Northamptonshire nearly at 200,000 Covid jabs as the great vaccination roll-out steams on

Northamptonshire nearly at 200,000 Covid jabs as the great vaccination roll-out steams on Covid vaccination teams are steaming on with another 25,000 jabs delivered in a week taking the total close to 200,000.

And now the plea has gone out for those aged 65 to 69 to book their jabs as the roll-out continues. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

See also:

• UK's Covid alert level has been lowered from 5 to 4 - here's what that means Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• New California Covid strain discovered spreads more easily - and is partially resistant to existing vaccines Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS prescriptions charges are increasing again - here’s how much you’ll have to pay

NHS prescriptions charges are increasing again - here’s how much you’ll have to pay NHS prescription charges are due to increase in England again, leaving thousands of people at risk of being unable to afford vital medication.

Pharmacies bodies have been calling for the charge to be scrapped in the country for several years, as people living in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland do not have to pay for their prescriptions. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

See also:

• Prescription charge rises to £9.35 from 1st April Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee

Car park charges will return next month at Northampton General Hospital

Car park charges will return next month at Northampton General Hospital Outpatients and visitors will have to pay up to £10 a day for parking at Northampton General Hospital again from next month.

The hospital revealed charges would be restored on March 15 — almost a year after they were put on hold as the Covid-19 crisis deepened. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

How transport offers a route to better health

How transport offers a route to better health This long read examines the challenges of shifting towards a transport system that better supports health. It sets out how transport affects health, the difficulties in moving towards greater use of public transport and the effects of COVID-19 on travel patterns. The Health Foundation

Tackling Loneliness, House of Commons Library

Tackling Loneliness The Government's Loneliness Strategy was published in October 2018. It set out a wide variety of cross-departmental measures that the Government would take to provide 'national leadership' to tackle loneliness in England. As well as explaining the Strategy and the steps taken so far by the Government, this briefing also looks at research into the causes and impact of loneliness and possible interventions. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on loneliness is also considered, alongside the measures introduced by the Government in response. House of Commons Library

In the wake of the pandemic: preparing for long Covid

In the wake of the pandemic: preparing for long Covid This policy brief highlights areas where policy-makers can take action to meet the challenge of post-Covid conditions based on what is currently known. It addresses the need for multidisciplinary, multispecialty approaches to assessment and management; development of new care pathways and contextually appropriate guidelines for health professionals; and the creation of appropriate services, including rehabilitation and online support tools. World Health Organization Europe 

Government updates on identifying and tackling COVID-19 disparities

Government updates on identifying and tackling COVID-19 disparities Today the Minister for Equalities, Kemi Badenoch MP, will publish the second quarterly report to the Prime Minister and Health Secretary on progress to understand and tackle COVID-19 disparities experienced by individuals from an ethnic minority background. Government Equalities Office 

See also:

• Latest findings from antibody surveillance study published Department of Health and Social Care
• Transparency data: Coronavirus cases by local authority: epidemiological data, 25 February 2021 Department of Health and Social Care
• Weekly national flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published Public Health England
• Research and analysis: COVID-19: mental health and wellbeing surveillance report Public Health England

Young vulnerable people receive vaccine

Young vulnerable people receive vaccine The focus of the vaccine rollout so far has largely been on older people. But it has also included nearly 200,000 younger people across the UK who are classed as extremely clinically vulnerable and who’ve been shielding for much of the past year. BBC News 

See also:

• The UK alert level is down to four. What does that mean? BBC News
• Covid-19: Adverts urge people to 'keep going' and remain at home BBC News
• How many people in the UK have been vaccinated so far? BBC News
• Ysbyty Gwynedd outbreak 'shows we can't let guard down' BBC News
• Queen urges people to 'think about others' by taking Covid jab BBC News
• Covid cases in England hit their lowest levels since SEPTEMBER The Daily Mail
• Pfizer scientists are studying whether a THIRD vaccine shot can offer protection The Daily Mail
• Nearly 4,500 critically-ill patients are being treated in hospital beds every day in England The Daily Mail
• Is Cali's super-covid the most worrying strain yet? The Daily Mail
• UK Covid alert level downgraded to severe as case numbers fall The Guardian
• English school leaders despair at soft line on Covid tests and masks The Guardian
• NHS to use postcode level data to target communities with poor vaccine uptake The Independent
• COVID-19: Over-70s can now book first coronavirus jab and don't need to wait for contact from NHS Sky News

Rough sleeper numbers down 37% in England during Covid pandemic

Rough sleeper numbers down 37% in England during Covid pandemic The number of rough sleepers in England plummeted during the pandemic, data shows, with 2,688 people estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2020, down 37% from the previous year.

However, the numbers are still 52% higher than in 2010 when such data first started being collected. The Guardian 

Number of new FGM cases referred to NHS in England down by a quarter

Number of new FGM cases referred to NHS in England down by a quarter The number of new female genital mutilation cases referred to NHS services in England has fallen by a quarter, prompting charities and campaigners to warn that the drop may be down to difficulties in accessing services during the coronavirus pandemic.

The statistics from NHS Digital revealed that for the period of October to December 2020, there were 685 newly recorded cases among women and girls, compared with 900 newly recorded cases for the same period in 2019. The Guardian 

Budget 2021: Rishi Sunak set to ignore pay rise demands for NHS staff

Budget 2021: Rishi Sunak set to ignore pay rise demands for NHS staff A decision on pay rises for health workers who have been on the frontline of the fight against Covid-19 could take months if the Chancellor does not bring a new deal forward next week, according to unions. iNews

Northampton General Hospital hits targets for treating cancer patients despite extra pressures of Covid-19

Northampton General Hospital hits targets for treating cancer patients despite extra pressures of Covid-19 Cancer patients at Northampton General Hospital are being seen within NHS target times despite the worst winter ever.

While coronavirus cases climbed alongside the pressures of winter illnesses during December 2020, the hospital hit seven national targets to provide cancer care. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

'I firmly hope and believe that this time, if we get it right and we keep the rates down, this could be the last lockdown'

'I firmly hope and believe that this time, if we get it right and we keep the rates down, this could be the last lockdown' Colum from Northamptonshire's Director of Public Health, Lucy Wrightman. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

See also:

• DJ Jo Whiley welcomes news thousands of adults with learning disabilities will be prioritised for a coronavirus vaccine Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northampton councillor reveals he came close to death from Covid-19 - and hopes his experience will warn others Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Wellingborough man, 57, admits stealing £1900 from Northampton General Hospital patient

Wellingborough man, 57, admits stealing £1900 from Northampton General Hospital patient Offender conditionally discharged after being ordered to pay back outstanding cash. Northampton Chronicle and Echo 

Spring Budget 2021: what’s in store for health and care?

Spring Budget 2021: what’s in store for health and care? What might the Chancellor have in store for health in the upcoming Budget? If we think narrowly about health and care services, then the answer is likely to be not very much. But if we think more widely about the population’s health, then there could be much more at stake. The King's Fund

How can policymakers plan better for the long term

How can policymakers plan better for the long term Coronavirus (COVID-19) has shown why governments must prepare better for an uncertain future. This long read explores what long-term planning means and how it could be improved. The Health Foundation 

Understanding clinical decision-making at the interface of the Mental Health Act (1983) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005)

Understanding clinical decision-making at the interface of the Mental Health Act (1983) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005) The Mental Health Act (1983) (MHA) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA) both provide a legal means by which people can be deprived of their liberty and admitted to hospital on a formal basis when they lack capacity to consent to their admission and treatment. A key interface of the MHA and the MCA arises where an individual lacks the capacity to decide whether to be admitted to hospital to receive care and treatment, and are not objecting to admission or treatment, then the decision of which Act to use for these purposes is that of professionals involved. This report looks at that decision-making process. Partnership for Responsive Policy Analysis and Research 

Maternal death: Learning from maternal death investigations during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Maternal death: Learning from maternal death investigations during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic Through our maternity investigation programme, we’ve investigated 20 maternal deaths that happened between 1 March and 31 May 2020. These deaths all happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The women had contact with many areas of the healthcare system, including primary and secondary care, ambulance services and NHS 111.

The purpose of this national learning report is to review the findings of our maternal death investigation reports and identify any potential themes and areas of learning. This learning could potentially improve maternal care if a future surge of COVID-19 cases occurs. Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch

See also:

• Ban on attending hospitals with pregnant partners 'may have contributed to maternity deaths'  The Daily Telegraph

Ban lifted to allow UK blood plasma to be used for life-saving treatements

Ban lifted to allow UK blood plasma to be used for life-saving treatements Thousands more critically ill patients will soon be able to benefit from life-saving treatments made from UK-sourced blood plasma, as the government lifts a decades-old ban on donations of plasma in the UK being used to manufacture some medicines. Department of Health and Social Care 

JCVI advises inviting people on Learning Disability Register for vaccine

JCVI advises inviting people on Learning Disability Register for vaccine JCVI has advised the government to invite all people on the GP Learning Disability Register for COVID-19 vaccination. Public Health England 

See also:

• Letter from the Health and Social Care Secretary on COVID-19 vaccination in people with learning disabilities Department of Health and Social Care