Jump to content
  • articles
    9,853
  • comments
    83
  • views
    12,498,036

Contributors to this article

About this News

Articles in the news

 

Coronavirus: Seven in 10 hospital patients suffer from long COVID for weeks after discharge

Study finds 54 days after discharge, 69% of patients still had fatigue, and 53% were suffering from persistent breathlessness.

Almost seven out of 10 patients hospitalised due to coronavirus still suffer from debilitating symptoms more than seven weeks after being discharged, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University College London (UCL) division of medicine, in collaboration with with clinicians at the Royal Free London (RFL) and UCL, followed 384 patients who had tested positive and had been treated at Barnet Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital or UCLH. Collectively the average length of stay in hospital was 6.5 days.

The team found that 54 days after discharge, 69% of patients were still experiencing fatigue, and 53% were suffering from persistent breathlessness. They also found that 34% still had a cough and 15% reported depression. In addition 38% of chest radiographs (X-rays) remained abnormal and 9% were getting worse.

Dr Swapna Mandal, an honorary clinical associate professor at UCL division of medicine, said the data shows so-called long COVID is a real phenomenon and that further research is needed to understand how the symptoms of COVID-19 can be treated over an extended period. She said: "Patients whose COVID-19 illness is serious enough for them to require hospital care often continue to suffer significant symptoms for many weeks after their discharge."

Read full story

Source: Sky News, 11 November 2020

Read more

Coronavirus: Safety concerns halt use of 50 million NHS masks

Fifty million face masks bought by the government in April will not be used in the NHS because of safety concerns. The government says the masks, which use ear-loop fastenings rather than head loops, may not fit tightly enough.

They were bought for healthcare workers from supplier Ayanda Capital as part of a £252m contract.Ayanda says the masks meet the specifications the government had set out. The government says its safety standards process is "robust".

According to legal papers seen by the BBC, the government says these masks will now not be used in the NHS because of a safety issue. The document says that there is concern about whether they would fit adequately.

To be effective these types of face mask need to fit tightly to create a seal between the mask and the wearer's face. Anyone who wears them for work is required to undergo a face fit test.

"The face fit is either a pass or a fail and there are more fails on products with ear loops than there are on products with head harnesses," says Alan Murray, chief executive of the British Safety Industry Federation.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 6 August 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Routine NHS operations cancelled in effort to free up 30,000 hospital beds

NHS hospitals have been told to cancel operations in an effort to free up 30,000 beds to create space for an expected surge in coronavirus patients.

In a letter to NHS bosses today, NHS England said hospitals should look to cancel all non-urgent surgeries for at least three months starting from 15 April. 

Hospitals were given discretion to begin winding down activity immediately to help train staff and begin work setting up makeshift intensive care wards. Any cancer operations and patients needing emergency treatment will not be affected.

The letter from NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens said: “The operational aim is to expand critical care capacity to the maximum; free up 30,000 (or more) of the English NHS’s 100,000 general and acute beds."

In the meantime hospitals were told to do as much elective surgery, such as hip operations and knee replacements, as possible and to use private sector hospitals which it said could free up 12 to 15,000 beds across England.

Sir Simon also said patients who did not need to be in hospital should be discharged as quickly as possible adding: “Community health providers must take immediate full responsibility for urgent discharge of all eligible patients identified by acute providers on a discharge list. For those needing social care, emergency legislation before Parliament this week will ensure that eligibility assessments do not delay discharge.

Read full story

Source: The Independent, 17 March 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Risk higher for pregnant BAME women

The high proportion of pregnant women from black and ethnic minority (BAME) groups admitted to hospital with COVID-19 "needs urgent investigation", says a study in the British Medical Journal.

Out of 427 pregnant women studied between March and April, more than half were from these backgrounds - nearly three times the expected number. Most were admitted late in pregnancy and did not become seriously ill. Although babies can be infected, the researchers said this was "uncommon".

When other factors such as obesity and age were taken into account, there was still a much higher proportion from ethnic minority groups than expected, the authors said.

But the explanation for why BAME pregnant women are disproportionately affected by coronavirus is not simple "or easily solved," says Professor Knight, lead author.

"We have to talk to women themselves, as well as health professionals, to give us more of a clue."

Gill Walton from the Royal College of Midwives says, "Even before the pandemic, women from black, Asian or ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to die in and around their pregnancy,"

She said they were "still at unacceptable risk" and getting help and support to affected communities was crucial. 

Ms Walton added: "The system is failing them and that has got to change quickly, because they matter, their lives matter and they deserve the best and safest care."

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 8 June 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Restarting NHS services will be a major challenge, warn experts

Restarting NHS services will be an even greater challenge than coping with the first coronavirus infections, health think tanks and hospital chiefs have warned.

Since March, the NHS has freed up more than 33,000 beds to prepare for an influx of COVID-19 patients needing intensive care, but since the peak of infection health chiefs have worried that delays to care were harming patients.

Around 46,000 so-called excess deaths have been recorded during the pandemic, as compared against a five-year average. Around a quarter of these are believed to be unrelated to COVID-19.

In a joint statement, the Health Foundation, Nuffield Trust and King’s Fund think tanks have said it could take months before the NHS and social care are able to fully restart. All three bodies will be giving evidence to the Commons health committee on Thursday, where they will warn about the impact on the health service’s “exhausted staff” and demand action to help care homes – which are now at the frontline in the fight against coronavirus.

The experts will stress the need for the NHS to begin planning for a second peak of infections, especially if it comes in winter – when the service is usually overwhelmed by seasonal flu.

They will warn about concerns over how the NHS manages the risk of infection, with the need for more protective equipment, social distancing and increased testing. This will “severely limit capacity for many months”, they said.

Read full story

Soruce: The Independent, 14 May 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Reopening NHS services must be safe, unions say

Rapid testing and an adequate supply of protective equipment must be in place when the NHS reopens services cancelled during the peak of the coronavirus oubreak, health unions have said.

The unions have put forward a nine-point plan for the NHS to reopen safely as lockdown restrictions ease.

NHS England has told hospitals to restart routine and non-urgent operations and procedures which were put on hold to create more capacity for COVID-19 patients. But 16 unions, including Unison, the Royal College of Nursing, Unite and GMB, said they wanted the NHS to continue to operate a "safety-first" approach as outpatient clinics and operations resume.

They said they wanted to avoid a repeat of the PPE supply problems which "sapped" staff confidence and "caused widespread and unnecessary anxiety".

Unison's Sara Gorton, who also chairs the NHS group of unions, said the health sector faced another "crucial test" after handling the outbreak. 

She added: "As hospitals get busier, and clinics and other services begin to reopen, the safety of staff and patients is paramount. But this can't happen without plentiful and constant PPE supplies."

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 15 May 2020

Read more

Coronavirus: Refuse Covid patients if you can’t stop spread of virus, care homes told

Care homes should refuse to take coronavirus patients from hospitals if they cannot prevent the spread of the disease, the care watchdog has told The Independent.

Staff should admit these patients only if care homes are equipped with the right personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection prevention measures, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.

During the first wave of the pandemic, care homes saw widespread outbreaks of the virus with 16,000 deaths. Homes struggled to access protective clothing for staff and were forced to take 25,000 untested patients discharged from hospitals.

In an in-depth interview, Kate Terroni, the CQC’s chief inspector of social care, said care homes should not be put under pressure during a second wave to take infected patients they could not properly look after.

She said any home that refused to admit patients would have her support.

“Care home providers should only admit a resident when they are confident they can meet their care needs, so where they are confident they’ve got good infection prevention control, they’ve got the right PPE, they’ve got the right workforce."

“We will absolutely support a provider to say they cannot admit someone if those ingredients aren’t in place.”

Read full story

Source: The Independent, 12 October 2020, 

Read more
 

Coronavirus: real care home death toll double official figure, study says

More than 22,000 care home residents in England and Wales may have died as a direct or indirect result of COVID-19, academics have calculated – more than double the number stated as passing away from the disease in official figures.

Academics at the London School of Economics (LSE) found that data on deaths in care homes directly attributed to the virus published by the Office for National Statistics significantly underestimated the impact of the pandemic on care home residents and accounted for only about 4 out of 10 of the excess deaths in care settings recorded in recent weeks in England and Wales.

The figures suggest the impact of the virus in care homes is finally reducing. They are based on reports filed directly from care home operators to the regulator, the Care Quality Commission. Care Inspectorate Wales has said Covid was confirmed or suspected in a further 504 cases in homes up to the 8 May in Wales.

But academics at the care policy and evaluation centre at the LSE found that when excess deaths of other care residents and the deaths of care home residents from Covid-19 in hospitals are taken into account, the toll that can be directly and indirectly linked to the virus pandemic is likely to be more than double the current official count.

Read full story

Source: The Guardian, 13 May 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Randox recalls up to 750,000 test kits over safety concerns

Up to 750,000 unused coronavirus testing kits are being recalled due to safety concerns.

The UK's medicines and healthcare products regulator (MHRA) asked Randox to recall the kits sent out to care homes and individuals.

The government said it was a "precautionary measure" and the risk to safety was low.

It comes weeks after the health secretary said Randox kits should not be used until further notice.

A spokeswoman said: "We have high safety standards for all coronavirus tests. Following the pausing of Randox kits on 15 July, Randox have now recalled all test kits as a precautionary measure."

Care home residents or staff with symptoms of coronavirus can continue to book a test, she said.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 8 August 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: PM says everyone should avoid office, pubs and travelling

The Prime Minister has said everyone in the UK should avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others to curb coronavirus as the country's death toll hit 55.

Boris Johnson said people should work from home where possible as part of a range of stringent new measures, which include:

1. Everyone of every age should avoid any non-essential social contact and travel.

2. Everyone to avoid pubs, clubs, cinemas, theatres and restaurants etc.

3. Everyone to avoid large gatherings - including sports events.

4. Everyone should work from home where possible.

5. If anyone in a house has CV19 symptoms, everyone in that house has to isolate for at least 14 days

6. Over 70s and those at risk (including pregnant women) to stay home for 12 weeks, which means no going out to shops or collect anything etc., unless there is no other option.

Schools will not close for the moment. 

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 16 March 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Plasma treatment to be trialled

The UK is gearing up to use the blood of coronavirus survivors to treat hospital patients ill with the disease.

NHS Blood and Transplant is asking some people who recovered from COVID-19 to donate blood so they can potentially assess the therapy in trials. The hope is that the antibodies they have built up will help to clear the virus in others.

The US has already started a major project to study this, involving more than 1,500 hospitals.

A statement from the organisation said: "We envisage that this will be initially used in trials as a possible treatment for Covid-19. If fully approved, the trials will investigate whether convalescent plasma transfusions could improve a Covid-19 patient's speed of recovery and chances of survival."

"All clinical trials have to follow a rigorous approval process to protect patients and to ensure robust results are generated. We are working closely with the government and all relevant bodies to move through the approvals process as quickly as possible."

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 20 April 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: People told to phone ahead before going to A&E in Wales

People with non-life threatening illnesses will be told to call before going to Wales' biggest A&E department. Patients will be assessed remotely and given a time slot for the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff if needed.

Hospital bosses feel returning to over-crowded waiting rooms would provide an "unacceptable" risk to patients due to coronavirus.

The system is set to start at the end of July, but will not apply to people with serious illnesses or injuries.

Details are still being discussed by Cardiff and Vale health board, but patients with less serious illnesses or injuries will be told to phone ahead, most likely on the 24-hour number used to contact the local GP out-of-hours service. They will be assessed by a doctor or a nurse and, depending on the severity of the condition, will either be given a time window to go to A&E or be directed to other services.

This system was introduced in Denmark several years ago.

"This is all about being safe and ensuring that emergency medicine and emergency care is safe and not about putting barriers in place to those more vulnerable people," says the department's lead-doctor Dr Katja Empson.

"What we really think is that by using this system, we'll be able to focus our attention on those vulnerable groups when they do present."

If successful, the system could become a long-term answer to reducing pressures on emergency medicine, she added.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 14 July 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: People in deprived areas face higher risk of death – with women disproportionately affected

The risk of dying from coronavirus is more than twice as great in the most deprived areas of England – with the disparity largest for women, analysis shows.

A study by the Health Foundation of deaths from COVID-19 showed women in the most deprived parts of the country had a risk of dying that was 133% higher than those in the least deprived neighbourhoods.

Between men the difference in risk was 114% higher in worse-off areas, suggesting that while deprivation is a key factor in risk of death from coronavirus for both sexes, its effect is worse for women.

Experts say the evidence shows the impact of COVID-19 is falling disproportionately on the poorest in society.

Mai Stafford, principal data analyst at the Health Foundation, told The Independent: “This pandemic could and should be a watershed moment in creating the social and political will to build a society that values everyone’s health now and in the long term. Without significant action, there is a real risk that those facing the most disadvantage will eventually pay the highest price.”

Read full story

Source: The Independent, 21 May 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Patient has sudden permanent hearing loss

A 45-year-old British man has been left with permanent hearing loss after developing COVID-19.

UK doctors say it is the first such case they have seen linked to the pandemic coronavirus. Although rare, sudden hearing loss can follow other viral infections, such as flu.

The ear-nose-and-throat experts told BMJ Case Reports journal steroid drugs could help avoid this damage if given early enough.

The patient, who has asthma, had been admitted to a London hospital with COVID-19 symptoms and transferred to intensive care after struggling to breathe. Tests confirmed he had coronavirus and he was put on a ventilator machine. He also needed various drugs and a blood transfusion before beginning to recover and coming off the ventilator 30 days later.

A week after the breathing tube was removed and he left intensive care, he noticed tinnitus (a ringing or buzzing noise) followed by sudden hearing loss in his left ear. A hearing test suggested the loss was linked to damage to the hearing nerve, the middle ear, or both, rather than inflammation or a blockage to the ear canal.

Doctors could find no explanations for his hearing problem, other than his recent COVID-19 illness.

They gave him steroid tablets as well as injections into the ear, which helped a little, but he has some irreversible hearing loss.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 14 October 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Parents are allowed to visit sick children in hospital during outbreak

Hospitals should allow parents to be with children who are being treated for the coronavirus, NHS England has confirmed, after a 13-year-old boy died without any family members beside him.

Under its national guidance to hospitals, parents are considered essential visitors, but hospitals do have discretion to suspend visitors if it is “considered appropriate”. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should not be allowed to visit a hospital.

NHS England confirmed the position after 13-year-old Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab died at King’s College Hospital in south London in the early hours of Monday without any family members present. A statement by his family suggested he was alone because of the risk of infection.

On its website the hospital repeated the guidance sent to trusts by NHS England that states children are allowed one parent or carer as a visitor, but declined to explain why his family were not with him.

The end-of-life charity Marie Curie has also called on doctors to allow families to be with their loved ones, describing it as an “important part of their duty of care”.

Read full story

Source: The Independent, 2 April 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Paramedic protective kit 'only fit for making sandwiches'

A paramedic in the London Ambulance Service (LAS) has claimed the kit workers have been given to protect them from coronavirus would be more suitable for people making sandwiches.

The south London medic, who did not want to be identified, said the basic apron, gloves and masks were not sufficient protection from infection.

"It feels like every day I'm exposing myself and potentially my family to this virus," he told the BBC.

In a document seen by the BBC, LAS has told its paramedics to wear basic PPE - a plastic apron, gloves and a surgical mask - for most call-outs.

The advanced PPE - including a white boiler suit, FFP3 mask, and goggles - is reserved only for confirmed cases of coronavirus, and in situations where paramedics have to perform invasive procedures such as full CPR.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 31 March 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Oxygen supplies will be stretched as patients recover at home, NHS warns

Demand for oxygen from COVID-19 patients recovering at home is set to place the NHS under strain, the health service has warned.

NHS England has issued guidance to out-of-hospital health providers on the extra demands likely to be placed on them given the number of people recovering after a hospital stay with the coronavirus. It warns that the provision from its home oxygen services and community respiratory teams across the NHS is expected to be an issue as the scale of demand increases.

Andrew Whittamore, a practising GP and clinical lead for the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation partnership, said concerns about the potential for hospitals to be overwhelmed in the early part of the pandemic had led to community oxygen teams being primed to take on more patients – but he described that ramping up as “a short-term fix”.

“We don’t know how long people are going to need oxygen or other services for,” he said. “There are definitely going to be extra patients added on to our community teams’ workloads.”

The Taskforce for Lung Health – of which the British Lung Foundation is a member – has raised particular concerns about access to pulmonary rehabilitation. An education- and exercise-based treatment, which is proven to be more effective for lung patients than many drug-based treatments, and face-to-face classes have been suspended during the pandemic. It may be that such treatment would also be helpful for some patients recovering from COVID-19.

Jackie Eagleton, policy officer at the British Lung Foundation, said there had been issues with access to pulmonary rehabilitation for a long time, but the need to offer this form of support to people with lung conditions “has never been more pressing than it is now”.

Read full story

Source: The Independent, 16 June 2020

Read more

Coronavirus: one in ten patients have symptoms lasting three months or more

One in 10 people infected with the coronavirus experience symptoms that last for three months or longer, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.

A new analysis aimed at determining the extent of the “long Covid” problem among infected patients also found that one in five reported having symptoms that lasted for five weeks or longer.

The ONS said it estimated that during the week ending on 28 November, there were about 186,000 people in England living with COVID-19 symptoms that had lasted between five and 12 weeks.

This number could be as high as 221,000, the ONS warned. It said the data was experimental and based on the findings from its infection survey of households.

Read full story

Source: The Independent, 16 December 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Nurses' leaders urge 'care for those who caring'

Nurses' leaders want all healthcare employers - including the NHS - to "care for those who have been caring" during the coronavirus crisis.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is calling for better risk assessments; working patterns and mental health care for those on the front line. It warns many may be suffering from exhaustion, anxiety and other psychological problems.

The Department of Health and Social Care said support was a "top priority".

The RCN has released an eight-point plan of commitments it wants to see enforced to mark the 100 days since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic.

Amongst its suggestions are a better COVID-19 testing regime for healthcare workers and more attention paid to the risks posed to ethnic minority nurses.

It says employers and ministers "must tackle the underlying causes which have contributed to worse outcomes for Bame staff".

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 19 June 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: Nurse arrested for trying to take mother with dementia out of care home for lockdown

A woman has been arrested after attempting to take her 97-year-old mother out of a care home for lockdown.

Qualified nurse Ylenia Angeli, 73, wanted to care for her mother, who has dementia, at home. But when she told staff at the care home, they called the police who then briefly arrested Ms Angeli.

The family have not been able to see their elderly relative for nine months, and decided to act ahead of the second national lockdown.

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Noble, from Humberside Police, said: "These are incredibly difficult circumstances and we sympathise with all families who are in this position."

"We responded to a report of an assault at the care home, who are legally responsible for the woman's care and were concerned for her wellbeing. We understand that this is an emotional and difficult situation for all those involved and will continue to provide whatever support we can to both parties."

The incident came to light on the day the government announced new rules for families wishing to visit their loved ones in care homes.

Under the guidance, issued hours before lockdown, families can meet relatives through a window or in a secure outdoor setting. Visits will need to be booked in advance, but the Department of Health and Social Care advice said care homes "will be encouraged and supported to provide safe visiting opportunities".

All care home residents are allowed to receive visits from friends and family during the second national lockdown.

Read full story

Source: Sky News, 5 November 2020

Read more

Coronavirus: No increase in severe child cases, paediatricians say

Doctors have sought to reassure parents that there has been no increase in the severity of COVID-19 cases among children because of the new variant.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) said children's wards are not seeing any "significant pressure" from COVID-19.

It comes after a London hospital matron told BBC Radio 5 Live of having a ward full of children with coronavirus. 

Laura Duffel said the surge in cases was "much scarier" than the first wave. Ms Duffel, who has been working on Covid wards since the beginning of the UK's epidemic and specialises in children's intensive care, told 5 Live's Chiles on Friday show that people were "wrong" to say busy hospitals were merely a reflection of normal winter pressures on the NHS.

"This wave has just hit us so fast. It's literally in the space of a week that this has gotten so bad," she said.

However, doctors denied that the virus is putting significant additional pressure on children's wards across the country. 

Prof Russell Viner, president of the RCPCH, said: "Children's wards are usually busy in winter. As of now we are not seeing significant pressure from COVID-19 in paediatrics across the UK.

"As cases in the community rise there will be a small increase in the number of children we see with Covid-19, but the overwhelming majority of children and young people have no symptoms or very mild illness only.

"The new variant appears to affect all ages and, as yet, we are not seeing any greater severity amongst children and young people."

Dr Ronny Cheung, a consultant paediatrician at Evelina Children's Hospital, in London, added: "I've been the on-call consultant in a London children's hospital this week. Covid is rife in hospitals, but not among children - and that is corroborated by my colleagues across London."

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 3 January 2021

Read more
 

Coronavirus: NHS workers' lives at risk over PPE shortages, says BMA

NHS staff still do not have the protective equipment they need to treat coronavirus patients, medics have said.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said doctors were putting their lives at risk by working without adequate protection.

It comes as the health secretary said 19 NHS workers had died with coronavirus since the outbreak began.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 11 April 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: NHS uses tech giants to plan crisis response

Data collected via the NHS's 111 telephone service is to be mixed with other sources to help predict where ventilators, hospital beds, and medical staff will be most in need.

The goal is to help health chiefs model the consequences of moving resources to best tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Three US tech firms are aiding the effort - Amazon, Microsoft and Palantir - as well as London-based Faculty AI.

The plan is expected to be signed off by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

"Every hospital is going to be thinking: Have we got enough ventilators? Well we need to keep ours because who knows what's going to happen - and that might not be the optimal allocation of ventilators," explained a source in one of the tech companies involved.

"Without a holistic understanding of how many we've got, where they are, who can use them, who is trained, where do we actually have patients who need them most urgently, we risk not making the optimal decisions."

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 26 March 2020

Read more
 

Coronavirus: NHS trust bosses not consulted over new face mask rules

NHS trusts were not consulted before the government announced changes to the use of face coverings and visitor policy in English hospitals, the chief executive of NHS Providers has said.

Chris Hopson said trust leaders felt "completely in the dark" about the "significant and complex" changes.

From 15 June, hospital visitors and outpatients must wear face coverings and staff must use surgical masks.

A spokeswoman said that, while the public were "strongly urged" to wear a face covering while inside hospitals, no-one would be denied care.

Separately, NHS England has lifted the national suspension on hospital visiting with new guidance for NHS trusts.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 6 June 2020

 

 

Read more
 

Coronavirus: NHS to ramp up testing capacity

With the number of UK coronavirus cases set to rise, NHS England says it is scaling up its capacity for testing people for the infection.

It means 10,000 tests a day can be done – 8,000 more than the 1,500 being carried out currently.

Confirmation of any positive test results will be accelerated, helping people take the right action to recover or quickly get treatment. Most of the people tested should get a result back within 24 hours.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be expected to roll out their own testing services, but there will be some shared capacity between nations, depending on need.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 11 March 2020

Read more

© 2026 Patient Safety Learning. All rights reserved.

Patient Safety Learning is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission Registration number 1180689.

×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.