The end of November saw two separate cyber attacks on Merseyside hospitals. Such attacks are hugely disruptive. The NHS has to be vigilant against cyber threats and this is regularly considered by NHS Digital, NHS England and all NHS organisations. Keeping hackers and malicious software out of NHS systems is one of several financial costs the modern NHS now needs to factor into its budgets
Adele Darlington from Warrington is helping promote blood donating as NHS Blood & Transplant remains on “Amber Alert” as blood stocks remain low. Christmas and New Year is always challenging as donations drop. People with O negative, B negative and Ro blood types are particularly needed. Adele’s life was saved a year ago by 28 units of red blood cells, 20 units of fresh frozen plasma, 9 units of cryoprecipitate and 8 units of platelets which saved her life after her baby Jasmine was born. Adele thought she was dying but 9 hours of intensive surgery and the transfusions saved her so she can parent Jasmine and her four siblings.
Alarm bells were rung this week by England’s Medical Director Prof Sir Stephen Powis as NHS England is busier than it’s ever been heading into winter. Rising rates of flu and Norovirus are putting hospitals under huge strain. 95% of beds are already occupied at the start of December, rates only normally experienced in the depths of winter. Two thirds of ambulances are being delayed dropping patients at A&Es, with 67% of arrivals taking longer than 15 minutes to handover; the average handover time was 44 minutes
Flu infections keep increasing and last week flu hospitalisations increased to 3.96 per 100,000 population compared with 1.78 in the previous week. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) keep increasing and hospital admissions were 4.21 per 100,000 compared with 3.47 the previous week. Covid infections were stable, with hospitalisations at 1.85 per 100,000 compared with 1.82 the previous week.
Forecasts for the coming weeks and winter are that COVID-19, Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) will increase significantly in most age groups. Vaccinations are offered against flu, COVID-19 and RSV and those eligible are urged to take up the vaccines to ensure you’re protected for the winter.
Norovirus cases are more than double the 5-season average. If you get it: stay home for 48hours after symptoms clear; wash hands with soap and warm water; don’t prepare food for others. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea but can also include a high temperature, abdominal pain and aching limbs. Norovirus infections can cause dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and older or immunocompromised people, so if you do get ill it is important to drink plenty of fluids and to isolate.
Details will be announced shortly for a virtual Town meeting using Folder: Community Engagement | Change NHS to Help Build a Health Service Fit for the Future. Do let us know what you think about this.
The Get Britain Working White Paper was published on 26 November, proposing health and skills support to reform employment, tackle economic inactivity and support people into good work. Three NHS Health and Growth Accelerator sites will test a new way of delivering more personalised, pro-active prevention programmes that will reduce health-related labour market inactivity, whilst testing the feasibility of broader future implementation.
World AIDS Day on 1 December will see UKHSA’s results from those A&Es running testing programmes for blood-borne viruses, making every contact count to identify thousands of people living with Hep B, Hep C or HIV so they get the treatment they need.
The debates about the future of the Assisted Dying Bill will continue through its Parliamentary stages where issues raised in the Second Reading debate need close investigation. Senior doctors and others say fixing the struggling palliative care and hospice system is an immediate priority and our local end of life services definitely need improvements.
A fifth person in England has been confirmed with a strain of mpox, which is spreading in central and east Africa. The first four in London have all recovered.
Whooping Cough activity remains high. It’s vital pregnant women and young children get vaccinated.
Forecasts for the coming weeks and winter are that COVID-19, Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) will increase significantly in most age groups. A&E attendances and hospital admissions are already rising. Vaccinations are offered against flu, COVID-19 and RSV and those eligible are urged to take up the vaccines to ensure you’re protected for the winter. 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 https://swfhealthsocial.co.uk/
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