Thursday, 15 December 2022

Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review: update report on government implementation

Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review: update report on government implementation This implementation report provides an update on the government’s progress to implement the 2021 government response to the 2020 Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review and improve patient safety. It sets out the steps the government is taking to implement the accepted strategic recommendations and actions for improvement and provides more detail on the government’s work on sodium valproate and pelvic mesh. Department of Health and Social Care

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Largest nursing strike in NHS history set to start

Largest nursing strike in NHS history set to start Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have started a nationwide strike in the largest action of its kind in NHS history.

Staff will continue to provide "life-preserving" and some urgent care but routine surgery and other planned treatment is likely to be disrupted.

The Royal College of Nursing said staff had been given no choice after ministers refused to reopen pay talks.

The UK government said the RCN's 19% pay rise demand was unaffordable. BBC News

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Antibiotic supply gone from bad to worse, say pharmacists

Antibiotic supply gone from bad to worse, say pharmacists Pharmacists say supplies of key antibiotics to treat strep A have "gone from bad to worse" in the past week.

The Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMP) said the situation was "unacceptable" and it was time for the government to get a plan in place.

Four antibiotics, which treat different conditions, have been added to a list of products that the UK cannot export. BBC News
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33 hours on the frontline of the NHS – podcast

33 hours on the frontline of the NHS – podcast From GP surgeries to pharmacies to hospitals, there is no part of the NHS that is not feeling under enormous strain this winter. Thirty-three months after Covid was declared a pandemic, Andrew Gregory, the Guardian’s health editor, and his colleagues spent hours on the frontline of the NHS to find out how doctors, nurses, paramedics – and the patients they treat – were coping. The Guardian

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Cancer crisis reaches 'watershed moment', experts warn

Cancer crisis reaches 'watershed moment', experts warn Cancer care is at a 'watershed moment' as experts warn the upward trend in deaths is 'likely to continue'.

Leading oncologists and doctors have set out the desperate and urgent need for action to tackle the crisis engulfing UK cancer services. The Daily Mail

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Wednesday, 14 December 2022

Northamptonshire hospitals under 'considerable pressure' with rising fears from parents around scarlet fever and Strep A infections

Northamptonshire hospitals under 'considerable pressure' with rising fears from parents around scarlet fever and Strep A infections Northamptonshire NHS Group has said both county hospitals are under “considerable pressure”, with rising fears about scarlet fever and Strep A infections among children.

It is understood that parents and guardians are struggling to get appointments with their GP for their child, and are turning to 111 and A&E to get assessed and the antibiotics needed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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As nurses prepare to strike, one Kettering General Hospital sister tells why she's taking action

As nurses prepare to strike, one Kettering General Hospital sister tells why she's taking action 
As members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) prepare to strike on Thursday (December 15), one nurse has explained why she is taking action.

Rebecca Prendergast, a deputy sister at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) says her colleagues are at ‘breaking point’. Northamptonshire Telegraph
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NHS funding, resources and treatment volumes

NHS funding, resources and treatment volumes This report examines how NHS funding, resources and treatment volumes compare with pre-pandemic levels.

In this report, the second part of the three-part series, we dig deeper into the resources available to the NHS and how they are being used, looking beyond just the waiting list. We first examine how the funding, staffing and hospital beds available to the NHS have changed since 2019. We then show how the number of patients treated by the NHS in eight different areas compares with 2019 levels. For most areas of care, the NHS is still struggling to treat more people than it was pre-pandemic, despite having – on the face of it – additional staff and funding. We therefore go on to consider a range of different factors that could explain this seeming fall in performance and output. Institute for Fiscal Studies

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The NHS at 75: an opportunity to renew a vision the public holds dear

The NHS at 75: an opportunity to renew a vision the public holds dear The public is not falling out of love with the NHS in principle, despite experiencing the strains on the service in practice, as Dan Wellings has explored in his reflections on how public attitudes to health and care services are changing. The King's Fund
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A clean bill of health for the economy: engaging business to address ill health in our shrinking workforce

A clean bill of health for the economy: engaging business to address ill health in our shrinking workforce The costs of ill health hit everyone’s pockets in a multitude of ways. The direct consequences for individuals are most obvious when it comes to income and health. People in the bottom 40% of the income distribution are almost twice as likely to report poor health than those in the top 20%. Lower income can be bad for your health: it can move good quality employment even further out of reach. Being in poor health can also make good quality work inaccessible and so restrict your income. The Health Foundation

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GIRFT diagnostics delivery guide: a guide for systems in delivering effective diagnostic services to support elective recovery

GIRFT diagnostics delivery guide: a guide for systems in delivering effective diagnostic services to support elective recovery Aimed at NHS leaders and managers at regional, system and trust level, and clinicians, healthcare professionals and managers working in diagnostic services and clinical specialties, this delivery guide offers practical advice on steps for delivering a more effective service, as well as ways for primary care and acute services to free up diagnostic capacity by reducing unnecessary referrals. Getting It Right First Time
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    Global antimicrobial resistance and use surveillance system (‎GLASS)‎ report: 2022

    Global antimicrobial resistance and use surveillance system (‎GLASS)‎ report: 2022 A new World Health Organization (WHO) report reveals high levels of resistance in bacteria, causing life-threatening bloodstream infections, as well as increasing resistance to treatment in several bacteria causing common infections in the community based on data reported by 87 countries in 2020. 

    For the first time, the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) report provides analyses for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates in the context of national testing coverage, AMR trends since 2017, and data on antimicrobial consumption in humans in 27 countries. Within six years, GLASS achieved participation from 127 countries with 72% of the world’s population. The report includes an innovative interactive digital format to facilitate data extraction and graphics.

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    Guidance: Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections

    Guidance: Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections This refreshed version of the code of practice replaces the edition published in 2015. It applies to NHS bodies and providers of independent healthcare and adult social care in England, including primary dental care, independent sector ambulance providers and primary medical care providers. Department of Health and Social Care
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    Cancer mRNA vaccine completes pivotal trial

    Cancer mRNA vaccine completes pivotal trial Researchers say they have successfully completed a trial of a personalised cancer vaccine that uses the same messenger-RNA technology as Covid jabs.

    The experimental vaccine, made by Moderna and MSD, is designed to prime the immune system to seek and destroy cancerous cells.

    Doctors hope work such as this could lead to revolutionary new ways to fight skin, bowel and other types of cancer.

    Moderna and MSD called it "a new paradigm" moment. BBC News

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    NHS leaders warn patient lives will be put at risk by strikes as cancer services “hit hard”

    NHS leaders warn patient lives will be put at risk by strikes as cancer services “hit hard” NHS leaders fear patients will come to harm as cancer services are “hit hard” by upcoming nurses’ strikes.

    The NHS’s four chief nurses wrote to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary Pat Cullen warning patients’ lives are at risk due to life-saving services not being protected when nurses walk out on Thursday. The Independent

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    ‘Like a horrific board game’: 33 hours inside an NHS in crisis

    ‘Like a horrific board game’: 33 hours inside an NHS in crisis Crammed wards, burnt-out GPs, patients waiting hours for ambulances – the health service is at breaking point

    Inside the dimly lit command centre at King’s College hospital, staff arriving for the first beds meeting of the day are greeted with a warning: the hospital is already under strain. “So, we are under pressure this morning,” the head of nursing, Naomi Hosking, informs colleagues stood around her in a semi-circle. No one registers surprise. “We’ve got a lot of patients in ED [emergency department] with little space to see new patients, so we need to get some early movement.” The Guardian
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    Delays to mental health treatment in England ‘putting more children in care’

    Delays to mental health treatment in England ‘putting more children in care’ Increasing numbers of emotionally troubled children have been taken into care while waiting long periods for NHS treatment because their condition deteriorated to the point where their parents could no longer cope with their behaviour, child protection bosses have revealed.

    Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) president Steve Crocker said that since the pandemic, youngsters with complex emotional needs had become a significant factor in rising child protection referrals. The Guardian

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    Now Europe gets hit by Strep A: WHO officials warn of spike in wake of Covid-era restrictions

    Now Europe gets hit by Strep A: WHO officials warn of spike in wake of Covid-era restrictions Strep A cases are surging across Europe, health officials have confirmed in the first sign that it's not just the UK being hit by unusually high levels of the bug.

    A spike in cases 'several fold-higher than pre-pandemic levels' have been logged in France and the UK. Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden have also reported upticks, according to the World Health Organization.

    The bacterial infection, which is usually mild, has so far killed at least 16 children in the UK. Although low, the toll is higher than expected for this time of year. The Daily Mail

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    Care patients in Britain will see at home visits replaced by a call from an AI VOICE ASSISTANT

    Care patients in Britain will see at home visits replaced by a call from an AI VOICE ASSISTANT Care patients could see at home visits replaced by a call from an AI-powered voice assistant in a new British trial.

    Dubbed 'Siri for care', a human-like virtual assistant will ring patients once a week to ask a list of automated questions.

    An algorithm will then analyse the answers and alert carers if there are any deteriorations in health so they can arrange a doctor's visit. The Daily Mail
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    Tuesday, 13 December 2022

    Free courses to help patients in Northamptonshire with recovery journeys

    Free courses to help patients in Northamptonshire with recovery journeys A range of free learning opportunities are available to help patients learn more about their health conditions and take positive steps forward.

    Exciting new learning opportunities are on offer to help patients with health conditions take positive steps forward on their recovery journey.

    Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Recovery College has launched its new prospectus for Spring term in 2023, for NHFT patients, or former patients of the Trust who live in the county. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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    Strategies to reduce waiting times for elective care

    Strategies to reduce waiting times for elective care In the face of record high waiting times for elective care, we undertook research to understand the strategies that have been used to reduce waiting times in England and elsewhere in the past 20 years.

    We found that successful strategies are typically associated with a concert of activities that simultaneously ensure sufficient supply of health care, manage demand and optimise the conditions within the health care system itself. The King's Fund

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    NHS waiting times: a symptom of the health of the health service

    NHS waiting times: a symptom of the health of the health service All kinds of numbers – percentages, pound signs, performance, productivity and, of course, waiting times – are used to describe the state of the NHS. But what do these numbers really tell us about people – both those waiting for and those delivering care – and their experiences? The King's Fund
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    Sudden and unexpected deaths in infancy and childhood

    Sudden and unexpected deaths in infancy and childhood This is an audit report of all infant and child deaths occurring between April 2019 and March 2021 in England. It is the first national report to have investigated all unexpected deaths of infants and children – not just those that remained unexplained. It is also the first national review of the “multi-agency investigation process” into unexpected deaths. National Child Mortality Database
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      Integrating care: policy, principles and practice for places

      Integrating care: policy, principles and practice for places This report provides an overview of the changes since the Health and Care Act 2022 was introduced and discusses what integration is seeking to achieve. It considers the wider health and care landscape in the current climate and addresses the remaining challenges at place level. The recommendations and case studies it contains are intended to influence the development of further policy and guidance by central government, and to provide support for practitioners at local level. The purpose of the report is to help health and local government partners to find effective solutions to the challenges of health and care integration. Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
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      Over £175 million for cutting-edge genomics research

      Over £175 million for cutting-edge genomics research Patients with cancer and children born with treatable rare genetic diseases are set to benefit from earlier diagnosis and faster access to treatment, following a £175 million boost to cutting-edge genomics research announced by the Health and Social Care Secretary.

      The funding will enable research which could deliver world-leading genomic healthcare to patients, which involves the study of people’s DNA. The boost is part of a new three-year plan to develop, evaluate and roll out new technologies across the health and care system and life sciences sector, bolstering the UK’s position as a life sciences superpower. Department of Health and Social Care

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      Nurses' strike: Union accuses minister of belligerence after talks fail

      Nurses' strike: Union accuses minister of belligerence after talks fail Talks to avert strike action by nurses have failed, with the union accusing the health secretary of "belligerence".

      The head of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Pat Cullen, said strikes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland would now go ahead on Thursday, after Steve Barclay refused to discuss pay.

      The government said it would continue to engage on non-pay related issues. BBC News

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      Ketamine for alcoholics trial goes to next stage

      Ketamine for alcoholics trial goes to next stage A programme of therapy involving the drug ketamine will be made available to alcoholics in a research project.

      The University of Exeter-led trial, with funding of £2.4m, will go ahead at seven NHS sites across the UK.

      The trial will look into whether a combination of ketamine and therapy could help alcoholics stay sober for longer. BBC News
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      Mental health patients left in dilapidated wards amid £677m repairs backlog

      Mental health patients left in dilapidated wards amid £677m repairs backlog Dilapidated mental health facilities across the country are in need of £677m worth of repairs to fix sewerage issues, collapsing roofs and wards that deprive patients of their dignity, The Independent has been told.

      An NHS analysis of the government’s flagship programme to build 40 hospitals, seen by The Independent, shows ministers have failed in their promise of “parity” for mental health services as issues are not addressed.

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      NHS ‘highly dependent’ on substandard private beds for children’s mental health care

      NHS ‘highly dependent’ on substandard private beds for children’s mental health care A ‘high’ dependency on private sector mental health hospitals is placing children at greater risk of substandard care, the NHS has admitted.

      In a briefing from August, NHS leaders admitted that for children’s mental health services there is a “high dependency” on the private sector where hospitals are at greater risk of being closed due to poor quality and workforce problems.

      According to the figures, 60 per cent of children’s psychiatric intensive care beds, beds for the most acutely ill children, are provided by the private sector. The Independent

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      English hospitals make emergency plans amid winter power loss fears

      English hospitals make emergency plans amid winter power loss fears English hospitals have increased emergency fuel supplies and put staff on standby to postpone operations and switch off X-ray scanners amid heightened concerns over energy provision this winter.

      NHS hospital trusts across England have put their power plans under the microscope as they look to protect patients from potential outages for lifesaving equipment. The Guardian
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      Lack of NHS staff meant hospitals had to cancel 30,000 operations last year, Labour analysis claims

      Lack of NHS staff meant hospitals had to cancel 30,000 operations last year, Labour analysis claims Hospitals cancelled 30,000 operations last year because there were not enough staff available to deliver them, damning figures suggest.

      In total, 158,000 procedures were postponed for non-clinical reasons - almost double the 79,000 affected in 2018/19.

      Staff shortages were the most common excuse cited by NHS trusts in 2021/22, accounting for almost one in five of those affected. The Daily Mail

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      Monday, 12 December 2022

      'Debunking the vaccine myths to help keep Northamptonshire safe this winter'

      'Debunking the vaccine myths to help keep Northamptonshire safe this winter' Kieran Breen is Head of Research and Innovation at St Andrew's Healthcare.

      The number of cases of flu have climbed quickly in England with some children under the age of five ending up in hospital. In the last couple of years, UK influenza rates have ben fairy low due to the Covid lockdown, but the hospital admission rates for flu are slowly creeping up. As winter sets in, the risk of Covid 19 rates spiking is also a concern, which is why health officials are urging. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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      Nearly half of A&E patients waited longer than four hours to be seen at Northampton General Hospital in November

      Nearly half of A&E patients waited longer than four hours to be seen at Northampton General Hospital in November Nearly half of patients attending major A&E at Northampton General Hospital waited longer than four hours to be dealt with last month, according to NHS England figures.

      NHS targets state that 95 percent of patients attending accident and emergency should be admitted to hospital, transferred elsewhere or discharged within four hours. But NGH fell well short of that in November, when just 55 percent of the 9,172 type one A&E attendances were dealt with within four hours. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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      Regions in the NHS: what are they good for?

      Regions in the NHS: what are they good for? Toby Lewis argues that we need to shift the debate about regions in health care from a vertical discussion within the NHS to a horizontal conversation about embedding the NHS in the wider world. If reducing health inequalities is to be the common purpose it ought to be, these new regions can play a crucial role. The King's Fund
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      Overlooked, but not overcome: smaller hospitals and the staff response to the Covid-19 pandemic

      Overlooked, but not overcome: smaller hospitals and the staff response to the Covid-19 pandemic How have smaller hospitals fared over the pandemic, and how did it feel from the perspective of those responding during the first years of the biggest health care emergency of our times? We interviewed staff in smaller hospitals around the country during 2021 to understand their key concerns from the perspective of institutions that are sometimes overlooked when system planning gets done. We also make a set of recommendations for future crisis planning and response. Nuffield Trust

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      Staff shortages in the NHS and social care sectors

      Staff shortages in the NHS and social care sectors Recent data has revealed that the number of vacancies in the NHS and social care sectors has increased since September 2020. Health bodies and organisations have warned that such shortages have affected, and will continue to affect, patients. In recent years, successive governments have introduced measures to tackle staff shortages, including commissioning the NHS to publish a long-term workforce strategy and publishing a white paper on reforming adult social care. House of Lords Library
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      The assessment of venous thromboembolism risks associated with pregnancy and the postnatal period

      The assessment of venous thromboembolism risks associated with pregnancy and the postnatal period This report finds that pregnant people could suffer a potentially fatal blood vessel blockage if their risk is not properly assessed during pregnancy and the first six weeks after birth. It aims to identify factors that limit the effectiveness of venous thromboembolism risk assessment policies and identify opportunities to improve patient safety. Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch
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        Unlocking the NHS’s social and economic potential: a maturity framework

        Unlocking the NHS’s social and economic potential: a maturity framework This toolkit aims to help systems gauge and track their progress on unlocking social and economic development. The guidance explores what social and economic development is, why it matters to the NHS and how integrated care systems might deliver this to benefit its services. NHS Confederation
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        Guidance: The R value and growth rate

        Guidance: The R value and growth rate The latest reproduction number (R) and growth rate of coronavirus (COVID-19). UK Health Security Agency

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        Government delivers on pledge for £50 million MND research funding

        Government delivers on pledge for £50 million MND research funding The government will cut red tape in order to speed up research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND) across the UK, with immediate investment so NHS patients can benefit from cutting edge treatment and medicines, the Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, and Business Secretary, Grant Shapps, have announced. Department of Health and Social Care
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        Base editing: Revolutionary therapy clears girl's incurable cancer

        Base editing: Revolutionary therapy clears girl's incurable cancer A teenage girl's incurable cancer has been cleared from her body in the first use of a revolutionary new type of medicine.

        All other treatments for Alyssa's leukaemia had failed.

        So doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital used "base editing" to perform a feat of biological engineering to build her a new living drug.

        Six months later the cancer is undetectable, but Alyssa is still being monitored in case it comes back. BBC News
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        Hospitals in England pay £5,200 for one agency doctor's shift

        Hospitals in England pay £5,200 for one agency doctor's shift Hospitals in England have paid out as much as £5,200 for a shift by a doctor through an agency, according to figures obtained by Labour through Freedom of Information requests.

        That is the latest in an intensifying debate over workforce shortages in the NHS in England. BBC News
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        Revealed: NHS planning to draft thousands of volunteers as it faces winter crisis

        Revealed: NHS planning to draft thousands of volunteers as it faces winter crisis Health officials are drawing up plans to draft in thousands of extra volunteers to help the NHS cope with ambulance delays and hospital pressures this winter, according to a leaked document that lays bare the scale of the crisis in Britain’s healthcare system.

        NHS performance is “highly likely to deteriorate further” under increased winter demand and industrial action, reveals the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) briefing seen by The Observer.

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        Ministers refuse to negotiate with nurses on pay to prevent NHS strikes

        Ministers refuse to negotiate with nurses on pay to prevent NHS strikes Ministers have rebuffed an offer by nursing unions to suspend planned strikes in return for negotiations on pay, arguing that it was not possible for the government to amend awards decided by the independent pay body for NHS staff.

        The foreign secretary, James Cleverly, told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday show that the health secretary would happily talk to the unions, but only about improving NHS performance and working conditions, and not about pay. The Guardian

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        Wes Streeting interview: Failures in the NHS mean I still don't know if I'm clear of cancer

        Wes Streeting interview: Failures in the NHS mean I still don't know if I'm clear of cancer Wes Streeting is waiting. The 39-year old was due to have a scan in August, to check whether he is clear of the kidney cancer for which he received treatment last year. But the shadow health secretary is among millions of people stuck in limbo, as NHS waiting lists swell to a record high. The Daily Telegraph

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        Junk food ads ban is delayed to give companies time to adjust to new rules

        Junk food ads ban is delayed to give companies time to adjust to new rules A ban on advertising junk food online and on TV before the 9pm watershed is to be delayed by over two years — just weeks before it was set to take effect. 

        New rules restricting the promotion of products high in fat, salt and sugar were due to come into force next month in a bid to combat the nation's bulging waistlines. 

        But the government has agreed to push the curbs back to October 2025 to give firms more time to reformulate their products and adjust their marketing strategies. The Daily Mail

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        New blood cancer therapy treats seven in 10 patients

        New blood cancer therapy treats seven in 10 patients An experimental therapy could offer blood cancer patients a 'new lease on life', scientists say.

        The immunotherapy treatment — called talquetamab — successfully treated 73 percent of patients with multiple myeloma in a global trial.

        It helped people who had relapsed in their disease more than once after other treatments failed to bring them into remission for an extended period of time.  The Daily Mail

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        Friday, 9 December 2022

        REVEALED: GP practices in Northamptonshire where patients look likely to face longest waits for appointments

        REVEALED: GP practices in Northamptonshire where patients look likely to face longest waits for appointments GP practices where patients in Northamptonshire are most likely to wait longer than two weeks for an appointment have been revealed in new figures.

        The Government said the data published by NHS Digital – which gives detailed information on appointments and waiting times for individual GP practices across England – will help patients “make a more informed choice about the practice they choose to visit”. But the move has not been welcomed by everyone, with the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) criticising the lack of context around how different practices operate. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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        'Mum is 100 and waited four hours for an ambulance'

        'Mum is 100 and waited four hours for an ambulance' Last month 100-year-old Nancy McClean fell out of bed at her home in Finedon, Northamptonshire.

        Her daughter, Denise Selfe, was alerted to a problem via her mother's emergency button in Burton Latimer.

        She arrived at about 23:15 BST after a three-mile (4.8km) journey from her home. BBC Northampton
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        NHS performance summary November - December 2022

        NHS performance summary November - December 2022 The week beginning 21 November saw approximately 24,000 ambulance handovers delayed over 30 minutes—almost a third of patients who arrived at A&E by ambulance.

        A&E departments continue to see record-breaking proportions of patients waiting more than four hours to be admitted, transferred, or discharged.

        The elective care backlog has exceeded 7.2 million people in October, with close to 400,000 waiting over a year to start treatment.

        In October, 40% of people who received an urgent GP cancer referral had to wait over two months to start treatment, making it the second-poorest month on record. Nuffield Trust

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        Mapping existing policy interventions to tackle ethnic heath inequalities in maternal and neonatal health in England: a systematic scoping review with stakeholder engagement

        Mapping existing policy interventions to tackle ethnic heath inequalities in maternal and neonatal health in England: a systematic scoping review with stakeholder engagement This report outlines a lack of a national, central focus, diversity of research and national commitment for dealing with health inequalities. It calls for the development of a central data repository to map improvements around reducing poor outcomes in maternal and neonatal healthcare for Black, Asian and ethnic minority women. NHS Race & Health Observatory
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          Unfair treatment of nurses deterring students from entering profession

          Unfair treatment of nurses deterring students from entering profession The RCN says people are being put off nursing by the poor and unfair treatment the profession gets, often at the hands of politicians.
          We’ve made the comments in response to figures from UCAS published 8th December that show a 10% fall in the number of students accepted onto nursing courses in the UK.

          This year there were 29,440 accepted applicants onto nursing courses compared to 32,705 in 2021. The number of people applying to study nursing also decreased from 59,860 in 2021 to 56,155 in 2022. Royal College of Nursing

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          UKHSA update on scarlet fever and invasive Group A strep

          UKHSA update on scarlet fever and invasive Group A strep There were 851 cases reported in week 46, compared to an average of 186 for the preceding years.

          Scarlet fever is usually a mild illness, but it is highly infectious. Therefore, look out for symptoms in your child, which include a sore throat, headache, and fever, along with a fine, pinkish or red body rash with a sandpapery feel. On darker skin, the rash can be more difficult to detect visually but will have a sandpapery feel. Contact NHS 111 or your GP if you suspect your child has scarlet fever, because early treatment of scarlet fever with antibiotics is important to reduce the risk of complications such as pneumonia or a bloodstream infection. If your child has scarlet fever, keep them at home until at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment to avoid spreading the infection to others. UK Health Security Agency

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          National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published

          National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published Swab positivity for flu* has increased further and is now at 14.3%; it remains highest in 15 to 44-year-olds at 24.3%.

          Hospital admission rates and intensive care admission rates have increased further in the last week, admissions are now at medium activity levels and intensive care activity has increased within the medium band.

          The highest rates of admission are being seen in children under the age of 5 (6.57 per 100,000) and adults aged 75 to 84 years old (9.3 per 100,000). UK Health Security Agency
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          UKHSA publishes strategy outlining plans to eliminate mpox transmission

          UKHSA publishes strategy outlining plans to eliminate mpox transmission The plan sets out steps that will help eventually eliminate mpox transmission in the UK.

          Mpox transmission has already fallen significantly thanks to high vaccination rates across those groups most affected and fast case finding. This has been thanks to collaboration across the NHS, third sector organisations and public health authorities across the UK. UK Health Security Agency
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          Record alcohol deaths from pandemic drinking

          Record alcohol deaths from pandemic drinking A record number of people died from alcohol last year, which is likely to be the result of increased drinking during the pandemic, according to the Office for National Statistics.

          There were 9,641 deaths in the UK in 2021, compared to 7,565 in 2019 - a 27% increase.

          The ONS says people who were already big drinkers before the pandemic drank more during the Covid years. BBC News

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          How the NHS is using 'virtual wards' and smartphones to clear beds at hospitals operating at near capacity

          How the NHS is using 'virtual wards' and smartphones to clear beds at hospitals operating at near capacity  Recovering patients are being sent home with smartphones to allow them to record their oxygen and blood pressure readings and temperature in a bid to clear wards. Sky News
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          NHS diverts £1bn from cancer and maternity care to fund deficits across health service, insiders claim

          NHS diverts £1bn from cancer and maternity care to fund deficits across health service, insiders claim NHS England (NHSE) is raiding £1bn of a budget that had been earmarked for improvements in cancer, maternity care and other priority services to pay for deficits elsewhere in the health service, iNews understands.

          The fund has been required to underspend by about £1bn as costs incurred in other parts of the NHS remained to be covered.
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          Trade unions vow to oppose anti-strike laws for NHS and ‘critical infrastructure’

          Trade unions vow to oppose anti-strike laws for NHS and ‘critical infrastructure’ Trade unions have vowed to oppose any new anti-strike laws tabled by the government, as the home secretary, Suella Braverman, urged the public to reconsider their Christmas travel plans amid “serious disruption” expected to be caused by planned industrial action by Border Force staff.

          The government is engaged in a bitter PR battle with the unions over who is to blame for the looming wave of public sector strikes. With nurses and ambulance workers due to walk out before Christmas, the cabinet minister Gillian Keegan suggested the government could legislate to prevent workers in health and “critical infrastructure” from taking industrial action. The Guardian
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          I don’t want working class people in pain: so I’d use private hospitals to bolster the NHS | Wes Streeting

          I don’t want working class people in pain: so I’d use private hospitals to bolster the NHS | Wes Streeting The NHS is heading into this winter facing the biggest crisis in its history. People are finding it impossible to see a GP when they need to and 24 hours in A&E is no longer just a TV programme, but the grim reality for patients. When patients call 999 in an emergency, they can no longer be sure an ambulance will reach them in time. The Guardian
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          ONE MINUTE bursts of activity - like running for the bus - can help you live longer

          ONE MINUTE bursts of activity - like running for the bus - can help you live longer Just one-minute bursts of daily activity like running to catch a bus could help prolong life, according to a new study.

          In good news for those who don't like sport or going to the gym, researchers have discovered just three to four short spells of huffing and puffing during daily tasks is associated with large reductions in the risk of dying early. The Daily Mail

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          Thursday, 8 December 2022

          Six confirmed cases of highly contagious scarlet fever in Northampton, making it 54th highest local authority for the infection

          Six confirmed cases of highly contagious scarlet fever in Northampton, making it 54th highest local authority for the infection Northampton currently has six cases of the highly contagious scarlet fever, making it the 54th highest region for the infection across England and Wales.

          It is caused by the Strep A bacteria, and symptoms include a sandpapery skin rash and a white coating on the tongue. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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          It's two years since the first Covid jab was injected at Northampton General Hospital...vaccine programme marks anniversary

          It's two years since the first Covid jab was injected at Northampton General Hospital...vaccine programme marks anniversary Thursday December 8 marks the second anniversary of the very first COVID-19 vaccine being administered in Northamptonshire, which took place at Northampton General Hospital. The service in Northamptonshire was one of the first to commence both in the NHS and globally. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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          Chart of the week: The increased use of agency staff in older adult care homes

          Chart of the week: The increased use of agency staff in older adult care homes The numbers of staff working in older adult care homes have bounced back this year, after a notable drop in 2021. As Laura Schlepper shows, however, much of this recovery seems down to an increase in the use of agency staff. Nuffield Trust

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          We can and should go further to reduce air pollution says Chief Medical Officer

          We can and should go further to reduce air pollution says Chief Medical Officer We can and should go further to reduce air pollution – and it is technically possible to do so, says England’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Professor Chris Whitty, in his annual report published Thursday 8 December 2022.

          Outdoor air pollution in England has reduced significantly since the 1980s - but it still poses significant health threats including increasing heart disease, stroke, lung disease, cancer and asthma exacerbation. It also leads to increased mortality and is associated with impacts on lung development in children. Department of Health and Social Care

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          NHS expands mental health crisis services this winter

          NHS expands mental health crisis services this winter The NHS is set to boost mental health support for people in crisis to ease demand and pressure on emergency services, as part of extensive winter plans already underway.

          Dozens of mental health professionals will work within ambulance control centres and accompany paramedics on emergency call outs to treat people of all ages who are having a mental health crisis at the scene. NHS England
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          'A&E is absolute chaos - I spent 15 hours on a trolley'

          'A&E is absolute chaos - I spent 15 hours on a trolley' Lying on a trolley in a hospital corridor in pain from a broken hip, Anne Whitfield-Ray could not believe she was in the care of the NHS.

          "It was absolute chaos - like something out of a third world country," said the 77-year-old from Worcestershire.

          "The staff were rushed off their feet, paint was peeling off the walls and patients were being squeezed in everywhere they could - in makeshift bays, in corridors and side rooms. It was horrific."

          Anne spent 15 hours in that position until a bed could be found for her. BBC News

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          UK weather: People urged to heat main rooms as cold snap begins

          UK weather: People urged to heat main rooms as cold snap begins People are being advised to heat living rooms during the day and bedrooms before going to sleep as a cold spell hits the UK.

          Health officials issued the advice to people who cannot heat every room or are struggling with heating costs. BBC News
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          Scarlet fever cases rise tenfold as parents struggle to find Strep A antibiotics

          Scarlet fever cases rise tenfold as parents struggle to find Strep A antibiotics Scarlet fever cases have surged by tenfold in a year, official data shows, as pharmacists grapple with a shortage of antibiotics during a Strep A outbreak.

          Strep A bacteria usually only causes mild illness, including scarlet fever and strep throat, which is treated with antibiotics. But in rare cases, it can progress into a potentially life-threatening disease if it gets into the bloodstream.

          Infections are higher than normal for this time of year, and at least nine children have died after contracting the bacteria in recent weeks. The Independent

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          NHS workers could be banned from striking, No 10 suggests

          NHS workers could be banned from striking, No 10 suggests Striking NHS workers could be targeted as part of Rishi Sunak’s promised “tough” new measures to curb a wave of industrial action, Downing Street has suggested.

          No 10 said the government had not ruled out plans to stop industrial action by nurses and ambulance drivers – a significant escalation from previous threats to clamp down on striking rail workers. The Guardian

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          I can’t get my HRT, again – this second UK shortage wasn’t supposed to happen

          I can’t get my HRT, again – this second UK shortage wasn’t supposed to happen | Rose George The government claims that supply issues have been tackled, but menopausal women know this is far from the truth. The Guardian
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          Covid-19 UK: NHS begs over-50s to get coronavirus booster jabs ahead of Xmas amid surge in cases

          Covid-19 UK: NHS begs over-50s to get coronavirus booster jabs ahead of Xmas amid surge in cases Over-50s are being urged to get their Covid booster vaccines ahead of Christmas, with cases on the rise once again.

          Health chiefs have dished out 14.4million autumn boosters in England so far but 38 per cent of eligible adults are still yet to get their fifth dose, official data shows.

          NHS England's chief executive Amanda Pritchard said 'the best thing' they can do to get protected against the virus and aid the struggling health service is get another jab. The Daily Mail

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          UK is worst in world for diabetes rise in the young study shows Type 2 cases have QUADRUPLED

          UK is worst in world for diabetes rise in the young study shows Type 2 cases have QUADRUPLED Levels of type 2 diabetes among adolescents and young adults have risen faster in Britain than anywhere else in the world, a study suggests.

          There has been a near four-fold increase in younger people being diagnosed with the condition since 1990, according to researchers who analysed data from more than 200 countries and regions. The Daily Mail

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          Wednesday, 7 December 2022

          Confirmed: EMAS ambulance workers in Northamptonshire to stage two 24-hour strikes in December

          Confirmed: EMAS ambulance workers in Northamptonshire to stage two 24-hour strikes in December Health service union leaders have announced two dates when Northamptonshire ambulance workers will walk out in a strike over pay and conditions.

          Paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff working for East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) will strike for 24 hours from 6am on December 21 and December 28 after ballots overwhelmingly backed the GMB’s call for action. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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          Complaints about GPs and dentists in Northamptonshire soar above pre-Covid levels but fewer are being upheld

          Complaints about GPs and dentists in Northamptonshire soar above pre-Covid levels but fewer are being upheld Complaints about GPs and dentists in Northamptonshire have soared above pre-Covid levels, new figures show — although fewer are being upheld.

          Local surgeries faced increasing pressure since the start of the pandemic as higher demand for medical services led to backlogs for appointments. New data from NHS Digital shows 2,161 complaints were made about GPs and dentists in the former NHS Northamptonshire Clinical Commissioning Group area in the year to March — up 64 percent from the 1,314 made in the year to March 2019. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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          'People can't afford to stay on' says Kettering carer

          'People can't afford to stay on' says Kettering carer A man who became the carer of someone he met on an allotment said the profession struggled to retain staff because it was undervalued.

          Peter New volunteered for the role after meeting Andrew, a 39-year-old with autism, who had been struggling with unreliable carers.

          He said: "Care as an industry is massively undervalued. It doesn't work at the minute because people can't afford to stay." BBC Northampton
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          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

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          Independent report: Hewitt review: terms of reference

          Independent report: Hewitt review: terms of reference The Hewitt review will consider how the oversight and governance of integrated care systems (ICSs) can best enable them to succeed, balancing greater autonomy and robust accountability with a particular focus on real time data shared digitally with the Department of Health and Social Care, and on the availability and use of data across the health and care system for transparency and improvement. Department of Health and Social Care
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          Government turbocharges efforts to tackle Covid backlogs

          Government turbocharges efforts to tackle Covid backlogs Patients will benefit from quicker access to treatment and lifesaving diagnostic tests close to home following the launch of a new Elective Recovery Taskforce and approval of 19 new one stop shops for tests, checks and scans, the Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay announced. Department of Health and Social Care

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