northamptonshire died from coronavirus in two years since the pandemic reached the county in 2020. Northamptonshire Telegraph

                Rushden heart attack dad was given two-hour ambulance wait time

                Rushden heart attack dad was given two-hour ambulance wait time The family of a Rushden man who suffered a heart attack have spoken of their disbelief at being told there would be a two-hour wait for an ambulance. Northamptonshire Telegraph

                Northamptonshire's 999 workers join forces to celebrate their neurodiversity

                Northamptonshire's 999 workers join forces to celebrate their neurodiversity Emergency services in Northamptonshire have got together to release a series of short films coinciding with Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

                Principles for the first year of system regulation

                Principles for the first year of system regulation The health and care bill offers the legislative framework to accelerate integration and partnership working. However, if regulation and oversight arrangements are overly burdensome and not fit for purpose, there is a risk that leaders of integrated care systems will be inhibited in progressing towards integration, partnership working and driving the improvements in care the pandemic has shown are needed. This report sets out a set of principles that should drive the actions of regulators over the first year of system regulation and oversight. NHS Confederation

                MPs examine reasons behind staff exiting NHS and social care workforce

                MPs examine reasons behind staff exiting NHS and social care workforce The workforce inquiry will examine a range of factors that may contribute to staff leaving the NHS and social care and what needs to change to improve retention.

                Awareness of issues around the impact of motherhood on pay, part time working, and the gender pay gap will be considered. One review has found that from the moment of having their first child, women in medicine will not earn as much as their male peers until they are about the age of 65. MPs will also hear evidence on racial inequalities with reports that healthcare staff from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to experience bullying, harassment or abuse from other staff. Health and Social Care Committee

                Why didn’t the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out work for immunocompromised people?

                Why didn’t the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out work for immunocompromised people? Following our report on the Covid-19 vaccination programme, Gemma Peters, Chief Executive of Blood Cancer UK, contacted us about the challenges people with blood cancer and others with compromised immunity faced during the vaccine roll-out. In this blog, she highlights the lessons that must be learnt from their experiences. The King's Fund

                Virtual wards and Covid-19: an explainer

                Virtual wards and Covid-19: an explainer 'Virtual wards' have existed for a number of years, but Covid-19 has led to further research and pilot schemes exploring their use. How have they been used during the pandemic and what does the future hold? This explainer provides some answers. Nuffield Trust

                  NHS Disabled staff experiences during Covid-19

                  NHS Disabled staff experiences during Covid-19 This report outlines the working experiences of NHS disabled staff during the first wave of the pandemic, access the key findings and recommendations. NHS Employers

                  Coronavirus Act 2020 two years on

                  Coronavirus Act 2020 two years on This report sets out concerns about Parliament’s lack of ability to scrutinise and amend emergency provisions in the Coronavirus Act over the last two years and draws out the lessons that can be learned in legislating for future emergencies. House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee