Medics, social care and support services team up to ease A&E log-jam at Northampton General Hospital

Medics, social care and support services team up to ease A&E log-jam at Northampton General Hospital Medics are working to free up valuable capacity at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) by diverting patients with complex cases who frequently visit A&E to dedicated care services.

Doctors say that a large portion of the thousands who go to A&E are often linked to a number of social, physical and mental health factors, which may require support from more than one organisation. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton charity that brings comfort and happiness to cancer patients nominated in national entrepreneur award

Northampton charity that brings comfort and happiness to cancer patients nominated in national entrepreneur award A Northampton-based charity has seen off thousands of applicants to be shortlisted as a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2022.

The Lewis Foundation has been recognised as one of the best charities in the UK in the highly acclaimed category, Entrepreneur for Good Award. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Urgent appeal for blood donors in Wellingborough

Urgent appeal for blood donors in Wellingborough Blood donors are urgently needed to fill a session in Wellingborough.

People are being urged to attend the session taking place at Wellingborough District Hindu Centre at 148, Highfield Road, in the town on Sunday, July 17. Northamptonshire Telegraph

NHS staff wellbeing: why investing in organisational and management practices makes business sense

NHS staff wellbeing: why investing in organisational and management practices makes business sense This report is a summary of the findings of a rapid evidence review and economic analysis commissioned by The International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO) to advise policymakers on how to improve NHS staff wellbeing. This analysis, by IPPO, The University of East Anglia and RAND Europe, estimates the cost of poor mental health and wellbeing to the NHS might amount to £12.1 billion per year. International Public Policy Observatory

How do you measure the success of population health approaches?

How do you measure the success of population health approaches? A common theme highlighted by health and care leaders we support in our leadership programmes is how best to measure success for population health. The King's Fund

Research: Surgical site infections (SSI) surveillance: NHS hospitals in England

Research: Surgical site infections (SSI) surveillance: NHS hospitals in England Data in this report includes voluntary submissions and data submitted as part of the Department of Health and Social Care’s mandatory healthcare-associated infection surveillance programme.

It includes information on the number of operations performed, data quality, benchmarks, trends and risk factors from participating hospitals. UK Health Security Agency

Monkeypox: continuing transmission in interconnected sexual networks

Monkeypox: continuing transmission in interconnected sexual networks Latest UKHSA data shows monkeypox transmission continuing primarily in interconnected sexual networks of gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men (GBMSM). UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• Research: Monkeypox outbreak: epidemiological overview UK Health Security Agency

Guidance: The R value and growth rate

Guidance: The R value and growth rate These estimates represent the transmission of COVID-19 2 to 3 weeks ago due to the time delay between someone being infected, developing symptoms, and needing healthcare.

There is increased uncertainty in both national and regional estimates at present, due to changes in testing policy, which make trends in data streams less clear. UK Health Security Agency

Covid infections continue to rise across the UK

Covid infections continue to rise across the UK Covid infections are continuing to rise across the UK, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

An estimated 2.7 million people, or one in 25, has the virus. About one in 30 had the virus in the previous week.

The rise is being driven by fast-spreading sub-variants of Omicron - called BA.4 and BA.5. BBC News

See also:

• Rising COVID case numbers causing real concern for NHS leaders NHS Confederation
• Has 'long Covid' peaked too? Number of Brits with condition FALLS for first time in a year The Daily Mail
• GPs reschedule non-urgent work as COVID-19 surge triggers county-wide red alert GPonline
• Covid: hospitals fight sickness and backlogs as latest wave hits UK The Guardian
• ‘There’s a feeling of powerlessness’: UK healthcare workers on rising Covid numbers The Guardian
• Is the death of Covid-19 patient with Down’s syndrome proof of care rationing? The Guardian
• Covid: Sage expert accuses government of ‘shutting its eyes and letting virus rip’ The Independent
• Government ‘wasted’ more than £800m choosing single-use PPE over greener alternative The Independent
• Covid warning over symptom of new strain that affects sufferers at night The Independent

Nearly half a million more adults on antidepressants in England

Nearly half a million more adults on antidepressants in England Nearly half a million more adults in England are now taking antidepressants compared with the previous year, according to NHS figures.

The number of prescriptions for children and teenagers has also risen.

From 2021-22, there was a 5% rise in the number of adults receiving them - from 7.9 million in the previous 12 months to 8.3 million.

It is the sixth year in a row that there has been an increase in both patients and prescriptions. BBC News

Nottingham maternity crisis: Are voices finally being heard?

Nottingham maternity crisis: Are voices finally being heard? After a fight lasting many months, families traumatised by poor care at Nottingham's failing maternity units received some positive news.

Senior midwife Donna Ockenden, who led the inquiry into the UK's biggest maternity scandal in Shropshire, is set to lead a review into what is going wrong at the services. BBC News

UK heatwave: Heat-health alert to activate as temperatures soar

UK heatwave: Heat-health alert to activate as temperatures soar People are being encouraged to look out for the vulnerable and elderly as temperatures are predicted to hit highs of 33C (91F) in parts of the UK - warmer than Athens and Ibiza.

Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said it could possibly be "the hottest day of the year so far" on Monday.

Monday's heat-health alerts will remain in place until Friday. BBC News

See also:

• UK heatwave: Parents urged to keep children out of sun BBC News

NHS approves new eczema pill that has been found to clear skin in one week

NHS approves new eczema pill that has been found to clear skin in one week The NHS has given the green light to a new eczema treatment that has been found to clear people’s skin in just one week.

The new medication comes in the form of a tablet and has been recommended for use by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to help patients who have struggled to find a successful eczema treatment. The Independent

Teachers and nurses ‘ready to quit’ over delays to pay rises, union leaders warn

Teachers and nurses ‘ready to quit’ over delays to pay rises, union leaders warn Union leaders have warned newly appointed cabinet ministers that many teachers and nurses will quit their professions in the coming weeks if public sector pay deals are further delayed by chaos at the top of government.

The decision on Thursday by Boris Johnson to step down as prime minister – and a series of changes to his cabinet - have left public sector workers increasingly fearful that long-overdue pay rises will be pushed back to the autumn. The Guardian