Covid inquiry first preliminary hearing to begin

Covid inquiry first preliminary hearing to begin The first preliminary hearing of the UK Covid public inquiry will begin later.

The one-day hearing had originally been scheduled last month but was delayed after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The session, in London, will focus on the UK's pandemic preparedness before 2020.

It will be largely procedural, involving lawyers and an announcement about who will be giving evidence. Public hearings where witnesses are called will not start until the spring. BBC News

See also:

• COVID inquiry: the UK government’s pandemic response was often not ‘guided by the science’ – yet now scientists are under fire The Conversation
• Why you really DON'T need to panic about Covid's resurgence: Experts argue new wave was inevitable The Daily Mail
• Should YOU be worried about a flu and Covid TWINDEMIC this winter? The Daily Mail
• UK ‘no better prepared for the next pandemic’ with ‘dangerous gaps’ in its health security The Daily Telegraph
• Covid-19: is there a ‘twindemic’ coming? – podcast The Guardian
• Covid bereaved fear testimonies will not be heard by inquiry The Independent
• UK ‘at start of new Covid wave that could devastate the NHS’ Metro

Edenfield Centre: Care watchdog praised bosses at abuse hospital

Edenfield Centre: Care watchdog praised bosses at abuse hospital The healthcare watchdog praised bosses of a mental health hospital after visiting during the weeks when the BBC filmed patients being mistreated.

According to a report to governors at the trust which runs the Edenfield Centre, the Care Quality Commission noted its "strong, motivated leaders".

After the BBC gave it information about the abuse, the watchdog suspended the hospital's "good" rating.

The CQC said it would take further action if needed. BBC News

Schools and hospitals ‘must find £11bn of cuts’ after Kwarteng spending freeze

Schools and hospitals ‘must find £11bn of cuts’ after Kwarteng spending freeze Schools and hospitals must find a whopping £11bn of cuts after the chancellor refused to protect their budgets from rampant inflation, experts say.

Kwasi Kwarteng is being warned that his decision to stick to 2021 spending allocations – despite prices now rising by 10 per cent – spells bad news “for stretched public services”. The Independent

See also:

• NHS Confederation responds to the Chancellor's comments on public sector spending NHS Confederation
• What does the mini budget mean for the NHS? The BMJ
• An insurance-based system is the only way to save the NHS The Daily Telegraph
• Treasury: No new NHS funding to deal with soaring inflation HSJ

Hundreds of thousands more women than men prescribed powerful anti-anxiety drugs ‘harder to come off than heroin’

Hundreds of thousands more women than men prescribed powerful anti-anxiety drugs ‘harder to come off than heroin’ Hundreds of thousands more women than men have been prescribed powerful anti-anxiety drugs which experts warn are harder to come off than heroin, The Independent can reveal.

New information obtained under freedom of information (FOI) laws shows women in England were 59 per cent more likely to be prescribed benzodiazepines – better known by the brand names of Valium, Xanax and Temazapam – than men between January 2017 and December 2021.

NHS to investigate health inequalities among Jewish communities for first time

NHS to investigate health inequalities among Jewish communities for first time The NHS will investigate health inequalities affecting Jewish communities for the first time.

Low immunisations, high Covid-19 rates and heightened breast cancer risks are among some of the disproportionate well-being issues faced by these groups and will be examined through a year-long review commissioned by the NHS Race and Health Observatory. The Independent

NHS hospitals are still cancelling more than 22 THOUSAND appointments every day

NHS hospitals are still cancelling more than 22 THOUSAND appointments every day More than 22,000 hospital appointments are being cancelled every day — despite waiting lists for treatment standing at a record 6.8million, it emerged today.

The Government has pledged to tackle the NHS care backlog but some patients are continuing to see their appointments cancelled multiple times.

So far this year, the average number of cancellations each day was 20 per cent more than it was before the pandemic, when around 18,000 were axed every day. The Daily Mail

Taking antidepressants during pregnancy does NOT raise risk of having an autistic child

Taking antidepressants during pregnancy does NOT raise risk of having an autistic child Taking antidepressants during pregnancy does not raise the risk of autism in newborns, a major study has found.

Both antidepressant use and the prevalence of autism have increased in recent years, and previous studies suggested the two might be linked.

But while researchers found women taking the drugs had a higher risk of having a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder, the medication was not to blame. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Association of Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy With Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children (abstract) JAMA Internal Medicine

Will the new Alzheimer's drug ward off brain decline?

Will the new Alzheimer's drug ward off brain decline? Could the tide finally be turning in the hunt for an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease? That was the suggestion from a story last week about a new drug, lecanemab, which seems to improve symptoms of early Alzheimer’s. The Daily Mail

People urged not to ignore COVID-19 booster invitation – as difficult winter could lie ahead

People urged not to ignore COVID-19 booster invitation – as difficult winter could lie ahead It’s that time of the year when colds and flu sweep through the nation.

But this year it’s more important than ever to get a booster jab, not only against the flu season but also COVID-19. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Hospitals at capacity: understanding delays in patient discharge

Hospitals at capacity: understanding delays in patient discharge This QualityWatch blog from Sophie Flinders and Sarah Scobie takes a closer look at the rising number of patients facing delays in leaving hospital – and explores the reasons for why it’s happening. Nuffield Trust

The NHS nursing workforce – have the floodgates opened?

The NHS nursing workforce – have the floodgates opened? Despite the constant pressures and chronic shortages, the number of nurses leaving the NHS had flatlined over recent years. Now our analysis of new data shows there has been a large increase in nurses leaving the NHS, and that this trend is being driven by younger workers.

The last year's data (June 2021 - June 2022) saw a 25 per cent increase in the number of NHS nurses leaving their role, with an additional 7,000 leaving compared to the previous year. The largest increase in numbers leaving was seen among the younger nurses, two thirds of leavers were under 45 years of age. The King's Fund

Junior doctors to ballot in early January for industrial action

Junior doctors to ballot in early January for industrial action The BMA junior doctors committee has today voted to go to a ballot for industrial action in early January. 

Junior doctors have now entered a trade dispute and will request approval from BMA council, the union’s principal executive committee, to ballot junior doctors in England from around the 9 January. What form that industrial action will take will be decided at a later date. 

See also:

• Disastrous NHS strikes inch another step closer as BMA gives doctors a £2million war chest The Daily Mail
• British Medical Association raps top physician for suggesting doctors should not go on strike The Daily Mail
• BMA sets up first-ever ‘strike fund’ to support industrial action GPonline
• Junior doctors to be balloted on industrial action in early January GPonline
• I'm a junior doctor – here's why I'm prepared to go on strike The Independent

Consensus statements and medium-term projections on COVID-19

Consensus statements and medium-term projections on COVID-19 Consensus statements and medium-term projections from the UK Health Security Agency's Epidemiology Modelling Review Group (EMRG).

See also:

• Policy paper: Free personal protective equipment (PPE) scheme Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: The R value and growth rate UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: Surveillance of influenza and other seasonal respiratory viruses in the UK, winter 2021 to 2022 UK Health Security Agency

Covid infections rise by 14% in a week in UK

Covid infections rise by 14% in a week in UK Covid infections in the UK are rising and have topped more than one million, according to official estimates.

There has been a 14% rise in people testing positive in the week to 20 September - the biggest increase since the summer.

But there is no clear evidence of an autumn Covid wave starting, says the Office for National Statistics (ONS). BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, UK: 30 September 2022 Office for National Statistics
• Government must do all it can to deliver booster programme amid rising Covid cases BMA
• Autumn Covid wave officially kicks off: NHS virus admissions jump by HALF in a week The Daily Mail
• Experts warn the UK is ALREADY at the start of a 'devastating' Covid wave The Daily Mail
• Latest Covid surge a ‘heavy straw on camel’s back’ for every hospital in UK The Guardian
• Covid has left a third of young people feeling life is out of control – study The Guardian
• Bereaved families fear Covid inquiry cover-up after ban on testimony The Guardian
• Covid infections on the rise in the UK The Independent
• UK ‘blind’ to new immune-evasive Covid variants creating ‘perfect storm’ for devastating wave The Independent

UK looks to be winning the fight against monkeypox

UK looks to be winning the fight against monkeypox The UK's monkeypox situation is looking "very positive" with cases continuing to fall, says one of Britain's leading infectious disease modellers.

Prof Neil Ferguson believes vaccines and vigilance have helped drive cases down from a peak in July this year.

The scare started in May when the UK saw cases of the disease traditionally confined to parts of Africa.

The UK has recorded more than 3,500 cases, but in recent weeks there have been fewer than 100 new infections. BBC News

Black and Asian infected blood victims feel let down, inquiry told

Black and Asian infected blood victims feel let down, inquiry told Some African and Asian patients who were given contaminated blood transfusions in the 1970s and 80s feel they have been "let down" compared with people who were born in the UK, an inquiry has heard.

The infected blood inquiry has heard evidence about three witnesses from Kenya and Pakistan.

All were told they probably contracted hepatitis C outside the UK. BBC News

Number of 'dental deserts' across England growing, figures show

Number of 'dental deserts' across England growing, figures show The number of “dental deserts” is growing across England, according to a new analysis.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said figures show a lack of NHS dentists in several parts of the country, with deprived and rural areas having fewer dentists than richer and urban areas. The Independent

See also:

• NHS “dental deserts” persist in rural and deprived communities Local Government Association

England skin and breast cancer patients have worst waiting time to see specialist

England skin and breast cancer patients have worst waiting time to see specialist Patients with suspected skin and breast cancer have experienced the largest increase in waiting times of everyone urgently referred to a cancer specialist, with one in 20 patients now facing the longest waits, analysis of NHS England data shows.

Almost 10,000 patients referred by a GP to a cancer specialist had to wait for more 28 days – double the supposed maximum 14-day waiting time – in July. Three-quarters of them were suspected of having skin, breast or lower gastrointestinal cancer, a Guardian analysis has revealed.

New NHS hospitals might have to be built for single patient rooms only

New NHS hospitals might have to be built for single patient rooms only New NHS hospitals could be built without wards, it was claimed today.

Patients may instead be housed in their own rooms, under plans being considered by health chiefs.

It would mark a major change to traditional NHS designs, which, for decades, have relied on multi-bed wards. The Daily Mail

NHS maternity failures leading to avoidable stillbirths have cost £65m in a decade, analysis shows

NHS maternity failures leading to avoidable stillbirths have cost £65m in a decade, analysis shows Catastrophic failures on NHS maternity units that led to avoidable stillbirths have cost almost £65 million in compensation payouts over the past decade.

Data analysis seen exclusively by The Mail on Sunday shows that the NHS has been found guilty of negligence in 758 cases of stillbirth since 2010. This resulted in an average payout of £39,000 per family – a total of almost £30 million – along with a further £34.8 million in legal fees. 

Nearly a quarter of Northampton General Hospital capacity taken up by bed-blockers waiting to be discharged

Nearly a quarter of Northampton General Hospital capacity taken up by bed-blockers waiting to be discharged NHS chiefs say Government plans to tackle bed-blocking do not go far enough as figures revealed nearly a quarter of Northampton General Hospital beds are occupied by patients who do not need to be there.

Latest NHS England data showed 214 people in NGH were medically cleared to leave hospital on August 31.

Those patients should be moved to a care home or offered home support but staff shortages in the sector meant only 45 of those were actually able to go. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

STOPTOBER 2022: Quit now for good of your health and wealth, message to Northamptonshire smokers

STOPTOBER 2022: Quit now for good of your health and wealth, message to Northamptonshire smokers It’s nearly Stoptober and health chiefs are encouraging the estimated 95,000 smokers across Northamptonshire to quit for better health and more wealth.

This year marks the 11th national stop smoking campaign, Stoptober, based on research that those who can stay smoke free for 28 days are five times more likely to quit for good. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Peak leaving? A spotlight on nurse leaver rates in the UK

Peak leaving? A spotlight on nurse leaver rates in the UK Nursing is the single largest profession in the NHS, but it suffers from substantial staffing shortages. This analysis from Billy Palmer and Lucina Rolewicz reflects on the rate at which the health service is losing nurses, and considers the reasons why. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Record number of nurses quitting the NHS BBC News

Concerns for NHS staff and patients as cost of living pressures hit health services

Concerns for NHS staff and patients as cost of living pressures hit health services Nurses are skipping meals to feed and clothe their children, and staff are finding it hard to make the journey to work due to rising living costs a new survey reveals.

Every trust which responded reported concerns about the mental, physical and financial wellbeing of staff as a result of the cost of living.

One trust leader said: "For some staff this is the final straw psychologically after two years of COVID-19."

Food banks and debt counselling are among ways trusts are helping staff to cope with financial hardship. NHS Providers

See also:

• Rising living costs: the impact on NHS, staff and patients (survey results) NHS Providers
• NHS nurses not eating at work in order to feed their children, survey finds The Guardian
• NHS staff quitting for private sector jobs as cost of living crisis intensifies, leaders warn The Independent
• NHS staff ‘leaving for better paid jobs in retail’ with staff sickness due to mental health rising ITV News
• Cost-of-living crisis: Nurses leaving for better-paid jobs in shops because 'they can't afford to work for NHS' Sky News

What are the public’s priorities for the NHS? And is the government listening?

What are the public’s priorities for the NHS? And is the government listening? Understanding where the public’s key priorities are is crucial for any government. These latest findings from our programme of public polling, delivered in partnership with Ipsos, provide new insight into what the public thinks about the NHS. We surveyed a representative sample of 2,068 people aged 16 years and older in the UK between 26 May and 1 June. The Health Foundation

Health and care LGBTQ+ inclusion framework

Health and care LGBTQ+ inclusion framework The LGBTQ+ population in the UK experiences significant physical and mental health inequalities compared to the general population. These inequalities extend from increased risk factors for ill health and barriers to accessing health care and support, to discrimination against LGBTQ+ staff within the workplace. This framework comprises six key pillars of inclusivity that organisations should aim to build to create and maintain inclusive cultures: visible leadership and confident staff; a strong knowledge base; being non-heteronormative and non-cisnormative; collecting and reporting data; listening to service users; and proactively seeking out partners to co-deliver services. NHS Confederation

NHS 111’s response to callers with Covid-19-related symptoms during the pandemic

NHS 111’s response to callers with Covid-19-related symptoms during the pandemic The purpose of this investigation is to support improvements in the delivery of NHS 111 and other telephone triage services during a national healthcare emergency. The investigation uses real patient safety incidents involving Patients and their families who dialled NHS 111 (and were either managed through NHS 111 or the Covid-19 Response Service [CRS]) for advice during the Covid-19 pandemic. Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch

See also:

• Covid vulnerable not always assessed by NHS 111 early in pandemic BBC News
• NHS 111 failures led to early Covid deaths, investigation finds The Guardian

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 most indicators in week 38 of 2022.

The number of acute respiratory infection incidents (suspected outbreaks) increased in England in week 38 to 170 compared to 133 in the previous week.

Positivity for pillar one laboratory confirmed cases for week 38 was 6.9 per 100,000 population, an increase from 5.5 in the previous week. There was a large increase in those aged over 80.

The hospital admission rate for week 38 was 7.62 per 100,000 population, an increase from 4.96 in the previous week. UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 - 28 September 2022 World Health Organization
• Rise in Covid cases and hospital patients shows ‘winter wave’ has begun, government official warns The Independent
• Autumn Covid wave arrives with one-in-32 infected Pulse
• COVID hospital admissions in England highest since August amid new 'autumn wave' Sky News

UK NSC recommends introduction of targeted lung cancer screening

UK NSC recommends introduction of targeted lung cancer screening The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has given a positive recommendation for the introduction of the country’s first targeted national cancer screening programme.

At its first meeting following the approval of its expanded remit, the committee recommended that the 4 UK nations should move towards implementing a targeted national lung cancer screening programme, integrated with smoking cessation services, for people at high risk.

See also:

• Everyone over 55 who has EVER smoked should get a lung scan to check for cancer The Daily Mail

Young non-smokers told not to take up vaping by experts

Young non-smokers told not to take up vaping by experts Young non-smokers are being advised not to take up vaping.

Researchers looked at the evidence and say while vaping is far safer than cigarettes, the long-term effects of vapes are still unknown.

Vaping causes less exposure to harmful toxins than smoking, say the experts, who were tasked by the government with looking at the issue.

In recent years there's been a rise in vaping, particularly in young people. BBC News

See also:

• Nicotine vaping in England: 2022 evidence update Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

Thérèse Coffey scraps promised paper on health inequality

Thérèse Coffey scraps promised paper on health inequality Thérèse Coffey is ditching the government’s long-promised white paper on health inequalities, despite the 19-year gap in life expectancy between rich and poor, the Guardian has been told.

The health secretary has decided to not publish a document that was due to set out plans to address the stark inequalities in health that the Covid-19 pandemic exposed.

Vaccination rates for ALL 14 childhood jabs 'has fallen in the last year'

Vaccination rates for ALL 14 childhood jabs 'has fallen in the last year' Outbreaks of measles and polio are now 'likely', top experts warned today as official statistics revealed childhood vaccination rates have plunged.

Uptake now sits below the key 95 per cent threshold for all 14 inoculations routinely offered to children. 

This includes for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), which has fallen to its lowest level in a decade. Take-up has also hit a record low for the six-in-one vaccine, which protects against polio, whooping cough, hepatitis B, Hib, tetanus and diphtheria. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Parents warned about dangers of children missing vaccines UK Health Security Agency
• ‘Extremely worrying’ drop in childhood vaccinations since the pandemic The Daily Telegraph
• Thousands of children at risk as vaccination rates fall in England The Guardian

GP face-to-face appointments are now at highest level since Covid kicked off

GP face-to-face appointments are now at highest level since Covid kicked off The proportion of people seeing their GP face-to-face has risen to its highest level since the start of the pandemic, official figures show.

Two-thirds of appointments with family doctors in England last month were in-person, according to the latest data from NHS Digital. The 66.1 per cent figure is still well below the 80 per cent average before the pandemic struck.

However, it is the highest rate since March 2020, when the UK was plunged into its first national lockdown as the coronavirus swept across the country. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Primary care making significant strides in recovering and restoring access to services but more support needed NHS Confederation
• GP workload far beyond pre-pandemic level as winter pressure looms GPonline

Northampton General Hospital stroke patients' initiative shortlisted for top national award

Northampton General Hospital stroke patients' initiative shortlisted for top national award A team from Northampton General Hospital is in the finals of a top innovation award for the way they have involved patients in shaping future care.

The NGH Community Stroke Team is among 10 shortlisted for the Innovate Awards 2022 for their “putting the patient at the centre of all we do – living a meaningful and fulfilling life after stroke” initiative. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

If integrated care cannot tackle inclusion health, we should all be worried

If integrated care cannot tackle inclusion health, we should all be worried This summer a huge restructure created 42 new NHS integrated care boards to plan and fund NHS services, and to deliver improvements on population health across an integrated care system. This is not a renaming of current ways of working but is intended use the new structures to work in new ways. Looking to next year, now is the time for the ‘so what?’ of system change – as the start-up focus on terms of reference subsides. The King's Fund

It’s not just about speed of access: we must ensure patients with the greatest needs can see a GP

It’s not just about speed of access: we must ensure patients with the greatest needs can see a GP Rebecca Rosen argues that, until we have enough GPs to meet demand for appointments, we have to make sure that patients with the greatest needs can see a doctor. She discusses the importance of triage in general practice and describes five policy approaches that could improve access. Nuffield Trust

Digital transformation in the NHS

Digital transformation in the NHS This document contains views from across the NHS about progress on digital innovation and what more is needed to facilitate full digital transformation. NHS Confederation

2021–2022 healthcare professional regulators’ whistleblowing report published

2021–2022 healthcare professional regulators’ whistleblowing report published The joint whistleblowing disclosures report published today is part of a coordinated effort with seven other regulators to address serious issues that health and care professionals in the UK have raised.

We publish this joint report because we’re committed to being transparent about how we handle whistleblowing disclosures, highlighting the actions we’ve taken about them, and improving our collaboration with partners across the health sector. Nursing and Midwifery Council

Contacting the Patient Safety Commissioner for England

Contacting the Patient Safety Commissioner for England Dr Henrietta Hughes was appointed as the first ever Patient Safety Commissioner for England in July. She began her role on 12 September.

Dr Hughes is an independent point of contact for patients so that patients’ voices are heard and acted upon. She will use patients’ insight to help the government and the healthcare system in England listen and respond to patients’ views and promote patient safety, specifically with regard to medicines and medical devices. Department of Health and Social Care

'Toxic culture' of abuse at mental health hospital revealed by BBC secret filming

'Toxic culture' of abuse at mental health hospital revealed by BBC secret filming Humiliated, abused and isolated for weeks - patients were put at risk due to a "toxic culture" at one of the UK's biggest mental health hospitals, BBC Panorama can reveal.

An undercover reporter at the Edenfield Centre filmed staff using restraint inappropriately and patients enduring long seclusions in small, bare rooms.

Staff swore at patients and were seen slapping or pinching them on occasion.

Hospital bosses said they have taken immediate action to protect patients. BBC News

See also:

• Undercover Hospital: Patients at Risk BBC Panorama
• Hospital seclusion: ‘I’ve been treated like an animal’ BBC News
• Years of scandal and promises as patients suffer BBC News
• I went undercover to expose abuse at a mental health hospital BBC News
• Police opens investigation into abuse at mental health hospital revealed by BBC Community care
• Damning investigation uncovers 'toxic culture' at mental health hospital The Daily Mail
• NHS mental health hospital staff filmed ‘mocking and slapping’ patients The Guardian
• NHS trust suspends staff after alleged mistreatment of patients in mental health unit Manchester Evening News
• Response to Panorama Nursing and Midwifery Council

NHS app hits 30 million downloads in England

NHS app hits 30 million downloads in England The NHS app has been downloaded 30 million times, with many people using it to spell out their preferences on organ donation.

The app for NHS England patients was first piloted in 2018.

Among other things, it can be used to make GP appointments, order prescriptions and download NHS Covid passes for international travel.

The NHS said 448,000 people had used it to make organ-donation decisions between September 2021 and August 2022. BBC News

Alzheimer's-slowing drug labelled historic

Alzheimer's-slowing drug labelled historic Trial results of a drug appearing to slow Alzheimer's disease represent a "historic moment", experts say.

Pharmaceutical companies Eisai and Biogen have said their drug works when given in the early stages of the disease.

The full details have yet to published, but it appears to slow the pace of the brain's decline.

And even the limited data has generated excitement among dementia scientists and charities. BBC News

Austerity cuts ahead could mean 'end of NHS', warns ex-Bank of England deputy

Austerity cuts ahead could mean 'end of NHS', warns ex-Bank of England deputy The scale of the austerity cuts looming if the Liz Truss government does not reverse course on the economy could result in the end of the NHS, the Bank of England’s former deputy governor has warned. The Independent

See also:

• Spending cuts made necessary by mini-Budget ‘could spell end of NHS’, top economist warns Evening Standard
• Don't make NHS and public services pay the bill for tax cuts, Kwarteng told The Independent
• NHS merger to drastically shrink workforce reveals Conservative MP National Health Executive
• Spending cuts made necessary by mini-budget 'could finish NHS', former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Charlie Bean says Sky News

Coroner criticises NHS trust’s treatment of family of woman who killed herself

Coroner criticises NHS trust’s treatment of family of woman who killed herself An NHS trust has “not covered itself in glory” in its dealings with the family of a vulnerable young woman who killed herself after being refused admission to hospital, a coroner has found.

The three-day hearing looked at evidence withheld from the original inquest into the death of Sally Mays, who killed herself in 2014 after being turned away from a mental health unit. The Guardian

Dangerous NHS England hospital roofs ‘will not be fixed until 2035’

Dangerous NHS England hospital roofs ‘will not be fixed until 2035’ FoI request reveals long wait to repair roofs at risk of collapse, including those affecting Truss and Coffey constituents

Dangerous roofs which could collapse at any time at hospitals across England will not be fixed until 2035, NHS bosses have admitted.

The disclosure came in NHS England’s response to a freedom of information request from the Liberal Democrats about hospitals which have roofs at risk of falling down on to staff, patients and equipment. The Guardian

Another health warning over anti-depressants

Another health warning over anti-depressants Long-term antidepressant use could raise the risk of suffering and dying from heart disease, scientists say.

University of Bristol researchers discovered patients who had been taking the drugs for more than 10 years were up to twice as likely to be diagnosed with and die from heart disease.

Around one in six adults in England and one in five in the US take the drugs, which are thought to raise levels of chemicals in the brain that boost mood. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Antidepressant use and risk of adverse outcomes: population-based cohort study (open access) BJPsych Open
• Common antidepressants may increase the risk of heart disease and early death The Daily Telegraph

Northamptonshire hospitals plan to give thousands of staff £250 cost-of-living payment

Northamptonshire hospitals plan to give thousands of staff £250 cost-of-living payment Thousands of workers at Northamptonshire’s two general hospitals are in line for a £250 payment to help them with the cost-of-living crisis.

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire group – which runs KGH and NGH – is planning a £1m scheme to help those on the lowest wages with rising food and energy costs. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Facing up to long Covid

Facing up to long Covid Long Covid is politically problematic, medically uncertain, and personally scary. It is too easy to look away.  

In media narratives this summer the Covid-19 pandemic was eclipsed by the cost of living and climate crises. But in practice these crises co-exist and interact. Long Covid makes heatwaves and price hikes a whole lot harder to bear. The King's Fund

What people have told us about Urgent and Emergency Care services

What people have told us about Urgent and Emergency Care services The pressure on urgent and emergency care services has been a big story recently, with significant press coverage of ambulance delays and long waits in accident and emergency departments (A&E). 

This is backed up by the official performance statistics, which paint a grim picture as we head into winter. 

To understand how the pressures have affected patients, we looked back at the experiences of urgent and emergency care services people shared with us between December 2020 and August 2022 in a new report. Healthwatch

See also:

• NMC statement in response to Healthwatch England report on emergency care Nursing and Midwifery Council

New legal guidance for NHS staff working remotely overseas

New legal guidance for NHS staff working remotely overseas NHS Employers has commissioned legal firm Capsticks LLP (and partners) to produce a guidance document on employing staff working remotely from outside of the UK. This is in response to questions raised from NHS workforce leaders about the legalities and practicalities of overseas remote working arrangements.

Autistic people’s healthcare information strategy for England

Autistic people’s healthcare information strategy for England This document sets out an initial strategy for the development of information about the health of, and healthcare received by autistic people in England, from sources already collected or in the process of being established. NHS England

Research: Monkeypox outbreak: epidemiological overview

Research: Monkeypox outbreak: epidemiological overview Overview of the current monkeypox outbreak in the UK. UK Health Security Agency

Flu and Covid could make this a hard winter for UK

Flu and Covid could make this a hard winter for UK The UK must prepare for a big, early wave of flu, experts warn, based on what Australia has just experienced during its winter.

Many Southern Hemisphere nations have had their most rampant flu season for years.

It is largely because people mixed more once Covid restrictions had eased, but had little immunity to the influenza virus after a break from the disease.

Health experts are urging anyone who is eligible for a flu shot to get one. BBC News

See also:

• Covid vaccine: 'Get the jab' says woman who nearly died while pregnant BBC News
• Prepare for the twindemic! Health chiefs warn Covid will strike at same time as flu this winter The Daily Mail
• Winter flu could kill 20000: Perfect storm of seasonal virus and Covid may overwhelm NHS The Daily Mail
• UK faces serious threat from flu and COVID-19 'twindemic' this winter GPonline
• Millions urged to get flu and Covid jabs amid fears of winter ‘twindemic’ in UK The Guardian
• Millions urged to get flu and Covid jabs as experts predict ‘difficult winter’ The Independent
• Build reserve testing capacity to tackle next pandemic, UK researchers urge The Independent
• Why the UK could be heading for a flu-covid 'twindemic' this winter New Scientist

Pumping weights could help you live longer

Pumping weights could help you live longer Activities which strengthen the muscles - like weightlifting - should be part of an older person's weekly exercise routine, a study suggests.

People doing both aerobic and muscle exercises were more likely to live longer than those who did just one or the other, US researchers found.

But you don't have to go to the gym - carrying heavy shopping bags, digging in the garden and pilates all count.

Both types of activity are recommended in current advice. BBC News

See also:

• Independent and joint associations of weightlifting and aerobic activity with all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (open access) British Journal of Sports Medicine
• Lifting weights in middle age lowers the risk of death from all causes by up to a FIFTH, study finds The Daily Mail

Wes Streeting speech: Labour promises face-to-face GP appointments

Wes Streeting speech: Labour promises face-to-face GP appointments Labour wants GPs in England to provide face-to-face appointments for anyone who wants them.

The government is promising to improve access to GPs, including same-day appointments.

New Health Secretary Therese Coffey has said GPs will be able to take on extra staff, but has not promised face-to-face access for all. BBC News

See also:

• Would Labour's £2billion-a-year NHS rescue plan REALLY save the NHS? Unions welcome workforce plan The Daily Mail

One in five over-50s who have dropped out of UK workforce are on NHS waiting list

One in five over-50s who have dropped out of UK workforce are on NHS waiting list Nearly 20 per cent of over-50s who quit work during the Covid pandemic and have not returned are on NHS waiting lists, according to official data.

The figure was higher than for those who remained in the workforce during the pandemic, as well as those who stopped working but have since gone back. The Independent

NHS smartwatches could improve quality of life for Parkinson's patients

NHS smartwatches could improve quality of life for Parkinson's patients More than 100,000 patients with Parkinson’s disease will be prescribed smartwatches as part of a new treatment programme on the NHS.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), the treatment watchdog, has recommended the use of five devices which could improve the quality of life for those living with the condition. Evening Standard

Scientists sound alarm over little-known STI in US resistant to EVERY antibiotic used against it

Scientists sound alarm over little-known STI in US resistant to EVERY antibiotic used against it A ‘silent-spreader’ STI which can cause infertility is feared to be evolving into a superbug.

Mycoplasma genitalium, also known as M. genitalium or M. gen, has become resistant to every antibiotic used to treat it so far.

The sexually transmitted infection was first discovered in London in the 1980s — but a test has only been available in the US since 2019. It means scientists are unsure exactly how widespread it is. The Daily Mail 

Northampton General Hospital sees 1,000th coronavirus patient sadly die as another grim Covid-19 landmark is passed

Northampton General Hospital sees 1,000th coronavirus patient sadly die as another grim Covid-19 landmark is passed Northampton General Hospital bosses have warned Covid has not gone away after the grim total of deaths linked to the virus reached 1,000 since the pandemic began.

NHS England data showed the sad milestone was reached at the hospital on September 15. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Acting on the evidence: ensuring the NHS meets the needs of trans people

Acting on the evidence: ensuring the NHS meets the needs of trans people The public discussion of trans people’s rights in the UK is often bad-tempered, sometimes extremely so. The failure to improve rights for trans people in recent years has contributed to the UK falling to 14th in the European rankings on LGBTI rights (it was top as recently as 2015). For many in the NHS this wider societal discourse may seem like ‘somebody else’s business’, a thought possibly reinforced by the fear of getting caught up in such an aggressive space. However, as the Health and Care Act 2022 has again confirmed, the core purpose of the NHS is to provide good-quality health care to all and to reduce inequalities. If it wants to live up to that vision, the NHS cannot ignore the poor health outcomes and poor access to services that the available evidence suggests many trans people experience. The King's Fund

Reimagining health: a framing paper

Reimagining health: a framing paper In its early years, the National Health Service proved visionary. It provided high-quality care to meet the dominant needs of the population it served: timely, universal access to episodic, acute treatment. However, the structures and institutions designed to meet the challenges of the post-war world are not equipped to deal with current and future health challenges. Reform's new programme of work on 'Reimagining health' seeks to explore how to transform our approach to health. This framing paper sets out the case for change and identifies areas Reform wishes to explore in its research programme. Reform

Guidance: Flu vaccination: who should have it this winter and why

Guidance: Flu vaccination: who should have it this winter and why This guidance explains to patients how they can help protect themselves and their children against flu this winter. It includes information for children, eligible adults and pregnant women, and details why it’s very important that people at increased risk from flu, or who care for someone vulnerable, to have their free vaccination every year. UK Health Security Agency

NHS urges parents to book children in for essential MMR vaccination

NHS urges parents to book children in for essential MMR vaccination Parents and carers of children are being reminded of the importance of routine vaccinations, with hundreds of thousands of texts, emails and letters being sent from this week encouraging families to book their child in for an MMR vaccine.

The NHS is contacting parents and carers of around 740,000 children aged between one and six who have not yet had one or both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, encouraging them to make an appointment with their child’s GP practice. NHS England

Hundreds recalled over shoulder op concerns at Walsall hospital

Hundreds recalled over shoulder op concerns at Walsall hospital Up to 600 patients are to be recalled by a hospital after concerns were raised about shoulder operations.

Some patients have lost the use of their arm after surgery by Mian Munawar Shah at Walsall Manor Hospital. BBC News

Almost 6,000 people harmed by prescription errors in NHS last year

Almost 6,000 people harmed by prescription errors in NHS last year A pregnant woman who died after being given the wrong dosage of drugs was one of almost 6,000 people harmed and 29 killed following prescription errors in the NHS in England last year.

Figures from NHS England show that 98 hospital trusts experienced an increase in the number of prescription errors reported in 2021, including cases where patients were given the wrong drug, wrong dosage or were not given medicine when needed. Meanwhile, the number of errors fell at 105 trusts. The Guardian

Drinking two to three cups of coffee a day linked with longer lifespan, study finds

Drinking two to three cups of coffee a day linked with longer lifespan, study finds Drinking two to three cups of coffee a day could be linked to a longer lifespan, new research suggests.

When compared with avoiding coffee, it was also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, the study found.

The findings applied to ground, instant and decaffeinated varieties of the drink, and researchers say they suggest coffee consumption should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle. The independent

See also:

• The impact of coffee subtypes on incident cardiovascular disease, arrhythmias, and mortality: long-term outcomes from the UK Biobank (open access) European Journal of Preventive Cardiology

Statins 'could treat prostate cancer': Drugs starve stubborn tumours, trial finds

Statins 'could treat prostate cancer': Drugs starve stubborn tumours, trial finds Statins could help thousands of men battling stubborn prostate cancer, research suggested today.

The cholesterol-busting pills — taken by millions across the world — were shown to starve tumours in a 'first of its kind' trial. 

All but one of the 12 patients given the medication saw a clear benefit, the results revealed. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Phase II proof-of-concept study of atorvastatin in castration-resistant prostate cancer (open access) BJU International

Struggling GPs under pressure could refuse to see patients and send them to other surgeries

Struggling GPs under pressure could refuse to see patients and send them to other surgeries Struggling GPs will be allowed to refuse appointments and send patients to other surgeries under a radical 'red alert' warning system.

Family doctors will also be given the right to conduct 'most' consultations remotely and enforce telephone triage when they cannot cope with demand. The Daily Mail 

State-of-the-art dispensing robots arrive at Northampton General Hospital

State-of-the-art dispensing robots arrive at Northampton General Hospital A cutting-edge robot system has been installed at Northampton General Hospital by leading health and safety consultancy, Acorn Safety Services.

The Northampton-based company installed the robot, which features a fully automated system to deliver drugs from the hospital’s main pharmacy safely and effectively. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

State of Black Britain Report

State of Black Britain Report New comprehensive research from the Black Equity Organisation brings to life the lived experience of Black people in the UK and the racism that they still experience – as well as their resilience.

The research, conducted by market researchers Survation reveals:

• 65% of Black people said they had been discriminated against by healthcare professionals because of their ethnicity
• Over 60% said they had been passed over for promotion or employment due to their ethnicity
• 59% said they or someone close to them had experienced stop and search or wrongful arrest
• 42% said they or someone close to them had experienced stop and search more than once
• 50% of parents with children under 18 said their children do not see themselves represented in either the teaching workforce or curriculum materials uses

People first: a response from health and care leaders to the urgent and emergency care system crisis

People first: a response from health and care leaders to the urgent and emergency care system crisis This resource was designed and developed: using outcomes from CQC's urgent and emergency care workshop, held in May 2022; and by members of the CQC National Emergency Medicine Specialist Advisor Forum. It recognises the unscheduled care pathway as a continuum, with solutions required across the artificial divides between primary, secondary, community and social care. It aims to: support the design of person-centred urgent and emergency care services; and encourage innovation across integrated care systems. Care Quality Commission

Stoptober launches to give smokers the confidence to quit

Stoptober launches to give smokers the confidence to quit Smokers in England are being urged to stub out the habit as part of the annual Stoptober public health campaign launching next month, as latest statistics show smoking costs the NHS £2.4bn a year while causing at least 15 types of cancers, including lung cancer and acute myeloid leukaemia.

Stoptober – now in its 11th year – aims to empower people to give up smoking during October, as evidence shows people are five times more likely to quit for good if they can make it to at least 28 days smoke free. Department of Health and Social Care

Second vaccine doses to be offered to those at highest risk from monkeypox

Second vaccine doses to be offered to those at highest risk from monkeypox The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced that second doses of the smallpox (Jynneos) vaccine will be offered to people at highest risk from monkeypox, in order to maximise protection against the virus.

This targeted approach is also supported by modelling published in today’s technical briefing 8 which suggests vaccinating 25% of the groups most at risk could significantly reduce the risk of transmission.

NHS delivers 2.1 million Covid autumn boosters

NHS delivers 2.1 million Covid autumn boosters The NHS Covid vaccination programme is off to a ‘flying start’ with 2.1 million autumn boosters delivered in just over a fortnight, and 1.35 million last week alone.

NHS chiefs are urging people to get vaccinated without delay ahead of a potential ‘twindemic’ of Covid-19 and flu this winter. NHS England

Covid: First rise in infections in UK since July

Covid: First rise in infections in UK since July Covid infection rates have increased in the UK for the first time since the middle of July, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

One in 70 tested positive, with the largest rise in secondary school children in the week to 14 September.

Infections increased in England and Wales while rates fell in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The ONS says it will closely monitor the data to see the impact of schools returning over the coming weeks. BBC News

See also:

• How many cases in your area? BBC News
• Covid bounces back: England's outbreak grows 8% in a week The Daily Mail
• UK’s autumn Covid wave could be worse than the last as cases rise The Guardian
• Study of 9 million Swedes shows rapidly declining effectiveness of COVID vaccines against Omicron News Medical

Can the NHS learn from Germany’s health system?

Can the NHS learn from Germany’s health system? We love the NHS. We clapped for health workers and carers in the first wave of the pandemic. A large majority of us want to keep an NHS which is free at the point of use for all.

But public satisfaction with the service has fallen to its lowest since 1997, according to a recent British Social Attitudes survey, and increasing numbers are not happy with the standards of care provided.

Therese Coffey this week became the latest health secretary to pledge improvements for England, but are quick fixes possible, or is root-and-branch reform needed, and could other countries provide an answer? BBC News

NHS eating disorder services forced to ‘exclude’ patients and ‘ration care’

NHS eating disorder services forced to ‘exclude’ patients and ‘ration care’ Patients are being excluded from life-saving eating disorder treatment as services are severely underfunded, experts have warned.

Adult eating disorder services are so severely underfunded and understaffed that they are having to employ rationing measures and turn away patients, leading psychiatrist Dr Agnes Ayton told The Independent.

See also:

• The alarms should no longer be ignored: A Survey of the Demand, Capacity and Provision of Adult Community Eating Disorder Services in England and Scotland (open access preprint) PsyArvXiv Preprints

NHS staff shortages are 'biggest' sepsis risk this winter, charity warns

NHS staff shortages are 'biggest' sepsis risk this winter, charity warns The looming NHS staffing crisis could lead to more patients dying from sepsis, a major UK charity has warned.

Doctors have told the UK Sepsis Trust that staff shortages and high numbers of patients to treat are two of the most common factors preventing them from following national sepsis guidance. The Independent

Almost 90 more people died at home every day than expected in past year

Almost 90 more people died at home every day than expected in past year Almost 90 more people than expected died in private households every day in Great Britain in the past year as more end-of-life patients shunned hospitals in favour of a home death, Guardian analysis shows.

This year so far, almost 22,500 people more than usual died in private homes from all causes in Great Britain, opening new questions about the resources and treatment available for end-of-life care. The Guardian

Vaccination chiefs revive plans to give chickenpox jabs on the NHS at same time as MMR shot

Vaccination chiefs revive plans to give chickenpox jabs on the NHS at same time as MMR shot Vaccine chiefs are considering offering all babies jabs to protect them against chickenpox – after discussions to introduce the plan were abandoned at the beginning of the Covid pandemic.

Normally a harmless illness, the virus can in rare cases lead to serious complications, including sepsis, pneumonia and brain damage.

Every year, more than 20 people die due to chickenpox in the UK and hundreds of babies are hospitalised due to severe symptoms. The Daily Mail 

KGH palliative care team shortlisted for top national award

KGH palliative care team shortlisted for top national award A Kettering General Hospital team which uses high-tech manikins for end-of-life care training is up for a top national award.

The hospital’s palliative care team has been shortlisted for a 2022 Nursing Times Award in the enhancing patient dignity category. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Policy paper: Our plan for patients

Policy paper: Our plan for patients Our plan for patients sets out our priorities for health and care, delivering across 4 key areas:

• ambulances
• backlogs
• care
• doctors and dentists

It includes common sense changes, delivering tangible benefits for patients. This means removing the barriers that get in the way of patient care, putting more information at the fingertips of patients and freeing up the time of clinicians to do what they do best: caring for patients. Department of Health and Social Care

See also: 

• Health and Social Care Secretary to set out new plan for patients and call on public to play a part in national endeavour Department of Health and Social Care
• Health Secretary’s NHS plan is little more than ‘rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic’ BMA
• Government must address workforce crisis Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• Tiny fixes in the face of huge challenges for the NHS and patients The Health Foundation
• Does a new Prime Minister signal change in health and social care? (podcast) The Health Foundation
• Priorities recognise challenge of perilous winter for NHS and care services but there are no quick fixes Nuffield Trust
• 'We don't have enough nursing staff' Royal College of Nursing
• RCP responds to statement from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Royal College of Physicians
• £500m funding to help hospitals discharge patients BBC News
• Backlash over NHS rescue 'plan': Ex-Health Sec Jeremy Hunt says service needs more staff NOT targets The Daily Mail
• Practices face two-week access target with 300 fewer GPs than last year GPonline
• What is in Thérèse Coffey’s new NHS plan? The Guardian
• The Guardian view on the NHS: A brutal winter is coming | Editorial The Guardian
• Coffey promises £500 million ‘down payment’ for social care over winter The Independent
• GP numbers fall again as NHS surgeries told they must see patients within two weeks iNews
• NHS facing 'most extreme winter crisis it has ever seen' Metro

Support for public sector organisations facing rising energy bills announced

Support for public sector organisations facing rising energy bills announced A new government Energy Bill Relief Scheme, will provide a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic customers. This includes the public sector, such as schools and hospitals, the voluntary sector and all UK businesses and is equivalent to the Energy Price Guarantee put in place for households. NHS Employers

The good childhood report 2022

The good childhood report 2022 This report aims to show the latest trends in children's well-being. This year’s report shows that around 1 in 16 children (6 per cent) aged 10 to 15 in the UK are unhappy with their lives, and almost 1 in 8 (12 per cent), an estimated 562,000 of 10-15 year olds, are unhappy with school. It finds that the current cost of living crisis is having a significant effect on families, with 85 per cent of parents and carers surveyed in 2022 saying they are concerned about how it will affect their families in the next year, especially as over a third of parents and carers reported they already struggled with costs of school trips and uniform over the last year. The Children's Society

Cancer-killing virus shows promise in patients

Cancer-killing virus shows promise in patients A new type of cancer therapy that uses a common virus to infect and destroy harmful cells is showing big promise in early human trials, say UK scientists.

One patient's cancer vanished, while others saw their tumours shrink.

The drug is a weakened form of the cold sore virus - herpes simplex - that has been modified to kill tumours. BBC News

Covid hospitalisations rise by nearly 20% in a week in England

Covid hospitalisations rise by nearly 20% in a week in England People urged to get a Covid booster jab if eligible and to stay at home if ill as number of positive tests and patients admitted to hospital on the rise

Coronavirus cases and hospitalisations are rising once again in England after declining since early July, data suggests, with experts warning people should stay at home if ill and get a Covid booster if eligible.

According to the latest figures on the government coronavirus dashboard, both the number of cases detected through mass community testing, and patients admitted to hospital with Covid have risen in the past seven days, suggesting the country could be facing a resurgence of the virus. The Guardian

See also: 

• National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published UK Health Security Agency
• Covid cases rise sharply after six-week decline, according to Zoe app Evening Standard
• One in six over-80s in England have had Covid autumn booster jab The Independent
• Nine Omicron symptoms affecting the fully vaccinated - and signs you may have it The Independent
• Covid may cause long-term brain injury, study finds The Independent
• Long-term neurologic outcomes of COVID-19 (open access) Nature Medicine

Sickle cell: NHS to investigate racial inequalities for first time

Sickle cell: NHS to investigate racial inequalities for first time Sickle cell patients’ experiences of barriers to treatment and racial inequalities will be investigated by an NHS body next month, The Independent has learned.

The NHS Race and Health Observatory has collaborated with Public Digital, a consultancy group, to lead original research into the experiences of people with sickle cell, including listening to NHS patients’ and carers’ first-hand accounts of acute emergency hospital admissions and managing the condition at home.

Covid's 'grim human toll' revealed as figures show 1771 more Northamptonshire than usual people sadly died during pandemic

Covid's 'grim human toll' revealed as figures show 1771 more Northamptonshire than usual people sadly died during pandemic Nearly 2,000 more people sadly died in Northamptonshire during the coronavirus pandemic than would be expected in normal years, according to new Office for National Statistics data.

The ONS figures revealed 1,771 more deaths than the five-year average in the county between March 2020 and June 2022. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Higher inflation to erode NHS spending power

Higher inflation to erode NHS spending power After the new Prime Minister made headlines by suggesting she would divert money planned for the NHS into social care instead, John Appleby and Sally Gainsbury take a closer look at how inflation is already significantly reducing the spending power of the health service. There is a pressing need for increased capacity in the care sector, but a raid on already pinched NHS funds is not the solution. Nuffield Trust

Cancer screening: the urgent shouldn’t crowd out the important

Cancer screening: the urgent shouldn’t crowd out the important With A&E and ambulance waiting times dominating the headlines and over 6.7 million people waiting for elective surgery, prevention can unfortunately fall down the priority list. But cancer screening helps pick up cancers at an earlier and more treatable stage, improving survival rates and lessening pressure on the NHS in the long run. It is therefore important that it is not forgotten in the face of seemingly more urgent demands. The King's Fund

Easing the pain: rehabilitation, recovery and reducing health inequity

Easing the pain: rehabilitation, recovery and reducing health inequity The report, based on a literature review, outlines how people in marginalised groups and communities, such as those from ethnic minorities, are not only more likely to live shorter lives but spend a greater proportion of their lives struggling with health difficulties and disabilities. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

See also:

• Millions in poor health due to lack of rehab after illness, warns UK report The Guardian

Health and Social Care Secretary to set out new plan for patients and call on public to play a part in national endeavour

Health and Social Care Secretary to set out new plan for patients and call on public to play a part in national endeavour A new drive to improve access to general practice appointments will be the centrepiece of a new Our Plan for Patients that will be unveiled by the Health and Social Care Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister on Thursday 22 September.

As the first step in her efforts to put the NHS and social care on a resilient footing, Thérèse Coffey will set out her expectation that everyone who needs one should get an appointment at a GP practice within two weeks – and that the patients with the most urgent needs should be seen within the same day. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Health Secretary’s new plan brings us closer to the demise of general practice BMA
• Additional targets will not create more GPs Nuffield Trust
• More expectations without addressing GP workforce shortage not best way forward Royal College of General Practitioners
• GP appointments: New health secretary makes same-day pledge BBC News
• Health Secretary Therese Coffey 'will end 8am Glastonbury-esque scramble for GP appointments' The Daily Mail
• Government unveils two-week access target for GP appointments GPonline
• No one should wait more than two weeks to see GP, Coffey to say The Guardian
• No sanctions if GPs miss two-week target, health secretary suggests The Guardian

Hundreds of 999 call handlers to join strikes in October

Hundreds of 999 call handlers to join strikes in October Hundreds of 999 call centre staff are set to join strike action scheduled for next month, their union has said.

Some 40,000 BT Group workers will strike on 6, 10, 20 and 24 October in a dispute over pay, said the Communications Workers Union (CWU).

The union said it expected 400 workers employed as 999 emergency call handlers would also take part. BBC News

Infected blood transfusions probably killed 1,800 in UK - study

Infected blood transfusions probably killed 1,800 in UK - study An estimated 1,820 people died in the UK after being given contaminated blood transfusions between 1970 and 1991, a report has found.

The authors calculated that 26,800 people - possibly more - were probably infected with hepatitis C after being given the donated blood during childbirth or a hospital operation. BBC News

UK's first Early Cancer Institute is launched in Cambridge

UK's first Early Cancer Institute is launched in Cambridge The UK's first institute dedicated to detecting and studying cancers at the earliest stage has been launched.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge's Early Cancer Institute (ECI) will focus on hard-to-treat cancers, such as lung and pancreas.

Institute director Rebecca Fitzgerald said the research was essential to improve survival rates in patients. BBC News

Why is the NHS in crisis, and can it be fixed? - podcast

Why is the NHS in crisis, and can it be fixed? - podcast The UK’s new health secretary, Thérèse Coffey, has not taken on an easy job. Almost two-thirds of trainee GPs plan to work part-time just a year after they qualify, reporting that the job has become too intense to safely work more. A record 6.8 million people are waiting for hospital treatment in England, and 132,139 posts lie vacant across the NHS in England. Ian Sample hears from acute medicine consultant Dr Tim Cooksley about what’s happening within the NHS, and speaks to the Guardian’s health policy editor, Denis Campbell, about how the UK’s health and social care systems ended up in crisis and whether they can be fixed The Guardian

New NHS data reveals how best to avoid A&E waits

New NHS data reveals how best to avoid A&E waits NHS figures reveal more about how accident and emergency services are running as the country recovers from the pandemic. Sky News analysis shows where the best performing NHS trusts were last year, who relies most on A&E, and when you should turn up to avoid the longest waits. Sky News

Flawed breast cancer surgeries leave thousands of women at risk of a relapse, review warns

Flawed breast cancer surgeries leave thousands of women at risk of a relapse, review warns Breast cancer surgery guidelines are leaving thousands of women at risk of the disease returning, a major review has found.

Around one in five women who undergo treatment to remove tumours are having insufficient breast tissue removed, researchers say.

This leaves them with a much higher chance of cancer recurring in the breast or elsewhere, making it incurable. Breast cancer is the second most deadly cancer for women, causing 11,400 deaths a year. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Margin status and survival outcomes after breast cancer conservation surgery: prospectively registered systematic review and meta-analysis (open access) The BMJ

Motor neurone disease breakthrough as drug helps wheelchair-bound sufferer walk again

Motor neurone disease breakthrough as drug helps wheelchair-bound sufferer walk again A new drug for motor neurone disease allowed one wheelchair-bound man to walk again, researchers declared today.

Tofersen slowed the progress of the debilitating condition in some patients with no other options. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Trial of Antisense Oligonucleotide Tofersen for SOD1 ALS (abstract) New England Journal of Medicine
• Promising MND drug helps slow disease progression and benefits patients physically The University of Sheffield
• 'Truly remarkable' drug helps motor neurone disease BBC News

Kettering General Hospital shortlisted twice for national patient safety award

Kettering General Hospital shortlisted twice for national patient safety award Kettering General Hospital has had two of its internal initiatives shortlisted for a national award for the way it works to make patient safety, and kindness and respect between staff, a top priority.

The hospital is in the finals of the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2022 in the changing culture category for a shared learning initiative called Yokoten and one to promote kindness, goodwill and civility, called Compassionism. Northamptonshire Telegraph