JCVI issues new vaccination advice for children and young people

JCVI issues new vaccination advice for children and young people Following extensive assessment of the risks and benefits of vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds, including analysis of clinical trial results and real-world international data, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has updated its advice for this age group.

Children aged 5 to 11, who are in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone (of any age) who is immunosuppressed, should be offered a primary course of vaccination. UK Health Security Agency

See also: 

• Carers urged to get COVID-19 booster now Department of Health and Social Care
• Guidance: Coronavirus Act 2020: status Department of Health and Social Care
• UK hits 30 million boosters as push continues to Get Boosted Now Department of Health and Social Care
• Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview UK Health Security Agency

Health staff ‘wrung dry’ by pandemic pressures,

Health staff ‘wrung dry’ by pandemic pressures More than two thirds (69%) of health staff say they’ve experienced burnout during the pandemic, and three in five (62%) feel overwhelmed after long, intense shifts, according to a UNISON survey. 

Omicron wave appears milder, but concern remains

Omicron wave appears milder, but concern remains The wave of Omicron appears to be milder according to preliminary studies published in the UK and South Africa.

Early evidence suggests fewer people are needing hospital treatment than with other variants - with estimates ranging from a 30% to a 70% reduction.

But the concern remains that even if Omicron is milder, the sheer number of cases could overwhelm hospitals. BBC News

See also: 

• SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike mediated immune escape, infectivity and cell-cell fusion (open access) bioRxiv
• Report 50: Hospitalisation risk for Omicron cases in England (open access) Imperial College Covid Response Team
• Early assessment of the clinical severity of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in South Africa (open access) medRxiv
• Omicron may be significantly better at evading vaccine-induced immunity, but less likely to cause severe disease University of Cambridge
• Covid: Ministers watch data as studies say Omicron risk lower BBC News
• Daily Covid-19 cases in the UK exceed 100,000 for first time BBC News
• Global Covid vaccine rollout a stain on our soul - Brown BBC News
• Health Secretary Sajid Javid promises millions more antivirals for UK BBC News
• NHS staffing crisis timebomb: 130000 workers are STILL not fully jabbed The Daily Mail
• Covid alert levels explained: What Level 4 means for you as omicron cases rise The Daily Telegraph
• NHS may set up ‘field hospitals’ in car parks to cope with Omicron The Guardian
• Covid: how has the pandemic changed in the UK in 2021? The Guardian
• New Year’s Eve plans in England may have to be cancelled, says minister The Guardian
• Public support for lockdown measures is disintegrating - a new approach is needed | Owen Jones The Guardian
• Innate immune response of children ‘better at fighting Covid’, new study suggests The Independent
• Inside UK intensive care hospital ward where 4 out of 5 patients are unvaccinated The Mirror

NHS England to offer life-changing drug to children with peanut allergy

NHS England to offer life-changing drug to children with peanut allergy Children in the UK will be the first in Europe to receive a life-changing treatment for peanut allergies, after NHS England secured a deal for a drug that decreases the severity of symptoms including anaphylaxis.

The oral treatment, Palforzia, will be available to up to 600 children aged four to 17 the first year and 2,000 the following year. The Guardian 

See also: 

• Palforzia for treating peanut allergy (guideline in development) NICE

GPs must not send patients to pharmacy without proper referral, says NHS England

GPs must not send patients to pharmacy without proper referral, says NHS England GPs must not ‘informally’ send patients to community pharmacies while prioritising Covid booster vaccinations, NHS England has said.

Instead, they must make a referral to the community pharmacist consultation service (CPCS) for the patient’s minor illness symptoms making them eligible for the service ‘via the locally agreed electronic referral route’. Pulse 

Extra Covid tests required from today for visitors to Northampton General Hospital childrens' wards

Extra Covid tests required from today for visitors to Northampton General Hospital childrens' wards People visiting Northampton General Hospital children's wards face extra Covid testing from today.

Parents or guardians need to take regular PCR tests and will not be able to visit kids together. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Wollaston emergency body storage unit ready for reactivation - and it's not if, but when Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Scientists ‘discover' way to speed up vaccine production for future pandemics Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Covid forces cancellation of Northamptonshire village Carols on the Square Christmas Eve event for second year running Northamptonshire Telegraph

'It wasn't the death she deserved': Northampton man backs assisted dying law after terminally ill mum takes her own life

'It wasn't the death she deserved': Northampton man backs assisted dying law after terminally ill mum takes her own life Adam Wellesley and his sister were questioned by police after their terminally ill mum took her life and now he is backing the Dignity in Death campaign as momentum builds up across the UK and Ireland. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Over two thirds of eligible adults boosted ahead of Christmas

Over two thirds of eligible adults boosted ahead of Christmas More than two thirds of people aged 18 and over and who are eligible, have now received their top up protection against COVID-19 as the NHS booster campaign continues to protect the nation against the virus.

In total, 25,130,453 people who are three months on from their second dose have already been boosted in England, with the online service opening to eligible adults last Wednesday. NHS England

See also: 

• Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview UK Health Security Agency
• Test and Trace services continue over the festive period UK Health Security Agency
• Guidance: COVID-19: infection prevention and control (IPC) UK Health Security Agency

Covid: Self-isolation cut from 10 days to seven with negative test

Covid: Self-isolation cut from 10 days to seven with negative test People infected with Covid in England can stop self-isolating up to three days early if they test negative twice, it has been announced.

They will now be able to end quarantine after seven days instead of 10 by providing negative lateral flow results on day six and day seven.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it would minimise disruption caused by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. BBC News

See also: 

• Covid: No new restrictions in England before Christmas - Boris Johnson BBC News
• Covid-19: Israel could become the first country to give four vaccine doses BBC News
• Covid Omicron: European nations reinstate restrictions BBC News
• Many mutations of Omicron variant allow it to bond with human cells better than other Covid strains The Daily Mail
• Boris Johnson's pledge to get every adult a booster jab by New Year looks a bust The Daily Mail
• Previous Delta infection alone provides little protection against Omicron The Daily Mail
• Government will have to act before Christmas if hospitalisations increase, warns expert The Daily Telegraph
• GP practices forced to close or reduce services after COVID-19 outbreaks GPonline
• Suspected Covid outbreaks in UK hospitals double in a week The Guardian
• Minister says Covid plan B has caused significant behaviour change – video The Guardian
• UK government’s wait for Omicron evidence is a high-stakes gamble The Guardian
• How long is Omicron’s incubation period? The Independent
• Hospitals braced for ‘mass casualty’ scenario amid fears one-third of NHS staff could be off sick The Independent

Councils call for billions of pounds to be diverted from NHS to social care

Councils call for billions of pounds to be diverted from NHS to social care Town halls in England are calling for billions of pounds a year earmarked for the NHS to be diverted to social care amid warnings of severe care worker shortages and hundreds of thousands of people not getting the help they need.

The cross-party Local Government Association wants a rethink of the government policy announced in October, which is to reserve 85% of receipts from the new 1.25% health and social care tax for the health service. The Guardian 

Just 10% of patients take up 40% of GP appointments and visit their practice 60 TIMES a year

Just 10% of patients take up 40% of GP appointments and visit their practice 60 TIMES a year Family doctors are being overwhelmed by a small group of ‘frequent attenders’ who have five times more appointments than other patients, research shows.

A study of 1.7 billion GP consultations over the past two decades UK found 40 per cent of all appointments are taken up by just ten per cent of patients.

These ‘regulars’ attend their GP surgery around 60 times a year, five times more than other patients. The Daily Mail

See also: 

• Consultation patterns and frequent attenders in UK primary care from 2000 to 2019: a retrospective cohort analysis of consultation events across 845 general practices (open access) BMJ Open

Top 10 NHS IT stories of 2021

Top 10 NHS IT stories of 2021 Technology has been central to the National Health Service response to the Covid-19 pandemic – we look back at the stories that made the headlines on 2021. Computer Weekly

Tougher Covid rules a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’, NHS boss says

Tougher Covid rules a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’, NHS boss says Tougher Covid restrictions in the wake of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant have been described as ‘inevitable’ by a key NHS organisation.

The NHS Confederation, a membership body for healthcare providers and staff across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said it was a question of “when, rather than if” new rules would be introduced. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• KGH doctor: 'How we remembered Covid victims as PM joined wine and cheese event' Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Response issued after claim that first Omicron death in UK happened in Northampton Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• New restrictions ‘unlikely’ to cancel Christmas despite Omicron surge Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Scientists create 10-step guide on planning safe household mixing this Christmas Northamptonshire Telegraph

Kettering General Hospital: Bereaved family create journal for patient families

Kettering General Hospital: Bereaved family create journal for patient families The family of a child who died as a result of neglect in hospital have created a journal to help other parents. BBC Northampton

That was the year that was: health policy in 2021

That was the year that was: health policy in 2021 In another year shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, we explore some key health policy developments and look ahead to what 2022 might have in store. 

With Omicron dominating the headlines and a public inquiry into the handling of COVID-19 on the horizon, has government learned – and acted on – the lessons from the start of the pandemic?  

As the NHS faces the huge task of COVID-19 recovery, how will the debate about NHS performance and funding play out? Will the Health and Care Bill going through parliament be ready to come into effect next April, and what might it mean for the health system? Podcast from The Health Foundation

Professional nurse advocate A-EQUIP model: a model of clinical supervision for nurses

Professional nurse advocate A-EQUIP model: a model of clinical supervision for nurses This document describes the professional nurse advocate (PNA) role and the A-EQUIP (Advocating and Educating for QUality ImProvement) model of professional nursing leadership and clinical supervision, and provides guidance on their implementation, including key actions for each relevant group. NHS England

Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview

Research: COVID-19: Omicron daily overview An overview and summary of case data for Omicron focusing on confirmed and SGTF cases in the UK. UK Health Security Agency

 

See also:

• 1.5 million top-up jabs recorded in NHS ‘blockbooster’ weekend NHS England
• NHS opens bookings for 12-15s to get second COVID jab NHS England
• Research: COVID-19: reported SARS-CoV-2 deaths in England UK Health Security Agency

WHO urges cancelling some holiday events over Omicron fears

WHO urges cancelling some holiday events over Omicron fears The World Health Organization has urged people to cancel some of their holiday plans to protect public health, as the Omicron variant spreads globally.

"An event cancelled is better than a life cancelled," said WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that "difficult decisions" must be made.

A number of countries have acted to try to halt the spread of the variant, including imposing travel curbs. BBC News

See also:

• Omicron: South African scientists probe link between variants and untreated HIV BBC News
• Immensa: Month delay before incorrect Covid tests halted BBC News
• Covid: NHS staff sickness impacted by Covid case rise Channel 4 News
• Everything the scientists know right now about Omicron The Daily Mail
• Why have 200,000 NHS workers not had Covid jabs? The Daily Mail
• Vulnerable Covid patients to be given GSK's antibody drug on the NHS that can fight Omicron The Daily Mail
• Sajid Javid 'very keen' on shortening Covid self-isolation period to seven days to help NHS staffing crisis The Daily Telegraph
• What Covid rules are being considered to tackle Omicron in England? The Guardian
• New year ‘too late’ for extra Covid rules in England, scientists say The Guardian
• UK’s confirmed Omicron death toll rises to 12 The Independent

Tony Hickmott: Autistic man was 'loneliest man in the hospital'

Tony Hickmott: Autistic man was 'loneliest man in the hospital' A whistle-blower in the case of an autistic man who has been detained in hospital since 2001 says he feels complicit in his "neglect and abuse".

A BBC investigation found 100 people with learning disabilities have been held in specialist hospitals for 20 years or more, including Tony Hickmott.

His parents are fighting to get him rehoused in the community. BBC News

NHS drug pledge broken for asthma sufferers and smokers, report reveals

NHS drug pledge broken for asthma sufferers and smokers, report reveals A promise to ensure that people with severe asthma and smokers who want to quit can get the drugs they need has been broken by ministers and the NHS, a health service report reveals.

Health charities criticised the persistent lack of access to vital medications for patients in England as very worrying and warned that it could damage the health of those affected. The Guardian