Kettering hospital's first Covid-19 death for 19 days follows health chiefs' concern over rise in cases

Kettering hospital's first Covid-19 death for 19 days follows health chiefs' concern over rise in cases Covid-19 has claimed its first victim in 19 days at Kettering General Hospital.

This latest death — the 218th at KGH during the pandemic — occurred on Thursday but was only revealed in today's NHS bulletin. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Northampton residents told to 'limit contact' after coronavirus spike BBC Northampton
• NHS reports seven coronavirus deaths in the Anglia region over the weekend ITV News
• Health chiefs report "great response" to walk-in Covid-19 testers in Northampton town centre Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Three more Covid-19 victims die on same day health chiefs sound alarm over rise in cases Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northampton could be in different position to rest of England by next week, warns council leader Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Long-serving Irchester NHS worker Ceri-Anne to brave the shave for KGH to mark retirement

Long-serving Irchester NHS worker Ceri-Anne to brave the shave for KGH to mark retirement A long-serving NHS worker will brave the shave on her retirement to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and Kettering General Hospital's new cancer resource centre. Northamptonshire Telegraph

New Obesity Strategy unveiled as country urged to lose weight to beat coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the NHS

New Obesity Strategy unveiled as country urged to lose weight to beat coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the NHS A raft of measures have been revealed as part of the government’s new obesity strategy to get the nation fit and healthy, protect themselves against COVID-19 and protect the NHS.

Obesity is one of the biggest health crises the country faces. Almost two-thirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity – and 1 in 3 children leave primary school overweight or obese, with obesity-related illnesses costing the NHS £6 billion a year. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Fast online access to world leading NHS weight loss advice NHS England
• Excess weight can increase risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19 Public Health England
• Guidance: Excess weight and COVID-19: insights from new evidence Public Health England 

Childcare costs for doctors to be covered in drive to boost GP numbers

Childcare costs for doctors to be covered in drive to boost GP numbers The NHS has launched a new scheme to encourage hundreds more doctors to return to general practice by offering help towards the costs of caring for children or family members. NHS England

Coronavirus: UK brings back 14-day quarantine for Spain

Coronavirus: UK brings back 14-day quarantine for Spain Travellers returning to the UK from Spain after midnight will have to quarantine for 14 days, the government has said. 

The decision came following a spike in coronavirus cases in Spain, with more than 900 new cases of the virus reported on Friday.

Spanish officials have also warned a second wave could be imminent as major cities have seen cases surge. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Spain says outbreaks under control after UK orders quarantine BBC News
• Coronavirus: How bad will winter really be? BBC News
• Coronavirus doctor's diary: Will vaccine sceptics make trials a headache? BBC News
• Coronavirus England: Average daily cases rising for a WEEK The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus England: People in poor areas twice as likely to die
• Face masks can boost hand washing because they increase perception of risk The Daily Telegraph
• Risk, uncertainty and fear of failure: Why scientists aren't celebrating a coronavirus vaccine yet The Daily Telegraph
• Lack of testing and PPE among key England Covid-19 mistakes, MPs told The Guardian
• Boris Johnson calls anti-vaxxers 'nuts' as he pushes winter flu jabs – video The Guardian
• Only 19 bereaved families approved for NHS staff coronavirus compensation scheme The Guardian
• UK could impose more 'handbrake restrictions' on arrivals beyond Spain The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Hospital patients and staff set to receive rapid one-hour Covid-19 tests in plans to restart NHS The Independent
• Jeremy Hunt: NHS staff should be given weekly coronavirus tests from September iNews

NHS maternity safety to come under investigation after scandals involving mother and baby deaths

NHS maternity safety to come under investigation after scandals involving mother and baby deaths The safety of maternity services in the NHS are to be investigated by MPs after a string of scandals, highlighted by The Independent, involving the deaths of mothers and babies. 

The Health and Social Care Select Committee, chaired by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, has announced it will hold an inquiry into why maternity incidents keep re-occurring and what needs to be done to improve safety. The Independent

See also:

• Ex-chief of scandal-hit hospital now works for group advising NHS on patient safety The Independent
• Maternity safety across NHS to be investigated as ongoing crisis in Shropshire adds to string of care scandals ITV News

Concern for England's mental health patients discharged at start of lockdown

Concern for England's mental health patients discharged at start of lockdown Nearly 2,500 additional patients were discharged from mental health units across England at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, prompting concern that vulnerable people were released into the community before they were ready.

Official data analysed by the charity Mind showed 11,829 patients were discharged from mental health units in March 2020, a sharp rise from 9,836 last year and up by 2,441 from the February before lockdown started. The Guardian

Over-40s in UK to pay more tax under plans to fix social care crisis

Over-40s in UK to pay more tax under plans to fix social care crisis Exclusive: Matt Hancock is advocate of plan to raise tax to cover cost of care in later life

Everyone over 40 would start contributing towards the cost of care in later life under radical plans being studied by ministers to finally end the crisis in social care, the Guardian can reveal.

Public Health England lists Northampton as "an area of concern" over rising Covid-19 cases

Public Health England lists Northampton as "an area of concern" over rising Covid-19 cases Northampton has been highlighted as an "area of concern" by Public Health England following recent rises in Covid-19 cases in the town. 

PHE's weekly bulletin issued on Thursday showed eight local authority areas which are "taking targeted actions to reduce prevalence" with "additional testing in care homes and increased community engagement with high risk groups." Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northampton's health chiefs warn 'we must take action now or risk potential local lockdown measures' Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Here's the key advice you need to follow in and around Northampton to help stop the spread of Covid-19 Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• WATCH: 'Miracle' patient Jeremy moves off high dependancy ward 110 days after contracting COVID-19  Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Covid costs Corby Council £2 million Northamptonshire Telegraph

Resuming health services during the Covid-19 pandemic: What can the NHS learn from other countries?

Resuming health services during the Covid-19 pandemic: What can the NHS learn from other countries? As the country deals with the easing of lockdown restrictions and a slow decline in Covid-19 cases, health services are attempting to return to some form of pre-pandemic normality – yet demand for services remains anything but predictable. Our new briefing looks at what approaches other countries around the world have taken to dealing with the pandemic. What might we learn from the approaches used internationally, and how long will it take us to fully recover? Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Covid-19: Starting position for NHS risks leaving UK trailing the pack in the race to recovery Nuffield Trust
• Recovering from Covid-19: the international picture Nuffield Trust
• Lack of beds and staff will hamper NHS in clearing backlog, says study The Guardian

Mental health and primary care networks: understanding the opportunities

Mental health and primary care networks: understanding the opportunities This report published jointly with the Centre for Mental Health, explores the opportunities the emergence of primary care networks has created for improving the support and treatment provided to people with mental health needs. The King's Fund

The psychology of loneliness: why it matters and what we can do

The psychology of loneliness: why it matters and what we can do This report looks at how psychological approaches can help tackle loneliness. It is focussed on older people but has lessons for all adults. It gathers the current research and evidence available to us about what we can learn from psychology, as well as making policy recommendations for how this learning can be applied and help the millions of lonely people across the UK. Campaign to End Loneliness

The future of pharmacy in a sustainable NHS: key principles for transformation and growth

The future of pharmacy in a sustainable NHS: key principles for transformation and growth This briefing maps out key recommendations under three main priorities: supporting and valuing the pharmacy workforce; supporting an integrated NHS; and innovation. It aims to capture learnings from the pandemic response and explores the contributions the pharmacy profession can make to the NHS. Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Government and NHSE/I must act on evidence of failings in NHS services caused by Covid crisis

Government and NHSE/I must act on evidence of failings in NHS services caused by Covid crisis The Health and Social Care Committee is urging the Government and NHSE/I to take immediate steps to address failings in the delivery of NHS services as a result of the Covid crisis.

A letter jointly addressed to Secretary of State Matt Hancock and NHS England & Improvement Chief Executive Sir Simon Stevens highlights early conclusions and recommendations in three key areas arising from the Committee’s inquiry into Delivering core NHS and care services during the pandemic and beyond ahead of a final report due this autumn.

Most comprehensive flu programme in UK history will be rolled out this winter

Most comprehensive flu programme in UK history will be rolled out this winter Providers will work to vaccinate more than 30 million people during this flu season – millions more than received it last year. Department of Health and Social Care

Face coverings mandatory in shops, supermarkets, shopping centres and enclosed transport hubs from Friday

Face coverings mandatory in shops, supermarkets, shopping centres and enclosed transport hubs from Friday Face coverings must be worn in additional enclosed public spaces from 24 July in England, as the government takes further steps to help curb the spread of the virus. Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Has Covid-19 exposed UK's underlying ill health?

Coronavirus: Has Covid-19 exposed UK's underlying ill health? Covid-19 has taken a disproportionate toll on those with underlying health conditions.

Some experts say the crisis has shone a light on the poor state of our health as a nation. But in many communities it has also highlighted the link between ill health and poverty.

So what lessons has coronavirus taught us - and will ministers and health leaders act upon them? BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: New guidance on face masks and coverings released for England BBC News
• Coronavirus: Mothers 'unlikely to infect newborns' BBC News
• Coronavirus: Walk-in centres 'to help cope with winter' BBC News 
• Gambling help paused while NHS battled coronavirus BBC News
• UK announces 53 more coronavirus deaths taking the UK total to 45,554 The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus England: Testing is getting SLOWER, data shows The Daily Mail
• A coronavirus vaccine will NOT be available this year, World Health Organization warns The Daily Telegraph
• British scientists and vaccine trials ‘are on track to save the world’ iNews
• Coronavirus: 30-minute walk to get tested as hundreds of new centres to open across England The Independent

PM to target junk food ads in obesity crackdown

PM to target junk food ads in obesity crackdown The prime minister is set to announce new measures to curb obesity next week, and they are expected to include a ban on TV junk food adverts before 21:00.

The measures are yet to be finalised but are also likely to include a ban on online ads for unhealthy foods and limits on in-store promotions. BBC News

Investigation launched into safety of maternity equipment used in NHS

Investigation launched into safety of maternity equipment used in NHS A national investigation has been launched into the equipment used by NHS staff to monitor babies heart rates during labour because of concerns they could be contributing to deaths and disabilities.

The independent Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), which investigates systemic safety risks in the NHS, has opened an inquiry after reviewing hundreds of maternity incidents. The Independent

Mental health leave for paramedics in England nearly triples since 2011

Mental health leave for paramedics in England nearly triples since 2011 Number of days taken off for stress, anxiety and depression has risen, FOI requests reveal

The number of paramedics taking time off with mental health conditions has almost tripled over the last decade, a Guardian analysis has found.