Health and wellbeing – Page 218 – The NEN

Hospital visiting guidance

We know visits from loved ones can help with recovery. Please help us keep everyone safe by following this guidance:

To ensure that there are not high numbers of people in multi-bedded rooms we need to work with you to plan visits.
Please do not visit if you have COVID symptoms or have been identified as a contact of someone who is.
On arrival please check-in with a member of the ward team who will make sure that it is safe to visit.
Each patient may have two designated visitors (this can be changed throughout the stay if required).
If both visitors are from the same household, they may visit together. If they are not, they must visit separately.
Visitors must have had both doses of the Covid vaccine, the second dose more than 14 days before any visit.
Unfortunately, children and young people under 16 will not usually be able to visit.
These arrangements may vary. In certain circumstances more than two people may visit, e.g. when patients are nearing the end of life, or for patients with dementia whose distress may be eased by the presence of a relative or carer.
You must wear a face covering during your visit and follow infection control guidance.
We want to ensure that our patients have close contact with you during the visit, therefore holding hands is permitted but you must adhere to hand hygiene requirements. You do not need to wear gloves.
During outbreaks we may need to amend our guidance to maintain safety.
Please maintain physical distancing in communal areas of the hospital.
The name and contact details of those visiting will be kept should we need to inform NHS SCotland Test and Protect.

Thank you for following our guidance and helping keep everyone safe.

We encourage all visitors to take a voluntary Lateral Flow Test prior to visiting. Information on how to order Lateral Flow Tests is available on the Scottish Government’s website. Tests can also be collected from COVID testing centres in the afternoon or early evenings. If you do not wish to have a test or are not able to, you will still be permitted to visit.

It is essential you do not visit if you have any of the symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19)

a persistent cough
flu-like symptoms
fever
new loss of taste or smell

It is also essential that you should not visit if you have been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19); you should remain at home for the required isolation period, which is currently 14 days.

In order to keep our patients as safe as possible, the guidance may need to be amended at short notice. If this is the case, we will tell you why and keep it under review where possible.

Men’s Sheds receive life-saving kit through charity partnership

The Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) has partnered up with Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity and leading first aid training provider, St Andrew’s First Aid, to provide free Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to ten Scottish Men’s Sheds.

The SMSA put a call out to the 190+ Men’s Sheds across Scotland inviting them to apply for the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and received 44 applications showing a huge demand for this vital equipment (retailed at just over £1,500) to be located at Shed premises across Scotland.

The ten recipients will use the equipment to not only protect their members but – with the addition of an outdoor cabinet purchased by the Shed – will also make them accessible to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sudden cardiac arrest strikes 7 million people a year worldwide with no warning and no pattern. There’s little time to react and even less time to think, this means an AED must be close at hand, easy-to-use and ready to shock.

Chris Jowsey, Treasurer of Glenkens Men’s Shed, said: “One of our members had a cardiac arrest whilst at the Shed and sadly passed away despite the prompt actions of his fellow Shedders to get medical assistance. We can’t help but wonder if we’d had a defibrillator that day, if the outcome might have been different.

“We are delighted to have received this defibrillator through the SMSA and St Andrews First Aid and to be able to make it accessible to our entire community.”

Tom Bennett of Springburn Park Men’s Shed (above) said: “We have been trying to raise funds for a defibrillator for over two years for our Shed located within a public park in our village.

“We are thrilled to accept and maintain this defibrillator and make it accessible to our members, other community groups, park users and the general public.”

Jim Dorman, Director of Campaigns and Public Engagement at St Andrew’s First Aid, said: “Knowing that these vital pieces of equipment will be available to both members of the ten Sheds and to the wider communities will hopefully bring considerable peace of mind.

“With every minute that passes following a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival drops by 10%. Swift use of a defibrillator is all the difference needed to significantly increase a person’s chance of survival. We are delighted to donate these defibrillators to help more communities save lives.”

The successful Men’s Sheds across Scotland are: Aberchirder & District Men’s Shed; Forfar and District Men’s Shed; Glenkens Men’s Shed; Inverurie & District Men’s Shed; Macmerry Men’s Shed; Mens Shed Dumfries; Pentlands Men’s Shed; Peterhead & District Men’s Shed; Springburn Park Men’s Shed; and Whale Firth Men’s Shed.

There is still time to apply for the prestigious ‘Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year’ Awards 2021 from the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA).

2021 Timeline:

Deadline for applications:
Midnight on Sunday 26th September 2021

Shortlist announced and open to public vote:
Monday 4th October 2021

Closed to public vote:
Midnight on Sunday 17th October 2021

Winner announced at SMSA AGM/Awards event:
Thursday 4th November 2021

More than a quarter of Scottish families are concerned about substance use

More than a quarter of residents living in Scotland are concerned about a loved one’s drug and alcohol use during the pandemic, a new survey has uncovered

Drug and alcohol use has impacted the lives of millions of people living in the UK. In England and Wales, it’s estimated that 3.2 million people had taken drugs in the last year alone.

The new Drug and Alcohol Survey from Delamere, has uncovered the regions and cities that are most concerned about a loved one’s drug or alcohol use.

The UK Drug and Alcohol Use Survey 2021

According to the survey data, Scotland was the location with the sixth-highest concern for drug and substance abuse. 26% of the region reported being concerned about a friend or family member’s drinking or drug use during the pandemic – that’s more than 1 in 4 people!

The biggest worry was alcohol, with one in seven Brits saying that in the last year they have been concerned with a loved one’s drinking. Men are almost three times (32%) more likely to be worried about how drinking or substance abuse is affecting their lives, compared to women where 24% reported feeling concerned.

Over a third of people in the UK (36%) consumed drugs over the last 12 months
22% of adults in Britain increased their alcohol consumption during the pandemic
Prescription drug misuse is on the rise, with 1 in 10 overusing prescribed medication
Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in the UK, with a 7% usage in the last year
Brighton was the drug hotspot of the UK, with the highest rate for three drugs

England and Wales have seen a record number of drug-related deaths during the pandemic in 2020, a total number of 4,561 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered. The new Drug and Alcohol Survey from Delamere, the private rehab clinic, has uncovered the prevalence of drug and alcohol misuse in the UK in a post-pandemic world.

The addiction experts surveyed 2,000 adults living in the UK on their alcohol and drug consumption over the last 12 months to determine the impact of the pandemic on usage.

Despite pubs, bars being closed for around 31 weeks in 2020, the pandemic brought an increase to the nation’s drinking habits. The survey found that one in four (22%) of adults had increased their alcohol consumption in the last year.

Despite the nation living under lockdown restrictions, the findings uncovered that 49% of UK residents had consumed alcohol in the last twelve months alone and 36% had taken drugs.

It’s no secret that the coronavirus pandemic and resulting shutdown of social interaction last year caused upheaval in the mental wellbeing of people across the UK. Cannabis has become a feature in many people’s lives during the lockdown, with 7% of the country using it in the last year, making it the most commonly used drug in the UK.

Although most people take prescription medications responsibly, misuse is becoming a health concern for specialists in the United Kingdom. The survey discovered that one in ten UK residents have overused prescription medication outside of prescriptions.

A fifth of UK respondents had purchased prescription drugs rather than obtaining them via a GP, with 7% saying they had ordered the medication through the dark web. The biggest prescription problem was found in Wales, London, West Midlands and Edinburgh.

Experts have warned the use of illegal drugs is rising at an alarming rate across the UK, with some of the boroughs most populated areas among the worst affected areas. Brighton was the drug use hotspot in the South, with the highest rate of use for Cocaine, Ketamine and MDMA use. One in five Brighton residents reported having used cocaine, while one in ten reported using MDMA.

The use of painkillers such as Codeine and Tramadol outside of a prescription was more prevalent in Belfast and Cardiff had the biggest rate of people taking these drugs outside of a prescription.

Which cities are using drugs the most?

City	Cities that use each drug the most	Residents who have used the drug
Belfast	Painkillers	3 in 10
Liverpool	Cannabis	Over 3 in 10
Liverpool	Ecstasy	1 in 6
Liverpool	“Legal” Highs	1 in 10
Cardiff	Prescription Drugs	1 in 6
Brighton	Ketamine	1 in 14
Brighton	MDMA	1 in 10
Brighton	Cocaine	1 in 5
Sheffield	Over the Counter Medication	Over 1 in 6
Sheffield	Heroin	1 in 20

The use of painkillers such as Codeine and Tramadol outside of a prescription was more prevalent in Belfast and Cardiff had the biggest rate of people taking these drugs outside of a prescription.

Sight loss charity urges people to go for regular eye check-ups

Two Edinburgh women are backing a national campaign by charity RNIB Scotland, which has expressed concern that the covid crisis may lead to a rise in preventable sight loss if people neglect eye-treatment or regular check-ups.

During National Eye Health Week this week [September 20-26th], it will remind people that going for regular eye examinations remains as important as ever.

The Edinburgh-based charity’s director James Adams said: “A lot has happened over the past 18 months with the covid pandemic. But we must not neglect other health matters such as our vision because of this.

“Eye examinations are free in Scotland and can not only detect early signs of sight problems, possibly in time to arrest or reverse damage, but also sometimes pick up the symptoms of other conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. It is entirely safe to visit your local optometrist.”

Julie Mosgrove, vice-chair of Optometry Scotland, said: “We have been communicating regularly with our members to share the latest Scottish Government guidance throughout the pandemic in relation to personal protective equipment (PPE) and social distancing measures.

“We would stress the importance of attending regular eye examinations as this is a vital health check that can detect a number of conditions and prevent avoidable sight loss.”

[LINK to short video of Hazel – https://vimeo.com/606607762/abc91c907b]

Edinburgh resident Hazel Kelly from Corstorphine has described how an eye examination prevented her own sight condition getting worse.

“In my case, after a routine check-up by my optician, they picked up on something and referred me to my local eye hospital, where I was diagnosed with the beginning of two rare corneal conditions,” Hazel said. “This referral from my optician ensured I got early treatment which prevented me from actually going blind. And while I still have issues, if these conditions hadn’t been picked up earlier then the outcomes for me could have been far, far worse.”

Kirin Saeed also from Edinburgh, backed Hazel’s message from her own experience of sight loss. “I believe eye tests are incredibly important,” she emphasised, “because they’re free and you can make sure that the precious gift that we all have, which is eye-sight, is kept safe and secure.”

LINK to short video of Kirin – https://vimeo.com/606608270/790e09c9c6

According to the recent ‘State of the UK’s Eye Health 2021‘ report there were 4.3 million fewer eye tests across the UK in 2020, a 23 per cent drop compared to the last 12 months.

RNIB provides high quality information about all aspects of eye health, and a wide range of support to people experiencing problems with their sight, from emotional reassurance and counselling, to practical help with new technology and welfare benefits.

* Contact RNIB’s Sight Loss Advice Service on 0303 123 9999 or visit rnib.org.uk/eyehealth.

Volunteer Recruitment Fair

St Paul’s and St George’s Church, 10 Broughton Street

Wednesday 22 September from 11am – 7pm

Vaccination drive accelerated

– Covid-19 booster vaccinations get underway today

– Lothian launches drop-in clinics for 12 to 15-year-olds

Residents in care homes for older people are the first to be offered coronavirus (COVID-19) booster vaccinations from today (Monday).

This group will be offered both flu and COVID-19 booster vaccines after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advised that they could be given alongside one another.

From tomorrow (Tuesday 21 September) frontline health and social care workers are able to book an appointment for a booster jab online at NHS Inform. The portal can be used by all health and social care workers to book a flu vaccine.

Adults aged 70 years and over and those 16 years and over who are on the highest risk list (previously known as the shielding list) will begin to be contacted by letter or by their GP from the end of September.

People on the highest risk list who were severely immunosuppressed at the time of their last COVID-19 vaccination will be offered a third primary dose instead.

Other eligible groups – including all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions, adult carers, unpaid and young carers, adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals and all adults over 50 – will be able to book an appointment online from October.

Meanwhile, also from today (Monday) children and young people aged 12 -15 years old can go to drop-in clinics for a vaccination if they wish to get their jab before they receive their letter inviting them for a scheduled appointment. Everyone in this age group will be invited for vaccination at a community based clinic or a school delivery session from 27 September.

Heath Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I am pleased to see the booster programme getting underway for residents in care homes for older people, offering longer lasting protection against severe COVID-19 illness.

“The booster programme will run alongside our biggest ever flu vaccine programme as both of these programmes are important for individual and for public health and wherever possible, those eligible will be offered COVID-19 booster and flu vaccines together.

“We are also starting vaccination of 12-15 year olds after Scottish Ministers accepted advice from the four UK Chief Medical Officers. This group can now head to drop-in clinics for their jabs or wait for a letter offering them a scheduled appointment.”

NHS Lothian launches drop-in clinics for 12 to 15-year-olds

Young people aged 12 to 15 will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine at drop-in clinics across Lothian from today (September 20).

Mass clinics in West Lothian, Edinburgh and Midlothian will open their doors to young people as part of the latest phase of the national vaccination programme.

Pyramids, Gorebridge and Lowland Hall vaccination clinics will be the first in Lothian to administer the lifesaving vaccine, before more clinics are added to the list over coming days.

Pat Wynne, Director of Nursing for Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian said: “We are delighted to offer drop-in clinics for young people aged 12-15.

“These clinics will enable young people to attend, without a prior appointment to receive their vaccination.

“We recognise that young people, as well as their parents and guardians may have questions regarding the COVID vaccination and we encourage them to visit the pages on NHS Inform where there is a range of information available.

“Alongside this, our teams at Pyramids, Gorebridge and Lowland Hall are one hand to answer any questions people may have.

“Vaccination remains critically important in the continued fight against COVID-19 and we welcome the further expansion of the vaccination programme across Lothian.”

The clinics are opening their doors following the publication and government acceptance of the advice of the four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to offer a single dose of the COVID vaccine to all healthy 12-15-year-olds.

Young people do not need to be registered with a GP to attend, however it is requested that they are accompanied by their parent or guardian.

As well as the drop-in clinics for 12-15’s, NHS Lothian continues to operate a range of COVID vaccination clinics in locations across Lothian.

Mr Wynne added: “We continue to offer vaccination clinics across Lothian for anyone who requires a first dose of the vaccine, or who is now due their second dose. I would urge anyone who has still to be vaccinated to pop along.”

More information on the 12-15 vaccination programme is available on NHS Inform https://www.nhsinform.scot/12to15

Information on clinic locations and opening times is also available on NHS Lothian’s website – https://www.nhslothian.scot/Coronavirus/Vaccine/Pages/Drop-in-Clinics.aspx

Survey shows patient experiences in A&Es overall ‘very good’ – but improvements are needed

Responding to the latest urgent and emergency care survey published this week by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “The survey is welcome as it provides an invaluable insight into the patient experience and confirms that Emergency Departments are doing an incredible job in difficult circumstances.

“We are appreciative of patients engaging and providing this feedback in the middle of the pandemic in September 2020. Managing to continue these core assurance processes is a challenge but continues to be very important.

“It is encouraging to see improvements in many areas compared to previous years. It is particularly pleasing to see one-third of patients using type 1 services rate their experiences 10 out of 10, and also that 94% of patients had confidence and trust in the doctors and nurses examining and treating them. This is a testament to the dedication, commitment, expertise, and compassion of Emergency Medicine staff.

“While there are many positives to highlight in this report, understandably there are some areas for improvement. Many of the areas that are a source of frustration for patients are largely a result of staff shortages and the existing workforce’s ability to dedicate ample time to each patient.

“It is important that patients have the opportunity to talk through their treatment or condition, that all patients receive the help they need when they need it whether before, after or during their care, and that their pain or condition is managed throughout their time in A&E.

“The current challenges facing the health service are no doubt affecting clinicians’ ability to deliver the highest quality of care that they strive to provide. Current workforce numbers do not match current demand, and workforce shortages crossed with increases in demand mean existing staff are stretched thinly.

“To meet current demand the workforce needs 2,500 more consultants in England along with sufficient numbers of nurses, trainees, allied health professionals and SAS doctors.”

Dr Katherine Henderson continued: “It is interesting to see that 41% of patients contacted NHS 111 before going to A&E and 32% contacted their GP before going to A&E.

“This highlights the importance of NHS 111 as a resource for patients. It is absolutely essential that the efficacy of NHS 111 is properly evaluated so we can learn how best to resource it and wider services. Call handlers must have the tools they need to provide sound guidance to patients, and they must have an adequate range of services and pathways to which they can direct patients.

“It is also significant that 32% of patients also contact their GP before going to A&E. This highlights the crucial link between primary and urgent and emergency care and makes clear that both are under-resourced. Plans to tackle the challenges facing urgent and emergency care must include a joined-up approach that include ways of supporting and resourcing primary care.”

From MND patients to the Prime Minister: We need your help NOW

MND letter relays the country in bid for £50 million from UK Government

Doddie Weir OBE and Euan MacDonald MBE have kickstarted a nationwide ‘MND letter relay’ from Scotland to 10 Downing Street. The letter, which has already been signed by hundreds of motor neurone disease (MND) patients from across the country, calls for the UK Government to invest in MND research.

United to End MND – a campaign led by charities MND Scotland, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and MND Association, as well neurologists and people living with MND – calls for £50 million of UK Government funding over five years to target MND research.

To catapult the campaign, patients throughout the UK have now written and signed a personal letter to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which will be presented at 10 Downing Street on Tuesday 21^st September, by rugby legends Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast to launch activities on Thursday, Doddie said: “We are continuing to fight to try and make a difference, and to try and find a cure for this horrific issue of MND. The UK has the best researchers in the world and at the moment we’re nearly there to find a stoppage or a cure.

“So this letter, and the money from the Government, will make a massive difference. This will give a lot of hope to people with MND. We need to take it to the next level and with that we need the Government’s help.”

Before his departure to London, Doddie is leading the charge by sending the patient letter on a relay across the nation, to encourage more people living with MND to sign it, starting with fellow MND campaigner, Euan MacDonald in Edinburgh.

Euan, who has MND, is the co-founder of the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research. He was joined there by Dr Suvankar Pal, Consultant Neurologist from the University of Edinburgh and Rachel Maitland, MND Scotland’s Chief Executive, who are showing their support for the letter.

The letter states ‘MND is a death sentence’ but that ‘research has now reached a point where a cure or life-saving treatments can be found’. It continues ‘The current piecemeal and protracted approach of funding individual projects will not deliver the life-saving treatments we need …we urgently appeal for action and investment now’.

Euan said: “I very much believe the goal of finding treatments for MND is achievable. The letter and supporting statements highlight the personal impact this disease has had on families like mine and others up and down the country.

“We are trying to ensure other people’s children, spouses, parents and siblings don’t have to go through what ours have. I’d like to appeal to the Prime Minister to back MND patients and have confidence in UK Science achieving what may have previously seemed impossible – a cure for MND.”

Currently the UK Government’s funding for targeted MND research stands at less than £5 million a year, which the campaign coalition says is not enough. £50 million from the UK Government over five years would fund a virtual institute for MND Research, providing the infrastructure needed for accelerating treatments for MND.

The funding bid has already been debated in the UK Parliament after a petition to garner public support gathered more than 100,000 signatures in just three weeks. Members of the campaign coalition have met with key politicians to explain the desperate need for the cash, to shore up the investment made by charities and industry.

With the support of MND charities and neurologists, campaigners are now taking the call directly to Downing Street and people living with MND still have the opportunity to add their signature here: patientsunited2endmnd.org.

Dr Suvankar Pal, the Co-Lead Investigator of MND-SMART, the UK’s biggest drug trial for MND, said: “This is an exciting time for MND research with many centres across the UK working on important areas ranging from drug discovery to delivery of treatment trials.

“We fully support this initiative which promotes collaborative working and much needed investment in research with the aim of delivering new treatments for MND in a timely way.”

Rachel Maitland, MND Scotland’s Chief Executive, said: “We are united here today to ensure the voices of those living with MND are heard by the UK Government.

“The average life expectancy for someone with MND is just 18 months from diagnosis. People like Doddie and Euan do not have time to wait, and neither does our search for a cure.

“MND Scotland’s vision is a world without MND. But we are only able to fund the pioneering research taking place at the Euan MacDonald Centre, and other institutes across the UK, because of the generosity of our supporters. MND isn’t incurable, it’s just under-funded. Together, we will beat MND, but we cannot do it without the UK Government’s support.”

To find out more about the campaign visit www.mndscotland.org.uk/united or tweet your support @MNDScotland @MNDAssoc and @MNDoddie5 using #United2EndMND.

The Penny rolls on: End’s in sight for coast challenge walker Karen

Long-distance charity walker Karen Penny ends 11,000 mile coastal challenge in Scotland next week

Alzheimer’s Research UK champion Karen Penny is set to complete her amazing 11,000 mile coastal walk around the UK and Ireland on World Alzheimer’s Day, 21 September, in the Shetland Islands.

Karen, 54, had been travelling since January 2019 on foot from her home in the Gower, South Wales around the entire coastline of the UK and Ireland, only returning home when forced to by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She had reached the small island of Muckle Flugga in the Shetlands (one of 110 islands that she has walked around as part of her journey), where she planted a flag before returning to her South Wales home for lockdown.

Inspired to support the UK’s leading dementia charity after both of her in-laws were affected by different forms of dementia, Karen has raised nearly £100,000 to fund vital research.

Karen says: “I can’t believe that my walk is coming to an end. I was so sad to have to leave the beautiful Shetland Islands last March because of COVID-19 restrictions, and I am now really excited to be returning to Muckle Flugga. I wonder if my Alzheimer’s Research UK flag is still where I left it!

“The last two and a half years have been wonderful. Although it has sometimes been hard going, I have met so many great people, and heard so many heart-rending stories of the impact of Alzheimer’s disease and the other diseases that cause dementia on families.

“It has made me all the more determined to do whatever I can to raise awareness and raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK, so that in future families can be spared the fear, harm and heartbreak that so many are currently experiencing.”

Hilary Evans, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We are so grateful to Karen for the amazing fundraising and awareness-raising that she has done, with such commitment, since the beginning of 2019.

“As Karen has found with all the people who have shared their experiences with her on her journey, one in two people know someone affected by dementia. Through research, we can keep people connected to their families, their worlds and themselves for longer.

“Research has the power to make breakthroughs possible and Alzheimer’s Research UK is at the forefront of these efforts. We rely on public donations to fund our crucial research and it’s thanks to the commitment of people like Karen that we are able to increase the profile of dementia research and continue our important work.”

To sponsor Karen, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thepennyrollson

For further information about Alzheimer’s Research UK call 0300 111 5555 or visit www.alzheimersresearchuk.org

Thousands to benefit from life-saving COVID-19 treatment

Thousands of vulnerable NHS patients in hospital due to COVID-19 are set to benefit from a ground-breaking new antibody treatment, the UK government has announced.

Ronapreve, a combination of two monoclonal antibodies, will be targeted initially at those in hospital who have not mounted an antibody response against COVID-19.

This includes people who are immunocompromised, for example those with certain cancers or autoimmune diseases, and therefore have difficulty building up an antibody response to the virus, either through being exposed to COVID-19 or from vaccination.

The government has taken action to secure supply of the new therapeutic for NHS patients across the four nations, buying enough to treat eligible patients in hospital from next week. Guidance will shortly be going out to clinicians so they can begin prescribing the treatment as soon as possible.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We have secured a brand new treatment for our most vulnerable patients in hospitals across the UK and I am thrilled it will be saving lives from as early as next week.

“The UK is leading the world in identifying and rolling out life-saving medicines, particularly for COVID-19, and we will continue our vital work to find the best treatments available to save lives and protect the NHS.”

Ronapreve is the first neutralising antibody medicine specifically designed to treat COVID-19 to be authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the UK.

It will be used to treat patients without antibodies to SARS CoV-2 who are either aged 50 and over, or are aged 12 to 49 and are considered to be immunocompromised.

Antibody testing will first be used to determine whether patients are seronegative, meaning those who do not have an adequate existing antibody response, and will therefore receive the treatment. The treatment antibodies – casirivimab and imdevimab – will then be administered to patients through a drip and work by binding to the virus’ spike protein, stopping it from being able to infect the body’s cells.

The UK’s world-renowned vaccination programme also continues to provide protection to tens of millions of people across the country, and has so far saved 112,300 lives, prevented 230,800 hospitalisations and stopped over 24 million infections in England alone.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the UK has proven itself to be a world-leader in identifying and rolling out effective treatments for COVID-19 – including the world’s first treatment dexamethasone, which has since saved at least 22,000 lives in the UK so far and an estimated million worldwide.

The NHS has also rolled out monoclonal immunomodulatory antibody treatments tocilizumab and sarilumab, following clinical trial results from the government-funded REMAP-CAP trial. The treatments were found to reduce the relative risk of death by 24%, when administered to patients within 24 hours of entering intensive care.

Earlier this year, the government also brought together a new Antivirals Taskforce to supercharge the search for new treatments for patients who are exposed to COVID-19 to stop the infection spreading and speed up recovery time.

The UK’s leading research infrastructure and life sciences sector makes it the ideal base for the brightest of global innovators to research and progress cutting-edge treatments for COVID-19 through the clinical trials process here in the UK.

Paul McManus, COVID-19 Lead at Roche Products Ltd, said: “Over the last 18 months, our goal has been to do everything we can to minimise the impact of the pandemic on those affected and the brilliant people who work tirelessly to treat and care for them.

“Ronapreve is the first dedicated medicine developed for COVID-19 to receive marketing authorisation from the MHRA, representing a significant milestone in how the NHS is able to fight this disease.

“This is just another step in our journey to overcome COVID-19, and we will continue to collaborate with partners to identify and investigate multiple options that may help different groups of patients.

“Together with Regeneron, we’re grateful for the collaboration of the vaccine taskforce and NHS England in helping to bring this important antibody cocktail to treat and prevent acute COVID-19 across the UK.”