Inspectors tell Northampton care agency to improve after finding concerns with safety and leadership

Inspectors tell Northampton care agency to improve after finding concerns with safety and leadership A Northampton care agency has been told to improve by the health watchdog after a recent inspection found concerns around its safety and leadership.

Carebank Healthcare's rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was been downgraded from 'good' to 'requires improvement' following the visit in February. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northampton care home must ask for permission to accept new residents after scathing inspection Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The role of trauma-informed care during the Covid-19 pandemic

The role of trauma-informed care during the Covid-19 pandemic At the end of 2019, I wrote about the importance of trauma-informed care and the need for system-level change to better meet the needs of people who sleep rough and others who have experienced traumatic events. The ensuing Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated even more clearly the need for, and the potential of, trauma-informed approaches. The King's Fund

A record of our own: lockdown experiences of ethnic minority prisoners

A record of our own: lockdown experiences of ethnic minority prisoners The report reveals the impact of the first six months of Covid-19 restrictions on ethnic minority prisoners and their families. These restrictions have effectively reduced the spread of Covid-19 and saved lives, but they have also had profoundly affected prisoners’ mental health. Zahid Mubarek Trust

Face coverings in schools and colleges to remain in place

Face coverings in schools and colleges to remain in place Face coverings in schools and colleges are to remain in place at start of summer term, following an ongoing review of the evidence and data. Public Health England

Covid: Moderna vaccine roll-out to begin in Wales

Covid: Moderna vaccine roll-out to begin in Wales The UK is beginning the rollout of its third coronavirus vaccine in Wales.

Patients in Carmarthenshire are the first to get the Moderna jab, with 5,000 doses arriving at Hywel Dda University Health Board vaccination centres on Tuesday. BBC News

See also:

• Covid biggest NHS challenge since World War Two, says NHS boss BBC News
• Covid: Brazil has more than 4,000 deaths in 24 hours for first time BBC News
• Covid: Child vaccine trial paused over possible clot link BBC News
• Covid: Trust regulator on AstraZeneca vaccine safety, Boris Johnson says BBC News
• Boris confirms shops CAN reopen on Monday - but is lockdown roadmap in doubt? The Daily Mail
• Life WON'T return to normal on June 21 because Covid vaccines aren't good enough, SAGE warns The Daily Mail
• COVID-19 could become the new common cold: Experts predict the virus is here to stay The Daily Mail
• UK's long Covid patients facing postcode lottery for support The Guardian
• England’s Covid vaccine programme could slow sharply, Sage warns The Guardian
• Oxford/AstraZeneca jab could have causal link to rare blood clots, say UK experts The Guardian
• ‘Pandemic far from over’: Warning as only 3% of people vaccinated globally The Independent
• 'I couldn't go to work and I couldn't face another dead body': the NHS staff traumatised by the Coronavirus pandemic ITV News

Covid-19 raises risk of depression and dementia, study suggests

Covid-19 raises risk of depression and dementia, study suggests People diagnosed with Covid-19 in the previous six months were more likely to develop depression, dementia, psychosis and stroke, researchers have found.

A third of those with a previous Covid infection went on to develop or have a relapse of a psychological or neurological condition. BBC News

See also:

• 6-month neurological and psychiatric outcomes in 236 379 survivors of COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records (open access) Lancet Psychiatry 
• Covid-19 linked to increased risk of psychiatric and neurological conditions ITV News

Evidence for puberty blockers use very low, says NICE

Evidence for puberty blockers use very low, says NICE The evidence for using puberty blocking drugs to treat young people struggling with their gender identity is "very low", an official review has found.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said existing studies of the drugs were small and "subject to bias and confounding".

The assessment of the evidence into the drugs was commissioned by NHS England. BBC News

Multiple opportunities missed to prevent suicide death at NHS mental health unit, inquest hears

Multiple opportunities missed to prevent suicide death at NHS mental health unit, inquest hears A 40-year-old mother of four took her own life at an NHS mental health unit after multiple opportunities were missed to keep her safe, an inquest has found, prompting her family to call for a public inquiry.

Azra Parveen Hussain was allegedly the seventh in-patient in seven years to die by the same means while in the care of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHT). The Independent 

NHS hospital trust facing prosecution after death of woman and child

NHS hospital trust facing prosecution after death of woman and child A hospital trust is facing prosecution for alleged breaches of patient safety that are said to have led to the deaths of a mother of six and a child who was brain damaged at birth.

The Care Quality Commission, which regulates NHS and social care in England, has charged Dudley group NHS foundation trust with providing illegally substandard care. The West Midlands trust is due to appear at Dudley magistrates court on Wednesday over alleged lapses in safety and patient care at Russells Hall hospital in the town. The Guardian

What Boris Johnson said in his lockdown roadmap press conference

What Boris Johnson said in his lockdown roadmap press conference Beer gardens, non-essential retail and outdoor attractions will be able to open next week, and a new testing regime will see every adult in England able to access two rapid covid tests per week, the prime minister announced. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also: 

• Covid-19 case rates and vaccine rollout for Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire BBC News
• 60,000 more jabs done in a week and nearly six out of ten people have been vaccinated in Northamptonshire Northampton Chronicle and Echo

MEET THE GOVERNORS: Kettering governor tells us more about Northamptonshire's changing health scene

MEET THE GOVERNORS: Kettering governor tells us more about Northamptonshire's changing health scene A KGH governor has written more in his series of pieces about Northamptonshire's changing health scene.

The governors at KGH have teamed up with the Northants Telegraph to give our readers an insight into their role and the work they do. Northamptonshire Telegraph 

"Sexual health clinics in Northampton" Popular Googled search term one day after mini-heatwave in the town

"Sexual health clinics in Northampton" Popular Googled search term one day after mini-heatwave in the town "Sexual health clinics in Northampton" was one of the most Googled phrases in the town on Thursday (April 1), one day after the mini-heatwave

Thursday was the day after the two-day mini-heatwave and also coincided with the recent easing of months of strict lockdown restrictions. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities: the report

Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities: the report This report includes a chapter on health which looks at life expectancy, cancer, diabetes, obesity, maternal mortality as well as access to health care, Covid-19 and more. Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities

See also: 

• Comment on the report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities The Health Foundation
• The King’s Fund response to The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report The King's Fund
• Race and ethnic disparities report published NHS Employers
• Response to the report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities NHS Race and Health Observatory 
• RCGP response to Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report Royal College of General Practitioners
• ‘We must be bold in naming and tackling racism’ Royal College of Nursing
• RCP responds to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities' report Royal College of Physicians
• RCPsych response to the report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities Royal College of Psychiatrists
• 250 public health professionals condemn ‘dangerous’ race report for ignoring inequalities The Independent
• Institutional racism exists in UK and healthcare, says head of NHS race body The Independent

Public health reform: a whole-government priority?

Public health reform: a whole-government priority? ‘Health will no longer only be the business of the DHSC, but a core priority for the whole of government’?

The quote above is from the new policy paper ‘Transforming the public health system: reforming the public health system for the challenges of our times’, published on 29 of March; although the question mark is mine. This paper puts some more flesh on the bones of the announcement of the UK Health Security Agency and the more recently announced Office for Health Promotion, and also connects them to ambitions for the future of integrated care, as set out in the new White Paper. So what to make of it? The King's Fund

What might long COVID mean for the nation’s health?

What might long COVID mean for the nation’s health? There is much more to learn about how COVID-19 affects people and what the implications are for the nation's long-term health. Against this uncertainty, the Health Foundation’s COVID-19 impact inquiry team has reviewed emerging evidence on long COVID. Here we summarise our findings to date. 

5 million people in the UK receive second dose of COVID-19 vaccine

5 million people in the UK receive second dose of COVID-19 vaccine More than 5 million people in the UK have received their second dose of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

Health services across the UK have now administered over 36.6 million vaccines between 8 December and 02 April, including over 31.4 million people with their first dose and over 5.2 million with their second. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Twice weekly rapid testing to be available to everyone in England Department of Health and Social Care
• Two visitors allowed in care homes to reunite with loved ones Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: The R value and growth rate in the UK  Department of Health and Social Care
• NHS Chiefs urge: book an NHS COVID jab without delay NHS England

Covid: Rapid tests to be offered twice-weekly in England

Covid: Rapid tests to be offered twice-weekly in England Everyone in England is to be given access to two rapid coronavirus tests a week from Friday, under an extension of the government's testing programme.

The lateral flow kits, which can provide results in around 30 minutes, will be available for free at testing sites, pharmacies and through the post. BBC News

See also: 

• Coronavirus: Pfizer jab 'stopping 91% of cases in first six months' BBC News
• Covid: 30 blood clot cases found in AstraZeneca recipients in the UK BBC News
• Coronavirus doctor's diary: How the virus has changed our sleep patterns BBC News
• Vitamin D: The truth about an alleged Covid ‘cover-up’ BBC News
• Long Covid: More than a million affected in February, survey suggests BBC News
• Covid: Passports showing vaccine status would be 'time-limited', says minister BBC News
• Britain's daily Covid cases are down 40% in a week with 2,762 infections The Daily Mail
• Covid-19 UK: NHS under pressure to expand Covid vaccine roll-out to all adults The Daily Mail
• Chris Whitty warns Britain will be vulnerable to Covid for another two years The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus: Pfizer vaccine 'WILL protect against the Brazilian and South African Covid variants' The Daily Mail
• Vaccine passports: pilot scheme for theatres, cinemas, sports and nightclubs The Daily Telegraph
• AstraZeneca trial on children reports 'no problems so far' as scientists hope to extend to younger patients The Daily Telegraph
• Easing of England lockdown next week 'highly unlikely' to overwhelm NHS The Guardian

'A truly frightening backlog': ex-NHS chief warns of delays in vital care

'A truly frightening backlog': ex-NHS chief warns of delays in vital care Exclusive: hold-ups in operations in England a political issue for Johnson and pose risks to patients, says Sir David Nicholson

Patients could be waiting as much as two years for vital operations by the time of the next election due to a “truly frightening” backlog of care caused by the pandemic, the NHS’s former boss has said. The Guardian

'A life-changer': NHS England rolls out five-minute breast cancer treatment

'A life-changer': NHS England rolls out five-minute breast cancer treatment A new breast cancer treatment will cut the amount of time some patients have to spend in hospital from two and a half hours to five minutes.

The treatment, called Phesgo, is being rolled out across England by the NHS and will be offered to breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. It will be available to people with HER2-positive breast cancer, which accounts for 15% of all such cancers. The Guardian

See also:

• Thousands of patients set to benefit from five-minute breast cancer treatment NHS England

NHS England to set up 26 mental health hubs to support new, expectant and bereaved mothers

NHS England to set up 26 mental health hubs to support new, expectant and bereaved mothers New, expectant and bereaved mothers will soon have the help of dozens of new mental health hubs across the country, the NHS has announced.

NHS England is setting up 26 new sites especially for women - bringing together maternity care and psychological therapy under one roof. Sky News

 

See also:

• New dedicated mental health services for new expectant and bereaved mums NHS England
• Mental health: More help for new and expectant mothers in England BBC News
• NHS opening 26 mental health hubs to support new and bereaved mothers The Independent