Thursday, 3 March 2022

£260 million to boost healthcare research and manufacturing

£260 million to boost healthcare research and manufacturing Up to £200 million committed to support NHS-led health research into diagnostics and treatment through new privacy-preserving platforms and clinical research services, and £60 million to help expand life sciences manufacturing in the UK. Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus and the social impacts on Great Britain

Coronavirus and the social impacts on Great Britain Indicators from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey to understand the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on people, households and communities in Great Britain. Office for National Statistics

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Covid: How could the pandemic have affected your brain?

Covid: How could the pandemic have affected your brain? Memory loss, fatigue and trouble concentrating can be symptoms of having had coronavirus.

But scientists think people who haven't had Covid are also suffering increased tiredness, impaired decision-making and a lack of focus due to the pandemic.

Experts believe Covid uncertainty and disruption to routines have led to a phenomenon known as "pandemic brain". BBC News

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More support needed for GPs to treat eating disorders

More support needed for GPs to treat eating disorders Two leading medical organisations have told the BBC that GPs are not getting the right support to treat eating disorders.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the British Medical Association (BMA) say doctors need more time with patients and more specialist units. BBC News

NHS ‘woefully unprepared’ for care of an ageing England

NHS ‘woefully unprepared’ for care of an ageing England The NHS is “flying blind” and “woefully unprepared” to cope with England’s rapidly ageing population, senior doctors have warned as stark new figures reveal the country has only one full-time geriatrician to care for every 8,000 older people.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said the drastic shortage of specially trained physicians to look after the rising number of elderly people and a lack of NHS workforce planning meant England was “sleepwalking into an avoidable crisis of care for older people”. The Guardian

NHS leaders act on hospital links to Russian energy suppliers

NHS leaders act on hospital links to Russian energy suppliers NHS leaders have asked hospitals to urgently confirm whether they are supplied by Russian owned energy company Gazprom, as pressure mounts for healthcare to ditch its links.

In a message seen by The Independent, NHS trusts were asked to confirm whether they are supplied by Gazprom and the end date of their contract.

Health and Care Bill to introduce new duties for NHS around climate change

Health and Care Bill to introduce new duties for NHS around climate change NHS organisations in England will be required to pay careful attention to climate change and the natural environment “in everything they do”, under an approved amendment to the Health and Care Bill. Nursing Times 

Wednesday, 2 March 2022

Kettering General Hospital staff win awards for outstanding care

Kettering General Hospital staff win awards for outstanding care DAISY Awards honour and celebrate the exceptional care that many nurses and midwives provide every day.

Staff at Kettering General Hospital have received awards for the outstanding, compassionate and sensitive care they have given to patients. Northamptonshire Telegraph

St Andrew’s Healthcare mental health community service rated 'good' in first watchdog inspection

St Andrew’s Healthcare mental health community service rated 'good' in first watchdog inspection A Northampton-based community service that helps people with common and complex mental health issues across the county and beyond has been rated ‘good’ by an independent regulating body. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

'Special educational needs families are falling through the cracks'

'Special educational needs families are falling through the cracks' The mother of a boy with autism wants to change the way parents of children with suspected special education needs or disability (SEND) are treated when their children do not attend school. BBC Northampton

The state of health and care 2022

The state of health and care 2022 The pandemic has rapidly accelerated an existing trend of decline in access and outcomes. This is creating the conditions for an ‘opt-out’ by those who have the means – embedding a two-tier system.

There is near-universal public support for retaining a universal, free, comprehensive and tax-funded NHS. Our polling shows a consensus in public support for the basic principles of the NHS as a system that universalises the benefits of the best healthcare and shares the cost across the population. Institute for Public Policy Research

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Addressing racial and ethnic inequities in data-driven health technologies

Addressing racial and ethnic inequities in data-driven health technologies This report highlights the opportunities and barriers for artificial intelligence to improve the health of the UK’s minority ethnic groups. Data-driven technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are powerful tools demonstrating potential in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as skin cancer. Yet these could inadvertently worsen the health inequalities experienced by minority ethnic groups if current challenges such as biased algorithms, poor data collection and a lack of diversity in research and development are not urgently addressed. The report calls for further research and transparent discussion on the creation and use of these technologies in health care. Imperial College London

    Health and Care Bill: Lords Report Stage joint briefing

    Health and Care Bill: Lords Report Stage joint briefing NHS Confederation, NHS Providers and the King's Fund share concerns about the erosion of NHS independence as a result of the Health and Care Bill.

    NHS Chief launches new campaign to combat the fear of Cancer

    NHS Chief launches new campaign to combat the fear of Cancer A new campaign taking a radically different approach to detecting cancer early for patients, when it is easier to treat, has been announced today by NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard.

    Running across TV, radio, and social media from tomorrow, the campaign is the first to focus on tackling the fear of cancer rather than specific symptoms. NHS England

    Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment to end

    Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment to end Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment in health and social care will be revoked on Tuesday 15 March, the Health and Social Care Secretary has confirmed.

    Following a public consultation, where 90% of responses supported the removal of the legal requirement for health and social care staff to be double jabbed, the government is revoking the regulations. Department of Health and Social Care

    Compulsory Covid jabs for care home staff scrapped

    Compulsory Covid jabs for care home staff scrapped Regulations requiring care workers to be vaccinated against Covid are being lifted from 15 March in England.

    The government says things have changed since the policy was made in preparation for a tough autumn and winter.

    It says the UK population now has lots of immunity to the virus thanks to vaccines. BBC News

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    White people at much higher risk of most cancers in England, study finds

    White people at much higher risk of most cancers in England, study finds lack, Asian and mixed-heritage people are much less likely to develop cancer than white people, in England, an analysis suggests.

    But there are exceptions - prostate and blood cancer are two to three times more common in black people.

    The Cancer Research UK study said many cancers were preventable. BBC News

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    Vaccines could mean only one smear test a lifetime

    Vaccines could mean only one smear test a lifetime Women who have the HPV vaccine may need only one smear test to prevent cervical cancer in their lifetime, according to a leading scientist.

    Women are currently invited for screening every three to five years in the UK.

    Prof Peter Sasieni said the vaccine was leading to such dramatic reductions in cancer that the screening programme would need to change soon. BBC News

    Treasury 'preventing' NHS from maximising taxpayers' money

    Treasury 'preventing' NHS from maximising taxpayers' money NHS leaders have hit out at Her Majesty’s Treasury for failing to set out a long-term workforce plan, warning services are being forced to spend billions in taxpayer funds on temporary staff.

    Chris Hopson, chief executive for NHS Providers which represents all NHS trusts, has said quality of care is now being compromised and that the Treasury’s silence on workforce funding. The Independent

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    GPs will be forced to work Saturdays: NHS pushes ahead with delayed plan in wake of appointments row

    GPs will be forced to work Saturdays: NHS pushes ahead with delayed plan in wake of appointments row All GP practices in England will have to open on Saturdays in order to make it easier for patients to get appointments. 

    Family doctors will also have to offer face-to-face consultations until 8pm Monday to Friday under a new NHS contract. 

    Practices will have to offer a full service during the new extended hours, which come into effect from October. The Daily Mail

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