How you can help to avoid a "complete collapse" of the NHS this winter

HOSPITAL admissions in the UK are warning about the alarming rise of patients in England testing positive for Coronavirus. Many experts think this new wave of Covid19 admissions is due to a drop off in testing among people feeling unwell and that the main symptoms to be aware of have changed.

Many health experts are pointing out that the UK Government guidelines, which are currently being used, are old info about symptoms, which is wrong. We are told by many within the Healthcare industry that fever and loss of smell, which we have all been taught to look out for are really rare now, with ⅔ of people with new Covid19 infections reporting that it started with a sore throat.

Chief Medical Adviser for the UK Health Security Agency, Dr Susan Hopkins, said the latest increase is:- "concerning" adding that:- "If you’re feeling ill you should avoid contact with the elderly where possible. If you are unwell." She also said that people who feel unwell should:- "Particularly avoid contact with those who have severe illnesses."

With an already strained NHS, and the fast approaching high pressure season for health and social care services, we must all do our part to prevent a:- “complete collapse.”

It is not just Covid19 and Flu that are affecting many of the UK's Hospitals and other healthcare providers, but it could become the straw that broke the camel's back, if we do not play our part to fix it!

Dr Merav Kliner, Interim Deputy Director, UKHSA North West, said:- "Our latest data shows early signs of the anticipated threat we expected to face from flu this season. We're urging parents, in particular, not to be caught out as rates of Hospitalisations and ICU admissions are currently rising fastest in children under 5. This will be a concern for many parents and carers of young children, and we urge them to take up the offer of vaccination for eligible children as soon as possible. Vaccines remain our best protection against severe disease and Hospitalisation this winter, so I urge those who are eligible for the free flu vaccine and Covid19 Booster to book their jabs without delay. It's also vital that we all remain cautious as we head into winter when people tend to mix more indoors and the risk increases. If you are feeling unwell, avoid contact with elderly people or those with underlying health conditions."

Covid19 vaccines are now proven to be effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized and even dying, plus it helps to reduce the spread of Covid19.

Julie Kelly, Interim Regional Director of Primary Care and Public Health Commissioning at NHS England - North West, said:- "By comparing the latest data with the same period last year, we can see that flu vaccine uptake in most eligible groups was lower during September than the same period last year, which is extremely worrying. We have thankfully seen more people coming forward during October, but we know that people in some eligible groups, including preschool children, have still not had their flu vaccine. As we prepare for a challenging winter with Covid19 and flu infections, it is crucial everyone eligible is vaccinated to protect themselves and those around them from becoming seriously ill."

Around 33 million people are eligible for the flu vaccine and 26 million people are eligible for the Covid19 Booster. Getting vaccinated is not just about protecting yourself, but others around you, especially the more vulnerable groups.

With the haemorrhage of workers of the NHS workforce, who are leaving in droves over humours reasons, along with the clear and present danger posed by the potential effects of flue and Covid19, we can not avoid the risks of not taking action. If you are eligible for a Covid19 Vaccine, please get it! Find out more about the flu vaccine and Covid19 Booster here and on:- NHS.UK.

Please also let us know your thoughts on this news topic... Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Facebook or Twitter.
 

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism launched

THE Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism to assist health and care staff caring and supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people has been launched following a long campaign.

The training is named after Oliver McGowan, who died in 2016 after being given antipsychotic medication, despite warning that they were unsuitable for him, highlighting a lack of understanding of the needs of people with a learning disability or autistic people. Oliver's mother Paula successfully launched a campaign to make training on caring for people with a learning disability and autistic people mandatory for all health and care staff.

This innovative training has been developed from the beginning with expertise from people with a learning disability and autistic people as well as their families and carers.

The 1st part of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is now ready to be accessed following a 2 year trial which involved 8,300 health and care staff across England.

Participants found there has been an increase in their knowledge, skills and communication with autistic people and people with a learning disability after completing the training.

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training will provide staff with the right information to make reasonable adjustments as well as challenging their preconceptions of autism and learning disabilities.

Greater knowledge of learning disability and autism will ensure that care and support can be better tailored to suit people's needs and is expected to lead to better interactions and outcomes and fewer incidents of inequality and avoidable deaths for people with a learning disability and autistic people when they need to receive care.

The Health and Care Act 2022 introduced a requirement that regulated CQC registered service providers must ensure their staff receive training on learning disability and autism that is appropriate to their role.

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training, which has been developed in partnership with Health Education England, Department for Health and Social Care, Skills for Care and NHS England, is ready for staff across the health and care sector to access today.

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training comes in 2 tiers and is designed so staff receive the right level of mandatory training.

The 1st part, the elearning package, is required for both Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training and is now live.

Tier 1 has been designed for staff who need general awareness of the support autistic people or people with a learning disability may need, while tier 2 is for people who may need to provide care and support for autistic people or people with a learning disability.

All staff will complete the 1 hour and 30minute elearning package, which includes:- learning from autistic people and people with a learning disability, their carers, family members and subject matter experts.

Those completing Tier 1 will then be required to take part in a 60 minute online interactive session, while those completing Tier 2 will be required to attend a 1 day face to face training session co-delivered by trainers who have a lived experience with learning disability and autism.

These sessions are expected to be available from early 2023 and have been designed to offer people with a learning disability and autistic people employment opportunities as part of the delivery team.

Mark Radford, Chief Nurse at Health Education England and Deputy Chief Nursing Officer (England) said:- "The introduction of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning and Disability is a vital step forward in ensuring that people with a learning disability and autistic people receive the right levels of care that are appropriate for their needs. Following the tragedy of Oliver's death, Paula McGowan has tirelessly campaigned to ensure that Oliver's legacy is that all health and care staff receive this critical training. Paula and many others have helped with the development of the training from the beginning. Making Oliver's training mandatory will ensure that the skills and expertise needed to provide the best care for people with a learning disability and autistic people is available right across health and care."

Paula McGowan OBE said:- "I take comfort in knowing that the death of my teenage son Oliver has resulted in a positive change as a direct consequence, something which will resonate with many and is deeply meaningful to me. I have been humbled to observe all health and care colleagues working collaboratively to strive for this change. There is more work to be done, but the journey has now started, and I truly believe we are on the right trajectory to achieve better health and care outcomes for neurodivergent people."

Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said:- "Thanks to the campaigning and determination of Paula McGowan, from today health and Social Care staff will begin to have access to The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training, to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to better meet the care and support needs of people with a learning disability and autistic people. What happened to Oliver was a tragedy; this training is a vital next step to address existing health inequalities for autistic people and people with a learning disability, providing them with the right care and support in health and care settings."

Tom Cahill, NHS Director of Learning Disability and Autism, said:- "The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training provides a real opportunity to ensure staff working across the NHS have a greater understanding of the needs of autistic people and people with a learning disability and are able to make the necessary reasonable adjustments that support patients and ensure they receive the best care possible." 

Oonagh Smyth, Chief Executive of Skills for Care, said:- "The launch of the elearning package for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is an important development in helping people access essential training and help reduce inequalities for people with learning disability and autistic people. We have been working collaboratively with partners to ensure that this training package means people who work in health and Social Care are equipped and feel confident in supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people."

Simon Gregory, Medical Director for Primary and Integrated Care at Health Education England, said:- "We know that health outcomes and life-expectancy are worse for people with a learning disability and this is a serious concern for us. GPs and General Practice teams all have a responsibility to support people with a learning disability and autistic people. The Oliver McGowan training is an excellent resource to help us give great, equitable care."