Covid: Why are UK cases so high?

Covid: Why are UK cases so high? Covid cases in the UK are higher now than they were this time last year when parts of England were under local lockdowns. Thanks to the vaccine, though, there are fewer cases of serious illness with people needing to be treated in hospital.

But soaring infections - which are outstripping some European nations - are still proving a cause for concern. BBC News

See also:

• Covid: Is the pace of the vaccine booster rollout too slow? BBC News
• Positive trial results for Valneva Covid vaccine BBC News
• MS drug does NOT improve condition of hospitalized COVID-19 patients and is linked to WORSE outcomes The Daily Mail
• NHS pressure sees No10 hint at return of Covid restrictions The Daily Mail
• Double-jabbed people are as likely not to catch Covid as those who have recovered from infection The Daily Mail
• Covid booster jabs need to be sped up or medical units could become swamped this winter The Daily Mail
• People must be 'cautious' with day-to-day interactions as Covid cases climb and immunity wanes The Daily Telegraph
• No 10 appears to confirm Nimco Ali’s Christmas lockdown stay with Johnsons The Guardian
• UK government ordered to reveal firms awarded ‘VIP’ Covid contracts The Guardian
• Five million have yet to take up Covid booster jab The Independent

NHS is wasting up to £568m a year on pointless pills as thousands of patients are given medication they don't need, study shows

NHS is wasting up to £568m a year on pointless pillsas thousands of patients are given medication they don't need, study shows The NHS is wasting up to £568million a year on pills that patients do not need and can leave them with dangerous addictions, a study shows.

Doctors in England are dishing out habit-forming drugs such as opioids, antidepressants, benzodiazepines and sleeping pills to hundreds of thousands of people who should not be on them. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• The costs incurred by the NHS in England due to the unnecessary prescribing of dependency-forming medications (abstract) Addictive Behaviors

Care homes may close over mandatory staff vaccines, industry experts fear

Care homes may close over mandatory staff vaccines, industry experts fear Under a tough new law, more than 40,000 frontline carers will be forced out of their jobs within weeks after refusing to get the jab.

But providers were already struggling to fill record numbers of vacancies and say they will be forced to close units, floors or even entire residential homes if they cannot meet required staffing levels from November 11. The Daily Mail

See also:

• 'Where's the logic?': how England's 'no jab, no job' policy will hit a care worker The Guardian

Northamptonshire health boss wants tighter Covid rules

Northamptonshire health boss wants tighter Covid rules Directors of public health have been asking the government to reintroduce face mask requirement and tighter self-isolation rules, a health boss said.

Lucy Wightman, Northamptonshire's director of public health, said she and her colleagues have been "lobbying hard" for the changes.

The county has some of the highest rates in England with Wellingborough having the second highest. BBC Northampton

See also: 

• What are the rules and guidance for face masks and coverings? BBC News

New ‘wonder drug’ injection for severe asthma given approval on NHS

New ‘wonder drug’ injection for severe asthma given approval on NHS A new ‘wonder drug’ for the treatment of uncontrolled asthma has been approved for use on the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Dupilumab has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for some patients whose asthma does not respond to conventional treatments. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Suicide in children and young people: National Child Mortality Database Programme thematic report

Suicide in children and young people: National Child Mortality Database Programme thematic report This report draws on data from the NCMD to identify the common characteristics of children and young people who die by suicide. It investigates factors associated with these deaths and pulls out recommendations for service providers and policy makers. National Child Mortality Database 

Tackling health inequalities

Tackling health inequalities This briefing highlights the leading role trusts can play in creating lasting change in how inequalities in care are understood and dealt with across the NHS. NHS Providers 

NHS delivers over three million COVID boosters in first month

NHS delivers over three million COVID boosters in first month More than three million top up COVID-19 jabs have been delivered in just four weeks, as the NHS vaccination rollout continues to protect those most at risk from coronavirus.

A total of 3.1 million top ups have been administered with two in five people aged 50 and over who are eligible already coming forward for their extra jab.

More than a third of health and care workers who are eligible have also had their booster vaccine. NHS England 

Covid-19 in the UK: How many coronavirus cases are there in my area?

Covid-19 in the UK: How many coronavirus cases are there in my area? There have been 8.4 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and more than 138,000 people have died, government figures show.

However, these figures include only people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus.

So far, about 86% of people aged 12 and over in the UK have had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and nearly 79% have had their second. BBC News

See also: 

• Prof Sarah Gilbert, Covid vaccine creator: Now let’s take on 12 more diseases BBC News
• Covid: Which children are being vaccinated and why? BBC News
• Investigation ordered into Wolverhampton Covid lab test failings BBC News
• Households with children THREE times as likely to have a Covid infection as those without The Daily Mail
• Covid England: Outbreak is now biggest it's been since JANUARY with one in 60 infected last week The Daily Mail
• Statins could cut risk of Covid deaths ‘by 12 per cent’ The Daily Telegraph
• Why Britons are tolerating sky-high Covid rates – and why this may not last The Guardian
• Pregnant women at risk from NHS workers’ mixed messages over safety of jab The Guardian
• England to open walk-in Covid clinics for children aged 12-15 within weeks The Guardian
• Covid cases near peak of second wave as schoolchildren fuel rise The Independent
• COVID-19: UK daily coronavirus cases highest since July as Professor Chris Whitty warns of 'exceptionally difficult' winter for NHS Sky News

NHS England hospitals having to rely on ‘obsolete’ imaging equipment

NHS England hospitals having to rely on ‘obsolete’ imaging equipment Research by Channel 4’s Dispatches reveals use of CT and MRI scanners that are 10 years old or more in about third of trusts

About a third of NHS trusts in England are using “technically obsolete” imaging equipment that could be putting patients’ health at risk, while existing shortages of doctors who are qualified to diagnose and treat disease and injuries using medical imaging techniques could triple by 2030. The Guardian 

Psychosis cases soar in England as pandemic hits mental health

Psychosis cases soar in England as pandemic hits mental health Cases of psychosis have soared over the past two years in England as an increasing number of people experience hallucinations and delusional thinking amid the stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic.

There was a 75% increase in the number of people referred to mental health services for their first suspected episode of psychosis between April 2019 and April 2021, NHS data shows. The Guardian 

Covid has made us more miserable than ever before

Covid has made us more miserable than ever before Britons were more miserable than ever in the first year of the Covid pandemic, data revealed today. 

Wellbeing levels plunged to the lowest figure since records began almost a decade ago.  

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) report also revealed anxiety rates soared to their highest ever level in the year ending March 2021.  The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Coronavirus and the social impacts on Great Britain Office for National Statistics

Concern police will be able to ‘strong-arm’ NHS to hand over patient data under new plans

Concern police will be able to ‘strong-arm’ NHS to hand over patient data under new plans Police forces will be able to “strong-arm” NHS bodies into handing over confidential patient data under planned laws that have sparked fury from doctors’ groups and the UK’s medical watchdog. The Independent 

Health funding in Northamptonshire cut by a fifth, report reveals

Health funding in Northamptonshire cut by a fifth, report reveals Public health funding per head in Northamptonshire has been cut by a fifth over six years in real terms, analysis reveals.

Health leaders and charities have urged the Government to increase spending after figures showed England’s public health grant has fallen by around £1 billion in real terms since 2015-16. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also: 

• Health and social care funding projections 2021 The Health Foundation

Safety net plans revealed for 12-to-15s who miss out on Covid vaccines in Northamptonshire schools

Safety net plans revealed for 12-to-15s who miss out on Covid vaccines in Northamptonshire schools Students who miss out on vaccines in schools because they catch Covid will still get their jabs.

Hundreds of 12-to-15-year-olds are among the nearly 18,000 who have tested positive in Northamptonshire during the last 28 days and many of them are still not in school, learning at home while self-isolating.  Northamptonshire Telegraph

Depression prompts four trips to A&E a day at Northampton General Hospital

Depression prompts four trips to A&E a day at Northampton General Hospital Feeling depressed is the main reason behind four trips to A&E a day at Northampton General Hospital, figures suggest.

Mental health charity Mind said it was "deeply concerning" to see so many people needing emergency care for this reason nationally. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

NHS performance summary: August-September 2021

NHS performance summary: August-September 2021 Our monthly round-up of the latest NHS performance data.

A&E waiting times in September were the worst since records began, with 1 in 4 patients waiting longer than four hours to be admitted, transferred or discharged. Attendances are back to pre-pandemic levels, and trolley waits are at record highs for this time of year.

The waiting list for planned care continued to grow to over 5.7 million in August, and the number of two year waiters increased to 9,754. Nuffield Trust

See also: 

• NHS England statistics show hard work and dedication of NHS staff The Health Foundation
• The waiting list for planned hospital care continues to climb The King's Fund
• NHS staff experience busiest September on record NHS England
• NHS in bleak position as A&E waits worsen, say doctors BBC News
• NHS waiting list hits ANOTHER record high with 5.72MILLION patients The Daily Mail
• Record 5.7m people in England waiting for hospital treatment The Guardian
• NHS waiting lists: Backlog hits record high with nearly six million awaiting treatment in England Sky News

The backlog of care across the provider sector: a submission to the National Audit Office inquiry on NHS backlogs and waiting times

The backlog of care across the provider sector: a submission to the National Audit Office inquiry on NHS backlogs and waiting times This survey of NHS trust leaders has revealed widespread worries that rapidly growing waiting lists will worsen existing health inequalities. Findings in the briefing also reflect concerns about the time it will take to recover the care backlog, despite impressive progress by trusts and frontline staff in restoring services. Almost a third of leaders (32 per cent) said it will take three to five years. NHS Providers 

The latest on the NHS estate

The latest on the NHS estate A grim sense of déjà vu may strike anyone who reads the latest annual data on the condition of NHS buildings and equipment. Once again, the costs of tackling the backlog of maintenance problems has risen and at the end of 2020/21 stands at £ 9.2 billion. The King's Fund 

Covid: False negative Covid test results confirmed at Newbury Showground

Covid: False negative Covid test results confirmed at Newbury Showground People who got a negative result from a Covid testing site in Berkshire earlier this month are being told to book another test, amid fears they were mistakenly given the all-clear.

Some PCR tests carried out at Newbury Showground resulted in false negatives, West Berkshire Council said. BBC News

See also:

• Covid test lab in Wolverhampton suspended over wrong results BBC News
• Number of Britons falling ill with Covid every day FALLS to below 70,000 The Daily Mail
• Chris Whitty says he can't promise everything will be great by Christmas The Daily Mail
• Sajid Javid apologises for government's Covid 'failures' The Daily Mail
• Charities say Covid booster rollout for immunosuppressed is ‘chaotic failure’ The Guardian

Stillbirth rate high for black and Asian babies in UK

Stillbirth rate high for black and Asian babies in UK Stillbirth rates remain "exceptionally high" for black and Asian babies in the UK, a report examining baby loss in 2019 has found.

The figures come despite improving numbers overall, with some 610 fewer stillbirths in 2019 than in 2013. BBC News

See also: 

• Perinatal Mortality Surveillance Report for births in 2019 MBRRACE-UK

Midwives working 20-hour days with no breaks at hospital, watchdog report finds

Midwives working 20-hour days with no breaks at hospital, watchdog report finds Staff shortages left midwives at hospitals at one NHS trust in Kent working 20-hour days with little time for a break, a report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found.

Inspectors found there were not enough maternity staff with the right qualifications or training to keep women safe from “avoidable harm” at hospitals run by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, and on occasions the shortages meant women were transferred to other hospitals during labour. The Independent 

What’s behind Sajid Javid’s row with GPs?

What’s behind Sajid Javid’s row with GPs? There is discord over the health secretary’s desire for doctors to provide more face-to-face appointments

The health secretary has irritated GPs by making clear he wants them to provide more face-to-face appointments rather than speaking to patients on the phone or by video call. Tension between GPs and Javid has grown over the past few weeks, with family doctors describing the minister as ignorant of the huge strain they are under. The Guardian

See also: 

• Government’s ‘rescue package’ for GPs is flawed and patient care will suffer as result The BMA
• GPs criticise Health Secretary's failure to speak at doctors' conference The BMA
• Speech: Thank you to GPs for their commitment during the most challenging of times – but patients must be able to see their doctor the way they want Department of Health and Social Care
• The King's Fund responds to the Department of Health and Social Care announcement to improve access to general practice The King's Fund
• Focus on access ignores other challenges in general practice, says College in response to NHSE announcement on ‘rescue’ measures for general practice Royal College of General Practitioners
• Fury at 'overpaid' GPs for moaning about Sajid Javid's plans The Daily Mail
• 'Nothing can bring Peter back... but no one else should die after being refused a visit to their GP': Five real-life stories of heartache caused by doctors' practices fobbing off patients The Daily Mail
• GPs must face the facts The Daily Telegraph
• GP anger over 'unsafe' plans to reduce social distancing and increase face-to-face appointments The Daily Telegraph
• What was Sajid Javid thinking? Challenging GPs could only ever backfire The Daily Telegraph
• Javid plans 'won't turn the tide' for GPs, warns former Tory health secretary GPonline
• GP fury as 'support package' ramps up pressure on face-to-face access GPonline
• GPs’ leader condemns ‘malicious criticism’ by politicians The Guardian
• GPs have become the new fall guys for government failures | Gaby Hinsliff The Guardian
• Stop demonising England’s family doctors – we are on our knees | Nishma Manek The Guardian
• ‘It is with a heavy heart that I leave’ – why the unrelieved pressure is pushing GPs to quit The Guardian
• NHS plans criticised as patients left waiting months for GP appointment ITV News

Austerity in England linked to more than 50,000 extra deaths in five years

Austerity in England linked to more than 50,000 extra deaths in five years Austerity cuts to the NHS, public health and social care have killed tens of thousands more people in England than expected, according to the largest study of its kind.

Researchers who analysed the joint impact of cuts to healthcare, public health and social care since 2010 found that even in just the following four years the spending squeeze was linked with 57,550 more deaths than would have been expected. The findings, worse than previously thought, were revealed in the journal BMJ Open. The Guardian

See also: 

• Causal impact of social care, public health and healthcare expenditure on mortality in England: cross-sectional evidence for 2013/2014 (open access) BMJ Open
• Austerity linked to tens of thousands more deaths than expected The Independent

'What were we to them – expendable?' The story behind the biggest treatment scandal in NHS history

'What were we to them – expendable?' The story behind the biggest treatment scandal in NHS history Thousands of lives were destroyed by the infected blood scandal of the 1970s and '80s. The Daily Telegraph's latest podcast investigates.

Booster Covid jabs will be key to keeping pressure off Northamptonshire NHS hospitals, say health chiefs

Booster Covid jabs will be key to keeping pressure off Northamptonshire NHS hospitals, say health chiefs Health chiefs are confident vaccine boosters will stop severe Covid cases putting more pressure on the NHS in Northamptonshire.

Seven deaths in county hospitals and care homes within the last week were confirmed yesterday by the NHS and Office for National Statistics. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

New boss for Kettering hospice trust

New boss for Kettering hospice trust Kettering' s Cransley Hospice Trust has announced Philip Talbot as its new chief executive. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Northamptonshire Health Charity goes pink and blue for Baby Loss Awareness Week

Northamptonshire Health Charity goes pink and blue for Baby Loss Awareness Week All this week, Northamptonshire Health Charity is supporting Baby Loss Awareness Week by helping to raise awareness about pregnancy and baby loss. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also: 

• Northampton General Hospital critical care staff give themselves another mountain to climb by hiking up Snowdon Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Climate change action will improve health and save lives now and in the future

Climate change action will improve health and save lives now and in the future Measures to tackle climate change could significantly benefit human health in the next few years, as well as in the long-term, says a new report from the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society, released today [Thursday 14 October]. The report calls on the UK government to make sure that the initiatives they establish to tackle climate change are also designed to deliver benefits to health.

See also: 

• Tackling climate change could save the NHS £17 billion, say experts The Independent

End of life care for people with a brain tumour

End of life care for people with a brain tumour Death is the one sure certainty for us all, yet we rarely discuss end-of-life care and what our final wishes would be. Having all the relevant information allows you to begin the conversation, make sure any requests are in place and ensure that you feel in control.

This resource has been produced with people who have the lived experience of what it is like to care for someone with a brain tumour at end-of-life, with leading consultants in palliative care and clinical nurse specialists who are hospice-based. Brainstrust 

Plan set out to improve access for NHS patients and support GPs

Plan set out to improve access for NHS patients and support GPs The NHS, working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, has today published a blueprint for improving access to GP appointments for patients alongside supporting GPs and their teams.

Surgeries will be provided with additional funding to boost their capacity to increase the proportion of appointments delivered face to face, as part of a major drive to support general practice and level up performance, including additional efforts to tackle abuse against staff. NHS England

See also: 

• GPs are stretched beyond endurance: the Government needs to publicly support and resource the profession Royal College of General Practitioners
• GP rescue plan to boost face-to-face consultations BBC News
• GPs ‘named and shamed’ if they fail to see patients face to face The Daily Telegraph
• ‘Demonising less-than-full-time doctors will drive people away’ - GPs slam media attacks GPOnline
• England’s GPs to get £250m boost if they see more patients face-to-face The Guardian
• England’s GPs to be told to scrap 2-metre rule, say reports The Guardian
• GPs to get £250m injection ahead of winter The Independent
• Sajid Javid denies GPs will be ‘named and shamed’ in appointments plan The Independent

Covid: Lateral flow tests more accurate than first thought, study finds

Covid: Lateral flow tests more accurate than first thought, study finds Lateral flow tests (LFTs) are very good at detecting people most likely to spread Covid-19 and positive results should be trusted, say University College London researchers.

When LFTs were introduced, they were criticised for being less accurate than PCR tests, which are analysed in a lab. BBC News

See also: 

• Recalibrating SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Lateral Flow Test Relative Sensitivity from Validation Studies to Absolute Sensitivity for Indicating Individuals Shedding Transmissible Virus (open access) Dove Press
• Covid: Scientists targeted with abuse during pandemic BBC News
• NHS Covid pass app suffers outage BBC News
• Covid: New WHO group may be last chance to find virus origins BBC News
• Countries should use pooled testing at start of future pandemics, experts say The Daily Mail
• Britain's daily Covid cases hit a three-month high The Daily Mail
• Tory minister says sorry for mistakes in Covid pandemic handling The Guardian

Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge prepares for busiest winter ever

Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge prepares for busiest winter ever The Covid pandemic has forced many hospitals to cancel operations and allowed waiting lists to grow. With infections still on the rise and winter looming, how is one of England's flagship hospitals making up for lost time?

Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge is gearing up for what it expects to be its busiest winter ever. BBC News 

Britain told to brace for an early flu season by top expert amid fears 60,000 could die

Britain told to brace for an early flu season by top expert amid fears 60,000 could die Britain should brace for an early flu outbreak this winter because cases are already rising in other countries, a top expert has warned.

The UK's flu season tends to last from September to March but the virus does not usually heap pressure on the NHS until January. The Daily Mail 

St Andrew’s Healthcare CEO to step down from Northampton mental health hospital

St Andrew’s Healthcare CEO to step down from Northampton mental health hospital Katie Fisher, CEO of St Andrew’s Healthcare, who has led the charity through a “major transformation” during one of the most challenging periods in the healthcare sector has decided to step down from her position. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Northampton care home put in special measures after getting worst possible rating in scathing report by inspectors

Northampton care home put in special measures after getting worst possible rating in scathing report by inspectors A Northampton care home has been placed into special measures after being given the worst possible rating in a scathing report by inspectors.

Oakwood Nursing Home has been rated as 'inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a report published last week following a visit in August. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Heroin users warned over deadly drugs '100 times stronger than morphine' still circulating in Northamptonshire

Heroin users warned over deadly drugs '100 times stronger than morphine' still circulating in Northamptonshire Police are warning drug users about a potentially deadly cutting agent still circulating in Northamptonshire.

Officers first sounded an alert over the agent isotonitazene back in July and believe it was directly linked to at least four dangerous overdoses in Kettering last month. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Addressing the national syndemic: place-based problems and solutions to UK health inequality

Addressing the national syndemic: place-based problems and solutions to UK health inequality This report, published with the Institute of Health Equity, finds that health inequalities have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. It highlights that it is the collective responsibility for private, public, voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors to work together to create more equitable and healthy societies. Free registration is required to read this report. Public Policy Projects 

RCR calls for sustainable investment in imaging and cancer services in Spending Review 2021

RCR calls for sustainable investment in imaging and cancer services in Spending Review 2021 The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) has submitted a spending review representation (PDF) to the Treasury, urging Government to invest in a robust and sustainable future for NHS imaging and cancer care.

Our submission outlines the vital role played by the RCR’s two medical specialties – with radiology services providing fast patient diagnoses and minimally-invasive surgery and clinical oncology delivering highly effective non-surgical cancer treatment. Chronic underinvestment meant these services were stretched before the arrival of coronavirus, and we are asking the Treasury to prioritise three vital resourcing needs over the next three years.

See also: 

• UK must train more cancer doctors to save lives and avoid NHS 'wasting' £400m The Daily Telegraph
• Significant shortfalls in specialty doctors costing lives – report Evening Standard

One in three doctors say their organisation is not prepared for winter

One in three doctors say their organisation is not prepared for winter The twelfth survey of RCP members and fellows during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted as more of the population returns to normality and winter is on the horizon.

With just four weeks until the end of British Summer Time, over a third of respondents to our survey (36%) say their organisation is not at all prepared for winter. 27% feel personally unprepared, and almost two thirds feeling tired or exhausted. Royal College of Physicians

See also: 

• NHS: Doctors feel unprepared and health service is not ready for winter months, poll warns Sky News

Research: COVID-19: reported SARS-CoV-2 deaths in England

Research: COVID-19: reported SARS-CoV-2 deaths in England Monthly report presenting the latest data on COVID-19 mortality in England in people with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2. Public Health England 

Covid: Misleading vaccine claims target children and parents

Covid: Misleading vaccine claims target children and parents Campaigners have been gathering outside schools, handing out what they claim are legal documents or "notices of liability" to head teachers, warning them not to vaccinate children.

Before the government's decision to extend the UK Covid vaccination programme to 12- to 15-year-olds was announced, debate simmered over whether the jab should be offered to healthy children, who are at a much lower risk from the virus than older age groups.

But alongside genuine discussion, campaigners opposed to the vaccine have been spreading misinformation. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid inquiry: When will it happen and how does it work? BBC News
• Covid: Not my job to sugarcoat advice, Sir Patrick Vallance says BBC News
• Covid: Furness General Hospital breached safety law over staff PPE BBC News
• Sajid Javid is to tear up social distancing in surgeries The Daily Mail
• UK's daily Covid cases jump by 14% on last week to 38,520 The Daily Mail
• Officials are investigating a rise in the number of faulty lateral flow tests The Daily Mail
• The true costs of Britain's mishandling of Covid are now plain to see The Guardian
• Government must be transparent about science advice it receives The Guardian
• Covid study linking vaccines to rare side effect of myocarditis was wrong, researchers admit The Independent
• Covid inquiry: Anger grows after report finds white medics had better access to PPE than black and Asian staff iNews

Life expectancy falling in parts of England before pandemic - study

Life expectancy falling in parts of England before pandemic - study Many areas in the north of England have seen life expectancy fall within the last decade, a new study suggests.

Differences across England have now become stark, say researchers - such as a 27-year gap in life expectancy for a man living in Kensington and Chelsea, compared to Blackpool.

Although Covid caused life expectancy to drop, this research suggests it was already in decline in many areas. BBC News

See also: 

• Life expectancy and risk of death in 6791 communities in England from 2002 to 2019: high-resolution spatiotemporal analysis of civil registration data (open access) The Lancet Public Health
• Life expectancy declining in many English communities even before pandemic Imperial College London
• Life expectancy was 'falling in up to fifth of English communities even BEFORE Covid struck' The Daily Mail

NHS faces beds crisis as care homes stop taking patients from hospitals

NHS faces beds crisis as care homes stop taking patients from hospitals The NHS faces a mounting beds crisis as care homes suffering unprecedented staff shortages are forced to stop taking patients from hospitals, health and care leaders have warned.

Ministers are desperately trying to free up space in the NHS to tackle a backlog of 5.6 million people – equivalent to almost 10% of people in England – awaiting treatment. The Guardian

See also: 

• The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England Skills for Care
• This year's 'The State of the adult social care sector and workforce in England' report has been published Skills for Care
• Care staff shortage worse than before pandemic, study shows BBC News

Plunge in diabetes checks: Doctors carried out 7.4million fewer tests last year, study suggests

Plunge in diabetes checks: Doctors carried out 7.4million fewer tests last year, study suggests Doctors conducted 7.4million fewer diabetes checks last year leaving patients at increased risk of heart attacks and amputations, a study suggests.

Researchers warn the delays will continue, with potentially deadly consequences, if surgeries fail to improve access to face-to-face care. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on diabetes health checks and prescribing for people with type 2 diabetes: a UK-wide cohort study involving 618 161 people in primary care (open access) BMJ Quality and Safety

All the Northamptonshire neighbourhoods with Covid case rates THREE TIMES the UK average

All the Northamptonshire neighbourhoods with Covid case rates THREE TIMES the UK average Protection from vaccines is keeping the number of hospital cases and deaths lower than during the second wave of the pandemic earlier this year.

But experts are concerned the virus is still being spread at the same time as flu season is fast approaching.

Weekly rates in parts of Kettering, and clusters of villages near Wellingborough and Northampton are now over 1,000 per 100,000 people — around three times the UK average. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Northampton magistrates hand out more fines over Covid lockdown breaches Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• MP Andrea Leadsom salutes Northampton factory making 1.5million face masks EVERY DAY Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The Health and Care Levy: what was announced and what does it mean for health spending?

The Health and Care Levy: what was announced and what does it mean for health spending? For most of the past 20 years, these rhythmic fiscal events have been the set-piece moments where governments would set out their spending plans for the coming years. But as the July 2018 NHS five-year funding deal and September 2021 health and care levy announcements demonstrate - NHS funding announcements now seem to march to the beat of a different drum. The King's Fund

Coronavirus: lessons learned to date report published

Coronavirus: lessons learned to date report published Covid vaccine programme “one of most effective initiatives in UK history” but delay to first lockdown a “serious error” that should have been challenged.

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee and Health and Social Care Committee have published their report, Coronavirus: lessons learned to date, examining the initial UK response to the covid pandemic.

See also: 

• Covid: UK start to pandemic worst public health failure ever, MPs say BBC News
• ‘Extraordinary omission’: key findings in scathing UK Covid report The Guardian
• Covid response ‘one of UK’s worst ever public health failures’ The Guardian
• Early Covid response ‘amounted in practice’ to herd immunity, MPs say The Independent
• ‘Unacceptably high’ ethnic minority deaths from Covid, MPs say The Independent
• Covid-19 lessons learnt report: The five tragic mistakes ministers made – and one success iNews
• COVID-19: Minister refuses to apologise for government's pandemic handling as report says errors 'cost thousands of lives' Sky News

For whose benefit? NHS England’s contract with the private hospital sector in the first year of the pandemic

For whose benefit? NHS England’s contract with the private hospital sector in the first year of the pandemic This report analyses the government’s use of the private hospital sector in England as a strategy for alleviating the burden on the NHS during the first year of the Covid 19 pandemic. It uses publicly available information to examine the nature of the contracts between the NHS and the private sector, the potential costs of these contracts and the extent to which NHS patients benefitted from this approach. The research shows that none of the goals outlined for the deal were achieved to a significant extent. Almost no Covid patients were treated in the private sector and NHS funded activity in the private sector fell significantly, and much further than in NHS trusts. Centre for Health and the Public Interest

Covid rules: How can the clinically vulnerable stay safe?

Covid rules: How can the clinically vulnerable stay safe? Guidance for people in England identified as being "clinically extremely vulnerable" is being updated from 19 July - but what is actually changing?

Formal advice telling them to take extra care, or "shield", to avoid becoming seriously ill from Covid was paused at the start of April. BBC News

See also:

• NHS England call for pregnant women to get Covid vaccine BBC News
• Researchers launch study to determine if biomarkers in saliva can predict kids' risk of severe Covid The Daily Mail
• Britain's daily Covid cases jump by 15% in a week as outbreak continues to grow The Daily Mail
• Britain has now sequenced 1MILLION Covid genomes - 25% of the world's variant hunting database The Daily Mail
• G4S cuts pay for some NHS test-and-trace staff after living wage order The Guardian

Arthritis patients left in 'excruciating pain' as NHS waiting times soar - iNews

Arthritis patients left in 'excruciating pain' as NHS waiting times soar The NHS backlog is leaving arthritis patients in “excruciating pain” with hundreds of thousands waiting months for life-changing surgery.

More than 588,000 people were waiting for elective trauma and orthopaedic surgery at the start of 2021, the largest list in over a decade, according to the British Orthopaedic Association. iNews

New cancer treatment destroys tumours in terminally ill, finds trial

New cancer treatment destroys tumours in terminally ill, finds trial A new cancer treatment can wipe out tumours in terminally ill head and neck cancer patients, scientists have discovered.

In a landmark trial, a cocktail of immunotherapy medications harnessed patients’ immune systems to kill their own cancer cells and prompted “a positive trend in survival”, according to researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, and the Royal Marsden NHS foundation trust. The Guardian

See also: 

• Immunotherapy combination could be alternative to ‘Extreme’ chemotherapy in some head and neck cancers Institute of Cancer Research

Blood donation rules changed to attract more donors with rare subgroups

Blood donation rules changed to attract more donors with rare subgroups Ministers will remove questions on sexual activity in sub-Saharan Africa for blood donations to encourage more donors in England after a long campaign to widen the criteria.

MPs and activists have said the existing guidelines were discriminatory and have no scientific basis. Blood donation rules include a three-month restriction on donating for anyone in England who has a “partner who has, or you think may have, been sexually active in parts of the world where HIV/Aids is very common” and references “most countries in Africa”. The Guardian 

Covid: Northamptonshire health boss 'slightly helpless' over rise

Covid: Northamptonshire health boss 'slightly helpless' over rise A director of public health said she feels "slightly helpless" with rising case rates in her country that are among the highest in England.

In the week to 4 October, Kettering in Northamptonshire, had the highest rate with 861 cases per 100,000 people.

Daventry and Wellingborough were also in the top 10 for case rates, with Corby and Northampton in the top 20. BBC Northampton

See also: 

• Northamptonshire: Covid rates, train drivers and Afghan refugees BBC Northampton
• More Northamptonshire care homes hit by Covid outbreaks Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Health chief feels "slightly helpless" as Covid cases continue to rise in Northamptonshire schools Northamptonshire Telegraph

How much longer and further are health inequalities set to rise?

How much longer and further are health inequalities set to rise? The launch of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) is accompanied by the starkest evidence yet of the large, persistent and widening inequalities in life expectancy at birth in England. The divide takes many forms - north-south, rich-poor, male-female, London versus the rest of the country. The King's Fund

Health is wealth – investors can no longer afford to ignore it

Health is wealth – investors can no longer afford to ignore it The link between health and prosperity has been rammed home by the pandemic. In 2008, a government-commissioned review found poor health cost the UK economy around £100bn per year. This year, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) estimated there was an eye-watering £300bn in lost economic output, excluding direct health care costs. The Health Foundation 

Mental Health Care Needs in the U.S. and 10 Other High-Income Countries

Mental Health Care Needs in the U.S. and 10 Other High-Income Countries Findings from the 2020 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey, which included the United States and 10 other high-income countries, highlight the need for continued investment in mental health. 

NHS mental health job coaches help thousands find work

NHS mental health job coaches help thousands find work Thousands of people with mental health problems have been supported into employment during the pandemic, thanks to the NHS Long Term Plan.

More than 4,000 people were employed over the last year in a range of roles including in retail and digital marketing as part of the employment support scheme run by the health service. NHS England

NHS encourages pregnant women to get COVID-19 vaccine

NHS encourages pregnant women to get COVID-19 vaccine The NHS is encouraging pregnant women to get the COVID-19 vaccine as new data shows that nearly 20 per cent of the most critically ill COVID patients are pregnant women who have not been vaccinated. NHS England

See also: 

• Clinical trialists to be offered 'top-up' vaccine doses Department of Health and Social Care

Covid-19: Uncertain winter ahead as flu circulates at same time, says Harries

Covid-19: Uncertain winter ahead as flu circulates at same time, says Harries The UK is facing an uncertain winter with the spread of coronavirus and the flu, the head of the Health Security Agency Jenny Harries has said.

People are at "more significant risk of death and of serious illness if they are co-infected" with both viruses, she told the BBC.

She said: "It's a more uncertain year but I certainly would be encouraging everybody to go and get their vaccine." BBC News

See also: 

• Covid-19: Two million booster jabs given in England BBC News
• Covid: The UK is Europe's virus hotspot - does it matter? BBC News
• Novavax volunteers offered two approved travel jabs BBC News
• Could Long Covid be a little-known nervous system problem? The Daily Mail
• Adults with learning difficulties 9 TIMES more likely to die of Covid during first wave of pandemic The Daily Mail
• Experts estimate at least 30% of country have caught virus since pandemic began The Daily Mail
• Covid bereaved voice anguish at ‘ignored’ UK virus planning report The Guardian
• 17% of most critical Covid patients ‘are unvaccinated pregnant women’ The Independent
• Revealed - Health secretary's private alarm at 'huge' and growing problem of long Covid The Independent

Plans to hand over NHS data to police sparks warning from government adviser

Plans to hand over NHS data to police sparks warning from government adviser Plans to force the NHS to share confidential data with police across England are “very problematic” and could see patients giving false information to GPs, the government’s data watchdog has warned.

In her first interview, the national data guardian for England told The Independent she has serious concerns over Home Office plans to impose a responsibility on the NHS to share patient data with police.

NHS staff face rising tide of abuse from patients provoked by long waits

NHS staff face rising tide of abuse from patients provoked by long waits NHS staff across the UK are facing a “growing tide of abuse” including assaults from patients, which they say is being caused by frustration at long waits for care.

In a strongly worded joint statement, which has been shared with the Guardian, six key medical bodies and staff groups blame patients’ increasingly long delays in receiving treatment on years of successive governments underinvesting in the NHS and not fixing severe workforce shortages.

See also: 

• ‘People are being very angry with us’: A&E doctor on abuse of NHS staff The Guardian

Nursing crisis sweeps wards as NHS battles to find recruits

Nursing crisis sweeps wards as NHS battles to find recruits Lack of EU staff adding to shortages: ‘There aren’t enough to deliver care we need’

Ministers are being warned of a mounting workforce crisis in England’s hospitals as they struggle to recruit staff for tens of thousands of nursing vacancies, with one in five nursing posts on some wards now unfilled.

Hospital leaders say the nursing shortfall has been worsened by a collapse in the numbers of recruits from Europe, including Spain and Italy. The Guardian

See also: 

• Three-quarters of NHS staff consider leaving health service, survey says The Independent
• NHS intensive care unit which treated Boris Johnson for coronavirus ‘dangerously understaffed’, says union The Independent
• Nursing faces worst ever staffing crisis amid signs NHS hospitals cutting back on surgery again iNews
• Pressure on NHS 'will continue for years' but staff shortages mean workers are already burned out Nursing Notes

Sajid Javid working on radical plan to merge social care with health in England

Sajid Javid working on radical plan to merge social care with health in England Proposal aimed at freeing up NHS beds and offering home care could be included in white paper on reform

Radical plans for a new national care service under which health and social care would be delivered by the same organisation are being actively considered by the government for inclusion in a white paper next month, according to senior Conservatives and Whitehall sources. The Guardian 

Sajid Javid to set up 'NHS delivery unit' to show how proceeds of tax rise are being spent

Sajid Javid to set up 'NHS delivery unit' to show how proceeds of tax rise are being spent Sajid Javid is setting up an "NHS delivery unit" to oversee an efficiency drive in the health service, amid pressure to show that the proceeds of next April's National Insurance hike will not go to waste. The Daily Telegraph

More Northamptonshire pupils unhappy with mental health than almost anywhere else in England, data reveals

More Northamptonshire pupils unhappy with mental health than almost anywhere else in England, data reveals More children in Northamptonshire are unhappy with their mental health than almost anywhere else in England, according to a survey.

Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said a fifth of children in the country felt this way – making it their top concern – and praised them as being part of a “survivor generation”. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

See also:

• The Big Ask: The Big Answer (survey report) Children's Commissioner

Chart of the week: In which areas of England and Wales are more people dying at home?

Chart of the week: In which areas of England and Wales are more people dying at home? With death rates and trends changing dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic, Laura Schlepper takes a look at which regions of England and Wales have seen the biggest changes in the rate of deaths at home. Nuffield Trust 

Turning the tide: a 10-year healthy weight strategy

Turning the tide: a 10-year healthy weight strategy This report finds that levels of obesity have increased significantly across the UK over the last 30 years. It sets out a long-term agenda of evidence-informed policies with 30 recommendations, covering food and drink marketing, early years and treatment as well as the infrastructure needed to ensure policies are robustly implemented and evaluated. Obesity Health Alliance 

Fund to help end cycle of homelessness and hospital readmissions

Fund to help end cycle of homelessness and hospital readmissions People experiencing homelessness in England to be supported through pilot projects, backed by £16 million, to provide temporary accommodation, care and support. Department of Health and Social Care 

New film launched urging public to get flu and COVID-19 vaccines

New film launched urging public to get flu and COVID-19 vaccines Those eligible for the free flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster jab are being urged to book their appointments as soon as possible in a new film campaign launched today [Friday 8 October] aiming to help people give themselves and their loved ones the best possible protection this winter. Department of Health and Social Care 

Flu jab vital this winter along with Covid vaccine

Flu jab vital this winter along with Covid vaccine The public are being reminded to come forward for their flu jab to maximise their protection ahead of winter.

Health officials are worried because this will be the first winter Covid and flu circulate fully at the same time.

Research shows those infected with both viruses are more than twice as likely to die as someone with Covid alone. BBC News

See also: 

• NHS aims to give 35m flu jabs amid warnings of up to 60,000 deaths The Guardian
• Health officials fear up to 60,000 flu deaths this winter The Independent
• Flu jab: Respiratory illnesses could claim 60,000 lives this winter as NHS launches new vaccination campaign Sky News

Coronavirus report warned of impact on UK four years before pandemic

Coronavirus report warned of impact on UK four years before pandemic Senior health officials who war-gamed the impact of a coronavirus hitting the UK, warned four years before the onset of Covid-19 of the need for stockpiles of PPE, a computerised contact tracing system and screening for foreign travellers, the Guardian can reveal.

The calls to step up preparations in areas already identified as shortcomings in the government’s response to Covid, emerged from a previously unpublished report of a health planning exercise in February 2016 that imagined a coronavirus outbreak.

See also:

• Number of Britons falling ill with Covid every day is now at 'highest level since JANUARY' The Daily Mail
• UK's daily Covid cases rise to another month-high: Infections up 12% in a week to 40,701 The Daily Mail
• Millions of children head back to schools in England unmasked and unvaccinated The Daily Mail
• ‘I’d like to get my daughter vaccinated soon – I fear she will be next to get Covid’ The Guardian
• Private hospitals paid billions to treat just 8 Covid patients a day The Independent
• Pfizer vaccine protection wanes months after second shot, show studies The Independent
• COVID-19: NHS staff just as worried about pressures now as during peak of pandemic Sky News

Sajid Javid’s threat to sack NHS chiefs is doomed to fail

Sajid Javid’s threat to sack NHS chiefs is doomed to fail | Polly Toynbee A long, low groan echoes around the NHS. Not again, please? The new health secretary, Sajid Javid, pledges far-reaching reforms and the most comprehensive review since the 1980s. Too many new health secretaries start there, at the bottom of the learning curve, but Javid adds threats: “Hospital managers who fail to clear mounting NHS backlogs will be sacked under government plans for reform,” the Times was briefed, with him “preparing new powers to seize control of poorly performing hospitals”. The Guardian 

New breast cancer drug ‘reduces risk of disease progression or death’

New breast cancer drug ‘reduces risk of disease progression or death’ A new breast cancer drug reduces the risk of death or disease progression by 72 per cent compared to an existing treatment, AstraZeneca has announced.

The British company worked with another pharmaceutical giant on the drug, the Daiichi Sankyo Company, which has its headquarters in Japan. They said the results of its trial of Enhertu were “groundbreaking” and showed “a strong trend towards improved overall survival.” The Independent 

More than 40,000 people die every year in Europe because of a lack of green space research reveals

More than 40,000 people die every year in Europe because of a lack of green space research reveals A lack of green spaces in UK cities is killing 7,000 people in the UK every year, a study claims. 

Scientists calculated that nearly 43,000 premature deaths are caused by a lack of green spaces in nearly 900 European cities. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Green space and mortality in European cities: a health impact assessment study (open access) The Lancet Planetary Health

GP staff abuse has "no place in the NHS"

GP staff abuse has "no place in the NHS" The abuse of staff at GP surgeries has "no place in the NHS", a healthcare boss has said, following complaints it has risen during the pandemic.

Dr Joanne Watt, GP chairwoman of the Northamptonshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said she understood patients' frustrations as surgeries battle with increased demand.

But she said the reports of abuse were "extremely upsetting and demoralising". BBC Northampton

'Don't ask Google, ask a doctor' experts' tell Northamptonshire teens in two minds about Covid jabs

'Don't ask Google, ask a doctor' experts' tell Northamptonshire teens in two minds about Covid jabs Teenagers in two minds over getting a Covid jab are being told to talk to health professionals in Northamptonshire rather than turn to Google.

All 16 and 17-year-olds can now book vaccinations on the NHS website as well as drop in at a number of walk-in clinics across the county. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also: 

• Covid-19: Teachers isolating more of a concern, head says BBC Northampton
• What is Covid toe? Symptoms of side effect from virus - and what causes the skin condition Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Giving kids second jab could prevent thousands of long Covid cases Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Covid vaccines for NHS frontline staff ‘to be made compulsory’ under Health Secretary Sajid Javid plans Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Burton Latimer man's second jab despair as county clinics out of AstraZeneca vaccine Northamptonshire Telegraph

Podcast about life behind the scenes at Northampton mental health hospital reaches 20,000 downloads

Podcast about life behind the scenes at Northampton mental health hospital reaches 20,000 downloads A Northampton mental health nurse's podcast about his service users and colleagues created in a bid to break down stigmas has reached 20,000 downloads.

John-Barry Waldron was inspired to start On The Ward in 2019 by the people he has cared for for 15 years at St Andrew's Healthcare's centre in Billing Road. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Police confirm 23 reports of believed drink spiking in nine Northampton venues since start of September

Police confirm 23 reports of believed drink spiking in nine Northampton venues since start of September Detectives have confirmed more reports from people who believe their drinks may have been spiked during nights out in Northampton.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman confirmed on Wednesday (October 6) they are now investigating a total of 23 cases where men and women who have suffered a range of ill-effects after drinking alcohol in the town, some requiring medical attention. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

How has the productivity of UK health care changed between 1997 and 2019?

How has the productivity of UK health care changed between 1997 and 2019? Between 1997 and 2018, productivity across the UK NHS grew by 22%, at an average of around 0.9% per year.​

This is higher than the total productivity of the public sector (0.2%) but lower than that of the whole UK economy (1.2%).​ The Health Foundation 

Workforce shortages in mental health cause 'painfully' long waits for treatment

Workforce shortages in mental health cause 'painfully' long waits for treatment Record numbers of people need mental health treatment but there aren’t enough psychiatrists to meet demand, the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ 2021 census has revealed.

At least 1.5 million people in England are waiting for treatment but a tenth of consultant psychiatrist posts (568 out of 5,367) are not filled. The vacancies are causing some patients to wait 18 weeks or longer for treatment.

Official NHS workforce data shows that there are 4,500 full-time consultant psychiatrists for 56.5 million people, one psychiatrist per 12,567.

See also: 

• Pre-report data of the 2021 census Royal College of Psychiatrists
• More than one million waiting for mental health treatment with one in 10 doctor posts empty The Independent
• 'One psychiatrist per 12,567 people in England': Medics' mental health workforce warning Sky News

NHS pay in England: members to consider industrial action

NHS pay in England: members to consider industrial action RCN members working for the NHS in England on Agenda for Change contracts are to be asked whether they’d be willing to take industrial action in an indicative ballot launching soon. Royal College of Nursing

See also: 

•  Nurses in England to be balloted on possible strike action over pay The Guardian
• NHS pay row: nurses move one step closer to strike action over 3 per cent rise iNews

Respected valued retained: working together to improve retention in anaesthesia

Respected valued retained: working together to improve retention in anaesthesia This report finds that up to one million operations may be delayed every year because of a shortage of 1,400 anaesthetists – and concludes that the situation will get worse, as one in four working anaesthetists plans to leave the NHS in the next five years. It suggests that working patterns should be adjusted to accommodate the changes of ageing and that adjustments should be made to pension and tax arrangements to address the financial pressures that force doctors to retire. Royal College of Anaesthetists 

Historic go-ahead for malaria vaccine to protect African children

Historic go-ahead for malaria vaccine to protect African children Children across much of Africa are to be vaccinated against malaria in a historic moment in the fight against the deadly disease.

Malaria has been one of the biggest scourges on humanity for millennia and mostly kills babies and infants.

Having a vaccine - after more than a century of trying - is among medicine's greatest achievements.

The vaccine - called RTS,S - was proven effective six years ago. BBC News 

Two Covid vaccines give BETTER protection than natural immunity, study claims

Two Covid vaccines give BETTER protection than natural immunity, study claims Covid vaccines offer better protection than natural immunity, researchers claimed today.

The true extent of immunity against the coronavirus remains shrouded in mystery.

Some studies have suggested getting infected naturally offers more protection than any vaccines. The Daily Mail

See also:

• UK's daily Covid cases RISE for first time in a week: 9% jump sees 39,851 infections  The Daily Mail
• Schools will not reintroduce bubble system, says education minister - but masks could return The Daily Telegraph
• UK on brink of joining EU Covid vaccine passport scheme The Daily Telegraph
• England’s Covid travel red list to be cut to a dozen countries The Guardian
• More than 1 million reporting long Covid symptoms, ONS data shows The Independent
• JCVI faces calls for greater transparency over vaccine decision-making The Independent
• NHS leaders warn ministers they will create 'vaccine martyrs' if Covid jabs are made compulsory iNews

3 years of city living raises risk of heart failure by 43%, due to noise and air pollution, study

3 years of city living raises risk of heart failure by 43%, due to noise and air pollution, study Living in a bustling city for just three years may raise your risk of heart failure, a study suggests.

A damning body of evidence on the detriment pollution causes to health has built up over the past decade, with toxic air heavily linked to dementia, obesity, infertility and a host of other medical issues. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Long‐Term Exposure to Air Pollution, Road Traffic Noise, and Heart Failure Incidence: The Danish Nurse Cohort (open access) Journal of the American Heart Association