Midlands hospital investigating forceps left inside patient after surgery

Midlands hospital investigating forceps left inside patient after surgery A hospital is investigating how a pair of metal surgical forceps were left inside a patient after they had been stitched up after abdominal surgery.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS trust has apologised unreservedly and said the incident at Redditch’s Alexandra hospital was “exceptionally rare”. The Guardian

Nearly two-thirds of junior doctors are 'looking to leave the NHS'

Nearly two-thirds of junior doctors are 'looking to leave the NHS' More than six in 10 junior doctors have 'actively researched' quitting their job in the NHS, a poll shows as the medics are set to vote on whether they should strike over pay.

The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents 45,000 junior doctors in England, quizzed nearly 4,000 on whether they have 'actively researched leaving the NHS' in the last year.

Results showed two-thirds had while eight in 10 said they 'often think about leaving' the health service. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Junior doctors plan ballot for industrial action in early January BMA
• Enough is enough: Junior doctors’ conditions ‘putting patient safety at risk’ BMA
• Four in 10 junior doctors plan to quit NHS as soon as they can, survey finds The Guardian
• Majority of junior doctors ‘considered leaving NHS in last year’ as pay row continues The Independent
• ‘NHS won’t cope’: 40% of junior doctors plan to quit, survey reveals The Independent
• Two thirds of junior doctors looking to leave NHS, poll finds ahead of strike ballot iNews
• Two-thirds of junior doctors considering leaving the NHS with vote on walkout approaching ITV News

The dieting 'red flags' experts are warning people to avoid

The dieting 'red flags' experts are warning people to avoid Beware of 'quick-fix' new year diets, as they can be harmful to your health, experts have warned.

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has published a list of 'red flags' to watch out for when it comes to diets for a new year and a new you.

Dietitians warn people should avoid diets using the word 'detox', telling people to eat only one type of food, like cabbage, or promising rapid weight loss of more than two pounds (1kg) of body fat a week. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Dietitians across the UK urge the public to avoid the diet rush this January British Dietetic Association
• New Year, New You, No Thank you! British Dietetic Association
• Don't focus on weight loss in your New Year's resolutions, public warned The Daily Telegraph

We will be back on Wednesday 28th of December

Our daily news service is taking a short break for the festive season and will be back on Wednesday the 28th of December.

Wishing all our readers a very happy Christmas.

Coroner's warning after man, 21, died at Northampton General two days after taking toxic weight-loss drug

Coroner's warning after man, 21, died at Northampton General two days after taking toxic weight-loss drug A coroner has issued a stern warning after a 21-year-old man died in Northampton General Hospital after taking drugs for body-building and weight loss.

Jack Knapman, aged 21, suffered severe toxicity and cardiac arrest after taking a “substantial quantity” of the drug which assistant coroner Phil Barlow says in a report should “never be used for human consumption”. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• DNP: Bodybuilding substance death prompts Northamptonshire coroner warning BBC Northampton
• Weight loss drug warning after Northants man died two days after taking toxic fat-burning supplement NorthantsLive

Suicide: 'You're not alone, we all experience dark thoughts'

Suicide: 'You're not alone, we all experience dark thoughts' A man who set up a mental health support charity after his daughter took her own life has urged people to talk to others if they are struggling.

We Mind & Kelly Matters was founded by friends and family of Kelly Hewitt, a prison officer who died in December 2018.

The charity, based in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, has launched a beer mat and poster campaign at pubs across the county, with the aim of starting conversations and spreading suicide awareness over Christmas. BBC Northampton

£3.6 million social prescribing funding to bolster mental health support and ease pressure on GPs

£3.6 million social prescribing funding to bolster mental health support and ease pressure on GPs Thousands of people will continue to access innovative types of mental health support, proven to improve healthy living, reduce overprescribing and save capacity for GPs, following £3.6 million of government funding for the National Academy of Social Prescribing (NASP).

Social prescribing can help those experiencing grief, addiction, dementia and loneliness through a wide range of community-led social activities, services and opportunities that have proven benefits to people’s health and wellbeing. Department of Health and Social Care

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 and a higher number of cases than seen in a typical year.

So far this season (from 12 September to 18 December) there have been 27,486 notifications of scarlet fever. This compares to a total of 3,287 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

Two thirds increase in hospital flu cases amid rising staff absences and pressure on NHS 111

Two thirds increase in hospital flu cases amid rising staff absences and pressure on NHS 111 The number of patients with flu in hospital has increased by two thirds in one week amid significant pressure on services, the NHS said today.

New published data shows the post-pandemic impact of viruses circulating again with an average of 1,939 flu cases in England’s hospitals every day last week (up from 1,162).

Weekly winter data shows the wide ranging set of pressures faced by the NHS ahead of Christmas, with another seven days of rising flu hospital cases, increased calls to 111 and more staff sickness. NHS England

See also:

• Gift yourself a life-saving vaccine this Christmas holiday Department of Health and Social Care
• Winter figures reveal a significant increase in flu and ambulance handover delays NHS Providers
• National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: Seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccine uptake in frontline healthcare workers: monthly data 2022 to 2023 UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in GP patients: monthly data, 2022 to 2023 UK Health Security Agency
• Official Statistics: Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in children of school age: monthly data, 2022 to 2023 UK Health Security Agency
• Influenza batters NHS with cases up to SIXTY times higher this year than last winter, figures show The Daily Mail
• Flu and COVID-19 wave leaves GPs struggling as strep A child deaths hit 24 GPonline
• Stay at home if you’re unwell, say experts, as flu and Covid cases rise in England The Guardian
• Covid: Britons told to stay at home if unwell in final Christmas warning as cases rise again The Independent
• Number of flu patients in hospitals in England soars while Strep A 'partly drives' near record demand for NHS 111 services Sky News
• Avoid the elderly if you have a cold or cough, Britons told Sky News

Molnupiravir Covid antiviral treatment hastens recovery - trial

Molnupiravir Covid antiviral treatment hastens recovery - trial An antiviral drug tested by more than 25,000 vaccinated Covid patients has been found to reduce recovery time from the disease.

Molnupiravir was given to people twice a day, for five days at home, while they had the Omicron variant of Covid.

Those chosen were at a higher risk of death or hospitalisation from Covid due to age or underlying health conditions.

Despite aiding recovery, the drug did not decrease death rates or hospital admissions. BBC News

See also:

• Molnupiravir plus usual care versus usual care alone as early treatment for adults with COVID-19 at increased risk of adverse outcomes (PANORAMIC): an open-label, platform-adaptive randomised controlled trial (open access) The Lancet
• Two years after Covid food still tastes rotten BBC News
• Covid drug DOESN'T cut risk of dying but it might help you recover quicker at home The Daily Mail
• Antiviral does not cut Covid hospital admissions or deaths in vaccinated – study The Independent

Ambulance workers in England to strike again in January

Ambulance workers in England to strike again in January Ambulance staff in five areas of England are to stage two further strikes in January, union leaders say.

The industrial action on 11 and 23 January is likely to heap more pressure on emergency care, which is already under serious strain.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said further strike action was in no one's best interest.

Unison leaders say the action is a direct result of the government's refusal to negotiate over pay. BBC News

See also:

• NHS Confederation responds to first day of ambulance worker industrial action NHS Confederation
• NHS Providers responds to announcement of two new strike dates by ambulance staff NHS Providers
• Further strikes inevitable unless government holds talks and moves on NHS pay UNISON
• Pat Cullen: Who is the RCN nursing union boss leading strikes? BBC News
• Health Secretary Steve Barclay keen to focus on next year's NHS pay deal BBC News
• Ambulance workers announce fresh strikes in January The Daily Telegraph
• NHS faces months of disruption as unions ramp up campaign of strikes The Guardian
• More NHS strikes to come over ‘pitiful’ pay award as government digs in The Guardian
• NHS ‘close to overheating’ as unions reveal new strike dates for January The Independent
• NHS ‘cannot go on coping’ with more strikes, health leader warns iNews
• NHS staff to be offered expedited pay award to call off strikes Nursing Notes
• NHS staff could be offered pay rise in spring as health sec rules out movement on current wages Sky News

Record waiting times in England’s ambulances in week before strikes

Record waiting times in England’s ambulances in week before strikes Close to one in four ambulance patients in England waited more than an hour with crews before being admitted to A&E, in what was the worst winter week on record.

The record numbers came a week before thousands of ambulance staff, paramedics and others in England and Wales went on strike on Wednesday, leaving the NHS unable to respond to many 999 calls. The Guardian

Northamptonshire stroke patients' initiative wins a top prize at a national event

Northamptonshire stroke patients' initiative wins a top prize at a national event A county stroke team has won a top national prize for the way it has involved patients in shaping future care.

The Northamptonshire Community Stroke Team has won the UK Stroke Forum’s Patient, Carer and Public Involvement Prize.

The team – which is based at Northampton General Hospital but serves the whole county – won the prize for their entry “Meaningfully amplifying the patient voice in a Northamptonshire Community Stroke Team.” Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Kettering: Man appears at Crown Court accused of murdering nurse and children

Kettering: Man appears at Crown Court accused of murdering nurse and children A man accused killing an NHS nurse and her two young children has been remanded in custody until next year.

Anju Asok, 35, Jeeva Saju, six, and Janvi Saju, four, were found with serious injuries at Saju Chelavalel's home in Kettering on Thursday.

Mr Chelavalel, 52, of Petherton Court, appeared via video link at Northampton Crown Court and was remanded until a plea hearing on 24 March. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Man accused of killing NHS nurse and two children appears in court The Independent
• Man charged with murders of NHS nurse and her two children in Kettering Sky News

'It's not about pay' - 'underfunded, misused and mistreated' Kettering ambulance crews explain why they are striking

'It's not about pay' - 'underfunded, misused and mistreated' Kettering ambulance crews explain why they are striking East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) staff – paramedics and technicians – have been manning picket lines in their first 24-hour strike.

Some staff will still be attending 999 calls for the most serious categories of emergency as colleagues highlight the state of the ambulance service.

The GMB trade union, that represents EMAS staff, received enough votes to mandate strike action, including its Northamptonshire employees. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Ambulance strikes: Paramedics on the picket lines in Northampton speak out about the 'failing NHS system' Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Ambulance staff strikes: facts and figures on the ambulance workforce

Ambulance staff strikes: facts and figures on the ambulance workforce A summary of key facts and statistics to help understand the ambulance workforce and the strikes. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Nursing strikes: facts and figures on UK nursing staff Nuffield Trust

Connected: remote technology in mental health services

Connected: remote technology in mental health services This briefing summarises evidence from six studies on the use of digital and telephone technology to deliver mental health services. It finds that using remote technology can improve access to mental health support for rural communities, disabled people or people needing a specialist service far from home. It has the potential to increase access and choice in mental health care. But it also risks exacerbating inequalities for people who are digitally excluded. Centre for Mental Health

Understanding the fundamental role of racism in ethnic inequities in Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy

Understanding the fundamental role of racism in ethnic inequities in Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy The briefing from the Runnymede Trust and the University of Manchester’s Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity uses data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study to show that institutional and community-level factors, driven by structural and institutional racism, explain the large majority of ethnic inequities in vaccination rates. Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity

UK cements 10-year-partnership with Moderna in major boost for vaccines and research

UK cements 10-year-partnership with Moderna in major boost for vaccines and research Patients in the UK will be protected against potential future global health threats, including potential pandemics, thanks to a deal struck between the government and Moderna.

The investment means NHS patients will be able to receive UK-manufactured mRNA vaccines, as the UK cements its status as a life sciences superpower.

The partnership with Moderna will see a new Innovation and Technology Centre in the UK, which will create more than 150 highly skilled jobs and have the capacity to produce up to 250 million vaccines per year in the event of a pandemic. Department of Health and Social Care

Ambulance strike: Warning of very challenging days ahead

Ambulance strike: Warning of very challenging days ahead Hospitals were quieter than normal during Wednesday's ambulance strikes, but Thursday is likely to be "very challenging" with lots of patients turning up, health bosses say.

Only the most serious 999 calls were responded to.

But there was no evidence of people going to A&E in taxis or their own cars, NHS Providers told the BBC. BBC News

See also:

• Fallout from strike action expected to spill over into coming days NHS Providers
• Ambulance strike: Blame game escalates between unions and ministers BBC News
• Steven Barclay on NHS strikes: We are happy to talk BBC News
• Nurses in Scotland reject latest pay offer from NHS BBC News
• Hospitals brace for bedlam today.. 24 hours after ambulance strike The Daily Mail
• Up to 30 THOUSAND appointments and ops were cancelled due to NHS nursing strikes The Daily Mail
• Ambulance services prepare for 'hangover' after 999 calls plummet during strikes The Daily Telegraph
• Government 'could fast-track NHS pay rise next year' The Evening Standard
• NHS expects surge in demand after ambulance workers’ strike The Guardian
• ‘Fear-mongering’: ambulance unions and health chief clash in high-stakes strikes The Guardian
• Government could ‘fast-track’ NHS pay rise in 2023 as more strikes loom The Independent
• ‘We’re striking to save it’: Meet the picket line paramedics warning ambulance service at ‘breaking point’ The Independent
• NHS strikes: Government plans to try to end walkouts by offering workers an early pay rise for next year iNews
• Warning of knock-on effect after health workers' strikes - plus the walkouts planned today Sky News

UK hospices warn of bed closures and staff cuts as energy bills soar

UK hospices warn of bed closures and staff cuts as energy bills soar Hospice charities providing end-of-life services in partnership with the NHS have warned they will have to shut beds and sack staff because of the catastrophic impact of rising energy bills on their day-to-day running costs.

The UK’s network of independent, mainly voluntary-run palliative care providers said hospices were experiencing a perfect storm of soaring costs and rising demand just as revenues from traditional public fundraising methods are collapsing. The Guardian

So where DOES the money go? The graph breaking down the 'broken' NHS's finances

So where DOES the money go? The graph breaking down the 'broken' NHS's finances The NHS could stump up cash to pay striking staff better wages if it cut down on 'unacceptable levels of waste and mismanagement', campaigners claimed today.

Thousands of ambulance staff today staged walkouts across England and Wales, in the largest 999 strikes since the 1980s. Nurses have also walked out twice in the last week and junior doctors could join them in the new year. The Daily Mail

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