Friday, 26 May 2023

New superbug-killing antibiotic discovered using AI

New superbug-killing antibiotic discovered using AI Scientists have used artificial intelligence (AI) to discover a new antibiotic that can kill a deadly species of superbug.

The AI helped narrow down thousands of potential chemicals to a handful that could be tested in the laboratory.

The result was a potent, experimental antibiotic called abaucin, which will need further tests before being used.

The researchers in Canada and the US say AI has the power to massively accelerate the discovery of new drugs. BBC News

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East Kent maternity deaths: CQC considered shutting unit

East Kent maternity deaths: CQC considered shutting unit Health inspectors considered shutting down a maternity unit earlier this year over safety concerns.

The Care Quality Commission instead called for "immediate improvements" following a visit to the William Harvey hospital in Ashford, Kent.

Helen Gittos, whose newborn daughter died in the care of the East Kent Hospitals Trust, said there were "fundamental" problems at the trust.

The trust's chief executive has apologised for its service. BBC News
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PPE: Supplier of millions of 'not fit for use' gowns received £47m dividends

PPE: Supplier of millions of 'not fit for use' gowns received £47m dividends A businessman whose company supplied the NHS with millions of apparently unusable surgical gowns earned £47m in dividends last year.

During the Covid pandemic, Cambridge-based Chemical Intelligence won £162m of government contracts to provide personal protective equipment (PPE).

Data obtained by the BBC shows at least a fifth of the equipment supplied was classified as "not fit for use". BBC News
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Child died at mental health hospital ‘while staff were meant to be watching her’

Child died at mental health hospital ‘while staff were meant to be watching her’ A 14-year-old girl who should have been under constant supervision at a mental health hospital died after a member of staff on his first shift left her unattended, an inquest has heard.

Ruth Szymankiewicz died at Taplow Manor Hospital in Maidenhead on 12 February 2022 after a care worker responsible for her one-to-one supervision “sporadically” left his post, the hearing was told. The Independent

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Ketamine lifts half of patients out of the blues after meds fail, trial finds

Ketamine lifts half of patients out of the blues after meds fail, trial finds Ketamine could ease depression in people with the most severe form of the condition, a study suggests.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham Hospital in Boston recruited 403 patients with major depression who were not helped by standard treatments like drugs.

Among those who were offered ketamine via an intravenous drip, 55 percent said their symptoms had eased over the next six months. The Daily Mail

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Thursday, 25 May 2023

Care home ordered to pay £200k for Covid failures

Care home ordered to pay £200k for Covid failures The company that ran a care home which "catastrophically let down" residents during the Covid pandemic has been ordered to pay more than £200,000.

Temple Court in Kettering, Northamptonshire, was closed in May 2020 amid serious concerns following a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection.

A hearing at Northampton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday handed out a £120,000 fine to care provider Amicura Limited.

It also had to pay the CQC's costs of £80,000 and a £181 victim surcharge. BBC Northampton

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Keeping children and young people with mental health needs safe: the design of the paediatric ward

Keeping children and young people with mental health needs safe: the design of the paediatric ward Paediatric wards in acute hospitals are increasingly caring for children and young people (CYP) who have mental health needs. Paediatric wards are primarily designed to accommodate children with physical health needs and are not specifically designed to help keep children and young people with mental health needs safe.

This interim report from the national investigation looks at the risk factors associated with the design of paediatric wards in acute hospitals for children and young people with mental health needs. Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch

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More choice to help cut hospital waiting times

More choice to help cut hospital waiting times Patients will be empowered to choose where they receive their NHS care under new plans to help cut waiting lists, one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities.

A letter issued by the NHS today to local areas will require patients to be offered choice when clinically appropriate.

After speaking with their GP, patients will be able to view information for up to five healthcare providers - filtered by distance, waiting times and quality of care. They will then be able to make a choice about where they go for treatment using the NHS App or website, based on their own circumstances. Department of Health and Social Care

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Earlier screening, risk assessment and health optimisation in perioperative pathways: guide for providers and integrated care boards

Earlier screening, risk assessment and health optimisation in perioperative pathways: guide for providers and integrated care boards This guide supports providers and integrated care boards to implement early screening, risk assessment and health optimisation for patients waiting for surgery. It builds on the clinical guideline Preoperative assessment and optimisation, published by a cross-specialty, multidisciplinary working group, including the Royal College of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of General Practitioners and the Centre for Perioperative Care, in June 2021. NHS England
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    Plant-based diets good for the heart

    Plant-based diets good for the heart Giving plants the starring role in your diet is good for heart health, a review of four decades of data shows.

    Researchers in Denmark showed vegetarian and vegan diets cut levels of cholesterol and fats in the blood that increase heart attacks.

    The effect - equivalent to about a third that of taking daily drugs - was "really substantial", they said.

    But experts said meat and dairy had their own health benefits - and not all meat-free diets were actually healthy. BBC News

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    Brain implants help paralysed man to walk again

    Brain implants help paralysed man to walk again A paralysed man has been able to walk simply by thinking about it thanks to electronic brain implants, a medical first he says has changed his life.

    Gert-Jan Oskam, a 40-year-old Dutch man, was paralysed in a cycling accident 12 years ago.

    The electronic implants wirelessly transmit his thoughts to his legs and feet via a second implant on his spine.

    The system is still at an experimental stage but a leading UK spinal charity called it "very encouraging". BBC News

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    Dementia risk increases the younger a person develops diabetes, study suggests

    Dementia risk increases the younger a person develops diabetes, study suggests A person’s risk of dementia increases the younger they develop diabetes, research suggests.

    Experts say the findings indicate that preventing progression from prediabetes to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes could mean a substantial reduction in future dementia cases.

    Prediabetes is where blood sugar is high but has not yet crossed the threshold for type 2 diabetes. The Independent

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    NHS Trust chief to publicly apologise to victims of maternity care

    NHS Trust chief to publicly apologise to victims of maternity care scandal The head of an under-fire NHS trust will publicly apologise to victims of a maternity scandal as the chair of a review into the episode said the trust has “a lot of learning to do”.

    Nick Carver, chairman of the Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, will apologise on its behalf to parents who were affected by poor maternity care at its annual public meeting on July 10, the trust said on Wednesday. Evening Standard

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    Hospitals at home plan will fail because NHS has no staff to run them, health leaders warn

    Hospitals at home plan will fail because NHS has no staff to run them, health leaders warn Plans to operate virtual wards from home have been set up to fail because the NHS has no staff to run them, hospital leaders have warned.

    Up to 25,000 hospital patients were due to be treated on “virtual wards” by Christmas, according to a target set by NHS England in its “living with Covid” plan. The Daily Telegraph
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    Flesh-eating 'zombie' drug that has ravaged US cities reaches the UK

    Flesh-eating 'zombie' drug that has ravaged US cities reaches the UK A terrifying new 'zombie' drug that has ravaged cities across the United States has been found in the UK and taken the life of a British factory worker.

    Karl Warburton, 43, died last May from the effects of xylazine combined with other drugs including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, The Times reported.

    The coroner determined the West Midlands man died because of acute aspiration pneumonitis, a condition often caused by inhaling toxins. But xylazine was listed on Mr Warburton's death certificate as contributing to his death. The Daily Mail

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    Chronic cannabis use raises the risk of major depression and bipolar disorder by up to FOUR TIMES

    Chronic cannabis use raises the risk of major depression and bipolar disorder by up to FOUR TIMES Chronic cannabis use significantly raises the risk of mental health problems and personality disorders, a major study suggests.

    Research on more than 6.6million people in Denmark found that those who were addicted to marijuana were up to four times more likely to be diagnosed with major depression or bipolar disorder. The Daily Mail

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    Wednesday, 24 May 2023

    NHS support during the Spring Bank Holiday across Northamptonshire

    NHS support during the Spring Bank Holiday across Northamptonshire There are a range of services available to support patients with urgent but not life threatening illnesses and injuries, and NHS 111 online can direct patients to the most appropriate service to meet their needs.

    And because it's available through your phone it is quick and convenient saving you time and energy. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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    Prevention and policy: hoping for a gathering storm and not a storm in a teacup

    Prevention and policy: hoping for a gathering storm and not a storm in a teacup Anyone who has followed health policy in England over time will recognise the cycle of rhetoric about prevention. We see announcements of revolutionary approaches and then mostly inaction, punctuated by minor announcements, all for the cycle to start again. The King's Fund
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    Record number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates

    Record number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates The number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates registered to practise in the UK has grown to a record total of 788,638, annual data shows . This means the NMC register is now equivalent to 1.2 percent of the estimated UK population. 

    Underlying this strong growth, 2022–2023 saw the highest number of new joiners to the NMC’s register in a single year – 52,148. Almost half (25,006) were internationally educated, while the number of UK educated joiners rose by 8.5 percent to more than 27,142.

    Meanwhile the number of people leaving the professions fell slightly last year, to just under 27,000. However, the NMC’s research raises concerns for employers and leaders across health and care to tackle in their retention strategies. Nursing and Midwifery Council

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    Government not taking “appalling” harms from alcohol seriously enough

    Government not taking “appalling” harms from alcohol seriously enough An estimated 10 million people in England regularly exceed the Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines, including 1.7 million who drink at higher risk and around 600,000 who are dependent on alcohol. 

    But in a report today the Public Accounts Committee says a “staggering” 82% of those 600,000 dependent drinkers in England are not in treatment despite success rates of around 60% and evidence that, on average, every £1 spent on treatment immediately delivers £3 of benefit and significantly more in the longer term.

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    Individual placement and support for severe mental illness

    Individual placement and support for severe mental illness Individual placement and support (IPS) is an evidence-based model of supported employment. The implementation of IPS has been part of the NHS Long Term Plan and preceding strategies for national mental health improvement for over eight years and is a fundamental part of the ongoing transformation of community mental health services. This guidance is aimed at integrated care systems and outlines how IPS should be embedded within integrated models of primary and community services for patients with severe mental illness. NHS England
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      Tavistock: Top doctor questions need for change at gender clinic

      Tavistock: Top doctor questions need for change at gender clinic A doctor with a key role in reforming a controversial gender identity clinic for children has been recorded questioning the need for change.

      Prof Gary Butler, clinical lead for the children's gender clinic in England and Wales, also appeared to accuse the author of a report, which will underpin the new service, of "nepotism".

      He was recorded making the comments in a keynote speech at a major conference. BBC News
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      People paying for operations up by third since Covid pandemic

      People paying for operations up by third since Covid pandemic The number of people paying privately for operations and treatments in the UK has risen by more than a third since the pandemic started, figures show.

      Last year 272,000 used their own money to pay for treatments, such as knee or eye surgery - up from 199,000 in 2019.

      The NHS backlog has been blamed for the trend, with some of the treatments costing more than £15,000.

      But there does appear to have been a shift away from private insurance driven by the cost of living crisis. BBC News
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      World must prepare for disease more deadlier than Covid, WHO chief warns

      World must prepare for disease more deadlier than Covid, WHO chief warns The head of the World Health Organisation warned on Tuesday that governments need to prepare for a disease even deadlier than Covid-19.

      Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of WHO, told its annual health assembly in Geneva that it was time to advance negotiations on preventing the next pandemic.

      He warned that nation states cannot “kick this can down the road” and that the next global disease was bound to “come knocking”. The Independent

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      NHS England mental health trusts record 26,000 sexual abuse incidents

      NHS England mental health trusts record 26,000 sexual abuse incidents The data over five years puts spotlight on underfunded hospitals where abuse can often easily be hidden, say experts.

      A joint investigation by the Guardian and the British Medical Journal has found that thousands of vulnerable mental health patients have reported claims of being sexually abused in NHS hospitals.

      Data released following freedom of information requests to NHS trusts in England showed that 35,606 “sexual safety incidents” were recorded in hospitals between 2017 and 2022.

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      GPs want officials to think twice about alerting the public to health threats

      GPs want officials to think twice about alerting the public to health threats GPs want officials to think twice about alerting the public to health threats in the future — so they aren't swamped by panicked Brits.

      Under pressure family doctors have complained about the messaging pushed out during last winter's Strep A crisis. The Daily Mail

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      Women are TWICE as likely to die after a heart attack, study finds

      Women are TWICE as likely to die after a heart attack, study finds Women are more than twice as likely to die after a heart attack compared to men, a study suggests.

      More than 30,000 women a year in the UK are admitted to hospital after having a heart attack.

      Now a study from Portugal highlights women’s lower risk of surviving this medical event. The Daily Mail
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      Tuesday, 23 May 2023

      Small conversations about grief to be held in Northampton this summer

      Small conversations about grief to be held in Northampton this summer Delapré Abbey and Fevered Sleep have partnered for the second year running on a project that will invite people to think, talk and learn about grief. The project, titled "This Grief Thing," aims to make grief visible and encourage conversations about the topic, which is often considered taboo. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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      Realising the potential of virtual wards: Exploring the critical success factors for realising the ambitions of virtual wards.

      Realising the potential of virtual wards: Exploring the critical success factors for realising the ambitions of virtual wards. Virtual wards are increasingly being used by the NHS to provide care to patients where they live, whether in a care setting or at home. The NHS has been set a target of 40–50 virtual wards per 100,000 people and, more immediately, to scale up capacity ahead of next winter, to above 10,000 beds by this autumn. 

      This report sets out the critical factors needed to enable the NHS to succeed in achieving these targets and to make virtual wards a sustainable model in the longer term, where patient demand and satisfaction are met, as well as better productivity. NHS Confederation

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      More, more, more: do we have more NHS staff than ever before?

      More, more, more: do we have more NHS staff than ever before? On the face of it, the NHS has more funding and more staff than ever before. Lucina Rolewicz takes a closer look at the trends of staff working in different services, professions and regions, and outlines the possible explanations as to why patients are not reaping the benefits of an increased NHS workforce. Nuffield Trust

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      Building an inclusive workplace: our experience of using benchmarking tools to support change

      Building an inclusive workplace: our experience of using benchmarking tools to support change Back in 2019, a small group of colleagues – from the LGBT+ community and allies – came together to start The King’s Fund’s work on LGBT+ Equality. At the time, there was no outward sign that the Fund was LGBT friendly – no staff network or mentions in the diversity and inclusion (D&I) priorities or on the intranet, queer staff often quiet about their relationships or identity. Through starting to have more open conversations we found some of our queer colleagues, and started to build our network.
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      Prevention is better than cure: three solutions to delayed hospital discharge

      Prevention is better than cure: three solutions to delayed hospital discharge The challenge of discharging patients who are fit to leave hospital in a timely manner has been widely documented. Throughout last winter, official statistics highlighted the startlingly high numbers of people who remained in hospital despite being well enough to leave.

      Over the past six months, an average of 13,531 patients remained in hospital longer than required each month – an increase of more than 1,000 on the six months before.

      The factors contributing to delays are multi-faceted. Solving them will require a shift in the way services are delivered, as well as cross-organisational collaboration. NHS Providers

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      On the day briefing: Labour's Health Mission

      On the day briefing: Labour's Health Mission On 22 May 2023, the leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, delivered a speech announcing the party’s mission to “build an NHS fit for the future”. This is one part of Labour’s 5 Missions for a Better Britain, which will form the basis of its general election manifesto.

      This briefing summarises the key announcements from the speech, Labour’s accompanying technical document and NHS Providers’ response. NHS Providers

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      35,000 cases of sexual misconduct or violence in NHS in five years

      35,000 cases of sexual misconduct or violence in NHS in five years More than 35,000 incidents of sexual misconduct or sexual violence - ranging from derogatory remarks to rape - were recorded on NHS premises in England between 2017 and 2022.

      Rape, sexual assault or being touched without consent accounted for more than one in five cases.

      Most incidents - 58% - involved patients abusing staff. BBC News

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      Junior doctors in England to strike for three days in June

      Junior doctors in England to strike for three days in June Junior doctors in England have announced a new 72-hour walkout in June after the latest round of government pay talks broke down.

      The strike will take place between 07:00 on Wednesday 14 June and 07:00 on Saturday 17 June.

      The British Medical Association (BMA) union, which represents doctors and medical students, said a government offer of a 5% rise was not "credible".

      Ministers said pay talks could only continue if the strike was called off. BBC News

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      Vaping: High lead and nickel found in illegal vapes

      Vaping: High lead and nickel found in illegal vapes Vapes confiscated from school pupils contain high levels of lead, nickel and chromium, BBC News has found.

      Used vapes gathered at Baxter College in Kidderminster were tested in a laboratory.

      The results showed children using them could be inhaling more than twice the daily safe amount of lead, and nine times the safe amount of nickel.

      Some vapes also contained harmful chemicals like those in cigarette smoke.
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      Eight out of 10 adults support ban on advertising junk food to children

       Eight out of 10 adults support ban on advertising junk food to children on TV and online, new research for the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA) suggests.

      The collection of charities and health organisations, which includes the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Association of Directors of Public Health, Diabetes UK, Cancer Research UK, the British Medical Association and the Faculty of Public Health, is calling on the Government to increase its commitment to tackling obesity. The Independent

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      NHS to deliver world first blood-matching test to aid sickle-cell and thalassemia patients

      NHS to deliver world first blood-matching test to aid sickle-cell and thalassemia patients A blood test that could help alleviate the suffering of thousands of people with sickle cell disease and thalassemia is to be introduced by the NHS in what will be a world first. Sky News
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      England's worst-performing hospitals REVEALED: Interactive map lays bare state of all 268 sites

      England's worst-performing hospitals REVEALED: Interactive map lays bare state of all 268 sites All of England's worst-performing hospitals are today named and shamed by our damning analysis.

      MailOnline's huge audit — laid bare in an interactive map that allows you to search your own area — reveals that 268 NHS and private-run sites are giving patients sub-standard care.

      Twenty-three sites, highlighted as red, were ranked 'inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates all hospitals in the country. The Daily Mail
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      More patient misery as the NHS loses 700 dentists

      More patient misery as the NHS loses 700 dentists Patients have been warned they are likely to face continued long waits for care as the NHS is 'haemorrhaging' dentists.

      Figures show 23,577 dentists took on NHS work in England in 2022-23, down from 24,272 in the previous financial year – a drop of 695.

      The last time levels fell below 24,000 – apart from during the Covid pandemic when some services were halted – was in 2014-15, suggests the data obtained by the British Dental Association. The Daily Mail

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      NHS England says all NHS trusts to get own FDP

      NHS England says all NHS trusts to get own FDP Every hospital trust and integrated care system (ICS) may get its own local version of the proposed new Federated Data Platform (FDP) that can connect and collaborate with other data platforms, locally and nationally. 

      This is the approach described in a paper on technology and innovation in the NHS quoted in minutes from NHS England’s (NHSE) May 18 board meeting. Digital Health
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      Monday, 22 May 2023

      Digital technologies: unlocking collective knowledge and expertise in health and care

      Digital technologies: unlocking collective knowledge and expertise in health and care Digital technologies can change how health and care organisations are structured and how they work. They can have an impact on who leaders or staff can reach and hear from: staff can be engaged over longer periods of time and across wider groups of colleagues, and leaders can quantify perceptions of services and reduce their dependency on anecdotal information. The King's Fund
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      Reliance on international nurse recruitment during a workforce crisis

      Reliance on international nurse recruitment during a workforce crisis A cover story in The Times expressed concern at the increasing reliance in the UK on overseas nurses to staff the NHS. The story featured a short piece of exclusive analysis by Dr Billy Palmer drawing on NMC data looking at trends in nurses and midwives joining the UK register from overseas since 2019. Nuffield Trust

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      Parks and green spaces should feel safe to bolster mental health - University of York

      Parks and green spaces should feel safe to bolster mental health Researchers have co-produced a series of short films with people who have experienced mental illness to show the benefits of outdoor spaces.

      The researchers were able to show that being outdoors has significant health benefits, but only if the participants feel safe and the spaces were well maintained. 

      The team at the University of York aimed to highlight the benefits, but also the barriers that restrict people, especially those with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia, from accessing natural outdoor green and blue spaces.
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      £39 million for AMR research as UK launches Global Health Framework

      £39 million for AMR research as UK launches Global Health Framework Cutting-edge research initiatives to develop new treatments to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – known as the “silent killer” – will receive a cash injection of up to £39 million from the UK government’s Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF). Department of Health and Social Care
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      Supply update: Hormone Replacement Therapy medication Utrogestan®

      Supply update: Hormone Replacement Therapy medication Utrogestan® A Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) has been issued across the United Kingdom for Utrogestan® 100mg capsules today. This will allow pharmacists to dispense a maximum of two months’ supply per prescription to help ensure continued access for women who use this popular medicine to help manage symptoms of the menopause. Department of Health and Social Care

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      New Chief Midwifery Officer for England announced

      New Chief Midwifery Officer for England announced We are pleased to announce that Kate Brintworth has been appointed to the role of Chief Midwifery Officer for England. This follows a rigorous recruitment process, which included contributions from colleagues at NHS England and other key stakeholders including the Royal College of Midwives and a family voices panel. NHS England
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      Labour proposes new NHS targets on reducing deaths

      Labour proposes new NHS targets on reducing deaths Sir Keir Starmer is to propose introducing new NHS targets on cutting deaths in England from heart disease, strokes and suicide.

      A Labour government would aim to reduce deaths from heart disease and strokes by a quarter over 10 years and see suicide figures decline within five.

      The Labour leader is giving a speech on the party's NHS policy later.

      The Tories accused Labour of seeking to frustrate its own reforms by repeatedly voting against them. BBC News

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      Patients will be able to use NHS app to opt for private hospital care to help waiting lists - report

      Patients will be able to use NHS app to opt for private hospital care to help waiting lists - report Patients will soon be able to use the NHS app to opt for private hospital treatment in an effort to cut waiting times, according to a report.

      The NHS waiting list for routine treatment stands at more than seven million and is predicted to keep rising until next spring. Sky News

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      New NHS training launched as dementia rates increase among Asian and Black people

      New NHS training launched as dementia rates increase among Asian and Black people Healthcare leaders are rolling out new NHS training to help speed up dementia diagnoses among Black and Asian people following criticism about a lack of support for patients from minoritised communities, The Independent can reveal.

      An awareness campaign is being launched in England to help those from ethnic minority communities receive a prompt diagnosis and get the support they need at the earliest opportunity.

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      Mental health patients forced to travel hundreds of miles for treatment despite government pledge

      Mental health patients forced to travel hundreds of miles for treatment despite government pledge Some mental health patients in England are still having to travel more than 300 miles for hospital treatment two years after the government pledged to end the “completely unacceptable” practice.

      The number of patients in crisis forced to move potentially hundreds of miles for NHS help is rising again after falling during the pandemic, separating them from family and support networks and potentially delaying their recuperation. The Guardian
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      Nurses in England offered ‘golden hellos’ as trusts try to ease staff crisis

      Nurses in England offered ‘golden hellos’ as trusts try to ease staff crisis Nurses in parts of England are being offered “golden hellos” of up to £4,500 to work in the NHS – and not quit – amid fierce competition for staff.

      As the government and the Royal College of Nursing remain in deadlock over pay, some NHS trusts desperate to fill posts have launched their own schemes to attract and retain recruits. The incentives – which include bonuses staggered over two years and relocation packages of up to £8,000 – vary by area and come as the health service grapples with critical shortages and high staff turnover. The Guardian
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      Patients paying £550 an hour to see private GPs amid NHS frustrations

      Patients paying £550 an hour to see private GPs amid NHS frustrations Patients are paying up to £550 an hour to see private GPs amid frustration at the delays many face getting an appointment with an NHS family doctor.

      Growing numbers of paid-for GP services are opening up across Britain, in the latest sign of how the NHS’s inability to offer prompt care is creating a surge in people resorting to private healthcare. The Guardian
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      NHS doctors want ChatGPT AI to write patient heart reports so they can see more people

      NHS doctors want ChatGPT AI to write patient heart reports so they can see more people NHS heart experts want to use artificial intelligence program ChatGPT to write vital patient reports – because they say it would free up time and allow them to see more people.

      The free-to-use software is already being used by students and office-workers to carry out some tasks. The Daily Mail
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      Breakthrough daily diabetes tablet to treat all British heart failure sufferers secures NHS approval

      Breakthrough daily diabetes tablet to treat all British heart failure sufferers secures NHS approval All British heart failure sufferers will now be eligible for a breakthrough daily tablet that dramatically reduces symptoms and boosts survival chances.

      The drug, called dapagliflozin, was previously only available to NHS patients with one of the three types of heart failure – representing roughly half of the million people in the UK living with the incurable condition. The Daily Mail
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      NHS is forced to pay out £4million in compensation and legal fees to victims of sex attacks in hospitals, shocking new figures reveal

      NHS is forced to pay out £4million in compensation and legal fees to victims of sex attacks in hospitals, shocking new figures reveal The NHS has paid out millions of pounds in compensation and legal fees over sex attacks since 2018, new figures show.

      The health service has paid £2,174,658 in damages as well as £1.5million in claimants' legal costs.

      It has also spent £338,194 on its own legal fees, bringing the total bill to more than £4million, The Times reports. The Daily Mail
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      Friday, 19 May 2023

      Corby’s Lakeside Healthcare recruiting women for vaccine trial

      Corby’s Lakeside Healthcare recruiting women for vaccine trial Lakeside Healthcare’s research team is recruiting women for a vaccine trial for a little-known, but common virus that affects nearly 1,000 newborns in the UK per year.

      They’re looking for women aged between 16 and 40.

      Cytomegalovirus or CMV, was discovered in the 1950s by the same research team that discovered polio, mumps and rubella but, so far there is no vaccine. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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      Great work of Northamptonshire midwives highlighted at major conference

      Great work of Northamptonshire midwives highlighted at major conference The amazing ways local midwives support women, babies and their families, was showcased at a conference held to celebrate the International Day of the Midwife.

      The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire event was attended by NHS England’s Chief Midwifery Officer - Jacque Dunkley-Bent –who witnessed the achievements of midwifery teams from Kettering and Northampton general hospitals over the past 12 to 18 months. Northamptonshire Telegraph
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      Opinion: Data reveals long mental health waiting lists in Northampton

      Opinion: Data reveals long mental health waiting lists in Northampton Since 2010, the Conservative Government have cut one-in-four mental health beds across the country, as waiting times for treatment have soared. Across NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board, there were 3,790 children on waiting lists in December and 14,330 adults. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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      Rural mental health

      Rural mental health In this report, MPs express concern about how isolation, poor public transport and a relative lack of digital connectivity have contributed to poor mental health outcomes for all categories of people across rural communities in England, but especially among farm workers and vets. It calls for greater joined-up planning and action from the government to address the issue. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee
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        The Power of Three IVF Cycles: An investigation into levels of knowledge – concerning fertility services, IVF treatment, and specifically the IVF cycle – among GPs and NHS Commissioners in England

        The Power of Three IVF Cycles: An investigation into levels of knowledge – concerning fertility services, IVF treatment, and specifically the IVF cycle – among GPs and NHS Commissioners in England A survey of GPs has revealed that their knowledge of referral and eligibility criteria for IVF treatment, and their understanding of completion points for IVF treatment, are at odds with the NICE Fertility Guideline. This is liable to result in poorer outcomes for fertility patients.

        Almost 20 years ago, NICE introduced its recommendation that the NHS should provide up to three full cycles of IVF to a woman (under 40 years of age) undergoing fertility treatment.1

        The PET report 'The Power of Three IVF Cycles' shows that the NICE Fertility Guideline is not being followed, and is not understood by GPs in England. Progress Educational Trust

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        New research on the value of mediation and resolution in the NHS

        New research on the value of mediation and resolution in the NHS Acas have published our new research in conjunction with East Lancashire East Hospitals NHS Trust on mediation and resolution in the workplace.

        The research highlights how mediation can have a positive effect on organisations, and what employers can proactively do to support their people to manage conflict well. NHS Employers

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        UKHSA science strategy 2023 to 2033: securing health and prosperity

        UKHSA science strategy 2023 to 2033: securing health and prosperity This report outlines the scientific assets, capabilities and ambitions of the UK Health Security Agency, and the plan to protect the nation’s health from current and future health threats. UK Health Security Agency
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          Government meet target 1 year early to recruit primary care staff

          Government meet target 1 year early to recruit primary care staff The government has delivered on its’ manifesto commitment of recruiting 26,000 additional primary care professionals – such as dieticians, paramedics and physiotherapists – who provide care directly to patients, or support doctors and nurses to do so.

          A year ahead of the March 2024 pledge, data published today by NHS England shows there are 29,103 additional primary care staff helping to deliver on one of the government’s key priorities to cut waiting lists. Department of health and Social Care
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          Offer gene test to stroke patients, NHS told

          Offer gene test to stroke patients, NHS told People who have had a stroke caused by a blood clot should have a DNA test to see whether they can be given a drug to help prevent more brain attacks, new draft guidelines for the NHS say.

          Stroke risk increases when someone has had one previously, which is why preventive medication is recommended.

          But a standard anti-clot drug, clopidogrel, works well for patients with certain genes only.

          Others need a different protective drug - so the gene check could save lives.

          The blood or saliva test is quick and affordable. BBC News

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          Use private sector more for NHS patients - Labour

          Use private sector more for NHS patients - Labour The government in England should increase its use of the private sector to tackle the NHS backlog, Labour says.

          It said as many as 300,000 patients have missed out on treatment since it called for greater use of private clinics in January 2022.

          And the party said it was unjust that the lack of action meant only those who could afford to pay for treatment themselves were being seen on time.

          The government said it was delivering by cutting long waits. BBC News
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          Mental health hospitals are ‘making children worse’, leading charity warns

          Mental health hospitals are ‘making children worse’, leading charity warns Mental health hospitals for children are making patients worse, a major charity has found, as more than half of those they treat report negative experiences.

          Britain’s child inpatient mental health units are being used as “holding places” for those needing treatment, and are failing to improve the mental health of those with the most severe needs, according to a report from Mind. The Independent

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          Inquiry into major UK maternity scandal slams NHS for failure to consult Black and Asian families

          Inquiry into major UK maternity scandal slams NHS for failure to consult Black and Asian families An inquiry into maternity care failings at an NHS trust that left dozens of babies dead or brain-damaged is “wholly insufficient” because only a fraction of Black and Asian women have come forward, its chair warned today.

          Donna Ockenden, who is leading a review into Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust after The Independent uncovered poor care over more than a decade, urged hundreds more families to make contact.
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          New obesity jab that sparked diabetes row in US could get NHS green light

          New obesity jab that sparked diabetes row in US could get NHS green light A new obesity jab that sparked a diabetes row in the US is now being considered for wider use by the UK health service.

          Tirzepatide, from Eli Lilly and Company, is currently approved by regulators for type 2 diabetes – but may soon also be approved to treat obesity.

          The weekly jab, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, is the successor to celebrity-endorsed Ozempic and Wegovey — two diabetes drugs that shot to fame on TikTok for helping people lose weight rapidly. Now, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) is seeing whether the drug would be a good use of NHS funds. The Independent

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          New health warning over 'hippy crack': Tiny cannisters are causing FROSTBITE in teens, surgeons say

          New health warning over 'hippy crack': Tiny cannisters are causing FROSTBITE in teens, surgeons say British burns specialists have shared shocking images of the injuries suffered over the years, warning that nitrous oxide cannisters can easily trigger the little-known complication. 

          The drug, also nicknamed 'laughing gas' or 'nos', is loved by teenagers. Cannisters containing it litter streets and parks across the UK. The Daily Mail

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          Thursday, 18 May 2023

          Northamptonshire agencies had 'delayed responses' before baby death

          Northamptonshire agencies had 'delayed responses' before baby death There were "insufficiently robust or delayed responses" to a family whose six-week-old baby died, a report found.

          Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Partnership found the boy had injuries "not inconsistent" with co-sleeping when he died in November 2021.

          It said his mother concealed the pregnancy from social workers, but had they known it may not have prevented his death.

          The agencies involved said they had learned lessons from the case. BBC Northampton

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          Kettering doctor who said she couldn't make a mistake suspended after being found guilty of serious misconduct

          Kettering doctor who said she couldn't make a mistake suspended after being found guilty of serious misconduct A Northamptonshire doctor who told a panel that she could never make a mistake has been suspended. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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          Should we really send more money to the front line?

          Should we really send more money to the front line? Watch the second part of this online event series that engages in challenging debate and get a second opinion on whether some of the fundamental assumptions in modern health policy really bear scrutiny.

          The second event in this series will ask whether the NHS really needs to steer more money to the front line and spend less on administration. This has been a constant refrain among politicians and even the public - but is it wrong or even backwards? The Nuffield Trust

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          Combined authorities: part of the cure for the ailing NHS?

          Combined authorities: part of the cure for the ailing NHS? Consider health as being about more than just health care. It is an often-cited figure that 80 per cent of the causes for which people seek out health care services are about things that happen outside the traditional health sphere, about the wider determinants of health. These are about where and how people live and work, how much support and connection they have to their friends, family and communities, how easily they can get around their area to access vital services like schooling, good jobs and, indeed, quality health care. There is a wide recognition of this fact, but how do you go about tackling the wider determinants of health and ultimately help the NHS? This is where the role of place-based assets, be that local authorities or voluntary sector organisations, or other bodies that have statutory function that links to the wider determinants should be highlighted. The King's Fund
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          Government invites views on tackling major conditions in England

          Government invites views on tackling major conditions in England A call for evidence has been launched to invite views on how best to prevent, early diagnose, treat and manage the 6 major groups of conditions which drive ill health and contribute to the burden of disease in the population in England.

          The 6 major health conditions - cancer, cardiovascular diseases including stroke and diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, dementia, mental ill health and musculoskeletal disorders - affect millions of people in England with data showing that one in 4 suffer from 2 or more of these major long-term conditions. Department of Health and Social Care

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          NHS rolls out new 'lifeline' combination therapy for hundreds of women with womb cancer

          NHS rolls out new 'lifeline' combination therapy for hundreds of women with womb cancer Hundreds of women with advanced womb cancer in England are to be offered a new ‘lifeline’ option from today, as the NHS rolls out a life-extending new combination therapy that can halt the progression of the disease for twice as long as chemotherapy.

          The NHS has agreed landmark commercial deals for two drugs from different manufacturers, which will be used in combination to treat advanced endometrial cancer in between 500 and 750 women each year. NHS England
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          Ageing body scans to aid understanding of why diseases occur

          Ageing body scans to aid understanding of why diseases occur The world's biggest human imaging project is set to rescan the brains and bodies of 60,000 UK volunteers to find new ways of treating and preventing disease.

          By looking at how bodies age, the study could help predict those more likely to develop dementia or different cancers.

          The study has already led to a genetic test for people born with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. BBC News
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          Call for national guidelines on discussing past trauma in maternity appointments

          Call for national guidelines on discussing past trauma in maternity appointments National guidelines are needed to help maternity care professionals navigate discussions with pregnant women about past traumas, experts have said.

          Their study also found that while talking about previously experienced traumas can be valuable, they can also trigger painful memories if not approached sensitively.  The Independent

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          Obese patients cost NHS double the amount of healthy people

          Obese patients cost NHS double the amount of healthy people Obese patients cost the NHS double the amount that people who are a healthy weight do, a landmark new study has revealed.

          One million patients who were a healthy weight cost the NHS £638 on average in 2019, the research found. Meanwhile, £1,375 was spent per year on morbidly obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 40.

          Experts warned the future viability of the NHS relies on combatting increasing obesity as it was leading to record levels of long-term sickness.

          The research, presented at the European Congress of Obesity in Dublin, is the first to show how NHS spending varies depending on a patient’s weight. The Independent

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          Lesbian and bisexual women at higher risk of heart disease, study finds

          Lesbian and bisexual women at higher risk of heart disease, study finds Cardiologists should ask patients about their sexual orientation during heart checkups, researchers say.

          The recommendation came from a study that found lesbian and bisexual women are at a higher risk of heart disease than their straight counterparts. Meanwhile, gay men were at a lower risk compared to heterosexual men of the same age. The Daily Mail

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          Wednesday, 17 May 2023

          Unpicking the inequalities in the elective backlogs in England

          Unpicking the inequalities in the elective backlogs in England As part of new research project that explores how NHS providers and integrated care systems (ICSs) are approaching inclusive recovery, we have found that, in 2022, people in the most deprived areas were twice as likely to be waiting more than a year for elective care compared to people in the least deprived areas. This paper explores three big questions health and care leaders should be asking themselves and their teams about inequalities in their elective backlog: how are we measuring inequalities and why, do we know why inequalities exist, and how will we know if things are improving? The King's Fund
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          Active and healthy counties: encouraging, supporting and enabling residents to live healthy lives

          Active and healthy counties: encouraging, supporting and enabling residents to live healthy lives This report finds that the number of adults in England’s county areas who are overweight or obese has increased by 1.1m in county and rural areas since 2015. It sets out the scale of the challenge for county councils and unitary councils in counties and also highlights what those local authorities are doing to encourage healthier and more active lives from their residents across 16 best practice case studies. It is released ten years since public health functions were transferred from the NHS to local government. It says that as providers of public health services, as well as being responsible for leisure centres and active travel infrastructure such as cycle lanes, councils are best placed to engage with communities to support and enable residents to live healthier lives. County Councils Network
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            Avian flu detected in 2 individuals taking part in testing programme

            Avian flu detected in 2 individuals taking part in testing programme UKHSA has detected influenza A (H5) virus in 2 poultry workers, following the introduction of an asymptomatic testing programme for people who have been in contact with infected birds.

            The 2 people returning positive tests are known to have recently worked on an infected poultry farm in England. Neither has experienced any symptoms of avian influenza and both have since tested negative. UK Health Security Agency

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            Health secretary attends Japan summit with health tech at top of the agenda

            Health secretary attends Japan summit with health tech at top of the agenda Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, concluded a visit to Japan for the G7 health ministers’ meeting, where he led discussions with international counterparts on how technology can be used to improve patient care, reduce pressure on health and social care staff and cut waiting times for patients. Department of Health and Social Care
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            Building work pending for many of 40 promised hospitals

            Building work pending for many of 40 promised hospitals Building work is yet to start for 33 of the government's 40 promised new hospitals in England, the BBC has found.

            Most are still waiting to hear what their final budget will be for the projects with a 2030 deadline. Only two are finished and open.

            Ministers aimed to have six ready for 2025 - but none of this group has full planning permission or funding yet.

            The government insists it remains committed to meeting the targets.

            Health leaders say they need urgent clarity. BBC News
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            Nurses strike because patients are dying - RCN union boss Pat Cullen

            Nurses strike because patients are dying - RCN union boss Pat Cullen Patients are not dying because nurses are striking, nurses are striking because patients are dying, the head of the Royal College of Nursing says.

            Speaking at the union's annual conference, Pat Cullen praised nurses' protests over pay and safe staffing.

            She told delegates she has been invited to have more discussions with Health Secretary Steve Barclay.

            The government confirmed the meeting but said a deal recently reached with other unions would "not be reopened". BBC News

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            Teachers and nurses dragged into higher taxes, warns think tank

            Teachers and nurses dragged into higher taxes, warns think tank Millions more people, including teachers and nurses, will pay a higher rate of income tax, a leading think tank has warned.

            A freeze on income tax thresholds from April means more people will pay a 40% rate, in what the Institute for Fiscal Studies described as the biggest tax raising drive since the late 1970s.

            It claimed this will contribute to a sharp fall in household finances.

            And if inflation remains high, more people will be affected. BBC News

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            Needle-free Covid vaccination trials taking place in Cambridge

            Needle-free Covid vaccination trials taking place in Cambridge Trials are taking place of a new needle-free Covid vaccine in Cambridge, where the technology was developed.

            The vaccine, administered through a jet of air, was developed by Prof Jonathan Heeney of Cambridge University and chief executive of DIOSynVax.

            Volunteers recruited last month are being vaccinated at Addenbrooke's Hospital in the city.

            Safety trials have already been conducted at the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility. BBC News
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            Do not resuscitate: Man choked to death after paramedics stood down

            Do not resuscitate: Man choked to death after paramedics stood down Experts are calling for "do not resuscitate" orders to be scrapped, saying they are being misused and putting people's lives at risk. One woman told BBC News that her elderly father might still be alive if the DNR in his medical file had been properly checked.
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            Cardio exercise can help reduce risk of dying from flu, study suggests

            Cardio exercise can help reduce risk of dying from flu, study suggests People who are at a higher risk of dying from flu could benefit from upping their cardio exercise levels, a new study suggests.

            Even exercising below the nationally recommended standards could help reduce a person’s risk of dying from flu or pneumonia, scientists said. The Independent

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            Quarter of people with dementia symptoms delay seeing doctor

            Quarter of people with dementia symptoms delay seeing doctor Almost a quarter of people with dementia symptoms waited more than six months before seeing a doctor, new research shows.

            A new survey for the Alzheimer’s Society to mark Dementia Action Week also found one in three people who notice they or a loved one has symptoms keep their fears to themselves or dismiss them as old age.

            Just 15 per cent of the 1,137 people surveyed raised the issue straight away and 11 per cent said they hadn’t raised concerns after first spotting symptoms. The Independent

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            Second patient with 'natural immunity' against Alzheimer's warded off disease for 20 years

            Second patient with 'natural immunity' against Alzheimer's warded off disease for 20 years A man managed to ward off Alzheimer's disease thanks to his natural immunity, despite having a gene that made him more susceptible - making him the second known case.

            A team of international scientists found the Colombian man, who was predicted to have dementia in his 40s, also carried a rare genetic variation that helped protect him from the debilitating memory condition. The Daily Mail

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