Creating culture at speed in a crisis

Creating culture at speed in a crisis To build a hospital in 13 days is a big challenge. To build a culture in 13 days is an even bigger one. But that is what we had to do at NHS Nightingale Hospital North West. The King's Fund

As if Expendable: the UK government’s failure to protect older people in care homes during the covid-19 pandemic

As if Expendable: the UK government’s failure to protect older people in care homes during the covid-19 pandemic As lockdown began, thousands of patients were sent from hospitals into care homes. In three months 18,562 people living in Care Homes died with COVID-19. Our report As if Expendable highlights the UK Government's failure to protect older people in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amnesty International 

See also:

• Covid: Care homes policies violated human rights, says Amnesty BBC News
• Coronavirus UK: Care home policies 'exposed residents to virus then BLOCKED them from medical care' The Daily Mail

Delivering a ‘net zero’ National Health Service

Delivering a ‘net zero’ National Health Service This report provides an account of the NHS’ modelling and analytics underpinning the latest NHS carbon footprint, trajectories to net zero and the interventions required to achieve that ambition. It lays out the direction, scale and pace of change. It describes an iterative and adaptive approach, which will periodically review progress and aims to increase the level of ambition over time. NHS England

1 in 8 people in England have now been tested for coronavirus

1 in 8 people in England have now been tested for coronavirus 1 in 8 people have now received a coronavirus test at least once since the launch of NHS Test and Trace on 28 May. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• PHE statement on delayed reporting of COVID-19 cases Public Health England
• Research and analysis: National COVID-19 surveillance reports Public Health England

Covid: 16,000 coronavirus cases missed in daily figures after IT error

Covid: 16,000 coronavirus cases missed in daily figures after IT error A technical glitch that meant nearly 16,000 cases of coronavirus went unreported has delayed efforts to trace contacts of people who tested positive.

Public Health England said 15,841 cases between 25 September and 2 October were left out of the UK daily case figures.

They were then added to Saturday's figure of 12,872 new cases and Sunday's 22,961 figure. BBC News

See also:

• Covid: UK announces more than 10,000 daily cases for first time BBC News
• Covid: Things 'bumpy to Christmas and beyond' - PM BBC News
• Coronavirus: How do monoclonal antibodies work? BBC News
• How Covid-19 infection rates DOUBLED in most local lockdown areas in England The Daily Mail
• Did early focus on hand washing and not masks aid spread of Covid-19? The Guardian
• Leak reveals possible harsher three-tier Covid plan for England The Guardian
• Military will help distribute Covid-19 vaccine, says Hancock The Guardian
• UK hospitals already using Trump antibody drug, says expert The Guardian
• Coronavirus: First wave caused ‘substantial harm and distress’ to vulnerable people, charities warn ahead of second spike The Independent
• Coronavirus: Only half of UK population to get vaccine, task force boss says The Independent

‘It’s essential that intervention is possible’: Women, isolation, and suicide

‘It’s essential that intervention is possible’: Women, isolation, and suicide The ONS has shown that the number of women taking their own lives annually is at its highest level since 2004. We need to talk about isolated women and what effect coronavirus might have on these statistics. The Independent

Care watchdog to target NHS maternity units after baby death scandals

Care watchdog to target NHS maternity units after baby death scandals The care watchdog is to target poorly performing NHS maternity units after a series of maternity scandals revealed by The Independent.

The Care Quality Commission is drawing up plans to spot high-risk maternity units and will use data on their patient outcomes and culture to draw up a list of facilities for targeted inspection.

Overstretched health visitors caring for up to 2,400 families each

Overstretched health visitors caring for up to 2,400 families each Overstretched health visitors have been forced to care for up to 2,400 families with newborns at a time, 10 times the recommended number, according to the sector’s most senior figure.

Prompting fears that breastfeeding rates will drop to new lows and a generation of babies could face a troubled future, Cheryll Adams, the chief executive of the Institute of Health Visiting, told the Guardian that as sickness and redeployment struck, some health visitors were having to care for thousands of families. The Guardian

Most of Boris Johnson's promised 40 new hospitals will not be totally new

Most of Boris Johnson's promised 40 new hospitals will not be totally new After election pledge, bulk of £3.7bn scheme’s projects involve rebuilding or consolidation

Ministers have set out more details of Boris Johnson’s much-scrutinised election promise to build 40 new hospitals in England, revealing that the bulk of the projects involve rebuilding or consolidation, and that only four have been started.

The scheme comes with a promised spending package of £3.7bn. However, NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, said the real cost of building 40 new hospitals would be more like £20bn. The Guardian

See also:

• Press release: PM confirms £3.7 billion for 40 hospitals in biggest hospital building programme in a generation Department of Health and Social Care

Almost 500,000 Northants residents eligible for flu vaccine to help combat Covid risks

 Almost 500,000 Northants residents eligible for flu vaccine to help combat Covid risks More than half of the Northants population is eligible for the flu vaccine this winter amid evidence that contracting both the virus and Covid-19 at the same time more than doubles the risk of death. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Specialised commissioning: lessons from history and looking to the future

Specialised commissioning: lessons from history and looking to the future Despite perhaps not receiving much attention, specialised commissioning is one of the fastest growing parts of the NHS budget, and from this month provider collaboratives will be responsible for commissioning specialised services for mental health. Nigel Edwards looks back at the historical problems of specialised commissioning, why finding solutions has often been difficult, and how policy-makers can this time avoid the mistakes of the past. Nuffield Trust

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Development & Implementation; Scenarios, Options, Key Decisions

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Development & Implementation; Scenarios, Options, Key Decisions  This report discusses the key issues involved in developing, evaluating, manufacturing and distributing a vaccine for COVID-19, the impact of those challenges and future strategies to mitigate their effects. The Royal Society

See also:

• Covid: Vaccine will 'not return life to normal in spring' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Vaccination of UK population could take more than a year, experts warn The Independent

Inquiry into the support available for young people who self-harm

Inquiry into the support available for young people who self-harm This inquiry explored the experiences of young people who self-harm in accessing support services. In particular, it examined: support services currently available in both clinical and the wider community settings (including schools); plans for improving and expanding this support; and the changes needed to ensure that support is made more effective and widely available. The report concludes that young people who self-harm are often made to wait until they reach crisis point before receiving support. All-Party Parliamentary Group on Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention

NHS to introduce ‘one stop shops’ in the community for life saving checks

NHS to introduce ‘one stop shops’ in the community for life saving checks The NHS is set to radically overhaul the way MRI, CT and other diagnostic services are delivered for patients, a major report to NHS England recommends today. Community diagnostic hubs or ‘one stop shops’ should be created across the country, away from hospitals, so that patients can receive life-saving checks close to their homes. NHS England

NHS becomes the world’s first national health system to commit to become ‘carbon net zero’, backed by clear deliverables and milestones

NHS becomes the world’s first national health system to commit to become ‘carbon net zero’, backed by clear deliverables and milestones World Health Organisation Director General backs NHS’s leadership as the world’s largest single health system. The NHS has today adopted a multiyear plan to become the world’s first carbon net zero national health system. The commitment comes amid growing evidence of the health impacts of climate change and air pollution. NHS England

See also:

• Home visits, digital appointments and electric ambulances in NHS plans to be carbon neutral by 2045 The Daily Telegraph
• NHS becomes world's first health system to commit to net zero Business Green

Health and care staff can claim immigration health surcharge reimbursement

Health and care staff can claim immigration health surcharge reimbursement Overseas NHS and care workers can claim their reimbursement from the surcharge from today. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Health and care staff can claim immigration health surcharge reimbursement NHS England

Further restrictions confirmed in parts of the North East and North West in response to rising infection rates

Further restrictions confirmed in parts of the North East and North West in response to rising infection rates Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock spoke about the measures introduced in the North East being extended to cover the Liverpool City region, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Official Statistics: REACT-1 study of coronavirus transmission: September 2020 results Department of Health and Social Care
• Priority groups for coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination: advice from the JCVI, 25 September 2020 Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Restrictions for England to be standardised into three tiers

Coronavirus: Restrictions for England to be standardised into three tiers The government is to push ahead with a new "three-tier" approach to coronavirus restrictions in local areas of England, the BBC understands.

The Department of Health confirmed last month the system was being considered - but it has now been signed off by government officials and politicians.

An announcement is expected next week, with the roll-out of the new tiers expected in mid-October. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Doctors told to plan for vaccination scheme BBC News
• Coronavirus: Loss of smell may be clearer sign than cough BBC News
• Coronavirus: Donald Trump and Melania test positive BBC News
• Coronavirus antibodies from blood plasma donations start to fade three months after symptoms start The Daily Mail
• NHS Covid disruption could cause tens of thousands of deaths, MPs warn The Guardian
• 'On a knife-edge': NHS frontline prepares for a Covid second wave The Guardian
• Nurses barred from handling NHS 111 Covid calls after 60% found to be unsafe The Guardian
• Covid cases doubled under most local lockdowns in England The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Test and Trace failing to reach almost 30% of close contacts, latest data shows The Independent
• Covid-positive MP paid tribute to NHS staff before taking train home Metro

Children's gender identity clinic concerns go back 15 years

Children's gender identity clinic concerns go back 15 years Doctors at a child gender clinic raised concerns about the use of puberty blockers 15 years ago - an issue that was also discussed by staff last year.

An internal review conducted in 2005, obtained by BBC Newsnight, says some clinicians felt pressured to refer patients for the treatment too quickly.

Staff at the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) raised serious safeguarding issues last year. BBC News

'I brought skills with me from a war zone': the long history of migrants in the NHS

'I brought skills with me from a war zone': the long history of migrants in the NHS From street artist paramedics to doctors finding love in the hospital lifts, a new digital exhibition celebrates the unknown stories of those who transformed our nation’s health. The Guardian

See also:

• Heart of the Nation: Migration and the Making of the NHS (opens 5th October) Migration Museum