Tag: public health

RCEM: ‘Now is the time for an Urgent and Emergency Care plan’

Responding to the latest Emergency Department performance figures published by NHS England for April 2022, Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “The crisis in Urgent and Emergency Care continues to deteriorate.

“The data show 24,000 patients were delayed in an Emergency Department for 12-hours or more (from decision to admit to admission). This is a staggering and grim number and should seriously alarm all political and health leaders. Patients are coming to harm; now is the time for an Urgent and Emergency Care plan to tackle this crisis.

“The situation is more serious than it has ever been. Patients face long waits for an ambulance, long waits in an ambulance outside an Emergency Department, and long waits in the Emergency Department. These long waits delay care and treatment to patients who may be in a critical condition, and they prevent our highly skilled paramedics from returning to the community and responding to urgent and emergency calls.

“At the heart of the issue are reduced bed capacity in hospitals mixed with an increase in the number long-stay patients – social care patients who do not have sufficient support to return home or to the community – and widespread workforce shortages throughout the system.

“To tackle the crisis the government must publish a fully funded workforce plan that includes measures to retain existing staff, and open 10,000 more beds across the UK.”

Responding to the government’s announcement of more funding for nursing in care homes, Dr Henderson continued: “This announcement is welcome. Social Care nurses have long been undervalued and under-acknowledged. This increase in pay is a welcome step towards showing them the appreciation and gratitude they highly deserve.

“However, it is a shame to see that this increase in funding is limited to NHS-funded nursing care. The entire social care workforce deserves the same acknowledgement and reward. It is critical that during this crisis we attract and retain social care workers and value their time and effort by paying a wage that reflects the significance of their role.

“Good social care supports an efficient health service. Good social care can help prevent A&E attendances. Good social care will support patients moving in and out of hospital in a timely way. Crucially, good social care frees up space for other patients and increases flow throughout the hospital.”

Two further Monkeypox cases confirmed in England

Two individuals have been diagnosed with monkeypox in London, confirms the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The cases live together in the same household. They are not linked to the previous confirmed case announced on 7 May. Where and how they acquired their infection remains under investigation.

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection that does not spread easily between people. It is usually a mild self-limiting illness and most people recover within a few weeks. However, severe illness can occur in some people.

The infection can be spread when someone is in close contact with an infected person, however, there is a very low risk of transmission to the general population.

One of the cases is receiving care at the expert infectious disease unit at St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London. The other case is isolating and does not currently require hospital treatment.

As a precautionary measure, UKHSA experts are working closely with the individuals and NHS colleagues and will be contacting people who might have been in close contact to provide information and health advice.

People without symptoms are not considered infectious but, as a precaution, those who have been in close proximity to the individuals are being contacted to ensure that, if they do become unwell, they can be treated quickly.

Dr Colin Brown, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections, UKHSA, said: “We have confirmed 2 new monkeypox cases in England that are not linked to the case announced on May 7.

“While investigations remain ongoing to determine the source of infection, it is important to emphasise it does not spread easily between people and requires close personal contact with an infected symptomatic person. The overall risk to the general public remains very low.

“We are contacting any potential close contacts of the case. We are also working with the NHS to reach any healthcare contacts who have had close contact with the cases prior to confirmation of their infection, to assess them as necessary and provide advice.

“UKHSA and the NHS have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be strictly followed.”

Professor Julian Redhead, medical director at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We are caring for a patient in our specialist high consequence infectious diseases unit at St Mary’s Hospital.

“All of the necessary infectious control procedures have been followed and we are working closely with UKHSA and NHS England.”

Symptoms

Initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.

A rash can develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body, particularly the hands and feet.

The rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off.

NHS 24 celebrates 20 years of service

NHS 24 is marking its 20th Anniversary this May with the opening of a new centre in Hillington, Glasgow for more staff to meet the needs of people across Scotland.

Opening the new contact centre on behalf of NHS 24, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “NHS 24 has been a critical part of our NHS in Scotland for many years and it is fantastic to see the way the service continues to develop and adapt to the changing needs of the population.

“From the expanded 111 service available 24 hours a day seven days a week, to a key role in responding to the outbreak of COVID-19 and now dedicated mental health support through the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub and Breathing Space, it has become an indispensable part of our health service.

“The committed and professional staff providing these services work tirelessly day in and day out to make sure that the public always have access to the right information and support as quickly and as easily as possible. It is a pleasure to open the new Hillington centre and to be given the opportunity to put on record my thanks to everyone who has played a part in NHS 24’s journey over the past 20 years.”

NHS 24 took its first call at 14.10 in the afternoon of the 8th May 2002 at its Riverside Contact Centre in Aberdeen. The 27 millionth call to the service was made at 06.51 on Saturday 26th March 2022, also to the North contact centre.

Originally set up as a pilot project to support patients in Grampian, the telephone service quickly expanded and by 2004 was serving the whole of Scotland. NHS 24 now provides a range of services in addition to the core telephone triage which was changed to 111 in 2014.

NHS 24’s Chief Executive, Jim Miller, says the 20th Anniversary marks a significant moment in the organisations history: “As we slowly emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, NHS 24 is taking the opportunity to look at its services, technology and workforce to ensure we continue to meet the needs of people across Scotland.

“The progress we have made in the past two decades is really impressive and we are determined to continue to work collaboratively with colleagues from NHS Lothian and across the health and social care system to make sure people get the right care in the right place.”

New sepsis awareness campaign announced in Scotland

A leading sepsis charity will work with the Scottish Government to run a national sepsis awareness campaign this year.

The forthcoming partnership between Sepsis Research FEAT and the Scottish Government will help to save lives by increasing public awareness of sepsis and how to recognise symptoms of the disease.

More than 4,000 people die from sepsis every year in Scotland. This deadly condition occurs when the body’s response to an infection spirals rapidly out of control, injuring its own tissues and organs. This can result in multiple organ failure and death. 

The five key symptoms of sepsis which will be highlighted in the campaign are:

  • Confusion 
  • Not passing as much urine as normal
  • Very high or low temperature 
  • Uncontrolled shivering
  • Cold or blotchy arms and legs 

If someone has two or more of these symptoms, becoming progressively or rapidly worse, this indicates they may have sepsis and urgent medical attention should be sought. 

Sepsis Research FEAT previously worked with the Scottish Government on awareness campaigns in 2018 and 2019. These campaigns, which included radio, print and social media, reached more than 1.3 million people across Scotland. Planned joint campaigns for 2020 and 2021 were paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic, though Sepsis Research FEAT continued its awareness raising work independently.

This latest partnership between Sepsis Research FEAT and the Scottish Government will build on the success of the previous campaigns with a Scotland-wide multimedia campaign, which will include nationwide commercial TV and radio for the first time. It will launch in August with a peak in activity to coincide with Sepsis Awareness Month in September. 

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Government is continuing to work with Sepsis Research FEAT to raise public awareness of the symptoms and dangers of sepsis. 

“Patient safety remains key to delivering safe and effective care to all patients every time they access healthcare services and the Scottish Government’s Scottish Patient Safety Programme continues to make progress in its action on sepsis. 

“Focusing on early identification is critical and treatment within one hour of recognition has led to mortality rates among those identified at this stage falling by 21% since 2012.

“Sepsis Research FEAT play a vital role in funding research into this devastating disease and in making the public aware of the symptoms, and the Scottish Government is supporting them in their efforts.”  

The charity Sepsis Research FEAT have launched a new national sepsis awareness campaign in partnership with the Scottish Government at The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. The campaign will focus on increasing public awareness of sepsis and how to recognise the 5 key symptoms in order to help save lives. Pictured Humza Yousaf MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care,with o Colin Graham – Sepsis Research FEAT Chief Operating Officer o Kimberley Bradley – Sepsis survivor and Sepsis Research FEAT supporter o Fiona Griffith – GenOMICC Project manager (the charity is a funder of the GenOMICC research study) o Sarah Weatherston – a teacher and sepsis survivor Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital infogibsondigital@gmail.co.uk www.gibsondigital.co.uk All images © Gibson Digital /Sepsis Research FEAT 2022

Colin Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Sepsis Research FEAT, commented: “Sepsis Research FEAT is proud to be working in partnership with the Scottish Government once again and to be leading on this important campaign. This year will see our largest campaign yet and we are very much looking forward to sharing it with the public this August.

“Analysis from our last partnership with the Scottish Government showed that campaign activity was increasing awareness of sepsis in Scotland but that continued work was required so more people could identify the five key symptoms.

“Expanding our joint campaign this year to include commercial broadcast channels will ensure that we reach a greater number of people and better educate them about the signs and symptoms of sepsis.

“It is a devastating condition that can kill a previously healthy adult or child in hours. The more people across the country who are able to spot the key symptoms of sepsis in themselves and others, the more lives will be saved.”

World Immunisation Week

Immunisation helps protect your child from serious diseases.

It’s very important to go to their appointments as planned. Do not delay in getting your baby immunised.

To find out more visit ▶️

http://ow.ly/WnI950IPEnj

#WorldImmunisationWeek

Vaccines offered in the Scottish Immunisation Programme are free of charge.

When everyone takes up their offer of vaccination, everyone in the community has a better chance of living long, healthy lives.

Find out about the immunisations offered in Scotland at NHS Inform 👉

http://ow.ly/ZAun50IPEO5

#WorldImmunisationWeek

Covid-19: New ‘stay at home’ guidance published

ALL CONTRACT TRACING TO END

From Sunday 1 May public health advice will change to a ‘stay at home’ message replacing self-isolation for people who have symptoms or have tested positive for Covid-19.

People who have symptoms of Covid-19 and who have a fever or are too unwell to carry out normal activities will be asked to ‘stay at home’ while they are unwell or have a fever.  They will no longer be advised to take a PCR test.

The changes, part of the Test and Protect Transition Plan which was published last month, will also see all contact tracing ending.

As previously announced, testing for the general population will end on 30 April with test sites closing at that point too.  However, testing will remain available to certain groups in order to protect high risk settings, support clinical care and for surveillance purposes.

Those groups include health and social care workers, care home and hospital visitors, patients groups eligible for treatment, hospital patients, unpaid carers and people in prison.

Other adults who have symptoms of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses and have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, are advised to stay at home until their fever has gone or they feel well enough.

Children and young people aged 18 and under with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, do not need to stay at home and can continue to attend education settings.

They should only stay at home if they are unwell and have a high temperature. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they no longer have a fever and they feel well enough to attend.

This guidance reflects the fact that children and young people generally have a higher likelihood than adults of regular instances of respiratory symptoms from non-Covid illnesses. 

The Protect Scotland app will also be closed down shortly, but users are encouraged to keep the app on their phones in case it is needed again at a future date.

NHS Scotland will also be taken out of emergency footing at the end of Saturday 30 April as Covid-19 cases continue to fall.

However, with continued demands on services across health and social care, there remains a need for caution to protect vital services.

Patients should only attend A&E if their condition is an emergency, to continue to limit the pressure on services.  Patients can contact their GP during the day, local pharmacy or call NHS24 on 111 as an alternative.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Scotland’s Test and Protect programme has been one of the key interventions in our response to Covid-19, the success of which has been due, in no small part, to the remarkable staff and volunteers working in Test and Protect – my sincere thanks go to them.

“I would also like to thank the Scottish public for their commitment and willingness to engage with Test and Protect when it was required of them and helping to protect their fellow citizens.

“However, we recognise we are now in a different phase of the pandemic. The primary purpose of testing is changing from population-wide testing to reduce transmission, to a targeted response focused on reducing severe harm of the virus.

“As we are now seeing a steady reduction in new Covid cases, the NHS will no longer remain on emergency footing after Saturday 30 April. But we must continue with a measured approach to support the recovery and renewal of our NHS.

“This will require balancing capacity of the NHS and the wellbeing of the workforce to respond to increasing demands for urgent care while reducing the backlog of planned care.”

Further information on the stay at home guidance and measures you can take to limit the spread of Covid-19 can be found at https://bit.ly/39polwD and from 1 May on nhsinform.scot/covid19.

COVID: End of the Highest Risk List

List to close on 31 May

The Highest Risk List – formerly known as the Shielding List – will be formally ended on 31 May, as a result of the success of the vaccination programme and the introduction of new treatments for COVID-19.

The decision has been taken following a careful review of growing clinical evidence by a team of specialist clinicians.

It shows that, for the vast majority of those on the list, the risk of hospitalisation or death from COVID-19 has been significantly reduced and is no greater than that of the general public.

For some time now, the clinical advice has been for those on the Highest Risk List to follow the same guidance as everyone else in Scotland unless specifically advised otherwise by their own GP or clinician.

The list is not being used to identify people who are eligible for vaccine prioritisation or new treatments, and the NHS will continue to be able to contact those people when needed.

Support remains in place for those who are immunosuppressed and who may still have some reduced immunity. This group are likely to need general protection from a range of infections in addition to Covid-19.

Wellbeing support is also available for those on the List, and the Scottish Government has allocated an additional £120,000 to the British Red Cross to fund their Connecting With You service to help people reconnect with activities and friends, to rebuild their confidence in going out and to help them regain a better quality of life.

The Distance Aware Scheme is in place to provide free badges and lanyards to people who wish to show others they would welcome additional space and extra care while out in public.

The Chief Medical Officer will shortly write to everyone on the list to advise them of the change, and sign-post them to ongoing support.

Dr John Harden, Deputy National Clinical Director, said: “At the beginning of the pandemic we introduced shielding to protect the most vulnerable from a virus we knew little about. Clearly shielding did not come without impact, particularly for those who were socially isolated or feeling particularly anxious due to being labelled at ‘highest risk’.

“In March 2020, we used the information we had at that point to identify those with certain health conditions who we reasonably thought would be at higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19.

“Thankfully, we know a lot more about the virus now. Combined with our successful vaccination programme and the availability of new treatments, means the clinical evidence clearly shows that the vast majority of people who have been on the Highest Risk List no longer need to consider themselves at any significantly higher risk.

“Support is still in place for the small number of immunosuppressed people who are unable to mount a full immune response due to their condition or ongoing treatment. We will publish separate advice for this group and have put in place an identification process to be able to rapidly generate an accurate and current list of individuals to provide additional advice to, should it be needed in future.”

The Scottish Government has produced guidance for immunosuppressed people and guidance for people previously at higher risk . An  evidence review was used to support the ending of the List.

Public Health Scotland reports from January 2021 and March 2022 both highlighted the negative impact of shielding on those asked to do so.

The Distance Aware scheme was launched by Wales’ health and care think tank The Bevan Commission in August 2020. The Scottish Government invested £55,500 in developing the scheme for a Scottish audience, including procuring and distributing badges, lanyards and promoting the scheme.

The Scottish Government is asking organisations, businesses and employers to promote this to their staff, customers and members. A toolkit is available to provide further support and information.

Bird Flu restrictions to be lifted

BIRD KEEPERS URGED TO REMAIN VIGILANT

The mandatory housing measures for poultry and captive birds, which were introduced across the UK to help stop the spread of bird flu, will be lifted from 00:01 on Monday 2 May, Chief Veterinary Officers confirmed yesterday.

Poultry and other captive birds will no longer need to be housed, unless they are in a Protection Zone, and will be allowed to be kept outside. While the risk of bird flu has been reduced to ‘medium’ for premises with poor biosecurity, the enhanced biosecurity requirements that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) will remain in force as infection may still be circulating in the environment for several more weeks. All poultry gatherings will remain banned.

Those who intend to allow their birds outside are advised to use the upcoming days to prepare their outside areas for the release of their birds. This will include cleansing and disinfection of hard surfaces, fencing off ponds or standing water and reintroduction of wild bird deterrents.

The UK has faced its largest ever outbreak of bird flu with over 100 cases confirmed across the country since late October. Scrupulous biosecurity is the most effective method of disease control available and all bird keepers should apply enhanced measures at all times to prevent the risk of future outbreaks.

In a joint statement, the four Chief Veterinary Officers said: “Whilst the lifting of the mandatory housing measures will be welcome news to bird keepers, scrupulous biosecurity remains the most critical form of defence to help keep your birds safe.

“It is thanks to the hard work of all bird keepers and vets, who have played their part in keeping flocks safe this winter, that we are in a position to take this action. However, the recent cases of avian influenza show that it’s more important than ever for bird keepers to remain vigilant for signs of disease and maintain stringent standards of biosecurity.”

The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) will remain in force across the UK, with only the housing measures component being lifted from Monday 2 May.

This means all bird keepers (whether they have pet birds, a commercial sized or a backyard flock) must be diligent in continuing to take effective and precautionary biosecurity measures including cleansing and disinfecting equipment, clothing and vehicles, limiting access to non-essential people on their sites, and workers changing clothing and footwear before entering and when leaving bird enclosures.

Poultry and captive bird keepers must be vigilant for any signs of disease in their birds and any wild birds, and seek prompt advice from their vet if they have any concerns.

All bird keepers must:

  • cleanse and disinfect clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing
  • reduce the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and use effective vermin control
  • thoroughly cleanse and disinfect housing on a continuous basis
  • keep fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all farm and poultry housing entry and exit points
  • minimise direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds

All keepers are encouraged to register their flocks with the Animal and Plant Health Agency. For poultry this is a legal requirement if you have 50 birds or more (poultry includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeon (bred for meat), partridge, quail, guinea fowl and pheasants). Registering means that keepers will be contacted with information or action required should an outbreak happen near them.

Do not touch or pick up any dead or sick birds that you find. If you find dead swans, geese or ducks or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, you should report them to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77.

Emergency Care ‘remains in extreme crisis’

More than one third of patients facing long waits in Scotland, as Emergency Care remains in severe crisis.
Responding to the latest weekly Emergency Department performance figures in Scotland Dr John Thomson, Vice President of The Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said: “We are continuing to see severely poor performance in the Emergency Care system. Staff are becoming more and more burnt out; the appalling crisis in Emergency Care is seriously distressing.

“The public are extremely worried about these long waiting times, and rightly so, because patients are coming to harm. Staff continue doing all they can to deliver care and keep patients safe, but it is incredibly challenging.

“It is a desperate situation, a result of widespread shortages of staff and beds throughout the system and a crisis in social care. Despite exiting winter and entering spring, the situation remains dire; we have never faced a crisis worse than this. The intense workload is breaking staff, and the distressing circumstances are breaking their morale.

“Patients continue to face seriously long waits, and we continue to state that this crisis is worse than ever, and that patients are coming to harm. The government cannot let this deteriorate further, staff and patients urgently need meaningful action now to tackle the desperate situation in Emergency Care and address the widespread staff shortages, the bed shortages, and the social care crisis.”

The latest weekly Emergency Department performance figures for Scotland show:

There were 22,774 attendances at Emergency Departments

Four-hour performance was 66.2%, the lowest ever on record-

7,705 patients waited more than four-hours in an Emergency Department

More than 3 in ten patients were waiting for more than four hours in an Emergency Department

2,373 patients waited more than eight-hours in an Emergency Department

Nearly one in six patients were waiting for more than eight-hours in an Emergency Department

944 patients waited more than 12-hours in an Emergency Department

One in twenty-five patients were waiting more than 12-hours in an Emergency Department

Child Covid Vaccinations

Thinking of getting your child vaccinated over the school break? At your child’s vaccination appointment, you will have the opportunity to speak to the vaccinator and ask questions before giving final consent.

Please see an overview of the locations available to get your child vaccinated here: 

http://ow.ly/a1nF50IJucx