‘Miracle’ Cystic Fibrosis Treatment For Children on The NHS

‘Miracle’ Cystic Fibrosis Treatment For Children on The NHS Hundreds of children are set to benefit from a ‘miracle’ treatment for cystic fibrosis, which has already changed the lives of thousands of people, the NHS has announced today. Patients here were some of the first in Europe to benefit from Kaftrio when NHS England secured a landmark deal in June 2020. NHS England 

More than 40 million people have now had a second jab after bumper week

More than 40 million people have now had a second jab after bumper week More than 40 million second doses have now been delivered by the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, after a bumper week saw over 200,000 people come forward for their second jab. NHS England 

About 4.3 million Covid infections estimated in UK

About 4.3 million Covid infections estimated in UK About 4.3 million people in the UK had a Covid infection in the week up to 7 January - up from 3.7 million the previous week, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates.

That is 6.7% of the population, but the rise in people testing positive is slowing down in all four UK nations. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey headline results, UK: 12 January 2022 Office for National Statistics
• Care services struggle with Omicron staff-sickness spike BBC News
• Covid: Hospital staff come in on days off to cover absences BBC News
• In full: Boris Johnson's apology over lockdown drinks party BBC News
• Boris Johnson: Senior Tories urge PM to quit after party apology BBC News
• What has the PM said before about No 10 parties? BBC News
• Covid: Chile starts fourth vaccine dose amid rise in cases BBC News
• Face masks can slash distance infectious Covid droplets travel by up to EIGHT-FOLD, study suggests The Daily Mail
• 'Eventually it will have to break': LMC alert systems show general practice in distress GPonline
• Sajid Javid urged to delay mandatory jabs for NHS staff in England The Guardian
• Use of ‘VIP lane’ to award Covid PPE contracts unlawful, high court rules The Guardian
• ‘What we saw alarmed us’: the long fight to expose ‘VIP lane’ Covid contracts The Guardian
• Boris Johnson admits attending Downing Street party during lockdown The Guardian
• Covid loses almost all its ability to infect beyond short distances, new study finds The Independent
• ‘Deltacron’: New Covid variant or laboratory error? The Independent
• Man fined £100 for standing in the street same day No 10 accused of holding party The Independent
• COVID-19: Patient in intensive care regrets being 'too lazy' to get vaccine Sky News

6m people on hospital waiting lists in England

6m people on hospital waiting lists in England The number of people on a hospital waiting list in England has hit 6 million for the first time, NHS data shows.

Around one in 20 of those have been waiting more than a year.

This figure is for the end of November and covers operations such as knee and hip surgery. That is before Omicron hit so it is likely these figures will have worsened. BBC News

Jonathan Van-Tam stepping down as deputy chief medical officer

Jonathan Van-Tam stepping down as deputy chief medical officer Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer, is stepping down from his position, it has been announced.

One of England’s most recognisable and trusted medics of the pandemic, Prof Van-Tam is set to return to the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Nottingham, where he has been on secondment from since 2017. The Independent 

PROF KAROL SIKORA warns thousands of lives will be lost to cancer without urgent action

PROF KAROL SIKORA warns thousands of lives will be lost to cancer without urgent action Anyone who tuned into the debate today amongst a smattering of MPs on the issue of access to radiotherapy would have found it a truly sobering experience.

MPs from all parties lined up to set out in chilling terms the desperate situation we are now facing with cancer. In their words, it is a crisis in every shape and form. The Daily Mail 

UK doctors could soon begin giving heart transplant patients organs from PIGS after US case

UK doctors could soon begin giving heart transplant patients organs from PIGS after US case Transplant patients could routinely be given animal organs within years, according to the surgeon behind the world's first operation to give a dying man a pig heart.

Many experts see the field – known as xenotransplantation – as a solution to a global shortage of human organ donors that is expected to get worse as we live longer.

Last week, a genetically modified pig heart was transplanted into a terminally ill heart failure patient and the organ appears to be functioning properly so far. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Three ethical issues around pig heart transplants BBC News
• First pig heart to human transplant is a game-changer, say surgeons BBC News

Military personnel brought in to support East Midlands Ambulance Service with non-emergency responses

Military personnel brought in to support East Midlands Ambulance Service with non-emergency responses Arrangements have been made for 60 military personnel to support East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) with responding to non-emergency patients in the coming weeks. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Integration and innovation in action: community capacity

Integration and innovation in action: community capacity This report outlines a range of examples where NHS organisations are working collaboratively to improve outcomes for patients and local communities. Based on interviews with NHS leaders, it reflects on the opportunities and challenges of models of care that aim to treat patients in the community. NHS Confederation 

Diverting children from unnecessary hospital attendances in York

Diverting children from unnecessary hospital attendances in York This case study shows how local GP provider organisation Nimbuscare worked with the local authority, volunteers, local businesses and health providers in York to turn an area of wasteland into the beginnings of a health village. The disused car park hosts an innovative paediatric hub pilot scheme to help prevent under-fives from going into hospital, provides preventative health checks and delivers flu, Covid-19 and booster vaccinations on behalf of the eleven GP practices within the city. NHS Confederation 

People with a positive lateral flow test no longer required to take confirmatory PCR test

People with a positive lateral flow test no longer required to take confirmatory PCR test From 11 January, most people with a positive lateral flow test do not need to take a confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm they have COVID-19. UK Health Security Agency 

Is the worst of Omicron really over?

Is the worst of Omicron really over? Covid cases in the UK are on the way down - at least according to the daily figures released by the government.

The number of cases confirmed over the past seven days is 13% down on the previous week.

But does this really mean the Omicron wave has peaked? BBC News

See also: 

• Covid: Half of Europe to be infected with Omicron within weeks - WHO BBC News
• Covid: Quebec to impose health tax on unvaccinated Canadians BBC News
• Covid-19 vaccine: Why are some athletes so reluctant to get the jab? BBC News
• Downing Street party: What Covid rules would it have broken? BBC News
• MPs demand answers over Covid drinks claim BBC News
• Doctor reveals every critically ill Covid patient being treated at his hospital is unvaccinated The Daily Mail
• Pfizer plans to produce up to 100 million doses of new Omicron-specific Covid vaccine by spring The Daily Mail
• Garden party hangover might explain why Boris Johnson didn’t sack Dominic Cummings straight away The Daily Telegraph
• What does the Omicron winter crisis mean for the NHS? The Guardian
• One in seven could still be infectious after five-day Covid isolation The Guardian
• ‘The party’s over, Boris’: what the papers say about Johnson’s No 10 crisis The Guardian
• UK records 379 Covid deaths and 120,821 new cases as PCR test rule change begins The Independent
• No 10 staff told to ‘clean up’ phones amid lockdown party allegations, sources claim The Independent
• Police fined more than 800 people for breach of Covid rules in week of Downing Street party The Independent

RSV: Parents should be alert to symptoms of common winter virus

RSV: Parents should be alert to symptoms of common winter virus A charity is warning parents to be alert to a common winter virus that can cause breathing problems in very young children.

The British Lung Foundation says respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) could rebound in January after few cases last winter - but numbers are currently low.

As with Covid, most children have mild symptoms but a small number need hospital treatment. BBC News 

Ex-NHS chief bids to force ministers to 'reveal hand' on mental health cash

Ex-NHS chief bids to force ministers to 'reveal hand' on mental health cash A move that would force the Government to show it is “putting its money where its mouth is” on mental health funding has been proposed at Westminster by a former NHS boss.

Against the backdrop of other pressing issues such as tackling operation waiting lists, Lord Stevens of Birmingham stressed the need for the sector to remain a priority. The Independent 

As a paramedic, I see an NHS ambulance service at breaking point, letting down those who need it most

As a paramedic, I see an NHS ambulance service at breaking point, letting down those who need it most | The Secret Paramedic Patients wait up to 12 hours. Some die waiting. How long must we wait for this dire situation to improve?

Waiting, and waiting, and waiting. For a GP appointment, a routine screening, a vaccine. To see a clinician in A&E, or for an ambulance to take you there. Waiting for a referral appointment, for the community nurse to arrive, for a care worker to call. The NHS waiting list feels endless. The Guardian 

Covid: Military help could be sought in Northamptonshire

Covid: Military help could be sought in Northamptonshire Military help could be sought to deal with a major Covid-19 incident, according to council boss.

Northamptonshire declared a major incident on Friday, with critical services facing staff shortages.

West Northamptonshire Council's chief executive Anna Earnshaw said the decision would help keep residents and patients safe. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Northamptonshire: Health director to leave Covid major incident county BBC Northampton
• Northampton vaccination site gives more than 1,300 Covid-19 jabs in a single day with just eight vaccinators Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northamptonshire will get TWO £100,000-a-year public health directors under latest local government shake-up Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northamptonshire's director of public health quits to take new job Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Crucial Covid rule change affecting use of PCR tests takes effect today Northamptonshire Telegraph

Hundreds of Northamptonshire patients don't discover they've got cancer until it's already at most deadly stage, figures show

Hundreds of Northamptonshire patients don't discover they've got cancer until it's already at most deadly stage, figures show Hundreds of cancers are not discovered until they have progressed to the most deadly stage of illness in Northamptonshire, new figures show.

And a leading charity fears a 'cancer catastrophe' could be on the cards if more is not done to reduce the number of people receiving late diagnoses. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

The Health and Care Bill: House of Lords, Committee of the whole House, 11 & 13 January 2022, consideration of clauses 1-34

The Health and Care Bill: House of Lords, Committee of the whole House, 11 & 13 January 2022, consideration of clauses 1-34 This briefing on the Health and Care Bill provides commentary on amendments tabled for the Committee Stage in the House of Lords, scheduled to take place on 11 and 13 January 2022. NHS Providers 

NHS strikes new COVID surge deal with independent sector

NHS strikes new COVID surge deal with independent sector Local hospitals will be able to quickly activate surge capacity in the independent sector as part of the national COVID response, under a new deal announced today.

A three-month agreement with multiple independent healthcare organisations will see their staff and facilities put on standby to support the NHS should the Omicron variant lead to unsustainable levels of hospitalisations or staff absences. NHS England 

Covid PCR tests end for asymptomatic cases in England

Covid PCR tests end for asymptomatic cases in England People without Covid symptoms no longer need a PCR test to confirm a positive lateral flow in England.

The change reflects the high prevalence of coronavirus in the community and the accuracy of rapid tests, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

The surge in Omicron cases has seen many with positive lateral flow tests struggling to book a follow-up PCR. BBC News

See also: 

• 100 invited to Downing Street garden lockdown drinks BBC News
• 'Is this for real?' No escape for No 10 from party claims BBC News
• PM on Covid testing: We'll look at science over shortening isolation BBC News
• Covid-19: Common cold may give some protection, study suggests BBC News
• Covid: Fact-checking the doctor who challenged the health secretary BBC News
• UK's Covid cases fall 10% in a week to 142,224 while hospitalisations flatten out The Daily Mail
• Ministers brace to live with Covid amid push for five-day isolation The Daily Mail
• Britain is close to 'living with Covid' as pressure on NHS and public services diminishes The Daily Telegraph
• Covid patient numbers in hospital continue to rise in England and Scotland The Guardian
• NHS England had no choice but turn to private hospitals during Covid surge The Guardian
• What the latest Covid-19 data does, and doesn’t, tell us about Omicron surge The Independent
• Boris Johnson ‘attended No 10 lockdown-breaking party’ with 100 Downing Street staff invited The Independent
• Top doctors urge Government to act on NHS staff exodus with record numbers quitting over Covid trauma iNews
• Email proves Downing Street staff held drinks party at height of lockdown ITV News
• In full: The Westminster parties alleged to have happened during 2020 Covid restrictions ITV News

NHS staff: 'We're doing the absolute best we can'

NHS staff: 'We're doing the absolute best we can' "Just had a cry in the meds room - the NHS is at breaking point and so are many of its staff."

That's what Emma Scott-Spivey, a student paramedic, tweeted after a January shift in a North Yorkshire hospital. BBC News 

First pig heart to human transplant is a game-changer, say surgeons

First pig heart to human transplant is a game-changer, say surgeons Surgeons at the University of Maryland in the US have successfully completed the world's first pig to human heart transplant.

Muhammad Mohiuddin, who co-founded the university's xenotransplantation programme, said that the heart is beating very well and beyond expectations.

David Bennett, 57, who received the pig heart in a seven-hour experimental operation, had been deemed ineligible for a human heart transplant. BBC News 

Covid: Northamptonshire declares major incident amid critical staff shortages

Covid: Northamptonshire declares major incident amid critical staff shortages Northamptonshire has declared a major Covid-19 incident with hospitals, care homes and other services facing critical staff shortages.

Public Health Northamptonshire figures show there were 1,406.3 Covid cases per 100,000 people in the week up to 2 January.

The decision was made by the Local Resilience Forum (LRF), made up of front-line services across the county. BBC Northamptonshire

See also:

• Covid-19: Can you get long Covid from Omicron? BBC News
• Northamptonshire declares major county wide incident services due to Covid surge The Daily Mirror
• Health and emergency services declare 'major incident' over surge in Northamptonshire Covid Omicron cases Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Declaration of ‘major incident’ in Northamptonshire is ‘proactive’ measure ahead of ‘expected surge’ of Omicron cases Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Two pints of lager and a Covid jab, please ... Northampton village pub is latest walk-in vaccination venue Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Experts dismiss claims of new ‘Deltacron’ Covid strain found in Cyprus Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Northamptonshire Covid cases double in the space of a week as emergency declared Northants Live
• Northamptonshire declares major incident over Covid staff shortages Northants Live

Briefing on the Health and Care Bill: House of Lords Committee stage

Briefing on the Health and Care Bill: House of Lords Committee stage The Health and Care Bill (House of Lords Bill 2021–22) introduces new measures to promote and enable collaboration in health and care, building on earlier recommendations made by NHS England and NHS Improvement in 2019. The Bill also contains new powers for the Secretary of State to intervene in the health and care system, and targeted changes to public health, social care, and the oversight of quality and safety. The King's Fund 

Healthcare regulation: deciding when statutory regulation is appropriate

Healthcare regulation: deciding when statutory regulation is appropriate This consultation is seeking views on the criteria used to make decisions on which health and social care professions should be regulated. It considers how the powers to introduce and remove professions from regulation might be used in the future. The consultation closes on 31 March 2022. Department of Health and Social Care 

New campaign launched to help parents improve children's diet

New campaign launched to help parents improve children's diet The government's New Better Health campaign, including a new NHS Food Scanner App, launches today to help parents improve their children's diet. Department of Health and Social Care 

Boosters continue to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from Omicron in older adults

Boosters continue to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from Omicron in older adults Latest data from UKHSA shows booster doses are continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant among older adults. UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• Independent report: JCVI statement on the adult COVID-19 booster vaccination programme and the Omicron variant Department of Health  and Social Care
• New campaign launched urging pregnant women to Get Boosted Now Department of Health  and Social Care
• Top GP urges families to protect children with NHS Covid jab NHS England
• Guidance: The R value and growth rate UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports: 2021 to 2022 season UK Health Security Agency
• Virus Watch Study: Non-household activities COVID risk, 20 December 2021 Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, UK: 7 January 2022

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, UK: 7 January 2022 n England, the percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 continued to increase in the week ending 31 December 2021; we estimate that 3,270,800 people in England had COVID-19 (95% credible interval: 3,163,500 to 3,377,500), equating to around 1 in 15 people. Office for National Statistics

Covid: UK records more than 150,000 deaths

Covid: UK records more than 150,000 deaths More than 150,000 people in the UK have now died within 28 days of a positive Covid test since the pandemic began.

A further 313 deaths were reported in the government's daily figures on Saturday, taking the total to 150,057.

The UK is the seventh country to pass 150,000 reported deaths, after the US, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Peru. BBC News

 

See also:

• Covid: Visualising 150,000 UK coronavirus deaths BBC News
• Covid vaccine: Pregnant women urged not to delay getting jab BBC News
• Covid: Hospital boss admits they may lose staff over compulsory vaccines BBC News
• Covid isolation period still under review - Zahawi BBC News
• Look familiar? How rapid tests changed the pandemic BBC News
• Britons DON'T need a fourth jab... yet: Health chiefs say booster doses are working against Omicron The Daily Mail
• None of England's 25 boroughs worst hit by Omicron are now in London The Daily Mail
• How the surge of the omicron variant caught the NHS off guard The Daily Telegraph
• NHS in England hit by highest Covid absences since vaccine rollout The Guardian
• NHS England strikes private hospitals deal to fight Omicron surge The Guardian
• NHS frontline 'stretched perilously thin' by Omicron, warns trusts chief The Independent
• NHS leaders accused of 'bullying' hospitals into silence over scale of Covid crisis The Independent
• Covid variants: How many strains are in circulation and causing concern around the world? The Independent

Calls to male sexual abuse helpline double in 2021

Calls to male sexual abuse helpline double in 2021 More than 7,000 calls, texts and emails were received by Safeline's male helpline in 2021 - more than double the number of 2020.

It's one of several services the charity runs for survivors of sexual abuse, and has seen a huge rise in people reaching out for help. BBC News 

Pledge to bolster GP surgery staff set to be broken, say health leaders

Pledge to bolster GP surgery staff set to be broken, say health leaders A manifesto pledge to hire 26,000 extra health professionals to work in GP surgeries is set to be broken by the government, health leaders have warned, leaving family doctors straining under a heavier workload. The Guardian

Millions could be forced to pay for prescriptions with NHS rule change

Millions could be forced to pay for prescriptions with NHS rule change Elderly people could soon be forced to pay for prescriptions as the Government considers changing who gets their medicine for free. Metro 

Boris Johnson visits Northampton to call out anti-vaxxers labelling them 'completely wrong' and 'counterproductive'

Boris Johnson visits Northampton to call out anti-vaxxers labelling them 'completely wrong' and 'counterproductive' The Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in Northampton this afternoon (January 6) to discuss anti-vaxxers.

Mr Johnson visited the county vaccination centre at Moulton Park where he said the people putting 'mumbo jumbo' on social media about Covid-19 vaccines are 'completely wrong'. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also: 

• Covid: Anti-vaccine campaigns are mumbo jumbo, says PM BBC News
• Boris Johnson in Northampton: Prime Minister thanks hospital staff and volunteers at vaccination centre Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 100,000 critical workers to get daily lateral flow tests from next week Northamptonshire Telegraph
• COVID-19: Boris Johnson attacks anti-vax 'mumbo jumbo' as minister says Omicron peak will be over 'relatively soon' Sky News

2022/23 NHS priorities and operational planning guidance: what you need to know

2022/23 NHS priorities and operational planning guidance: what you need to know This briefing provides a summary and analysis of NHS England and NHS Improvement's latest operational planning guidance and priorities for the service in 2022/23. NHS Confederation

See also: 

• 2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance NHS England

Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports: 2021 to 2022 season

Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports: 2021 to 2022 season National influenza and COVID-19 report, monitoring COVID-19 activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses. UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• Record level of flu jab uptake in those aged 65 and over UK Health Security Agency
• Pre-departure testing removed for vaccinated travellers UK Health Security Agency
• Research: COVID-19 vaccine weekly surveillance reports (weeks 39 to 1, 2021 to 2022) UK Health Security Agency

Prevalence of ongoing symptoms following coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the UK : 6 January 2022

Prevalence of ongoing symptoms following coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the UK : 6 January 2022 An estimated 1.3 million people living in private households in the UK (2.0% of the population) were experiencing self-reported long COVID (symptoms persisting for more than four weeks after the first suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) infection that were not explained by something else) as of 6 December 2021. Office for National Statistics

See also: 

• UK survey suggests 1.3 million have long Covid BBC News

Covid: Deadly Omicron should not be called mild, warns WHO

Covid: Deadly Omicron should not be called mild, warns WHO The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against describing the Omicron variant as mild, saying it is killing people across the world.

Recent studies suggest that Omicron is less likely to make people seriously ill than previous Covid variants.

But the record number of people catching it has left health systems under severe pressure, said WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid: Mask refusals in England's secondary schools causing concern BBC News
• Covid: The Army sends 200 personnel to support the NHS in London BBC News
• Covid: Evidence on face masks in schools 'inconclusive' BBC News
• 'Crisis actor' conspiracy theory: How anti-vax activists targeted a Covid patient BBC News
• Covid UK: Yet ANOTHER study suggests London's Omicron crisis has peaked The Daily Mail
• At least 5,000 Covid patients in England are NOT primarily in hospital for virus: analysis The Daily Mail
• Hospital stays for Covid patients are getting shorter The Daily Mail
• Hospitals outside London ‘expect more Covid patients than last January’  The Guardian
• UK reports 179,756 new Covid cases as Omicron surge continues The Guardian
• IHU: How dangerous is new Covid variant and where has it spread? The Independent
• How effective are the Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines against Omicron? The Independent
• Scam PCR test text message claiming to be from NHS taken down The Independent
• COVID-19: Steep rise in hospital admissions among elderly will send shudders through NHS Sky News

UK faces legal action for approving firm accused of using forced labour as PPE supplier

UK faces legal action for approving firm accused of using forced labour as PPE supplier The UK government is facing legal action over its decision to keep using a Malaysian company accused of using forced labour as a supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS.

Lawyers at the London-based law firm Wilson Solicitors have filed for a judicial review of the government’s decision to name the UK subsidiary of the Malaysian company Supermax as one of the approved suppliers in a new £6bn contract for disposable gloves for NHS workers. The Guardian

See also:

• Tory peer Michelle Mone secretly involved in PPE firm she referred to government The Guardian

Are free prescriptions being scrapped? Why there are fears of NHS medicine charges for over-60s from April

Are free prescriptions being scrapped? Why there are fears of NHS medicine charges for over-60s from April Vulnerable older people may have to choose between food and medicine if the Government increases the age at which they can access free NHS prescriptions, campaigners have warned.

Raising the upper age exemption in England from 60 to 66, in line with the state pension age, would be a “disaster for tens of thousands of people who may face a new barrier to accessing their vital medicines”, said the Prescription Charges Coalition. iNews

First case of human H5-type bird flu found in UK

First case of human H5-type bird flu found in UK A duck expert has been identified as the first person in Britain to be infected with a deadly strain of H5 bird flu.

Alan Gosling, 79, tested positive for the virus during routine swabbing after the flock of Muscovy ducks he kept at his home in Buckfastleigh, Devon, became infected and were culled last week. The Daily Telegraph

See also: 

• Human case of avian flu detected in UK UK Health Security Agency
• Human case of bird flu detected in the UK BBC News
• Bird flu: ‘Very rare’ case detected in person in southwest England The Independent

Global dementia cases will TRIPLE by 2050 unless people adopt healthier lifestyles, study warns

Global dementia cases will TRIPLE by 2050 unless people adopt healthier lifestyles, study warns Dementia cases will triple by 2050 unless people adopt healthier lifestyles and education improves, a major study suggests.

Experts warn of a potential dementia time bomb, with 153million living with the condition worldwide within decades.

This is up from 57million in 2019, with the soaring numbers fuelled by growing and ageing populations as well as poor diets and a lack of exercise. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Estimation of the global prevalence of dementia in 2019 and forecasted prevalence in 2050: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (open access) The Lancet Public Health

Northamptonshire's mental health phoneline received more than 3100 calls for help in 11 days over festive period

Northamptonshire's mental health phoneline received more than 3100 calls for help in 11 days over festive period Northamptonshire' s mental health help line received more than 3,100 calls in just 11 days during the festive season, averaging more than calls per day.

The mental health number, which was launched back in April 2020, is a 24/ hour telephone helpline designed as the only number you need to call for mental health support in the county. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

One in eight in Northamptonshire had a New Year's resolution to quit smoking

One in eight in Northamptonshire had a New Year's resolution to quit smoking Figures show up to one in eight people in Northamptonshire went into 2022 considering quitting smoking.

Public Health England data shows 13.1 percent of the area's adults — around 75,000 people — smoked in 2020, above the national average of 12.1 percent. Northamptonshire Telegraph

2021: the health policy year in 12 charts

2021: the health policy year in 12 charts 2021 may have been another ‘year of Covid’ but there was still plenty of other health policy news, notes and data to recap in our annual round-up of the year. So before we turn the page to 2022, let’s take our annual chart-based look at the year that was. The King's Fund 

Omicron and emergency care crisis could derail plans to tackle backlog, warn MPs

Omicron and emergency care crisis could derail plans to tackle backlog, warn MPs The Health and Social Care Committee’s Report on clearing the backlog caused by the pandemic finds that the elective recovery plans are threatened by pressure on emergency care with a record number of 999 calls and waiting times in emergency departments at record levels.  

The Report concludes that tackling the wider backlog caused by the pandemic is a major and ‘unquantifiable’ challenge. It calls for a broad national health and care recovery plan to include mental health, primary care, community care, and social care as well as emergency care.  

See also: 

• Clearing the backlog caused by the pandemic (report) Health and Social Care Committee
• BMA says the Government must listen in order to end the staffing crisis BMA
• Government must be realistic about the time and resources needed to clear the NHS backlog The Health Foundation
• Response to HSCSC inquiry on the backlog of care caused by the pandemic NHS Confederation
• RCN comments on Health and Social Care Committee report ‘Clearing the backlog caused by the pandemic' Royal College of Nursing
• RCP responds to the Health and Social Care Committee's report on clearing the backlog Royal College of Physicians
• RCGP responds to Health and Social Care Committee Report on NHS backlog Royal College of General Practitioners
• Fix NHS staffing crisis to tackle waiting lists backlog, warn MPs BBC News
• Government told to 'wake up' over NHS staff crisis as MPs highlight pressure on GPs GPonline
• MPs call for urgent action to tackle NHS treatment waiting list The Guardian

Urgent steps needed now to avoid staffing crisis in the NHS

Urgent steps needed now to avoid staffing crisis in the NHS The NHS is facing a staffing crisis which threatens the quality of patient care unless urgent steps are taken now by the Government to help alleviate the mounting pressure on front-line services.

The NHS Confederation, which represents the whole healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, is calling for a range of measures to be taken in the NHS in England to support hospitals, ambulance services, mental health and community providers, primary care and social care providers.

See also: 

• Ministers must act now on NHS staffing crisis, health chiefs warn The Guardian
• Assurances NHS is not overwhelmed ‘will not chime’ with experience of staff The Independent

Covid: Boris Johnson confirms Plan B rules to continue for three weeks

Covid: Boris Johnson confirms Plan B rules to continue for three weeks England's current Plan B rules will continue for now, Boris Johnson has confirmed - as new figures show a record one in 15 people had Covid on New Year's Eve.

In an update to MPs, the prime minister said the Covid measures will be reviewed again by 26 January. BBC News

See also: 

• Shapps: No PCR needed for asymptomatic Covid cases BBC News
• Covid: PCR not needed after positive lateral flow under new plans BBC News
• Covid: French uproar as Macron vows to 'piss off' unvaccinated BBC News
• Record 3.3 MILLION people - one in 15 - had Covid on New Year's Eve in England The Daily Mail
• NHS workers left empty handed in scramble for lateral flows The Daily Mail
• Hundreds of UK care homes are closing their doors to new patients The Daily Mail
• PCR vs LFT: Lateral flows can cut Covid isolation but could leave one in 10 with false positive The Daily Telegraph
• At least 24 NHS trusts declare critical incidents due to Covid pressures The Guardian
• ‘Covid is affecting all of acute care – so the system sludges up’ The Guardian
• People urged to report results of home Covid tests after follow-up PCRs suspended The Guardian
• Will the UK’s Covid booster campaign pick up speed in January? The Guardian
• Covid: UK reports 194747 new cases as pressure mounts on NHS and hospitals cancel surgeries The Independent
• Nurses in 'disbelief' as PM fails to act despite NHS being 'more broken than ever' Nursing Notes
• Will Omicron tip the NHS into a winter crisis? Sky News

NHS hospital uses robot technology

NHS hospital uses robot technology The NHS is facing unprecedented challenges with long waiting lists for treatment and staff shortages.

But could robots be part of the solution? 

A hospital in Bristol is already using robots to improve efficiency in some behind the scenes roles and is now experimenting with how robots might interact with patients. BBC News

Nurse ‘victimised’ for wearing cross at work was unfairly dismissed, tribunal rules

Nurse ‘victimised’ for wearing cross at work was unfairly dismissed, tribunal rules A nurse who claimed she was victimised for wearing a necklace with a Christian cross at work has won a case for unfair dismissal.

Mary Onuoha, a theatre practitioner at Croydon university hospital, Surrey, was discriminated against and harassed, an employment tribunal ruled on Wednesday. The Guardian 

New map shows Northampton's Covid hotspots

New map shows Northampton's Covid hotspots Covid-19 cases spread so fast in Northampton between Christmas and New Year the government's interactive map needed a new colour to show spiralling infections. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northampton General Hospital restricts visitors BBC Northampton
• Follow-up PCR testing rules to be ‘relaxed’ to tackle staff shortages Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Fears over Covid-19 spread behind Northampton General Hospital suspending visiting for majority of patients Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• People warned not to share pictures of Covid lateral flow tests online Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Jabs army on target to give 380,000 people a Covid-19 booster in Northamptonshire by end of 2021 Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Northamptonshire hit with nine Covid black spots as cases soar Northants Live

East Midlands Ambulance Service receives record-breaking number of calls in first few hours of 2022

East Midlands Ambulance Service receives record-breaking number of calls in first few hours of 2022 The ambulance service that covers Northamptonshire received a record-breaking number of calls in the first few hours of 2022. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

Another year, another variant, but what lies in store for the NHS and social care in 2022?

Another year, another variant, but what lies in store for the NHS and social care in 2022? As I wrote 2021’s New Year blog exactly a year ago, the Alpha variant of Covid-19 was laying waste to the green shoots of recovery we’d begun to see emerge across health and care after the first wave of the pandemic. Back then, the vaccination programme was in its infancy, but still offered the hope of an ultimate end to the Covid-19 crisis. Here I write at the end of 2021, where once again recovery – for the country, for the NHS and for social care – is on hold as a new and deadly race takes place between the Omicron variant and another wave of vaccination. This is not where we wanted to be. The King's Fund 

Time for action: investing in comprehensive mental health support for children and young people

Time for action: investing in comprehensive mental health support for children and young people This report, published together with the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, highlights the historic underinvestment in children and young people’s mental health, and the postcode lottery of support which has resulted. Public spending on children’s mental health lags behind investment in adult mental health services and there is wide variation in the amount spent per child in different areas. The report calls for a comprehensive mental health investment strategy for 0-25 year olds. Centre for Mental Health 

Telephone survey two: PCNs and Covid-19

Telephone survey two: PCNs and Covid-19 The purpose of the telephone survey was to try and understand the role primary care networks (PCNs) had played in response to the Covid-19 pandemic; focussing on whether the pandemic had influenced and shaped the development and operation of PCNs and whether PCNs had worked collectively or as individual practices in their Covid-19 response. This short report comprises data collected between August and December 2020. Data is from eighteen qualitative telephone interviews with clinical commissioning group staff from across England. Policy Research Unit in Commissioning and the Healthcare System 

New campaign launch reveals 6 major health benefits to losing weight

New campaign launch reveals 6 major health benefits to losing weight A new Better Health marketing campaign has been launched today to help people prevent risks of developing serious illness and help reduce the risk of being hospitalised with COVID-19.

Better Health is working in partnership with 15 weight management and physical activity partners who are providing both free and discounted offers and the website will also signpost to local weight management support. Department of Health and Social Care 

One year anniversary of UK deploying Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine

One year anniversary of UK deploying Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine One year ago, Tuesday 4 January 2021, the UK became the first country in the world to administer the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Testing measures to ensure young people return to classrooms Department of Health and Social Care
• More than two million jabs up for grabs over next week NHS England
• NHS Reports More Than A Quarter Of A Million Covid Boosters Over Jabby New Year NHS England
• Research: COVID-19: estimated administrative vaccine uptake for people aged 18 and over UK Health Security Agency
• Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview UK Health Security Agency

Is the end of Omicron in sight?

Is the end of Omicron in sight? Much as we'd all like the disruptions caused by Omicron to be reduced, it is still too early to know its trend, explains Matthew Taylor. NHS Confederation 

Covid: Boris Johnson plans to 'ride out' Omicron wave with no more curbs

Covid: Boris Johnson plans to 'ride out' Omicron wave with no more curbs Boris Johnson says he hopes England can "ride out" the current wave of Covid-19 without further restrictions.

But he acknowledged parts of the NHS would feel "temporarily overwhelmed" amid a surge of Omicron cases.

The prime minister said there was a "good chance" he would not impose fresh measures and would recommend continuing the government's "Plan B" strategy in England to ministers on Wednesday. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid: Six hospital trusts declare 'critical incident' over staff shortages BBC News
• Covid: Critical incidents declared over staff shortages BBC News
• Covid: Greater Manchester pauses non-urgent surgery BBC News
• Covid: Israel Omicron spike could bring herd immunity but with risks - health boss BBC News
• Covid 19: Lateral flow tests 'very accurate for positive cases' BBC News
• Covid: Vaccines for all every four to six months not needed, says expert BBC News
• Covid England: Up to 85% of Omicron hospitalisations have NOT had booster vaccine, data shows The Daily Mail
• WHO hails 'good news' that ultra-infectious variant is less likely to penetrate deep into lungs The Daily Mail
• UK's Covid cases rise by another 45% in a week to 157,758 The Daily Mail
• Private firms tasked with helping NHS during the Covid pandemic pocketed £72million in furlough The Daily Mail
• Fourth Covid jab: We can’t vaccinate the planet every six months, says JCVI chief The Daily Telegraph
• Can the UK cope with the Omicron surge? The Guardian
• Parts of NHS may be overwhelmed by Covid wave, admits Boris Johnson The Guardian
• NHS is in crisis but the roots go much further back than Omicron The Guardian
• UK Covid test distributor shut for Christmas after receiving 2.5m kits The Guardian
• Plan B is working, says minister despite NHS trusts declaring critical incidents The Independent
• IHU: How dangerous is new Covid variant and where has it spread? The Independent

Revealed: More than 300m expired PPE items in UK stockpile

Revealed: More than 300m expired PPE items in UK stockpile More than 300m items of PPE in the government's national stockpile cannot be used by frontline health workers because they have passed their expiry date, The Independent can reveal. 

Lockdown hobbies led to thousands of injuries in England, NHS data suggests

Lockdown hobbies led to thousands of injuries in England, NHS data suggests Popular lockdown pursuits such as cooking, DIY and buying pets led to thousands of people needing hospital care for injuries, figures suggest.

Analysis of hospital admissions in England by the PA Media news agency showed that thousands were treated for injuries sustained as a result of activities that surged in popularity as people were confined to their homes. The Guardian 

NHS unable to treat every child with eating disorder as cases soar

NHS unable to treat every child with eating disorder as cases soar The NHS can no longer treat every child with an eating disorder, a leading psychiatrist has warned, as “worrying” figures reveal hospital admissions have risen 41% in a year.

A dramatic surge in cases during the pandemic has left already struggling community services overstretched with many unable to care for everyone who requires help, experts said. The Guardian

See also: 

• Hospital admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of eating disorders NHS Digital

Life-extending prostate drug is ruled out for NHS use as officials deem it's not worth the money

Life-extending prostate drug is ruled out for NHS use as officials deem it's not worth the money A life-extending prostate cancer drug has been rejected for use on the NHS after officials ruled it is not worth the money.

The innovative drug is the first ‘precision treatment’ for the disease, which treats men based on the genetic make-up of their cancer.

It has already been approved for use in Scotland but will not be available to men in England and Wales. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Olaparib for previously treated, hormone-relapsed metastatic prostate cancer with homologous recombination repair gene mutations [ID1640] NICE

Wishing all our readers a very happy Christmas

We would like to wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. 

Our health news service will be taking a break over the Christmas holiday but we will be back on Wednesday the 5th of January in what we hope will be a better 2022 for everyone.

The Library Team 

People with Omicron variant 50-70% less likely to be hospitalised, UKHSA says

People with Omicron variant 50-70% less likely to be hospitalised, UKHSA says People are 50-70% less likely to be hospitalised with Omicron compared to previous strains of Covid-19, according to new evidence by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Covid-19: Is it safe to have an unvaccinated guest at home? BBC Cambridgeshire
• This is when Boris Johnson is expected to make an announcement on Covid rules for England Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Care workers in Northamptonshire to get £600 bonus for 'powering through' Covid-19 pandemic Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Councillor fears over Omicron spread in 'too small' meeting rooms, as Corby Cube remains closed Northamptonshire Telegraph

Thief jailed for stealing laptops and phones after office break-in at Northampton General Hospital

Thief jailed for stealing laptops and phones after office break-in at Northampton General Hospital A callous thief has been jailed for breaking into an office at Northampton General Hospital and staling phones and laptops from the NHS. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

What just happened? Health and care policy in 2021

What just happened? Health and care policy in 2021 A podcast that takes a look over the year that was in health and care, 2021. Helen McKenna and Siva Anandaciva, two of The King’s Fund’s leading policy experts, review the key themes of 2021; Covid-19, waiting times and performance, the reform agenda, funding and the workforce.

RCP survey finds one in ten doctors off work

RCP survey finds one in ten doctors off work RCP’s thirteenth survey of members and fellows during the COVID-19 pandemic shows that absence due to illness is rising, particularly in London.

Across the UK, more than 1 in 10 (10.5%) doctors are off work and 1 in 24 (4.2%) due to COVID. In London these figures increase to 1 in 7 (13.9%) off work and 1 in 13 (7.4%) due to COVID. Royal College of Physicians

UK hits 30 million boosters as push continues to Get Boosted Now

UK hits 30 million boosters as push continues to Get Boosted Now More than 30 million people – over 56% of adults in the UK – have now had their COVID-19 booster during a record-breaking week for top-up jabs. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview UK Health Security Agency
• Latest REACT-1 findings show Omicron infections rising fast, while highlighting success of vaccination programmes UK Health Security Agency
• Guidance: The R value and growth rate UK Health Security Agency
• Research: Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: variant risk assessments UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports: 2021 to 2022 season UK Health Security Agency

Omicron: Good news, bad news and what it all means

Omicron: Good news, bad news and what it all means The world is being hit by a tsunami of Omicron. Scientists, politicians and indeed all of us are grappling with what it means for our lives.

Restrictions are tightening in parts of the UK and other European countries in order to tackle the new variant.

There's a constant stream of new information - some worrying, some positive. So where do we stand? BBC News

See also:

• Rising numbers of NHS staff off work due to Covid BBC News
• Omicron: 'First signs of cautious optimism' - Dr Susan Hopkins BBC News
• Covid: Booster rollout to continue on Christmas Day BBC News
• Omicron up to 70% less likely to need hospital care BBC News
• Half of colds will be Covid, warn UK researchers BBC News
• Covid cases in South Africa's ground zero fall rapidly one month after its outbreak The Daily Mail
• One in three Britons believe the pandemic will never end, study finds The Daily Telegraph
• UK records 119,789 new Covid cases in one day, its highest total ever The Guardian
• Keep Christmas plans small to help NHS fight Omicron, doctors plead The Guardian
• Voices of Covid doctors: 'It was always about trying to save you' – video The Guardian
• Vallance hits back at Tory accusations of Omicron fear-mongering The Guardian
• Hospitals face being ‘overwhelmed’, Javid warns amid soaring NHS staff sickness as Omicron spreads on wards The Independent
• Omicron is latest blow to pandemic-weary front-line workers The Independent
• We will have to keep turning to lockdowns until the government boosts the NHS's capacity to deal with Covid iNews

Surgeons use 3D technology on patient for first time

Surgeons use 3D technology on patient for first time An 11-year-old has become the first patient in the country to have kidney surgery using specialist 3D equipment.

Libby, from Watchet, Somerset, was suffering from kidney and bladder complications which meant she was often in severe pain.

Surgeons were able to operate on her faster and with greater accuracy using 3D technology during keyhole surgery. BBC News

West Suffolk hospital chair resigns after whistleblowing scandal

West Suffolk hospital chair resigns after whistleblowing scandal The chair of West Suffolk hospital trust has resigned over a whistleblowing scandal exposed by the Guardian, as fresh questions are asked over why the trust continues to pay at least £270,000 a year to its former chief executive.

Sheila Childerhouse was criticised by an independent NHS report for her failure to question senior executives who had hounded Dr Patricia Mills after Mills had raised concerns about a colleague seen injecting himself with drugs while on duty.

Ministers choose top banker with 'an outsider's eye' to run NHS England

Ministers choose top banker with 'an outsider's eye' to run NHS England A senior British banker is set to become the new chairman of NHS England, after ministers sought an “outside eye” to make the health service accountable for its additional funding.

Richard Meddings, a former chairman of TSB Bank, is the Government’s preferred candidate for the role, which will become vacant early next year when the current incumbent, Lord Prior of Brampton, steps down early. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Sajid Javid wants ex-TSB boss Richard Meddings - who presided over the bank's infamous IT meltdown - for top NHS England chairman job The Daily Mail
• Ex-TSB boss Richard Meddings lined up for NHS England chairman role The Independent

Christmas Day freedom for more than 2,500 in Northamptonshire after Covid self-isolation period cut from ten days to just a week

Christmas Day freedom for more than 2,500 in Northamptonshire after Covid self-isolation period cut from ten days to just a week More than 2,500 people could be free to enjoy Christmas Day across Northamptonshire after ministers reduced the ten-day self-isolation requirement to a week. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• NHS bosses in East of England asked to find extra Covid beds BBC News
• Omicron is now the dominant strain of Covid in England, figures suggest Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Children to be offered Covid vaccine as JCVI issues new advice Northamptonshire Telegraph

Rise deaths of people waiting for drug treatment in Northamptonshire, figures show

Rise deaths of people waiting for drug treatment in Northamptonshire, figures show The number of people who died while undergoing drug treatment in Northamptonshire has risen, figures show.

Amid a rise in fatalities nationally, drug reform charity Release warned that drug-related death rates are higher among those not in contact with treatment services. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton neighbourhood slams NHS staff over six-year parking 'nightmare' in busy estate

Northampton neighbourhood slams NHS staff over six-year parking 'nightmare' in busy estate A Northampton neighbourhood has spoken out about the 'nightmare' that rogue car parking is having on their estate. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Bridging the gap: protecting the nation from public health threats

Bridging the gap: protecting the nation from public health threats This report examines the UK’s policies and approach to health protection including the availability of the specialist resources, knowledge and skills needed to tackle the many diverse and challenging public health threats. Deloitte

Government sets clear ambition to close gender health gap

Government sets clear ambition to close gender health gap Decades of gender health inequality will be addressed as the government publishes its vision to reset the dial on women’s health.

The Vision for Women’s Health sets out key government commitments on women’s health, while recognising the system wide changes needed to tackle some of the issues raised, to be addressed by the upcoming Women’s Health Strategy in spring 2022. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Policy paper: Our Vision for the Women’s Health Strategy for England Department of Health and Social Care
• Consultation outcome: Women's Health Strategy: Call for Evidence Department of Health and Social Care
• Women's health ambassador appointment to improve care BBC News
• NHS 'has been neglecting women's health for decades': Ministers pledge to end sexism and stigma The Daily Mail
• Ministers pledge to ‘reset the dial’ on women’s health in England The Guardian
• A strategy for women’s health in England: six areas of focus The Guardian
• Finally the UK has noticed its rampant sexism in healthcare. What now? The Guardian

JCVI issues new vaccination advice for children and young people

JCVI issues new vaccination advice for children and young people Following extensive assessment of the risks and benefits of vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds, including analysis of clinical trial results and real-world international data, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has updated its advice for this age group.

Children aged 5 to 11, who are in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone (of any age) who is immunosuppressed, should be offered a primary course of vaccination. UK Health Security Agency

See also: 

• Carers urged to get COVID-19 booster now Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: Coronavirus Act 2020: status Department of Health and Social Care
• UK hits 30 million boosters as push continues to Get Boosted Now Department of Health and Social Care
• Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview UK Health Security Agency

Health staff ‘wrung dry’ by pandemic pressures,

Health staff ‘wrung dry’ by pandemic pressures More than two thirds (69%) of health staff say they’ve experienced burnout during the pandemic, and three in five (62%) feel overwhelmed after long, intense shifts, according to a UNISON survey.