Tuesday, 21 December 2021

Tony Hickmott: Autistic man was 'loneliest man in the hospital'

Tony Hickmott: Autistic man was 'loneliest man in the hospital' A whistle-blower in the case of an autistic man who has been detained in hospital since 2001 says he feels complicit in his "neglect and abuse".

A BBC investigation found 100 people with learning disabilities have been held in specialist hospitals for 20 years or more, including Tony Hickmott.

His parents are fighting to get him rehoused in the community. BBC News
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NHS drug pledge broken for asthma sufferers and smokers, report reveals

NHS drug pledge broken for asthma sufferers and smokers, report reveals A promise to ensure that people with severe asthma and smokers who want to quit can get the drugs they need has been broken by ministers and the NHS, a health service report reveals.

Health charities criticised the persistent lack of access to vital medications for patients in England as very worrying and warned that it could damage the health of those affected. The Guardian
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Monday, 20 December 2021

Rush for Covid-19 boosters as Northampton and Kettering NHS hospitals brace for staff shortages amid rise in Omicron cases

Rush for Covid-19 boosters as Northampton and Kettering NHS hospitals brace for staff shortages amid rise in Omicron cases A rush for booster jabs in the run-up to Christmas has been welcomed by health chiefs as Northamptonshire hospitals deal with more Covid-19 patients. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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University students set up toy donation drive to cheer up children in hospital in Northampton for Christmas

University students set up toy donation drive to cheer up children in hospital in Northampton for Christmas A toy donation drive organised by kind-hearted university students has put smiles on the faces of children who will spend Christmas in hospital in Northampton. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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Going it alone: health and Brexit in the UK

Going it alone: health and Brexit in the UK After nearly a year out of the Single Market and Customs Union, Brexit is still fuelling uncertainty in many aspects of health and social care. This report looks at six key areas that are being impacted, what has already happened and what NHS, government and business figures expect for the future. Nuffield Trust

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Four lessons the pandemic has taught us about health data

Four lessons the pandemic has taught us about health data Data has played a critical role during the pandemic. It’s helped to assess the impact of new treatments, track trends in the quality of care, and identify the needs of the most vulnerable. The government publishing data about the number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths has also been an important way for the media and public to track the impact of COVID-19.

As the UK slowly emerges from the pandemic, data can play a similarly significant role. The Health Foundation

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NHS delivers ‘super Saturday’ as COVID booster jabs soar

NHS delivers ‘super Saturday’ as COVID booster jabs soar The NHS delivered another record-breaking day for booster jabs with more than 830,000 reported on ‘super Saturday’ as the NHS booster programme continues at pace.

A total of 830,403 boosters were delivered and 906,656 vaccinations altogether, including more first and second vaccinations – both records for the programme. NHS England

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Covid: Vulnerable NHS patients to be offered new drug

Covid: Vulnerable NHS patients to be offered new drug A new Covid drug designed to reduce the risk of vulnerable patients needing hospital treatment will be available on the NHS from today.

Sotrovimab is a monoclonal antibody given as a transfusion to transplant recipients, cancer patients and other high-risk groups.

If given quickly after symptoms develop it is should help prevent people from falling seriously ill with the disease. BBC News

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Alzheimer's drug aducanumab not approved for use in EU

Alzheimer's drug aducanumab not approved for use in EU The European Medicines Agency has said no to approving a new drug for Alzheimer's disease in the EU.

Aducanumab does not appear to be effective at treating adults with early-stage symptoms, the EMA said.

Alzheimer's charities say they are disappointed by the decision because thousands of people are left with no treatment options. BBC News 
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A dangerous lie is stalking the NHS: that it is no longer fit for purpose

A dangerous lie is stalking the NHS: that it is no longer fit for purpose | Sonia Sodha Painting the health service as inefficient ignores a decade of chronic underfunding.

Each time I’ve gone for a Covid jab, I’ve walked out with a warm glow. It wasn’t just relief to have the protection, or awe at the scientific feats that were pulled off to get a vaccine in my arm, but a sense of national pride in the NHS, an institution that is collectively ours, there for us in good times and bad. Just seeing the NHS’s distinctive blue-and-white logo is enough to make my heart swell a little. The Guardian
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Friday, 17 December 2021

Omicron could overwhelm NHS in Northamptonshire, says health boss

Omicron could overwhelm NHS in Northamptonshire, says health boss The rise of the Omicron variant could tip Northamptonshire's health services "into a place where the NHS does become overwhelmed," according to an NHS boss.

There are currently 164 confirmed Omicron cases across the county.

Northamptonshire Clinical Commissioning Group chief executive Toby Sanders said the situation was "very, very critical". BBC Northamptonshire

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Making sense of population health: a clinician's perspective

Making sense of population health: a clinician's perspective ‘What has population health got to do with me, an eye surgeon?’ 

I asked myself this after a long day working in the extra corneal clinic set up on a Saturday to cope with the backlog of patients created during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Other clinicians may be pondering the same question, feeling uncertain about their role in and relevance to population health (a whole-systems approach that aims to improve health and care for populations). The King's Fund 
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The global use of medicines 2022: outlook to 2026

The global use of medicines 2022: outlook to 2026 The largest driver of medicine spending through the next five years is expected to be global Covid-19 vaccinations. More widely, global spending on medicines continues to be driven by innovation and offset by losses of exclusivity and the lower costs of generics and biosimilars. This report quantifies the impact of these dynamics and examine the spending and usage of medicines in 2021 and the outlook to 2026, globally and for specific therapy areas and countries. IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science 
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    Policy paper: Government response to the independent inquiry report into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson

    Policy paper: Government response to the independent inquiry report into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson The report of the independent inquiry into the issues raised by Paterson was published on 4 February 2020.

    This publication sets out the government’s response to the 15 recommendations made in the inquiry report. Department of Health and Social Care 
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    25m boosters in UK as public urged to Get Boosted Now

    25m boosters in UK as public urged to Get Boosted Now 25 million people in the UK have had their booster vaccine or third dose as everyone eligible is urged to keep coming forward for the vital jab. Department of Health and Social Care

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    Covid: Cases hit new record as booster drive continues

    Covid: Cases hit new record as booster drive continues A record number of daily coronavirus cases have been reported across the UK for the second day running, with 88,376 infections confirmed on Thursday.

    England's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, said the Omicron variant could rise "incredibly fast", but its peak subside quickly due to boosters. BBC News

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    NHS hospitals in England 94% full before start of Omicron surge

    NHS hospitals in England 94% full before start of Omicron surge Four in five critical care beds are full and one in four ambulance handovers are taking more than 30 minutes.

    Hospitals in England are already 94% full, with four out of five critical care beds occupied, even before the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus has started to cause a big influx of patients. The Guardian

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    Omicron spread ‘could see 100,000 operations cancelled in England this winter’

    Omicron spread ‘could see 100,000 operations cancelled in England this winter’ A new study suggests more than 100,000 elective operations could be cancelled in England over the coming months, as a result of the current Omicron wave and the anticipated hospital admissions it could cause. The Independent

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    Thursday, 16 December 2021

    Public warned over 'serious threat' of Omicron as UK records highest ever daily cases

    Public warned over 'serious threat' of Omicron as UK records highest ever daily cases The British public have been warned to not believe that Omicron is a milder form of Covid-19, with a warning issued that the strain poses a “serious threat” to the country. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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    Future plans for Cransley Hospice to be relocated within north Northamptonshire a step closer

    Future plans for Cransley Hospice to be relocated within north Northamptonshire a step closer Efforts to keep a Kettering hospice in the north of the county to care for provide terminally-ill patients close to their homes have moved a step closer after a meeting with health chiefs. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

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    The state of medical education and practice in the UK 2021

    The state of medical education and practice in the UK 2021 This is an annual report on the realities and challenges faced by medical professionals in the UK’s health care systems. This year’s report looks at how the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and the recovery have affected doctors’ work and training. It also highlights learnings that the UK health services can use to support doctors and patients. General Medical Council

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      Integrating health and social care: a comparison of policy and progress across the four countries of the UK

      Integrating health and social care: a comparison of policy and progress across the four countries of the UK The integration of health and social care has been a long-standing policy priority in each country of the UK. However, there is limited evidence these policies are delivering the results expected of them. This report looks at the impact of integration across the four countries and compares the policies and approaches each one has trialled to deliver their goals. Nuffield Trust

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      Our ageing population: How ageing affects health and care need in England

      Our ageing population: How ageing affects health and care need in England England’s population is ageing. In the next 25 years, the number of people older than 85 will double to 2.6 million. An ageing population might lead to the presumption that there will be an increased need for health and social care services. But the reality is more complicated. The Health Foundation 

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      A year like no other: the eighth SSNAP annual report

      A year like no other: the eighth SSNAP annual report Based on data from April 2020 to March 2021 (during the Covid-19 pandemic), the report aims to identify which aspects of stroke care need to be improved and how these beneficial changes can enhance outcomes for patients and families during this challenging period. Overall, the report found that, even during the Covid-19 pandemic year, many teams were still able to improve the quality of care through the implementation of evidence-based interventions. However, it also states there is an ongoing need to ensure that such improvements are sustained over the longer term, in line with the NHS Long Term Plan. Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme

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        Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview

        Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview An overview and summary of case data for Omicron focusing on confirmed and SGTF cases in the UK. UK Health Security Agency

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        Covid: UK reports highest daily cases since the pandemic began

        Covid: UK reports highest daily cases since the pandemic began The UK has recorded the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, with 78,610 reported on Wednesday.

        The previous record was 68,053 on 8 January - when the UK was in lockdown.

        Speaking at a news conference, England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty warned that records will be broken a lot in the next few weeks. BBC News

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        Peterborough City Hospital doctor accused of hastening patient deaths

        Peterborough City Hospital doctor accused of hastening patient deaths A consultant anaesthetist has been accused of "hastening" the deaths of two patients on end-of-life care, a misconduct panel heard.

        Dr Andrew Gregg, who worked at Peterborough City Hospital, denies that his actions, related to drug amounts, hastened their deaths.

        He was investigated by police but prosecutors decided against action. BBC News 
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        NHS chief urges tens of thousands of 'missing' cancer patients to come forward and seek help

        NHS chief urges tens of thousands of 'missing' cancer patients to come forward and seek help Tens of thousands of cancer patients are “missing” in England according to the head of the NHS who urged anyone with symptoms to come forward and seek help.

        Amanda Pritchard said 36,000 fewer people have been diagnosed with cancer than medics would expect to see with prostate, breast and lung cancers making up most of the absent cases. iNews 
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        Wednesday, 15 December 2021

        South Northants: Omicron hotspot has highest case rate in England

        South Northants: Omicron hotspot has highest case rate in England A hotspot for the Omicron variant also has the highest rate of Covid-19 infections in England, data shows.

        In the week to 9 December, South Northamptonshire had 891 cases per 100,000 people, a 9% week-on-week rise.

        According to figures from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the area also has the highest rate of the Omicron variant in the country. BBC Northampton

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        NHS encourages families to discuss organ donation wishes this Christmas as 65 people in Northamptonshire wait for transplant

        NHS encourages families to discuss organ donation wishes this Christmas as 65 people in Northamptonshire wait for transplant As Christmas approaches, the NHS is encouraging families to talk about organ donation wishes as 65 people wait for a transplant in Northamptonshire.

        NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is urging people to take a moment during the festivities to talk about their organ donation decision and to leave their family members certain of what they want to happen. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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        Are young children healthier than they were two decades ago? The changing face of early childhood in the UK

        Are young children healthier than they were two decades ago? The changing face of early childhood in the UK This report explores the significant developments in young children’s health over the last 20 years, focusing on seven fundamental indicators. While the review identifies improvements across these indicators, progress has recently stalled—and in some cases the situation has deteriorated. However, we conclude with evidence of policies that work and demonstrate the potential to reduce inequalities and improve the life chances of many young children. Nuffield Foundation
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          The Health and Social Care Committee’s Expert Panel : evaluation of the government’s progress against its policy commitments in the area of mental health services in England

          The Health and Social Care Committee’s Expert Panel : evaluation of the government’s progress against its policy commitments in the area of mental health services in England This report evaluates government progress to deliver commitments on a wider range of mental health services in England. Its overall rating against progress on nine commitments in four policy areas is ‘requires improvement’. The areas evaluated are: workforce; children and young people’s mental health; adult common mental illness; and adult severe mental illness. House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee
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            An independent appraisal of the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard

            An independent appraisal of the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard The NHS seeks to monitor and control diversity and equality through a programme known as the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) – it is based on a series of statistical indicators pertaining to outcomes between white and non-white minority groups. However this paper argues that closer inspection of those indicators reveals ‘they do not withstand methodological scrutiny’. Civitas
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              Booster bookings surge as NHS accelerates COVID-19 vaccine campaign

              Booster bookings surge as NHS accelerates COVID-19 vaccine campaign More than 650,000 booster bookings were made yesterday (Monday) as the NHS kickstarted the expansion of its world-leading COVID-19 vaccination programme.

              Yesterday was the second highest day for booster bookings as the online service opened to all eligible people aged 30 and above.

              A total of 704,148 vaccine appointments were made, including 655,170 for boosters. NHS England

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              Covid pass starts in England despite biggest rebellion of Johnson era

              Covid pass starts in England despite biggest rebellion of Johnson era Adults in England must now show a Covid pass to enter nightclubs, big sports matches and other large events - despite nearly 100 Conservative MPs voting against the government's plans.

              The new rules - which kick in today - require proof of double-vaccination, or a recent negative test, to enter certain venues.

              MPs approved the measure in Tuesday's vote on England's new Covid rules. BBC News

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              GPs in dark over plans to drop care warn move could 'swamp NHS'

              GPs in dark over plans to drop care warn move could 'swamp NHS' GPs and hospital leaders have been left hanging over plans to drop “non-urgent” care, and warn there’s no way to safely stem demand without impacting patients health or “swamping” the NHS further. The Independent
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              NHS in crisis mode as it orders hospitals to empty 'as many patients as possible'

              NHS in crisis mode as it orders hospitals to empty 'as many patients as possible' Care bosses have warned homes will not have enough staff to deal with NHS orders for hospitals to discharge as many patients as 'soon as practically possible' to handle the predicted Omicron surge.

              In a letter to regional bosses published late last night, NHS England ruled all patients occupying hospital beds who don't 'need' one be sent to care homes, hospices and hotels if it is 'safe' to do so. The Daily Mail
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              Tuesday, 14 December 2021

              A&E trips to KGH one-third higher than 2020 and adding to pressure on already-stretched NHS

              A&E trips to KGH one-third higher than 2020 and adding to pressure on already-stretched NHS Fewer patients went to A&E at Kettering General Hospital in November – but numbers were still up by more than one-third on the same period in 2020.

              NHS England figures showed 8,612 patients visited the accident and emergency department last month. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

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              Corby GP practice's abusive patients impacting staff's mental health

              Corby GP practice's abusive patients impacting staff's mental health The largest GP practice in Corby has pleaded with frustrated patients to stop abusing their hard-working staff who are 'doing their very best'.

              Lakeside Healthcare owns the Lakeside super-practice in Cottingham Road as well as Forest Gate Surgery in Corby, Brigstock Surgery, Headlands Surgery in Kettering and Oundle Medical Practice. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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              Challenges in implementing digital change

              Challenges in implementing digital change Digital change, on which government estimates it spends around £20 billion each year, offers a real opportunity for the government to transform its ways of working and how it provides services to citizens. However, in this report  the PAC is concerned by the number of complex, large-scale digital programmes they continue to see fail and the impact this has on important government services and taxpayers’ money. For example, failures in NHS England’s efforts to transform primary care services potentially put patients at risk of serious harm. Public Accounts Committee
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                Framework to support inter-hospital transfer of critical care patients

                Framework to support inter-hospital transfer of critical care patients This framework document sets out principles to which units and systems should adhere, to maintain equitable and safe access to critical care for both emergency and urgent planned care patients. NHS England 
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                  NHS sets out next steps to accelerate COVID-19 booster rollout

                  NHS sets out next steps to accelerate COVID-19 booster rollout The NHS has today outlined detailed plans to accelerate the COVID-19 booster programme with more pop-up vaccination centres and extended opening hours as part of plans to protect the nation against the new Omicron variant. NHS England

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                  Covid: Call for volunteers as 500k book boosters in a day

                  Covid: Call for volunteers as 500k book boosters in a day More than half a million people booked their Covid booster jabs on Monday - despite the NHS website crashing as thousands sought top-up doses.

                  Boris Johnson revealed the figure a day after pledging that boosters would be offered to all over-18s by 31 December.

                  Long queues formed at walk-in vaccination sites on Monday, with some people waiting five hours to get jabs. BBC News

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                  NHS trusts criticised over system that films mental health patients in their bedrooms

                  NHS trusts criticised over system that films mental health patients in their bedrooms NHS trusts are facing calls to suspend the use of a monitoring system that continuously records video of mental health patients in their bedrooms amid concerns that it breaches their human rights.

                  Mental health charities said the Oxevision system, used by 23 NHS trusts in some psychiatric wards to monitor patients’ vital signs, could breach their right to privacy and exacerbate their distress. The Guardian 
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                  How does the NHS decide who they pay to treat - and who misses out? 

                  How does the NHS decide who they pay to treat - and who misses out?  The numbers are mind-blowing. In England alone, the NHS spends an average of £52 million on prescription medicines every day. 

                  Over the past decade, the annual drugs bill has soared from £13 billion to £19 billion. The Daily Mail
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                  Monday, 13 December 2021

                  Increase in Covid-19 patients in Northamptonshire hospitals as Omicron fears see alert level raised

                  Increase in Covid-19 patients in Northamptonshire hospitals as Omicron fears see alert level raised NHS figures revealed a jump in coronavirus patients in Northamptonshire hospitals ahead of Chief Medical Officers' raising the UK's Covid-19 Alert Level. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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                  New rules as visitors to KGH and NGH must provide proof of negative Covid test

                  New rules as visitors to KGH and NGH must provide proof of negative Covid test New rules are being introduced for visitors to the county's two main hospitals to help prevent the spread of Covid as cases of the Omicron variant continue to rise across the UK. Northamptonshire Telegraph
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                  Coroner's 'concern' over ambulance service's lack of action following Kettering boy's tragic death

                  Coroner's 'concern' over ambulance service's lack of action following Kettering boy's tragic death A coroner will take the rare step of issuing a prevention of future deaths report after an inquest uncovered concerns over the ambulance service called out to help a much-loved Kettering boy when he had a fatal epileptic seizure. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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                  A&E trips to Northampton General Hospital 35 percent higher than 2020 and adding to pressure on already-stretched NHS

                  A&E trips to Northampton General Hospital 35 percent higher than 2020 and adding to pressure on already-stretched NHS Fewer patients went to A&E at Northampton General Hospital in November – but numbers were still up by more than one-third on the same period in 2020. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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                  West Northants: Rough sleeper numbers 'massively reduced'

                  West Northants: Rough sleeper numbers 'massively reduced' Emergency measures introduced in the pandemic have "massively reduced" the number of rough sleepers in a council district, according to charity workers.

                  West Northamptonshire Council's annual rough sleeper count recorded 15 people as sleeping on its streets. BBC Northampton

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                  UK coronavirus (COVID-19) alert level increased from Level 3 to Level 4

                  UK coronavirus (COVID-19) alert level increased from Level 3 to Level 4 Following advice from the UK Health Security Agency and in the light of the rapid increase in Omicron cases, the UK Chief Medical Officers and NHS England National Medical Director have recommended to ministers that the UK COVID-19 alert level should increase from Level 3 to Level 4. Department of Health and Social Care

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                  Covid: New booster target as Johnson declares Omicron 'emergency'

                  Covid: New booster target as Johnson declares Omicron 'emergency' Booster jabs will be offered to everyone over 18 in England from this week, the PM has announced, as he declared an "Omicron emergency".

                  "No one should be in any doubt, there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming," Boris Johnson said on Sunday.

                  A new target has been set to give boosters to all adults who want one by the end of the month, he said. BBC News

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                  Seventy-five people have died in autism and learning disability units in England since 2015

                  Seventy-five people have died in autism and learning disability units in England since 2015 Seventy-five people with a learning disability or autism have died in inpatient units in England since 2015, Sky News can reveal.

                  It follows an independent review, commissioned by NHS Midlands, which found the death of Clive Treacey - one of the 75 - was "potentially avoidable". Sky News
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                  Blood supplies could soon become 'critical,' NHS warns

                  Blood supplies could soon become 'critical,' NHS warns NHS stocks of blood may become “critical” this winter, a regulator has warned, as Covid and higher than average winter rates of cold and flu risk donation levels.

                  The NHS Blood and Transplant authority declared a major incident at the end of October after its supply of blood supplies dropped to critical levels. The Independent 
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                  The secret NHS trust boss: the strain on hospitals is visible and visceral

                  The secret NHS trust boss: the strain on hospitals is visible and visceral The chief executive of an acute hospital NHS trust in England talks anonymously about the pressures the service is facing. The Guardian 
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                  Number of healthy patients ‘stranded’ in English hospital wards rises by 80%

                  Number of healthy patients ‘stranded’ in English hospital wards rises by 80% The number of patients stuck in hospital in England despite being medically fit to leave nearly doubled between February and November this year. The rise is worrying health experts, who say it is more evidence that the crisis in the adult care system is creating backlogs in the NHS.

                  NHS England data shows that the number of times hospital trusts were unable to discharge a patient who no longer met the criteria to stay in hospital increased from 223,593 in February to 402,211 in November – a rise of almost 80%. The Guardian 
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                  Friday, 10 December 2021

                  Health chiefs name England's Omicron hotspots as West Northamptonshire tops the charts

                  Health chiefs name England's Omicron hotspots as West Northamptonshire tops the charts England's Omicron hotspot was today revealed as West Northamptonshire as No10's scientific advisers warned the mutant strain could trigger the biggest wave yet — but UK-wide daily Covid infections dropped for the first time in over a week.

                  Up to 83 cases of the highly-evolved variant have been detected in West Northants with 27 officially confirmed by lab analysis, according to the UK Health Security Agency. The Daily Mail

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                  The NHS’s duty of care with its overseas staff

                  The NHS’s duty of care with its overseas staff Staff from abroad have long been invaluable to the NHS, not least in nursing where they make up nearly a fifth of the current workforce. Drawing on our conversations with communities of overseas nurses, this blog from Claudia Leone emphasises the importance of supporting and retaining staff from overseas. Nuffield Trust 

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                  What might ‘levelling up’ mean for the NHS?

                  What might ‘levelling up’ mean for the NHS? There has been much talk about levelling up over the past few months, with a white paper on how it will be achieved now expected in the new year. With different parts of the country facing unique issues when it comes to delivering health care, Rachel Hutchings describes five issues that could affect levelling up within the NHS. Nuffield Trust 

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                  Hidden health needs: the elephant in the NHS waiting room

                  Hidden health needs: the elephant in the NHS waiting room According to this report, NHS waiting lists vastly underestimate the scale of unmet health need in England. It predicts that without intervention the level of need is expected to peak at 15.5 million in 2023 and still stand at 13.5 million in 2024. The analysis also reveals the parts of country that are likely to feel this demand strain more acutely. Lane Clark & Peacock LLP 
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                    Record numbers accept a place to study nursing and midwifery

                    Record numbers accept a place to study nursing and midwifery Record numbers of students accepted places to study nursing and midwifery in England this year for the second year running, according to the latest data on university admissions published by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Department of Health and Social Care 
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                    National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published

                    National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published Weekly national influenza and COVID-19 report, monitoring coronavirus (COVID-19) activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses. UK Health Security Agency

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                    Covid-19: Face masks required in more indoor venues in England

                    Covid-19: Face masks required in more indoor venues in England Face coverings are now compulsory in most indoor venues in England, under measures to tackle the Omicron variant.

                    The new rules require people to wear masks in locations including theatres, cinemas, places of worship, museums and indoor sport stadiums.

                    Further changes start next week under the government's move to so-called Plan B Covid restrictions. BBC News

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                    Almost 6 million people on waiting lists for NHS surgery in England

                    Almost 6 million people on waiting lists for NHS surgery in England A record number of almost 6 million people are waiting to have hospital treatment in England, the latest NHS monthly performance statistics show.

                    The number of patients on the waiting list for non-urgent hospital treatment, including surgery such as a hip or knee replacement or cataract operation, rose to 5,975,216 in October, the highest since records began in August 2007. The Guardian

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                    Bosses at West Suffolk hospital criticised over ‘intimidating’ hunt for whistleblower

                    Bosses at West Suffolk hospital criticised over ‘intimidating’ hunt for whistleblower Bosses at Matt Hancock’s local hospital have been severely criticised in an NHS report for their part in an “intimidating” bullying scandal exposed by the Guardian.

                    The long-delayed review into West Suffolk hospital in Bury St Edmunds was ordered in January 2020 after the Guardian revealed that senior clinicians were subjected to an unprecedented demand to provide fingerprint samples as part of a management search for a suspected whistleblower. The Guardian

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                    Warning of 'generational crisis' of inactivity as teenage boys hit hardest by lockdown

                    Warning of 'generational crisis' of inactivity as teenage boys hit hardest by lockdown Secondary school age boys became less active than girls for the first time during the Covid pandemic, according to a major new report which lays bare a “generational crisis” of children’s inactivity. The Daily Telegraph

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                    Thursday, 9 December 2021

                    Covid: Anniversary of first Northamptonshire vaccination

                    Covid: Anniversary of first Northamptonshire vaccination More than half a million people have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine in Northamptonshire one year on from the first jab being administered.

                    The county's roll-out of the vaccine started at Northampton Hospital on 8 December 2020. BBC Northampton

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                    New online cancer information hub launched to help Northamptonshire patients cope with diagnosis

                    New online cancer information hub launched to help Northamptonshire patients cope with diagnosis A new online cancer information hub has been launched to help Northamptonshire patients to understand and cope with diagnosis and treatments. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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                    Northampton Hospital: New cancer treatment reduces need for surgery

                    Northampton Hospital: New cancer treatment reduces need for surgery A new cancer treatment which removes the need for surgery or traditional radiotherapy "could be a norm for the future," according to a hospital clinician.

                    Northampton Hospital is one of 10 places across England to trial Skin Brachytherapy. BBC Northampton
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                    Children's services back in spotlight after reviews into deaths of two infants in Northamptonshire

                    Children's services back in spotlight after reviews into deaths of two infants in Northamptonshire Heads of children's services in Northamptonshire admit there is still work to be done following publication of two independent reviews into deaths of infants in the county. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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                    Enabling service transformation in practice: reflections on the Wade-Gery review

                    Enabling service transformation in practice: reflections on the Wade-Gery review The innovations we’ve seen in NHS services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic – such as more digital consultations, remote monitoring, and using data to prioritise vaccine rollout – have given us a glimpse of the potential of technology and data to revolutionise health care delivery. The Health Foundation

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                    NHS England and tackling inequalities

                    NHS England and tackling inequalities The lightbulb moment of the Covid-19 experience to date – that inequalities in health and their causes run deep through our society and through how people access, experience and receive care from the NHS – must not be lost. The King's Fund 
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                    Mental health services for children and young people risk backward slide

                    Mental health services for children and young people risk backward slide The Health and Social Care Committee calls for urgent action to prevent mental health services slipping backwards as a result of additional demand created by the pandemic and the scale of unmet need prior to it.

                    MPs found that despite progress in numbers of young people receiving treatment, it was unacceptable that more than half with a diagnosable condition pre-pandemic do not receive the mental health support they need.

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                    RCEM winter flow project: analysis of the data so far

                    RCEM winter flow project: analysis of the data so far Winter flow is an annual project run by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine since 2015. The project collects a range of data to explore the factors that affect emergency departments and patient ‘flow’. This report reveals that in November 2021 6,726 elective care operations were cancelled and in October 2021 6,335 elective care operations were cancelled. Royal College of Emergency Medicine 
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                      Health and Care Bill

                      Health and Care Bill The Health and Care Bill is scheduled for second reading in the House of Lords on 7 December 2021. This briefing focuses on how the bill changed as it went through the House of Commons, and remaining areas that opposition parties and other stakeholders would like to see addressed in the House of Lords. House of Lords Library 
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                        Statement to Parliament: Health Secretary's oral statement to Parliament on COVID-19

                        Statement to Parliament: Health Secretary's oral statement to Parliament on COVID-19 Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid's oral statement to Parliament on COVID-19 and Plan B made on 8 December. Department of Health and Social Care

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                        Covid-19: Javid defends Plan B rule changes amid No 10 party row

                        Covid-19: Javid defends Plan B rule changes amid No 10 party row New Covid rules in England will buy time against the Omicron variant amid a "credible risk" of a crisis in the NHS, Health Secretary Sajid Javid says.

                        The restrictions include masks in most public places, Covid passes for some venues and work from home guidance.

                        Mr Javid denied the government had lost credibility by breaking rules over parties at Downing Street. BBC News 

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                        New Zealand to ban cigarettes for future generations

                        New Zealand to ban cigarettes for future generations New Zealand will ban the sale of tobacco to its next generation, in a bid to eventually phase out smoking.

                        Anyone born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in their lifetime, under a law expected to be enacted next year.

                        "We want to make sure young people never start smoking," Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verall said. BBC News
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