Knowledge @lert for Tuesday 31st March
COVID-19
The UK Government has launched a Coronavirus information service on WhatsApp. This is a free to use service to provide official, trustworthy and timely information and advice about COVID-19 which is intended to further reduce the burden on NHS services.
The Government has also passed the Coronavirus Act 2020 which grants the UK government emergency powers to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19: looking after yourself
WHO Europe has produced a guide How to stay physically active during COVID-19 self-quarantine. The guide is intended to help people integrate simple, safe ways to stay physically active in limited space. The guide also takes account of some of the physical challenges of working from home, offering tips on how to integrate movement into daily routines.
COVID-19: looking after your mental health
NHS staff (in England) have been given free access to a number of wellbeing apps from now until the end of December 2020 to support their mental health and wellbeing. The article includes information about how to sign up.
- Unmind is a mental health platform that empowers staff to proactively improve their mental wellbeing.
- Headspace is a science-backed app in mindfulness and meditation,
Public Health England has published Guidance for the public on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronaries (COVID-19). This guide provides advice on how to look after your mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
PHE has also published COVID-19: guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing which provides advice or parents and carers on looking after the mental health and wellbeing of children or young people during the outbreak.
WHO Europe has published resources on the mental health and psychosocial support aspects of COVID-19.
HSJ coverage of COVID-19 (no subscription required)
- Two trust chief execs self-isolate with coronavirus symptoms Two trust chief executives are self-isolating after showing symptoms of covid-19.
- Revealed: The remote and rural hospitals at threat from coronavirus Covid-19 has surged first in London — but hospitals away from the capital are concerned they could be left in the cold, and those in rural or remote areas may be the most vulnerable.
- Covid-19 admissions predicted to rise by 1,000-a-day Coronavirus hospital admissions are expected to remain at around roughly 1,000-a-day for the next two to three weeks before “stabilising”, according to the government’s chief scientific adviser.
- Nightingale top leadership revealed The first members of the leadership team at the NHS’ flagship covid-19 treatment centre have been revealed.
- Coronavirus deaths mapped: East of England fatalities beginning to surge
- HSJ’s unique analysis shows the spread of hospital deaths confirmed as coronavirus cases to date, by trust and area, as well the regional growth trends.
- Coronavirus deaths mapped: HSJ’s unique analysis shows the spread of hospital deaths confirmed as coronavirus cases to date, by trust and STP, as well the regional growth trends.
- New drive-through testing centre opens at Ikea A covid-19 test centre for NHS workers has opened at Ikea’s Wembley store.
- ‘I’m losing the will to live, god help us all’: despair of NHS procurement chief Gowns for front-line staff were not included in the national pandemic stockpile of personal protective equipment
- , procurement chiefs have been told.
- Public health directors’ plea for 111 data to track coronavirus Public health directors are urgently calling on NHS England to share detailed local coronavirus data collected by NHS 111 with councils. Trusts will still be monitored on A&E targets during covid-19 crisis Trusts’ performance against waiting time targets will continue to be monitored, NHS England and Improvement has confirmed.
- Trusts told to test staff who are in quarantine Acute trusts have been told to set aside 15 per cent of their daily coronavirus tests for NHS key workers who are quarantining at home with others.
Children’s guide to coronavirus
The Children’s Commissioner has published Children’s guide to coronavirus. This guide aims to answer children’s questions about coronavirus, tell children how to stay safe and protect other people and how to help them make the best of their time at home
NHS hospital bed numbers
The King’s Fund has published NHS hospital bed numbers: past, present, future. This updated long-read presents data on hospital beds for England over a 30 year period, compares bed supply in the NHS with other countries, explores the drivers underpinning changes observed in hospital bed numbers, and considers whether further bed reductions are realistic.
NIHR Signals
The following research summaries have been added to the National Institute for Health Research website:
- Eplerenone does not improve vision in people with central serous chorioretinopathy
- Functional braces are effective alternatives to plaster casts for ruptured Achilles tendons
Statistics
- Quarterly vaccination coverage statistics for children aged up to five years in the UK (COVER programme): October to December 2019
- Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in GP patients: monthly data – 1 September 2019 to 29 February 2020, by local team
- Our population – Where are we? How did we get here? Where are we going?
- Health state life expectancies by national deprivation deciles, England and Wales: 2016 to 2018
- Maternity Services Monthly Statistics – December 2019, experimental statistics
- NHS Staff Earnings Estimates – December 2019, Provisional Statistics
- NHS Sickness Absence Rates – November 2019, Provisional Statistics
- NHS Workforce Statistics – December 2019
- Appointments in General Practice – February 2020
- Group A streptococcal infections: activity during the 2019 to 2020 season