The General Election is over. The new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, says the NHS is “broken”. He’s already started urgent talks with English Junior Doctors. Settling that dispute would be a good start.
Representing Ilford North, Mr Streeting should know something about the Essex and Northeast London health and welfare systems. He also said: millions of “patients are being failed on a daily basis”. Labour’s manifesto promises an extra 40,000 operations, scans and appointments per week in England, that’s 2million pa; this will be done by introducing more weekend services, as well as using slack in the private sector. Hopefully that will start soon.
Channel 4 Dispatches’ recent documentary on 24 June showed the utterly unacceptable care that’s a regular occurrence in some hospitals; thankfully not in ours. That part of the broken NHS needs urgent repair.
Recently we recorded an interview with the outgoing Interim Chief Executive of our local NHS for publication at our forthcoming AGM. She’s delivered improvements, which were fully reported at Mid & South Essex Integrated Care Board’s meeting in public on 11 July, agenda papers at: file:///C:/Users/PeterBlackman/Downloads/Part-I-ICB-Board-Papers-11-July-2024-2.pdf . She agrees with the NHS CEO that: more care must move from hospitals into primary and community services; better use of technology and data is important; and preventative care is a key priority.
Our film, ‘The Impact of Covid on Dying, Death & Bereavement’ will be published on our website in the coming week and will be submitted to the national Covid Public Inquiry. There remains a terrible legacy from Covid for those who were bereaved in such awful, unusual circumstances. Our film aims to help unlock that and identify ways of improving things for the next inevitable pandemic.
Latest data indicates Covid cases are increasing again; A&E attendances have been at the highest level since February and deaths were up to 168 in the latest week. The largest group of people hospitalised with Covid are those aged 85+. It’s difficult to get a full picture about Covid as there’s little testing. Data isn’t collected about Covid infections at home and is taken only in limited circumstances in hospitals. The legacy of long Covid remains worryingly large; the latest ONS data reported 1.5m English and Scottish cases at 31 March 2024; three quarters are affected with daily activities; 380,000 people are “limited a lot”. Flu and respiratory infections remain stable at low levels. We are now ‘living with Covid’.
The first post-election UKHSA bulletin warns: Whooping Cough cases continue rising with 2,591 cases in May; 4,793 cases and 8 infant deaths between January-April; Vaccination for pregnant women and infant babies is the necessary defence. 150 Measles cases were confirmed in June; MMR vaccinations are essential for young children. STIs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) continue increasing, with 401,800 new cases in 2023, up 4.7%. Adolescents, young adults and men having sex with men are at most risk. Nearly half of STIs occur in people ages 15-24. But others aren’t immune. The best way to avoid STIs is to use condoms “consistently and correctly” with new or casual sexual partners. Public health news is on our website and in weekly e-newsletters. SWF Library provides online services and help with internet access. For health & welfare information and subscription to our newsletter, email swfhealthsocial@outlook.com , or leave voicemails on 01245 322079
SWF Health & Social Care Group 