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Sam

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  1. News Article
    UK doctors are having suicidal thoughts because disciplinary proceedings against them by their NHS employer take so long to resolve, research has found. Medics who have been accused of misconduct say the current system of investigating allegations is “brutal” and “humiliating” to go through and can feel “like a witch-hunt”. Three out of four doctors who had faced proceedings said the length of time it took to conclude them damaged their mental health and led to them suffering anxiety, stress and depression. Almost nine out of 10 (88%) said they were left feeling angry and frustrated by the disciplinary process. Four out of five were left feeling as if they were “guilty until proven innocent”, with some complaining that they were treated “like a criminal”. Half of the doctors who recounted their experience as part of the MPS’s study said they had been accused of wrongdoing after raising concerns about patient safety where they worked. That prompted concern that misconduct charges are used as part of a “culture of fear” in the NHS. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 6 November 2024
  2. News Article
    NHS maternity staff will take part in a mandatory training programme to improve patient safety after a damning report by the health regulator said that poor care and harm in childbirth was in danger of becoming “normalised”. Obstetricians, midwives and obstetric anaesthetists at nine maternity units across England will all have to do extra training from Monday under government plans to raise care standards for women and babies. The scheme will be rolled out to every maternity unit in the country if the pilots are successful. The move comes just weeks after a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report based on inspections of 131 maternity units exposed a slew of problems, adding to the sense of crisis that has engulfed a service responsible for the 600,000 women a year who give birth and their babies. The programme will teach maternity staff how to better identify signs a baby is showing distress during labour so they can act more quickly. It will also help staff deal with obstetric emergencies that occur when a baby’s head is lodged deep in the mother’s pelvis during a caesarean section. Gillian Merron, the minister for patient safety, women’s health and mental health, said: “This government is working with the NHS to urgently improve maternity care, giving staff the support they need to improve safety and ensure women’s voices are properly heard. “This is a critical step toward avoiding preventable brain injuries in babies, as we work to make sure all women and babies receive safe, personalised and compassionate care.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 7 October 2024
  3. News Article
    There are “no plans to publish” a much-anticipated NHS England review of diagnostic services that had been expected this month, a government source has told HSJ. The review on diagnostics and community diagnostic centres, a follow-up to Sir Mike Richards’ report in 2020, was due this month ahead of the budget on 30 October, senior figures familiar with the report said. The original report prompted ministers to pledge £2.3bn worth of funding which involved the development of over 160 CDCs – a key recommendation from the report. But cash for the programme runs out in March 2025. Diagnostic leaders had been hopeful the follow-up report, which was being overseen by NHSE, would provide fresh funding and focus for the CDCs programme. However, HSJ understands the review is now unlikely to be published in full and will instead be subsumed into the government’s “10-year health plan”. A government source told HSJ this week: “There are no plans to publish a second report into diagnostics by [Sir Mike].” “To develop the 10-year health plan we are going to listen to the public and the people who work in the NHS, because patients and staff must feel the difference in their daily lives. We will announce further details later this year.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 4 October 2024
  4. News Article
    Shortages of doctors mean the average GP in England has to care for 17% more patients than nine years ago, a BBC analysis shows. It means for every permanent GP there are more than 2,300 patients - a jump of nearly 350 since 2015, helping explain why access to general practice has been worsening and patient satisfaction declining. The analysis of NHS data also shows the areas struggling the most have list sizes exceeding 3,000 patients, nearly double those with the most doctors. Experts said the variation was "unwarranted" and put patients' health at risk. The government said it was developing plans to train more doctors and relieve some of the pressure by giving pharmacists more responsibilities. Read full story Source: BBC News, 2 October 2024
  5. News Article
    A top NHS boss has called out a “predatory” surgeon who was sanctioned by regulators for sexually harassing colleagues and trainees. Amanda Pritchard, NHS England chief executive, has condemned the “appalling behaviour” of Oxford University Hospital-based surgeon Mr James Gilbert, who was found to have sexually harassed four female colleagues. She also announced the NHS is working on a national sexual misconduct policy which will provide workers with a route to report anonymous incidents and gain access to independent investigators. Mr Gilbert was sanctioned by a medical practitioners tribunal service (MPTS) panel this year with an eight-month suspension. Since then the General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates doctors in the UK, has launched an appeal against the MPTS decision, calling for a harsher sanction. In a tweet on Sunday night, Ms Pritchard quoted a story detailing Mr Gilbert’s wrongdoing and said: “Appalling predatory behaviour should never happen in our NHS – in settings that are supposed to be compassionate, caring and safe. “To put it simply, sexual predators should never be allowed to work in the NHS. People who treat our colleagues that way should not be allowed to treat patients.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 1 October 2024
  6. News Article
    A private healthcare provider has agreed to pay damages to a patient with learning disabilities after staff broke his arm, The Independent can reveal. Cygnet Health Care, one of the largest providers of mental health inpatient care in the UK, has settled a claim with the former patient of a hospital it now owns. Jamie Newcombe, a 29-year-old young autistic man with learning disabilities, took action against the healthcare giant after he allegedly suffered “significant physical and psychological harm” at Bostall House assessment and treatment unit in London. He claimed he had been “violently restrained by staff and pushed out into the hospital garden” in 2014, at the age of 19. At the time, the hospital was owned by another private company The Danshell Group. As a result of this restraint, he says he sustained a fracture in his right arm and staff allegedly left his injuries untreated for 24 hours. He said he suffered further physical assaults in December 2014 and January 2015, that he was subjected to “degrading treatment” such as personal care being ignored, and was denied access to hot running water for three weeks. Following his experience, his mother Julie Newcombe launched an autism and learning disability rights campaign group, called Rightful Lives, which now has hundreds of members. She told The Independent: “What happened to Jamie was horrific and is still happening to so many others 10 years later. I co-founded Rightful Lives 6 years ago to shine a light on the human rights of autistic people and people with learning disabilities. Yet the fact remains that if Jamie were to go into one of these units again, the same things could happen. That is our fear.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 2 October 2024
  7. News Article
    A study published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe has identified four key factors that together account for more than one-third of the inequalities in infant deaths between the most and least deprived areas of England. Researchers say targeted interventions to address these factors – teenage pregnancy, maternal depression, preterm birth and smoking during pregnancy – could go a significant way to reduce inequalities, although higher-level structural changes to address socioeconomic inequality will also be necessary. The UK currently ranks 10th out of 38 OECD countries for infant mortality (deaths in children under the age of one), with four deaths recorded per 1,000 live births. Children born to mothers who are poor, black or young are known to be at increased risk, but where children are born also matters: according to ONS data for 2022, the mortality rate for infants in the most deprived 10% of England was almost three times higher than for infants living in the least deprived 10%. “The inequality in infant mortality is at an alarming level,” said Dr Frederick Ho at the University of Glasgow’s School of Health, who led the study. “We also know that infant mortality is an indicator of more general effectiveness in the healthcare system. We wanted to understand the reasons for this inequality, as this could have policy implications for whether we could use the healthcare system to reduce or to eliminate it.” The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe, found that infants in the most deprived areas had double the mortality rate of those in the least deprived areas during the study period, and identified four factors – preterm birth, smoking during pregnancy, teenage pregnancy, and maternal depression – which collectively accounted for 38% of this inequality.
  8. News Article
    Wes Streeting says he will not back down in his criticism of the NHS, after the BBC revealed there was growing unease in the service about the "broken" NHS messaging from government. England's health secretary told the Labour Party conference that not acknowledging the problems in the NHS would result in "killing it with kindness". His comments came after senior sources in the health service said they believe some of the claims have gone too far - and may result in patients being put off seeking help and causing lasting damage to staff morale. In recent weeks, the government has claimed cancer is a "death sentence" because of NHS failings, while maternity services "shame" the nation. Streeting told delegates in Liverpool: "I know the doctor's diagnosis can sometimes be hard to hear. "But if you don't have an accurate diagnosis, you won't provide the correct prescription. "And when you put protecting the reputation of the NHS above protecting patients, you're not helping the NHS, you're killing it with kindness. "I won't back down. The NHS is broken, but it's not beaten, and together we will turn it around," Mr Streeting said. Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 September 2024
  9. Content Article
    The Human Factors and Complex Systems Research Group, Loughborough Design School and Loughborough University, UK, have carried out extensive research in applying systems approaches to complex sociotechnical system design and accident analysis across a variety of sectors – marine, rail, nuclear, food, construction, healthcare, etc. They have created three animations and one film to communicate system safety research. Safe Shipping: Two Contrasting Views of South Korea Ferry Accident Safe Healthcare: Systems Thinking – a New Direction in Healthcare Incident Investigation Safe Society: Two Contrasting Views of a Safe Society – What Would You Choose? Safe Mental Health: Dilemmas in Suicide Prevention
  10. News Article
    High street pharmacies are closing at such an alarming rate that it threatens the drive to use them instead of GPs to care for millions of people, the NHS’s patient champion warns today. A total of 436 community pharmacies in England shut permanently last year and there were also 13,863 temporary closures, which stopped patients from obtaining health advice and medication. What appears to be a growing trend of permanent closures is hitting rural areas, those with larger numbers of older people and deprived communities hardest, according to Healthwatch England. Its findings, which were based on figures supplied by NHS bodies, prompted fears that closures are leaving some parts of England as “pharmacy deserts” where patients struggle to access care. “Staff shortages, the key driver of permanent and temporary closures, call into doubt the potential of Pharmacy First, meaning people can’t get the advice, care and medications they need and when they need them”, said Louise Ansari, Healthwatch’s chief executive. Pharmacy First is the government’s drive to reduce the strain on overworked GPs through pharmacists treating what it hopes will be millions of patients a year for seven minor ailments such as a sore throat, earache, infected insect bite or sinusitis. “It’s clear that rising levels of closures are risking leaving some areas of the country as pharmacy deserts, with people having to travel much further to get access to vital services”, said Paul Rees, the chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association. “Community pharmacies act as the front door to the NHS. If people lose access to them it will force more patients into the eight o’clock scramble at their GP surgery, putting pressure on the rest of our NHS system.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 26 September 2024
  11. News Article
    The government will send in teams of clinical experts to 20 trusts to improve theatre productivity, the health and social care secretary has announced. High-intensity theatre (HIT) lists have been used by Guys and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust to significantly increase the number of operations carried out each day. An article in the journal Nature last year explained: ”This increase is achieved by meticulous planning and parallel processing of patient care on the day of surgery, aiming to minimise or eliminate turnaround time, minimise non-operative time and maximise operating time.” Mr Streeting said the trusts would receive visits from the HIT teams but said they would be “in areas with the highest numbers of people off work sick.” The support will be led by the national Getting It Right First Time team and extend beyond HIT to include other measures such as reducing missed appointments, which are higher in deprived areas, and identifying local capacity in the private sector, NHSE said. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 25 September 2024
  12. News Article
    Physician associates (PAs) have a role to play in the NHS, but doctors' concerns about how they are working must be taken seriously, the health and social care secretary Wes Streeting has said. Mr Streeting's comments come after the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) voted last week to oppose any role for PAs in general practice in a move that marked a change in position for the college. Responding to a question from GPonline about his views on the college's decision at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool on 23 September, Mr Streeting said: 'I think physician associates do have a role to play in a modern NHS and there are physician associates every day in our country providing great care and making a great contribution, not just to patients but to their colleagues.' He added: "Where I think we have a challenge is that legitimate concerns that have been expressed by doctors, both about [doctors being substituted for PAs] and patient safety, have been ignored by the previous government and in the process [doctors] have felt gaslit. "That has fuelled quite a toxic debate particularly online that has led to a lot of physician associates feeling quite demoralised and doctors feeling unheard." Read full story (paywalled) Source: GP Online, 24 September 2024
  13. News Article
    An NHS England chief has admitted the controversial ‘federated data platform’ will ‘not be that spectacular’ despite national leaders previously talking it up as ‘critical for the future of the NHS.’ NHSE chief data and analytics officer Ming Tang said the new data platform, which is being rolled out to trusts across the country, will help staff manage logistical tasks but said the system is “not pretty”. NHSE wants trusts to adopt the FDP to bring together operational data currently stored in separate systems into “one safe and secure environment.” However, politicians and campaigners have raised concerns about privacy and data protection, particularly over the involvement of US firm Palantir, which is leading the consortium to deliver the FDP. Speaking at the Health Excellence Through Technology conference on Tuesday (24 September), Ms Tang said “the most important thing… is that we deliver products that work for people, not the products that we want to push. “I’ve always said [FDP is] not pretty, it’s not that spectacular. But what we’re really doing is helping people do their workflow, helping nurses on the ward so they don’t have to have bits of paper in their pockets, [helping] multidisciplinary teams so they’re not running around chasing emails. “So, [it’s] taking away some of those logistical activities so they can focus on the frontline and on the patients.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 26 September 2024
  14. News Article
    One in four black men in the UK have been refused a prostate cancer test by their GP despite having twice the risk of developing the disease than the overall adult male population, a report has found. A PSA test measures the level of the protein prostate-specific antigen in the blood, and may be able to detect prostate cancer in its early stages. But according to a survey conducted by Prostate Cancer Research of 2,000 black men in the UK, almost a quarter (24%) attempting to get tested in the past year reported being obstructed by a GP. The survey also found a quarter (25%) believed discrimination prevented them from being tested for prostate cancer, while just under a half (47%) thought they would receive the same level of care from the NHS as their white counterparts. Oliver Kemp, the chief executive of Prostate Cancer Research, said: “These black and white figures are shocking, and an important call to action. It shouldn’t be the community alone who has to fix this – just as we have seen members of the community come together around our Real Talk campaign, we are calling on government, the NHS, and other partners to come together and work with us to close this health gap. “It is vital we raise awareness not only among the community, but also among healthcare professionals and policymakers. We are calling on GPs to be mindful of black men’s greater risk when considering PSA testing, and on government to introduce screening for men in high risk groups – our data shows that 82% of black men would be willing to take part in such a programme, if it were rolled out. It is staggering to think of how many lives could be saved.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 26 September 2024 Further reading on the hub: Overcoming the barriers to engaging with prostate cancer
  15. News Article
    Two people have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of a woman believed to have undergone a non-surgical Brazilian butt lift (BBL). Alice Webb, 33, died after being taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday after falling unwell. Gloucestershire Police said it had been called by the ambulance service at 11:35 BST on Monday and an investigation, led by the major crime team, was ongoing. The two arrested people have been released on police bail. Save Face, a national register of accredited practitioners who offer non-surgical cosmetic treatments, said this was the "first case of a death caused by a non-surgical BBL in the UK". While non-surgical BBLs are not illegal in the UK, last year Wolverhampton City Council barred a company from carrying out the procedure after identifying risks associated with their processes, including blood clots, sepsis, and the potential for the death of body tissues. Save Face’s director Ashton Collins said the organisation had supported 500 women who had suffered complications from the procedure. Ms Collins said: “Liquid BBL procedures are a crisis waiting to happen. They are advertised on social media as ‘risk-free’, ‘cheaper’ alternatives to the surgical counterpart and that could not be further from the truth.” Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 September 2024
  16. News Article
    The chair of the Covid inquiry has refused an application from the UK Health Security Agency to keep the identities of two junior clinicians secret. Lawyers for UKHSA applied for an order preventing publication of their names, on the grounds they could be subject to abuse and harassment on social media and in person. Both individuals attended Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Cell meetings to discuss the guidance on masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic. Baroness Hallett ruled their names could be published in minutes of those meetings, as any risk was outweighed by the public interest in reporting on the group's work. From February 2020 until it was disbanded in 2022, guidance on the use of PPE in healthcare settings was drawn up by the IPC Cell, a group of clinicians and officials from the NHS, government and public-health bodies such as Public Health England, which then Health Secretary Matt Hancock replaced with UKHSA in 2021. Critics have said the IPC Cell was too slow to strengthen its recommendations on PPE after it became clear Covid could be spread by tiny airborne particles. The Covid-19 Airborne Transmission Alliance (CATA), a group made up of healthcare organisations and individuals which campaigned for stronger guidance, has called it a “shadowy” organisation with “unclear” accountability structures. UKHSA said the “heated and aggressive” public discourse around the subject meant there was a “high likelihood” junior members of staff could face online abuse if they were named in minutes published by the inquiry. Read full story Source: BBC News, 26 September 2024 Related reading on the hub: Covid-19 : A risk assessment too far? A blog by David Osborn
  17. News Article
    The chair of an inquiry into more than 2,000 mental health-related deaths in Essex has praised the "courage and candour" of victims’ families. The Lampard Inquiry is investigating the deaths of people in the care of mental health services in Essex between 2000 and 2023. The inquiry, which has been sitting for the last three weeks, has now adjourned until November. Baroness Lampard said that statements from bereaved families “had made a lasting impression” on her. More than 40 people have given commemorative statements so far, telling the inquiry about their loved ones and what kind of people they were before they died. Addressing the inquiry on its final day before an adjournment, Baroness Lampard said the opening statements had been “thought-provoking”. Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 September 2024
  18. News Article
    New York officials announced an “imminent threat” to public health this week after a resident died from the state’s first case of mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, in nearly a decade. The deceased individual was a resident of Ulster County, two hours north of New York City. The case, the state’s first human case since 2015, was confirmed earlier this month. “We’ve been informed this patient has passed away from EEE, we extend our sympathies and our hearts go out to their family,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. Eastern equine encephalitis is a rare but severe viral disease, spread by infectious mosquitoes. Approximately 30 percent of those who contract EEE die from the disease, and survivors are often left with neurologic problems. There are no vaccines or medications to treat or prevent it. State Health Commissioner Dr James McDonald issued the declaration to unlock state resources and help support response to the virus, including continued efforts to spray for mosquitoes through the end of November. Governor Hochul activated multiple agencies to expand access to insect repellent at New York parks and campgrounds, and to increase public awareness of the threat by placing signs at potentially vulnerable sites. “Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority,” Hochul said. Read full story Source: The Independent, 24 September 2024
  19. News Article
    A mother has won a 12-year battle for compensation against an NHS hospital after successfully claiming her child suffered brain damage as a result of a botched surgery. The toddler, now a teenager, was left wheelchair-bound as a result of the operation in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in 2012, with lawyers claiming the child was starved of oxygen. A settlement has now been reached between the NHS Litigation Authority, which handles claims against the NHS for negligent care, and the family. The trust that manages the Liverpool-based hospital has also apologised for the “failings in care”. The mother said: “Ever since that day, my child has had to go to countless appointments, see countless therapists and doctors and specialists, and will do for the rest of their life. I am traumatised and exhausted, and I am on the defence all the time. “I can’t cut any of them any slack after what happened 12 years ago. Twelve years is such a painfully long time.” She also hit out at the process of claiming compensation through medical negligence claims. She added: “It takes years and this length of time is not good enough. Parents commit suicide, marriages break down, they’re often too frightened to have more children. All because of how long it takes to get justice for your child, and how hard that is to achieve.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 25 September 2024
  20. News Article
    GP practices should be working with complex patients to "actively avoid hospital admissions" this winter, according to NHS England. In a letter to ICBs and trusts, NHSE set out the actions necessary to ensure delivery of "safe, dignified and high-quality care" this winter, which must be an "overriding priority". There was a particular focus on the winter vaccination campaign, with NHS England urging providers to "make every possible effort" to boost vaccine uptake among patient-facing staff. The letter also stressed the importance of promoting the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, which from this month practices began administering to over-75s and pregnant women as an essential service under the GP contract. "This is a year-round offer but its promotion ahead of winter by health professionals is vital, particularly to those at highest risk," NHSE said. NHS England also urged local commissioners to take a "whole-system approach to managing winter demand". The letter asked ICBs to "ensure the proactive identification and management of people with complex needs and long-term conditions so care is optimised ahead of winter". "Primary care and community services should be working with these patients to actively avoid hospital admissions," NHSE added. These patients should also be offered ‘alternatives to hospital attendance’ as they may be "better served with a community response". Read full story Source: Management in Practice, 19 September 2024
  21. News Article
    Government-led negotiations on the world’s first agreement to protect people from future pandemics made significant progress during the latest round of discussions that ended today at the World Health Organization (WHO). Substantive progress on the draft agreement, increased involvement of civil society and non-State actors, and a commitment by all parties to sustain momentum towards a pandemic agreement were hallmarks of the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), which comprises the 194 member governments of WHO, and ran from 9-20 September in Geneva. Negotiators will resume discussions, at a 12th round, from 4-15 November. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, praised the “collective commitment” shown by governments and other stakeholders to conclude the pandemic agreement, and an urgent need to do so in light of the persistent threat shown by viruses with pandemic potential. “The next pandemic will not wait for us, whether from a flu virus like H5N1, another coronavirus, or another family of viruses we don’t yet know about,” Dr Tedros told the meeting. “But all the ingredients are in place to meet the objective of countries to negotiate a generational pandemic agreement. The world needs hope that it is still possible for countries to find common solutions to common problems. You can provide that hope.” Ambassador Anne-Claire Amprou, INB Bureau Co-chair of France, said the latest round of negotiations demonstrated the commitment by governments towards a pandemic accord to make the world safer and healthier. It also showed the critical role being played by civil society and other non-governmental stakeholders to ensure that equity, innovation and collaboration are at the heart of the agreement. “During extensive discussions, visible commitment was shown by Member States of WHO towards a pandemic agreement,” Ambassador Amprou said. “There was clear recognition from all countries that we must agree on a way forward to work better, together, to protect their citizens from future pandemics.” Ambassador Amprou added: “The constructive contributions by INB relevant stakeholders were incredibly valuable. Together, we must sustain this progress during the coming months to realize our shared goal to forge a pandemic agreement that guides future global responses to pandemics.” Source: WHO, 20 September 2024
  22. News Article
    Infections that were once easy to cure with antibiotics are becoming untreatable, and a novel treatment for bacterial infection is the holy grail for teams of researchers around the world. However, severe financial challenges have left the pipeline of new antibiotics thin and fragile – and treatments are unavailable in many of the places they are most needed. Big pharmaceutical companies have left the field in search of greater profits elsewhere, and talented researchers have opted for new jobs in more stable sectors. The number of deaths caused by drug-resistant bacteria in 2019 was 1.27 million, and economic costs are on track to exceed $1tn (£765bn) by 2030. The death rate is highest in sub-Saharan Africa, where children under five are particularly affected. “This is a problem which truly affects the whole world, rich and poor countries alike,” says Jeremy Knox, the head of infectious disease policy at Wellcome. “[But] the impact is definitely asymmetrical. People in low and middle-income countries are bearing a far greater burden.” Global leaders will gather in New York this month to discuss antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at the UN general assembly. They will consider how to convince researchers and companies it is worth their while to create new replacement drugs, and how to improve access to tests and treatments. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 16 September 2024
  23. News Article
    A carer who was caught on camera tormenting his vulnerable patient over several hours has been jailed. Enow Tambe was one of two carers responsible for looking after a man, aged 60, with learning difficulties and blindness. The man required constant care and lived in supported accommodation, as heard in Manchester Crown Court. The man's sister, worried about his care, installed CCTV which revealed the shocking nature of 33-year-old's Tambe's treatment. He was seen shouting in the man's face, threatening to shave his head, poking him repeatedly and laughing at him when he had no choice but to urinate on the floor. After pleading guilty to being a carer causing ill-treatment of an individual, Tambe was sentenced to 11 months in prison. Upon sentencing, Recorder Phillip Barnes said: "He was being bullied, harassed, belittled and abused for a number of hours. He was ignored and refused help when he asked for it. He was blind and couldn't see what was going on about him. He was shouted at in close quarters, he was threatened to have his head shaved. He was poked and prodded, not to harm but to intimidate, upset and bully." Read full story Source: Mirror, 18 September 2024
  24. News Article
    There is only “weak evidence” that high-grade face masks better protected health workers than surgical ones in the pandemic, the Covid inquiry has been told. Prof Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said respirator masks – known as FFP3s – may have performed no better than thin surgical masks in real-life situations. She said there could be “significant harms” from wearing tight-fitting FFP3s, including blisters and breathing difficulties. “If the evidence was strong that FFP3s really protected people, and we saw a definitive reduction [in infections], they would have been recommended,” she said. National guidance on face masks from April 2020 was drawn up by a group of experts from across the United Kingdom known as the IP (Infection Prevention) Cell. The inquiry was shown minutes from an IP Cell meeting on 22 December 2020, just after the new Alpha variant of Covid had been detected, which appeared to show disagreement about the use of higher-grade FFP3 masks. The records quote Dr Colin Brown, now the deputy director of clinical and emerging infections at UKHSA but at the time with PHE, as saying: "Our understanding of aerosol transmission has changed. A precautionary approach to move to FFP3 masks [in all healthcare settings] whilst we are awaiting evidence should be advised." However, the wider IP Cell decided that no upgrading of the guidance was warranted at the time, and NHS trusts were told to continue to supply staff with standard surgical masks in almost all cases outside intensive care. It was not until January 2022 that the advice changed, saying that FFP3 respirators "must be worn" by all staff if they are caring for patients with a virus such as Covid, and should be offered to other staff depending on a risk assessment. By that point, the World Health Organization, and other health bodies, had recognised Covid could be spread in tiny airborne particles over distances longer than 6.5ft (2m), something officials said was impossible at the start of the pandemic. Read full story Source: BBC News, 19 September 2024 Related reading on the hub: Covid-19 : A risk assessment too far? A blog by David Osborn
  25. News Article
    Wendy McLean was due to start her seventh round of IVF when her doctor said she needed a hysteroscopy – a procedure to examine the inside of her uterus. “It was sold to me as a smear test, basically. A thin narrow camera up through your cervix. "It’ll take minutes. You won’t need pain relief. You’ll be absolutely fine,” she said. Wendy, 38, took over-the-counter pain killers before the outpatient procedure at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in case it was uncomfortable, but this did not prepare her for what happened. “It felt like getting a hot poker, like getting my insides ripped out. I think I described it to somebody before as like being clawed, like sharp nails, just ripping at my insides.” Wendy said she lost consciousness twice, vomited and asked for the procedure to be stopped. It was only when searching online she discovered thousands of other women had had similar experiences of painful hysteroscopies without anaesthetic. According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), a third of those undergoing a hysteroscopy report pain levels of seven or above out of 10. It says patients should be offered local or general anaesthesia for the procedure and their medical history should be taken into account, including trauma or difficulty with smear tests. But despite RCOG producing new clinical guidelines promoting pain relief and choice, many women say they are not being offered it. Dr Geeta Kumar, consultant gynaecologist and vice president of RCOG, said they had listened to patients’ concerns. “Clear accurate written and verbal information must be provided, both at the time of referral, and at the procedure appointment,” she said. “This will support a woman to make an informed choice, including whether they want to proceed with the procedure and if so, their preferences for treatment setting and pain relief options.” Katharine Tylko, from the Campaign Against Painful Hysteroscopy, said: “It will have no impact whatsoever, apart from a few very conscientious and compassionate fighting-types of gynaecologist - young women who will say – ‘We want decent care for our patients.’ Read full story Source: BBC News, 18 September 2024 Related reading on the hub: Improving hysteroscopy safety (Patient Safety Learning, November 2020) Painful hysteroscopy - Patient's share their experiences on our Community thread

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