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Covid-19: children at extremely low risk
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
New data looking at the pandemic from the past 12 months has found children are at extremely low risk of becoming very ill or dying from Covid-19. Those who were living with disabilities or chronic illness were also found to have a very low risk, despite being considered at most risk. Scientists from four different universities (UCL, York, Bristol and Liverpool) have said their studies on children are the most comprehensive yet, finding hospital stays a rarity. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 08 July 2021 -
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New survey reveals only 45% of patients feel in control of their health
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
A survey by Patient Safety Movement Foundation (PSMF), a global non-profit has found their respondents did not feel in control of their health. The survey focused on how the public view on patient safety and preventable medical harm and their understanding of it. Some highlights of the results include: 53.2% knew what the term 'medical error' meant, with only 37% being able to define it 58% worried about medical errors 45.9% of the public felt in control of what happens to their health The findings of the survey suggest there is still some way to go in educating the public about medical errors and to bring about more awareness on the issue. Read full story. Source: Business Wire, 07 July 2021- Posted
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NHS hospitals cancel operations amid unfolding third wave
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
An influx of Covid-19 patients is being seen in hospitals, leading to cancelled operations. Staff are having to self-isolate for ten days, leading to shortages with Leeds Teaching Hospital having to cancel non-urgent operations in order to help cope with the numbers of patients coming in with Covid-19. It has also been found that other hospitals and ambulance services are being affected as the third wave unfolds. The Department for Health and Social Care has been approached for comment. Read full story. Source: The Guardian, 08 July 2021 -
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Doctors want some Covid measures to remain after 19 July
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
A doctors union has said some Covid measures should remain after the 19th July. The British Medical Association has said use of face masks should continue in addition to new ventilation standards. The call to protect the NHS comes after a rise in cases has been observed. On Thursday, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he hopes restrictions can be lifted in England on 19th July but that there may be a need to take extra precautions. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 3 July 2021 -
News ArticleFresh Air NHS, Patient Safety Learning and the Safer Healthcare and Biosafety Network are calling for urgent change to the UK government’s guidelines on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which are failing to adequately protect healthcare workers against the airborne nature of the Covid 19 virus. In March 2020, UK PPE guidance for Covid-19 facing healthcare workers was downgraded, from requiring airborne protection for all staff, to only those in areas where aerosol generating procedures were commonly performed – mainly the ICU. To-date, approximately 1,500 UK health and care workers have died from Covid-19, with non-ICU healthcare workers experiencing far greater risk of infection than their better protected ICU colleagues. It is estimated that a further 122,000 health service workers who contracted Covid-19 are struggling with prolonged symptoms, often referred to as Long Covid. Commenting on this, Helen Hughes, Chief Executive of Patient Safety Learning, said: “Providing enhanced PPE to everyone working in non-ICU Covid-19 wards would offer much-needed reassurance that our leaders are committed to protecting both patients and staff from avoidable infection and the associated consequences. “The lack of recognition of the airborne nature of Covid-19 transmission from the UK government puts at risk the safety of healthcare staff, their loved ones and patients. There needs to be an urgent review of the PPE guidance to ensure that it is lawful, evidence-based, reflective of the airborne nature of the Covid-19 virus, and that safety is prioritised.” Read full story. Source: Safer Healthcare and Biosafety Network, 06 July 2021
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Scientists call for list of Covid-19 symptoms to be expanded
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Scientists have called for the list of Covid-19 symptoms to be expanded. The call comes after scientists warned cases may be missed if the symptoms are not included on the official list. However, others are warning that including too many may be confusing and result in unnecessary tests being carried out. Currently, the government maintains that the list is under constant review. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 01 July 2021 -
News ArticleA new leaked report has found almost half of hospital isolation rooms did not meet ventilation guidelines after an audit was commissioned after healthcare staff and patients were found to be infected with COVID-19. The audit revealed nearly 40 per cent of hospital wards failed air filtration guidelines and though 99 percent of wards had enough outside air, problems begin to occur when it gets into the hospitals. The ABC has contacted the Victorian Health Department for comment. Read full story. Source: The ABC News, 1 July 2021
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Number of positive isolating pupils unknown in England
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
In an attempt to stop the spread of the virus, the government introduced a policy where pupils would be sent home to self-isolate if they came into contact with an infected person in school. However, the number of cases being prevented by this policy is not being monitored. It has been estimated at least 279,000 children are at home with many being asked to self isolate for 10 days. Without a full set of data, it cannot be known how this current policy is affecting the rate of infections. A government spokesperson has said the health secretary and education secretary are working on getting education back to normal as soon as they can. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 01 July 2021- Posted
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New report finds Covid-19 death rate 25% higher in Manchester
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
New research has found the death rate in Manchester was 25% higher than the rest of England during the pandemic. The report describes how Manchester is experiencing a number of avoidable health inequalities that needs to be addressed. The Mayor of Manchester has said people on lower incomes are less able to control their exposure to the virus and that more needs to be done to help communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 29 June 20201- Posted
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New FFP3 respirators may cut infection risk
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
New FFP3 masks may reduce likelihood of infection rates, a new study finds. After healthcare workers used the masks when on Covid-19 wards, the rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections was found to be lowered by a significant amount. Since the study, Public Health England have updated its guidance which now requires NHS organisations to provide FFP3 respirators where appropriate. Read full story. Source: BMJ, 29 June 2021- Posted
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Covid-19 to cast 'long shadow' on mental health
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Chris Whitty, England's Chief Medical Officer has said the pandemic will have an impact on mental health for a considerable period to come. Speaking at the Royal College of Psychiatrists international congress, The CMO acknowledged the pandemic may have caused a lot of fear and anxiety as well as affecting people's social support and finances. Whilst Chris Whitty is optimistic that the end of the pandemic is in sight, he believes there will still continue to be some difficulties, now and in the future. Read full article. Source: BMJ, 28 June 2021 -
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More than 2 million people in the UK may have suffered from long Covid
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
A new survey of half a million adults in the UK has revealed more than 2 million may have suffered from long Covid. Currently, long Covid is not fully understood and its definition has not yet been agreed upon. The self-reported survey showed 37% of respondents experienced at least one symptom lasting 12 weeks or more with higher weight, smoking, lower incomes and having a chronic illness being associated with a higher chance of experiencing symptoms of long Covid. The government has issued £50m in funding for research on long Covid. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 24 June 2021- Posted
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Young children in A&E with mild winter viruses
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
It has been reported Accident and Emergency are seeing record numbers of young children being brought in with mild winter viruses, overwhelming the department. Experts have said it is unlikely to be serious and that people should seek to speak with their GP, pharmacist or NHS 111 as the first port of call, but that A&E is an option if parents are worried it could be an emergency. It has emerged that most of the children are under the age of five and it may be that as lockdown has been easing and people are mixing, winter viruses are reappearing. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 25 June 2021- Posted
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Dozens of hospitals hit dangerous bed occupancy levels
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Dozens of acute trusts have operated at very high levels of bed occupancy in the past month, as they deal with a surge in non-covid patients with thousands fewer beds than normal. At one point in May, 49 general acute trusts out of 145 — the most since before covid — operated at occupancy of 95 per cent or more in adult acute beds. Up to eight trusts at a time were operating at 99 or 100% occupancy during May, according to analysis of published data. NHS England, prior to covid, told trusts to keep occupancy below 92%, and others believe even this is dangerously high, although trusts do often exceed it during winter. Trusts are seeing the largest numbers of non-covid emergency patients since at least winter 2019-20; and are also trying to return as many planned operations as possible. They are doing so with thousands fewer beds than normal, due to measures to deal with ongoing covid patients without further outbreaks of the virus in hospital. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 8 June 2021 -
News ArticleAn NHS trust has become the first in the country to individually contact every family of patients who caught coronavirus while they were in hospital in a large-scale bid to be transparent over the scale of infections. Bosses at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Trust have set up a team to work through hundreds of cases where patients caught coronavirus in hospital. At least 99 patients are known to have died after becoming infected with more cases still to review. In a unique approach to transparency the trust is sending a letter by recorded delivery to every affected patient or family where it is thought the patient picked up the virus within the hospital. The letter offers an apology for what happened and is followed by a phone call with a nurse and a meeting with officials if families have more concerns. Some families have asked to meet the nurses who cared for their loved ones. Read full story Source: The Independent, 6 June 2021
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Fears of side-effects fuel reluctance to get Covid jabs, survey finds
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Most people who are reluctant to be vaccinated against Covid are worried about side-effects and whether the vaccines have been adequately tested, a survey in 15 countries has shown. Other reasons cited in the survey of 68,000 people, led by Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation in collaboration with YouGov, were the uncertainty that people would not get the vaccine they preferred and worries about efficacy. The survey was carried out in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Excluding eligibility, the top reasons for not having the vaccine across all 15 countries surveyed were “concerns about side effects” and/or “concerns that there has not been enough testing of vaccines”. Trust in vaccines was highest in the UK, at 87%, and lowest in Japan, at 47%. The UK respondents also had the highest level of confidence in their health authorities (70%), while South Korea had the lowest (42%). Among those who had not yet been vaccinated, confidence was highest in the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in nine out of the 15 countries, and in three others – Canada, Singapore and Sweden – among those under 65. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 4 June 2021 -
News ArticleThe number of people suffering from symptoms of long covid more than a year after their initial Coronavirus infection has jumped to almost 400,000. New data from the Office for National Statistics based on a survey of patients found the numbers of patients with persistent symptoms after 12 months jumped from 70,000 in March to 376,000 in May. Overall, the ONS said an estimated one million people had self-reported signs of long Covid which last for more than four weeks. The effects of long Covid were reported to be affected the day-to-day activities of 650,000 people, with 192,000 of those saying their ability to undertake day-to-day activities had been limited a lot. Fatigue was the most common symptom reported, with 547,000 people affected. A total of 405,000 people reported a shortness of breath, while 313,000 had muscle aches. More than a quarter of a million patients, 285,000 people, said they had difficulty concentrating. According to the ONS the prevalence of long Covid was higher among those aged between 35 and 69-year-old and women were more likely to be affected than men along with those living in the most deprived areas as well as staff working in health and social care. Read full story Source: The Independent, 3 June 2021
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News ArticleMore than 20 healthcare organisations, including those representing nurses, doctors, surgeons and therapists, are calling for stricter UK guidelines to be introduced on face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE). In a virtual meeting with officials, they will say existing rules leave them vulnerable to infection through the air, especially by new Covid variants. The unprecedented appeal will see them argue that other countries, such as the United States, protect their health workers with higher-grade equipment. It is thought to be the first time health and care organisations have united on a single issue in this way - a sign of the desperation many feel about the need for staff to be kept safe. The delegation will include representatives of the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and many other professional organisations and unions. On the government side will be about 20 of the most senior officials from all four UK nations, many involved in setting the guidelines on personal protective equipment (PPE). Read full story Source: BBC News, 3 June 2021
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UK rights watchdog endorses compulsory Covid jabs for care home staff
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The prospect of care home workers being required to get vaccinated against COVID-19 has moved a step closer, with a crucial endorsement from the UK’s human rights watchdog. Ministers are considering changing the law to make vaccination a condition of deployment for people in some professions that come into regular close contact with elderly and vulnerable people at high risk from the coronavirus. In a report to the government seen by the Guardian, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) admitted that making vaccines compulsory for care home staff would be a “significant departure from current public health policy”. But they judged that ministers were “right to prioritise protection of the right to life for residents and staff” and said it would be reasonable for care home workers to need a jab “in order to work directly with older and disabled people, subject to some important safeguards”. The EHRC is also likely to make a similar recommendation about healthcare workers, after the vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, suggested over the weekend that NHS staff could face mandatory jabs, too, as some patients were “being infected in hospital”. Zahawi said no decisions had been made yet, and stressed there was a precedent: surgeons were required to be vaccinated against hepatitis B. He added: “It would be incumbent on any responsible government to have the debate, to do the thinking about how we go about protecting the most vulnerable by making sure that those who look after them are vaccinated.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 2 June 2021- Posted
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News ArticleThousands of hospital patients were allowed to return to their care homes without a Covid test despite a direct plea to the government from major care providers not to allow the practice, the Observer has been told. As the crisis began to unfold in early March 2020, providers held an emergency meeting with department of health officials in which they urged the government not to force them to accept untested residents. However, weeks later, official advice remained that tests were not mandatory and thousands of residents are thought to have returned to their homes without a negative Covid result. The revelation will heap further pressure on the health secretary, Matt Hancock, who has admitted some care residents returned from hospital without a test. It comes after Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s former senior adviser, last week accused Hancock of misleading the prime minister over the policy, during his unprecedented evidence in parliament. Some 25,000 people were discharged to care homes between 17 March and 15 April, and there is widespread belief among social care workers and leaders that this allowed the virus to get into the homes. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 29 May 2021
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News ArticleThe number of people being admitted to hospital with COVID-19 is rising in some regions but "few, if any" are from care homes, according to an NHS leader. Younger people are making up most of coronavirus hospital admissions, with 70% of admissions in one hospital consisting of under-45s, NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said. Although the number of hospital admissions is "ticking up" in areas most affected by the Indian Covid variant, the rise is small compared with the levels seen earlier in the year. Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Hopson said most hospitalisations were among younger people and those who have been offered the vaccine but have yet to take up the offer. A number are among those who have only had their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while “a very small number” are fully vaccinated with both doses. Read full story Source: The Independent, 26 May 2021
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GPs stricken by long Covid ‘shocked and betrayed’ at being forced from jobs
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Family doctors are being forced out of their jobs after developing long Covid, prompting demands for the government to compensate NHS staff with the debilitating condition who cannot work. GPs struggling with the condition have told the Observer they felt “shocked and betrayed” when their colleagues removed them from their posts because of prolonged sick leave. “I received a lawyer’s letter on behalf of the other partners in the GP surgery telling me that they were ending my partnership. I understood why they did what they did, because I was too sick to work at the time. But it was also callous and mercenary,” said one doctor who lost her job. “It was hard on me, as one of the partners was also my best friend. The partners were worried I’d be a ‘disabled partner’ and wouldn’t be able to pull my weight. Long Covid meant I simply couldn’t function normally and so couldn’t meet the return to work date they gave me, so they exercised their right under our partnership agreement to end my partnership at the surgery,” added the GP, who asked to remain anonymous. The issue has prompted soul-searching within the medical profession about what duty of care family doctors owe each other when they cannot work because they have been laid low with exhaustion, brain fog, breathlessness and other symptoms of long Covid. Locum medics and hospital doctors with the condition are also having problems including loss of income, trouble accessing sick pay, contractual difficulties and getting employers to accept that they cannot work normally, sometimes for months. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 23 May 2021 -
News ArticleAlmost as soon as the pandemic struck early last year, NHS England recognised that patients catching Covid-19 while they were in hospital for non-Covid care was a real risk and could lead to even more deaths than were already occurring. Unfortunately their fears have been borne out by events since – every acute hospital in England has been hit by this problem to some extent. Over the last 15 months various NHS and medical bodies have looked into hospital-acquired Covid and published reports and detailed guidance to help hospitals stem its spread. They include the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) and Public Health England (PHE). Last May, for example, PHE estimated that 20% of coronavirus infections in hospitalised patients and almost 90% of infections among healthcare staff may have been nosocomial, meaning they were caught in a hospital setting. Before the pandemic the NHS was over-stretched and resources were limited. The crisis distorted it further out of shape and despite NHS staff making huge efforts to contain the virus in extremely challenging circumstances, too often they were overwhelmed. There are many other reasons, including inadequate ventilation, the sharing of equipment, and nurses and doctors having to gather at nurses’ stations and in doctors’ messes. Some bereaved relatives also cite hospitals deciding – inexplicably – to put their Covid-free loved ones in a bay or ward with one or more people who had the disease, sometimes resulting in tragedy. While some of these inherent weaknesses have been addressed, others remain, leaving further infections and even more deaths in this way a distinct possibility if the NHS is hit by another Covid surge. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 24 May 2021
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News ArticleHospitals have been accused of “unnecessary secrecy” for refusing to disclose how many of their patients died after catching Covid on their wards. The Patients Association, doctors’ leaders and the campaign group Transparency International have criticised the 42 NHS acute trusts in England that did not comply fully with freedom of information request for hospital-acquired Covid infections and deaths. The Guardian revealed on Monday that up to 8,700 patients lost their lives after probably or definitely becoming infected during the pandemic while in hospital for surgery or other treatment. That was based on responses from 81 of the 126 trusts from which it sought figures. The British Medical Association, the main doctors’ trade union, said the 42 trusts that did not reveal how many such deaths had occurred in their hospitals were denying the bereaved crucial information. “No one should come into hospital with one condition, only to be made incredibly ill with, or even die from, a dangerous infectious disease,” Dr Rob Harwood, chair of the BMA’s hospital consultants committee, said. “Families, including those of our own colleagues who died fighting this virus on the frontline, deserve answers. We will only get that if there is full transparency." Read full story Source: The Guardian, 25 May 2021
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Up to 8,700 patients died after catching Covid in English hospitals
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Up to 8,700 patients died after catching Covid-19 while in hospital being treated for another medical problem, according to official NHS data obtained by the Guardian. The figures, which were provided by the hospitals themselves, were described as “horrifying” by relatives of those who died. Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary, said that hospital-acquired Covid “remains one of the silent scandals of this pandemic, causing many thousands of avoidable deaths”. NHS leaders and senior doctors have long claimed hospitals have struggled to stop Covid spreading because of shortages of single rooms, a lack of personal protective equipment and an inability to test staff and patients early in the pandemic. Now, official figures supplied by NHS trusts in England show that 32,307 people have probably or definitely contracted the disease while in hospital since March 2020 – and 8,747 of them died. That means that almost three in 10 (27.1%) of those infected that way lost their lives within 28 days. “The NHS has done us all proud over the past year, but these new figures are devastating and pose challenging questions on whether the right hospital infection controls were in place”, said Hunt, who chairs the Commons health and social care select committee. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 24 May 2021