Hospital admissions for eating disorders increased by 84% in the last five years

Hospital admissions for eating disorders increased by 84% in the last five years Signs that someone with an eating disorder is dangerously ill are often missed by healthcare professionals due to lack of guidance and training.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists launches new Medical Emergencies in Eating Disorders guidance for frontline staff so that people with eating disorders needing urgent care can be identified and treated earlier.

Hospital admissions for eating disorders have increased by 84% in the last five years reaching a total of 24,268 admissions. New Royal College of Psychiatrists’ analysis of hospital data for eating disorders shows 11,049 more admissions in 2020/21 compared to 2015/16.

See also:

• Eating disorder hospital cases up 84% in five years in England BBC News
• NHS reports ‘alarming’ rise in hospital admissions for eating disorders The Guardian
• Hospital admissions for eating disorders rise by 84% over past five years The Independent

Let down

Let down It will be years before the Government’s public inquiry into COVID gives its findings, but lessons need to be learned now. So the BMA is publishing its own reports into the pandemic, the first two revealing the woeful lack of protective equipment in the early days of the epidemic, and the profound physical and mental strain it has placed on doctors

See also:

• BMA COVID-19 review BMA
• COVID-19: PPE for doctors BMA
• Government failed health staff in pandemic - BMA BBC News
• Covid-19: Government failed to protect doctors during pandemic, BMA inquiry finds The BMJ
• UK government 'failed in duty of care to doctors' in pandemic, BMA warns GPonline
• Doctors let down by Government during Covid-19 pandemic, says BMA The Independent

Maternity Disparities Taskforce explores women's health before and during pregnancy

Maternity Disparities Taskforce explores women's health before and during pregnancy Minister for women’s health, Maria Caulfield, and chief midwifery officer, Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, co-chaired the second meeting of the Maternity Disparities Taskforce this week (Monday 16 May 2022).

The taskforce led a deep dive discussion into the role of primary care – including GPs, nurses, healthcare practitioners, pharmacists – in supporting women’s health before they become pregnant, known as preconception health. Department of Health and Social Care

Government review could see NHS England, CQC and UKHSA 'abolished'

Government review could see NHS England, CQC and UKHSA 'abolished' A Government review of arm’s length bodies (ALBs), including the NHS England, CQC and UKHSA could see ‘powers returned to accountable ministers’.

The evaluation will look at the efficacy and efficiency of all public bodies and whether they should be ‘abolished or retained’ or should carry on delivering all of their functions.

NHS Improvement, NHS Digital and Health Education England (HEE) also fall under the remit of the review. Pulse

Monkeypox: Two more people infected to take total to nine in UK

Monkeypox: Two more people infected to take total to nine in UK Two more people with monkeypox have been identified, taking the total number of cases in the UK to nine.

Both live in the South East of England - where most of the cases have been identified - and it is thought they got the infection through spread in the community, rather than travel.

Monkeypox is usually linked with travel to West Africa. BBC News

See also:

• Monkeypox cases confirmed in England – latest updates UK Health Security Agency
• Guidance: Monkeypox UK Health Security Agency
• Close contacts of UK's monkeypox cases are being given 'off-label' vaccine The Daily Mail
• Monkeypox hits Europe: Portugal says five men have virus while Spain probes eight suspected cases The Daily Mail
• Monkeypox: What we know about rare virus as four more cases confirmed in England The Independent

Wire cutters and drill bits among the items left inside NHS patients

Wire cutters and drill bits among the items left inside NHS patients There were more than 400 "never events" between April 2021 and March 2022, despite the category being for incidents that "should not occur if healthcare providers have implemented existing national guidance or safety recommendations". Sky News

See also:

• Never Events data NHS England
• Drill bits and scalpel blades left inside patients as NHS ‘Never Events’ become everyday occurrence The Daily Telegraph
• Drill bits, scalpels and wire cutters left inside NHS patients, new data shows ITV News

NHS trust fined £1.3m over deaths of two patients after staff mistakes

NHS trust fined £1.3m over deaths of two patients after staff mistakes An NHS trust has been fined over £1.3m after it admitted breaking the law by failing to provide safe care in two cases where patients died after serious mistakes were made by hospital staff.

The Shrewsbury and Telford trust pleaded guilty on Wednesday at Telford magistrates court to three criminal charges brought by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the NHS care regulator in England. The Guardian

See also:

• Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust admits failures after two patients die BBC News
• Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust fined over £1.3m for safety failings linked to two deaths Sky News

Care watchdog issues urgent warning over patient safety at mental health hospital facing police probe

Care watchdog issues urgent warning over patient safety at mental health hospital facing police probe A private hospital facing a police investigation following a patient’s death has been given an urgent warning by the care regulator due to concerns over patient safety.

The Huntercombe Hospital in Maidenhead, which treats children with mental health needs, was told it must urgently address safety issues found by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection in March. The Independent

NHS checks for prostate cancer hit all-time high

NHS checks for prostate cancer hit all-time high Checks for prostate cancer have hit an all-time high after an awareness campaign, according to NHS England.

Urgent referrals for urological cancers reached a record level in March, with 24,331 men checked in one month.

These referrals increased by more than a fifth (23%) compared with the previous month and are up by almost one third (30%) compared with the same month last year. The Independent

NHS will NOT hit key cancer targets by next March, health chief warns

NHS will NOT hit key cancer targets by next March, health chief warns The NHS will likely still be missing crucial cancer targets next year, a senior health official warned today.

Dr Liz Bishop, who sits on NHS England's national cancer board, admitted that she 'does not think' it will be 'business as usual' by March. The Daily Mail 

Northamptonshire hospitals beating new government targets on cancer diagnosis waiting times

Northamptonshire hospitals beating new government targets on cancer diagnosis waiting times Medics at both Northamptonshire’s two main hospitals are beating new key cancer diagnosis targets in every month since it was first introduced.

More than eight in ten referrals getting diagnosis or all-clear within 28 days. Northamptonshire Telegraph

What does the future hold for Kettering General Hospital's breast services?

What does the future hold for Kettering General Hospital's breast services? The potential for aspects of breast care to move from KGH to Northampton forms part of early talks about the service’s future, it has been revealed.

Discussions are under way about how the two hospitals – which form the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire group – could work together in the future. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Chronic pain: 'I get tsunamis of pain seven years after surgery'

Chronic pain: 'I get tsunamis of pain seven years after surgery' A man who has been in pain since bowel surgery said he has not given up hope of one day leading a more normal life.

Alan Huddart, from Roade in Northamptonshire, said: "Even now, seven years after surgery, I still suffer nerve pain. I've actually blacked out because of the tsunami of pain."

He said he was hopeful a new treatment involving a stimulator attached to his spine, controlled via his mobile phone, would mean he would one day be able to stop using morphine. BBC Northampton

Nursing and midwifery register grows but so does number of people leaving

Nursing and midwifery register grows but so does number of people leaving The number of nursing and midwifery professionals registered to practise in the UK has grown to more than 758,000. But the number of people leaving the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register has also started to rise.

The number of people joining the register for the first time has also risen, by 13,919 to 48,436. Almost half of first-time joiners trained outside the UK.

A total of 27,133 professionals left the NMC register in 2021–2022. That’s 13 percent more than the year before, and starts to reverse a downward trend in leavers over the recent years.

See also: 

• RCN responds to new NMC data showing a 13% increase in people leaving the profession Royal College of Nursing
• Half of new nurses and midwives come from abroad BBC News
• Record 23,000 NHS nurses and midwives employed last year - nearly HALF of new workforce - came from abroad, with the majority recruited in India and the Philippines The Daily Mail
• Numbers of nurses and midwives leaving NHS highest for four years The Guardian

General practice on the brink: how did it get there?

General practice on the brink: how did it get there? General practice is on the brink, and policy-makers, clinicians and patients seem to know it. But how did it come to this? At the start of a mini series of blogs on general practice, Charlotte Paddison reflects on how its problems came about and what lessons can be learnt from them. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• General practice on the brink: what should reform look like? Nuffield Trust
• General practice on the brink: what’s needed to implement change? Nuffield Trust

China’s presence in NHS supply chains: Why we need to protect our health service from future threat

China’s presence in NHS supply chains: Why we need to protect our health service from future threat This new Civitas report takes a closer look at Chinese-manufactured goods in NHS supply chains and discovers the NHS is “dangerously reliant” on China for medical supplies.

See also:

• NHS 'dangerously over-reliant' on China with one in SIX medical items coming from Beijing The Daily Mail

60,000 NHS staff living with post-traumatic stress following pandemic

60,000 NHS staff living with post-traumatic stress following pandemic An estimated 60,000 NHS workers could be living with post-traumatic stress as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, new research suggests.

In our survey of over 1000 NHS workers, close to three quarters (73%) expressed concern about colleagues leaving the workforce due to poor mental health. But while the pace of work and loss of unprecedented numbers of patients have taken a toll on staff, the public still feels overwhelming pride and affection for the health service – 60% say it is ‘the best thing about the UK. NHS Charities Together

Health Secretary announces 10-year Plan for dementia

Health Secretary announces 10-year Plan for dementia Health and Social Care Secretary announces a new 10-year Plan to tackle dementia and boost funding into research to better understand neurodegenerative diseases. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Speech: Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid speech at Alzheimer's Society 2022 conference. Department of Health and Social Care
• Government must back dementia ambition with research funding Alzheimer’s Research UK
• Sajid Javid says 'seismic shifts' are needed to fight dementia The Daily Mail
• Sajid Javid told dementia patients ‘need change now’ as 10-year plan launched The Guardian

The bitter fight over abortion clinic protests

The bitter fight over abortion clinic protests It is more than four years since the UK's first so-called buffer zone was set up outside an abortion clinic in the London borough of Ealing.

The aim was to prevent anti-abortion campaigners approaching - and often upsetting - patients.

Pro-choice campaigners had hoped buffer zones - which are legally-protected spaces - would soon become the norm.

But since 2018, only two more have been created in England, and BBC Newsnight has been told women are being regularly harassed. BBC News

Hostile behaviour toward people with a visible difference on the rise - study

Hostile behaviour toward people with a visible difference on the rise - study "I didn't even leave my flat. I was just so concerned that people were staring at me, or they were going to say something."

28-year-old Atholl Mills was born with cystic hygroma - causing cysts to form on his body.

He's part of a new campaign raising awareness about the impact of staring at people with disfigurements.

There's been an increase in hostile behaviour towards those with visible differences, according to new research. BBC News

UK monkeypox outbreak ‘unprecedented’ as officials say sexual contact likely route of transmission

UK monkeypox outbreak ‘unprecedented’ as officials say sexual contact likely route of transmission The recent outbreak of monkeypox cases in the UK is “unprecedented,” a scientist has said, as others warned there were “gaps in our knowledge” over the recent spread of the disease.

Health officials are investigating the links between four new cases that have been identified in London and the northeast of England, none of which have known connections to the previous three infections detected by the UK Health Security Agency. The Independent

See also:

• Monkeypox fears prompt STI clinics to bring social distancing BACK The Daily Mail
• Health chiefs are now probing whether monkeypox is being spread through SEX The Daily Mail
• Monkeypox likely a sexually transmissible infection, health officials believe for the first time The Daily Telegraph
• What is monkeypox and should UK residents be worried? The Guardian

NHS risks losing GPs to ‘nonsensical’ immigration rules, Priti Patel told

NHS risks losing GPs to ‘nonsensical’ immigration rules, Priti Patel told Hundreds of overseas-born trainee GPs are at risk of deportation because of “nonsensical” immigration rules, the profession’s leader has warned Priti Patel.

The NHS risks losing much-needed family doctors unless visa regulations are overhauled to allow young medics to stay in Britain at the end of their GP training, Prof Martin Marshall said. The Guardian

Pollution killed 9MILLION people in 2019 - the equivalent of one in six deaths, major report reveals

Pollution still killing millions and accounts for one in six deaths worldwide, study finds Experts warn of the enormous health, social and economic impacts of pollution - and say climate change and wildlife loss are closely linked. Action to tackle one could help deal with the other crises, and call for a rapid transition away from all fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy.

Air, chemical and water pollution accounted for one in six deaths in 2019, a study has found.

Pollution was responsible for nine million deaths worldwide in 2019. Sky News

See also:

• Pollution and health: a progress update (open access) The Lancet Planetary Health
• Pollution killed 9MILLION people in 2019 - the equivalent of one in six deaths, major report reveals The Daily Mail
• Pollution responsible for one in six deaths across planet, scientists warn The Guardian
• Global pollution kills 9 million people a year, study finds The Independent

Councils blew £30m on health scheme which saw just 220 people lose ANY weight, MPs told

Councils blew £30m on health scheme which saw just 220 people lose ANY weight, MPs told ouncils blew £30million of taxpayers’ cash on weight-loss schemes that led to just 220 people slimming down, MPs heard.

Experts warned there is no evidence that diets work in the long term and an obsession with them is fuelling Britain’s obesity epidemic.

Weight-loss goals make health worse by promoting stress and stigma and focusing on self-esteem and healthy lifestyle would be more effective, the Commons health committee was told. The Daily Mail

Northampton mental health hospital responds to data revealing 58 allegations of assault made against staff

Northampton mental health hospital responds to data revealing 58 allegations of assault made against staff A mental health hospital in Northampton has responded to data revealing that 86 safeguarding concerns were reported to West Northamptonshire Council in the space of a year.

A Freedom of Information Request was submitted to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) regarding safeguarding at St Andrew’s Healthcare, situated on Billing Road. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Putting patients first: championing good practice in combatting digital health inequalities

Putting patients first: championing good practice in combatting digital health inequalities This report focuses on digital health inequalities and the impact that digital exclusion is having on health in the UK. It highlights different reasons for disparities in a person’s ability to access and use digital health technology and provides insights into the severity of the UK’s digital inequalities. The report also looks at four case studies demonstrating unique ways to combat digital health inequalities and improve access, and use of digital health technology for patients. Patient Coalition for AI, Data and Digital Tech in Health

Millions suffer poor care due to overstretched NHS and social care staff

Millions suffer poor care due to overstretched NHS and social care staff New polling from Engage Britain shows that one in four adults say they, or an immediate family member, have received poor NHS care due to workforce problems.

The People’s Panel brought together 100 people to consider the health and care challenges being faced by the British public.

The Panel was then tasked with prioritising the issues raised. It found workforce issues to be the most pressing problem facing the country.

It also stressed the need to improve how patients are treated, along with more support for mental health issues and healthcare prevention rather than cure.

See also:

• NHS patients ‘feel stressed’ over treatment waiting times, with GP and hospital delays the commonest causes iNews

The impact of dementia on women: how women are disproportionately affected across their lives and what needs to change.

The impact of dementia on women: how women are disproportionately affected across their lives and what needs to change Dementia became the leading cause of death for UK women in 2011. Two in three people with dementia (65 per cent) are women, and longer life expectancy alone does not explain this disparity. Women are also more likely to care for a loved one with dementia – making up around two thirds of unpaid carers. Yet across medical research, data from women is too often missing. And in the lab, female dementia researchers are less likely to move into senior roles than men. 

This report calls for action to tackle dementia’s disproportionate impact on women and to ensure women can make a full contribution to research, both as participants and as researchers. Alzheimer's Research UK

Levelling up dementia diagnosis: Tackling variations in diagnosis rates in England

Levelling up dementia diagnosis: Tackling variations in diagnosis rates in England Future Health has published research which shows that over 300,000 people living with dementia in England

The report finds:

• A postcode lottery for dementia diagnosis, with large variations across England, including between neighbouring healthcare authorities
• The pandemic has seen a reduction in the proportion of patients receiving a diagnosis, with the number falling below 60% – missing the Government target of two thirds
• £3billion could be saved with better diagnosis rates of dementia, as report calls for pandemic recovery investment and an urgent public health campaign to encourage people to visit their GPs if they have concerns

See also:

• 325,000 are living with undiagnosed dementia as report bemoans postcode lottery The Daily Mail

A picture of health? Bridging the gap between physical and mental healthcare in adult mental health inpatient settings

A picture of health? Bridging the gap between physical and mental healthcare in adult mental health inpatient settings This report reviews the quality of physical healthcare provided to adults in mental health inpatient settings. Based on data from patients aged 18+ admitted to a mental health inpatient setting for more than one week from 1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019, the report found that a detailed physical health assessment was not undertaken appropriately for 28 out of 126 (22.2 per cent) patients, and physical health conditions were not included in the initial clerking for 29 out of 150 (19.3 per cent) patients. As such, it suggests that a physical healthcare plan should be developed when patients are admitted to a mental health inpatient setting. National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD)

Policy paper: Addendum to the UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2019 to 2024

Policy paper: Addendum to the UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2019 to 2024 This document sets out changes to the commitments in Tackling antimicrobial resistance 2019 to 2024: the UK’s 5-year national action plan, in its third year of delivery.

The changes reflect lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and progress that has already been made. Department of Health and Social Care

Monkeypox: Four more cases detected in England

Monkeypox: Four more cases detected in England Four more people in England have been diagnosed with monkeypox.

The UK Health Security Agency says the risk to the public remains very low, although it appears the individuals caught it in the UK.

Monkeypox is usually associated with travel to West Africa. BBC News

See also:

• Monkeypox cases confirmed in England – latest updates UK Health Security Agency
• Monkeypox - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland World Health Organization
• UK monkeypox alert as health chiefs detect another FOUR monkeypox cases The Daily Mail
• Mystery over spread of monkeypox as four more people infected The Daily Telegraph
• Monkeypox: What we know about rare virus as four more cases confirmed in England The Independent
• More cases of monkeypox detected in UK as scientists investigate links The Independent
• Monkeypox: How do you catch it, what are the symptoms, and how easily does it spread? Sky News

Anti-abortion groups target women with misleading ads

Anti-abortion groups target women with misleading ads When Hana found out she was pregnant, she knew she wanted to have an abortion - but her search for a clinic on Google led her to an anti-abortion centre, set on talking her out of her decision. BBC News

Google sued for using the NHS data of 1.6 million Britons 'without their knowledge or consent'

Google sued for using the NHS data of 1.6 million Britons 'without their knowledge or consent' The Royal Free NHS Trust in London, which gave Google the patient data, was previously told the move was illegal following an investigation by the Information Commissioner's Office. Sky News

We need a definitive exit from our Covid-19 pandemic. Here’s the roadmap

We need a definitive exit from our Covid-19 pandemic. Here’s the roadmap Nasal or oral coronavirus vaccines, more and better drugs, and a variant-proof vaccine could catalyze a clear way out.

As the virus accelerates its evolution, the humans capitulate. For two and a half years, Covid-19 has been outrunning our response, getting more and more transmissible, reaching a level of infectiousness that few pathogens have ever attained. Instead of taking a stance of getting ahead of the virus, and outsmarting it, people have succumbed. The Guardian

See also:

• Covid mask rule partially eased for EU air travel BBC News
• Sniffer dogs ‘can accurately detect airport passengers infected with Covid-19’ The Independent
• Scent dogs in detection of COVID-19: triple-blinded randomised trial and operational real-life screening in airport setting (open access) BMJ Global Health

Overseas-trained NHS doctors more likely to be struck off without lawyer at disciplinary

Overseas-trained NHS doctors more likely to be struck off without lawyer at disciplinary Nearly 40% of doctors who trained abroad do not have legal representation, compared with 25% of doctors who qualified in UK.

The findings have raised fresh questions about whether the General Medical Council (GMC) displays “systemic racial bias” in its treatment of foreign-born medics accused of wrongdoing. The Guardian

See also:

• Doctors who graduated overseas face harsher sanctions when unrepresented at medical tribunals Medical Protection Society

Magnetic marker liquid could be used to show if breast cancer has spread

Magnetic marker liquid could be used to show if breast cancer has spread Nice endorses Magtrace to use with probe, which work in similar way to metal detector

Women with invasive breast cancer could be injected with a magnetic marker liquid to tell doctors if their disease has spread, according to a recommendation by the government’s health advisers.

The substance, called Magtrace, has been shown to locate the presence of sentinel lymph nodes, which show if the cancer has progressed beyond the breast. The Guardian

See also:

• Draft NICE guidance recommends innovative technology used to establish whether breast cancer has spread NICE
• Breast cancer 'metal detector' recommended to NHS BBC News
• Breast cancer 'metal detector' could be used in the NHS The Independent

Patients made 4.7million trips to A&E because they couldn't get advice or treatment from their GP

Patients made 4.7million trips to A&E because they couldn't get advice or treatment from their GP Up to 4.7 million visits to hospital accident and emergency units in the past year may have been due to people being unable to see their GP, an official study suggests.

Research by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found almost one in five A&E patients surveyed had resorted to emergency departments because they couldn’t get advice or treatment elsewhere.

Of those, the research found, around one third (35 per cent) said there were no appointments available and 30 per cent said they were not able to get through to or access the service. The Daily Mail

IVF postcode lottery as Covid causes huge delays to NHS-funded cycles

IVF postcode lottery as Covid causes huge delays to NHS-funded cycles NHS-funded fertility treatment was still crawling behind pre-Covid levels 15 months after the virus hit, analysis suggests. 

On the other hand, private clinics — which can charge up to £5,000 for one cycle of IVF — bounced back rapidly.

Fertility treatments were suspended in April 2020, three weeks after Boris Johnson ordered the UK's first lockdown. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Impact of COVID-19 on fertility treatment 2020 Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority 
• ‘People were extremely stressed and anxious’: IVF treatment through NHS plummets by 7% in pandemic The Independent

Devolve to evolve? The future of specialised services within integrated care

Devolve to evolve? The future of specialised services within integrated care Specialised services typically care for small numbers of patients with rare or complex conditions. They are commonly overlooked in debates around the future of the NHS.

This report sets out a series of recommendations including refinement of the services into more logical groupings, an expanded role for patient and carer input into service design, and stronger ministerial and financial oversight to ensure the sustainability of service delivery for the longer term. Policy Exchange

The government’s response to the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee’s ninth report of session 2021-22, 'Clearing the backlog caused by the pandemic'

The government’s response to the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee’s ninth report of session 2021-22, 'Clearing the backlog caused by the pandemic' This report sets out how the government is working with its arm’s length bodies to help the NHS clear the waiting list for elective care. Department of Health and Social Care

New prescription charge freeze to help ease cost of living

New prescription charge freeze to help ease cost of living NHS prescription charges will be frozen for the first time in 12 years to help with the cost of living.

Charges usually increase in line with average inflation. This year - in a move not seen for over a decade - the cost for prescriptions will remain the same to help ease cost of living pressures and ensure prescription medication remains accessible. Department of Health and Social Care

Government delays restrictions on multibuy deals and advertising on TV and online

Government delays restrictions on multibuy deals and advertising on TV and online Rules banning multibuy deals on foods and drinks high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) - including buy one get one free (BOGOF), ‘3 for 2’, and restrictions on free refills for soft drinks - will be delayed for a year.

Restrictions on the placement of less healthy products – a key part of the government’s commitment to reduce obesity - will still come into force in October 2022 as planned. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Junk food: Ministers to delay ban on multi-buy deals BBC News
• Junk food: Obesity strategy falling apart, Jamie Oliver says BBC News
• Tory backlash grows over delay to junk food TV ad ban The Guardian
• Delay to junk food ads ban could ‘blow a hole’ in UK obesity strategy The Guardian
• Ban on buy-one-get-one-free junk food deals delayed for a year, as PM accused of playing politics with kids' health Sky News

Hundreds of patients to get life-extending lung cancer drug on the NHS

Hundreds of patients to get life-extending lung cancer drug on the NHS Hundreds of people with a form of the most common form of lung cancer could survive twice as long with the disease, thanks to a drug now available on the NHS.

The drug, durvalumab, can double the overall time someone can survive with an aggressive form of lung cancer from two and a half to five years.

It stops the cancer from getting worse for more than two years – significantly longer than treatment with a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which can only hold the disease at bay for around six months. NHS England

Monkeypox cases confirmed in England

Monkeypox cases confirmed in England Two individuals have been diagnosed with monkeypox in London, confirms the UK Health Security Agency.

The cases live together in the same household. They are not linked to the previous confirmed case announced on 7 May. Where and how they acquired their infection remains under investigation.

UK Covid infections lowest since mid-December

UK Covid infections lowest since mid-December Covid infections continue to decrease in the UK with around one in 45 or just over two in every 100 people thought to be infected.

The estimates - from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - show levels of the virus are at the lowest since mid-December.

It means around 1.48m people would have tested positive in the week to 7 May. BBC News

See also:

• North Korea: More than a million Covid cases feared BBC News
• Covid: What will the pandemic look like in North Korea? BBC News
• 'Covid jab's very rare side-effects may be explored in public inquiry into pandemic The Daily Mail
• Cells infected with Covid can 'explode' The Daily Mail
• Only 7% of 5-11s in England have had Covid jab as parents hesitate The Guardian
• Long COVID sufferers 'considering buying own oxygen' as number seeking help doubles, says charity Sky News

Vitamin D: Could UV-mushrooms help fix the nation’s issue?

Vitamin D: Could UV-mushrooms help fix the nation’s issue? A government consultation on how to tackle the nation's vitamin D deficiency problem ends on Sunday.

One idea being floated is getting people to eat biofortified foods, such as mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light.

It is a process that makes the food extra-rich in the nutrient. BBC News

Tens of thousands waiting too long for 999 calls to be answered in England

Tens of thousands waiting too long for 999 calls to be answered in England Tens of thousands of emergency calls are taking more than two minutes to be answered in England amid a crisis in the ambulance service, The Independent has learned.

More than 37,000 emergency calls took more than two minutes to answer in April 2022 – 24 times the 1,500 that took that long in April 2021, according to a leaked staff message.

Jeremy Hunt: I was at top of rogue system as health secretary

Jeremy Hunt: I was at top of rogue system as health secretary Jeremy Hunt has described sitting at the top of a “rogue system” when he was health secretary, as he reportedly told how he was “shocked to his core” by failures in care.

The current chair of the Health and Social Care Committee said the a fear of transparency and honesty in the NHS when it comes to avoidable deaths and mistakes is a “major structural problem” that must be addressed, in comments reported in the Sunday Times. The Independent

See also:

• Jeremy Hunt: I was at top of rogue system as health secretary Evening standard
• Jeremy Hunt ‘ignored’ NHS staff shortages while health secretary The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt says NHS was a ‘rogue system’ during his time as health secretary The Guardian

Thousands miss out on treatment as physiotherapists are taken off UK register

Thousands miss out on treatment as physiotherapists are taken off UK register Thousands of patients have been left without vital healthcare after nearly one in 10 physiotherapists was prevented from practising after their regulator removed them from its register.

Exactly 5,311 physiotherapists were deregistered by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) on 1 May because they had not renewed their registration after the HCPC decided not to send out reminder letters. The Guardian

See also:

• Statement on physiotherapist renewals Health and Care Professions Council
• Physiotherapists: how to rejoin the Register if you’ve been removed Health and Care Professions Council

Health chiefs deny vulnerable patients vital care which NHS should fund

Health chiefs deny vulnerable patients vital care which NHS should fund Campaigners have warned that thousands entitled to help from the Continuing Healthcare fund, which covers the costs of long-term social care, are being turned down by Clinical Commissioning Groups. The Daily Mail

England will end free NHS flu jabs for over-50s but Scotland won't

England will end free NHS flu jabs for over-50s but Scotland won't England will ditch Covid measures which saw the annual flu jab given free to those aged 50-64 and secondary school children aged 11 to 15. Scotland and Wales will still offer a free jab to these groups. The Daily Mail 

Vaccine boss hails Covid jabs success as Northamptonshire hospital cases plummet 80 percent in four weeks

Vaccine boss hails Covid jabs success as Northamptonshire hospital cases plummet 80 percent in four weeks Vaccination bosses are hailing the success of Covid-19 jabs after the number of patients in hospital with the virus dropped by 80 percent in four weeks. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northamptonshire welcomes 16 international nurses to healthcare foundation trust in last year

Northamptonshire welcomes 16 international nurses to healthcare foundation trust in last year A total of 16 international nurses have been welcomed to a healthcare foundation trust in Northamptonshire during the last year.

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has worked in collaboration with Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals to welcome nurses from India, the Philippines and Zimbabwe. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Ukraine war: Paramedic to deliver humanitarian aid in Ukraine

Ukraine war: Paramedic to deliver humanitarian aid in Ukraine A paramedic heading to Ukraine to help deliver humanitarian aid said he felt "had to do something" after seeing images of the war.

Sam Sears, who works at Kettering ambulance station, left the UK on Monday and will head to Poland before crossing the boarder to Lviv.

The 41-year-old from Sudborough, Northamptonshire, will spend six weeks helping Ukrainian emergency services. BBC Northampton

NHS performance summary

NHS performance summary In April 2022, 28% of people attending A&E spent more than four hours from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge – the worst performance for any April since records began.

Trolley waits increased to record levels – in April 2022, 24,138 patients waited over 12 hours from a decision to admit to admission, 46 times higher than in April 2021.

The mean ambulance response time for emergency incidents exceeded 51 minutes in April 2022, with one in ten patients waiting almost two hours. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Continued pressure on emergency services not safe or sustainable The Health Foundation
• The King's Fund responds to the latest NHS performance stats The King's Fund
• Latest figures show NHS making significant dents in waiting lists, but demand skyrocketing NHS Confederation
• Further drop in number of people facing longest waits for NHS care NHS England
• NHS Activity Tracker May 2022 NHS Providers
• Appalling delays in emergency and routine care will remain for some time Nuffield Trust
• NHS waiting list spikes to ANOTHER record high: Now 6.4MILLION patients are stuck in queues The Daily Mail
• NHS England waiting list reaches another record high in March The Guardian
• What do the latest NHS performance figures show? The Independent
• NHS waiting list hits record high with 6.4 million patients yet to have routine treatment The Independent
• NHS waiting list in England hits new record high of 6.4 million people but ambulance response times improve iNews

Why health visitors matter: perspectives on a widely valued service

Why health visitors matter: perspectives on a widely valued service This report is compiled of short pieces by parents, professionals, and charity leaders that aim to show the breadth and depth of health visitors’ work and its importance. It concludes with several calls to action, including asking local authorities to commission and fund high quality health visiting services, increased resource from the government and for the government to address workforce shortages. Parent Infant Foundation

Waiting for Care ADASS Report May 2022

Waiting for Care ADASS Report May 2022 New survey findings from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services show that more than half a million people are now waiting for an adult social care assessment, for care or a direct payment to begin or for a review of their care. The latest data suggests:

• More than six in 10 councils that responded (61%) say they are having to prioritise assessments and are only able to respond to people where abuse or neglect is highlighted, for hospital discharge or after a temporary period of residential care to support recovery and reablement.
• 506,131 people were waiting for assessments, reviews, and/or care support to begin
• There has been a 16% increase in the number of hours of home care that have been delivered since Spring 2021, but that dipped from a high of over 41m hours in Autumn 2021 in the first quarter of this year as staff vacancies and sickness impacted

Almost 170,000 hours a week of home care could not be delivered because of a shortage of care workers during the first three months of 2022. That is a dramatic seven-fold increase since Spring 2021

See also:

• Chief Social Worker for Adults publishes annual report Department of Health and Social Care
• Official Statistics: Adult social care in England, monthly statistics: May 2022 Department of Health and Social Care
• NHS Providers responds to ADASS report 'Waiting for care and support' NHS Providers
• Social care: Half a million adults waiting for help in England BBC News

Increased funding for nursing in care homes

Increased funding for nursing in care homes Increased funding for nursing in care homes will support tens of thousands of care home residents with nursing needs, including those with learning and physical disabilities, with an 11.5% increase in 2022 to 2023 and an estimated £87 million backdated for 2021 to 2022. Department of Health and Social Care

COVID-19: Around 60,000 NHS workers living with PTSD after battling the pandemic

COVID-19: Around 60,000 NHS workers living with PTSD after battling the pandemic An estimated 60,000 NHS workers are believed to be living with post-traumatic stress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research.

NHS Charities Together also found nine in 10 workers (90%) say it will take them years to recover. Sky News

See also:

• Police issue 50 more fines over Covid-rule breaking in Downing Street BBC News
• Latest No 10 lockdown party fines are a non-story, says Jacob Rees-Mogg BBC News
• Covid inquiry broadens scope to include children BBC News
• End of Covid regulations: What if I'm still worried? BBC News
• United States passes one million Covid deaths BBC News
• Covid UK: Independent inquiry WILL probe impact of lockdowns on mental health and young people The Daily Mail
• Covid is not more likely to cause depression than other respiratory infections, study claims The Daily Mail
• Unequal impact of Covid should be part of UK inquiry, says chair The Guardian
• Partygate: PM accused of presiding over ‘record’ 100 Covid fines The Guardian
• Ending England’s Covid restrictions was divisive – but the data shows we were right The Guardian
• Covid vaccine uptake in pregnant women rises to 60% but racial inequalities persist The Independent
• Number of Covid-19 hospital patients in England lowest since Christmas The Independent

Hepatitis outbreak in children: What do we know so far?

Hepatitis outbreak in children: What do we know so far? An unexpected increase in hepatitis cases among young, previously healthy children was first reported in the United Kingdom in late March. As of 10 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 348 cases globally. So far, one death has been reported and an estimated 18 liver transplants have been carried out globally. Imperial College London

See also:

• Child with acute hepatitis dies in Ireland BBC News
• Child dies of mysterious hepatitis in Ireland as global death toll hits six  The Daily Mail

Offer women oral tablet to treat fibroids, NHS advised

Offer women oral tablet to treat fibroids, NHS advised A new oral tablet could help thousands of women with benign womb growths, called fibroids, avoid invasive surgery, say experts advising the NHS.

Watchdog the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says Ryeqo pills should be added to the treatment options considered if a woman has moderate to severe symptoms. BBC News

See also:

• Women with moderate to severe fibroids set to be offered new one-a-day treatment following final draft guidance NICE

High pollen levels this weekend ‘could be deadly’ for asthma sufferers, charity warns

High pollen levels this weekend ‘could be deadly’ for asthma sufferers, charity warns Asthma sufferers have been warned that high pollen levels this weekend could put their lives at risk.

The Met Office is forecasting high pollen levels across most of England and Wales from Friday, with medium levels in other parts of the UK, except in Orkney and Shetland, where they should remain low. The Independent

NHS ambulance crisis sparks an 80% spike in serious safety incidents

NHS ambulance crisis sparks an 80% spike in serious safety incidents The NHS ambulance crisis has led to a surge in avoidable deaths and injuries — with response times for emergency call-outs at record highs.

Heart attack patients can now expect to wait an hour after a 999 call, which health bosses have blamed on record demand following the pandemic.

Serious safety incidents logged by ambulance trusts in England have skyrocketed 77 per cent in the last year compared to before the pandemic, official figures show. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Ambulance Quality Indicators Clinical Outcomes for December 2021 NHS England
• Ambulance wait times: Injured nine-year-old told ambulance would take hours to reach her BBC News
• Top emergency medic admits she would consider a TAXI to take ill family member to hospital The Daily Mail
• Ambulance response times ‘putting lives at risk’ as girl, 9, told to wait 10 hours The Independent

How can the NHS Staff Survey data help you to meet the core needs of your people?

How can the NHS Staff Survey data help you to meet the core needs of your people? The results of the 2021 NHS Staff Survey are out. The overwhelming picture of the lived experience of staff working in the NHS, and the consequences this is having on their health and wellbeing, is deeply concerning: national results show 46.8 per cent of staff have felt unwell as a result of work-related stress in the past 12 months and 54.5 per cent of staff have gone to work in the past three months despite not feeling well enough to perform their duties. The King's Fund

Loneliness and Mental Health Report UK

Loneliness and Mental Health Report UK We all know what loneliness feels like and feeling lonely from time to time is a normal part of life. But when loneliness is severe or lasts a long time, it can negatively affect our mental health.

This report explores what it’s like to be lonely: its causes, consequences and the groups of people who are more likely to experience severe and enduring loneliness. Mental Health Foundation

Integrated working to address frailty needs: Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership

Integrated working to address frailty needs: Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership The delivery of an integrated approach has led to significant health and social improvements among frail and older people within Bradford District and Craven. Key benefits and outcomes include: the transformation of the lives of more than 300 frail and older people; effective identification through data of patients most at risk; reduced gaps in care and risk through partnership working; improved navigation for patients through health and care services (considering health, care, socio economic needs); and reduced duplication through collaboration, ensuring patients are seen at the right place at the right time. NHS Confederation

Workforce Disability Equality Standard: 2021 data analysis report for NHS trusts and foundation trusts

Workforce Disability Equality Standard: 2021 data analysis report for NHS trusts and foundation trusts This report provides a summary of the 2021 national data analysis and presents key findings and recommendations for continued focus and actions by trusts. regions and the national Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team at NHS England and NHS Improvement. It enables a comparison of year on year progress into the career and workplace experiences of NHS disabled staff. NHS England

Ambulance wait times endangering patients, doctors say

Ambulance wait times endangering patients, doctors say Doctors and paramedics have told the BBC that long waits for ambulances across the UK are having a "dangerous impact" on patient safety.

BBC analysis found a 77% rise in the most serious safety incidents logged by paramedics in England over the past year, compared to before the pandemic.

In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the 999 system is also under "tremendous pressure", doctors say.

NHS England said the safety of patients is its "absolute priority". BBC News

Half of Covid-hospitalised still symptomatic two years on, study finds

Half of Covid-hospitalised still symptomatic two years on, study finds More than half of people hospitalised with Covid-19 still have at least one symptom two years after they were first infected, according to the longest follow-up study of its kind.

While physical and mental health generally improve over time, the analysis suggests that coronavirus patients discharged from hospital still tend to experience poorer health and quality of life than the general population. The Guardian

See also:

• Health outcomes in people 2 years after surviving hospitalisation with COVID-19: a longitudinal cohort study (open access) The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
• World complacent on Covid, warns former UK prime minister Gordon Brown BBC News
• Covid: Superhero images unhelpful, says nurse chief BBC News
• North Korea orders strict lockdown with first official Covid cases BBC News
• England logs just 9,700 new Covid cases on first day of UK-wide daily stats being scrapped The Daily Mail
• SAGE models were too scary and held too much weight... says lockdown architect behind them!  The Daily Mail
• Long Covid sufferers at far greater risk of blood clots, study says The Independent
• Impaired exercise capacity in post-COVID syndrome: the role of VWF-ADAMTS13 axis (open access) Blood Advances

Nurses top UK poll on who makes biggest contribution to society

Nurses top UK poll on who makes biggest contribution to society Nurses are judged to make the biggest contribution to society in Britain, ahead of doctors and teachers, a poll of the public has found.

YouGov asked a representative sample of 1,805 adults which group from a list of five types of professionals contributed the most to society. The Guardian

Hundreds of organisations breached patient data rules, reveals BMJ

Hundreds of organisations breached patient data rules, reveals BMJ Hundreds of organisations, including drug companies, private healthcare providers and universities, have breached patient data sharing agreements but not had their access to patient data withdrawn, a report reveals.

“High risk” breaches were revealed to have occurred at healthcare groups, pharmaceutical giants and educational institutions including Virgin Care, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Imperial College London, during audits by NHS Digital, according to an investigation by the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The Guardian

See also:

• Hundreds of patient data breaches are left unpunished (open access) The BMJ
• NHS data breaches: a further erosion of trust (open access) The BMJ

Author of review into aborted GP data sharing in England opted out of scheme

Author of review into aborted GP data sharing in England opted out of scheme The author of a government review into medical data sharing personally opted out of the aborted plan to share GP health data, a parliamentary committee has heard.

Prof Ben Goldacre, a former Guardian columnist and the author of the Goldacre Review, exercised his right to opt out of the Government’s General Practice Data for Planning and Research scheme, he told the Commons Science and Technology committee, because he was concerned about the risks of deanonymisation. The Guardian

High Court to hear urgent case against NHS over 'life-threatening' wait times for trans healthcare

High Court to hear urgent case against NHS over 'life-threatening' wait times for trans healthcare A groundbreaking legal challenge against the years-long healthcare waits UK trans people face on the NHS will now be heard in court.

Four trans people, trans-led charity Gendered Intelligence and the Good Law Project have been given permission to bring a judicial review against NHS England on grounds stemming from massive waiting lists and failures by the NHS to help trans people access affirming healthcare. PinkNews

'Unfounded' NHS criticism and investigation caused unnecessary deaths at London heart surgery unit

'Unfounded' NHS criticism and investigation caused unnecessary deaths at London heart surgery unit Heart surgery patients in London have died “unnecessarily” and faced increased risk of death as botched NHS investigations into dozens of deaths reduced a hospital’s ability to treat people, a coroner has warned.

“Unnecessary” patient deaths have occurred as a result of heart surgery at St George’s University Hospital Trust being restricted and emergencies diverted to other “over stretched” hospitals, following investigations by national NHS bodies. The Independent

See also:

• Patients died needlessly because of 'botched' NHS inquiry into heart deaths at hospital, says coroner The Daily Telegraph

England's cancer backlog could take more than five years to clear, leading cancer charity warns

England's cancer backlog could take more than five years to clear, leading cancer charity warns England's cancer backlog won't be tackled for another five years without urgent action, charities warned today. 

MacMillan estimates 32,000 fewer patients than expected have started their first treatment in the two years since the start of the pandemic, due to a combination of hospitals prioritising Covid, poor access to GPs and patients being reluctant to come forward. The Daily Mail

Northamptonshire Care Record goes live in first pilot areas

Northamptonshire Care Record goes live in first pilot areas Northamptonshire Health and Care Partnership has announced the Northamptonshire Care Record has been launched across a number of pilot sites. 

The first live data in the system is being pulled from the majority of general practices in the region, and will be followed later this month with all data from Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Data from Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital are set to follow shortly after. Digital Health

KGH team's pride after fast-food trailer testing service wins national award

KGH team's pride after fast-food trailer testing service wins national award When Covid hit the nation one team at KGH faced a dilemma – how would they keep giving blood tests to patients who needed to shield?

With the virus spreading across the country the last thing they wanted was vulnerable people regularly going into the hospital.

But thanks to the imagination of the anticoagulation team they were able to have their tests at a fast-food trailer in a car park. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Government must go further to level up the health recovery

Government must go further to level up the health recovery Commenting on the Queen's Speech, Dr Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive of The Health Foundation, said:

‘Today's Queen’s Speech reiterated the UK Government's ambitions to level up. But with a cost-of-living crisis and a huge backlog in NHS care, much bolder action is needed to secure the nation's healthy recovery post-Covid.'

See also:

• Queen’s Speech 2022 Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street 
• Queen's Speech is light on health promises British Heart Foundation
• LGA statement on Queen’s Speech: Mental Health Act Reform Bill Local Government Association
• Queen’s Speech 2022: what you need to know NHS Confederation
• On the day briefing: Queen's Speech 2022 NSH Providers
• RCN responds to the Queen's Speech Royal College of Nursing
• RCPsych responds to the Queen's speech Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Proposed Mental Health Act overhaul included in Queen’s Speech Community Care
• The Queen’s speech 2022: what was in it and what it means The Guardian
• Queen's Speech unveils mental health reform to end learning disability detentions Home Care

Reform of adult social care: some progress, but nowhere near enough

Reform of adult social care: some progress, but nowhere near enough In November 2019, we identified the eight key problems in adult social care that any reform would need to address. Since then, the government has issued four key documents outlining measures that directly affect adult social care: its Build back better plan for health and social care, the People at the heart of care social care White Paper, the Health and Care Act (which has now received Royal Assent) and a White Paper on integration of health and care. Together, these introduce major reform to adult social care, with measures including further integration with health care, changes to the means test for social care, a cap on social care costs and an intervention in the social care market intended to ensure local authorities pay a ‘fair price’ for care. But are they enough to tackle the eight deep-rooted problems in the sector? Here’s our assessment. The King's Fund

Partnership working in Doncaster to support children and young people’s mental health

Partnership working in Doncaster to support children and young people’s mental health The Doncaster Children’s Partnership set up the multi-agency Social and Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) Group, which brings together key influencers and decision-makers from the CCG, local authority, children and young people’s mental health service provider and other partners. The SEMH promotes better joint assessments, planning and service delivery for vulnerable young people in need of care, which has led to reduced delays and improved access to appropriate help and support for children and young people in the local area. NHS Confederation

NHS fast tracks mental health support for millions of pupils

NHS fast tracks mental health support for millions of pupils More than 2.4 million children and young people now have access to mental health support in schools and colleges, thanks to the NHS fast tracking services to help address record demand.

The NHS rollout is already one year ahead of schedule – more than 500 teams will be confirmed ahead of the April 2023 ambition with millions able to access help when they need it. NHS England

Chronic pain treatments are failing millions, say experts

Chronic pain treatments are failing millions, say experts Relentless. Unbearable. Overwhelming.

These are just some of the words used by the thousands of people who have revealed their battle with long-term, persistent pain.

An exclusive survey of over 4,000 adults aged 16-75 for BBC News, carried out by research company Ipsos, suggests that a quarter of people in the UK are living with chronic pain - an often hidden and misunderstood condition.

See also:

• Chronic pain: 'A life with pain is still a life' BBC News

Sarin gas blamed for Gulf War syndrome

Sarin gas blamed for Gulf War syndrome US scientists say they have discovered what caused thousands of soldiers who served in the 1991 Gulf War to fall sick with mysterious symptoms.

They have pinned the blame on the nerve agent sarin, which was released into the air when caches of Iraqi chemical weapons were bombed.

Many veterans have complained of a range of debilitating symptoms which developed after their service. BBC News

NHS offers refugee nurses a 'new life and career'

NHS offers refugee nurses a 'new life and career' Eleven NHS Trusts are offering a “new life and career” to Palestinian refugees under a new pilot scheme. NursingNotes

Pregnant women who had Covid vaccine 15% LESS likely to suffer stillbirth, 'reassuring' study finds

Pregnant women who had Covid vaccine 15% LESS likely to suffer stillbirth, 'reassuring' study finds Pregnant women who are vaccinated against Covid are 'significantly' less likely to suffer a stillbirth compared to the unvaccinated, research suggests.

There had been widespread safety concerns about the jabs among expectant mothers, which saw them become one of the least vaccinated groups in the country. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness and perinatal outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy (open access) Nature Communications
• Long Covid: Fears symptoms in ethnic groups 'not believed' BBC News
• New Covid strain now makes up 43% of cases in the US and at least 66% of all infections in New York, CDC reports The Daily Mail
• Covid vaccines safe for pregnant women and cut stillbirth risk, says review The Guardian
• Pandemic gets tougher to track as COVID testing plunges The Independent

20,000 children with rotten teeth missed out on agony-relieving op during Covid

20,000 children with rotten teeth missed out on agony-relieving op during Covid Thousands children missed out on getting their rotten teeth removed because of Covid, data suggests.

Tooth extractions in youngsters halved during the first year of the pandemic, with just 14,645 carried out in 2020/21. 

This was roughly 20,000 fewer than the year before. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Ministers must act on child tooth extractions backlog British Dental Association
• Hospital tooth extractions of 0 to 19 year olds 2021 Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
• Hospital tooth extractions for children in England fall by over half in pandemic The Guardian

Dire workforce crisis turning general practice ‘upside down’, UK GPC chair warns

Dire workforce crisis turning general practice ‘upside down’, UK GPC chair warns Politicians must listen to GPs’ concerns about the ‘severe’ workforce crisis in general practice as teams face a ‘daunting mountain of unmet need’ with inadequate support, the BMA UK GP chair has warned. GPonline

See also: 

• GPs vote AGAINST closing doors at 5pm following fury over plans - but demand 'safe working limits' The Daily Mail
• GPs demand contract with safe working limits but reject core hours cut GPonline
• GPs demand extra funding to cope with additional work caused by hospital backlogs GPonline