Antibiotics breakthrough could save millions from drug-resistant superbugs Millions of lives could be saved with a “game-changing” antibiotic that could treat otherwise drug-resistant superbugs following a breakthrough by UK scientists.
Researchers said they had developed new versions of a molecule thought to be capable of killing bacteria without damaging mammalian tissue. The Independent
A matter of life and death: Explaining the wider determinants of health in the UK To address health inequalities, we need to change the way that we communicate about the wider determinants of health – to increase public understanding and to build space for policy change. Key to this change is harnessing the power of explanation. The Health Foundation
Shewsbury maternity scandal: Families ‘silenced’ after 300 babies died or left brain damaged, inquiry to find Families have been “silenced or ignored”, a former senior midwife leading a major inquiry into maternity care has said ahead of her report’s publication.
Three hundred babies died or were left brain damaged due to avoidable errors in care, the independent review will state when published this week, according to the Sunday Times. The Independent
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Campaigners in Northamptonshire post slow handclap videos to protest over three per cent pay rise for NHS staff People across Northamptonshire have been joining a mass slow handclap against the government’s three per cent pay rise for NHS staff, in a campaign backed by the country’s biggest trade union. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Restraint, segregation and seclusion review: Progress report Not enough progress has been made to address the recommendations made by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in its 2020 ‘Out of sight – who cares?’ restraint, segregation, and seclusion review. In a progress report published today, CQC finds that there are still too many people in hospital. Once in hospital they often stay too long, do not always experience therapeutic care and are still subject to restrictive interventions.
Microplastics found in human blood for first time Microplastic pollution has been detected in human blood for the first time, with scientists finding the tiny particles in almost 80% of the people tested.
The discovery shows the particles can travel around the body and may lodge in organs. The impact on health is as yet unknown. But researchers are concerned as microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory and air pollution particles are already known to enter the body and cause millions of early deaths a year. The Guardian
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Thousands more women getting tested for autism after ‘being missed for decades’ Tens of thousands more women tested themselves for autism last year with numbers seeking tests now far outstripping men, new data shows.
Statistics seen by The Independent show around 150,000 women took an online test verified by health professionals to see if they have autism last year, up from about 49,000 in 2020.
High air pollution warnings for Friday as 'dirty air' gets trapped over Northamptonshire Weather watchers have issued a rare warning for high pollution levels in parts of Northamptonshire on Friday (March 25).
Stagnant air and light winds are trapping pollutants with government agencies predicting the worst of the dirty air could be over eastern England. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Spiking Covid-related absences in county schools could 'seriously damage' exam grades, warn headteachers Teachers fear more Covid-related student absences in Northamptonshire schools will impact grades in this year's exams.
Latest government figures showed the number of pupils off school for reasons linked to the virus nationally rose to 201,600 on 17 March, nearly FOUR TIMES the figure of 45,100 a fortnight earlier. Northamptonshire Telegraph
University of Northampton launches study of new at-home kit to help adults with high blood pressure A new study launched by PHD students from the University of Northampton (UoN) is seeking adult volunteers with high blood pressure to help test a new, potentially more convenient treatment for the condition. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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Spring Statement 2022: what you need to know Analysis of what the Spring Statement means for health and social care. NHS Confederation
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Accelerating the transition: towards a net zero NHS Today the health care sector faces an array of formidable pressures, including an ageing population with increasing comorbidities, inequalities in access to healthcare and worsening environmental impacts on health.
These pressures, compounded by Covid-19, increase demand and competition for already stretched budgets.
Alongside these challenges, the impact of industries on the environment, including the health sector, is drawing greater stakeholder focus. Today, the NHS alone accounts for 4% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. Of this, Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that occur in the supply chain) make up a staggering 62%. Philips and University of Exeter
Charity warns government is 'sleepwalking' into crisis after nearly 90,000 in Northamptonshire referred to mental health services during 2021 Nearly 90,000 people were referred to mental health services in Northamptonshire last year, new figures show.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists says the coronavirus pandemic is the "biggest hit" to England's mental health in generations and has urged the Government to address growing referral lists across the country. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Covid-19: Spring booster invitations going out to Northamptonshire's most vulnerable as cases rise again Thousands of the most vulnerable people Northamptonshire are getting invitations for a FOURTH Covid booster jab.
The latest rollout comes as the number of positive tests, hospital cases and deaths continues to rise in the county. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Tackling the drug problem in the UK and Portugal The UK government tackles drugs as a criminal justice matter focused on punishment, rather than a public health matter focused on support. But many countries are taking a different approach, most famously Portugal which in 2000 decriminalised all drugs and concentrated instead on public health and harm reduction. The result? From one of the highest drug death rates in Europe to one of the lowest.
How did they do it and what can we learn? Podcast from The Health Foundation
‘You lose your human rights’: Mental Health Act usage up by 12% “When you’re sectioned under the Mental Health Act, you not only lose your voice, but you lose your human rights too”, Kelly a 47-year-old from Surrey tells The Independent.
Covid-19: Northamptonshire's grim death toll two years on from first national lockdown More than 2,000 people in Northamptonshire died from coronavirus in two years since the pandemic reached the county in 2020. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Rushden heart attack dad was given two-hour ambulance wait time The family of a Rushden man who suffered a heart attack have spoken of their disbelief at being told there would be a two-hour wait for an ambulance. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Northamptonshire's 999 workers join forces to celebrate their neurodiversity Emergency services in Northamptonshire have got together to release a series of short films coinciding with Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Dozens of tuberculosis cases a year in Northamptonshire, figures reveal Dozens of people a year contract tuberculosis in Northamptonshire, figures for recent years suggest. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
How can the UK COVID-19 Inquiry bring about meaningful change? The announcement of a statutory public inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic is welcome, as no other type of investigation has greater power or independence. But the Hallett inquiry faces a daunting task that will involve difficult decisions about priorities. The Health Foundation
Women died after ‘gross failings’ by scandal hit mental health trust A young woman died following “gross failings” and “neglect” by a mental health hospital in Essex which is also facing a major independent inquiry into patient deaths. The Independent
There are 17 neighbourhoods in Northamptonshire where Deltacron has seen Covid cases DOUBLE in a week Health chiefs are confident vaccinations can keep Covid hospitalisations in check amid warnings of a new Omicron sub-variant which is almost as infectious as measles.
The number of new coronavirus cases doubled in 17 out of Northamptonshire's 91 neighbourhoods in the week to March 10. Just five areas saw a fall in the number of positive tests recorded. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Private hospital in Northampton set to sponsor visas for Ukrainian refugees A private hospital in Northampton is looking to sponsor visas for Ukrainian refugees.
Three Shires Hospital in Cliftonville is part of Circle Health Group, which is collectively sponsoring up to 500 work visas for Ukrainian refugees. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Building public understanding of health and health inequalities There is a mismatch between the public’s perceptions of what influences health (namely individual behaviour and access to care) and the clear evidence base demonstrating the significance of wider determinants of health.
In this long read we draw on polling and recent research to explore the reasons behind public attitudes towards health and health inequalities. The Health Foundation
New air pollution proposals ‘too weak’ when lives at stake New proposals for air pollution are too “weak” when people’s lives are at stake, the mother of a nine-year-old girl whose death was linked to toxic air has said.
The mother of Ella Kissi-Debrah, the first person in the UK to have air pollution on their death certificate, told The Independent she was “incredibly disappointed” by the government’s plans to toughen up legal limits by 2040, saying this was too far in the future.
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Northamptonshire mental health helpline called 200,000 times in two years The number of calls to a dedicated Northamptonshire-wide 24-hour mental health number has hit 200,000 in the past two years, figures have revealed.
In March 2020, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) and Mind launched the mental health lifeline providing round-the-clock advice and support for county residents. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Northampton General Hospital pharmacists brains behind gadget which could save millions for NHS A gadget invented at Northampton General Hospital could save the NHS millions through avoiding waste of valuable drugs.
The ingenious device is essentially a ruler but can measure exactly how much liquid is inside a bottle without risking spillage by unscrewing the top. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
NHS backlogs and waiting times in England In its report today the Public Accounts Committee says the Department for Health and Social Care “has overseen years of decline in the NHS’s cancer and elective care waiting time performance and, even before the pandemic, did not increase capacity sufficiently to meet growing demand.”
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Supporting vulnerable doctors: Report on doctors who have died while under investigation or during a period of monitoring The General Medical Council has published a report on doctors who have died while under investigation or during a period of monitoring.
The data shows that sadly 29 doctors died while under GMC investigation or monitoring over the three-year period 1 January 2018 – 31 December 2020. The cause of death of 20 were from natural causes; six were of external causes, of which five were confirmed as suicide; and three were from unspecified reasons.
