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Related: Vaccines help reduce risk of long Covid
Boris Johnson's cash injection to help the health service recover from the Covid pandemic is welcome but a longer-term funding plan is needed, NHS leaders have said.
The prime minister announced on Monday that an additional ￡5.4bn will be given to the NHS over the next six months.
It will be used to clear waiting lists, improve infection control measures and increase capacity in surgery theatres.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, and Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said ￡10bn would still be needed on an annual basis for the next three years to avoid patient services being cut.
“This isn’t a short-term fix – we are looking at five to seven years to clear the backlog,” they added in a statement.
Elsewhere, figures published on Tuesday show Covid deaths jumped at the end of August.
According to the Office for National Statistics, there was a total of 668 deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending August 27 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The figure was up 17 per cent on the previous week and represents a five-month high.
NHS ‘ready to go’ with Covid jab booster programme, says vaccines minister PCR test for travel: the cheapest ways to buy one Canada reopens to travel to double jabbed
Key Points Cash injection welcome but long term funding plan needed New ONS figures show Covid deaths jump to five-month high
Show latest update 1631023238 Seven more deaths in Northern Ireland
The Department of Health said there had also been 1,748 new confirmed cases in the last 24-hour reporting period.
On Tuesday morning, there were 461 Covid-19 inpatients in hospital, 45 of whom were in intensive care.
A total of 2,470,155 vaccines have been administered.
Seven further deaths of patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been reported in Northern Ireland.
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 15:00
1631022338 Children to get jabs in schools if approved for 12 to 15-year-olds
Children will be given Covid-19 vaccinations in schools if the government decides to offer jabs to 12 to 15-year-olds, the schools minister has said.
Nick Gibb said parental consent will “always be sought” before children are vaccinated in school, but he said that in “rare” circumstances teenagers can consent to receive the jab themselves.
Speaking to the education select committee, Mr Gibb said delivering the jabs in schools would be the “swiftest and most efficient” way of rolling out the vaccination programme if given the green light.
The UK’s chief medical officers are currently reviewing the wider benefits of vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds, such as minimising school absences.
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 14:45
1631020950 Clarity needed over mandatory vaccine policy ahead of first dose deadline
England’s largest membership body for independent adult social care providers has hit out at a lack of clarity from the government over its mandatory vaccination policy for care home staff.
The government has said that from November 11, all staff in registered care homes in England must be vaccinated against Covid-19 if they are to continue working, unless they are medically exempt.
This means staff must get their first dose by September 16 - a week on Thursday.
Care England said the existing policy for care home staff is affecting recruitment and has created a “two-tiered” system, with staff who oppose it likely to transfer into other social care services or the NHS.
Clarity on the wider consultation is needed “as a matter of urgency”, it added.
Professor Martin Green, Care England chief executive, said: “Providers are in the midst of a perfect storm.
“The sector is operating against a backdrop of a multitude of workforce pressures and this lack of clarity only compounds these issues.
“We implore the department to remain transparent with the sector and give it the help that it needs, as after all this is a centrally imposed policy which the sector is now having to manage, largely without central support.”
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 14:22
1631019727 ICYMI: Exposure to air pollution linked to greater risk of Covid-19 hospitalisation, report finds
A person’s previous exposure to air pollution may mean they are more likely to need hospital treatment if they catch Covid-19, a new report has found.
Researchers from Imperial College London have found a link between people’s exposure to polluted air and how ill they will become if they contract Covid-19.
Sabrina Johnson reports:
Air pollution linked to greater risk of Covid-19 Mayor of London says findings show dangers of dirty air cannot be underestimated
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 14:02
1631018860 October firebreak lockdown ‘would only be last resort’ to save NHS, says government
Ministers have denied a report that they plan to impose a firebreak lockdown in October half term if coronavirus hospitalisations continue at their current rate.
It comes after a member of the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said the contingency plan had been drawn up amid a recent rise in hospitalisations and infections.
The government scientific adviser told the i newspaper that the precaution could help ensure that the NHS is not overwhelmed by an “extended peak” of cases this autumn.
My colleague Rory Sullivan reports:
October firebreak lockdown would be ‘last resort’ to save NHS, says government It comes amid a rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalisations in the UK
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 13:47
1631018029 Sexually transmitted diseases down by nearly 30% ‘due to lockdown'
Diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections in England were down by almost a third last year, according to the latest figures.
The drop is thought to be due to a combination of less testing during the disruption to sexual health services amid the pandemic as well as changes in behaviour as the country went into lockdown.
People are now being warned to be careful not to “swap social distancing for an STI (a sexually-transmitted infection)”.
Public Health England said diagnoses decreased by 32% last year compared to 2019, but added that despite the fall their data shows that diagnoses remain high overall.
Last year, services to diagnose infections were scaled up to take the form of phone and internet consultations, and PHE said 317,901 STIs were diagnosed.
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 13:33
1631017005 Climate group calls for Cop26 talks to be delayed
Environmental groups have called for crucial UN climate talks being held in Glasgow to be postponed amid fears people from poorer countries will not be able to fully take part.
But the Government insists it is rolling out vaccines for foreign delegates and will fund quarantine hotels for those who would not be able to pay as part of efforts to ensure the Cop26 conference in November can go ahead.
Now the Climate Action Network (CAN), a global network of more than 1,500 civil society organisations in more than 130 countries, is calling for a further postponement.
In a statement, the network warns that a "safe, inclusive and just global climate conference in early November will be impossible given the failure to support the access to vaccines to millions of people in poor countries, the rising costs of travel and accommodation, including for quarantine in and outside of the UK and the uncertainty in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic".
CAN says that an in-person meeting in early November would effectively exclude many government delegates, campaigners and journalists, particularly from the "Global South" or developing countries, many of which are on the UK's Covid-19 red list of countries people cannot normally travel from due to the pandemic.
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 13:16
1631016038 Scotland’s health secretary self-isolating
Scotland’s health secretary has been forced to self-isolate after coming into close contact of someone with Covid.
John Swinney said he has booked a PCR test and will be self-isolating in line with the current Government rules.
In a tweet on Monday Mr Swinney said: “I have been advised tonight that I am a close contact of an individual who has tested positive for Covid.”
He added: “Thanks to all the contact tracers for their diligent work.”
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 13:00
1631015138 42,947 care home deaths
In total, 42,947 care home residents in England and Wales have had Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate since the pandemic began.
The ONS figures cover deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.
Some 92 care home resident deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales were registered in the week to August 27, up from 50 the previous week.
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 12:45
1631014238 NHS leaders full statement:
Commenting on PM’s announcement Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation and Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers said:
“The NHS has been desperately seeking clarity on its budget for the second half of the year and the government has now delivered that certainty with this ￡5.4 billion announcement. The NHS can now get on with the huge task it has ahead of what we anticipate will be one of the most challenging winters the service has ever faced. The task for the government now is to follow up in its spending review with the extra ￡10 billion a year the NHS will need over the next three years to avoid patient services from being cut.
“In return, the NHS will do what it needs to do to manage the ongoing threat from Covid-19 and make inroads into the huge backlog of care that has built up. This funding clarity comes late in the year but it means hospital, ambulance, mental health, community and primary care services can finally plan their services knowing the budget they have available. But while this funding is welcome, the NHS will be held back by major staff shortages that will make it much harder to clear the backlog. This isn’t a short-term fix – we are looking at five to seven years to clear the backlog.
“As well as the NHS playing its part, we also need the public to continue to follow the Covid guidance around mask wearing and social distancing, as well as only using services like A&E when necessary. There has been a lot of negativity towards online consultations from parts of the media, but these are proving to be effective when they are deemed appropriate for individual patients. Contrary to reports, GP practices have remained open throughout the pandemic and will continue to provide face-to-face assessments when needed. But given Covid infection rates remain high, and with schools now open and workers returning to offices, we must be able to run services safely in order to avoid GP practices being closed due to outbreaks of Covid.
“The coming winter is going to be incredibly tough, but we have a chance of getting through this if the government, NHS and public continue to work together to manage the ongoing threat from Covid while starting to make inroads into the backlog of care.”
Matt Mathers 7 September 2021 12:30
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