Forty-hour ambulance waits as NHS delays worsen

Forty-hour ambulance waits as NHS delays worsen When 85-year-old Koulla fell at home, her family immediately rang for an ambulance. She was in agonising pain - she had broken her hip.

It was around 8pm. It took another 14 hours for an ambulance to get to her, leaving her pregnant granddaughter to care for her through the night.

When they arrived the crews were able to give her pain relief and quickly transported her to the Royal Cornwall Hospital.

But there the wait continued - there were around 30 ambulances queuing to handover patients to A&E staff.

It was another 26 hours before she was taken inside to A&E. BBC News

See also:

• 10,000 more NHS ambulance workers will strike: GMB joins string of medical unions The Daily Mail
• Nearly one in three ambulance patients waiting at least 30 minutes for A&E handover Evening Standard
• Ambulance waiting times in England three times longer in some rural areas The Guardian
• What ambulance strike means for calls, response times and staffing The Independent

NHS 'winter war rooms' go live across England

NHS 'winter war rooms' go live across England More than 40 NHS “traffic control centres” have gone live across England with the aim of getting patients into beds more quickly and managing demand.

The “winter war rooms” will use data to respond to pressures on the health system, with staff able to divert ambulances away from full hospitals to ones with more capacity. The Independent

Officials slow to act on Covid contact-tracing warnings, leaked evidence says

Officials slow to act on Covid contact-tracing warnings, leaked evidence says Public health leaders were slow to act on repeated warnings over Christmas 2020 that contact tracing and isolation should be triggered immediately after a positive lateral flow test result, leaked evidence to the Covid inquiry shows.

A scathing “lessons learned” document written by Dr Achim Wolf, a senior test and trace official, and submitted to the inquiry, gives his account of a trail of missed opportunities to improve the NHS test-and-trace regime in the first winter and spring of the pandemic – before vaccines were available. The Guardian

See also:

• Former vaccines chief sounds warning about UK pandemic readiness The Guardian
• The NHS test-and-trace failings that contributed to UK’s 2020 Covid Christmas The Guardian

Amputees and stroke survivors are being 'imprisoned at home' due to lack of physiotherapy

Amputees and stroke survivors are being 'imprisoned at home' due to lack of physiotherapy Patients are being left with increasing levels of disability and depression because of a lack of NHS rehabilitation services, physiotherapists have warned.

Amputees are among those left waiting months for care, with some people treated in cupboards and corridors due to a shortage of proper rooms, it is claimed.

Meanwhile, stroke survivors are left 'imprisoned at home with a bed and a commode' while they wait to be seen, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy added. The Daily Mail

Rushden specialist 51-bed short-term care centre facing closure as West Northants Council look to drop facility

Rushden specialist 51-bed short-term care centre facing closure as West Northants Council look to drop facility A 51-bed Rushden care home that provides short stay re-ablement and respite could close after a funding row between the county’s unitary councils.

After the break-up of Northamptonshire County Council (NCC), two care home facilities in the north of the county were taken on by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC). Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton General Hospital boss issues apology and explanation over state of accident and emergency department

Northampton General Hospital boss issues apology and explanation over state of accident and emergency department Northampton General Hospital has apologised to patients after its accident and emergency department has been heavily criticised recently.

Heidi Smoult, NGH Chief Executive, has addressed the growing concerns surrounding the A&E department, particularly long wait times. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Digitally enabled collaborative work needs organisational capacity to succeed

Digitally enabled collaborative work needs organisational capacity to succeed We all know how the pressure of work builds and builds and builds and no matter how fast we go we never quite seem, or barely seem, to be going fast enough and getting enough done. What we think we know, however, is that there is so much to do and so little time to do it that we really must go as fast as we possibly can. The King's Fund

Research: Avian influenza (influenza A H5N1): risk to human health

Research: Avian influenza (influenza A H5N1): risk to human health A record number of cases of avian influenza virus infections or ‘bird flu’ were confirmed across England, Scotland, and Wales in wild and captive birds last winter (2021 to 2022).

As we head into winter 2022 to 2023 there have been further increases in detections recently, both in wild and captive bird flocks.

Avian influenza virus infections which cause disease in humans are very rare but can cause serious disease and deaths. UK Health Security Agency

Quarter of 17-19-year-olds have probable mental disorder - study

Quarter of 17-19-year-olds have probable mental disorder - study One in four 17- to 19-year-olds in England had a probable mental disorder in 2022 - up from one in six in 2021, according to an NHS Digital report.

Based on an online survey, rates among teenage boys and girls were similar - but twice as high in 17- to 24-year-old women compared with men.

And children affected were more likely to live in a household with money issues or using a food bank.

Charities said the figures were deeply worrying. BBC News

See also:

• Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2022 - wave 3 follow up to the 2017 survey NHS Digital
• Mental Health Bulletin, 2021-22 Annual report NHS Digital
• Cost of living and Covid lockdowns leave a QUARTER of older teenagers with mental health disorders The Daily Mail
• Quarter of teens who lived through lockdowns now have mental health problems The Daily Telegraph
• Surge in mental health problems among teenagers is ‘national emergency’ Government warned The Independent
• A quarter of older teenagers in England have mental health problems, according to figures from NHS Digital Sky News

Alzheimer's drug lecanemab hailed as momentous breakthrough

Alzheimer's drug lecanemab hailed as momentous breakthrough The first drug to slow the destruction of the brain in Alzheimer's has been heralded as momentous.

The research breakthrough ends decades of failure and shows a new era of drugs to treat Alzheimer's - the most common form of dementia - is possible.

Yet the medicine, lecanemab, has only a small effect and its impact on people's daily lives is debated.

And the drug works in the early stages of the disease, so most would miss out without a revolution in spotting it. BBC News

See also:

• Lecanemab in Early Alzheimer’s Disease (abstract) New England Journal of Medicine
• Everything you need to know about 'breakthrough' Alzheimer's drug lecanemab The Daily Mail
• New Alzheimer´s drug hailed as 'beginning of the end' in search for treatment The Daily Mail
• Drug slows cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients, study reveals The Guardian
• NHS ‘nowhere near ready’ to deliver new Alzheimer’s drug, doctors say The Guardian
• Second death linked to potential antibody treatment for Alzheimer’s disease Science
• Lecanemab: New Alzheimer's drug slows decline in memory - fuelling hope doctors will one day cure dementia Sky News

Lack of ethnic diversity among egg and sperm donors

Lack of ethnic diversity among egg and sperm donors A report into the growth of egg and sperm donation in the UK has found a lack of ethnic diversity among donors.

Asian egg and black sperm donors were under-represented by 50% compared with the population, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) found.

The number of babies born from donor eggs, sperm or embryos rose from 2,500 in 1993 to 4,100 in 2019.

Annual donor registrations also rose, from under 1,000 to over 2,300 - but so did the proportion of imported sperm. BBC News

See also:

• Trends in egg, sperm and embryo donation 2020: Statistics on donation and donor treatments in the UK fertility sector Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

NHS could face biggest maternity scandal ever as Nottingham probe expected to exceed 1500 cases

NHS could face biggest maternity scandal ever as Nottingham probe expected to exceed 1500 cases The NHS could be facing its largest maternity scandal to date as the review into services in Nottingham is now expected to exceed 1,500 cases, The Independent has learned.

Up to 100,000 nurses to strike in December with threat to escalate action

Up to 100,000 nurses to strike in December with threat to escalate action Nurses will begin a series of strikes at dozens of hospitals in December – and will escalate their industrial action if ministers keep refusing to negotiate over pay.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced on Tuesday that up to 100,000 nurses will stay off work at many, but not all, of the hospitals and other NHS bodies where members have voted to stop work. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS pay dispute: December strike locations confirmed Royal College of Nursing
• Boost NHS pay to prevent pre-Christmas strikes: Ambulance workers in England to strike UNISON
• Top hospitals targeted by nurse strikes BBC News
• Up to 80,000 paramedics could strike before Christmas amid ongoing pay dispute The Daily Mail
• Will pre-Christmas nursing strikes happen at YOUR hospital?
• Ambulance staff to hold first strike for 30 years The Daily Telegraph
• Ambulance staff could coordinate strikes with other NHS workers The Guardian
• Up to 100,000 nurses to strike in December with threat to escalate action The Guardian
• Ambulance workers across England to strike before Christmas The Guardian
• Up to 100,000 nurses to go on strike before Christmas amid warning over urgent operations The Independent
• More NHS workers announce plans to strike - including paramedics and 999 call handlers ITV News
• Nurses' strikes: Full list of NHS employers affected as up to 100,000 plan to walk out Sky News

NHS England waiting times for gender dysphoria patients unlawful, court hears

NHS England waiting times for gender dysphoria patients unlawful, court hears NHS England has acted unlawfully by making thousands of patients with gender dysphoria wait “extreme” periods of time for treatment, ​the high​ court has heard.

Transgender claimants, who have suffered ​distress as a result of delays, ​want the court to declare that NHSE broke the law by failing to meet a target for 92% of patients to commence treatment within 18 weeks​.​ The Guardian

Twitter quietly drops policy preventing sharing of COVID-19 misinformation

Twitter quietly drops policy preventing sharing of COVID-19 misinformation Twitter has quietly dropped its policy preventing the sharing of false or misleading information about COVID-19.

Under the policy, tweets containing misleading information about the disease could be given a label including corrective information about the claim. Sky News

See also:

• Twitter ends Covid misinformation policy under Musk BBC News
• Musk scraps Twitter’s Covid misinformation policy The Daily Telegraph
• Concern as Twitter stops enforcing policy against Covid-19 misinformation The Guardian

Blunder at COVID lab is linked to deaths of 20 people, investigators say

Blunder at COVID lab is linked to deaths of 20 people, investigators say Twenty patients may have died due to a blunder with PCR tests at a scandal-hit Covid lab, health chiefs ruled today.

Errors at Immensa's Wolverhampton site meant around 39,000 positive PCR swabs were wrongly logged as negative.

As a result, thousands did not self-isolate as they were under the false impression they could carry on as usual — even though they were potentially infectious. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Immensa Health Clinic Limited: serious untoward incident investigation UK Health Security Agency
• Immensa lab errors may have led to 23 Covid-19 deaths BBC News
• Error at UK Covid testing lab might have led to 23 deaths, say experts The Guardian

Number of C-sections being carried out hits decade-high, NHS figures reveal

Number of C-sections being carried out hits decade-high, NHS figures reveal More than a third of babies were delivered by C-section in England last year — the highest level in a decade.

NHS figures today revealed 35 per cent of births between April 2021 and March this year were through a caesarean. This is up from a quarter 10 years ago.

Rising levels of obesity in society and women choosing to give birth later in life are behind the rise. The Daily Mail

Kettering General Hospital gets go-ahead for £38m works to prepare for rebuild

Kettering General Hospital gets go-ahead for £38m works to prepare for rebuild Kettering General Hospital has received the go-ahead to start enabling works to prepare for its multi-million pound rebuild.

The hospital has received written confirmation from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England that it can begin to access £38m of capital from an initial funding allocation of £46m announced in October 2019. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Long-awaited hospital rebuild project due to begin BBC Northampton

East Midlands Ambulance Service faces unprecedented demand - director

East Midlands Ambulance Service faces unprecedented demand - director An ambulance service has experienced "unprecedented" demand this year, a director said.

East Midlands Ambulance Service has been preparing for winter by hiring additional call handlers and bringing in new ambulances.

Divisional director for Northamptonshire, Mick Jones, said he had "never seen such demand" in his 35 years at the service.

He said the past year had been "exceptionally busy". BBC Northampton

Waiting on the waiting list, but what for?

Waiting on the waiting list, but what for? The current waiting list in England makes for grim reading – in September 2022 it was more than 7 million , up by 1.2 million since September last year, and 2.6 million over the past three years (i.e., before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic). But what are these people waiting for? The King's Fund

Will it ever be possible to look out, not up? Learning from past reviews of local and national NHS relationships

Will it ever be possible to look out, not up? Learning from past reviews of local and national NHS relationships The upcoming review into integrated care systems will not in any way be the first time that the relationship between national organisations and local NHS trusts and commissioners has been assessed. Helen Buckingham considers the lessons that need to be learned from the past, and suggests some important questions that the review may want to think about. Nuffield Trust

Increase in number of people in contact with NHS mental health services in England

Increase in number of people in contact with NHS mental health services in England The number of people in contact with1 NHS mental health services in England (including those referred and those seen) has increased by 16.2% in the last year. NHS Digital

Research: Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, 2022

Research: Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, 2022 Diphtheria is a rare disease in the UK due to the highly successful routine vaccination programme, with 2 to 11 annual cases reported in England over the past decade.

There has been an increase in cases of toxigenic C. diphtheriae reported among asylum seekers in England during 2022, with similar increase in cases reported in Europe since June 2022. UK Health Security Agency

New measures to improve access to dental care

New measures to improve access to dental care A new package of measures to improve patient access to dental care has been introduced by the government.

From today, NHS dentists will receive fairer payments for delivering complex dental care to incentivise practices to take on high needs patients who require treatment the most. Department of Health and Social Care

Big UK trial to find best drugs to fight flu

Big UK trial to find best drugs to fight flu With flu cases rising, UK Covid scientists are turning their attention to finding the best life-saving drugs to fight the winter virus.

A trial will run across 150 hospitals this year and next, recruiting thousands of patients.

Flu vaccines help prevent infection but each year some people become very sick.

And antiviral tablets - given within a couple of days of symptoms developing - are designed to reduce the severity of these bad infections. BBC News

Monkeypox given new name by global health experts

Monkeypox given new name by global health experts Monkeypox will now be known as mpox, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced, after complaints over racist and stigmatising language linked to the virus's name.

The old term will be used alongside the new one for a year, before being phased out.

Mpox was decided on after lengthy discussions between experts, countries and the general public. BBC News

See also:

• WHO recommends new name for monkeypox disease World Health Organization
• Monkeypox renamed ‘because of racism’ The Independent
• Monkeypox given new name by World Health Organisation - disease will now be called 'mpox' Sky News

Human rights of mental health patients violated amid crisis in care, regulator warns

Human rights of mental health patients violated amid crisis in care, regulator warns The human rights of vulnerable mental health patients are being violated because of the crisis in care, a regulator has warned.

Rob Behrens, the health service ombudsman for England, said urgent action was needed over repeated “tragedies” in NHS mental health services.

His warning comes as the latest NHS figures show there were 9,839 incidents of abuse against mental health patients from April 2021 to March this year – a higher figure than in any other sector. The Independent

National data guardian says suppliers must share NHS core values

National data guardian says suppliers must share NHS core values NHS national data guardian Dr Nicola Byrne has advised national policymakers that they should ensure key suppliers must share NHS core values.

The guidance, provided as part of a blog on advice she has been offering on the proposed new federated data platform, appears to provide a warning about the expected award of the contract to Palantir, due to the risk of undermining public confidence. Digital Health

See also:

• In pursuit of balance: unlocking the power of data whilst preserving public trust National Data Guardian

NHS creates £1.3bn pot for Covid compensation claims

NHS creates £1.3bn pot for Covid compensation claims The NHS has set aside £1.3 billion to cope with compensation claims arising from the pandemic this year with claims for treatment delays, cancellations and misdiagnosis expected.

An annual report from NHS Resolution, which deals with patient disputes, shows that the health service anticipates it will need to pay out more than a billion pounds this financial year to settle claims arising from poor service during Covid. The Daily Telegraph

Next big Covid variant WILL be more deadly, according to new study of immuno-compromised patient

Next big Covid variant WILL be more deadly, according to new study of immuno-compromised patient The world's next major Covid variant is poised to be more severe than the mild strains that are currently world-dominant, according to a new study. 

The ultra-infectious Omicron strain emerged almost exactly a year ago and its mutated spinoffs have risen to the top in virtually every country in the world. The Daily Mail

See also:

• SARS-CoV-2 evolves increased infection elicited cell death and fusion in an immunosuppressed individual (open access preprint) medRxiv
• Covid: Blood thinner ineffective for patients, trial finds BBC News
• Britain has world's SECOND biggest Covid outbreak currently... so where else is in the worst 20? The Daily Mail
• Could China's Covid chaos send world straight back to square one? The Daily Mail
• Zero-Covid policy: why is China still having severe lockdowns? The Guardian

GPs fail to identify osteoporosis sparking fears of a hidden epidemic of brittle bones

GPs fail to identify osteoporosis sparking fears of a hidden epidemic of brittle bones Tens of thousands of patients are suffering life-changing fractures every year because GPs 'routinely' fail to identify those with weak bones, a parliamentary inquiry has found. 

Family doctors are well-placed to diagnose and treat osteoporosis but too many people only learn they have it after suffering a fall, the cross-party group of MPs and Peers warn. The Daily Mail

Patients WON'T have surgery cancelled at last minute, NHS bosses say

Patients WON'T have surgery cancelled at last minute, NHS bosses say Patients won't have procedures cancelled at the last minute due to the nurses' strikes, but care will have to be postponed, the head of the NHS has warned.

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, told MPs she could not confirm how far in advance patients would be notified about any changes to upcoming treatment.

Addressing the public accounts committee, she said efforts would be made to inform them 'sooner rather than later'. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Urgent surgery ‘may be postponed’ by nurses’ strikes, say NHS bosses The Guardian

Revealed: The GP surgeries in Northampton with the best, and worst, ratings for appointment waiting times

Revealed: The GP surgeries in Northampton with the best, and worst, ratings for appointment waiting times Patients at some doctor’s surgeries in Northampton have to wait far longer for appointments than at others, NHS figures show. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Has Brexit affected the UK’s medical workforce?

Has Brexit affected the UK’s medical workforce? How have the numbers of doctors in the NHS who come from the EU and the European Free Trade Association changed since the Brexit referendum in 2016? And do certain specialties face particular problems? Martha McCarey and Mark Dayan take a closer look at what’s happened since the vote. Nuffield Trust

See also: 

• Brexit has worsened shortage of NHS doctors, analysis shows The Guardian
• NHS forced to spend £180m a year on ‘pointless’ visa charges The Independent

What does the autumn statement mean for public services?

What does the autumn statement mean for public services? This report sets out the impact of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s plans on four service areas: the NHS, schools, the criminal justice system and local government. It warns that while frontloading funding in protected areas shields them from the damaging ‘austerity 2.0’ feared, this is still unlikely to enable key services like the NHS to return performance to pre-pandemic levels this parliament. It also suggests that unless historic pay cuts are addressed, it may not be enough to improve recruitment and retention or avert widespread strikes. Institute for Government

Mind the gaps: understanding and improving out-of-hours care for people with advanced illness and their informal carers

Mind the gaps: understanding and improving out-of-hours care for people with advanced illness and their informal carers The hours outside of Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, including weekends and bank holidays, make up 75% of the time in every week. So it's no surprise that many people with a terminal illness need care urgently in this out-of-hours period.

But out-of-hours services aren't up to scratch. This report shows they're disjointed, confusing and unreliable. Lots of people can't get the care they need at home in a crisis, especially if they live in a deprived area.

This can leave people with no option but to go to A&E departments. And it means they aren't getting the good end of life experience that we all hope for. Marie Curie

See also: 

• Palliative care: 'My dad should not have been expected to die in office hours' BBC News

Government to use Vaccine Taskforce model to tackle health challenges

Government to use Vaccine Taskforce model to tackle health challenges NHS patients are set to benefit from cutting-edge new treatments and technologies as the government introduces a Vaccine Taskforce style approach to tackling some of the biggest public health challenges facing the UK.

The government has today announced over £113 million to fund research into four healthcare missions – cancer, obesity, mental health and addiction – to unlock the next generation of medicines and diagnostics to save lives, transform patient care and ensure UK patients are the first to benefit from medical breakthroughs. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• New obesity treatments and technology to save the NHS billions Department of Health and Social Care
• Sunak wants vaccine taskforce-style strategy to tackle NHS missions The Independent
• Rishi Sunak wants vaccine taskforce-style strategy to tackle NHS 'missions' like cancer and obesity Sky News

Thousands more cancer cases linked to deprivation

Thousands more cancer cases linked to deprivation Thousands of extra cancer cases are linked to deprivation in Scotland, according to Cancer Research UK (CRUK).

The charity has found that around 4,900 extra cancer cases a year are linked, which equates to 13 cases a day.

Those living in the poorest areas are also more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage when cancer can be harder to treat successfully.  BBC News

See also:

• Poorer women in UK have sixth-highest cancer death rates in Europe, WHO finds The Guardian

Eight days waiting in A&E: Inside the crisis in NHS mental health care

Eight days waiting in A&E: Inside the crisis in NHS mental health care People suffering from mental illness are increasingly struggling to access help at every level of the NHS – from record numbers facing “unacceptable” delays in referrals to patients waiting up to eight days in A&E for a hospital bed.

Figures seen by The Independent show almost four times as many people are waiting more than 12 hours in emergency departments as two years ago.

See also:

• Health bosses are fiddling while the NHS burns The Daily Telegraph
• Stress, exhaustion and 1,000 patients a day: the life of an English GP The Guardian
• GPs tell patients to ‘get an Uber’ as NHS ambulance delays hit record level The Guardian

‘This is as much about patient safety as pay’: NHS faces wave of strikes as more unions vote

‘This is as much about patient safety as pay’: NHS faces wave of strikes as more unions vote The NHS faces the threat of coordinated industrial action lasting several months, with results to be announced within days of strike ballots of ambulance crews and about 300,000 health workers.

Junior doctors, paramedics, midwives, porters, cleaners, pharmacy technicians and physiotherapists are being balloted across the NHS. The government now faces the threat of waves of strikes across the public sector, from nurses and firefighters to civil servants and teachers. The Guardian

See also: 

• December strike by NHS nurses is biggest in their history BBC News
• 'Militant' nursing union orchestrating pre-Christmas strikes threatens MORE walk-outs The Daily Mail
• The ARMY could drive ambulances and fill hospital roles under emergency plans for NHS this winter The Daily Mail
• Nurses are struggling – our strike has been a long time coming The Guardian
• Public sector pay demands ‘unaffordable’, says transport secretary
• Army could step in to help NHS during winter of strikes The Independent
• Ministers harden their stance ahead of nurse strike as they say there is no more money for a better pay deal iNews
• Army would step in to help NHS during winter of strikes under contingency plans ITV News

No 10 hiring of healthcare lobbyist prompts privatisation concern

No 10 hiring of healthcare lobbyist prompts privatisation concern Rishi Sunak has appointed a private healthcare lobbyist with links to a series of controversial clients to advise him in Downing Street, raising concerns over further privatisation within the NHS.

Bill Morgan, a founding partner of the PR and lobbying firm Evoke Incisive Health, joined No 10 as a health policy adviser earlier this month where he is believed to be helping drive through NHS efficiencies. The Guardian

Rotherham: inquiry after family says boy, 5, died after hospital turned him away

Rotherham: inquiry after family says boy, 5, died after hospital turned him away A hospital trust in South Yorkshire has opened an investigation after the family of a five-year-old said he died after being turned away by doctors because there were no available beds.

Yusuf Ahmed died on Monday after a tonsil infection had spread to his lungs and caused multiple organ failure. The boy had been taken to Rotherham general hospital by his uncle Zaheer Ahmed on 14 November with complaints of a sore throat. He had been prescribed antibiotics the previous day by his GP, but his condition had not improved. The Guardian

See also:

• Family claim Rotherham Hospital delays led to death of boy BBC News
• 'They said they had no space': Family says boy, 5, died after he was sent home from hospital Sky News

Older people left with incontinence after hospital visits as NHS staff 'fit catheters unnecessarily'

Older people left with incontinence after hospital visits as NHS staff 'fit catheters unnecessarily' Older people who spend time in hospital are being discharged suffering from long-lasting incontinence because NHS staff are too busy to take them to the toilet while they're on the ward, experts warn.

One reason, say specialists, is inappropriate use of urinary catheters – a tube inserted into the urinary tract which empties the contents of the bladder into a drainage bag. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Ending healthcare's over-reliance on containment products and catheters (open access) British Journal of Nursing
• Inappropriate urinary catheterisation: a review of the prevalence, risk factors and measures to reduce incidence (open access) British Journal of Nursing

Fast-track drug brings prostate cancer hope as it could extend life expectancy for patients

Fast-track drug brings prostate cancer hope as it could extend life expectancy for patients Around 9,000 men with one of the most advanced forms of prostate cancer will be eligible for a new life-extending drug – thanks to a fast-tracked deal.

The NHS in England will become the first healthcare provider in Europe to roll out Darolutamide to patients whose prostate cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Trials of the drug have shown the chances of living longer are increased by a third in men who were previously left untreated. The Daily Mail

NHS staffing shortages: why do politicians struggle to give the NHS the staff it needs?

NHS staffing shortages: why do politicians struggle to give the NHS the staff it needs? The workforce crisis has been a prominent issue for years, but there has been little concerted action from governments to tackle the challenge.

For almost two decades now there has been no clear plan to address the crisis and the staffing gaps have continued to worsen, because, for whatever reason, the UK political system seems unable to respond properly to this very real public concern. Given this long-running gap in solutions from national politicians, The King’s Fund and Engage Britain commissioned Bill Morgan, a former Conservative special adviser, to explore what can get in the way of ministers taking meaningful, long-term action to address NHS workforce shortages.

The resulting report, NHS staffing shortages; why can’t politicians give the NHS the staff it needs?, focuses on the role of politicians in workforce planning and delivery. The King's Fund

See also:

• The health and care workforce: planning for a sustainable future The King's Fund

The evolving role of county authorities in integrated care systems

The evolving role of county authorities in integrated care systems This report analyses the new systems which replaced Clinical Commissioning Groups this year from the perspective of councils. The study, commissioned by the County Councils Network, is based on a survey and interviews with local authorities in county areas and senior health officials. The report finds that local government is spending more time with NHS colleagues, with 80 per cent of council respondents saying they have increased their time working with health partners since the inception of ICSs. Local authorities also report being cautious about pooling further resources with the NHS at a time when finances are stretched. It recommends that the government and health service review the level of centrally imposed targets on ICSs, particularly in shared policy areas with local government, which could help move towards a culture shift that gives greater prominence to prevention. County Councils Network

National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published

National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published Swab positivity for flu* has increased slightly and is now at 8.2%; it is highest in 5 to 14-year-olds at 18%, followed by 15 to 44-year-olds at 15.8%.

Hospital admission rates and intensive care admission rates have increased notably in the last week, to medium activity levels for intensive care and just below the medium activity threshold for admissions. UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• NHS's 'toughest ever winter': Flu already piling 10 times more pressure than last year The Daily Mail
• NHS faces ‘perfect winter storm’ with tenfold rise in hospital flu cases The Guardian
• Flu cases rise in England as hundreds of hospital beds filled ahead of winter The Independent
• Hospital flu cases up 10 times on last year amid 'tripledemic' warning, NHS England data shows Sky News

Record numbers of NHS doctors and nurses

Record numbers of NHS doctors and nurses A record number of doctors and nurses are working in the NHS in England, delivering extra appointments, speeding up diagnoses and helping to tackle the COVID backlog.

There are almost 1.24 million full-time equivalent staff working in NHS trusts and commissioning bodies in England –  over 34,000 more people compared to a year ago, up by nearly 3%. Department of Health and Social Care

NHS launches NHS 111 online campaign ahead of winter

NHS launches NHS 111 online campaign ahead of winter The NHS is launching its annual NHS 111 Online campaign today, encouraging people to get the help they need from the convenience of their own homes ahead of winter.

From Thursday 24 November, a new national campaign will remind the public they can use the NHS 111 online service for urgent help on a wide range of health problems. NHS England

Nurses to strike for two days before Christmas

Nurses to strike for two days before Christmas Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are to strike for two days next month in what is set to be their biggest walkout in the NHS's history.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced strikes on 15 and 20 December in its pay dispute with the government.

Nurses will still provide emergency care, but routine services will be hit. BBC News

See also:

• NHS pay dispute: first nursing strike dates announced Royal College of Nursing
• How much do you know about nurses' pay? Try our quiz BBC News
• NHS nurse strike threaten Christmas chaos: Fears for cancer appointments and elderly patients The Daily Mail
• Nurse strike risks elderly stuck in hospital for Christmas as union targets key dates The Daily Telegraph
• Nurses to strike for two days as December disruption deepens The Guardian
• Nurses’ strikes: Full list of hospital trusts hit – see your area The Independent
• Nurses to strike on two days next month as NHS pay row escalates The Independent
• NHS nurses' strike dates announced: Staff to walk out for two days in December in dispute over pay Sky News

Ashford bacteria outbreak: Primary school pupil dies with infection

Ashford bacteria outbreak: Primary school pupil dies with infection A child has died and another has been taken to hospital after a bacteria outbreak at a primary school in Surrey.

The pupils at the Ashford Church of England Primary School are believed to be in the same year group.

The UK Health Security Agency said the children caught the invasive group A streptococcal infection (iGAS). Pupils and staff at the school are being prescribed antibiotics. BBC News

See also:

• Community in ‘shock’ over death of child, 6, in school Strep A outbreak The Independent

Universal flu vaccine could counter future pandemic

Universal flu vaccine could counter future pandemic Scientists say they have made a breakthrough designing a vaccine against all 20 known types of flu.

It uses the same messenger-ribonucleic-acid (mRNA) technology as successful Covid vaccines.

Flu mutates and the current annual jab is updated to ensure the best match for the sort circulating but would probably not protect against new pandemic types.

The new vaccine triggered high levels of antibodies, in tests on ferrets and mice, that could fight a broad range. BBC News

See also:

• A multivalent nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine against all known influenza virus subtypes (abstract) Science

NHS searching for 5000 new O negative blood donors in mass testing campaign - Evening Standard

NHS searching for 5000 new O negative blood donors in mass testing campaign At least 30,000 people will receive home blood type testing kits as the NHS tries to identify 5,000 individuals with critical O negative blood.

The first 6,000 kits will be posted by NHS Blood and Transplant this week to people who recently registered to be a blood donor but have not yet made their first appointment.

Those found to have O negative blood will be offered priority appointments to help ensure they become long-term donors. Evening Standard

‘An explosion’: what is behind the rise in girls questioning their gender identity?

‘An explosion’: what is behind the rise in girls questioning their gender identity? As the NHS reviews gender referrals, parents, clinicians and young people reveal the social, medical and emotional challenges they face

Earlier this year, a team of NHS researchers was asked to investigate why there has been such a huge rise in the number of adolescent biological girls seeking referrals to gender clinics.

The figures alone do seem remarkable. The Guardian

Record 225,000 written grievances made about ailing NHS

Record 225,000 written grievances made about ailing NHS Patients are complaining about the NHS more than ever, official figures revealed today.

More than 225,000 written grievances were penned about England's ailing health service in 2021/22.

This is up from nearly 210,000 in the year before Covid struck and little more than 160,000 in 2011/12, when records began. The Daily Mail

GPs vote to CLOSE their doors at 5pm: Family doctors will demand NHS allows them a 9-5 working day

GPs vote to CLOSE their doors at 5pm: Family doctors will demand NHS allows them a 9-5 working day GPs voted last night to reduce their working hours to 9am to 5pm, claiming that longer days discriminate against those with families. 

Family doctors, who earn £111,900 a year on average, will now lobby the NHS to change core opening hours in general practice from the current 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. The Daily Mail

See also:

• GPs pushed to the limit to keep up with patient demand The BMA 
• GPs demand core hours cut to 9am to 5pm in landmark vote GPOnline

How digitalisation within Portering has increased Radiology throughput

How digitalisation within Portering has increased Radiology throughput Ever since the digitalisation of their portering system, Northampton General Hospital’s Radiology Department has seen remarkable improvements with patient throughput. Their move to digitalisation encourages better communication between the Portering and Radiology team, leading to closer collaboration between departments and overall better patient care. National Health Executive

We need innovation, improvement and implementation more than ever – but how?

We need innovation, improvement and implementation more than ever – but how? Despair comes easily in health and social care these days. From the daily headlines about crowded hospitals and growing ambulance delays to the underlying investment gap in workforce and infrastructure. Services are struggling to keep up with current demand, never mind get on a sustainable path to meet future expectations.

It’s time for some (cautious) optimism, however. Millions of people still receive great, timely care every day, thanks to the huge efforts made by staff across the UK. It's easy to miss this achievement among all the difficulties we face. And making progress on innovation and improvement is now more important than ever, not just to enhance the services we have today but also to create the services we need tomorrow. The Health Foundation

Following, not leading: politicians and public opinion on action to support better health

Following, not leading: politicians and public opinion on action to support better health Earlier this month, I interviewed Wes Streeting, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, at The King’s Fund Annual Conference. One of the topics was the recent decision by the government to delay the ban on buy one get one free offers, and the Labour Party’s support of this delay. It’s a move that has dismayed many because the evidence of both the scale of the obesity crisis and the impact that the ban could have is so clear. Wes said that politicians care about what the public think and if the public don’t want the ban, it’s right to delay. The King's Fund

The puzzle of UK’s half a million missing workers

The puzzle of UK’s half a million missing workers For the first time, more than 2.5 million people in the UK are out of work because of a long-term health problem. The number has jumped by half a million since the start of the pandemic - but, BBC News analysis reveals, the impact is spread unevenly across the country, with some regions and types of job far more affected.

They died suddenly - then the anti-vax trolling started

They died suddenly - then the anti-vax trolling started "Seven days, 18 hours, 39 minutes ago my beloved... died suddenly of cardiac arrest". When Victoria Brownworth logged onto Twitter to post these words about her partner of 23 years, she didn't know that two of them in particular would provoke a storm of online harassment.

Because, as Victoria waited at her home in Philadelphia on Sunday night for her wife's ashes to be delivered, a video titled Died Suddenly was about to drop.

In an hour and eight minutes of dramatic music and out-of-context news reports, the film tells a fictitious story of a dangerous vaccine killing off swathes of young people - all part of an imagined plot to depopulate the earth. BBC News

See also:

• China Covid: Record number of cases as virus surges nationwide BBC News
• Understanding and neutralising covid-19 misinformation and disinformation (open access) The BMJ
• UK experts helped shut down Covid lab leak theory - weeks after being told it might be true The Daily Telegraph
• Revealed: Tory peer Michelle Mone secretly received £29m from ‘VIP lane’ PPE firm The Guardian
• Michelle Mone’s PPE denials v what we know The Guardian
• A Lasting Legacy of Covid: Far-Right Platforms Spreading Health Myths New York Times
• China expands lockdowns as COVID cases soar to daily record high Sky News

Ministers consider staff body cameras to tackle NHS mental health abuse scandals

Ministers consider staff body cameras to tackle NHS mental health abuse scandals Ministers are considering the use of body cameras within mental health units as part of the government’s response to NHS abuse scandals, The Independent has learned.

Senior sources with knowledge of the conversation between the Department for Health and Social Care and the NHS have raised concerns about the plans. There are fears that using the technology in mental health units could have implications for human rights and patient confidentiality.

See also:

• CQC tells Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust to make significant improvements Care Quality Commission 
• Health trust running unit which saw abuse faces NHS intervention BBC News
• Patients at troubled mental health trust faced sex abuse on wards, watchdog finds The Daily Telegraph

NHS has 'foot on the gas' in effort to meet key cancer target, MPs told

NHS has 'foot on the gas' in effort to meet key cancer target, MPs told The NHS has a “job to do” to meet a key cancer target by March but has its “foot on the gas”, a health boss has said.

In February, NHS England said the number of people waiting more than 62 days from an urgent cancer referral to starting treatment should go back to pre-pandemic levels by March 2023.

At present, just 61.7% of people (the average for 2022/23 so far) get cancer treatment within 62 days, compared with 77.2% before the pandemic. The Independent

Ambulance service in England ‘in meltdown’ as one in four 999 calls missed in October

Ambulance service in England ‘in meltdown’ as one in four 999 calls missed in October NHS heads warn patients dying every day as A&E logjams cause 169,000 hours of crew delays in worst-ever month

Ambulance crews could not respond to almost one in four 999 calls last month – the most ever – because so many were tied up outside A&Es waiting to hand patients over, dramatic new NHS figures show.

An estimated 5,000 patients in England – also the highest number on record – potentially suffered “severe harm” through waiting so long either to be admitted to A&E or just to get an ambulance to turn up to help them. The Guardian

See also:

• Government may 'ditch' NHS targets on cancer treatment, A&E waiting times and ambulance response The Daily Mail
• Public urged: use NHS 111 Online to ease record pressure on A&E as winter looms Evening Standard

GPs deliver record 36 million appointments as practice-level data published for first time

GPs deliver record 36 million appointments as practice-level data published for first time GP practices in England delivered a record 36 million appointments last month, the latest NHS Digital data has shown.

This month, the dataset also includes the first-ever publication of controversial GP appointment data at practice level across the country, which from now on will form part of the monthly GP appointment dataset.

The data for October showed that practices in England delivered an estimated 36 million appointments – including around four million Covid vaccinations. PULSE

See also:

• Appointments in General Practice, October 2022 NHS Digital
• Face-to-face GP appointments at highest level since BEFORE Covid nationally The Daily Mail
• GPs will be named and shamed over failure to see patients face-to-face The Daily Telegraph
• Third of GP practices seeing more patients remotely than face-to-face The Daily Telegraph
• How practice-level appointments data threatens unfair pressure on GPs GPonline
• GP surgeries could be named and shamed as appointment 'league tables' revealed for first time Sky News

Breakthrough Alzheimer's drug could be rolled out NEXT YEAR

Breakthrough Alzheimer's drug could be rolled out NEXT YEAR Alzheimer's-stricken Britons could start getting a breakthrough drug that slows the progression of their condition next year, experts claimed today.

Lecanemab's success was hailed a 'historic moment' after landmark trials showed it can halt the declines in memory and thinking among patients in the earliest stages.

The drug, given as an injection, was designed to clear a build up of amyloid — toxic plaques in the brain that are thought to cause the cruel, memory-robbing disease. The Daily Mail

Hope for thousands battling kidney cancer: Study reveals existing lung drug might help fight disease

Hope for thousands battling kidney cancer: Study reveals existing lung drug might help fight disease Thousands of kidney patients could potentially benefit from a new breakthrough.

Researchers have discovered an existing lung cancer drug may be effective against the disease.

Renal cell carcinoma is one of the most common cancers in the UK and US and has a 50 per cent mortality rate, partially because three in five patients show no symptoms until the cancer is at a late stage.

Now, a study into the cancer at single-cell level has discovered canakinumab could prevent RCC from forming or progressing. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Mapping single-cell transcriptomes in the intra-tumoral and associated territories of kidney cancer (open access) Cancer Cell

Northamptonshire Health Trust runners-up at prestigious awards

Northamptonshire Health Trust runners-up at prestigious awards Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) finished as runners up in the Trust of the Year category at the prestigious Health Service Journal Awards 2022.

Chief Executive of the Trust, Angela Hillery, said being shortlisted for Trust of the Year was testament to the dedication of “brilliant colleagues” who have all played their part in helping the Trust to become a leading provider of outstanding compassionate care. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS figures reveal more than 200 ‘bed blockers’ a day kept waiting to be discharged from Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital

NHS figures reveal more than 200 ‘bed blockers’ a day kept waiting to be discharged from Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital More than 200 'bed blockers' were waiting to be discharged from Northamptonshire’s two main NHS hospitals every day on average last month, new figures show.

NHS England figures identified more than 15 percent of the 1,400 beds at Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital which could be ready for new patients — but nearly a third of those ready to be discharged must stay in because of pressure on the social care system outside. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Council designates 67 warm spaces for the winter

Council designates 67 warm spaces for the winter A council has designated 67 community buildings as "welcoming warm spaces" to help people struggling with the cost of living this winter.

The locations listed by West Northamptonshire Council included libraries, village halls and cafes. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Hope Centre offers one of 67 vital warm spaces across Northamptonshire giving lifeline to those in need this winter Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Almost half of young people experiencing mental health problems

Almost half of young people experiencing mental health problems Poor mental health among young people (aged 16 and 17) has increased by more than a quarter since 2017, according to new research by UCL and the Sutton Trust, using the COVID Social Mobility & Opportunities (COSMO) study.

The COSMO study, led jointly by the UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities (CEPEO), the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies, and the Sutton Trust, is the largest study of its kind into the impacts of the pandemic on young people. 

See also:

• Over half of teenage girls have mental health problems, major survey finds The Daily Telegraph

Understanding patient perspectives on improving GP referrals to secondary care through the use of specialist advice and guidance

Understanding patient perspectives on improving GP referrals to secondary care through the use of specialist advice and guidance The Patients Association has been working with NHS England to look at how to improve GP referrals of patients to hospital. This report looks at ways specialists could support GPs so they could reduce the number of outpatient appointments patients have to attend, without compromising care.

Commit, understand, act: our anti-racism strategy

Commit, understand, act: our anti-racism strategy Anti-racism is more than a statement for us at the NHS Confederation. Being an anti-racist organisation means that we actively target, challenge and remove systemic barriers that enable racism, recognising this as a corporate responsibility. For us, commitment, understanding and action to eliminate racism and reduce health inequalities really matters. NHS Confederation

Supporting our NHS people through menopause: guidance for line managers and colleagues

Supporting our NHS people through menopause: guidance for line managers and colleagues This guidance helps NHS organisations, line managers, and those working in the NHS understand more about the menopause, how they can support colleagues at work and those experiencing menopause symptoms. NHS England

See also:

• Menopausal women should be offered cooler uniforms and fans at work, NHS boss says The Daily Mail
• We must break the stigma of menopause and help women thrive at every stage of their working lives The Daily Telegraph
• New national NHS guidance aims to help health staff through menopause Evening Standard
• Menopausal women in NHS England workforce to be offered flexible working The Guardian
• Menopausal NHS workers will be able to work from home under new national guidance The Independent

Consultation launched to protect patients from silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance

Consultation launched to protect patients from silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance The increasing risk to patients of superbugs resistant to existing medicines will be the focus of a new consultation launched today [Wednesday 23].

The consultation will bring together the latest evidence and data from leading experts on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It will help inform a new 5-year action national action plan to protect patients from deadly infections and will capture learnings from the Covid pandemic. Department of Health and Social Care

Pregnant soon after miscarriage no more risky - study

Pregnant soon after miscarriage no more risky - study Contrary to current advice, getting pregnant within a few months of an abortion or a miscarriage does not appear to be extra risky for the mum and baby, say researchers who have looked at recent real-life data.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least a six-month gap. BBC News

See also:

• Interpregnancy interval and adverse pregnancy outcomes among pregnancies following miscarriages or induced abortions in Norway (2008–2016): A cohort study (open access) PLOS Medicine

NHS ‘needs thousands more staff to meet cost of living crisis demands’

NHS ‘needs thousands more staff to meet cost of living crisis demands’ NHS therapy services won’t be able to manage increased demand driven by the cost of a living crisis as they are already thousands of therapists short, The Independent has been told.

NHS counselling services in England are not meeting therapy access targets due to a shortfall of 2,000 workers, according to sources.

Fruit and veg prescribed to low-income families in NHS trial

Fruit and veg prescribed to low-income families in NHS trial Fruit and vegetables are being prescribed to low-income families in a pilot scheme targeting health inequalities and poverty-related hunger for those hit hardest by the cost of living crisis.

Vouchers for fresh produce are being distributed to around 120 people in some of London's most deprived areas, on assessment of the risk to their health from being forced to cut back on spending at the green grocer’s. The Independent

Severely ill refusing sicknotes as they cannot afford time off, says GPs’ head

Severely ill refusing sicknotes as they cannot afford time off, says GPs’ head Ill patients are refusing sicknotes from their GP because they cannot afford time off work, while physicians suffer “moral distress” at their powerlessness to do more to help the most vulnerable, the new leader of Britain’s family doctors has revealed.

More patients are experiencing asthma attacks or other serious breathing problems because they cannot afford to heat their homes, said Dr Kamila Hawthorne, the chair of the Royal College of GPs, while many have reported deteriorating mental health due to financial stress. The Guardian

Calls for UK to screen for diabetes: Experts say cancer-like programme could spot cases earlier

Calls for UK to screen for diabetes: Experts say cancer-like programme could spot cases earlier The UK's 25million middle-aged adults should be screened for type 2 diabetes, researchers said today.

Scientists, who examined the medical records of hundreds of thousands of Britons, found that one per cent had undiagnosed diabetes.

This equates to 250,000 people aged 40 to 70 across the UK unwittingly having type two diabetes, their study suggests. The Daily Mail

See also:

• The impact of population-level HbA1c screening on reducing diabetes diagnostic delay in middle-aged adults: a UK Biobank analysis (open access) Diabetologica

March with Midwives back on streets of Northampton warning of ‘state of emergency’ in maternity services

March with Midwives back on streets of Northampton warning of ‘state of emergency’ in maternity services Midwives, parents and campaigners were out in force in Northampton town centre on Sunday (November 20) declaring a “state of emergency” in maternity services.

The ‘March with Midwives’ was one of a series of events nationwide aimed at raising awareness of staff shortages and lack of funding in the sector.

Organisers said the first March, last November, carried the message that ‘enough is enough.’ But one said: “Nothing has really changed in 12 months, in fact it’s probably got worse.” Northamptonshire Telegraph

How does UK health spending compare across Europe over the past decade?

How does UK health spending compare across Europe over the past decade? This analysis examines how health care spending in the UK compares with EU countries in the decade preceding the pandemic. Taking a longer term view enables us to see how trends in spending may have impacted health care resilience today. The Health Foundation

The Autumn Budget 2022: what was announced and what does it mean for health and care spending?

The Autumn Budget 2022: what was announced and what does it mean for health and care spending? Fiscal events may have come thick and fast in recent years but they are still important events that have a significant bearing on the health and care sector. Let’s take a look at what this year’s Autumn Budget means for health and social care. The King's Fund

Providers deliver: trusts in systems

Providers deliver: trusts in systems This report shows how trusts are playing a key role in shaping, supporting and co-leading the development of system working. It presents a series of case studies highlighting ways in which trusts are delivering on the priorities of integrated care systems and driving improvement through partnership working including provider collaboratives and place based arrangements. It shows how trusts are committing to closer collaboration and integration, recognising that 'system working' can help address immediate pressures and deliver longer term improvements to quality of care and service delivery. NHS Providers

Scoping digital support for children and young people’s mental health

Scoping digital support for children and young people’s mental health To help increase capacity and achieve better outcomes in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) at a time of rising demand, the NHS has recognised it needs help to identify and harness the best of the ever-expanding array of digital innovations – from assessment through therapeutic interventions to ongoing support and prevention. This report identifies potential digital solutions to support NHS mental health services for children and young people. The audit of 24 digital tools and solutions covered current usage, interoperability, user experience and cost, and fit with NHS strategic priorities. Oxford Academic Health Science Network

Energy bills: Patients prescribed heating as part of health trial

Energy bills: Patients prescribed heating as part of health trial Doctors are prescribing heating to patients with conditions that get worse in the cold as part of a health trial.

The Warm Home Prescription pilot paid to heat the homes of 28 low-income patients to avoid the cost of hospital care if they became more ill.

The trial achieved such good results it is being expanded to 1,150 homes. BBC News

See also:

• NHS pays for patients’ energy bills in winter pilot to cut hospital admissions The Independent

Superbug fight 'needs farmers to reduce antibiotic use'

Superbug fight 'needs farmers to reduce antibiotic use' Health and animal welfare campaigners concerned about the spread of superbugs in humans are calling for a ban on the overuse of antibiotics in farm animals.

They say routinely using antibiotics in livestock can lead to bacteria becoming resistant and such 'superbugs' could spread to humans. BBC News

• New data shows 148 severe antibiotic-resistant infections a day in 2021 UK Health Security Agency
• World's deadliest bugs REVEALED: Bacterial infections kill nearly 8MILLION people a year The Daily Mail
• UK rivers are a ‘superbug-polluted’ health threat, study finds The Independent
• Antibiotic-resistance 'not a problem we can ignore' as even new medications fail to tackle infections Sky News

How many Covid cases does China have and what are its rules?

How many Covid cases does China have and what are its rules? China has seen its first deaths from Covid-19 in six months, and thousands more people are catching the disease, despite the government's strict lockdown policy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said China should rethink its strategy. BBC News

See also:

• MRIs of Covid patients show clusters of plaques in areas responsible for tiredness, anxiety The Daily Mail
• Covid infected 'more than 350,000 pet cats' in Britain The Daily Telegraph
• Lockdown frustration grows in China's COVID epicentre despite a surge in cases Sky News

Vulnerable man ‘abandoned’ and discharged from hospital into budget hotel

Vulnerable man ‘abandoned’ and discharged from hospital into budget hotel The government has been urged to protect “catastrophically” under-resourced mental health social services after a vulnerable man was discharged from a hospital into a Travelodge.

Will Mann, a 42-year-old with long-term mental health illness, was “abandoned” by social care services after he was discharged from an NHS hospital, his mother Jackie has said. The Independent

'I have my freedom back': How breakthrough treatment has changed lives

'I have my freedom back': How breakthrough treatment has changed lives Sickle cell disease sufferers face a lifetime filled with episodes of excruciating pain. But they tell Nadine White and Thomas Kingsley a new treatment has given them fresh hope. The Independent

Rishi Sunak is registered with private GP practice offering £250 consultations

Rishi Sunak is registered with private GP practice offering £250 consultations Campaigners say poorest people will suffer most as NHS is ‘neglected and private practice becomes the norm’

Rishi Sunak is registered with a private GP practice that guarantees that all patients with urgent concerns about their health will be seen “on the day”. The Guardian

Good cholesterol isn't so good after all, NIH study finds

Good cholesterol isn't so good after all, NIH study finds There may be no such thing as 'good' cholesterol after all, a federally-funded study suggests.

Researchers found that high levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were not associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Race-Dependent Association of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels With Incident Coronary Artery Disease (open access) Journal of the American College of Cardiology

Cancer survival rates could DOUBLE in a decade as research leads to more treatment options

Cancer survival rates could DOUBLE in a decade as research leads to more treatment options Scientists believe they could double the survival rates of people with advanced cancer within just ten years.

World-leading experts from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in London said cutting-edge research will mean more patients get cured while others live far longer. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Scientists plot ‘extinction’ of cancers by disrupting their ecosystems Institute of Cancer Research