Delivering core NHS and care services during the pandemic and beyond: Government response to the Committee’s second report of session 2019–21

Delivering core NHS and care services during the pandemic and beyond: Government response to the Committee’s second report of session 2019–21 This report finds that the Covid-19 response has greatly accelerated the use of digital technology, has mainstreamed remote consultations and similar effects are being seen for remote monitoring. There has been greater flexibility and resilience in the workforce, as well as improved decision making and access to information through the better use of data and simplified information governance guidance. It concludes that these changes should be embedded and extended to support the health and care system’s recovery from the pandemic and ongoing resilience. House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee

COVID-19 vaccines rolled out to people aged 70 years and over from today

COVID-19 vaccines rolled out to people aged 70 years and over from today Millions of people aged 70 and over and those clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 will be invited to get their vaccinations from today (Monday 18 January) as the NHS begins roll out of the vaccines to the next 2 priority groups. Department of Health and Social Care 

See also:

• AI at the forefront of efforts to treat coronavirus patients Department of Health and Social Care
• British public urged to play their part in historic vaccine roll out Department of Health and Social Care
• Research and analysis: Liverpool COVID-19 community testing pilot: interim evaluation report summary Department of Health and Social Care
• Transparency data: Coronavirus cases by local authority: epidemiological data, 14 January 2021 Department of Health and Social CareNHS Test and Trace reaches one million people over new year, as record numbers test positive
• Transparency data: NHS Test and Trace (England) statistics: 31 December 2020 to 6 January 2021 Department of Health and Social Care
• Social care sector to receive £269 million to boost staffing levels and testing Department of Health and Social Care
• A&E visits 50 per cent higher in December than April COVID peak NHS England
• Docs and cops warn on COVID-19 cons NHS England
• Confirmed cases of COVID-19 variant from South Africa identified in UK Public Health England
• Official Statistics: National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports Public Health England
• More than a third of over 80s vaccinated against COVID-19 Public Health England

Covid-19: England delivering 140 jabs a minute, says NHS chief executive

Covid-19: England delivering 140 jabs a minute, says NHS chief executive People in England are being vaccinated four times faster than new cases of the virus are being detected, NHS England's chief executive has said. 

Sir Simon Stevens told the BBC that 140 people a minute were now being given the jab, usually the first dose of two.

But he said the NHS had never been in a more precarious position, with 75% more Covid patients than at the April peak. BBC News 

See also:

• Covid-19 vaccinations done 'four times faster' than people catching virus BBC News
• Covid-19: Vaccination rollout begins for over-70s in England BBC News
• Covid: Intensive care patients transferred from London to Newcastle BBC News
• Covid-19: Early signs of lockdown restrictions working BBC News
• Covid-19: Can you catch the virus outside? BBC News
• Covid: 'Convalescent plasma no benefit to hospital patients' BBC News
• Coronavirus doctor's diary: Karen caught Covid from the hospital - and took it home BBC News
• Covid UK: One-in-eight 'recovered' Covid patients DIE within 140 days The Daily Mail
• Covid: Brazilian 'super strain' already in the UK, scientist reveals The Daily Mail
• Care home Covid cases TRIPLE in a month: MOST outbreaks are among elderly residents The Daily Mail
• Thousands of doses of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine 'could be wasted' The Daily Mail
• UK faces delays in delivery of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine The Daily Telegraph
• Inside an NHS hospital at the peak of the coronavirus crisis The Guardian
• Doctors in UK and Ireland face 'ongoing distress' from Covid first wave The Guardian
• NHS in most precarious position in its history, says chief executive The Guardian
• NHS crisis in charts: how Covid has increased strain on health service The Guardian
• Public confidence NHS can cope with Covid at lowest ever level – poll The Guardian
• UK 'nowhere near' looking at lifting Covid lockdown restrictions The Guardian
• Hospitals told to free up beds ahead of influx of patients as ‘toughest part’ of pandemic looms The Independent
• NHS doctors 'told to throw out leftover Covid vaccines' Metro

'Being sectioned felt like a punishment'

'Being sectioned felt like a punishment' Black people are four more times more likely than white people to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act, according to NHS figures.

When Antonio Ferreira was sectioned he says he felt he was discriminated against because of his skin colour.

Now a student at Essex University, he hopes to improve police understanding of mental health problems. BBC News 

Migrant healthcare workers on Covid frontline angry about deportation risk

Migrant healthcare workers on Covid frontline angry about deportation risk Migrant doctors and other healthcare professionals who have contracted Covid-19 while caring for NHS patients sick with the virus say they are devastated that a parliamentary bill that would have given them the right to remain in the UK has been postponed.

The healthcare workers said they were holding out hope that the second reading of the private members’ bill – which had been scheduled for 15 January and is now cancelled – could give them immigration security if passed. The Guardian 

Rise in youngsters with eating disorders is yet another distressing cost of the Covid lockdown

Rise in youngsters with eating disorders is yet another distressing cost of the Covid lockdown The UK’s leading eating disorder charity, Beat, has seen an 81 per cent increase in calls to its helpline since March. In the same period, hospital admissions for bulimia, which involves periods of compulsive eating and purging, rose by 75 per cent. Across the UK, referrals for treatment are up roughly 40 per cent – an increase typically seen over the space of two years. The Daily Mail

Hospital boss' emotional plea after 117 coronavirus deaths since Christmas in Northamptonshire

Hospital boss' emotional plea after 117 coronavirus deaths since Christmas in Northamptonshire The boss of one of Northamptonshire's two main hospitals issued an emotional plea after NHS England revealed 75 coronavirus deaths in the county already during 2021.

Today's official bulletin added 19 to the sobering toll — 11 at Northampton General Hospital and eight at Kettering General — between January 8 and January 12. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

See also:

• Corby: Task force to probe town's 'concerning' Covid rate BBC Northampton
• Warning to residents after pensioner offered coronavirus vaccination by stranger in Northampton Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northampton Aldi customer 'shocked and appalled' by number of customers and staff not wearing masks properly Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 'A living nightmare': the sobering reality of life inside KGH's intensive care unit Northamptonshire Telegraph
• All England care home residents and staff will get Covid jab within next 10 days ‘at the latest’ Northamptonshire Telegraph

NHFT to hold a free online mental health event to support those struggling in Northamptonshire

NHFT to hold a free online mental health event to support those struggling in Northamptonshire The Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) is holding a free online event on Monday January 18 from 2pm to 4pm to provide wellbeing advice and mental health support to those struggling across the county. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Northampton and Kettering General suspend home birth service under Covid pressures

Northampton and Kettering General suspend home birth service under Covid pressures Both of Northamptonshire's general hospitals have suspended their home birth services.

Northampton and Kettering General will be unable to send midwifery teams into the community for expecting mothers. It is not known when the service will resume. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Brexit and the end of the transition period: what does it mean for the health and care system?

Brexit and the end of the transition period: what does it mean for the health and care system? On Christmas Eve 2020 a new EU-UK trade and co-operation deal was agreed. This long read sets out the key changes for the health and care system and what their immediate, as well as potential long-term, implications might be. The King's Fund 

To solitude: Learning from other countries on how to improve compliance with self-isolation

To solitude: Learning from other countries on how to improve compliance with self-isolation The Covid-19 vaccination campaign brings much hope, but it’s clear that for the foreseeable future we also very much need to control transmission. One key way to do so is effective self-isolation, but data suggests that adherence in the UK with self-isolation rules is low. Sarah Reed and Billy Palmer look at the possible lessons from abroad on how to improve compliance. Nuffield Trust 

Investigation into the housing of rough sleepers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Investigation into the housing of rough sleepers during the COVID-19 pandemic The National Audit Office (NAO) reports that through its ‘Everyone In’ campaign, the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government (the Department) swiftly provided emergency housing for rough sleepers during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the response raised issues that need to be addressed if government is to achieve its goal of ending rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament.

We must bring the Mental Health Act into the 21st century

We must bring the Mental Health Act into the 21st century The Health and Social Care Secretary spoke to Parliament about the publication of the Mental Health Act white paper. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Open consultation: Reforming the Mental Health Act Department of Health and Social Care
• Open consultation: Changes that the government wants to make to a law called the Mental Health Act (easy read) Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Covid-19 vaccine roll-out

Coronavirus: Covid-19 vaccine roll-out This research briefing addresses commonly asked questions about the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine. It includes links to resources and guidance on the Covid-19 vaccine programme published by Public Health England, the NHS and other health bodies. House of Commons Library

Past COVID-19 infection provides some immunity but people may still carry and transmit virus

Past COVID-19 infection provides some immunity but people may still carry and transmit virus People infected with COVID-19 in the past are likely to be protected against reinfection for several months, a Public Health England (PHE) study has found, although experts cautioned those with immunity may still be able carry the virus in their nose and throat and therefore have a risk of transmitting to others. 

See also:

• Policy paper: UK COVID-19 vaccines delivery plan Department of Health and Social Care
• Research and analysis: COVID-19: reported SARS-CoV-2 deaths in England Public Health England

Covid-19: Packed hospitals raised death risk by 20%

Covid-19: Packed hospitals raised death risk by 20%  Covid-19 patients in England's busiest intensive care units in 2020 were 20% more likely to die, University College London research has found.

The increased risk was equivalent to gaining a decade in age.

By the end of 2020, one in three hospital trusts in England was running at higher than 85% capacity. BBC News

See also:

• A national retrospective cohort study of mechanical ventilator availability and its association with mortality risk in intensive care patients with COVID-19 (open access preprint) MedRxiv
• Past Covid-19 infection may provide 'months of immunity'
• Johnson: 24-7 Covid-vaccine hubs as soon as supply allows BBC News
• Covid-19: High Street chemists start vaccinations in England BBC News
• Covid: UK reports record 1,564 daily deaths BBC News
• Covid-19: 'More needs to be done to support people shielding' BBC News
• No10 vows to trial 24/7 Covid jabs as GPs in parts of the UK are having to PAUSE vaccinations The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus UK: 12-week vaccine dose gap could be widened further The Daily Mail
• Covid UK: AstraZeneca says it can deliver 2m vaccine doses a week The Daily Mail
• Mass trial of repurposed MS drug for Covid begins at hospital in Hull The Daily Mail
• Covid hoaxer who falsely claimed NHS beds were empty fined £200 The Daily Mail
• No benefit in masks outside or 'three-metre rule', says Jonathan Van-Tam The Daily Telegraph
• Mixing of COVID-19 vaccines 'extremely unlikely', NHS England tells MPs GPonline
• GPs in England say inconsistent supply of Covid vaccine causing roll out issues The Guardian
• Outrage as people in Coventry offered Covid jab over 100 miles away The Guardian
• 'A huge loss': tributes to victims of the UK's Covid second wave The Guardian
• AstraZeneca ‘imminently’ scaling up to 2 million vaccine doses per week The Independent

More women than realised suffer pain from being conscious during caesareans, study finds

More women than realised suffer pain from being conscious during caesareans, study finds More women may suffer pain due to being conscious while undergoing caesareans or other pregnancy-related surgery under general anaesthetic than realised, a troubling new study has found. The Independent

See also:

• Incidence of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia in obstetrics: a multicentre, prospective cohort study (open access) Anaesthesia

More than 400 patients are being treated for Covid in Northamptonshire's hospitals

More than 400 patients are being treated for Covid in Northamptonshire's hospitals Numbers of Covid-19 patients being admitted to Northamptonshire's two main hospitals has nearly DOUBLED in just 2 and a half weeks since Christmas.

Officials today (Tuesday) revealed 401 coronavirus-positive patients are now being treated in Northampton and Kettering — an increase of 59 since Thursday and 188 on December 25. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

See also:

• 'Currently no issues' over oxygen levels at Northampton and Kettering General despite Covid stress Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Thousands of coronavirus vaccinations given to patients at GP surgeries' mass clinics across Northamptonshire Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Weston Favell Shopping Centre speaks out after seeing a 'high rate' of shoppers ignoring lockdown rules Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• ‘Disrespectful’ anti-vax graffiti found on wall art created to celebrate key workers in Northampton Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Fake NHS Covid vaccine scam texts are being sent - how to spot them Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Covid-19 poster defaced with 'white lives matter' graffiti outside Northamptonshire infant school Northamptonshire Telegraph

‘Older people won’t be forgotten’: New Northampton day service to combat loneliness is in 'high demand'

‘Older people won’t be forgotten’: New Northampton day service to combat loneliness is in 'high demand' A new day service for older people has proven popular in its first month-and-a-half as clients have said it is ‘everything’ to them.

The service, based at St Luke’s Community Centre in Duston, has more than 50 places filled each week, predominantly supporting clients in their 80s and 90s, by offering nutritious food, friendship and activities. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Staff shortages left the NHS vulnerable to the COVID-19 storm

Staff shortages left the NHS vulnerable to the COVID-19 storm The NHS has been a source of national pride and gratitude throughout the pandemic as health care workers have risked their own lives to care for others in extraordinary ways. But systemic weaknesses in the health service are making it hard for the UK to cope with the latest surge of COVID-19 patients. The very real risk of the NHS being overwhelmed has now led to a third lockdown. The Health Foundation