'Amazing' Northampton General Hospital teams get routine breast screenings back on target after Covid backlog

'Amazing' Northampton General Hospital teams get routine breast screenings back on target after Covid backlog Breast screening teams at Northampton General Hospital have been given a pat on the back for wiping out appointment backlogs created by the Covid-19 pandemic. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton hospital patient breaks nurse’s skull and jaw in ‘unprovoked’ attack

Northampton hospital patient breaks nurse’s skull and jaw in ‘unprovoked’ attack A Northampton man has been detained under the Mental Health Act after punching a nurse unconscious, leaving him with a fractured skull and jaw. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northamptonshire leading the discussion on acquired brain injuries

Northamptonshire leading the discussion on acquired brain injuries A landmark conference raising awareness of acquired brain injuries was held in Kettering with medical experts, people living with a brain injury, support organisations and sports professionals. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Myths and misinformation: mapping the barriers to smoking cessation and the uptake of nicotine alternatives

Myths and misinformation: mapping the barriers to smoking cessation and the uptake of nicotine alternatives This report uncovers a huge level of misunderstanding around the harms posed by tobacco, with 93 per cent of Brits overestimating the health risk of nicotine, one of the main chemicals in tobacco. The over 60s and those from the lowest socioeconomic groups (C2DE) are the most likely to be misinformed, illustrating the scale of the task at hand for the government. Demos

Drug misuse prevention review

Drug misuse prevention review The ACMD was commissioned in December 2021 to provide advice on preventing drug use among vulnerable groups of people, and how those groups can be prevented both from first using and from developing dependence on drugs. This report explores the factors that contribute to vulnerability, then examines general principles and specific approaches to prevention that are supported by the available evidence. It also considers the need for the delivery of interventions to be embedded properly in the wider system and context if their potential is to be achieved. Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

Recruiting young people from care into NHS careers

Recruiting young people from care into NHS careers The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) looked after children pre-employment programme supports young people with a background in care and unaccompanied asylum seeker children, providing opportunities in NHS roles such as health care support, administration and ancillary. It was developed in partnership with NHS England and NHS Improvement, Next Step and The Prince’s Trust. NHS Employers

Government urged to pay low paid NHS staff more or risk deepening NHS vacancy crisis

Government urged to pay low paid NHS staff more or risk deepening NHS vacancy crisis NHS leaders are urging the Government to give health service staff on the lowest full time pay a higher pay rise than last year to help them mitigate against the worst effects of rising living costs and to avert a deepening of the NHS workforce crisis. NHS Confederation

Monkeypox: UK cases rise to 71, with vaccines for high-risk contacts

Monkeypox: UK cases rise to 71, with vaccines for high-risk contacts The monkeypox virus has been found in 14 more people in England, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 71, health officials say.

They are tracing high-risk close contacts of the cases to advise them to isolate at home for 21 days.

A smallpox vaccine is being offered to prevent them developing symptoms.

Anyone with unusual rashes or lesions on any part of the body should contact NHS 111 or their local sexual health service. BBC News

See also:

• Got a new rash? Monkeypox or something else? BBC News
• Monkeypox: Cases detected in three more countries for first time BBC News
• Monkeypox outbreak may have been sparked by sex at two raves in Belgium and Spain, WHO expert warns The Daily Mail
• Monkeypox virus may have evolved to be more transmissible The Daily Telegraph
• Monkeypox outbreak was waiting to happen, say scientists The Guardian
• Monkeypox cases are rare in children and parents should not worry, experts say The Independent
• Monkeypox: Scientists find potential antiviral treatment The Independent
• UK monkeypox cases: Where have infections been reported? The Independent
• Explainer: Why monkeypox cases are spreading in Europe, US Reuters

NHS intensive care staff suffered same levels of PTSD during Covid as Afghanistan combat veterans

NHS intensive care staff suffered same levels of PTSD during Covid as Afghanistan combat veterans NHS intensive care staff suffered the same levels of PTSD during the pandemic as British military veterans deployed in Afghanistan in a combat role, a study has found.

Researchers now say those affected should receive fast-track access to mental health treatment. iNews

See also:

• The mental health of staff working on intensive care units over the COVID-19 winter surge of 2020 in England: a cross sectional survey (open access) British Journal of Anaesthesia
• No 10 braced for Sue Gray's report into lockdown parties BBC News
• Partygate: Insiders tell of packed No 10 lockdown parties BBC News
• CDC issues warning that people treated with Paxlovid for Covid may have symptoms rebound The Daily Mail
• Are UK coronavirus cases actually going down or are they just harder to count? The Guardian
• While Boris Johnson partied, I helped a child put on PPE to see his dying dad The Guardian
• No 10 officials say party attended by Johnson so cramped people sat on each other’s laps The Guardian
• Sue Gray report to contain photos of Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Simon Case, source says ITV News
• What were the Covid rules when Boris Johnson was drinking at Downing Street party during lockdown? ITV News
• The damning testimony NHS staff have submitted to the Covid inquiry ITV News

New sight loss drug made available to thousands on the NHS

New sight loss drug made available to thousands on the NHS A new sight loss drug is to be made available to thousands of people on the NHS a week after it was approved by the medicines regulator.

Faricimab (Vabysmo) is an eye injection made by Roche which works to improve vision – or cut vision loss – in people with wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) or diabetic macular oedema (DMO). The Independent

See also: 

• Thousands of people in England could benefit after NICE recommends treatment option for two forms of sight loss NICE

Women in England with breast cancer may qualify for drug that buys ‘precious’ time

Women in England with breast cancer may qualify for drug that buys ‘precious’ time Women with advanced breast cancer in England will be able to benefit from a new type of immunotherapy on the NHS after a U-turn by the medicines watchdog.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has overturned its draft rejection of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and said women in England can take the drug in combination with chemotherapy. The Guardian

See also:

• New hope for women with advanced breast cancer as immunotherapy drug approved for NHS The Independent

Support at the end of life: the role of hospice services across the UK

Support at the end of life: the role of hospice services across the UK Covid-19 created huge disruption to end of life care services, with many thousands more people dying at home than previously. Hospices play a vital role supporting people and their families at the end of life, but little is known about how these services are being delivered and the issues they are grappling with. This report, based on a survey carried out by Hospice UK, provides a picture of a sector undergoing rapid change in the face of fast-changing circumstances. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• UK hospices adapt to huge pandemic shake-up to end of life care Nuffield Trust
• End of life care explained: what is it, how is it provided, and what are the challenges? Nuffield Trust

Bringing together digital and quality improvement: how boards can connect the dots and create allies in service transformation

Bringing together digital and quality improvement: how boards can connect the dots and create allies in service transformation This briefing from the Digital Boards programme focuses on the benefits of bringing together digital and quality improvement. Trust leaders reflect on their collective role in leading these changes and how they can make best use of existing improvement capabilities, and set out some key considerations for boards. NHS Providers

Neurodiversity guidance for employers, managers, staff and students

Neurodiversity guidance for employers, managers, staff and students This guidance has been developed for staff and students who are neurodiverse and for the managers and employers who support them. It is intended for the health and care sector but its overarching principles could be helpful in other settings. Royal College of Nursing

Guidance: Monkeypox

Guidance: Monkeypox The epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis and management of monkeypox virus infections. UK Health Security Agency

See also:

• Poxvirus infection (monkeypox and smallpox) (open access) BMJ Best Practice
• Factsheet for health professionals on monkeypox European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
• Guidance: Monkeypox: contact tracing UK Health Security Agency
• Guidance: Monkeypox vaccination UK Health Security Agency
• Guidance: Monkeypox: case definitions UK Health Security Agency
• Monkeypox World Health Organization

UK finds 36 more monkeypox cases

UK finds 36 more monkeypox cases The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says it has detected 36 additional cases of monkeypox in England.

Adding in a new case found in Scotland on Monday, it brings the total number of infections in the UK to 57.

The rare virus - which causes a rash and a fever - has been seen around the world in recent weeks, which is unusual.

Health experts stress that the overall risk remains low, and that the disease can be contained. BBC News

See also:

• Monkeypox virus outbreaks are containable - WHO BBC News
• NHS only has room to treat up to FIFTY monkeypox patients at a time The Daily Mail
• Monkeypox could become endemic in Europe if it spreads to PETS: Health chiefs stark warning The Daily Mail
• Monkeypox outbreak: First case detected in Scotland The Daily Telegraph
• Monkeypox: UN criticises ‘homophobic’ reporting of virus outbreak The Independent
• EU warns monkeypox could become endemic and tells countries to take tougher action to tackle outbreak The Independent
• Monkeypox symptoms: What to look for and how it spreads The Independent
• Monkeypox conspiracy theories: Five false claims about the virus debunked as misinformation spreads online iNews

Covid-19 linked to impaired heart function, study finds

Covid-19 linked to impaired heart function, study finds Covid-19 is associated with impaired function of the right side of the heart, new research on intensive care patients has found.

Led by experts from NHS Golden Jubilee, the Covid-RV study was carried out in 10 intensive care units in Scotland.

It assessed the impact the virus had on 121 critically ill patients who required treatment on ventilators. BBC News

See also:

• Right ventricular dysfunction in patients with COVID-19 pneumonitis whose lungs are mechanically ventilated: a multicentre prospective cohort study (open access) Anaesthesia
• A multisystem, cardio-renal investigation of post-COVID-19 illness (open access) Nature Medicine
• Long Covid-19: 'I'm physically and mentally not able to do anything' BBC News
• Covid in Wales: Thousands wrongly given spring booster BBC News
• Long Covid? Don't fall for quick-fix 'cures'! The Daily Mail
• Covid can cause ongoing damage to heart, lungs and kidneys, study finds The Guardian
• New Covid variant explained: Everything we know about the new BA.4 and BA.5 strains and Omicron symptoms iNews

NHS 111: Parents anger over four child deaths

NHS 111: Parents anger over four child deaths The parents of a girl who died after failings by NHS 111 said they were horrified to learn coroners had already warned about similar shortcomings.

Hannah Royle, 16, died in 2020 after the NHS phone service failed to realise she was seriously ill.

BBC News found concerns had been raised about the call centre triage software in 2019 after three children died.

Gene-edited tomatoes could soon be sold in England

Gene-edited tomatoes could soon be sold in England Tomatoes that boost the body's vitamin D could be among the first gene-edited crops allowed on sale in England.

Researchers in Norwich created the plants by turning off a specific molecule in their genetic code.

A bill will be introduced on Wednesday to allow commercial growing of gene-edited crops in England. BBC News

Thousands of NHS workers may quit for better-paid jobs, ministers warned

Thousands of NHS workers may quit for better-paid jobs, ministers warned The NHS faces a “mass exodus” of thousands of staff to better-paid jobs in pubs, shops and supermarkets as a result of the cost of living crisis, ministers have been warned.

Health leaders fear significant numbers of lower-paid workers will leave for higher wages in the private sector amid rising food and heating bills and soaring inflation. The NHS already has 110,000 vacancies, and there are fears that a further deepening of the workforce crisis will “jeopardise” the ability of hospitals to tackle record-high waiting lists. The Guardian