FGM survivors recount horror of practice: 'I was sobbing, it was brutal'

FGM survivors recount horror of practice: 'I was sobbing, it was brutal' Warnings come as report finds official data on global prevalence of FGM ‘woefully’ underestimates nature and scale. The Independent 

HIV prevention drug PrEP 'to be made available on the NHS this year'

HIV prevention drug PrEP 'to be made available on the NHS this year' A drug which prevents HIV infection is to be made available on the NHS this year, it is reported.

The Sunday Times reported that PrEP - or pre-exposure prophylaxis - will be made "routinely available" to patients deemed to be at greater risk of catching HIV from April. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• HIV drug PrEP to be available across England Department of Health and Social Care
• PrEP: Preventative HIV drug available in England from April BBC News
• Preventative HIV drug ready for NHS ‘from April’ The Independent

Defining and refining success: innovation in the NHS

Defining and refining success: innovation in the NHS In our new report last week on the spread of new innovations in the NHS, we identified four key themes that innovators, potential adopters and policy-makers should keep in mind to achieve scale and spread across the health service. Here co-author Rachel Hutchings focuses on the first of those – defining and refining success. Nuffield Trust

COVID-19: Government announces moving out of contain phase and into delay

COVID-19: Government announces moving out of contain phase and into delay The Government has announced that we are moving out of the contain phase and into delay, in response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Covid-19 critical incident plan launched in Northamptonshire today Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Speech: NHS nurses, we thank you for your service as we get through coronavirus together Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: COVID-19: stay at home guidance Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: investigation and initial clinical management of possible cases Public Health England
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Public Health England
• Video consultations during Covid-19 Royal College of General Practitioners
• Coronavirus: What we’ve learned about UK 'delay' response BBC News
• Coronavirus: People with fever or persistent cough told to self-isolate BBC News
• Up to 10,000 in UK 'likely to have coronavirus' - chief scientific adviser BBC News
• Coronavirus: UK's approach 'concerning', says Jeremy Hunt BBC News
• Coronavirus: Government expert defends not closing UK schools BBC News
• Coronavirus: "I've had worse flu, without a doubt" BBC News
• Coronavirus UK: Health experts on Boris Johnson's measures The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus update: How the world is reacting to the outbreak The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: Boris Johnson warns we 'may lose loved ones' The Daily Mail
• Britain's chief medic puts NHS on coronavirus war-footing The Daily Mail
• An empty world: How public spaces have been left eerily vacant by COVID-19 The Daily Telegraph
• Anyone with persistent cough or fever told to self-isolate for seven days GPonline
• Johnson: many more people will lose loved ones to coronavirus The Guardian
• No 10 coronavirus briefing reassuring in its lack of reassurance The Guardian
• The Guardian view on the government and coronavirus: a risky path | Editorial The Guardian
• Verdicts of experts on government's new coronavirus measures The Guardian
• Health expert brands UK's coronavirus response 'pathetic' The Guardian
• Can the NHS cope with coronavirus? - podcast The Guardian
• NHS prepares to cancel elective ops in readiness for covid-19 surge Health Service Journal
• NHS seeks 'seven-fold' surge in intensive care capacity Health Service Journal
• Coronavirus: 'Highly likely' that NHS will be overrun by Covid-19, EU health authorities warn The Independent
• Internal memo leaked from NHS over COVID19 UK News in Pictures

Inspire, attract and recruit toolkit updated

Inspire, attract and recruit toolkit updated Our Inspire, attract and recruit toolkit has been updated for 2020, with changes made to bring it up to date with current developments and links added to new resources. NHS Employers

Chairing more than one trust board

Chairing more than one trust board This report highlights the potential benefits and risks of more than one trust sharing a chair. This arrangement is becoming increasingly common for a range of different reasons, often including a trend towards greater collaboration and consolidation of trusts, a drive to improve quality and efficiency, and new partnerships with the development of system working. NHS Providers

Study highlights factors behind rising rates of child suicide

Study highlights factors behind rising rates of child suicide Around eight in every 100 children aged 9–10 years in the USA report suicidal ideation – such as temporarily or regularly thinking about, considering, or planning suicide, according to a new study.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 10–14-year-olds in the USA, and the number of children’s hospital admissions for suicidal thoughts or self-harm has more than doubled over the last decade, increasing from 0.67% in 2008 to 1.79% in 2015. OnMedica

See also:

• Risk and protective factors for childhood suicidality: a US population-based study (abstract) Lancet Psychiatry

Up to two-year wait for sleep apnoea treatment

Up to two-year wait for sleep apnoea treatment People with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are having to wait up to two years for appropriate treatment.

About two million people in the UK have moderate or severe symptoms related to OSA, which makes patients temporarily stop breathing while asleep.

This can happen hundreds of times a night, leaving them exhausted, with poor memory and concentration and a significantly higher risk of accidents.

A recent spike in diagnosis has been linked to rising levels of obesity. BBC News

Hike to immigration health surcharge will 'penalise' NHS workers from overseas, campaigners say

Hike to immigration health surcharge will 'penalise' NHS workers from overseas, campaigners say Ministers have been accused of “penalising” much-needed healthcare workers from overseas and pricing people out of immigration status after the Chancellor announced a hike to NHS fees for migrants.

Rishi Sunak announced during his Budget speech on Wednesday that the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – paid annually by migrants living in Britain – would increase from £400 to £624 to ensure that that “what people get out, they also put in”.​ The Independent

Responding to the evidence on inequalities in health

Responding to the evidence on inequalities in health In early January I highlighted three things related to the public’s health coming in the next three to six months. Two of those are now here: the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Longevity’s report, The health of the nation: a strategy for healthier longer lives, which covers what the government needs to do to meet its own ambition of an extra five years of healthy life for every individual by 2035 plus narrowing inequalities; and Health equity in England: the Marmot review 10 years on, an assessment of progress on health inequalities and the wider determinants of health 10 years after Fair society, healthy lives. The King's Fund

NHS and Google act to ensure that health information can be trusted

NHS and Google act to ensure that health information can be trusted he NHS today unveiled new developments in its efforts to ensure people find trusted information online. It has worked with Google to ensure it provides the public in the UK with easy access to NHS information about more than 250 of the most searched for health conditions on the NHS website, through new Knowledge Panels. NHS Digital

Summary of Budget 2020: Key points at-a-glance

Summary of Budget 2020: Key points at-a-glance Chancellor Rishi Sunak has delivered his first Budget in the House of Commons, announcing the government's tax and spending plans for the year ahead.

Here is a summary of the main points. BBC News

See also:

• Today's Budget rightly focuses on coronavirus but longer term questions remain unanswered The Health Foundation
• The King's Fund responds to today’s Budget statement The King's Fund
• Budget 2020 - summary for employers NHS Employers
• Coronavirus money welcome, but services start in a deep hole – Nuffield Trust response to budget Nuffield trust

Coronavirus: UK expected to move to 'delay' phase of outbreak

Coronavirus: UK expected to move to 'delay' phase of outbreak The government is expected to announce that it is stepping up its response to the coronavirus.

It is anticipated the UK will switch to tactics aimed at delaying its spread, rather than containing it, when the government's emergency committee meets.

It comes after the World Health Organization labelled the outbreak of the disease as a pandemic.

Schools, colleges and other public facilities in the Republic of Ireland are to close until 29 March.

Overnight, Donald Trump suspended travel to the US from 26 European countries - but not the UK or Ireland. BBC News

See also:

• Heather Holmes care home staff member has coronavirus BBC Northampton
• Number of Northamptonshire coronavirus cases moves to four Daventry Express
• Kettering school CLOSED after person tests positive for coronavirus Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• Covid 19 - management of medical and dental training programmes NHS Employers
• NHS to ramp up coronavirus testing labs NHS England
• A&E stats suggest public listening to coronavirus advice Nuffield Trust
• Guidance: COVID-19: track coronavirus cases Public Health England
• GPs must receive 'significant share' of emergency funding to tackle COVID-19, says College Chair Royal College of General Practitioners
• Coronavirus: UK spread in maps and charts BBC News
• Coronavirus: Your Questions Answered BBC News
• Coronavirus confirmed as pandemic by World Health Organization BBC News
• Coronavirus: Biggest daily rise as UK cases reach 456 BBC News
• NHS trainee nurses to work on wards to help tackle coronavirus The Daily Mail
• How will Trump's Europe-US travel ban work, and will it slow the coronavirus spread? The Daily Telegraph
• NHS working with tech giants to battle coronavirus fake news Digital Health
• New service will manage patients with COVID-19 who are self-isolating at home GPonline
• Pledge to fund NHS coronavirus battle 'whatever it costs' The Guardian
• As a GP, I see how the challenge of coronavirus could help improve the NHS The Guardian
• Complete shutdown of UK universities due to Covid-19 'impossible' The Guardian
• Coronavirus: NHS bosses warn hospitals over intensive care demand surge The Independent
• Coronavirus: Unqualified nursing students to be drafted in to help hospitals amid UK outbreak, NHS boss reveals The Independent
• Budget: Extra £5 Billion for the NHS to Combat COVID-19 Medscape
• NHS set to mobilise student nurses to help tackle coronavirus Nursing Times
• Coronavirus: Nursing chief outlines problems NHS faces in event of large coronavirus outbreak Sky News

'My anti-depressant withdrawal was worse than depression'

'My anti-depressant withdrawal was worse than depression' The mental health charity Mind says it is signposting people to street drug charities to help them withdraw from antidepressants because of the lack of alternatives available. Those affected can experience debilitating symptoms. BBC News

Budget Confirms EU Migrants Face New £620 Fee To Use NHS

Budget Confirms EU Migrants Face New £620 Fee To Use NHS A family of four from the EU migrating to the UK will face a new £2,200-a-year fee to use the NHS, the Budget has confirmed.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an extra £6bn for the NHS, but buried news that the government plans to hike up the immigration health surcharge.

The levy is added to visa applications as an annual fee for UK healthcare. Huffington Post UK

'Thank God I said something': the beauticians who spot domestic abuse

'Thank God I said something': the beauticians who spot domestic abuse A Brazilian scheme is teaching salon workers to help identify at-risk women. And a similar scheme is now being trialled in the UK

Ivone Vera, 35, sits in a small room in a beauty salon in Campo Grande, Brazil, where she spends her days waxing clients. It’s an intimate space with a bed, a table in the corner, bare walls and no windows. Within the privacy of these four walls, over the last three years she has heard countless stories of women’s abuse at the hands of their male partners.

“What I hear in this room really affects me and sometimes I don’t know what I can do. There are times I lie awake at night, not able to go to sleep thinking about what I’ve heard,” she says. The Guardian

Chronic migraine sufferers to get first new drug in 20 years

Chronic migraine sufferers to get first new drug in 20 years Thousands of NHS patients will benefit from the first new treatment for migraines in 20 years.

A drug that can be self-injected at home will benefit 10,000 people who have chronic migraines, drugs watchdog NICE announced.

The medication, which is called Fremanezumab, was developed by British scientists over three decades. The Daily Mail

What interventions improve college and university students’ mental health and wellbeing? A review of review-level evidence

What interventions improve college and university students’ mental health and wellbeing? A review of review-level evidence This review of 23 evidence reviews published over the last 20 years, establishes what is known about effective ways to improve student mental health and wellbeing. It sets out out what works and what can be done to fill the evidence gaps. What Works Centre for Wellbeing

Coronavirus : NHS to ramp up testing capacity

Coronavirus : NHS to ramp up testing capacity With the number of UK coronavirus cases set to rise, NHS England says it is scaling up its capacity for testing people for the infection.

It means 10,000 tests a day can be done - 8,000 more than the 1,500 being carried out currently.

Confirmation of any positive test results will be accelerated, helping people take the right action to recover or quickly get treatment.

Most of the people tested should get a result back within 24 hours. BBC News

See also:

• Detailed guide: Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK Department of Health and Social Care
• COVID-19: investigation and initial clinical management of possible cases Public Health England
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for employees, employers and businesses Public Health England
• Coronavirus: UK virus cases reach 373 as sixth person dies BBC News
• Coronavirus: Care home residents could be 'cocooned' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Health minister Nadine Dorries tests positive BBC News
• GPs 'concerned over lack of coronavirus guidance' BBC News
• Coronavirus in the UK: How are people responding? BBC News
• Coronavirus: Life under Italy's lockdown BBC News
• Budget 2020: Five ways Rishi Sunak could tackle coronavirus BBC News
• Boris Johnson chairs Cobra as Coronavirus crisis steps up The Daily Mail
• Four patients, four outcomes: the case studies that show how coronavirus could affect you The Daily Telegraph
• Coronavirus: 'Confused' GPs using catering aprons because they have not been given protective equipment The Daily Telegraph
• Two thirds of GPs say their practice is not ready for coronavirus GPonline
• Treat patients with flu-like illness who need hospitalisation as coronavirus, PHE says GPonline
• Switch GP appointments to phone or digital where possible with 'immediate effect', says Hancock GPonline
• Health minister Nadine Dorries diagnosed with coronavirus The Guardian
• Government fails to detail how retired doctors plan will work for coronavirus The Guardian
• Coronavirus confusion as NHS helpline gives out wrong advice The Guardian
• Budget: Sunak to pledge billions to soften Covid-19 impact The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Warning over lack of social care plans for UK epidemic The Independent
• Coronavirus ‘would spread like wildfire’ if outbreak hit UK prisons, experts warn The Independent
• Tory health minister Nadine Dorries diagnosed with coronavirus The Independent
• Coronavirus: Britons should access GP services digitally, health secretary warns Sky News

Second patient cured of HIV, say doctors

Second patient cured of HIV, say doctors A man from London has become the second person in the world to be cured of HIV, doctors say.

Adam Castillejo is still free of the virus more than 30 months after stopping anti-retroviral therapy.

He was not cured by the HIV drugs, however, but by a stem-cell treatment he received for a cancer he also had, the Lancet HIV journal reports. BBC News