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18 Jan update: growth in covid hospital patients slows across the country as peak approaches – Health Service Journal 
The growth in covid positive hospital patients is rapidly slowing in every English region and appears to have stopped in the south east.

Covid infections caught in hospital up by half in a week – Health Service Journal 
Covid-19 infections likely to have been caught in hospital have increased by almost half in a week, with several trusts seeing significant rises, HSJ can reveal.

‘It was horrendous’ – the reality of covid critical care in a smaller hospital – Health Service Journal
The following is a note from an intensive care consultant about a visit they made this week to a district general hospital in the home counties to transfer a patient to a larger hospital with more capacity further away from London.

COVID-19 rapid evidence summary: Tocilizumab for COVID-19 [ES33] NICE 
Unpublished preliminary evidence from the REMAP‑CAP study has suggested that tocilizumab is beneficial in adults with severe COVID‑19 who are critically ill and receiving respiratory or cardiovascular organ support in an intensive care setting (all randomised within 24 hours of starting organ support).

Irritant contact dermatitis in healthcare workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.” Clinical and experimental dermatology 46(1): 142-144 
COVID-19 healthcare workers (HCWs) require frequent handwashing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent infection. However, evidence is emerging that these practices are causing adverse effects on their skin integrity.

Saving lives, improving mothers’ care: lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2016-18 – MBRRACE-UK  
This report examines the care received by women who die during or up to a year after pregnancy and covers all pregnancy-associated deaths involving UK women between 2016 and 2018. The results indicate that whilst maternal death is still rare in the UK, there are some important actions identified to prevent women from dying in the future.

Communications toolkit for local maternity teams to improve communications with Black, Asian and minority ethnic women – NHS England
This toolkit aims to provide helpful suggestions about how to communicate with women of different backgrounds, about the extra support that is available to them, as well as signposting to currently available publications, messaging, insights and templates.

New online learning tool supporting nursing staff new to critical care – RCN 
The resource offers guidance, information and advice to all nursing staff and midwives responding to the pandemic. This resource is free for everyone to access, however, if you are not an RCN member, you will first have to sign up for a free ‘contact’ account here. RCN members should login using their existing details.

Time and space – Mindfulness based videos for nursing staff – RCN
These mindfulness based videos have been created for nursing staff. The six videos each cover a different stage of your day, from starting your day to arriving home. Each video provides practical techniques which you can put into practice.

Extension to free access to a range of mental health apps for NHS staff – NHS Employers 
NHS England and NHS Improvement have announced that the offer of free access to a range of mental health apps for NHS staff has been extended until 31 March 2021.