Domestic abuse service run by Northamptonshire's councils, police and health commissioner in crisis

Domestic abuse service run by Northamptonshire's councils, police and health commissioner in crisis Northamptonshire’s domestic abuse service is in crisis with some parts of the service deemed as ‘unacceptable and unsafe’.

Key partners are now being asked to put in more money to ramp up the staffing levels at the Sunflower Centre. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Case of coronavirus CONFIRMED in Northamptonshire

Case of coronavirus CONFIRMED in Northamptonshire A case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Northamptonshire today (Tuesday).

The Department for Health and Social Care has taken to Twitter this afternoon to announce that a case has been confirmed in the county. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Coronavirus action plan launched

Coronavirus action plan launched The action plan provides information on the government's plans to contain the spread of coronavirus and what action could be taken if the virus does spread. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Policy paper: Coronavirus action plan Department of Health and Social Care
• Coronavirus action plan: Health Secretary's statement to Parliament Department of Health and Social Care
• Public information campaign focuses on handwashing Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice Department of Health and Social Care
• NHS 111 service to help people with coronavirus NHS England
• Coronavirus: Hospital patients to be seen via video link BBC News
• Coronavirus: Up to fifth of UK workers 'off sick at same time' BBC News
• Coronavirus: How do I protect myself? BBC News
• Coronavirus: Drug shortage fears as India limits exports BBC News
• Coronavirus: Face mask ads banned for 'misleading' claims BBC News
• 'Wash your hands more often for 20 seconds': NHS to hammer home hygiene message The Daily Mail
• Global supply of masks, gloves and gowns is 'rapidly depleting' WHO says The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus threatens paracetamol shortage: Misery for millions of hungover Brits The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus action plan: Travellers urged to make sure destination has good healthcare The Daily Telegraph
• Retired doctors rushed back to tackle coronavirus could be at risk, BMA warns GPonline
• Coronavirus could mean one in five people off work and cancellation of non-urgent NHS care GPonline
• The Guardian view on the UK’s coronavirus plan: sensible, but belated | Editorial The Guardian
• Battling coronavirus misinformation in the age of social media The Guardian
• I’m an ICU doctor. The NHS isn’t ready for the coronavirus crisis | Tim Cook The Guardian
• Majority of retired NHS staff don't want to return to tackle Covid-19 crisis The Guardian
• Thousands of intensive care patients to be tested for Covid-19 The Guardian
• Covid-19: government advises UK public to carry on as normal The Guardian
• UK coronavirus plans would strip police and fire services to essentials The Guardian
• Coronavirus: NHS declares national major incident over virus outbreak The Independent
• Coronavirus: UK officials told to create extra mortuary space as government warns of surge in deaths
• NHS 111 launches dedicated online tool for coronavirus OnMedica
• Coronavirus: NHS England declares level four incident over outbreak Sky News

Child protection: duties to report concerns (England)

Child protection: duties to report concerns (England) This briefing paper sets out the current requirements on individuals and organisations regarding the reporting of known or suspected child abuse or neglect. It also provides information on the debate around whether a mandatory duty to report abuse or neglect should be introduced in England, and outlines the operation of such mandatory duties in other countries. House of Commons Library

Half of maternity units in England understaffed, RCM survey indicates

Half of maternity units in England understaffed, RCM survey indicates Half of maternity units in England are staffed below recommended levels, a Royal College of Midwives (RCM) survey* indicates.

The survey of directors and heads of midwifery forms part of the College’s submission of evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB). OnMedica

Repeat antibiotic use linked to higher risk of hospitalisation

Repeat antibiotic use linked to higher risk of hospitalisation Scientists have found a link between repeat antibiotic prescribing and a greater risk of hospitalisation.

The study, published today in BMC Medicine finds that patients who have had nine or more antibiotic prescriptions for common infections in the previous three years are 2.26 times more likely to go to hospital with another infection in three or more months. OnMedica

See also:

• The effectiveness of frequent antibiotic use in reducing the risk of infection-related hospital admissions: results from two large population-based cohorts (open access) BMC Medicine

Women in labour being refused epidurals, official inquiry finds

Women in labour being refused epidurals, official inquiry finds Exclusive: minister to remind NHS trusts to follow official guidance on pain relief during childbirth

Women in labour are being refused epidurals in breach of official guidelines, a government inquiry has found.

In findings seen by the Guardian, an investigation by the Department of Health and Social Care also found that women may not be being kept fully informed that if they choose to give birth at home or in a midwife-led unit they may have to be transferred if they want an epidural. Failing to make women aware of that possibility would also be in breach of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) guidelines.

Pali Hungin: ‘We can’t replace doctors with technology alone’

Pali Hungin: ‘We can’t replace doctors with technology alone’ In the face of AI and genomics, the head of a project looking at medics’ future says their role must adapt but will remain vital

Imagine a world where the doctors we see today no longer exist. This is what Professor Pali Hungin, who heads up the the Changing Face of Medicine (CFM) project, is grappling with as rapid societal and technological developments outpace traditional medical training. Gone are the days of passive patients with low expectations; 20 years ago, for example, few of us would have imagined that we would be seeking health advice from mobile phone devices. Meanwhile, technology, artificial intelligence, and other new sciences, such as genomics, are altering medicine fast. The Guardian

Calling overweight people fat or lazy must stop 'to fight against the obesity epidemic'

Calling overweight people fat or lazy must stop 'to fight against the obesity epidemic' A statement made by 100 health professionals, led by King's College London, said prejudice against overweight people can cause both physical and mental harm. The Daily Mail

NHS prescriptions price will rise AGAIN by 15p to £9.15 from April

NHS prescriptions price will rise AGAIN by 15p to £9.15 from April Patients in England will have to pay an extra 15p to collect their medicines from a pharmacy from April 1, according to the Department of Health and Social Care, led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Statement to Parliament: NHS prescription charges from 1 April 2020 Department of Health and Social Care
• Prescription charge to increase in April OnMedica

Delivering health and care for people who sleep rough: going above and beyond

Delivering health and care for people who sleep rough: going above and beyond The number of people sleeping rough in England has risen substantially over the past decade. People who are homeless have some of the worst health outcomes in England, and are more likely to experience and die from preventable and treatable medical conditions and to have multiple and complex health needs. Many people who sleep rough experience a combination of physical and mental ill health and drug or alcohol dependency. The King's Fund

See also:

• Rough sleeping and health: Dena Pursell's story The King's Fund
• Number of homeless people admitted to hospital surges 130% in five years The Incependent

National recruitment campaign for paramedics, radiographers and nurses begins

National recruitment campaign for paramedics, radiographers and nurses begins The campaign will help get 50,000 more nurses and 26,000 more primary care professionals working in the NHS in the next 5 years. Department of Health and Social Care

Unleashing the digital premium

Unleashing the digital premium Legrand Assisted Living & Health Care commissioned the Good Governance Institute to develop a national white paper exploring the digital premium in health, care and housing. The digital premium is defined as the benefit gained through proper implementation of digital technology to the individual, locality and system. Legrand Assisted Living & Health Care commissioned the GII to develop a national white paper exploring the digital premium in health, care and housing. The digital premium is defined as the benefit gained through proper implementation of digital technology to the individual, locality and system. Good Governance Institute

Race inequality in the workforce: exploring connections between work, ethnicity and mental health

Race inequality in the workforce: exploring connections between work, ethnicity and mental health This report, a joint initiative with Operation Black Vote and UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies, presents new data from Next Steps, a longitudinal study of the ‘millennial generation’ in England. The work reveals persistent issues around the relationships between employment, ethnicity and mental health and underlines that there are enduring inequalities in the workplace between ethnic groups. The report presents recommendations for actions – for government, for mental health services and for employers. Carnegie UK Trust

The 2020 Budget: A 'decade of renewal' for health?

The 2020 Budget: A 'decade of renewal' for health? The Budget is the opportunity for the government to follow through on its promises to turn the page on austerity and begin a ‘decade of renewal’ across the country. For the health sector, such ‘renewal’ is badly needed, especially for the NHS estate. While revenue funding for the NHS has already been put in place until 2023-24, this alone is not enough to meet the ambitions of the Long Term Plan set out in January 2019. A year on, clarity on funding for the interdependent areas of social care and public health remain unresolved and a clear multi-year capital settlement for the NHS is still elusive. National Health Executive

Coronavirus: School closures and travel curbs in UK plans

Coronavirus: School closures and travel curbs in UK plans Plans to contain coronavirus if it spreads, involving possible school closures, cancelling events and bringing NHS staff out of retirement, are to be set out by the UK government.

Unnecessary travel could be curbed and people urged to work from home.

Legislation will be introduced to ensure ministers have the powers to prepare for a widespread outbreak. BBC News

See also:

• CMO for England announces 4 new cases of novel coronavirus Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice Department of Health and Social Care
• NHS 111 Online To Help People With Coronavirus NHS England
• Coronavirus: Spread of virus in UK 'likely' says Boris Johnson BBC News
• Coronavirus: Do face masks work? And other questions answered BBC News
• Coronavirus: World in 'uncharted territory' BBC News
• 'How I survived coronavirus and isolation' BBC News
• Children with few symptoms could 'fuel the spread of coronavirus' The Daily Mail
• How does the coronavirus attack the human body? The Daily Mail
• Health worker at Hertfordshire cancer clinic is among 13 new coronavirus cases in UK The Daily Mail
• BMA warns against coronavirus 'complacency' as practices flag lack of PPE equipment GPonline
• Coronavirus: just eight out of 1,600 doctors in poll say NHS is ready The Guardian
• Coronavirus: three more cases in UK amid fears over strain on NHS The Guardian
• Any coronavirus 'lockdown' would initially be voluntary The Guardian
• Coronavirus: UK still 'months' from worst of outbreak, government experts admit The Independent
• Coronavirus: New European cases soar as China infections and deaths drop The Independent
• Less than 1% of doctors feel NHS is well prepared for coronavirus, poll shows The Independent
• EU warns coronavirus could cause 'huge economic and societal disruption' The Independent
• Coronavirus: Lack of sick pay and poor access to healthcare risks rapid spread of infections across US and UK, governments warned The Independent
• NHS to invest £1.7m in helpline to tackle coronavirus call surge ITV News

Women with endometriosis 'finally being believed'

Women with endometriosis 'finally being believed' A woman who had to change careers because of endometriosis has said an improvement in attitude towards women with the condition feels "incredible".

Endometriosis affects one in 10 UK women and can cause debilitating pain, very heavy periods and infertility.

MPs began an inquiry into the condition after BBC research, and will listen to the experiences of those living with it when hearings get under way later. BBC News

Faster access to cannabis medicines in UK

Faster access to cannabis medicines in UK Patients needing cannabis-based medicines should no longer face long delays in accessing their prescriptions, says the government.

Changes to importing restrictions mean UK companies can now order and hold more stocks from abroad.

That should make the treatments available to patients in days, rather than months. BBC News

I know you can recover from an eating disorder, but not in a system on its knees

I know you can recover from an eating disorder, but not in a system on its knees | Lorna Collins Although community-based treatment can improve outcomes, it must not be at the expense of vital inpatient services

No single treatment or approach works for every patient experiencing an eating disorder. I know from my own tortuous experiences, both with and without treatment, that it is extremely hard to get help, and there is too little money in the system to provide enough care.

But I also know it is possible to get help and to recover. Hope is crucial for those with eating disorders, as well as carers and health professionals. The aim of eating disorders awareness week, which runs from 2-8 March, is to break down stigma, help more people understand these disorders and bring hope about recovery. The Guardian

Health regulators seized 3.5million unlicensed erection pills last year

Health regulators seized 3.5million unlicensed erection pills last year Medical regulators seized 3.5million unlicensed erection pills worth more than £10million at UK borders last year.

Photos show thousands of packets of fake drugs piled high - and the blue diamond shaped pills look almost identical to the real deal.

Viagra has been available over the counter or from a registers online pharmacy without a prescription since 2017 for around £4 a dose. The Daily Mail