Father 'devastated' at lack of progress on autism care

Father 'devastated' at lack of progress on autism care The father of an autistic girl locked in a hospital "cell" for nearly two years says more needs to be done to prevent it happening to others.

It comes after a damning report revealed none of the recommendations made by the health regulator in 2020 to improve care had been fully achieved.

Bethany - whose surname cannot be published - was locked in a hospital room in Northampton as a teenager. Her only access to the outside world was through a tiny hatch in the door. BBC News

A matter of life and death: Explaining the wider determinants of health in the UK

A matter of life and death: Explaining the wider determinants of health in the UK To address health inequalities, we need to change the way that we communicate about the wider determinants of health – to increase public understanding and to build space for policy change. Key to this change is harnessing the power of explanation. The Health Foundation

Healthy communities together – embarking on a journey of partnership working

Healthy communities together – embarking on a journey of partnership working Whether you are an NHS trust, local authority or voluntary and community sector leader, the changes afoot in how local NHS services are structured and commissioned will be on the minds of many. Setting aside the details of the Health and Care Bill, its underlying ambition is to support organisations to work more collaboratively, partnering to better serve the needs of their communities. The King's Fund

Integrated care communications toolkit

Integrated care communications toolkit This toolkit was developed to help communicate the changes taking place in the health and care system. Resources have been produced to help with explaining integrated systems to the public, elected members and officers of councils, and non-executive directors. The toolkit also includes a jargon buster and some FAQs. NHS Confederation

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever case identified in England, following travel to Central Asia

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever case identified in England, following travel to Central Asia The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm that a case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) has been confirmed in England. The woman had recently travelled to Central Asia.

CCHF is a viral disease usually transmitted by ticks and livestock animals in countries where the disease is endemic.

Guidance: The R value and growth rate

Guidance: The R value and growth rate UK estimates of R and growth rate are averages over different epidemiological situations and should be regarded as a guide to the general trend rather than a description of the epidemic state. UK Health Security Agency

UK Covid infections climb by a million in a week

UK Covid infections climb by a million in a week Covid cases have climbed by a million in a week in the UK, data from the Office for National Statistics reveals.

Swab tests suggest about one in every 16 people is infected, as the contagious Omicron variant BA.2 continues to spread.

That's just under 4.3 million people, up from 3.3 million the week before. BBC News

See also:

• What are the Covid variants and do vaccines still work? BBC News
• What are the UK's remaining Covid restrictions? BBC News
• Covid boosters: Who is being vaccinated? BBC News
• Shanghai Covid: China announces largest city-wide lockdown BBC News
• Fewer than half of immunocompromised in England have had Covid booster jabs Evening Standard
• When should lateral flow tests be used in England now they must be paid for? The Guardian
• Should rising Covid infections in England, Scotland and Wales cause concern? The Guardian
• Government paid firm linked to Tory peer £122m for PPE bought for £46m The Guardian

Essex mental health services inquiry probes 1,500 deaths

Essex mental health services inquiry probes 1,500 deaths A public inquiry has learned of the deaths of 1,500 people who were in the care of Essex mental health services over a 21-year period.

They were either inpatients or individuals who died within three months of being discharged.

Dr Geraldine Strathdee, chairwoman of the inquiry, said "at this stage we only know the causes of death in 40% of those people".

She appealed for more people to come forward. BBC News

See also:

• Inquiry will probe 1500 deaths of mental health ward patients at NHS units over 20-year period The Daily Mail
• Inquiry investigates deaths of 1,500 NHS mental health patients in Essex The Guardian
• Essex: 1,500 deaths to be investigated at scandal-hit mental health trust The Independent

Shewsbury maternity scandal: Families ‘silenced’ after 300 babies died or left brain damaged, inquiry to find

Shewsbury maternity scandal: Families ‘silenced’ after 300 babies died or left brain damaged, inquiry to find Families have been “silenced or ignored”, a former senior midwife leading a major inquiry into maternity care has said ahead of her report’s publication.

Three hundred babies died or were left brain damaged due to avoidable errors in care, the independent review will state when published this week, according to the Sunday Times. The Independent

See also:

• Three hundred babies died or suffered brain damage in Shropshire maternity scandal, report finds The Daily Telegraph
• Shropshire maternity scandal: 300 babies died or left brain-damaged, says report The Guardian
• Maternity scandal: 300 babies died or were left brain damaged due to 'avoidable errors' in care at NHS trust iNews
• 'It’s created a legacy for our daughters': The two mothers who exposed a maternity scandal ITV News
• Shrewsbury maternity scandal: 'Climate of fear' stopped staff speaking out at hospital trust where hundreds of babies died Sky News

NHS in danger of losing staff to supermarkets and coffee shops without better pay, says Unison

NHS in danger of losing staff to supermarkets and coffee shops without better pay, says Unison Lower wages means 999 call handlers, healthcare assistants, medical secretaries and cleaners are among those being tempted to switch to the private sector, according to the union. iNews

See also:

• NHS facing stiff competition for staff from high street firms UNISON
• UK unions: pay better wages or expect a mass exodus of essential workers The Guardian

Overseas nurses in the UK forced to pay out thousands if they want to quit jobs

Overseas nurses in the UK forced to pay out thousands if they want to quit jobs International nurses working for NHS trusts and private care homes are being trapped in their jobs by clauses in their contracts that require them to pay thousands of pounds if they try to leave.

In extreme cases, nurses are tied to their roles for up to five years and face fees as steep as £14,000 if they want to change job or return home early. The Guardian

See also:

• Trapped and destitute: how foreign nurses’ UK dreams turned sour The Guardian

Tents used at overcrowded hospitals 'borderline immoral', Royal College of Emergency Medicine warns

Tents used at overcrowded hospitals 'borderline immoral', Royal College of Emergency Medicine warns 'Tents' used outside busy A&Es to house ambulance patients  are 'a danger' to health and dignity, doctors have warned as the NHS considers assembling more to cope with demand. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Tents outside A&Es are a danger to patients’ health and dignity HSJ

Lifestyle switch has saved thousands of adults from developing diabetes, research shows

Lifestyle switch has saved thousands of adults from developing diabetes, research shows A lifestyle overhaul has saved thousands in England from getting type 2 diabetes, research reveals today.

The obesity crisis led to an epidemic of type 2 diabetes, which is linked to being overweight and inactive, with one in ten predicted to have the condition by 2030.

But researchers at Manchester University found the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme resulted in around 18,000 fewer people being diagnosed with it in England between 2018 and 2019. The Daily Mail

See also:

• NHS Prevention Programme cuts chances of Type 2 diabetes for thousands NHS England
• NHS Prevention Programme Cuts Chances Of Type 2 Diabetes For Thousands University of Manchester

Spring boosters rolled out to vulnerable groups in Northampton

Spring boosters rolled out to vulnerable groups in Northampton The NHS has started rolling out its Spring vaccine programme against Covid-19 this week. About 5m people vulnerable people - including care home residents, the over-75s and people who are immuno-suppressed - will be eligible to receive the booster.

Northamptonshire recorded 6,029 Covid-19 cases in the week up to and including 17 March, which is a 32% rise from the previous week.

How do people getting their booster at Moulton Park Vaccine Centre feel about the Spring programme? BBC Northampton

Campaigners in Northamptonshire post slow handclap videos to protest over three per cent pay rise for NHS staff

Campaigners in Northamptonshire post slow handclap videos to protest over three per cent pay rise for NHS staff People across Northamptonshire have been joining a mass slow handclap against the government’s three per cent pay rise for NHS staff, in a campaign backed by the country’s biggest trade union. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Restraint, segregation and seclusion review: Progress report

Restraint, segregation and seclusion review: Progress report Not enough progress has been made to address the recommendations made by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in its 2020 ‘Out of sight – who cares?’ restraint, segregation, and seclusion review. In a progress report published today, CQC finds that there are still too many people in hospital. Once in hospital they often stay too long, do not always experience therapeutic care and are still subject to restrictive interventions.

Economic and fiscal outlook - March 2022

Economic and fiscal outlook - March 2022 This report sets out forecasts for the economy over a five year horizon and outlines the impact of the economic outlook on the NHS and associated public services, particularly in relation to pressures on the health service. Office for Budget Responsibility

NHS announces £127m maternity boost for patients and families

NHS announces £127m maternity boost for patients and families The NHS in England has today announced a £127 million funding boost for maternity services across the England that will help ensure safer and more personalised care for women and their babies.

Announced at the NHS England board meeting today, the NHS said that the major investment will boost the workforce and help improve the culture in maternity units.

See also:

• NHS to invest millions to keep experienced midwives as mentors for next generation NHS England 

Microplastics found in human blood for first time

Microplastics found in human blood for first time Microplastic pollution has been detected in human blood for the first time, with scientists finding the tiny particles in almost 80% of the people tested.

The discovery shows the particles can travel around the body and may lodge in organs. The impact on health is as yet unknown. But researchers are concerned as microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory and air pollution particles are already known to enter the body and cause millions of early deaths a year. The Guardian

See also:

• Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood (open access) Environment International

Pregnant women to receive life-saving pre-eclampsia check

Pregnant women to receive life-saving pre-eclampsia check A simple blood test can help spot pre-eclampsia, a potentially dangerous condition in pregnancy, and should be offered to women on the NHS, new draft guidelines for England say.

Early diagnosis of this disorder, which affects up to 6% of pregnancies, can save lives, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says. BBC News