What patients can expect as East Midlands Ambulance Service staff strike across Northamptonshire

What patients can expect as East Midlands Ambulance Service staff strike across Northamptonshire Paramedics and staff from East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) staff will be on strike on Wednesday (December 21) in a dispute with the Government about pay.

The GMB trade union that represents EMAS staff received enough votes to mandate strike action, which will include Northamptonshire employees. EMAS says of its workforce of more than 4,000, the strike action could affect up to 50 percent. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Striking nurses hold vigil for mum and two children

Striking nurses hold vigil for mum and two children A group of nurses broke away from the picket line to hold a one-minute silence in memory of a colleague who died along with her two children.

Anju Asok, 35, Jeeva Saju, six, and Janvi Saju, four, were found with serious injuries at an address in Petherton Court, Kettering, Northamptonshire, on Thursday. BBC Northampton

Northampton General Hospital information champions do well in national awards

Northampton General Hospital information champions do well in national awards Work by information governance experts at Northampton General Hospital has been rated as some of the best in the country in a national awards scheme.

Sally Berrill, has won the Information Sharing Champion of the Year Award in the National Health and Social Care Strategic Information Governance Network Awards. News (dsptoolkit.nhs.uk). Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Managing expectations: the NHS’s challenging activity and efficiency targets

Managing expectations: the NHS’s challenging activity and efficiency targets The NHS in England approached the Autumn Statement amid deep concern over rising costs and alarming performance statistics. The extra £3.3bn allocated in 2023/24 and 2024/25 will have been greeted with relief. Although NHS England’s Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard said this funding should be ‘sufficient’ to fulfil the NHS’s key priorities, it is hard to overstate the scale of the task ahead. The Health Foundation

Recovering elective waits inclusively: where to start?

Recovering elective waits inclusively: where to start? Can the NHS effectively combine the aims of clearing the elective backlog and tackling health inequalities? It’s a question that systems and providers have been faced with since NHS England requested that recovery in the wake of the pandemic is managed inclusively. Some may think these aims are at odds with one another, while others will champion their unification. In the first stage of a new research project about inclusive approaches to reducing the backlog, we have been looking at what we can learn from NHS boards about how this issue is playing out. The King's Fund

Comparisons of all-cause mortality between European countries and regions: 28 December 2019 to week ending 1 July 2022

Comparisons of all-cause mortality between European countries and regions: 28 December 2019 to week ending 1 July 2022 Comparisons of all-cause excess mortality on a weekly basis since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Measures include relative age-standardised mortality rates and relative cumulative age-standardised mortality rates. Office for National Statistics

See also:

• The King’s Fund responds to latest ONS comparisons of all-cause mortality between European countries during the pandemic The King's Fund

Ambulance strike: Hospital chiefs warn of patient safety risk

Ambulance strike: Hospital chiefs warn of patient safety risk The risk to patients will only get worse unless the government reaches an agreement to prevent further strikes, NHS leaders have warned.

In a letter to the prime minister and health secretary, they said there was "deep worry" about Wednesday's strike.

People are being asked to only call 999 in a life-threatening emergency, but NHS England says emergency care will continue to be provided.

Ambulance response times are already twice as long as two years ago. BBC News

See also:

• Letter to Prime Minister on industrial action in the NHS: joint letter NHS Confederation and NHS Providers
• Ambulance strike: Union fury over minister Steve Barclay's claims BBC News
• Nurses' strike: 'If we have to, we'll continue to strike' BBC News
• Strike: What will ambulances respond to on Wednesday? BBC News
• Avoid contact sports during ambulance strikes, says minister BBC News
• Watch: On the picket line with nurses across the UK BBC News
• Rishi Sunak refusing to budge on pay as strike action escalates BBC News
• EVERYTHING you need to know about today's ambulance strike The Daily Mail
• Ambulance unions have made a choice to inflict harm on patients, warns Health Secretary The Daily Mail
• Don't get drunk over Christmas: Urgent NHS warning ahead of ambulance strikes The Daily Mail
• It is not the fault of unions if patients die during ambulance strikes, says union boss The Daily Telegraph
• 'We do this for you': nurses on picket line in Birmingham during NHS strikes – video The Guardian
• Deals struck to ensure ‘life and limb’ cover during NHS ambulance strike The Guardian
• Nurses’ action is part of UK’s biggest wave of strikes in a generation The Guardian
• Ambulance strikes: What are the demands and what is the government offering? The Independent
• Eight of England’s 10 ambulance services declare critical incidents ahead of paramedic strikes The Independent
• How can the NHS strikes be resolved? The New Statesman
• Ambulance workers stage mass walkout - as NHS leaders say they cannot guarantee patient safety Sky News

I’ve never seen the NHS pushed so hard. It’s not the system that’s breaking now, it’s the people

I’ve never seen the NHS pushed so hard. It’s not the system that’s breaking now, it’s the people | The Secret Consultant This week, the chair of the General Medical Council offered an extraordinary message of support to doctors. What was striking about this was not its tone, but its content. Nowhere was anything said about how to do our jobs, or how to be better doctors; the message was simple. It asked us to be compassionate and to be kind, to ourselves and to one another. The Guardian

A cure for long covid? Combination of concussion and ADHD drugs could treat brain fog and memory

A cure for long covid? Combination of concussion and ADHD drugs could treat brain fog and memory Two already-approved drugs may effectively treat the millions of Americans estimated to have long Covid.

Guanfacine, an Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) drug sold under the name Tenex, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a concussion drug that is branded Mucomyst were found to reduce brain fog in two-thirds of patients. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Clinical experience with the α2A-adrenoceptor agonist, guanfacine, and N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of cognitive deficits in “Long-COVID19” (open access) Neuroimmunology Reports

NHS 'shining stars' celebrated at awards ceremony in Northamptonshire

NHS 'shining stars' celebrated at awards ceremony in Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) held its annual staff awards ceremony on Thursday 15 December 2022 to recognise and honour its ‘shining stars’ – the doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and other NHS colleagues working to provide outstanding care to patients across the county. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Are local authorities equal partners in statutory integrated care systems?

Are local authorities equal partners in statutory integrated care systems? Partnership working between local government and the NHS has come a long way in recent years. Back in 2016, when some of my colleagues first began delving into the inner workings of sustainability and transformation partnerships – the precursors to today’s integrated care systems (ICSs) – the picture was not always pretty. Many local government leaders told us that they felt little ownership over the system plans to which, at least nominally, they were partners. One said that ‘the majority of chief execs in [our area] just think it’s a joke’. The King's Fund

What’s the story behind NHS staff losing their sparkle?

What’s the story behind NHS staff losing their sparkle? Having recently joined the Health Foundation after a career trying to turn evidence into guidance at NICE, whenever I read a research output, I find my first question is still, ‘What recommendations can be derived from this research?’. Developing evidence-based guidance also taught me that there is very rarely a straightforward answer to the question of ‘what’: often ‘what’, and indeed ‘how’, can’t be answered without considering ‘why’.

A vision for pharmacy professional practice in England

A vision for pharmacy professional practice in England This report, produced in partnership with The King’s Fund, outlines key ambitions for the future of pharmacy in England over the next decade. It sets out how pharmacy teams can support better patient care and address key challenges facing the nation’s health. It calls for the complete integration of pharmacy professionals across health and care systems to enable a transformation in patient care, supported by a comprehensive pharmacy workforce strategy, improved use of data and research to drive better patient outcomes, and strong skilful leadership and collaboration to inform professional practice. Royal Pharmaceutical Society

NHS campaign reminds public to use NHS 111 online ahead of the festive season

NHS campaign reminds public to use NHS 111 online ahead of the festive season The NHS is reminding people they can get assessed and directed to the care they need by using NHS 111 online without leaving the comfort of their homes, with new TV adverts running from today.

As part of the next stage of the NHS ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign, television adverts will show people travelling to a range of healthcare settings on their sofas, armchairs or beds, as they answer questions about their health concern on NHS 111 online. NHS England

Nurses to strike as ambulance crews plan walkouts

Nurses to strike as ambulance crews plan walkouts About 10,000 NHS nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are to strike for the second time in less than a week in protest over their pay.

Wednesday will see ambulance staff in England and Wales walk out too, unless a meeting later with the health secretary can avert it.

Steve Barclay has invited three unions representing paramedics to talks.

It follows warnings of extensive disruption to services at a very challenging time of year for the NHS. BBC News

See also:

• Industrial Action at EMAS: Information for the public East Midlands Ambulance Service
• NHS Confederation responds to this week's strikes NHS Confederation
• NHS briefing: Industrial action winter 2022 NHS England
• Industrial action in ambulance services NHS England
• Trusts urge ministers to talk to unions after 'significant' strike impact in some areas NHS Providers
• Day two of nursing strikes: RCN issues ultimatum to government Royal College of Nursing
• Talk to unions, boost NHS pay and strikes won’t be necessary UNISON
• More nurses' strikes in January if no negotiations - union BBC News
• Ambulance strike: Avoid risky activity during strike - health minister BBC News
• NHS strikes: Why are nurses and ambulance staff taking industrial action? BBC News
• Health Secretary Steve Barclay grilled about NHS by ill child's mother BBC News
• Health Secretary Steve Barclay gets confronted again The Daily Mail
• Are nurses on strike today? Which hospitals are affected? The Daily Mail
• Plea for strikers to call off walkouts as NHS faces meltdown The Daily Telegraph
• The unions must take their share of the blame for the failing NHS The Daily Telegraph
• NHS faces ‘incredibly challenging’ time as nurses warn strikes could last months Evening Standard
• Sick child’s mother rebukes Steve Barclay over NHS staff being ‘worked to the bone’ The Guardian
• ‘The damage you’re doing to families is terrible’: mother challenges health secretary – video The Guardian
• NHS ambulance strikes will put patients at risk – but delays already at record high The Guardian
• Patients in north-west England have to get themselves to A&E during strikes The Guardian
• Thousands of nurses stage second walkout in bitter row over pay The Independent
• Heart attack and stroke patients could be denied ambulances during strike The Independent
• Nurses' strike: How A&E and other NHS services will be impacted - and which hospitals are affected Sky News

NHS trust apologises as man kept in hospital for more than a year

NHS trust apologises as man kept in hospital for more than a year A man with physical and mental health problems is "living" in a hospital despite being fit to leave, a court has heard.

The man, who is in his 30s, has been in hospital for more than a year.

A barrister leading the man's legal team told how he had tried to "escape" and broke an arm during the attempt.

The Court of Protection heard that he remained in hospital because no "available alternative accommodation" had been found. BBC News

Care workers paid £8,000 less than NHS equivalents in England - study

Care workers paid £8,000 less than NHS equivalents in England - study A care worker in England is paid on average £8,000 a year less than NHS staff with the same skills, research for a care provider suggests.

The charity, Community Integrated Care, also told BBC News it was having to provide food parcels for some staff who were struggling to pay their bills.

Separate research shows low pay is the most common reason why care staff quit. BBC News

See also:

• Unfair to care 2022-23: Understanding the social care pay gap and how to close it Korn Ferry

Government to sue Mone-linked PPE firm for £122m

Government to sue Mone-linked PPE firm for £122m The government is suing a company that supplied it with personal protective equipment (PPE) for £122m plus costs.

PPE Medpro won contracts through the so-called VIP lane in 2020, after being recommended by Tory peer Baroness Mone.

The government is attempting to get its money back on one of the deals in the High Court, claiming the medical gowns supplied "did not comply with the specification in the contract". BBC News

See also:

• PPE Medpro: UK government launches action to recover £122m The Guardian

Revealed: Mental health patients who reported ‘abuse’ ignored by NHS and regulator

Revealed: Mental health patients who reported ‘abuse’ ignored by NHS and regulator Patients and their families who reported allegations of abuse at a chain of mental health units did not even receive responses from the regulator and the NHS, The Independent can reveal.

An investigation by The Independent and Sky News last month exposed how “systemic abuse” went unchecked at hospitals run by The Huntercombe Group over a number of years.

Now more patients have come forward – bringing the total number of cases past 50 – and shown how they tried to raise the alarm to the health service and Care Quality Commission, but say they were ignored while abuse continued.

See also:

• Pinned down, force-fed and drugged into ‘zombie-like’ state: ‘Systemic abuse’ at children’s hospitals revealed The Independent
• Police investigating ‘rape of child’ at scandal-hit mental health hospital The Independent
• 'It just felt like they'd given up on me': 30 new patients of Huntercombe Group tell their stories of what life is like at mental health units Sky News

Breakthrough new NHS drug can delay spread of breast cancer

Breakthrough new NHS drug can delay spread of breast cancer Breast cancer sufferers will be granted extra months of life thanks to a new drug that has been approved for NHS use.

Enhertu, or trastuzumab deruxtecan, will be rolled out to 600 women a year in England. Trials have shown that that drug improves the survival of recipients by halting the spread of tumours.

It gives patients an extra 22 months of life, on average, before the cancer progresses. The Independent

See also:

• Trastuzumab deruxtecan for treating HER2-positive unresectable or metastatic breast cancer after 1 or more anti-HER2 therapies NICE

NHS hopes new artificial intelligence software will be able to spot damage in heart scans in seconds

NHS hopes new artificial intelligence software will be able to spot damage in heart scans in seconds Artificial intelligence software is poised to drastically slash NHS cardiology waiting lists and give heart patients a faster diagnosis.

The program can carry out complicated measurements in less than a minute that normally take doctors about 20 minutes. The Daily Mail

Man charged with murders of nurse and her two children

Man charged with murders of nurse and her two children A man has been charged with murdering an NHS nurse and her two young children.

Saju Chelavalel, 52, was arrested after police were called to his home at Petherton Court in Kettering, Northamptonshire, on Thursday morning.

Anju Asok, 35, her son Jeeva Saju, 6, and daughter Janvi Saju, 4, were found at the property with serious injuries. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Tearful KGH nursing colleagues visit site of Kettering triple murder Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Kettering General Hospital pays tribute to 'committed and compassionate' nurse as murder investigation continues Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Tributes to Kettering nurse and her family found dead in their home Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Kettering man, 52, charged with three counts of murder Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Mother and children killed in Kettering pictured after apparently only living in the UK a few months NorthantsLive
• NHS nurse and her children killed in suspected triple murder The Daily Telegraph
• Kettering: Tributes to NHS nurse Anju Asok killed alongside her two children in suspected triple murder Evening Standard
• Man charged with murder of NHS nurse and her two children in Kettering The Guardian
• Man charged with murders of NHS nurse and her two young children in Kettering The Independent
• Kettering ‘triple murder’: Tributes paid to ‘loved’ NHS nurse found dead with her children The Independent
• India-based family of woman killed with children in Kettering 'had voiced concerns' for her ITV News
• Man charged with murders of NHS nurse and her two children in Kettering Sky News

The costs of Brexit make severe challenges even harder for the NHS and social care

The costs of Brexit make severe challenges even harder for the NHS and social care The seismic changes to the relationship with our nearest neighbours and the impact of Brexit have only added fuel to the fire of severe challenges facing health and social care in the UK today, making people less healthy and widening health inequalities.

The warning comes from the Nuffield Trust think tank, which has published the most up to date look at the impact of Brexit on the UK’s health and care services.

See also:

• Brexit damaging NHS with staff and medicine shortages, study finds The Independent

Chart of the week: Pay has fallen in real terms for most NHS staff groups since 2010

Chart of the week: Pay has fallen in real terms for most NHS staff groups since 2010 Strike action is affecting a number of sectors across the UK this month, including within the NHS. With widespread discontent over pay and conditions, Lucina Rolewicz, Mark Dayan and Billy Palmer have expanded on our previous staff pay analysis to include other NHS staff groups. Nuffield Trust

Double vision: a roadmap to double medical school places

Double vision: a roadmap to double medical school places This report develops a detailed and costed roadmap to enable 15,000 medical students a year to enrol on courses in England by 2029. It identifies seven pathways to enable this, with recommendations including the opening of 12-15 new medical schools over the coming decade; expanding and diversifying the talent pool, including an expansion of graduate entry places; expanding the role of innovation including the use of simulation-based learning and ‘virtual placements’; and to improve alignment between placement providers, medical schools and the wider health system through the development of Placement Planning Boards. Policy Exchange

Government response to the independent inquiry report into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson: 12-month implementation progress update

Government response to the independent inquiry report into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson: 12-month implementation progress update The report of the independent inquiry into the issues raised by Paterson was published on 4 February 2020. This report details the government’s progress in implementing its response to the report of the independent inquiry into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson. It also includes details on how these actions have impacted the health system and where there remains ongoing activity. It is organised under four themes: patient-centred information; making challenge heard; ensuring accountability; and putting things right. Department of Health and Social Care

Nasal flu vaccine may help reduce cases of group A strep

Nasal flu vaccine may help reduce cases of group A strep Analysis by UKHSA suggests a nasal spray vaccine that offers protection to children against flu may also help reduce the rate of group A strep infections. UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• Epidemiological impact of the paediatric live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) programme on group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections in England (open access preprint)

NHS visits every care home to offer life-saving jabs ahead of Christmas

NHS visits every care home to offer life-saving jabs ahead of Christmas NHS vaccination teams have visited every care home across the country to offer life-saving covid boosters and flu jabs ahead of the festive period.

Every care home in England has been visited by NHS staff ensuring residents have maximum protection from winter viruses and allowing them to spend time with families and friends during Christmas and the New Year. NHS England

Ambulance strike cover must be sufficient, says health secretary

Ambulance strike cover must be sufficient, says health secretary Unions must ensure there will be "sufficient" staffing during this week's ambulance strike to protect patients, the health secretary says.

Workers in England and Wales will walk out on Wednesday in a dispute over pay, but life-threatening emergencies will be responded to.

Unions say discussions were still taking place with ambulance trusts to draw up detailed plans for cover.

Steve Barclay said there is a lack of clarity about what is being offered. BBC News

See also:

• Hospitals told to free up beds for ambulance strike BBC News
• Oliver Dowden firm on pay as nurses warn of more strikes BBC News
• Minister urges unions to call off nurse and ambulance strikes BBC News
• December strikes: 1,200 army personnel to cover for ambulances and border force BBC News
• NHS will 'grind to a halt' as experts fear lives may be put at risk 'as junior doctors join strikes' The Daily Mail
• Rishi Sunak WON'T give NHS nurses extra cash despite Tory pressure The Daily Mail
• Up to 60 PER CENT of ops were cancelled due to NHS strikes The Daily Mail
• Elderly patients 'will be trapped in hospital at Christmas’ by NHS strikes The Daily Telegraph
• Further Strikes now ‘inevitable’ and will ‘harm’ NHS, Government warned Evening Standard
• UK government will stay ‘resolute’ on nurses’ pay, says Oliver Dowden The Guardian
• Military not ‘sufficiently trained’ to cover NHS strikes, unions say The Guardian
• Nurses pledge tougher new strikes as NHS crisis deepens The Guardian
• Public support for nurses’ strike piles pressure on Sunak and divides Tories The Guardian
• Barclay expected to urge fresh talks aimed at ending nurses’ strike The Guardian
• Ambulance staff need firm promise on pay to call off strike, says union The Guardian
• Scramble to free up hospital beds ahead of ambulance strike The Independent
• Government accused of using ‘scare tactics’ to frighten public about nurse strike The Independent
• NHS strikes: Oliver Dowden promises nurses pay rise at a later date if they call off Christmas strikes iNews
• Minister grossly overestimates number of postponed NHS procedures during strikes Metro

Wes Streeting: I won't pretend NHS is envy of world

Wes Streeting: I won't pretend NHS is envy of world Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has said he would not "pretend the NHS is the envy of the world" as he promised reforms under a Labour government.

He gave a speech setting out Labour's plan to fix the NHS in England, which he said was in "existential" crisis.

Labour would train more staff and use the private sector to bring down waiting lists, he said. BBC News

See also:

• 'Growing political consensus that NHS needs reform' says Tory MP Channel 4 News
• Is NHS on its last legs? Ex Health Sec Sajid Javid says it won't survive 'many more years' The Daily Mail
• Even Labour knows the NHS is failing. So why will no one admit we need a new model? The Daily Telegraph
• NHS Doesn't Listen To Patients, Says Wes Streeting Huffington Post UK

'Exhausted NHS staff anxious about delivering care', says NHS Confederation director

'Exhausted NHS staff anxious about delivering care', says NHS Confederation director We were joined by Layla McCay, Policy Director at the NHS Confederation – the organisation that represents the healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Channel 4 News

The mental health patients dying on NHS wards from starvation and neglect

The mental health patients dying on NHS wards from starvation and neglect A systemic failure to provide basic physical care on NHS mental health wards is killing patients across the country, despite scores of warnings from coroners over the past decade, The Independent can reveal.

An investigation has uncovered at least 50 “prevention of future death” reports – used by coroners to warn health services of widespread failures – since 2012, involving 26 NHS trusts and private healthcare providers.

Patients forced to wait months for vital NHS diagnostic tests

Patients forced to wait months for vital NHS diagnostic tests Medical teams have warned that some diagnostic services in the NHS are “close to failure”, with more than 184,000 patients in England waiting three months or longer for key tests.

Children in some specialist hospitals are among those waiting several weeks for diagnostic procedures, in breach of government targets. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS services ‘close to failure’ as patients wait months for diagnostic tests The Independent

Hospital stays sending patients' dementia into 'fast forward' amid NHS and social care gridlock, say families

Hospital stays sending patients' dementia into 'fast forward' amid NHS and social care gridlock, say families People with dementia are six times more likely to experience delirium in hospital than patients who don't have the condition. Some studies suggest delirium can be linked to accelerated cognitive decline. Sky News

Covid-19 UK: Winter wave picks up pace as hospital admissions soar by a third

Covid-19 UK: Winter wave picks up pace as hospital admissions soar by a third England's Covid hospitalisations have surged by a third in a week, official figures revealed today amid warnings that the NHS will be battered by flu.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures show 965 coronavirus patients were admitted on Monday, up from 724 the week before.

And separate Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures today showed there were 1.1million infected with the virus on any given day in the week up to December 5.  The Daily Mail

See also:

• Flu hospital admission rates shoot up to overtake Covid BBC News
• Cold and flu sickness days overtake Covid-19 as a cause for absence from work, figures show The Daily Mail

Nearly seven in ten men are overweight or obese - up from 58 per cent in 1993, survey reveals

Nearly seven in ten men are overweight or obese - up from 58 per cent in 1993, survey reveals More than two-thirds of men are now overweight or obese, with men particularly prone to middle-aged spread.

A new public health survey for 2021, released yesterday, vividly illustrates England's obesity epidemic.

While just 13 per cent of men were obese in 1993, when records began, now 25 per cent are obese. The Daily Mail

Nurses at two Kettering hospitals take to picket lines in first ever RCN strike

Nurses at two Kettering hospitals take to picket lines in first ever RCN strike Royal College of Nursing (RCN) staff based at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) and St Mary’s Hospital have been on picket lines this morning in their first ever strike.

Despite freezing cold temperatures staff, who were not needed to maintain a safe service, showed their support for the industrial action. Northamptonshire Telegraph

'We're underfunded and understaffed': Northampton GP surgery manager's plea to patients during time of 'unsustainable pressure'

'We're underfunded and understaffed': Northampton GP surgery manager's plea to patients during time of 'unsustainable pressure' A practice manager of a GP surgery in Northampton has spoken out about the “unsustainable pressure” staff are under during a time when the healthcare system is at breaking point.

The practice manager of St Luke’s Primary Care Centre in Timken Way South, Duston, posted on Spotted Duston – and shared with Northampton Chronicle & Echo - an account of what has been happening in the healthcare setting during a time were GP surgeries, 111 and A&E departments are unprecedentedly busy.

NHS sees significant 111 demand as flu cases in hospitals continue to rise

NHS sees significant 111 demand as flu cases in hospitals continue to rise NHS staff dealt with a significant number of NHS 111 calls last week with over 700,000 calls in one week alone – an increase of over 60% compared to the previous week (from 440,047 to 706,129).

Excluding two weeks in the first month of the Covid pandemic (March 2020), this is the highest number of 111 calls ever recorded.

The NHS experienced more calls demand from parents concerned about rising Strep A infections, with the number of calls more than doubling compared to the equivalent week last year. NHS England

See also:

• Influenza and other respiratory viruses pilot study: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey Office for National Statistics
• National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports UK Health Security Agency
• NHS is put on alert for 'worst winter flu outbreak in YEARS' The Daily Mail
• Flu hospitalisations in England soar as NHS braces for severe outbreak The Daily Telegraph
• Number of people in hospital with Covid in England rises 22% in a week The Guardian
• NHS creaking under strain of Strep A, flu and norovirus The Independent
• Norovirus symptoms to look out for amid warning over surging cases of vomiting bug The Independent
• Spike in flu hospitalisations piles pressure on an NHS already squeezed by strikes ITV News
• Hospital admissions for flu overtake those for COVID-19 for first time since pandemic began Sky News

UKHSA update on scarlet fever and invasive group A strep

UKHSA update on scarlet fever and invasive group A strep Latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to show an out of season increase in scarlet fever and group A streptococcus infections.

So far this season (from 12 September to 11 December) there have been 7,750 notifications of scarlet fever. This compares to a total of 2,538 at the same point in the year during the last comparably high season in 2017 to 2018 – although cases in that season started to rise at a different point. In 2017 to 2018 there were 30,768 scarlet fever notifications overall across the year. UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• Pharmacists able to supply alternative penicillin to treat Strep A Department of Health and Social Care
• Strep A: Pharmacies can now give alternative antibiotics BBC News
• Number of penicillin prescriptions amid Strep A outbreak has surged FIVEFOLD in three weeks The Daily Mail
• Drug watchdog warns firms against hiking prices of antibiotics amid Strep A panic The Daily Mail
• Strep A kills three more children as UK activates alternative medicines plan The Guardian
• Child deaths from Strep A in UK rises to 19 as outbreak spreads The Independent

Digital divide poses exclusion risk for people with mental illness

Digital divide poses exclusion risk for people with mental illness A stark digital skills deficit among people with severe mental illness means they struggle to access key services which are increasingly online, according to research by scientists at the University of York.

See also:

• Measuring the digital divide among people with severe mental ill health using the essential digital skills framework (open access) Health and Nursing

Getting IT right: the case for urgent investment in safe, modern technology and data sharing in the UK’s health services

Getting IT right: the case for urgent investment in safe, modern technology and data sharing in the UK’s health services This report sets out they key areas where more needs to be done to ensure the recovery and resilience of UK health services and the safe delivery of care: infrastructure – hardware, software and connectivity; interoperability – standards and security; involvement – digital leadership, user involvement and skills development; inclusion - digital access and literacy for patients; and investment - prioritise existing funding, protect against budget cuts, increase funding. British Medical Association

Brick by brick: the case for urgent investment in safe, modern, and sustainable healthcare estates

Brick by brick: the case for urgent investment in safe, modern, and sustainable healthcare estates This report examines the condition of the NHS estate across the UK and its impact on both the wellbeing of doctors and patient care, with a focus on: the maintenance and modernisation of healthcare estates; the need to design healthcare environments with capacity, safety and wellbeing in mind; the impact healthcare estates have on climate and the environment; and the need for steeper increases in capital funding. British Medical Association

Nurses' strikes: Union warns of more action unless pay talks open

Nurses' strikes: Union warns of more action unless pay talks open The Royal College of Nursing could announce a fresh wave of strikes if Health Secretary Steve Barclay does not agree to reopen pay negotiations.

Speaking on the BBC's Question Time, the union's leader Pat Cullen said if the government continued to refuse to "get in a room and talk" then the dispute could escalate in the new year.

The UK government says the union's demands are unaffordable.

Nurses are already planning to strike on Tuesday. BBC News

See also:

• End-of-day statement Royal College of Nursing
• Chief nurse calls for strike resolution after day of action BBC News
• Would it cost the government £700m to raise nurses' pay? BBC News
• Is the NHS pay review body independent? BBC News
• 'Nurses are using food banks now' BBC News
• Industrial action causes 'real harms', says NHS Confederation chief Channel 4 News
• What is the truth about the nursing crisis? Fascinating graphs show how pay has barely risen The Daily Mail
• Who is Pat Cullen? The 'taskmaster' organising NHS's biggest ever walk-out The Daily Mail
• Fury as Health Secretary lets deputy do prime-time interviews on day of biggest ever NHS strike The Daily Mail
• 'Four in five Britons concerned about patient safety during NHS strikes' Evening Standard
• Will striking nurses affect my care as an NHS patient? That’s a price I’m willing to pay | Melanie Duddridge The Guardian
• Nurses will step up strikes unless pay offer improved, NHS official warns The Guardian
• Striking nurses need the public behind them to keep pressure on ministers The Guardian
• Hot drinks and public sympathy for nurses on the picket lines The Guardian
• Former Tory ministers join calls for Sunak to negotiate with nurses The Guardian
• NHS nurses on strike: 'Morale has hit the floor' The Guardian
• Government cannot ‘sit back’ on strikes amid warning pay rows will worsen, NHS leaders say The Independent
• Major ambulance workers' union pulls out of NHS pay process ITV News

No timetable for infected blood victims' compensation

No timetable for infected blood victims' compensation There is a "moral case" for compensation to be paid to people affected by the contaminated blood scandal, the government has said.

But Paymaster General Jeremy Quin told MPs he could not commit to a timetable.

In August, the government announced that 4,000 UK victims would receive interim payments of £100,000.

Tens of thousands of people contracted HIV or hepatitis C in the 1970s and 80s after being given infected blood. More than 1,800 have died as a result. BBC News

Ambulance hospital handover delays hit new high in England as one in six patients wait more than hour

Ambulance hospital handover delays hit new high in England as one in six patients wait more than hour One in six patients in England waited more than an hour to be passed to A&E teams last week as ambulance handover delays hit a new high.

A total of 25,182 handover delays of half an hour or longer were recorded across all hospital trusts last week, according to NHS England.

This was 34% of all arrivals by ambulance, up from 31% the previous week. Sky News

How a FIFTH of Britain is waiting on the NHS: Poll lays bare dire state of health service

How a FIFTH of Britain is waiting on the NHS: Poll lays bare dire state of health service A fifth of Britons are waiting for NHS care, official data suggests ahead of what is expected to be the health service's worst ever winter.

Thousands of people were quizzed about their difficulties accessing healthcare.

Twenty per cent revealed that they were waiting on a hospital appointment, test or medical treatment. The Daily Mail

See also:

• The impact of winter pressures on adults in Great Britain: December 2022 Office for National Statistics
• One in eight UK adults using private medical care due to NHS delays The Guardian

Northampton General Hospital infection control team win national environmental award for reducing waste

Northampton General Hospital infection control team win national environmental award for reducing waste The Infection Prevention and Control Team at Northampton General Hospital have won a national environmental award. The nine-strong team – which helps hospital staff to prevent infections and fight bugs such as Covid-19 and norovirus – have won the Best Waste Reduction Project in the national Investors in the Environment Awards 2022. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton General Hospital reveals when 'urgently needed' heated cabin will be installed outside of its busy A&E department

Northampton General Hospital reveals when 'urgently needed' heated cabin will be installed outside of its busy A&E department Northampton General Hospital (NGH) has revealed when an ‘urgently needed’ heated cabin will be installed outside of its busy accident and emergency department.

The hospital has been using a white tent for months now as a waiting area for patients when the A&E department is over capacity - it was initially brought in to to protect patients from the sun during summer. This set up has led to patients, young and old, waiting outside in poor weather conditions for months now. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Rushden 999 rescuer given 14-hour wait time for ambulance as 80-year-old lay on icy pavement

 Rushden 999 rescuer given 14-hour wait time for ambulance as 80-year-old lay on icy pavement Rescuers coming to the aid of an 80-year-old man lying injured after slipping on an icy pavement say they were told there would be a 14-hour wait after their 999 call. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Cost of living: The healthcare ecosystem

Cost of living: The healthcare ecosystem This article explores how the rising cost of living has affected the UK healthcare ecosystem. Rising energy prices and food insecurity can lead to an increasingly ill population, while staff shortages and high hospital bills add pressure to the health system. In November 2022, the UK government announced an £8bn spending increase for health and adult social care, but some organisations have said it is not enough. House of Lords Library

See also:

• Nine in 10 GPs say cost-of-living crisis has destabilised practice finances GPonline

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

See also:

• ‘We strike for the future of the NHS’: RCN strike action begins Royal College of Nursing
• How to support and show solidarity with your nursing colleagues BMA
• NHS tells patients to continue to access emergency care during industrial action NHS England
• NHS will keep patients safe despite nurses strike says NHS England Strategy Officer Channel 4 News
• STEVE BARCLAY: My priority is to keep people safe this winter  The Daily Mail
• Everything you need to know about today's NHS nurses strikes The Daily Mail
• Cancer care at risk as nurses strike: Health leaders warn of 'real concerns' for patients The Daily Mail
• NHS strikes: Rishi Sunak says millions will have healthcare disrupted by winter strikes The Daily Mail
• Nurses’ strikes could get worse, warn hospital bosses amid fears for end-of-life care The Daily Telegraph
• GMB withdraws from NHS pay process 'due to lack of independence from Government' Evening Standard
• BMA warns GPs against covering for NHS staff taking strike action GPonline
• Tens of thousands of nurses prepare to strike in ‘tragic first’ for NHS The Guardian
• Tens of thousands of UK nurses go on strike in first such industrial action in NHS history – live The Guardian
• We can’t cope anymore’: Desperate and without any other option, these are the NHS nurses driven to strike The Independent
• ‘Strong possibility’ of further nurses’ strikes in January, warns union leader The Independent
• Government to blame for ‘tragic’ NHS strike, says union boss as nurses start walkout The Independent
• Nurses strikes: What are the demands and what is the government offering? The Independent
• NHS nurses across the UK prepare to walk out on strike ITV News
• What are the salaries of workers going on strike in the UK? The New Statesman

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

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

See also:

• An open letter to the government from a concerned doctor The Independent

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

See also:

• UK cancer care: a watershed moment and the need for urgent intervention (abstract, but available through trust OpenAthens) The Lancet Oncology
• Treatment delays leave UK facing cancer emergency, doctors warn The Guardian

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

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

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

See also:

• How Covid has dealt the NHS a lasting blow BBC News
• Fears pandemic has dealt 'lasting blow' to NHS as fewer patients treated now The Daily Telegraph

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

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

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

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.

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

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

See also:

• Moderna and Merck announce mrna-4157/v940, an investigational personalized mrna cancer vaccine, in combination with keytruda(r) (pembrolizumab), met primary efficacy endpoint in phase 2b keynote-942 trial Moderna
• 'New paradigm' moment as mRNA cancer vaccine slashes risk of tumor relapse or death The Daily Mail
• Positive Moderna, Merck cancer vaccine data advances mRNA promise Reuters

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

See also:

• Physiotherapy staff in England and Wales vote Yes to strike action Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• Managing industrial action - A guide for managers NHS Employers
• Nursing strike: fact check Royal College of Nursing
• Gulf between private and public sector pay 'compelling evidence' why government needs to negotiate Royal College of Nursing
• Welsh midwives vote to strike, but not in England BBC News
• NHS strikes: Nursing union putting patients at risk, UK's top nurses warn The Daily Mail
• Nurse union organising NHS strikes makes guide that tells members how to lobby patients for support The Daily Mail
• Now the PHYSIOS say they'll strike! The Daily Mail
• Midwives in Wales vote to strike - but not in England The Daily Telegraph
• Nursing community conflicted on eve of NHS strikes Evening Standard
• Military has just 40 paramedics qualified to work in NHS Evening Standard
• NHS bosses ask GPs to cover for striking ambulance workers GPonline
• Physiotherapists in England and Wales vote to strike in latest row over pay ITV News

‘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

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

See also:

• Mind the gap Association of Directors of Children’s Services
• Special thematic report on children's mental health Association of Directors of Children’s Services

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

See also:

• Strep A symptoms: What you need to know, in a minute BBC News
• Strep A explained: Can adults get it? Will it cause an antibiotics shortage? BBC Science Focus
• Strep A: Parents say son misdiagnosed before strep A death BBC News
• Export of drugs to treat Strep A infections is BANNED by Government amid shortage fears The Daily Mail
• UK pharmacists report sharp rise in prices for strep A antibiotics The Guardian
• Pharmacists warn of price gouging over Strep A antibiotic shortage as prices soar The Independent

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