NHS treating record number of young people for eating disorders

NHS treating record number of young people for eating disorders More young people than ever before are receiving treatment for eating disorders according to the latest figures, the NHS said today.

Almost 10,000 children and young people started treatment between April and December with record demand for services – an increase of a quarter compared to the same period last year and up by almost two thirds since before the pandemic. NHS England

Policy paper: Joint statement on delivering the 100 Days Mission

Policy paper: Joint statement on delivering the 100 Days Mission This joint statement between UK government, CEPI and Industry Associations commits to taking forward specific steps needed for future pandemic preparedness. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Research: COVID-19 variants: genomically confirmed case numbers UK Health Security Agency

Covid vaccines not linked to deaths, major US study finds

Covid vaccines not linked to deaths, major US study finds A major study of vaccine side-effects in the US found no link between two Covid jabs and the number of deaths recorded after vaccination.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 92% of reported side-effects after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were mild. BBC News

See also:

• Safety of mRNA vaccines administered during the initial 6 months of the US COVID-19 vaccination programme: an observational study of reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and v-safe (open access) The Lancet Infectious Diseases
• Scans reveal how Covid may change the brain BBC News
• SARS-CoV-2 is associated with changes in brain structure in UK Biobank (open acess) Nature
• Covid UK: 126,605 cases recorded in last three days as outbreak rebounds 54% in a week The Daily Mail
• Nearly 30MILLION people in England have dodged Covid The Daily Mail
• Global Covid death toll reaches 6 MILLION: US leads the world with 950,000 deaths The Daily Mail
• UK government may have bought 3bn PPE gloves made by forced labour The Guardian
• Covid pandemic sparks steep rise in number of people in UK with long-term illness The Guardian

International Women's Day: UTI testing '50 years out of date'

International Women's Day: UTI testing '50 years out of date' A painful infection that mainly affects women is too often dismissed as "women's problems".

One in every two women suffer a urinary tract infection (UTI) and they are the second most common infection globally. BBC News

NHS experts seek proof new A&E standards will improve patient care

NHS experts seek proof new A&E standards will improve patient care Leading experts have asked NHS England for proof that new A&E measures – set to replace the four-hour waiting times target – will improve patient care.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), Nuffield Trust and King’s Fund have all expressed concern that data from pilot studies in 14 NHS trusts has not been made public. The Independent

Dozens of NHS surgeries are owned by foreign companies raising fears of backdoor privatisation

Dozens of NHS surgeries are owned by foreign companies raising fears of backdoor privatisation Analysis by i of more than 90,000 properties owned by overseas companies – from car parks to luxury homes – shows that the titles on nearly 100 primary care buildings in England are held by private firms registered in tax havens. iNews

NHS: Video appointments with GPs offer 'minimal' benefits, study suggests

NHS: Video appointments with GPs offer 'minimal' benefits, study suggests Video appointments with GPs offer "minimal" benefits, a study has suggested.

Researchers at the University of Oxford set out to examine why just 0.5% of GP appointments in England are held on video, according to the latest figures. Sky News

See also:

• Why do GPs rarely do video consultations? qualitative study in UK general practice (open access) British Journal of General Practice

Government to set out NHS reforms for patients to benefit from improved and personalised care

Government to set out NHS reforms for patients to benefit from improved and personalised care Health Secretary Sajid Javid is expected to set out reforms including giving patients more choice if waiting times are long, expanding personalised care and health budgets, and the increased use of the NHS app. Sky News

See also:

• General practice must sit at the heart of NHS reform plans Nuffield Trust
• NHS to pay for patients' taxis and hotels if they go to hospitals away from their home The Daily Telegraph
• Sajid Javid to unveil his new vision for NHS reform Digital Health
• Private hospitals offered for NHS patients waiting too long The Independent

Temperature-related deaths will increase by 42% in England and Wales if temperatures rise by 3.6°F

Temperature-related deaths will increase by 42% in England and Wales if temperatures rise by 3.6°F Deaths linked to extreme temperatures will increase by up to 42 per cent in England and Wales if temperatures rise by just 3.6°F (2°C), a new study has warned.

This means an increase from around 117 deaths per day, averaged across the 10 hottest days of the year, to around 166 deaths per day, according to the team from UCL and the University of Reading. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Non-linear response of temperature-related mortality risk to global warming in England and Wales (open access) Environmental Research Letters
• Higher risk of temperature-related death if global warming exceeds 2°C University College London

Tens of thousands of Northamptonshire women are missing 'vital' breast cancer screenings

Tens of thousands of Northamptonshire women are missing 'vital' breast cancer screenings Tens of thousands of Northamptonshire women were not up to date with potentially life-saving breast cancer checks last year, figures show.

Charities say an "alarming" drop in screenings across England is a reminder of the devastating impact Covid-19 has had on cancer care and diagnosis. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Damning report rates Corby Urgent Care Centre as INADEQUATE

Damning report rates Corby Urgent Care Centre as INADEQUATE Long waiting times, inadequate staffing levels, an ineffective triage system and worries over the care of children.

That's the scathing verdict of inspectors from the Government's health regulator who have rated Corby Urgent Care Centre (UCC) as inadequate in the their latest inspection report. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Corby Urgent Care Centre Care Quality Commission
• Locals bite back over 'godsend' Corby urgent care centre's inadequate inspection report Northamptonshire Telegraph

People cutting NHS staff some slack during Covid leads to drop in complaints at Northampton General Hospital

People cutting NHS staff some slack during Covid leads to drop in complaints at Northampton General Hospital NHS chiefs believe patients recognising pressure on NHS staff during the Covid-19 pandemic is behind a drop in complaints to Northampton General Hospital last year. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• People cutting NHS staff some slack during Covid leads to drop in complaints at Kettering General Hospital Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals invest in £1.7 million surgical robot to help patients recover quicker

Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals invest in £1.7 million surgical robot to help patients recover quicker A new £1.7 million surgical robot is being used for the first time across Northamptonshire this week.

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group – which runs Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals – has invested in the £1.7m surgical robot as part of its clinical strategy.

The robot is said to aid surgeons performing operations, by creating smaller wounds that heal faster. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Surgical robot with tentacle arms helping save lives in Northants Northants Live

The cap on care costs: what does the government proposal mean?

The cap on care costs: what does the government proposal mean? Later this month, peers and MPs will vote on a key change to the proposed social care cap. It’s a technical change, but one with a really profound impact on people. This blog attempts to set out as simply as possible what the change is, and why it matters. Put simply, it means that some people will still face what are, to them, catastrophic care costs and could need to sell their home to pay for care: people with lower levels of wealth, which disproportionately affects people in some geographies in the North and Midlands, and working-age adults with long-term disabilities. The King's Fund

A Racial Equity Framework for Assessing Health Policy

A Racial Equity Framework for Assessing Health Policy Public policy is a powerful determinant of racial inequity in health, but we lack tools for examining how the entire policymaking process impacts racial inequities.

The Racial Equity and Policy (REAP) framework provides a conceptually sound, empirically grounded basis for systematically assessing racial equity in health policy. The Commonwealth Fund

Government over halfway to delivering 50,000 more nurses by 2024

Government over halfway to delivering 50,000 more nurses by 2024 The government is on track to meet its manifesto commitment to deliver 50,000 more nurses in the NHS by 2024, with over 27,000 more nurses now working across the NHS.

A progress report published today shows that overall total nurse numbers now stand at 327,907, as of December 2021, compared to 300,904 in September 2019. Department of Health and Social Care

Guidance: The R value and growth rate

Guidance: The R value and growth rate The latest reproduction number (R) and growth rate of coronavirus (COVID-19).

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

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

See also:

• Independent report: REACT-1 study of coronavirus transmission: December 2021, final results UK Health Security Agency

UK Covid deaths plunge after all restrictions abandoned – but infections are creeping back up

UK Covid deaths plunge after all restrictions abandoned – but infections are creeping back up Coronavirus deaths in the UK have fallen since restrictions were lifted, but cases have started to creep back up.

Daily cases on Wednesday saw a week-on-week rise for the first time in a month. The Independent

See also:

• Covid in Scotland: Fourth jab rolled out for most vulnerable BBC News
• SAGE to stop meeting regularly in recognition that worst of Covid is over The Daily Mail
• UK's Covid cases soar 40% in first week after No10's 'Freedom Day' The Daily Mail
• Just 41% of people are now 'very worried' about Covid - lowest proportion since pandemic began The Daily Mail
• Why have some people never caught Covid? The answers could help protect us all The Guardian
• COVID-19 expert claims he was told to 'correct his views' after criticising 'implausible graph' shown during official briefing Sky News

NHS accused of racism as black nurses report being put in Covid areas

NHS accused of racism as black nurses report being put in Covid areas The NHS has been accused of “shocking and systemic” racism during the pandemic as black healthcare workers say they were given poor PPE and pushed into the Covid frontline first.

Hundreds of black and brown healthcare staff across the UK have spoken to academics at Sheffield Hallam University about their experiences of racism during the pandemic. The Independent

Revealed: scandal of NHS charges putting pregnant migrant women at risk

Revealed: scandal of NHS charges putting pregnant migrant women at risk The health of pregnant migrant women and their unborn babies is being put at risk due to fears around NHS charging, with some trusts demanding upfront fees for maternity care or wrongly charging those who are exempt, it has been claimed. The Guardian

See also: 

• Health and maternity care in a hostile environment Maternity Action

‘It’s a real-life Hunger Games’: a lifesaving drug costs $2m, but not every child can get it

‘It’s a real-life Hunger Games’: a lifesaving drug costs $2m, but not every child can get it Zolgensma is a revolutionary gene therapy that can stop a deadly childhood condition called SMA in its tracks. It’s also one of the most expensive drugs in the world. The Guardian

Alzheimer's deaths increased by more than a quarter in the first year of Covid pandemic

Alzheimer's deaths increased by more than a quarter in the first year of Covid pandemic Alzheimer's patient deaths increased by more than a quarter in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, a major study has found, as researchers suggest remote appointments were to blame. The Daily Telegraph

See also: 

• Trends in Mortality Rates Among Medicare Enrollees With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias Before and During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic (open access) JAMA Neurology

Integrating additional roles into primary care networks

Integrating additional roles into primary care networks We found that PCNs are in their early stages of development and in many cases lack a clear, shared overall purpose and strategy or a clear, shared vision and buy-in for the ARRS roles. Many PCNs do not share a team identity, and this makes deploying network-wide staff in a supported way very complex when there are different strategies, different cultures and different identities to be managed. The King's Fund

At Your Service: A proposal to reform general practice and enable digital healthcare at scale

At Your Service: A proposal to reform general practice and enable digital healthcare at scale Policy Exchange has set out a pragmatic proposal for reform in a new report. Addressing issues around integration, workforce, digital transformation and scaled provision, we argue that a new model of general practice is required to better meet the needs of patients and the taxpayer – so it feels increasingly at their service.

Boosterism blinds us to the possible benefits of Brexit

Boosterism blinds us to the possible benefits of Brexit A recent report set out a range of benefits from Brexit across many areas of regulation, policy and spending, but on closer inspection do the sections relevant to health remind us that most of these advantages are hopes or goals rather than current reality? Nuffield Trust

Trans health matters: improving access to healthcare for trans and gender diverse Londoners

Trans health matters: improving access to healthcare for trans and gender diverse Londoners This report finds that trans and gender-diverse people can experience health inequalities and discrimination when accessing health care in the UK and that the experiences of trans and gender-diverse people when accessing general NHS services to meet their non-gender related health care needs is not as well-understood. The investigation heard examples of microaggressions, misgendering and using incorrect pronouns within the NHS and makes several recommendations for improving access to and experiences of health care. London Assembly

Hundreds of patients to benefit from revolutionary lung cancer drug on the NHS

Hundreds of patients to benefit from revolutionary lung cancer drug on the NHS A revolutionary targeted drug for lung cancer will be made available to anyone who is eligible, thanks to a new drug deal, the head of the NHS announced today.

Sotorasib targets a genetic mutation, dubbed the ‘death star’, by medics and scientists, and has been proven during trials to prevent lung cancer from growing for seven months. NHS England

Norovirus outbreaks increasing in England

Norovirus outbreaks increasing in England The UK Health Security Agency is reminding the public of simple actions that they can take to reduce the spread of norovirus. The advice comes after routine surveillance in England shows that the number of outbreaks caused by the vomiting bug has increased in recent weeks (4-week period from end January to February), initially in educational settings and now in care home settings.

See also:

• Statistical data set: National norovirus and rotavirus bulletins 2021 to 2022: management information UK Health Security Agency

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:

• Research: COVID-19 therapeutic agents: technical briefings UK Health Security Agency
• Research: COVID-19 vaccine weekly surveillance reports (weeks 39 to 9, 2021 to 2022) UK Health Security Agency

Another life-saving Covid drug identified

Another life-saving Covid drug identified UK experts say they have found another life-saving drug that can help people ill with Covid.

The anti-inflammatory baricitinib is normally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Trials suggest it can cut death risk by about a fifth in patients needing hospital care for severe Covid. BBC News

See also:

• Baricitinib in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial and updated meta-analysis (open access preprint) medRxiv
• New RECOVERY trial result: baricitinib reduces deaths in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 RECOVERY
• UK's daily Covid cases rise again: Infections jump 17% in a week to 45,656 The Daily Mail
• UK Covid deaths plunge after all restrictions abandoned – but infections are creeping back up The Independent
• COVID tests must remain free and self-isolation rules shouldn't be ditched, NHS leaders warn Sky News

Staffing crisis deepens in NHS England with 110,000 posts unfilled

Staffing crisis deepens in NHS England with 110,000 posts unfilled The NHS is facing a deepening staffing crisis, with the number of unfilled posts across health services in England rising to 110,192, official figures show.

The shortages include 39,652 nurses and 8,158 doctors, according to the latest quarterly data for health service vacancies published by NHS Digital. The Guardian 

See also:

• NHS Vacancy Statistics England April 2015 – December 2021 NHS Digital
• The King's Fund's response to the Health and Care Bill workforce vote in the House of Lords The King's Fund
• No escaping chronic workforce shortages NHS Confederation
• Boris Johnson suffers Lords defeat forcing Tories to reveal scale of NHS staffing crisis The Daily Mirror
• Government defeated over NHS workforce amendment to Health and Care Bill The Independent

Javid tells NHS to stop using Gazprom-supplied energy

Javid tells NHS to stop using Gazprom-supplied energy Sajid Javid has said the NHS in England must stop using energy supplied by the Russian-owned firm Gazprom.

A senior government source told the PA Media news agency that the health secretary has been in talks with NHS England (NHSE) over ending the contracts, which are reported by Politico to have been worth £16m in 2021. More than a dozen NHS trusts are thought to be supplied by Gazprom, alongside several local councils. The Guardian

NHS scraps free flu jabs for millions of people aged over 50 and secondary school children

NHS scraps free flu jabs for millions of people aged over 50 and secondary school children The NHS has scrapped free flu jabs for millions of people aged over 50 as the organisation chose to reverse its policy to pre-pandemic conditions.

Secondary school children aged 11 to 15 who were also eligible for the free shot won’t be offered one either. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Reimbursable vaccines and eligible cohorts for the 2022/23 NHS Seasonal Influenza (flu) Vaccination Programme NHS England
• NHS flu jabs for under-65s scrapped for 2022/23 campaign GPonline
• NHS scraps flu jabs for millions of over 50s and secondary school children The Independent

How will the NHS get to 'net zero'?

How will the NHS get to 'net zero'? Six ways the NHS is planning to reduce its carbon emissions, with analysis of draft green plans from NHS trusts. The Pharmaceutical Journal

Government U-turn on 'no jab, no job' rule for care workers as Covid deaths rise in Northamptonshire homes

Government U-turn on 'no jab, no job' rule for care workers as Covid deaths rise in Northamptonshire homes Ministers will press on with easing Covid rules for care homes despite more deaths linked to the virus in the county.

Latest Office for National Statistics data showed ten deaths in county care settings — nine in West Northamptonshire and one in the North — between February 6 and February 25. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Health system recovery from Covid-19: International lessons for the NHS

Health system recovery from Covid-19: International lessons for the NHS The challenges confronting the NHS in recovering from the pandemic are huge, with elective services that were scaled down during the worst of the crisis now with waiting lists of over 6 million patients. Yet worldwide, the pandemic has left even the most well-equipped health systems vulnerable. What approaches have other countries used to move towards recovery, and what might the NHS learn? This major new Nuffield Trust report looks across 16 different countries to gain an understanding of the recovery challenge worldwide.

Healthy life expectancy target: the scale of the challenge

Healthy life expectancy target: the scale of the challenge Previously published Health Foundation analysis estimated that it would take 75 years to reach five years of improvement in healthy life expectancy based on the trend for men between 2009–11 and 2015–17. The position has since deteriorated, meaning it would now take 192 years for men based on the trend between 2009–11 and 2017–19, the latest data which excludes the effects of the pandemic.

Improving staff retention: a guide for line managers and employers

Improving staff retention: a guide for line managers and employers This guidance supports line managers and employers to consider the key areas which affect workforce retention. It includes the enablers of retention, the organisational priorities which need to be in place to support employees and the practical interventions which directly impact on employees’ experience at work. It is aimed at anyone who has a responsibility for improving staff experience and morale, and reducing turnover in their organisation, including HR managers and line managers. NHS Employers

• 
  

£260 million to boost healthcare research and manufacturing

£260 million to boost healthcare research and manufacturing Up to £200 million committed to support NHS-led health research into diagnostics and treatment through new privacy-preserving platforms and clinical research services, and £60 million to help expand life sciences manufacturing in the UK. Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus and the social impacts on Great Britain

Coronavirus and the social impacts on Great Britain Indicators from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey to understand the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on people, households and communities in Great Britain. Office for National Statistics

See also:

• Changes in social contacts in England during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 and March 2021 as measured by the CoMix survey: A repeated cross-sectional study (open access) PLOS Medicine
• Research: Consensus statements on COVID-19 UK Health Security Agency

Covid: How could the pandemic have affected your brain?

Covid: How could the pandemic have affected your brain? Memory loss, fatigue and trouble concentrating can be symptoms of having had coronavirus.

But scientists think people who haven't had Covid are also suffering increased tiredness, impaired decision-making and a lack of focus due to the pandemic.

Experts believe Covid uncertainty and disruption to routines have led to a phenomenon known as "pandemic brain". BBC News

See also:

• UK's Covid outbreak is GROWING: 11% rise in cases puts end to month of falling infections The Daily Mail
• Covid England: Scrapping free mass testing could delay detection of new variants, SAGE says The Daily Mail
• J&J vaccine recipients were FIVE TIMES as likely to be hospitalized with Covid as Pfizer recipients The Daily Mail
• Covid modelling cannot accurately predict numbers, admits government expert The Daily Telegraph
• Scientists seek to solve mystery of why some people do not catch Covid The Guardian
• The next variant: three key questions about what’s after Omicron Nature

More support needed for GPs to treat eating disorders

More support needed for GPs to treat eating disorders Two leading medical organisations have told the BBC that GPs are not getting the right support to treat eating disorders.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the British Medical Association (BMA) say doctors need more time with patients and more specialist units. BBC News

NHS ‘woefully unprepared’ for care of an ageing England

NHS ‘woefully unprepared’ for care of an ageing England The NHS is “flying blind” and “woefully unprepared” to cope with England’s rapidly ageing population, senior doctors have warned as stark new figures reveal the country has only one full-time geriatrician to care for every 8,000 older people.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said the drastic shortage of specially trained physicians to look after the rising number of elderly people and a lack of NHS workforce planning meant England was “sleepwalking into an avoidable crisis of care for older people”. The Guardian

NHS leaders act on hospital links to Russian energy suppliers

NHS leaders act on hospital links to Russian energy suppliers NHS leaders have asked hospitals to urgently confirm whether they are supplied by Russian owned energy company Gazprom, as pressure mounts for healthcare to ditch its links.

In a message seen by The Independent, NHS trusts were asked to confirm whether they are supplied by Gazprom and the end date of their contract.

Health and Care Bill to introduce new duties for NHS around climate change

Health and Care Bill to introduce new duties for NHS around climate change NHS organisations in England will be required to pay careful attention to climate change and the natural environment “in everything they do”, under an approved amendment to the Health and Care Bill. Nursing Times 

Kettering General Hospital staff win awards for outstanding care

Kettering General Hospital staff win awards for outstanding care DAISY Awards honour and celebrate the exceptional care that many nurses and midwives provide every day.

Staff at Kettering General Hospital have received awards for the outstanding, compassionate and sensitive care they have given to patients. Northamptonshire Telegraph

St Andrew’s Healthcare mental health community service rated 'good' in first watchdog inspection

St Andrew’s Healthcare mental health community service rated 'good' in first watchdog inspection A Northampton-based community service that helps people with common and complex mental health issues across the county and beyond has been rated ‘good’ by an independent regulating body. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

'Special educational needs families are falling through the cracks'

'Special educational needs families are falling through the cracks' The mother of a boy with autism wants to change the way parents of children with suspected special education needs or disability (SEND) are treated when their children do not attend school. BBC Northampton

The state of health and care 2022

The state of health and care 2022 The pandemic has rapidly accelerated an existing trend of decline in access and outcomes. This is creating the conditions for an ‘opt-out’ by those who have the means – embedding a two-tier system.

There is near-universal public support for retaining a universal, free, comprehensive and tax-funded NHS. Our polling shows a consensus in public support for the basic principles of the NHS as a system that universalises the benefits of the best healthcare and shares the cost across the population. Institute for Public Policy Research

See also:

• Up to 2million Brits gave up on the NHS and went private during Covid, report warns The Daily Mail
• Private healthcare boom adds to fears of two-tier system in UK The Guardian
• Warning over ‘two-tier’ healthcare system amid rise in private patients The Independent

Addressing racial and ethnic inequities in data-driven health technologies

Addressing racial and ethnic inequities in data-driven health technologies This report highlights the opportunities and barriers for artificial intelligence to improve the health of the UK’s minority ethnic groups. Data-driven technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are powerful tools demonstrating potential in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as skin cancer. Yet these could inadvertently worsen the health inequalities experienced by minority ethnic groups if current challenges such as biased algorithms, poor data collection and a lack of diversity in research and development are not urgently addressed. The report calls for further research and transparent discussion on the creation and use of these technologies in health care. Imperial College London

Health and Care Bill: Lords Report Stage joint briefing

Health and Care Bill: Lords Report Stage joint briefing NHS Confederation, NHS Providers and the King's Fund share concerns about the erosion of NHS independence as a result of the Health and Care Bill.

NHS Chief launches new campaign to combat the fear of Cancer

NHS Chief launches new campaign to combat the fear of Cancer A new campaign taking a radically different approach to detecting cancer early for patients, when it is easier to treat, has been announced today by NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard.

Running across TV, radio, and social media from tomorrow, the campaign is the first to focus on tackling the fear of cancer rather than specific symptoms. NHS England

Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment to end

Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment to end Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment in health and social care will be revoked on Tuesday 15 March, the Health and Social Care Secretary has confirmed.

Following a public consultation, where 90% of responses supported the removal of the legal requirement for health and social care staff to be double jabbed, the government is revoking the regulations. Department of Health and Social Care

Compulsory Covid jabs for care home staff scrapped

Compulsory Covid jabs for care home staff scrapped Regulations requiring care workers to be vaccinated against Covid are being lifted from 15 March in England.

The government says things have changed since the policy was made in preparation for a tough autumn and winter.

It says the UK population now has lots of immunity to the virus thanks to vaccines. BBC News

See also:

• Diabetes caused by Covid may only be temporary: Half of patients had blood sugar return to normal The Daily Mail
• Daily cases fall by just 5% as declining trend finally slows down The Daily Mail
• Mandatory Covid jabs for NHS staff in England to end from mid-March The Guardian

White people at much higher risk of most cancers in England, study finds

White people at much higher risk of most cancers in England, study finds lack, Asian and mixed-heritage people are much less likely to develop cancer than white people, in England, an analysis suggests.

But there are exceptions - prostate and blood cancer are two to three times more common in black people.

The Cancer Research UK study said many cancers were preventable. BBC News

See also:

• Differences in cancer incidence by broad ethnic group in England, 2013–2017 (open access) British Journal of Cancer

Vaccines could mean only one smear test a lifetime

Vaccines could mean only one smear test a lifetime Women who have the HPV vaccine may need only one smear test to prevent cervical cancer in their lifetime, according to a leading scientist.

Women are currently invited for screening every three to five years in the UK.

Prof Peter Sasieni said the vaccine was leading to such dramatic reductions in cancer that the screening programme would need to change soon. BBC News

Treasury 'preventing' NHS from maximising taxpayers' money

Treasury 'preventing' NHS from maximising taxpayers' money NHS leaders have hit out at Her Majesty’s Treasury for failing to set out a long-term workforce plan, warning services are being forced to spend billions in taxpayer funds on temporary staff.

Chris Hopson, chief executive for NHS Providers which represents all NHS trusts, has said quality of care is now being compromised and that the Treasury’s silence on workforce funding. The Independent

See also: 

• Nursing and midwifery vacancies in NHS reach new record high The Independent
• NHS calls on 'reservists' to bolster staff numbers The Independent

GPs will be forced to work Saturdays: NHS pushes ahead with delayed plan in wake of appointments row

GPs will be forced to work Saturdays: NHS pushes ahead with delayed plan in wake of appointments row All GP practices in England will have to open on Saturdays in order to make it easier for patients to get appointments. 

Family doctors will also have to offer face-to-face consultations until 8pm Monday to Friday under a new NHS contract. 

Practices will have to offer a full service during the new extended hours, which come into effect from October. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Patients promised face-to face appointments on Saturdays The Daily Telegraph
• BMA 'bitterly disappointed' as imposed GP contract forces 9-5 Saturday opening GPonline

'It feels like sitting on a knife': Doctors take 14 years to diagnose Northampton woman with endometriosis

'It feels like sitting on a knife': Doctors take 14 years to diagnose Northampton woman with endometriosis A Northampton woman is calling for more awareness of endometriosis, after living with the "excruciatingly painful" symptoms for 14 years before doctors took her seriously. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Strengthening NHS management and leadership: Priorities for reform

Strengthening NHS management and leadership: Priorities for reform Good management is key to the NHS’s ability to provide high-quality services and to maximise the impact of its resources in the face of growing demand for care. However, in recent years, the importance of good management has been somewhat forgotten in the policy debate at the expense of a focus on leadership. The Health Foundation 

Girls’ mental health “at a precipice” and increasingly worse than boys’, data shows

Girls’ mental health “at a precipice” and increasingly worse than boys’, data shows The mental health of girls is “at a precipice” with tens of thousands now hiding signs of deep distress from their teachers and parents, an analysis of data from 15,000 secondary school students across the UK reveals.

The data, captured by education company STEER Education, shows a stark – and growing – divide between girls’ and boys’ social and emotional wellbeing, something experts fear may be one of the “long-lasting effects of the pandemic”.

See also:

• Navigating the Road of Adolescence: Young People’s Mental Health in the UK. How the pandemic has affected young people’s ability to self-regulate socially and emotionally (report) STEER Education
• Summary Findings Young People’s Mental Health in the UK. STEER Report Feb 2022 STEER Education
• Thousands of girls as young as 11 in England hiding signs of ‘deep distress’ The Guardian

England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2022

England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2022 The UK government and devolved administrations published the UK Rare Diseases Framework in January 2021, setting out a shared vision for addressing health inequalities and improving the lives of people living with rare diseases across the UK. Each each of the four UK nations committed to developing nation-specific action plans detailing how these priorities will be addressed. This is the first action plan setting out how the DHSC and delivery partners will implement the framework in England. Department of Health and Social Care

Government to crack down on unregulated cosmetic procedures

Government to crack down on unregulated cosmetic procedures The public will be protected against botched Botox and fillers, as the government confirms its intention to introduce a licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

An amendment to the Health and Care Bill tabled on Tuesday 1st March would give the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care the power to introduce a licensing regime for Botox and fillers, the scope and details of which will be determined via extensive engagement including a public consultation. Department of Health and Social Care

New online system launched for ongoing provision of free PPE to continue protecting our workforce and communities

New online system launched for ongoing provision of free PPE to continue protecting our workforce and communities A new online platform to order personal protective equipment (PPE) in England has been launched.

The new system builds on user feedback to improve the experience of those using the site. Department of Health and Social Care 

Nearly third more Covid deaths among England’s poorest since turn of the year

Nearly third more Covid deaths among England’s poorest since turn of the year At least 30 per cent more coronavirus deaths have occurred in the most deprived areas of England since the turn of the year, data shows, reinforcing concern that the poorest communities will carry the greatest burden of disease under the government’s plans for “living with Covid”. The Independent

See also:

• UK logs average of just 27,500 Covid cases in last three days as infections plunge by 25% in a week The Daily Mail
• Moderna accused of 'hijacking' technology used COVID-19 vaccine The Daily Mail
• The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is only 12% effective against infection in children aged five to 11 The Daily Mail
• Ex Govt comms chief who advised Matt Hancock was PR spinner for Russia's Sputnik Covid jab The Daily Mail
• I didn’t break Covid rules when kissing aide, says Matt Hancock The Guardian
• Vallance and Whitty to step out of spotlight as Covid restrictions end in England The Guardian
• Covid’s first wave was deadliest of the three in UK care homes, figures show iNews

Record demand for mental health services as new mothers are left ‘isolated’ in pandemic

Record demand for mental health services as new mothers are left ‘isolated’ in pandemic Tens of thousands of new mothers have been left feeling “hopeless” and “isolated” during the pandemic, with the NHS seeing record numbers of referrals to mental health services.

Requests for help from new, expectant and bereaved mothers jumped by 40 per cent in 2021 compared with 2019, analysis by The Independent has revealed.

Climate crisis taking growing toll on mental health, landmark UN report warns

Climate crisis taking growing toll on mental health, landmark UN report warns The climate crisis is adversely affecting mental health as extreme weather events cause trauma and livelihoods are lost, a landmark United Nations report has said.

This impact will worsen under further global warming, with children and adolescents particularly vulnerable to anxiety and stress as the world gets warmer, the international experts warned. The Independent

See also:

• Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (report) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• Climate change: a threat to human wellbeing and health of the planet Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• Climate change: Five things we've learned from the IPCC report BBC News
• Climate change: IPCC report warns of ‘irreversible’ impacts of global warming BBC News
• Heat-related deaths in Europe may treble if world warms 3C, warns IPCC report The Independent
• Mental Health in a New Climate Change Report Psychology Today

Patients will be endangered by flaws in health bill, says NHS ombudsman

Patients will be endangered by flaws in health bill, says NHS ombudsman Patient safety will be harmed and victims of medical negligence denied justice because of flaws in the government’s health and care bill, the NHS ombudsman has told the Guardian.

Rob Behrens, the parliamentary and health service ombudsman, fears he and his staff will not be able to get to the bottom of clinical blunders because under the bill he will be denied potentially vital information collected by the NHS’s Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch.

NHS won't put pronoun choice on GP records despite report claiming trans patients are being failed

NHS won't put pronoun choice on GP records despite report claiming trans patients are being failed The NHS has rebuffed a demand to note patients’ preferred pronouns and trans status on their medical records.

A report by the London Assembly’s health committee says trans and gender-diverse patients are being failed by a lack of NHS data on gender identity.

Some experience ‘misgendering, micro-aggressions, and misunderstanding’ and may be deterred from booking an appointment, it adds. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Access to healthcare for trans and gender-diverse people London Assembly

Sajid Javid announces NHS digital transformation agenda

Sajid Javid announces NHS digital transformation agenda UK health secretary Sajid Javid has set out a digital agenda to harness technological breakthroughs and drive transformation in the NHS and social care.

Speaking at the HSJ Digital Transformation Summit (24 Feb), Javid announced a digital health plan will be published in Spring, building on lessons from the pandemic. Healthcare IT News

Charity warns nearly 50,000 vulnerable people in Northamptonshire 'rolling the dice' every time they go out after Covid rules scrapped

Charity warns nearly 50,000 vulnerable people in Northamptonshire 'rolling the dice' every time they go out after Covid rules scrapped Charities are warning that scrapping Covid rules could impact nearly 50,000 vulnerable people in Northamptonshire.

Groups representing at risk families said a lack of guidance from Prime Minister Boris Johnson is a concern for those forced into shielding to avoid deadly infection during the peak of the pandemic. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Establishing proportionate accountability for integrated care systems

Establishing proportionate accountability for integrated care systems Partnership with local authorities and meaningful engagement with people and communities are the best way of ICSs earning a mandate to push back. NHS Confederation

Millions of people with rare diseases to benefit from faster diagnosis and better access to treatment

Millions of people with rare diseases to benefit from faster diagnosis and better access to treatment Millions of people with rare diseases will benefit from faster diagnosis and new treatments following the launch today of England’s first Rare Diseases Action Plan by Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid.

There are more than 7,000 rare diseases, affecting an estimated 3.5 million people in the UK. Their complex nature means it is difficult for healthcare professionals to receive training on every condition or for patients to access the relevant specialist. Department of Health and Social Care

Case study: Innovative model identifies high-risk people for priority COVID-19 vaccination

Case study: Innovative model identifies high-risk people for priority COVID-19 vaccination Funded by the NIHR, the research team, comprising experts from 12 institutions, collaborated to develop a new approach to identifying patients’ risk at a population level. 

Using its findings, the team developed a clinical risk prediction model, QCovid®. It then tested how well this model predicted hospital admissions or deaths from COVID-19 infection using the pre-existing health records of a separate set of people. National Institute for Health Research

Covid: Five things we still need to keep an eye on

Covid: Five things we still need to keep an eye on The legal restrictions that ruled our lives for two long years are gone in England and on their way out across the UK. We've moved from being "under the thumb" of Covid to "living with" the virus.

However, the pandemic is far from over - Covid is here for the long term and some scientists think we are relaxing too early.

So what do we need to keep an eye out for in the months and years ahead? BBC News

See also:

• Omicron: How do I know if I have it? BBC News
• Even more infectious sub-variant of Omicron is now DOMINANT in England The Daily Mail
• At least 5million children lost a parent in the first 20 months of the pandemic, study suggests The Daily Mail
• UK government has abandoned its own Covid health advice, leak reveals The Guardian
• NHS accused of 'lack of urgency' in addressing racial inequality of vaccine rollout The Independent

Pregnancy risk tool cuts baby loss in black and Asian women

Pregnancy risk tool cuts baby loss in black and Asian women A new pregnancy screening tool cuts the risk of baby loss among women from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds to the same level as white women, research suggests.

The app calculates a woman's individual risk of pregnancy problems. BBC News

See also:

• Reducing health inequality in Black, Asian and other minority ethnic pregnant women: impact of first trimester combined screening for placental dysfunction on perinatal mortality (open access) BJOG
• NHS pilots pregnancy screening that may cut racial disparities in baby deaths The Guardian

UK has highest lung disease rates in Western Europe - study

UK has highest lung disease rates in Western Europe - study More people die in the UK from serious lung disease than anywhere else in Western Europe, new analysis suggests.

New charity Asthma and Lung UK (ALUK) found that 500,000 people died from pneumonia, asthma and other respiratory conditions over a seven-year period. BBC News

Stressed NHS staff in England quit at record 400 a week, fuelling fears over care quality

Stressed NHS staff in England quit at record 400 a week, fuelling fears over care quality A record number of more than 400 workers in England have left the NHS every week to restore their work-life balance over the last year, according to a new analysis of the workforce crisis hitting the health service. The Guardian

Ambulance staff experiencing 'horrific' abuse and attacks, NHS warns

Ambulance staff experiencing 'horrific' abuse and attacks, NHS warns Ambulance staff are experiencing “horrific” abuse from the public as attacks on workers increased by 23 per cent in the wake of the pandemic.

Assaults against female ambulance staff have risen by 48 per cent in the last five years, according to a new report from the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives. The Independent

See also:

• NHS ambulance staff who have suffered violence and aggression issue national plea to ‘Work Without Fear’ Association of Ambulance Chief Executives

Breakthrough triple treatment for prostate cancer offers patients years more healthy life

Breakthrough triple treatment for prostate cancer offers patients years more healthy life A breakthrough triple therapy for advanced prostate cancer can give patients years more healthy life and reduces the overall risk of death by a third. 

The regime involves two standard therapies alongside a powerful new hormone medication, darolutamide. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Darolutamide and Survival in Metastatic, Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer (abstract) New England Journal of Medicine

NHS put on cyber attack alert following Russian invasion of Ukraine

NHS put on cyber attack alert following Russian invasion of Ukraine NHS organisations have been asked to strengthen their defences against cyber attacks, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

NHS England cautioned trusts to ensure their IT systems are “patched and protected, and that immutable backups are in place”. Further guidance will be issued to technical teams “this week”, according to the email to trusts leaders. Health Service Journal 

Addressing the leading risk factors for ill health: a review of government policies tackling smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity and harmful alcohol use in England

Addressing the leading risk factors for ill health: a review of government policies tackling smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity and harmful alcohol use in England This review assesses government policies tackling each of the leading risk factors driving ill health and early death in England, including smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, and harmful alcohol use. The report concludes that the government’s current approach – including policies that promote individual behaviour change – is insufficient to deliver on its key targets and achieve its ‘levelling up’ mission to improve healthy life expectancy. It finds that trends are going in the wrong direction for many of the major health risk factors and calls for the government to take stronger action to tackle the leading risk factors for ill health. The Health Foundation

Chart of the week: How does the quality of patient ethnicity data vary between private and public health care providers?

Chart of the week: How does the quality of patient ethnicity data vary between private and public health care providers? The pandemic has highlighted ethnic disparities in health care and outcomes in England, but poor data on the ethnicity of patients hampers efforts to address inequalities. In this week's chart, Sarah Scobie looks at how patient ethnicity data varies between private and public health care providers. Nuffield Trust

NHS launches online platform to empower patients as they wait for care

NHS launches online platform to empower patients as they wait for care Millions of patients on the waiting list for NHS care will be able to access support and check wait times at their fingertips thanks to a new online platform launching today.

Built in conjunction with patient groups, My Planned Care is one of the latest measures in a major package of moves by the NHS to tackle the COVID backlog.

The platform will allow patients and their carers to access information ahead of their planned appointment, operation or treatment through the touch of a button. 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:

• Official Statistics: Seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccine uptake in frontline healthcare workers: monthly data, 2021 to 2022 UK Health Security Agency
• Research: COVID-19 vaccine weekly surveillance reports (weeks 39 to 8, 2021 to 2022) UK Health Security Agency

The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in England

The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in England The COVID-19 vaccination programme (the programme) met stretching and unprecedented targets, helping to save lives and reduce serious illness and hospitalisation, according to a report by the National Audit Office. As the programme continues to evolve in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to new clinical advice and evidence about vaccines, there are some clear risks to be managed.

Covid: How we already understand long-term vaccine safety

Covid: How we already understand long-term vaccine safety "We don't know the long-term side effects of Covid vaccines." That's a claim that's still common to see shared online.

But a year is actually considered "long term" when it comes to vaccine safety.

This week marks the anniversary of the first delivery of Covid-19 vaccines under the Covax scheme - as well as being more than 14 months since the first dose was given.

And scientists explain that's more than enough time for all but the rarest side effects to have emerged. BBC News

See also:

• Covid: Millions of vaccine doses destroyed in England BBC News
• Covid-19 tests: Southern Health Trust investigates 'inaccurate' results BBC News
• Government's decision to sell vital vaccine infrastructure 'is baffling and should be reversed' The Daily Mail
• Lateral flows missed up to 80% of Covid-infected people, study suggests The Daily Mail
• New Covid vaccine 100% effective against severe disease, manufacturers say The Independent
• "We are broken": The 2020 diaries of an ICU nurse on the Covid frontline The Independent
• Covid: 25000 NHS staff who had retired or left health service returned to the front line in the pandemic iNews
• GPs 'not expected' to lead spring Covid booster programme, says NHS England Pulse

Life may actually flash before your eyes on death - new study

Life may actually flash before your eyes on death - new study New data from a scientific "accident" has suggested that life may actually flash before our eyes as we die.

A team of scientists set out to measure the brainwaves of an 87-year-old patient who had developed epilepsy. But during the neurological recording, he suffered a fatal heart attack - offering an unexpected recording of a dying brain. BBC News

See also:

• Enhanced Interplay of Neuronal Coherence and Coupling in the Dying Human Brain (open access) Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
• A replay of life: What happens in our brain when we die? Frontiers in Science

Climate crisis will increase mental health emergencies, researchers warn

Climate crisis will increase mental health emergencies, researchers warn Healthcare staff told to expect an increase in patients requiring treatment for substance use, anxiety and stress during periods of extreme heat.

Extreme heat leads to an increase in emergency admissions for mental health problems, US researchers have found. The Independent

See also: 

• Association Between Ambient Heat and Risk of Emergency Department Visits for Mental Health Among US Adults, 2010 to 2019 (open access) JAMA Psychiatry

England abortion ‘pills by post’ scheme to be scrapped in September

England abortion ‘pills by post’ scheme to be scrapped in September Women in England will be able to access abortion pills more easily for the next six months, but the temporary “pills by post” scheme brought in because of Covid will then be scrapped in September.

Maggie Throup, the public health minister, confirmed on Thursday that women seeking to terminate a pregnancy by taking the two pills involved at home would lose that right at the end of August. The Guardian 

NHS figures reveal a MILLION fewer women were screened for breast cancer last year

NHS figures reveal a MILLION fewer women were screened for breast cancer last year England faces a breast cancer timebomb as official figures show a million fewer women were screened for the disease over the first year of the pandemic.  

In total 1.19m women had the vital tests in the 12 months to April 2021, marking the lowest number since records began two decades ago and down nearly half on 2.12m the previous year. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Decrease in women screened for breast cancer in 2020-21 NHS Digital

Only a THIRD of English adults have seen an NHS dentist in the past two years of the pandemic

Only a THIRD of English adults have seen an NHS dentist in the past two years of the pandemic Only a third of English adults have seen a NHS dentist in the past two years of the pandemic, statistics have revealed. 

Official health service data shows just under 15.8million adults in England were seen by an NHS dentist in the 24 months to the end of 2021. The Daily Mail

Northampton mum's hope 'no other child has to go through what mine did' after 11-year legal battle over daughter's brain injuries

Northampton mum's hope 'no other child has to go through what mine did' after 11-year legal battle over daughter's brain injuries A Northampton mum who fought an 11-year legal battle over her daughter Megan's catastrophic brain injury resulting from failed maternity care says no other child should have to go through the same trauma. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Northampton girl who suffered brain injury at birth gets £19m BBC Northampton

Tickboxes and tokenism?: service user involvement report 2022

Tickboxes and tokenism?: service user involvement report 2022 This report is the result of a survey which explored people’s experiences of service user involvement. This user-led research shows the current picture of involvement and explores the barriers that deaf and Disabled people face when wanting to share their lived experience. The report contains recommendations for those who want to run inclusive, meaningful involvement to shape their services and make them better for everyone. Shaping Our Lives 

The concept of seriousness in fitness to practise cases

The concept of seriousness in fitness to practise cases This report presents findings from ‘The concept of seriousness in fitness to practise’ project commissioned by the General Dental Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council. It investigated how seriousness in fitness to practise cases is understood and applied by health professions regulators. The findings reinforce that professionals who engage with regulators during the fitness to practise process will benefit through early engagement and this can make a positive difference to the outcome of their case. It also shows the importance of considering context when looking at fitness to practise cases, understanding the role of other people, the culture and environment they were working in when something went wrong. Nursing & Midwifery Council 

Supporting male victims/survivors accessing a sexual assault referral centre: good practice guide

Supporting male victims/survivors accessing a sexual assault referral centre: good practice guide The purpose of this guide is to educate and guide staff working in sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) to better enable males, including those from diverse communities, to access the support of a SARC following sexual assault and abuse. Where males do access support from a SARC, this guide will support SARC staff to deliver high-quality care that is responsive and understanding of the diverse needs of male victims/survivors of sexual assault and abuse. NHS England 

Covid: End of legal need to self-isolate in England

Covid: End of legal need to self-isolate in England All remaining legal Covid restrictions have been removed in England, nearly two years after the first rules were introduced.

It means people are no longer legally required to self-isolate if they test positive for Covid - although they are still advised to do so.

The changes are part of the prime minister's Living with Covid plan, to "transition back to normality". BBC News

See also: 

• UK's faltering Covid wave continues to fizzle as daily cases plunge 26% in a week The Daily Mail
• Freedom or folly? The end of England’s Covid restrictions (podcast) The Guardian
• Patients must still wear face masks in GP practices, NHS England says The Independent
• NHS staff told maintain isolation and testing measures despite end Covid restrictions The Independent
• COVID-19: All remaining coronavirus restrictions lifted in England Sky News

New sickle cell treatment given to first patients in England

New sickle cell treatment given to first patients in England Sickle cell patients have begun receiving the first new treatment for the blood disorder in over 20 years.

The inherited condition can cause severe pain and organ failure, often requiring hospital admissions.

Crizanlizumab is given as a monthly infusion and is thought to cut visits to A&E by 40%. BBC News 

Health unions criticise ‘miserly’ 3% NHS staff pay rise

Health unions criticise ‘miserly’ 3% NHS staff pay rise Health unions have criticised the government for offering NHS staff in England a “miserly” 3% pay rise from April, despite inflation having hit 5.5%.

Ministers have proposed the increase in their written evidence to the NHS pay review body, which advises what salary uplifts the service’s 1.3 million staff should get. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS pay recommendation 'final push for many to leave service' GMB Union
• Government's view on NHS pay shows it's not serious about fixing nursing workforce crisis Royal College of Nursing
• Miserly government NHS pay proposal won’t clear the backlog or help patients UNISON
• 'A tight-fisted proposal': Unions hit out at 3% pay rise for NHS staff and say exhausted workers deserve more The Daily Mail
• Government puts forward 3% pay uplift for NHS nurses in England Nursing Times
• Government suggests 2% pay uplift for salaried GPs Pulse

NHS lacks 6,000 staff needed to run testing centres in England

NHS lacks 6,000 staff needed to run testing centres in England The NHS does not have the 6,000 staff needed to run its promised array of new testing centres designed to speed up diagnosis of cancer and other diseases, medical leaders are warning.

The drive to recruit the radiographers and radiologists needed to take and analyse scans and X-rays at the community diagnostic centres (CDCs) in England risks already-understaffed hospitals losing key staff to work there, a “robbing Peter to pay Paul” strategy that would backfire, they claim. The Guardian