Monday, 18 July 2022

NHS braced for surge in patients as 'danger to life' heatwave warning comes into force

NHS braced for surge in patients as 'danger to life' heatwave warning comes into force The NHS is bracing itself for a surge in the numbers of people admitted to hospital as the heatwave which is forecast to bring record temperature to the UK grips the country.

Extra measures are being enforced for ambulance services after the Met Office issued amber and red alerts. The Independent

See also:
at No comments:

Millions of British public sector workers to be offered 5% pay rise

Millions of British public sector workers to be offered 5% pay rise Boris Johnson will next week offer pay rises averaging about 5 per cent to millions of public sector workers, but ministers fear that below-inflation deals across the economy could trigger months of strikes. Financial Times

See also:
at No comments:

‘The way it’s playing out is unexpected’: UK faces up to changing waves of Covid

‘The way it’s playing out is unexpected’: UK faces up to changing waves of Covid Paddling pools are out, beer gardens are brimming. But a startling proportion of the UK population will be cooped up in their bedrooms having the strange experience of nursing a fever and sore throat in July as Covid infections continue to soar in the third major wave this year.

For most this will be an unpleasant inconvenience rather than a tragedy. But with a fourth wave expected in the autumn, a fifth potentially kicking off by Christmas and experts saying that Covid may never settle into a seasonal cycle, some are questioning whether this steady grind of illness is sustainable. The Guardian

See also:
at No comments:

How a teenager in crisis made me question my job in Britain’s broken health system

How a teenager in crisis made me question my job in Britain’s broken health system | Anonymous A harrowing weekend for the patient and nurses involved could have been avoided had a specialist inpatient bed been free.

The writer is a paediatric nurse at a hospital in south-east England. The Guardian
at No comments:

Andy Burnham: UK blood scandal may amount to corporate manslaughter

Andy Burnham: UK blood scandal may amount to corporate manslaughter Andy Burnham has suggested there may be a case for charges of corporate manslaughter in relation to the contaminated blood scandal, as he challenged the Conservative leadership candidates to commit to making interim compensation payments to infected survivors.

The former health secretary, now mayor of Greater Manchester, wrote to each of the five remaining candidates on Friday to coincide with his evidence to the infected blood inquiry. The Guardian
at No comments:

Landmark study warns under 40s should avoid ALL alcohol for the sake of their health

Landmark study warns under 40s should avoid ALL alcohol for the sake of their health Put the keg away. People under 40 years old should never consume alcohol as it provides them no health benefits while increasing their risk of injury and death, a new study finds.

Researchers at the University of Washington, in Seattle, found that people under 40 who drink are more likely to be injured in a car accident, suicide or murder than their peers that avoid alcohol. The Daily Mail

See also:
at No comments:

Sir Patrick Vallance warns MPs that we will be plunged into crisis due to impacts of climate change

Sir Patrick Vallance warns MPs that we will be plunged into crisis due to impacts of climate change Sir Patrick Vallance has warned that the world is about to face '50 years of really big problems relating to climate' in a briefing to MPs.

The chief scientific adviser suggested that the turmoil will be worse than what was faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which lasted two-and-a-half years.

Monday's briefing was intended to inform 70 MPs about the current state of the climate to aid policy making. The Daily Mail

See also: 
at No comments:

Friday, 15 July 2022

East Midlands Ambulance wait times are rising and bosses warn things could get even worse during this weekend's heatwave

East Midlands Ambulance wait times are rising and bosses warn things could get even worse during this weekend's heatwave NHS chiefs are warning people may have to wait longer for ambulances in Northamptonshire or even be told to make their own way to hospital this weekend.

East Midlands Ambulance Service says the public needs to “take responsibility for keeping themselves well during the hot weather” to keep crews free to attend the most seriously ill. Northamptonshire Telegraph

at No comments:

Fronting up to the problems: what can be done to improve the wellbeing of NHS staff?

Fronting up to the problems: what can be done to improve the wellbeing of NHS staff? The NHS is not in a place where it can lose staff, but many workers in the health service have faced almost unimaginable difficulties during the pandemic. How worried should we be about NHS staff health and wellbeing? Nuffield Trust

at No comments:

NHS Oversight Framework 2022/23: what you need to know

NHS Oversight Framework 2022/23: what you need to know The NHS Oversight Framework describes NHS England’s approach to oversight of integrated care boards and trusts for 2022/23. It builds on the approach outlined in the NHS System Oversight Framework 2021/22. This briefing contains an overview and analysis of the framework and highlights the main changes for 2022/23. NHS Confederation
at No comments:

Better care for people with a learning disability and people with autism

Better care for people with a learning disability and people with autism People with a learning disability and autistic people will receive better and more focused community care as part of plans to reduce the number in specialist inpatient care.

The Building the Right Support Action Plan, published 14 July 2022, brings together in one place commitments from across government and public services to ensure there is suitable community support available for people with a learning disability and autistic people. This supports government plans to reduce reliance on mental health inpatient care. Department of Health and Social Care
at No comments:

National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published

National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published Surveillance indicators suggest that, at a national level, COVID-19 activity has increased in several indicators in week 27 of 2022.

The number of acute respiratory infection incidents (suspected outbreaks) increased in England to 537 in week 27, compared to 504 in the previous week. UK Health Security Agency
at No comments:

One in 20 has Covid in the UK

One in 20 has Covid in the UK Covid infections have continued to climb across the UK, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

Nearly 3.5 million people, or one in 20, has the virus - that's up from 2.7m, or one in 25, the week before.

The rise is being driven by fast-spreading sub-variants of Omicron, called BA.4 and BA.5. BBC News

See also:
at No comments:

Heatwave: Met Office issues highest extreme heat warning

Heatwave: Met Office issues highest extreme heat warning A red extreme heat warning has been issued for the first time by the Met Office for parts of England next week, meaning a risk to life is likely as temperatures could hit 40C (104F). BBC News

See also:
at No comments:

UK skin cancer deaths higher in men than women

UK skin cancer deaths higher in men than women More men are dying from melanoma skin cancer than women in the UK, Cancer Research UK is warning as the country's heatwave continues.

Rates of the cancer, which can develop in sun-damaged skin, have been rising in both men and women in recent years.

Late diagnosis may be part of the reason why men are faring worse. BBC News

See also:
at No comments:

Ambulance services branded on brink of collapse

Ambulance services branded on brink of collapse Ambulance services are under intense pressure, with record numbers of callouts and the most urgent, category-one, calls last month.

BBC Two's Newsnight programme spent from 08:00 to 20:00 on Monday at six hospitals with the longest delays handing patients over from paramedics to accident and emergency staff. BBC News

See also:
at No comments:

NHS doctors’ strike is ‘inevitable,’ says new BMA chair

NHS doctors’ strike is ‘inevitable,’ says new BMA chair A doctor’s strike is “inevitable” and will expose how dangerously threadbare the Conservatives have left the health service, the profession’s new leader has said.

In his first interview since taking over as the British Medical Association’s chair of council, Prof Philip Banfield warned ministers that doctors will take the fight to them by using a pay dispute to tell the public patients are dying as a direct result of government neglect of the NHS. The Guardian
at No comments:

Patients less satisfied with GPs as NHS waiting lists hit new high in England

Patients less satisfied with GPs as NHS waiting lists hit new high in England The number of people waiting for NHS treatment in England has increased every month for the past two years, reaching another record high of 6.6 million patients in May.

It comes as the latest GP patient experience survey, also published on Thursday, shows patients putting off booking appointments because they find it too difficult and a declining satisfaction with family doctors. The Guardian

See also:
at No comments:

Thursday, 14 July 2022

KGH invests £1.2 million in new x-ray equipment

KGH invests £1.2 million in new x-ray equipment Kettering General Hospital has invested £1.2 million in state-of-the-art x-ray technology to improve patient care.

The trust has upgraded two of its seven x-ray rooms - one in main x-ray, and one in A&E - to incorporate two £150,000 (each) state-of-the-art machines which will help patients to be seen more quickly and result in higher quality diagnostic images. Northamptonshire Telegraph

at No comments:

Patients facing increasingly long and agonising waits for ambulances

Patients facing increasingly long and agonising waits for ambulances The latest figures indicate just how severely emergency care within the NHS is struggling and how that is putting patients with urgent and life-threatening care needs at risk. No matter the reason for calling an ambulance, patients face increasingly long and agonising waits for it to arrive. People suffering from heart attacks or strokes are on waiting on average nearly three times longer (52 minutes) than they should be (18 minutes). For other urgent calls, waiting times for one in 10 people have reached over seven hours, forcing many to make their own way to accident or emergency departments. Nuffield Trust

See also:
at No comments:

The GP crisis we have long feared is arriving

The GP crisis we have long feared is arriving Today’s GP patient survey shows one of the most alarming collapses in NHS performance we have seen since the height of Covid-19, and suggests the crisis we have long feared is arriving. There has been a sharp downward trend in nearly every measure of how easy it is to get care [1]. 55% of people who say they needed an appointment also said they had avoided making one over the last year, up from 42% last year. Around half of people do not find it easy to get through on the phone, up from less than a third last year. The proportion of people with a poor experience of their practice overall has doubled in a single year, from 6.7% to 13.6%. Nuffield Trust

See also:

at No comments:

RCN research shows huge numbers of patients being treated in corridors and on trollies

RCN research shows huge numbers of patients being treated in corridors and on trollies Investment in the nursing workforce is needed now, the RCN insists, as survey findings released today (14 July) show clinical care is taking place in settings such as hospital corridors and waiting rooms rather than on wards. 

Our poll of more than 20,000 nursing and midwifery staff found the situation is worst in emergency care settings where nearly two-thirds of respondents reported the problem. Royal College of Nursing

See also:
at No comments:

A community-powered NHS: making prevention a reality

A community-powered NHS: making prevention a reality This report argues for a health care system that is focused as much on preventing illness as treating it. It discusses how working collaboratively with communities as equal partners in the design and delivery of health care could be a way of achieving this. New Local
    at No comments:

    Developing workforce skills for a strong economy

    Developing workforce skills for a strong economy This report examines whether government has an effective approach to enhancing workforce skills. While much of the examination focused on the Department for Education’s activities given its responsibilities for leading government’s approach to skills, it does also look at other areas of the workforce including health and social care. It covers the workforce skills system; the scale of the skills challenge that government faces; government’s understanding of workforce skills needs; and how well government is supporting the development of workforce skills. National Audit Office
      at No comments:

      Turkey teeth: Are cut-price reality TV teeth worth it?

      Turkey teeth: Are cut-price reality TV teeth worth it? Hundreds of British dentists have treated patients with serious complications after they travelled abroad to get cut-price crowns, a BBC documentary has learned. The latest cosmetic look, seen on ITV's Love Island and via the hashtag #Turkeyteeth, has given some people their dream smile but left others asking the NHS to pick up the pieces. BBC News
      at No comments:

      Hundreds of children in mental health crisis facing 'unacceptable' A&E waits every week

      Hundreds of children in mental health crisis facing 'unacceptable' A&E waits every week Hundreds of children suffering from mental health issues are attending A&E each day, with some waiting up to five days in emergency departments,The Independent can reveal.

      Internal NHS data leaked to The Independent, shows the number of young patients waiting more than 12 hours from arrival has also more than doubled in the last year. The Independent
      at No comments:

      ‘There were moments I questioned my passion for the job’: the overseas nurses helping to keep the NHS running

      ‘There were moments I questioned my passion for the job’: the overseas nurses helping to keep the NHS running Almost half of new nurses are now trained abroad. What is life in the UK – and the NHS – like for them?

      Even before the pandemic struck, there was a shortage of nurses in the UK. In January 2020, a survey by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found that almost three-quarters of nurses said the staffing level on their last shift was not sufficient to meet the needs of patients safely and effectively. Yet this month NHS England predicted that the government will not meet its manifesto pledge to boost the NHS’s nursing workforce by 50,000 by March 2024. The key reason? NHS workers are quitting in droves, citing burnout, fatigue and pay as factors. The Guardian
      at No comments:

      Breast cancer drug that doubles survival time is available on NHS after watchdog U-turns

      Breast cancer drug that doubles survival time is available on NHS after watchdog U-turns A breast cancer drug that almost doubles a patient’s survival time will now be available on the NHS in England after a U-turn from the watchdog.

      The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) rejected sacituzumab govitecan, also known as Trodelvy, for use in England in April after saying it was “too expensive” to be cost effective. The Daily Telegraph

      See also:
      at No comments:

      Seeing the same GP could ease agony for dementia patients

      Seeing the same GP could ease agony for dementia patients Seeing the same GP during treatment could prevent dementia patients needing a series of trips to hospital as they near the end of their lives, a study found.

      Repeat hospital visits in the final months have previously been linked to poor end-of-life care, delirium and falls. They also cost the NHS vast sums.

      Now researchers have found offering dementia patients continuity of care from the same GP may lower the risk.  The Daily Mail

      See also:
      at No comments:

      Wednesday, 13 July 2022

      Northampton and Kettering hospitals bring back face masks rules to combat rise in Covid patients

      Northampton and Kettering hospitals bring back face masks rules to combat rise in Covid patients Bosses at Northamptonshire’s two biggest NHS hospitals are telling staff, patients and visitors they need to wear masks again following a “significant increase in Covid-19 infections”. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

      See also:
      at No comments:

      New analysis reveals future NHS beds shortage

      New analysis reveals future NHS beds shortage New research carried out by the Health Foundation’s REAL Centre finds that the next decade will see increases in demand for services from rising levels of chronic disease and a rapidly ageing population – putting pressure on hospital services that are already stretched with bed occupancy rates of close to 90%.

      The analysis finds that even if the NHS continues to reduce the length of time people stay in hospital, 23,000 to 39,000 extra beds could be needed in 2030/31 to maintain pre-pandemic standards of care – a 20–35% increase. The Health Foundation indicates that the build cost could be between £17bn and £29bn, but cautions that this depends on a range of factors, with recent rises in inflation significantly increasing construction costs.

      at No comments:

      Are ICSs getting off to the right start?

      Are ICSs getting off to the right start? It’s official; integrated care systems (ICSs) have now taken up their place as statutory bodies.

      Having worked closely with system leaders developing ICSs, we don’t doubt that the will and commitment exists to improve population health and reduce inequalities through cementing new ways of working based on partnership and collaboration. But we also don’t underestimate how challenging it will be to make a reality of those ambitions or the risks of them being derailed by wider system pressures and the gravitational pull towards entrenched ways of working.

      So, what early indicators might signal whether ICSs are getting off to the right start? The King's Fund
      at No comments:

      Addressing backlogs and managing waiting lists during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic

      Addressing backlogs and managing waiting lists during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic Postponement of non-emergency procedures to keep capacity available for Covid-19 patients, and to avoid infections, has led to backlogs of care in virtually all countries. As each delay in diagnosis and treatment may worsen health prospects, health systems have sought to understand and address the extent of the backlogs and their drivers. This briefing sets out the drivers that can increase the backlog and those that can decrease the backlog. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
        at No comments:

        First ever Patient Safety Commissioner appointed

        First ever Patient Safety Commissioner appointed The Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay has today appointed Dr Henrietta Hughes OBE as the first ever Patient Safety Commissioner for England.

        Adding to and enhancing existing work to improve the safety of medicines and medical devices, the appointment of a commissioner is in response to the recommendations from Baroness Cumberlege’s review into patient safety, published in 2020. Department of Health and Social Care
        at No comments:

        Covid: 3m adults still unvaccinated in England

        Covid: 3m adults still unvaccinated in England Nearly three million adults in England have still not come forward for a Covid vaccine, data reveals.

        Experts say the figure includes some people who could get extremely sick if they were to catch the virus.

        Most elderly and vulnerable people have already had several protective shots. BBC News

        See also:
        at No comments:

        School mindfulness lessons don't work for teenagers

        School mindfulness lessons don't work for teenagers Giving teenagers mindfulness lessons at school to boost wellbeing is largely a waste of time, a major UK study has found.

        The technique, which encourages people to meditate and live in the moment, was no better than what schools were already doing for mental health.

        Many pupils were not that interested in using the method, calling it "boring". BBC News

        See also:
        at No comments:

        Protect children from illegal vapes, doctors say

        Protect children from illegal vapes, doctors say Children are at risk from vaping, and more should be done to protect them from illegal and unregulated products containing high levels of nicotine, doctors are warning.

        Trading standards in England and Wales say the market is being flooded by unsafe, disposable vapes aimed at children.

        The colourful, sweet-flavoured devices are growing in popularity among teens. BBC News

        See also:
        at No comments:

        Heatwave pushes NHS to 'tipping point' as hospitals and ambulance services declare black alert

        Heatwave pushes NHS to 'tipping point' as hospitals and ambulance services declare black alert A spike in Covid absences and the extended heatwave have left NHS hospitals and ambulance services struggling to cope.

        The hot weather is also driving more patients to A&E departments, and callers are being urged not to use 999 except in serious emergencies.

        All 10 ambulance trusts in England are on black alert, the highest level, while health leaders warn that “ill-equipped” hospital buildings are are struggling to store medicines correctly amid the abnormally high temperatures. The Independent

        See also: 
        at No comments:

        Monkeypox could become 'endemic' if urgent action isn't taken, experts warn - Sky News

        Monkeypox could become 'endemic' if urgent action isn't taken, experts warn The government's handling of monkeypox has been severely criticised by an alliance of the country's leading sexual health professionals, who warn the outbreak could last months and risk the virus becoming "endemic if urgent action is not taken". Sky News
        at No comments:

        NHS to miss out on recruiting thousands of nurses if BTecs are scrapped

        NHS to miss out on recruiting thousands of nurses if BTecs are scrapped The NHS will miss out on recruiting thousands of nurses every year as a direct result of the government scrapping BTec courses in health and social care, hospital bosses have warned.

        NHS Employers wrote in a letter to the education secretary, James Cleverly, that it had “serious concerns” about the plan, which it fears will exacerbate the health service’s acute staffing problems. The Guardian
        at No comments:

        Ghost patients: More than 5million people who do not exist are registered at GP surgeries

        Ghost patients: More than 5million people who do not exist are registered at GP surgeries More than 5.2million patients who do not exist are registered at GP surgeries in England, MailOnline can reveal as campaigners demand action to stamp out the scourge of 'ghosts'.

        Crucial NHS statistics — used to determine how much money surgeries should be allocated from Government — show there are 61.7million patients across the country. But results from the 2021 census, which were released last month, states the nation's population actually stands in the region of 56.5million. The Daily Mail 
        at No comments:

        Tuesday, 12 July 2022

        Psychiatric podcast featuring Northampton mental health patients nominated for top nursing award

        Psychiatric podcast featuring Northampton mental health patients nominated for top nursing award A podcast made in Northampton, which follows people with complex mental health issues such as psychosis and borderline personality disorder, has been nominated for a top nursing prize. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

        at No comments:

        Working in partnership with people and communities: statutory guidance

        Working in partnership with people and communities: statutory guidance This guidance is for integrated care boards, NHS trusts, foundation trusts and NHS England. It supports effectively partnership working with people and communities to improve services and meet the public involvement legal duties. NHS England
        at No comments:

        Evidence on costs associated with NHS-funded nursing care in 2021 to 2022

        Evidence on costs associated with NHS-funded nursing care in 2021 to 2022 This report sets out evidence of the cost to care homes of providing NHS-funded nursing care. This evidence was used to inform the setting of the 2022 to 2023 NHS-funded nursing care rate and retrospective increase on the 2021 to 2022 rate. Department of Health and Social Care
          at No comments:

          Watch out for heat exhaustion and heatstroke

          Watch out for heat exhaustion and heatstroke During the hot weather, it can be easy to overheat.

          While heat exhaustion is not usually serious, as long as you can cool yourself down, heatstroke is a medical emergency.

          Here's what to look for and what to do. BBC News
          at No comments:

          Government to consider new Covid curbs if NHS backlog is threatened

          Government to consider new Covid curbs if NHS backlog is threatened More than 13,000 NHS hospital beds are now taken up by positive Covid patients as a goverment minister says curbs may be introduced if the NHS backlog is threatened by Covid.

          The latest NHS data shows beds occupied by Covid patients are up from 10,658 on the Monday prior. The Independent

          See also:
          at No comments:

          Doctors forced to work overnight shifts at last minute in NHS staffing crisis

          Doctors forced to work overnight shifts at last minute in NHS staffing crisis Hospital doctors are being sent home from daytime shifts and told to come back and work overnight in the latest stark illustration of the NHS’s crippling staff shortage.

          Medics are having to change their plans at the last minute because hospitals cannot find any others to plug gaps in the night shift medical rota and need to ensure they have enough doctors on duty. The Guardian
          at No comments:

          Female doctors launch campaign against harassment in UK healthcare

          Female doctors launch campaign against harassment in UK healthcare General Medical Council urged to denounce sexist and misogynistic behaviour towards female colleagues

          Female doctors have launched an online campaign that they say exposes shocking gender-based discrimination, harassment and sexual assault in healthcare.

          Surviving in Scrubs is an issue for all healthcare workers, say the campaign’s founders, Becky Cox and Chelcie Jewitt, who are encouraging women to share stories of harassment and abuse to “push for change and to reach the people in power”. The Guardian

          See also:
          at No comments:

          Patients complain of confusing text results as researchers warn lack of clear communication is risky

          Patients complain of confusing text results as researchers warn lack of clear communication is risky Patients find getting GP test results by text annoying, according to academics who say a lack of clear communication can be risky. 

          Texts, often automated messages sent from GP practices, can be 'flippant', 'blunt' and 'confusing'. 

          Dozens of GPs and patients were quizzed about how they received their results from routine blood tests. The Daily Mail

          See also:
          at No comments:

          Would you feel safe being treated on a 'virtual ward' in your home?

          Would you feel safe being treated on a 'virtual ward' in your home? For anyone with a chronic condition, key challenges include the need for regular checks, unsuitable appointment times, costly parking and hours hanging about in hospital as clinics overrun — let alone the discomfort from their illness.

          But technological advances mean many could have their health closely monitored in their own homes, rather than in hospital. The Daily Mail 
          at No comments:

          Monday, 11 July 2022

          Medics, social care and support services team up to ease A&E log-jam at Northampton General Hospital

          Medics, social care and support services team up to ease A&E log-jam at Northampton General Hospital Medics are working to free up valuable capacity at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) by diverting patients with complex cases who frequently visit A&E to dedicated care services.

          Doctors say that a large portion of the thousands who go to A&E are often linked to a number of social, physical and mental health factors, which may require support from more than one organisation. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

          at No comments:

          Northampton charity that brings comfort and happiness to cancer patients nominated in national entrepreneur award

          Northampton charity that brings comfort and happiness to cancer patients nominated in national entrepreneur award A Northampton-based charity has seen off thousands of applicants to be shortlisted as a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2022.

          The Lewis Foundation has been recognised as one of the best charities in the UK in the highly acclaimed category, Entrepreneur for Good Award. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
          at No comments:

          Urgent appeal for blood donors in Wellingborough

          Urgent appeal for blood donors in Wellingborough Blood donors are urgently needed to fill a session in Wellingborough.

          People are being urged to attend the session taking place at Wellingborough District Hindu Centre at 148, Highfield Road, in the town on Sunday, July 17. Northamptonshire Telegraph

          at No comments:

          NHS staff wellbeing: why investing in organisational and management practices makes business sense

          NHS staff wellbeing: why investing in organisational and management practices makes business sense This report is a summary of the findings of a rapid evidence review and economic analysis commissioned by The International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO) to advise policymakers on how to improve NHS staff wellbeing. This analysis, by IPPO, The University of East Anglia and RAND Europe, estimates the cost of poor mental health and wellbeing to the NHS might amount to £12.1 billion per year. International Public Policy Observatory
            at No comments:

            How do you measure the success of population health approaches?

            How do you measure the success of population health approaches? A common theme highlighted by health and care leaders we support in our leadership programmes is how best to measure success for population health. The King's Fund
            at No comments:

            Research: Surgical site infections (SSI) surveillance: NHS hospitals in England

            Research: Surgical site infections (SSI) surveillance: NHS hospitals in England Data in this report includes voluntary submissions and data submitted as part of the Department of Health and Social Care’s mandatory healthcare-associated infection surveillance programme.

            It includes information on the number of operations performed, data quality, benchmarks, trends and risk factors from participating hospitals. UK Health Security Agency
            at No comments:

            Monkeypox: continuing transmission in interconnected sexual networks

            Monkeypox: continuing transmission in interconnected sexual networks Latest UKHSA data shows monkeypox transmission continuing primarily in interconnected sexual networks of gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men (GBMSM). UK Health Security Agency

            See also:
            at No comments:

            Guidance: The R value and growth rate

            Guidance: The R value and growth rate 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
            at No comments:

            Covid infections continue to rise across the UK

            Covid infections continue to rise across the UK Covid infections are continuing to rise across the UK, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

            An estimated 2.7 million people, or one in 25, has the virus. About one in 30 had the virus in the previous week.

            The rise is being driven by fast-spreading sub-variants of Omicron - called BA.4 and BA.5. BBC News

            See also:
            at No comments:

            Nearly half a million more adults on antidepressants in England

            Nearly half a million more adults on antidepressants in England Nearly half a million more adults in England are now taking antidepressants compared with the previous year, according to NHS figures.

            The number of prescriptions for children and teenagers has also risen.

            From 2021-22, there was a 5% rise in the number of adults receiving them - from 7.9 million in the previous 12 months to 8.3 million.

            It is the sixth year in a row that there has been an increase in both patients and prescriptions. BBC News
            at No comments:

            Nottingham maternity crisis: Are voices finally being heard?

            Nottingham maternity crisis: Are voices finally being heard? After a fight lasting many months, families traumatised by poor care at Nottingham's failing maternity units received some positive news.

            Senior midwife Donna Ockenden, who led the inquiry into the UK's biggest maternity scandal in Shropshire, is set to lead a review into what is going wrong at the services. BBC News
            at No comments:

            UK heatwave: Heat-health alert to activate as temperatures soar

            UK heatwave: Heat-health alert to activate as temperatures soar People are being encouraged to look out for the vulnerable and elderly as temperatures are predicted to hit highs of 33C (91F) in parts of the UK - warmer than Athens and Ibiza.

            Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said it could possibly be "the hottest day of the year so far" on Monday.

            Monday's heat-health alerts will remain in place until Friday. BBC News

            See also:
            at No comments:

            NHS approves new eczema pill that has been found to clear skin in one week

            NHS approves new eczema pill that has been found to clear skin in one week The NHS has given the green light to a new eczema treatment that has been found to clear people’s skin in just one week.

            The new medication comes in the form of a tablet and has been recommended for use by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to help patients who have struggled to find a successful eczema treatment. The Independent
            at No comments:

            Teachers and nurses ‘ready to quit’ over delays to pay rises, union leaders warn

            Teachers and nurses ‘ready to quit’ over delays to pay rises, union leaders warn Union leaders have warned newly appointed cabinet ministers that many teachers and nurses will quit their professions in the coming weeks if public sector pay deals are further delayed by chaos at the top of government.

            The decision on Thursday by Boris Johnson to step down as prime minister – and a series of changes to his cabinet - have left public sector workers increasingly fearful that long-overdue pay rises will be pushed back to the autumn. The Guardian
            at No comments:

            Friday, 8 July 2022

            Government's new hospitals pledge on shaky ground

            Government's new hospitals pledge on shaky ground Plans for 40 new hospitals by 2030 are on shaky ground, NHS leaders have said, warning that delays are pushing up costs, denting staff morale and putting the safety of patients at risk.

            Nearly two in three leaders who responded said delays to the programme affected their ability to deliver safe and effective patient care, with all those facing delays reporting cost implications. NHS Providers

            See also:
            at No comments:

            The NHS: decline and fall, or resurrection?

            The NHS: decline and fall, or resurrection? This briefing outlines how the NHS is struggling to recover from the impact of the pandemic and rising demand for services. It describes a change programme that could reverse the decline, involving public health reform, the expansion of community health services and more. Social Market Foundation
            at No comments:

            Improving children and young people’s mental health services: Local data insights from England, Scotland and Wales

            Improving children and young people’s mental health services: Local data insights from England, Scotland and Wales Across the UK, the number of children and young people experiencing mental health problems is growing.

            Mental health services are expanding, but not fast enough to meet rising needs, leaving many children and young people with limited or no support. Too little is known about who receives care and crucially, who doesn’t.

            This briefing presents analysis from the Health Foundation’s Networked Data Lab (NDL) about children and young people’s mental health. The analysis from local teams across England, Scotland and Wales has highlighted three key areas for urgent investigation, to help ensure children and young people get the care they need.

            at No comments:

            How the public thinks about health, and why it matters

            How the public thinks about health, and why it matters Ask the public about health, and they often put the responsibility on the individual and the NHS.

            And yet we know the context in which we live and make choices really matters. The context that governments, businesses, employers and investors have a big hand in shaping.  

            Polling shows the public is increasingly seeing the government as having an important role to play in improving people's health, and there's public appetite to reduce the health inequalities highlighted by the pandemic. 

            So how does the public think about health? And what can be done to engage local communities in improving health?  Podcast from The Health Foundation.

            at No comments:

            Grassroots participation in sport and physical activity

            Grassroots participation in sport and physical activity The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was making some progress in increasing national participation in sport and physical activity until the impact of the pandemic reversed these gains. However, it needs to do more to reach key groups who are less likely to be active including women, the least affluent and Black and Asian people, according to a report by the National Audit Office.
            at No comments:

            National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published

            National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published The main points from this week’s national influenza and COVID-19 surveillance report are:

            Surveillance indicators suggest that, at a national level, COVID-19 activity has increased in several indicators in week 26 of 2022.

            The number of acute respiratory infection incidents (suspected outbreaks) increased in England to 504 in week 26, compared to 382 in the previous week. UK Health Security Agency
            at No comments:

            UK heatwave: Temperatures to hit low 30s as heat-health alert issued

            UK heatwave: Temperatures to hit low 30s as heat-health alert issued Parts of the UK are predicted to experience a heatwave over the next few days, the Met Office has said.

            Southern and eastern areas will see consistently high temperatures over the next week.

            On Friday, parts of the country are predicted to hit 28C (82.4F) - beginning the run of hot days. BBC News

            See also:
            at No comments:

            NHS England to be 'between 30 and 40 per cent smaller than current size'

            NHS England to be 'between 30 and 40 per cent smaller than current size' The chief executive of NHS England has revealed that the organisation is expected to be between 30-40% “smaller than the current combined size of NHS England, Health Education England and NHS Digital” by the end of 2023/24. Digital Health
            at No comments:

            Government warned over ‘political paralysis’ as chiefs fear unavoidable NHS strikes

            Government warned over ‘political paralysis’ as chiefs fear unavoidable NHS strikes Political paralysis is a threat to the NHS, leaders say as chiefs warn the government over crumbling hospitals and inevitable doctors’ strikes.

            As the UK government faces political turmoil, health chiefs fear it will impact major decisions over NHS staff pay and funding for hospital buildings. The Independent

            at No comments:

            Cancer spending threatened if NHS staff given 3% pay rise without extra funds

            Cancer spending threatened if NHS staff given 3% pay rise without extra funds The NHS will have to cut investment in cancer care if ministers award frontline staff a pay rise above 3% but refuse to provide extra money to cover it, health service bosses have warned.

            The NHS England chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, and Julian Kelly, its chief financial officer, made clear their belief that soaring inflation means the service’s 1.3 million staff deserve a pay award of more than the 3% the government has already given the organisation funding to cover. The Guardian

            See also:
            at No comments:

            Calls for UK to stock up on antibody Covid drug that slashes risk of illness by up to 80%

            Calls for UK to stock up on antibody Covid drug that slashes risk of illness by up to 80% Britain must urgently build up stocks of a Covid drug that could be a lifesaver for half a million extremely vulnerable Britons, campaigners say.

            Evusheld, developed by AstraZeneca, will allow people who were less likely to get an immune response from the Covid vaccines to return to normal life, they claim.

            The twice-yearly injection was approved by drug regulators in March after a study showed it slashed the risk of falling will with Covid by nearly 80 per cent. The Daily Mail

            See also:
            at No comments:

            More than a MILLION teens in England now prescribed antidepressants - as experts blame lockdowns

            More than a MILLION teens in England now prescribed antidepressants - as experts blame lockdowns More than a million prescriptions for antidepressants are written for teenagers in England each year, official figures suggest.

            The number of drugs doled out to 13 to 19-year-olds rose by a quarter between 2016 and 2020, latest NHS data shows.

            It includes prescriptions up to the end of 2020, following a year of national Covid lockdowns and school and university closures. The Daily Mail 
            at No comments:

            Thursday, 7 July 2022

            Kettering hospital boss says site is not fit for care

            Kettering hospital boss says site is not fit for care The chief executive of a hospital has said the building is not in a condition "we should expect any of our nearest and dearest to receive care" in.

            Kettering General Hospital chief executive Simon Weldon said the site was a "big hotchpotch of things" and the hospital required urgent attention.

            But he said it was yet to receive government funding awarded in 2019. BBC Northampton
            at No comments:

            KGH patients take part in pioneering cancer pilot

            KGH patients take part in pioneering cancer pilot Patients and staff at Kettering General Hospital are supporting important research into new ways of diagnosing cancer. Northamptonshire Telegraph

            at No comments:

            'Scared' Northampton mother with motor neurone disease criticises NHS after being denied treatment

            'Scared' Northampton mother with motor neurone disease criticises NHS after being denied treatment A 47-year-old mother with motor neurone disease in Northampton has criticised the NHS after an assessment report she says is inaccurate left her with the care she says she needs. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

            at No comments:

            Improving the blood culture pathway: executive summary

            Improving the blood culture pathway: executive summary This report into blood culture practices outlines key improvement steps in the pre-analytical phase of the blood culture pathway. Through targeted recommendations to trust chief executives, clinical and pathology staff, we have an opportunity to improve the blood culture pathway, antimicrobial stewardship and patient outcomes from sepsis. NHS England
              at No comments:

              Steve Barclay: What will new health secretary tackle first?

              Steve Barclay: What will new health secretary tackle first? Steve Barclay has been named as the new health secretary following the resignation of Sajid Javid, who stepped down after saying he had lost faith in Boris Johnson's leadership.

              He starts as secretary of state at a time when the NHS and social care in England are under serious pressure.

              Amanda Pritchard, the head of NHS England, has warned that the next two years could be even tougher for the health service than the two years since the start of the pandemic. BBC News
              at No comments:

              Hepatitis in children: How many cases are there?

              Hepatitis in children: How many cases are there? Health officials are continuing to investigate a sudden surge in cases of hepatitis or liver inflammation among young children in the UK and around the world.

              Several possible causes are being looked at, but it looks likely that a common virus which usually causes colds, vomiting and diarrhoea has a role to play.

              A return to normal social mixing after the pandemic could also be a factor. BBC News
              at No comments:

              Heat and cold ‘increase risk of death, but rates vary across England and Wales’

              Heat and cold ‘increase risk of death, but rates vary across England and Wales’ Both heat and cold increase risk of death in England and Wales – but rates vary depending on geographical location, according to a new study.

              New risk estimates suggest London and other urban areas had the highest heat-related death rate.

              While cold-related deaths were highest in Northern England, Wales and the South West. The Independent

              See also:

              at No comments:

              Doctors to overhaul car wreck rescue techniques amid new evidence

              Doctors to overhaul car wreck rescue techniques amid new evidence There are plans for a major overhaul of how people are rescued from car wrecks amid growing evidence that current methods where people wait to be cut free may be harmful.

              Last year there were 127,967 casualties and 1,560 deaths in England caused by motor vehicle collisions. During the same period, more than 7,000 patients needed to helped out of the vehicle through a process known as extrication, where rescue crews use “Jaws of Life” and other tools to pry apart the wreckage, and then carefully lift people out. The Guardian
              at No comments:

              Timelapse maps show how 'most contagious Covid yet' has become dominant in Britain

              Timelapse maps show how 'most contagious Covid yet' has become dominant in Britain Covid's most contagious variant yet is now dominant in England, sequencing data shows as experts warn it could cause send infections to pandemic highs.

              Data from the Sanger Institute, one of the UK's largest Covid surveillance centres, shows six in 10 positive swabs it examined in the week to June 25 were the BA.5 version of Omicron.

              It has now officially displaced BA.2, which caused infections to breach 4million in April and prompted NHS bosses to call for the return of masks just days after No10 abandoned all restrictions. The Daily Mail

              See also:
              at No comments:

              Number of children who regularly vape DOUBLES in two years, warns report

              Number of children who regularly vape DOUBLES in two years, warns report The number of children who regularly use e-cigarettes has nearly doubled in two years, a Government-funded report warns.

              Experts have blamed the rise on social media sites like TikTok, where videos showing off vape smoke tricks have racked up tens of millions of views.

              The report, which surveyed 2,000 British children, found one in 14 over-11s (7 per cent) now use e-cigarettes routinely, compared to four per cent in 2020. The Daily Mail

              See also:
              at No comments:

              Wednesday, 6 July 2022

              Teachers in Northamptonshire share concerns about mental health as new coaching programme launches

              Teachers in Northamptonshire share concerns about mental health as new coaching programme launches More than 30 Northamptonshire teachers and school leaders said they are crying out for better mental health support as they celebrated the launch of a new coach training programme. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

              at No comments:

              Northampton private hospital launches website where people can select medical supplies to donate to Ukraine

              Northampton private hospital launches website where people can select medical supplies to donate to Ukraine A new website has been launched by a Northampton private hospital whereby people can select medical supplies to donate to the frontline in Ukraine.

              Three Shires hospital in Cliftonville has set up a new ‘gift style’ website where anyone can select any number of medical items to donate. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

              at No comments:

              Statement from Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

              Statement from Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care A statement from Steve Barclay on his appointment as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Department of Health and Social Care

              See also:
              at No comments:

              Oldham doctor jailed for killing patient in botched procedure

              Oldham doctor jailed for killing patient in botched procedure A doctor who killed a mother-of-three when he botched a procedure during a routine appointment has been jailed.

              Dr Isyaka Mamman, now thought to be 85, admitted gross negligence manslaughter over the death of Shahida Parveen, 48, at the Royal Oldham Hospital in 2018. BBC News

              See also:
              at No comments:

              JCVI chief calls for mandatory masks in hospitals amid Covid surge

              JCVI chief calls for mandatory masks in hospitals amid Covid surge It would be “sensible” for hospitals to reintroduce mandatory mask-wearing, the chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has said, as several trusts in England and Wales announced the move.

              When NHS rules on wearing masks in England were dropped on 10 June, local health bodies were given the power to draft their own policies. Their guidance, however, is no longer legally enforceable. The Guardian

              See also:
              at No comments:

              Patients will suffer as a result of NHS 'gagging' clauses, whistleblower warns

              Patients will suffer as a result of NHS 'gagging' clauses, whistleblower warns Patients will suffer as a result of NHS ‘gagging’ clauses, a whistleblower who faced a five-year employment tribunal battle has warned.

              Speaking out for the first time since 2017, surgeon Tristan Reuser warned that the use by the NHS of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) risks patients’ safety. The Independent
              at No comments:

              BMA granted judicial review over government handling of NHS pension age discrimination

              BMA granted judicial review over government handling of NHS pension age discrimination The high court granted the BMA permission for a judicial review of changes to the scheme made in 2015 that the government conceded were discriminatory in 2019. GPonline

              See also: 
              at No comments:

              Personalised cancer vaccine trials produce 'really hopeful' results

              Personalised cancer vaccine trials produce 'really hopeful' results The jab, made using similar technology to Oxford-AstraZeneca's COVID vaccine, sees DNA from an individual patient's tumour and cut and pasted into a harmless virus, which is injected into the body to train the immune system to be alert for cancer cells. Sky News

              at No comments:

              ADHD drugs could treat ALZHEIMER'S: Scientists say there's 'good evidence'

              ADHD drugs could treat ALZHEIMER'S: Scientists say there's 'good evidence' Common drugs given to hyperactive children could also treat Alzheimer's, research suggests. 

              Dementia patients given ADHD medication like Ritalin saw significant improvements to their cognition and brain function, according to a review.

              The drugs are thought to be a good match because they kickstart a brain region that influences things like attention, learning and memory. The Daily Mail

              See also:
              at No comments:

              There's a 'clear benefit' in choosing water births over traditional deliveries: study

              There's a 'clear benefit' in choosing water births over traditional deliveries: study Water births provide 'clear benefits' for mothers and their new-borns, with fewer complications, evidence suggests.

              Researchers analysed 36 studies involving more than 150,000 women to compare the interventions needed during and after labour between the two different types of water birth compared to standard care, without the use of a birthing pool. The Daily Mail

              See also:
              at No comments:
              Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)