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Found 2,337 results
  1. News Article
    A new study focused largely on unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people has found the Delta variant is more likely to cause hospitalisation than the Alpha variant. The Delta variant, first identified in India, is already understood to be far more infectious than the previously dominant Alpha variant that was initially detected in Kent. Dr Gavin Dabrera, one of the study’s lead authors and a consultant epidemiologist for Public Health England has said, “This study confirms previous findings that people infected with Delta are significantly more likely to require hospitalisation than those with Alpha, although most cases included in the analysis were unvaccinated.” Read full story. Source: The Guardian, 27 August 2021
  2. News Article
    Following a number of serious infections, hospitals have warned about the risks of wearing the wrong kind of face mask during surgery. This comes after a patient safety alert was issued by NHS England where it was reported that respirator masks have been acquired by the millions during the coronavirus pandemic but sometimes have been deployed in inappropriate settings. “These incident reports and feedback from services suggest that the risks of valved respirators and PAPRs for surgical and invasive procedures is not well recognised, and that their use may have become routine in some theatre environments.” NHS England said in the document. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 26 August 2021
  3. News Article
    A major review of vaccines suggests the AstraZeneca jab does raise the risk of blood clots and another serious condition that can cause bleeding. However, the study also found the complications following coronavirus infection to be much higher. The University of Oxford-led team also found an increased risk of stroke after the Pfizer jab but also found it at a much lower rate than after infection. This comes after a coroner ruled that BBC Radio Newcastle presenter Lisa Shaw died due of complications from the AstraZeneca jab. Lead author Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox said it was "important people were aware of the risks, but that they were kept in context given the higher risk from being infected". Read full story. Source: BBC News, 26 August 2021
  4. News Article
    A spike in hospital acquired Covid-19 has been observed in two acute trusts, The Royal Wolverhampton Trust and Yeovil District Hospital Foundation Trust. According to NHS England, it is can be considered hospital acquired if covid infections are diagnosed eight days or more after admission. Data suggests The Royal Wolverhampton Trust had a weekly average of 25 probable hospital-acquired covid infections in mid-August and a spike at the start of August for Yeovil District Hospital Foundation Trust. Infection Prevention Society president Jennie Wilson said "Infection prevention and control teams are totally aware it’s a problem and they strive to do their best to keep it under control. It’s hugely challenging but [staff] are doing their best." Read full story. Source: HSJ, 25 August 2021
  5. News Article
    According to reports, Covid-19 was the 9th biggest cause of death in England in July, and the 26th most common in June, with data showing it was the 22nd leading cause of death in Wales. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the number of deaths was 7.6% higher than average in England and 10.4% higher in Wales. However, when there isn't a pandemic, the top causes of death are usually heart disease and dementia, but in the months when Covid-19 has been dominant, it has been the leading cause by a long way. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 23 August 2021
  6. News Article
    A new antibody testing programme has been launched where participants will be sent two finger-prick tests to complete at home and then inform the UK Health Security Agency of the antibody response to different coronavirus variants. The new programme was created in order to generate new data on antibody protections for people following infection by different coronavirus variants, and from Tuesday, anyone over the age of 18 in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, will be able to opt into the programme. Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said "Our new national antibody testing will be quick and easy to take part in [and by] doing so you'll be helping strengthen our understanding of COVID-19 as we cautiously return to a more normal life. I'm proud to see all parts of the UK uniting around this new initiative and working together to arm ourselves with even more valuable insights into how COVID-19 vaccines are protecting people up and down the UK." Read full story. Source: Sky News, 22 August 2021
  7. News Article
    According to new data, those who have been vaccinated against Covid-19, can still harbour virus levels as high as unvaccinated people if infected with the Delta variant. This new data suggests that hitting the threshold for herd immunity remains unlikely. However, it evidence does show vaccination still offers protection against hospitals and infection. “We don’t yet know how much transmission can happen from people who get Covid-19 after being vaccinated – for example, they may have high levels of virus for shorter periods of time, but the fact that they can have high levels of virus suggests that people who aren’t yet vaccinated may not be as protected from the Delta variant as we hoped.” said Sarah Walker, a professor of medical statistics and epidemiology at the University of Oxford. Read full story. Source: The Guardian, 19 August 2021
  8. News Article
    According to recent reports, the number of patients on waiting lists for non-urgent hospital treatment in Wales has again hit record levels. Data has revealed there were 624,909 people waiting in June, and those waiting the longest, more than nine months, rose again to 233,210. A Welsh government spokesperson said: "Waiting times for treatment continue to grow. However, it is encouraging to see progress being made with the number of patients waiting over 52 weeks falling for the third month in a row. We also saw the largest number of specialist consultations completed and treatments started in any month since the start of the pandemic." A&E time performance has been at its worst on record, with 94,176 attendances to emergency units over the month. Health spokesman Russell George said: "To record the worst ever A&E waiting times and the longest NHS treatment waiting list in the same month shows a complete lack of leadership." Read full story. Source: BBC News, 19 August 2021 Related Reading Patient Safety Learning blog: Tackling the care and treatment backlog safely (19 August 2021)
  9. News Article
    New analysis looking at the spread of Covid-19 in hospitals has revealed a massive gulf in ability to contain the virus during the first wave. According to the published data, overall only 1 in 10 people actually caught the virus whilst in the hospital, however 314 UK hospitals showed that ranged from just one in 100 cases caught in hospital, to more than 1 in 4, with an estimate of between 5,700 and 11,900 people who were infected in hospital. Professor Calum Semple, one of the researchers from the University of Liverpool has said, "There will be tragedy behind this story, people that came into hospital with one problem, caught Covid and sadly died." Read full story. Source: BBC News, 13 August 2021
  10. News Article
    According to the state's health watchdog Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), six out of 10 hospitals inspected last year were non-compliant with aspects of infection-control procedures against Covid-19. Recurring issues such as poor physical infrastructure, capacity issues and workforce challenges were found to hinder efforts to cope with the pandemic, and despite investments, issues around infrastructure and capacity have been worsened by the pandemic. “In most instances, we found an effective approach to adapt to this unprecedented crisis in hospitals. However, hospitals’ efforts were made more difficult due to underlying historic problems with infrastructure, limited bed capacity and unequal or limited access to specialist workforce input and advice – problems that Hiqa’s prior monitoring work against national standards has consistently highlighted.” said Hiqa’s director of regulation, Mary Dunnion. Read full story. Source: Irish Times, 10 August 2021
  11. News Article
    According to new data, those sick with Covid-19 are a decade younger than previous waves, with analysis showing the average age of among 2,889 patients admitted to ICU since May was 49, compared to 59 in the previous surges. However, this has been put down to the effects of vaccine programme as older adults were prioritised. Reports have also found hundreds of critically ill patients are having to be moved between hospitals due to the need to remove pressure on beds. The chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said: “Trusts’ experience of Covid-19 has strongly confirmed what we already knew: that the NHS is significantly short of intensive care capacity, both beds and staff. The level of ICU transfers over the last few months, to alleviate pressures in a number of different hospitals, further confirms that." Read full story. Source: The Independent, 10 August 2021
  12. News Article
    Gateshead Health NHS Trust in the north-east of England are the first NHS body in the UK to manufacture its own protective face masks. This move comes after Filtering Face Piece 3 masks (FFP3), which are used widely in hospitals, were in short supply early in the pandemic. "It's taken us a lot of hard work and investment to get to this stage. Every part and stage has had to be precision-engineered to make sure that these masks meet the standard and are effective at filtration." Said Managing director Anthony Robson. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 6 August 2021
  13. News Article
    An open letter has been published calling for the end of Covid-related abuse against healthcare staff, with leading health organisations coming together to unite against the rising tide of violence against nurses and other NHS staff. The letter was signed by nine representatives including the Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Midwives and warned of the “unacceptable behaviours”, a move that comes after he chief executive and general secretary of the RCM, Gill Walton, received online threats after she supported a national appeal for pregnant women to get the Covid-19 vaccine. “To those who issue death threats or incite violence against us, we say enough is enough”, Ms Walton has said. Read full story. Source: The Nursing Times, 4 August 2021
  14. News Article
    New research has found oxygen therapy may help reduce the number of patients needing a ventilator. The research trial, conducted across 48 hospitals in the UK, found that out of the three methods of oxygen delivery, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) could be the most beneficial in reducing the need for a patient to go on a ventilator. "The routine use of high-flow nasal oxygenation, which can consume large amounts of oxygen, should be reconsidered, as it did not improve outcomes. By giving patients the most effective treatment to begin with, we can help prevent resource shortages in our NHS and make sure the right type of ventilation is available to patients when it is required." Says Prof Gavin Perkins, from the Warwick Medical School. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 05 August 2021
  15. News Article
    According to a UK-wide survey conducted in April 2021, significant numbers of "extremely vulnerable" clinicians have said they were forced to go back to work without having an appropriate risk assessment in line with official guidance. The survey, recording 124 respondents, found 38% had yet to receive a risk assessment despite returning to work with the comments section entries including complaints around “bullying from peers” and “difficult” working relationships. “NHS organisations have been working hard to look after all their staff during these challenging times, and will be aware that the right support is especially important to meet the various needs of staff who are clinically extremely vulnerable." Paul Deemer, head of diversity and inclusion at NHS Employers has said. Read full story (paywalled). Source: HSJ, 4 August 2021
  16. News Article
    According to research by King's College scientists, children who become ill with Covid-19 rarely experience long-term symptoms. The study was conducted using data provided by the Zoe Covid Study App and looked at 1,734 children, aged between five and 17 who had been reported to have tested positive for the virus between September 2020 and February 2021, with the most common long-term symptoms being found to be headaches and tiredness. "This study is reassuring for the majority of children and young people who develop Sars-CoV-2 infection, and reflects what paediatricians are seeing in clinical practice." Says Dr Liz Whittaker, infectious disease lead at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health who was not involved in the research Read full story. Source: BBC News, 4 August 2021
  17. News Article
    Some cancer patients have been left in limbo with their surgeries after the unlocking of the nation on the 19th July. Ms DePastino, who was scheduled to have surgery on Monday to remove cancer from her womb was told it had to be rearranged due to the number of Covid patients being admitted into the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. So far, Ms DePastino has not been given a new date or allowed to speak to her consultant. “People have got this idea they want to get back to normal but what about people like me whose normal has been ripped away from them? Our only chance at normal is now being delayed or taken away so that people that are completely healthy can go about their business. If we’re going to get back to normal that means people who need care should be able to get care; it can’t be one or the other, that’s not right.” Said Ms DePastino, who also says her pleas to be referred to somewhere else have been ignored. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 1 August 2021
  18. News Article
    New data from the NHS suggests 23% of patients with Covid infections were admitted into hospital for other reasons. The government has denied the numbers were previously overstated due to NHS pressures, with each patient being tested for Covid whenever they come into hospital, regardless of the reason. This measure has been said as "still the most important" by the The Department for Health and Social Care because of the impact patients who have tested positive can have on NHS capacity and workforce pressure. "The main role for hospitalisation statistics is to indicate the pressure on the NHS. Patients with Covid have to be treated in a resource-intensive way, whether Covid was the primary reason for their admission or not, and even if they caught it in hospital. Therefore the total number in hospital with Covid seems an appropriate overall summary statistic, although this new breakdown does provide additional information." Says Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter, from the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication at the University of Cambridge Read full story. Source: BBC News, 31 July 2021
  19. News Article
    Experts have warned that a device used to detect signs of oxygen level drops may not work as well on darker skin. According to NHS England and MHRA, pulse oximeters may sometimes overestimate oxygen levels. Now, NHS England is updating their guidance advising patients patients from black, Asian and other ethnic minority groups to seek advice from their healthcare professional, but to continue using pulse oximeters. "We need to ensure there is common knowledge on potential limitations in healthcare equipment and devices, particularly for populations at heightened risk of life-changing illness, this includes black, Asian and diverse communities using pulse oximeters to monitor their oxygen levels at home," says Dr Habib Naqvi, director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory. Read full story. Source: BBC, 1 August 2021
  20. News Article
    New research has found symptoms in the early days of Covid-19 may differ between men and women. The study by King's College London, examined 18 symptoms from data obtained from the ZOE COVID Symptom Study App. Results found men were most likely to experience shortness of breath, fatigue, chills and fever, whereas women were more likely to report loss of smell, chest pain and a persistent cough. "It's important people know the earliest symptoms are wide-ranging and may look different for each member of a family or household. Testing guidance could be updated to enable cases to be picked up earlier, especially in the face of new variants which are highly transmissible. This could include using widely available lateral flow tests for people with any of these non-core symptoms." Lead author and reader at King's College London, Claire Steves has said. Read full story. Source: Sky News, 30 July 2021
  21. News Article
    Prof Jonathan Van-Tam has said around 60,000 deaths have been prevented in England as a result of the Covid vaccine programme, with approximately 22 million cases having also been stopped, saying the likelihood of another lockdown was 'much lower' if a higher proportion of the population get the jab. Disputing a claim made to a newspaper by a senior minister regarding the drop in cases, he says, "I hope the worst is behind us but I think it's quite possible that we're going to have one or two bumpy periods in the autumn and in the winter, not only through Covid, but also through flu and other respiratory viruses as well." Read full story. Source: BBC News, 29 July 2021
  22. News Article
    Covid-19 may cause early onset Alzheimer’s disease in patients who suffer neurological symptoms such as brain fog or loss of smell and taste. A separate study has also found patients with coronavirus may be more susceptible to long-term memory and thinking problems. In Alzheimer’s patients, researchers have found higher levels of markers in the blood of people who had suffered neurological complications after being infected with the virus. “These new data point to disturbing trends, showing Covid-19 infections leading to lasting cognitive impairment and even Alzheimer’s symptoms. With more than 190 million cases and nearly 4 million deaths worldwide, Covid-19 has devastated the entire world. It is imperative that we continue to study what this virus is doing to our bodies and brains.” said Heather M Snyder, Alzheimer’s Association vice-president for medical and scientific relations. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 29 July 2021
  23. News Article
    Researchers from the 'Therapies for Long COVID (TLC) Study Group' at the University of Birmingham are studying long COVID is and what influences it by pooling data from lots of separate studies to find out the prevalence of reported symptoms and to see what the impacts and complications of long COVID are. Their review showed just how varied long COVID is. Patients may experience symptoms related to any system in the body – including respiratory, neurological and gastroenterological symptoms. The pooled data showed that the ten most commonly reported symptoms in long COVID are fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle pain, cough, headache, joint pain, chest pain, an altered sense of smell, diarrhoea and altered taste. Other common symptoms include “brain fog” – when thinking is fuzzy and sluggish – memory loss, disordered sleep, heart palpitations and a sore throat. Rare but important outcomes include thoughts of self-harm and suicide and even seizures. Most long COVID patients complain of symptoms experienced during their acute infection persisting beyond it, with the number of symptoms experienced tending to decline as patients move from acute to long COVID. Some, though, report developing new symptoms during their long COVID illness, while some also report symptoms reoccuring that had previously resolved themselves. What the huge variability of long COVID suggests is that it actually comprises a number of different syndromes, potentially with different underlying causes. A better understanding of the underlying biological and immunological mechanisms of long COVID is therefore urgently needed if we’re to develop effective treatments for it. Read full story Source: The Conversation, 27 July 2021
  24. News Article
    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are warning that thermal cameras and other such “temperature screening” products, some of which make direct claims to screen for COVID-19, are not a reliable way to detect if people have the virus. In July 2020 the Agency told manufacturers and suppliers of thermal cameras that they should not make claims which directly relate to COVID-19 diagnosis, and now are reminding businesses to follow Government advice on safe working during COVID-19. Graeme Tunbridge, MHRA Director of Devices, said: "Many thermal cameras and temperature screening products were originally designed for non-medical purposes, such as for building or site security. Businesses and organisations need to know that using these products for temperature screening could put people’s health at risk. These products should only be used in line with the manufacturer’s original intended use, and not to screen people for COVID-19 symptoms. They do not perform to the level required to accurately support a medical diagnosis." Read full story Source: BBC News, 27 July 2021
  25. News Article
    Eight hospitals have reported that at least 1 in 10 beds are now occupied by a patient with coronavirus, HSJ can reveal. Operational information seen by HSJ showed the 8 Trusts were, Queen Elizabeth Hospital; Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland Foundation Trust, North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust, Barnsley Hospital, The Rotherham Foundation Trust, Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust, across several hospitals in north Manchester, Oldham and Bury, Whittington Health Trust, and Sandwell and West Birmingham. Having 10 per cent or more beds occupied by Covid patients has a big impact on how the hospital is able to run due to the need to ensure the patients are in appropriate wards and isolated from patients who are negative for the virus. Compared to previous waves, current patients are much younger and healthier and have been found to have a shorter length of stay in hospital. Read full story (paywalled). Source: HSJ, 26 July 2021
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