Number of Northamptonshire care home beds at record low

Number of Northamptonshire care home beds at record low The number of care home beds available to elderly people in Northamptonshire hit a record low in March, new figures reveal. 

Care home representatives and charities warn vulnerable people could be put at risk without more funding to increase capacity in the sector across England, which has been strained by Covid-19. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Kettering primary school pupils told to self-isolate after positive Covid-19 test

Kettering primary school pupils told to self-isolate after positive Covid-19 test Pupils in a bubble at a Kettering primary school have been told to remain at home after a positive coronavirus test in one person.
Grange Primary Academy in Jean Road, Kettering, emailed parents this morning (Wednesday, September 9) to say pupils in a Year 1 bubble should stay at home until Friday, September 19. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Highways maintenance staff at Northampton depot self-isolating after case of Covid confirmed Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Some children and staff from specialist Northampton school self-isolating after pupil ‘displays Covid symptoms’ Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Pupil at Corby school tests positive for coronavirus Northamptonshire Telegraph

Rolling out social prescribing: understanding the experience of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector

Rolling out social prescribing: understanding the experience of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector This report sets out the findings of research conducted by National Voices for NHS England to explore the perspectives and experiences of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in relation to the NHS rollout of social prescribing. National Voices spoke to over 300 people through a series of interviews, workshops and online engagements between December 2019 and June 2020. National Voices

See also:

• Social prescribing research briefing House of Commons Library

Workforce race equality standard (WRES): indicators for the medical workforce

Workforce race equality standard (WRES): indicators for the medical workforce There are eleven indicators for the medical workforce. Four of the indicators reflect variation in career progression and pay, six represent medical staff perceptions of how they are treated by colleagues, employing organisations and patients, and one highlights the diversity of the councils and boards of medical institutions. NHS England

Public Health England launches new Every Mind Matters campaign

Public Health England launches new Every Mind Matters campaign Most families have experienced upheaval in their daily lives during the pandemic. With children and young people now back at school or college, the new Public Health England (PHE) Better Health – Every Mind Matters campaign provides NHS-endorsed tips and advice to help children and young people’s mental wellbeing, and equip parents and carers with the knowledge to support them.

Covid-19: what people are telling us

Covid-19: what people are telling us This briefing looks at the key issues the public have faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, ranging from the affect lockdown has had on carers, to the problems getting emergency dental treatment. Healthwatch England

New campaign to prevent spread of coronavirus indoors this winter

New campaign to prevent spread of coronavirus indoors this winter The ‘Hands. Face. Space’ public information campaign urges the public to continue to wash their hands, cover their face and make space to control infection rates and avoid a second peak. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Detailed guide: Making a support bubble with another household Department of Health and Social Care
• Research and analysis: National COVID-19 surveillance reports Public Health England

Coronavirus: Concerns over Boris Johnson's 'moonshot' testing plans

Coronavirus: Concerns over Boris Johnson's 'moonshot' testing plans Scientists and health professionals have raised doubts about Prime Minister Boris Johnson's "Operation Moonshot" plan for mass coronavirus testing.

The PM hopes millions of Covid-19 tests - including some giving results within minutes - could be processed daily.

But experts say there are issues with laboratory capacity for current tests, while the technology for more rapid tests "does not, as yet, exist". BBC News

See also:

• Covid-19: Government plans to spend £100bn on expanding testing to 10 million a day The BMJ
• Coronavirus: New virus measures 'not a second lockdown' BBC News
• Coronavirus: People without symptoms 'misusing testing' BBC News
• PM plans to spend almost as much as entire NHS budget in bid to test every Briton every week The Daily Mail
• UK announces 2,659 more coronavirus cases and eight deaths The Daily Mail
• 'Hands, face, space': Department of Health launches campaign pushing basic coronavirus messages The Daily Mail
• Matt Hancock: Holidaymakers and schools bear the blame for testing delays The Daily Telegraph
• Matt Hancock accused of blaming public for Covid test shortages The Guardian
• Matt Hancock hopes six-person Covid rule can be lifted 'before Christmas' The Guardian
• Covid testing: local authorities in England demand more control The Guardian
• New tool could 'help UK doctors spot high-risk Covid patients in seconds' The Guardian
• Care home visits guidance in England is unlawful, charity claims The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Government condemned by health experts for ‘shambolic’ testing system as fury mounts over failings The Independent
• Mixed messages, U-turns and ‘massaged’ figures: A timeline of the UK’s coronavirus testing system The Independent
• Long Covid: 60,000 ill with coronavirus for three months or more, professor says The Independent
• Coronavirus: Scientists doubtful as leaked government document reveals plans for 10 million tests by next year Sky News

Coronavirus prompts surge in people wanting to be nurses

Coronavirus prompts surge in people wanting to be nurses The Covid-19 pandemic is thought to be responsible for a surge in people applying for healthcare qualifications.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) has reported a rise in applications among all ages across the UK.

A total of 47,320 people applied for nursing degrees by the end of June, a 16% rise on last year. BBC News

Half of British voters think PM will still include NHS in trade deals

Half of British voters think PM will still include NHS in trade deals Almost half of British voters do not believe Boris Johnson’s claim that the NHS is “off the table” in trade deals, a new poll has found.

And the survey by pollsters Survation found that three-quarters (75 per cent) want specific protections for the NHS to be written into law in the Trade Bill, which has its second reading in the House of Lords today. The Independent

No fears of 'second wave' of Covid-19 cases among Greencore sandwich makers, says Northamptonshire's Public Health chief

 No fears of 'second wave' of Covid-19 cases among Greencore sandwich makers, says Northamptonshire's Public Health chief Public Health chiefs confirmed Northampton's Greencore factory is fully back up and running again and they are confident of no "second wave" of Covid-19 cases. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Council leader backs Kettering residents to listen and prevent a lockdown Northamptonshire Telegraph

NHS Trust eyes up empty offices in Northampton to create mental health call centre and therapy hub

NHS Trust eyes up empty offices in Northampton to create mental health call centre and therapy hub Two empty offices in Northampton could be used by the Northamptonshire Healthcare to create a hub of mental health support services to help potentially thousands of residents. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Charity supporting Northampton General Hospital during pandemic receives huge grant from bank

Charity supporting Northampton General Hospital during pandemic receives huge grant from bank A charity that has been supporting staff, patients and volunteers at Northampton General Hospital during the pandemic has received a huge grant from a bank.

Northamptonshire Health Charity, which also supports Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, has been awarded funding by Barclays, as part of its Covid-19 Community Aid Package. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton's oldest transplant patient urges public to sign organ donation register after surviving for 30 years with new heart

Northampton's oldest transplant patient urges public to sign organ donation register after surviving for 30 years with new heart A Northampton transplant patient, who is celebrating 30 years since his heart operation on October 6, has said not donating your organs when you die 'is a waste'. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Action for equality: The time is now

Action for equality: The time is now Action for equality: The time is now by the NHS Confederation’s Health & Care Women Leaders Network builds on and expands the work undertaken for the 2017 NHS Women on Boards 50:50 by 2020 report which examined the steps the NHS needed to take to reach the target of equal gender representation on boards by 2020.

Written by Professor Ruth Sealy of the University of Exeter Business School, the new report includes analysis of board-level data on over 3,000 directors across NHS trust boards in England and arm’s-length bodies, and over 70 interviews with board chairs, directors, and women aspiring to directorship positions.

See also:

• More progress needed to achieve gender equality in NHS leadership NHS Employers
• NHS misses target of having half its top jobs held by women The Guardian

Clinical psychology in primary care

Clinical psychology in primary care Clinical psychologists can meet the needs of people who otherwise get little or no help from the NHS, says a report published today by Centre for Mental Health and the British Psychological Society.

The report explores real life examples of psychologists working in GP surgeries and communities. It finds that they help people the NHS often struggles to support and who otherwise get little or no effective treatment for their mental health.

Worlds of influence: understanding what shapes child well-being in rich countries

Worlds of influence: understanding what shapes child well-being in rich countries This report looks at children from the world’s richest countries and offers a mixed picture of their health, skills and happiness. For many, issues such as poverty, exclusion and pollution threaten their mental well-being, physical health and opportunities to develop skills. It finds that even countries with good social, economic and environmental conditions are a long way from meeting the targets set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Unicef

Healthy environment, healthy lives: how the environment influences health and well-being in Europe

 Healthy environment, healthy lives: how the environment influences health and well-being in Europe A significant proportion of the burden of disease in Europe continues to be attributed to environmental pollution resulting from human activity. This report highlights how the quality of Europe’s environment plays a key role in determining our health and well-being. European Environmental Agency

See also:

• Investing in nature is an investment in the NHS, says Environment Agency Chief Executive  Environment Agency

Childhood obesity

Childhood obesity Successive governments have struggled to tackle rising childhood obesity and it is not clear that the Department of Health & Social Care’s (DHSC) current programme will be able to make the step change needed in the timescale available, according to today’s report by the National Audit Office.

Coronavirus: More than 1,000 doctors want to leave NHS over government’s mishandling of pandemic

Coronavirus: More than 1,000 doctors want to leave NHS over government’s mishandling of pandemic “More than 1,000 doctors have said they intend to quit the NHS due to the government’s mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic and frustration over wages, according to new research.

In a survey conducted by the Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK), two-thirds of respondents outlined their plans to move abroad, switch to the private sector or take a career break within the next three years. Doctors' Association UK