Tuesday, 24 March 2020

Northamptonshire coronavirus cases rise by eight in a single day

Northamptonshire coronavirus cases rise by eight in a single day The number of recorded cases of a Covid-19 has risen to 29 today (Monday, March 23) - the biggest increase in any single day since the global pandemic began. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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Full guidance on staying at home and away from others

Full guidance on staying at home and away from others The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives. The Cabinet Office

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Gender pay gap reporting deadline suspended

Gender pay gap reporting deadline suspended Due to COVID-19, there is no longer an expectation on employers to report their gender pay gap data before 30 March. NHS Employers
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Monitor BP in people routinely taking oral corticosteroids

Monitor BP in people routinely taking oral corticosteroids People with chronic inflammatory diseases who regularly take oral corticosteroids are at greater risk of hypertension than those who don’t take them, UK research has shown. The researchers behind the study, published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, urged doctors to closely monitor blood pressure in people treated routinely with these medicines. OnMedica
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Monday, 23 March 2020

Number of known coronavirus cases in Northamptonshire now stands at 21

Number of known coronavirus cases in Northamptonshire now stands at 21 The number of known coronavirus cases in Northamptonshire now stands at 21.

Public Health England released the figure — a rise of one from 24 hours earlier — last night after earlier revealing the numbers nationwide have reached 5,683 as at 9am on 22 March 2020. Daventry Express

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Major new measures to protect people at highest risk from coronavirus

Major new measures to protect people at highest risk from coronavirus A raft of new measures, including a helpline for the most in need of support, have been set out for those considered to be extremely vulnerable. Department of Health and Social Care

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A guide to video consultations

A guide to video consultations The British Journal of General Practice has published a guide for practices on how to use video in clinical consultations.

It covers the steps practices need to take to get started, guidance for clinicians on how to conduct the consultation and advice for patients on what to expect and how to prepare
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Machine 'could quadruple' heart and lung transplants

Machine 'could quadruple' heart and lung transplants The number of heart and lung transplants could quadruple thanks to a "reanimation" machine used in a pioneering operation, a hospital says.

The device, developed at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, managed to pump oxygenated blood into both organs in a world-first procedure.

The machine can revitalise deteriorating organs allowing "donation after circulatory death" (DCD). BBC News
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Blood donations needed after 15% drop, says NHS

Blood donations needed after 15% drop, says NHS The NHS is urging blood donors to keep their appointments during the coronavirus outbreak.

It said donations were 15% lower than expected last week, amid fears donors are feeling unsure about safety and whether sessions are still going ahead.

A spokesman said the impact of the drop was minimal but must be addressed. BBC News
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Friday, 20 March 2020

£2.9 billion funding to strengthen care for the vulnerable

£2.9 billion funding to strengthen care for the vulnerable The funding will help patients who no longer need urgent hospital treatment to return home, making at least 15,000 beds available during the coronavirus outbreak. Department of Health and Social Care

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NICE publishes its first medtech briefing on artificial intelligence software

NICE publishes its first medtech briefing on artificial intelligence software A piece of software used to assess CT images of people with suspected brain abnormalities is the first Medtech Innovation Briefing (MIB) published by NICE which includes the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
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NHS data shows gap in care for heart failure patients

NHS data shows gap in care for heart failure patients A new study published in a BMJ journal has found that inadequate screening in heart failure has cost the NHS an avoidable £21.5 million.

The investigation, which is the first of its kind, has identified the hidden costs due to under-managed but treatable iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) from one-year data of around 80,000 people with heart failure. PharmaTimes
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Thursday, 19 March 2020

Northampton General Hospital confirms first coronavirus death

Northampton General Hospital confirms first coronavirus death Northampton's hospital has today confirmed to the media their first death related to coronavirus. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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Social care across the four countries of the UK: what can we learn?

Social care across the four countries of the UK: what can we learn? As we start a series of explainers describing the social care system in each country of the UK, lead author Camille Oung looks at what social care policy-makers in England can learn from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Reform must come with funding and clarity – and it must secure public support. Nuffield Trust

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Homelessness, health and housing: joining up services

Homelessness, health and housing: joining up services In 1996, I co-authored a report for The King’s Fund called Health and Homelessness in London. Along with Joanne Bretherton at the Centre for Housing Policy at the University of York, I have just collaborated with The King’s Fund again, on a new report: Delivering health and care for people who sleep rough: going above and beyond.

Although nearly a quarter of a century apart, both these reports focus on the same problem: the reasons why people who are homeless can experience access to NHS services that is poor, disorganised or non-existent, when free, universal health care is supposed to be available for anyone. The King's Fund
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Testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) will increase to 25,000 a day 

Testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) will increase to 25,000 a day The government will increase the number of people tested for COVID-19 to 25,000 hospital patients a day. Department of Health and Social Care

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Fertility care and emotional wellbeing

Fertility care and emotional wellbeing This guidance has been developed as a resource for all health care professionals in all areas of fertility care and acknowledges the differences between emotional support and wellbeing, implications counselling and therapeutic counselling. Royal College of Nursing
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A competency framework for rheumatology nurses

A competency framework for rheumatology nurses This publication provides a competency and role development framework for rheumatology practitioners in clinical practice (most commonly called rheumatology nurse specialists). The role of the rheumatology nurse specialist is complex and may include roles in paediatric nursing, research, advanced level skills in clinical assessment, prescribing and providing intra-articular injections amongst others. Royal College of Nursing

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    Each baby counts: 2019 progress report

    Each baby counts: 2019 progress report This report recommends new measures to reduce stillbirths, baby deaths and brain injuries. It finds that the number of parents being involved in investigations, and the quality of reviews is increasing, and therefore improving understanding of how to prevent future deaths and injuries. Recommendations include how maternity care can be improved, and how to support maternity teams to escalate critical situations. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

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      NHS negligence payouts at record levels despite landmark court case expected to reduce them

      NHS negligence payouts at record levels despite landmark court case expected to reduce them NHS negligence payouts are at record levels, despite a landmark Supreme Court case which was expected to reduce them.

      The health service was faced with a total of £400m worth of claims between 2005 and 2019, according to Freedom of Information requests submitted by researchers at Queen Mary University of London. The Daily Telegraph
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      Vegan diet is no healthier if you continue to eat sugar-laden junk food, new study reveals

      Vegan diet is no healthier if you continue to eat sugar-laden junk food, new study reveals A vegetarian or vegan diet is no healthier than one that includes meat unless those who follow it cut out junk food, a study has revealed.

      It found that following a ‘plant-based’ diet is pointless if people continue to eat processed, sugar-laden food. The Daily Mail
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      Wednesday, 18 March 2020

      Coronavirus won't stop the spread of kindness in Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and Rushden

      Coronavirus won't stop the spread of kindness in Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and Rushden None of us can escape the impact that the spread of Covid-19 has had and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

      But at times like these, the unsung heroes of our communities really make a difference and we want to celebrate all the good that is being done in Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and Rushden. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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      NHFT signs Dying to Work charter to support terminally ill employees

      NHFT signs Dying to Work charter to support terminally ill employees Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) has signed the Trade Union Congress’ (TUC) Dying to Work charter, pledging to support employees who become terminally ill while in work.

      The charter, which NHFT signed on 12 March 2020, is part of TUC’s campaign to seek a more secure future for terminally ill employees, to ensure they are not dismissed or disadvantaged as a result of their condition. Other employers to sign so far include Royal Mail, Hovis and the Co-op. Employee Benefits
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      Emergency bill to strengthen coronavirus (COVID-19) response plans

      Emergency bill to strengthen coronavirus (COVID-19) response plans New laws will be introduced to protect public health, increase NHS capacity, strengthen social care and support the public to take the right action at the right time. Department of Health and Social Care

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      Guidance: Public health grants to local authorities: 2020 to 2021

      Guidance: Public health grants to local authorities: 2020 to 2021 The public health allocations and monetary conditions for local authorities to improve health in local populations. Public Health England

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      3D bioprinting in medicine

      3D bioprinting in medicine This POSTnote gives an overview of 3D bioprinting in medine and the associated biological, manufacturing, regulatory and ethical implications. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST)

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        Tuesday, 17 March 2020

        New guidance for households with possible COVID-19 infection

        New guidance for households with possible COVID-19 infection New guidance to stay at home for 14 days if someone in your household has symptoms of COVID-19 is the focus of the next stage of a public awareness campaign launched by Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock today.

        The new guidance will set out that individuals will still be asked to self-isolate for 7 days from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms but any individuals in the household will now be asked to self-isolate for 14 days from that moment as well. Department of Health and Social Care

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        What do children and young people need from primary care networks?

        What do children and young people need from primary care networks? Healthy London Partnership and the Association of Young People’s Health (AYPH) have produced resources for primary care networks as they seek to address the needs of children and young people.
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        Trans mental health better if ID matches gender

        Trans mental health better if ID matches gender Trans adults have improved mental health and less suicidal thoughts when their identification documents reflect their identified gender, new research shows.

        The findings published this week in The Lancet Public Health journal are based on the results from a survey of over 20,000 American trans adults. OnMedica
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        Type 1 diabetes is two distinct conditions

        Type 1 diabetes is two distinct conditions Children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes under the age of seven have a different endotype compared with those diagnosed aged 13 or above.

        This is the finding from new research published in Diabetologia - the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]. OnMedica
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        Monday, 16 March 2020

        Hundreds of patients in Nene repeatedly admitted to A&E in final months

        Hundreds of patients in Nene repeatedly admitted to A&E in final months Hundreds of patients a year in Nene are repeatedly admitted to A&E in the last few months of their life, new figures reveal. Daventry Express
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        Another Northamptonshire coronavirus case confirmed

        Another Northamptonshire coronavirus case confirmed A ninth case of coronavirus in Northamptonshire has been confirmed by health officials today (Sunday). Daventry Express

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        Health Secretary Matt Hancock's Sunday Telegraph Op-Ed

        Health Secretary Matt Hancock's Sunday Telegraph Op-Ed Health Secretary Matt Hancock outlines the steps taken over recent days in the fight against COVID-19. Department of Health and Social Care

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        Health Education England to invest up to £10m in clinical placements across England

        Health Education England to invest up to £10m in clinical placements across England Investment plans to support new undergraduate nurses have been unveiled by Mark Radford, chief nurse at Health Education England, to boost nursing workforce numbers.
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        'I was sectioned - now I'm working for change'

        'I was sectioned - now I'm working for change' A teenager who felt punished after being discharged from a mental health unit has said she is "excited" to work with an NHS trust to improve systems.

        Sasha Campbell, 18, was sectioned after several attempts on her own life and spent time in psychiatric units.

        She has become involved in recruitment at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, and will be helping with staff training at her former unit. BBC News
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        Autism: How to talk to a child about their autism

        Autism: How to talk to a child about their autism Isaac is autistic, but in his mum Eliza's words, that is not all that he is.

        The language they use around autism influences how people see Isaac.

        She says finding the right words has helped her support him. BBC News
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        North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust: 20 deaths or serious harm cases in maternity

        North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust: 20 deaths or serious harm cases in maternity At least 20 maternity deaths or serious harm cases have been linked to a Devon hospital since 2008, according to NHS reports obtained by the BBC.

        A 2017 review - never released - raised "serious questions" about maternity care at North Devon District Hospital.

        The BBC spent two years trying to obtain the report and won access to it at a tribunal earlier this year. BBC News
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        Pregnant Spanish woman says NHS put her health at risk with ‘threatening’ action

        Pregnant Spanish woman says NHS put her health at risk with ‘threatening’ action A pregnant Spanish woman was told by the NHS her data would be shared with the Home Office if she didn’t prove she had the right to be in Britain – despite being an EU citizen who had lived in the UK for years.

        The 34-year-old, who chose to remain anonymous, said she feared the “threatening” action would lead to delays in care for her or her baby. The Independent
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        FGM survivors recount horror of practice: 'I was sobbing, it was brutal'

        FGM survivors recount horror of practice: 'I was sobbing, it was brutal' Warnings come as report finds official data on global prevalence of FGM ‘woefully’ underestimates nature and scale. The Independent 
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        HIV prevention drug PrEP 'to be made available on the NHS this year'

        HIV prevention drug PrEP 'to be made available on the NHS this year' A drug which prevents HIV infection is to be made available on the NHS this year, it is reported.

        The Sunday Times reported that PrEP - or pre-exposure prophylaxis - will be made "routinely available" to patients deemed to be at greater risk of catching HIV from April. The Daily Telegraph

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        Friday, 13 March 2020

        Defining and refining success: innovation in the NHS

        Defining and refining success: innovation in the NHS In our new report last week on the spread of new innovations in the NHS, we identified four key themes that innovators, potential adopters and policy-makers should keep in mind to achieve scale and spread across the health service. Here co-author Rachel Hutchings focuses on the first of those – defining and refining success. Nuffield Trust
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        COVID-19: Government announces moving out of contain phase and into delay

        COVID-19: Government announces moving out of contain phase and into delay The Government has announced that we are moving out of the contain phase and into delay, in response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Department of Health and Social Care

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        Inspire, attract and recruit toolkit updated

        Inspire, attract and recruit toolkit updated Our Inspire, attract and recruit toolkit has been updated for 2020, with changes made to bring it up to date with current developments and links added to new resources. NHS Employers
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        Chairing more than one trust board

        Chairing more than one trust board This report highlights the potential benefits and risks of more than one trust sharing a chair. This arrangement is becoming increasingly common for a range of different reasons, often including a trend towards greater collaboration and consolidation of trusts, a drive to improve quality and efficiency, and new partnerships with the development of system working. NHS Providers
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          Study highlights factors behind rising rates of child suicide

          Study highlights factors behind rising rates of child suicide Around eight in every 100 children aged 9–10 years in the USA report suicidal ideation – such as temporarily or regularly thinking about, considering, or planning suicide, according to a new study.

          Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 10–14-year-olds in the USA, and the number of children’s hospital admissions for suicidal thoughts or self-harm has more than doubled over the last decade, increasing from 0.67% in 2008 to 1.79% in 2015. OnMedica

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          Up to two-year wait for sleep apnoea treatment

          Up to two-year wait for sleep apnoea treatment People with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are having to wait up to two years for appropriate treatment.

          About two million people in the UK have moderate or severe symptoms related to OSA, which makes patients temporarily stop breathing while asleep.

          This can happen hundreds of times a night, leaving them exhausted, with poor memory and concentration and a significantly higher risk of accidents.

          A recent spike in diagnosis has been linked to rising levels of obesity. BBC News
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          Hike to immigration health surcharge will 'penalise' NHS workers from overseas, campaigners say

          Hike to immigration health surcharge will 'penalise' NHS workers from overseas, campaigners say Ministers have been accused of “penalising” much-needed healthcare workers from overseas and pricing people out of immigration status after the Chancellor announced a hike to NHS fees for migrants.

          Rishi Sunak announced during his Budget speech on Wednesday that the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – paid annually by migrants living in Britain – would increase from £400 to £624 to ensure that that “what people get out, they also put in”.​ The Independent
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          Thursday, 12 March 2020

          Responding to the evidence on inequalities in health

          Responding to the evidence on inequalities in health In early January I highlighted three things related to the public’s health coming in the next three to six months. Two of those are now here: the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Longevity’s report, The health of the nation: a strategy for healthier longer lives, which covers what the government needs to do to meet its own ambition of an extra five years of healthy life for every individual by 2035 plus narrowing inequalities; and Health equity in England: the Marmot review 10 years on, an assessment of progress on health inequalities and the wider determinants of health 10 years after Fair society, healthy lives. The King's Fund
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          NHS and Google act to ensure that health information can be trusted

          NHS and Google act to ensure that health information can be trusted he NHS today unveiled new developments in its efforts to ensure people find trusted information online. It has worked with Google to ensure it provides the public in the UK with easy access to NHS information about more than 250 of the most searched for health conditions on the NHS website, through new Knowledge Panels. NHS Digital
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          Summary of Budget 2020: Key points at-a-glance

          Summary of Budget 2020: Key points at-a-glance Chancellor Rishi Sunak has delivered his first Budget in the House of Commons, announcing the government's tax and spending plans for the year ahead.

          Here is a summary of the main points. BBC News

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          Coronavirus: UK expected to move to 'delay' phase of outbreak

          Coronavirus: UK expected to move to 'delay' phase of outbreak The government is expected to announce that it is stepping up its response to the coronavirus.

          It is anticipated the UK will switch to tactics aimed at delaying its spread, rather than containing it, when the government's emergency committee meets.

          It comes after the World Health Organization labelled the outbreak of the disease as a pandemic.

          Schools, colleges and other public facilities in the Republic of Ireland are to close until 29 March.

          Overnight, Donald Trump suspended travel to the US from 26 European countries - but not the UK or Ireland. BBC News

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          'My anti-depressant withdrawal was worse than depression'

          'My anti-depressant withdrawal was worse than depression' The mental health charity Mind says it is signposting people to street drug charities to help them withdraw from antidepressants because of the lack of alternatives available. Those affected can experience debilitating symptoms. BBC News
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          Budget Confirms EU Migrants Face New £620 Fee To Use NHS

          Budget Confirms EU Migrants Face New £620 Fee To Use NHS A family of four from the EU migrating to the UK will face a new £2,200-a-year fee to use the NHS, the Budget has confirmed.

          Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an extra £6bn for the NHS, but buried news that the government plans to hike up the immigration health surcharge.

          The levy is added to visa applications as an annual fee for UK healthcare. Huffington Post UK
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          'Thank God I said something': the beauticians who spot domestic abuse

          'Thank God I said something': the beauticians who spot domestic abuse A Brazilian scheme is teaching salon workers to help identify at-risk women. And a similar scheme is now being trialled in the UK

          Ivone Vera, 35, sits in a small room in a beauty salon in Campo Grande, Brazil, where she spends her days waxing clients. It’s an intimate space with a bed, a table in the corner, bare walls and no windows. Within the privacy of these four walls, over the last three years she has heard countless stories of women’s abuse at the hands of their male partners.

          “What I hear in this room really affects me and sometimes I don’t know what I can do. There are times I lie awake at night, not able to go to sleep thinking about what I’ve heard,” she says. The Guardian
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          Chronic migraine sufferers to get first new drug in 20 years 

          Chronic migraine sufferers to get first new drug in 20 years Thousands of NHS patients will benefit from the first new treatment for migraines in 20 years.

          A drug that can be self-injected at home will benefit 10,000 people who have chronic migraines, drugs watchdog NICE announced.

          The medication, which is called Fremanezumab, was developed by British scientists over three decades. The Daily Mail
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          Wednesday, 11 March 2020

          What interventions improve college and university students’ mental health and wellbeing? A review of review-level evidence

          What interventions improve college and university students’ mental health and wellbeing? A review of review-level evidence This review of 23 evidence reviews published over the last 20 years, establishes what is known about effective ways to improve student mental health and wellbeing. It sets out out what works and what can be done to fill the evidence gaps. What Works Centre for Wellbeing

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            Coronavirus : NHS to ramp up testing capacity

            Coronavirus : NHS to ramp up testing capacity With the number of UK coronavirus cases set to rise, NHS England says it is scaling up its capacity for testing people for the infection.

            It means 10,000 tests a day can be done - 8,000 more than the 1,500 being carried out currently.

            Confirmation of any positive test results will be accelerated, helping people take the right action to recover or quickly get treatment.

            Most of the people tested should get a result back within 24 hours. BBC News

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            Second patient cured of HIV, say doctors

            Second patient cured of HIV, say doctors A man from London has become the second person in the world to be cured of HIV, doctors say.

            Adam Castillejo is still free of the virus more than 30 months after stopping anti-retroviral therapy.

            He was not cured by the HIV drugs, however, but by a stem-cell treatment he received for a cancer he also had, the Lancet HIV journal reports. BBC News
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            Racism plagues the NHS and it's getting worse

            Racism plagues the NHS and it's getting worse At the end of last year, Dr Radhakrishna Shanbhag made headlines when a patient asked if he could have a white doctor instead of him.

            In a powerful interview, Dr Shanbhag called our national health service a jewel in the crown, but one that needs to take appropriate action to stop the jewel from being tarnished.

            He’s far from alone in experiencing racism as a doctor. The problem of racism in the health service is getting worse, according to new research. Metro
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            Budget 2020: what to expect in five charts

            Budget 2020: what to expect in five charts Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s budget will be seen by many as an emergency statement on the coronavirus crisis

            The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, will deliver one of the most difficult budgets in recent times against the backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak.

            The de facto emergency statement will outline the government’s response to the unfolding economic crisis, while Sunak is also expected to offer some indications about how he plans to deliver on Boris Johnson’s promises for higher spending made before the election. The Guardian
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