HEALTH AND PUBLIC SECTOR PROFESSIONALS TO HELP IMPROVE HEALTH SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Health and public sector professionals are being asked for their views on how the NHS can improve its services for women and girls who have been victims of violence and sexual assault, Health Minister Ann Keen announced today.

Each year, across the UK, 3 million women experience violence including domestic violence, sexual violence, forced marriage and trafficking. The Taskforce on the health aspects of violence against women and girls is holding a month long in a listening exercise to collect feedback from health and other public sector professionals.

Health Minister Ann Keen said;

“Almost one in three women will experience domestic violence at some point during their lives and nearly one in four will experience some form of sexual assault. Furthermore, more than a third of all rapes recorded by the police are committed against children under 16 years of age.

“We know that victims of violence can find it easier to seek help from trusted health professionals and that is why we want health and public sector professionals to tell us what they think of the service provided by the NHS and how it might be improved.

“This will form a valuable contribution to a cross-Government strategy, to be published later this year, which aims to ensure that all frontline services work closely together to reduce violence against women and girls and provide the best possible support to victims.”

Health and public sector professionals will be asked for their views on areas including:

· Service delivery - early identification, access to healthcare services, staff awareness and attitudes maximising NHS resources

· Service commissioning – needs assessment, NHS commissioning, joint commissioning, commissioning from non-NHS providers

· Partnership working – information sharing, service level agreements and protocols, collaborative service delivery

Health and public sector professionals should go to www.dh.gov.uk/vawg to register their views by the 14 October 2009.

Department of Health consults on pandemic flu contingency legislation for mental health

The Department of Health today launched a consultation on whether there is a need to make temporary changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 should exceptional circumstances arise during pandemic flu. The contingency legislation would enable mental health patients to continue to get the treatment they need in the event of severe staff absences

The 1983 Act enables people with mental health problems to be detained in hospital, where necessary and justified, for care and treatment. The Act sets out a range of processes that professionals have to follow when people need to be detained. For example, detaining someone normally requires the agreement of two doctors.

We are consulting on whether we should temporarily change certain aspects of the 1983 Act in the event of severe staff absences during pandemic flu. The changes would ensure that mental health professionals could continue to operate the Act in the best interests of the patient and for the protection of others.

Strong safeguards would remain in place to protect patients rights, for example, the right to an independent mental health advocate. In addition, if the contingencies are implemented, we also propose to ask the Care Quality Commission to convene an oversight group with representation from national mental health service user and professional bodies to advise on progress and the need for ongoing contingency measures.

Louis Appleby, National Director of Mental Health Services said:

“There are already strong contingency plans in place for pandemic flu in mental health services, as there are for the rest of the NHS.

“It is important that we find out whether temporary changes in the Mental Health Act would help professionals and protect patients. We will also consider what in what kind of exceptional circumstances we might need to use them. It would only be in exceptional circumstances and strong safeguards would remain in place.

“We are determined to make sure we have a sensible, proportionate approach that ensures that vulnerable mental health patients continue to get the treatment they need, when they need it, even in the event of staff absences. It is only sensible to be prepared for every eventuality.”

The proposals fall into three categories:

• Reducing the number of doctors required to comply with a number of sections in the 1983 Act – for example, it will be possible to detain someone in hospital under section 2 or 3 and the courts will be able to send someone to hospital rather than prison if just one doctor says this is right instead of the usual two.
• Extending or suspending time limits that apply to certain actions under some provisions in the 1983 Act – for example the obligation to obtain a second medical opinion about medication when someone has been in hospital for three months or more.

Allowing certain additional people to be approved to undertake some specific functions under the 1983 Act – for example some recently-retired approved social workers may be temporarily approved to undertake the role of the approved mental health professional.

GREEN LIGHT GIVEN TO DEVELOP PROTON THERAPY SERVICES IN ENGLAND

England has taken its first steps to providing an advanced form of radiotherapy to patients, Health Minister Ann Keen announced today.

Hospitals are being invited to bid to provide Proton Beam Therapy, which can cure tumours without damaging vital organs. For patients, especially children, with highly specific types of cancer that occur in the retina, base of the skull and near the spine, Proton Beam Therapy can be better than conventional radiotherapy as it precisely targets the tumour, giving better dose distribution and not harming vital organs.

The National Specialised Commissioning Team (NSCT) has been asked by the Department of Health to hold a competition to identify possible providers of proton beam services in England. Patients who need this treatment currently have to go aboard to receive it.

Health Minister Ann Keen said:

“We want to make sure that cancer services in the England are world class and that NHS patients receive the best quality treatment.

“I have asked the National Specialised Commissioning Team to identify possible providers as I want this important technology to be available to NHS patients in England as soon as possible.

“This is significant news for patients with rare cancers, especially children, as having Proton Beam Therapy will mean that they will receive a better quality of treatment and will not suffer from potential side effects such hearing loss and reduced IQ.

“It is also good news for scientists and academics who will ensure that the UK, with its current expertise, remains at the forefront of new technologies and science.”

Chairman of the National Commissioning Group for Proton Therapy Dr Adrian Crellin said:

“I am delighted that work has now started to offer Proton Therapy services in the UK.

“Proton Beam Therapy is much safer way of treating specific types of cancer that occur in the retina, skull and spine without damaging vital organs.

“However it is important to remember that Proton Therapy is necessary for less than 1% of patients and modern conventional radiotherapy continues to be the most effective and best treatment for the majority.”

Ros Barnes, who has campaigned for Proton Therapy service in the UK since taking her son Alex to be treated in the United States, said:

“I am absolutely thrilled with today’s announcement from the Department of Health as this is a monumental step forward in specialist cancer care for children and adults with rare cancers.

“This investment in new radiotherapy technology will give doctors a powerful new weapon to help fight rare cancers and give some patients a fighting chance.

“I am a great believer in Proton Therapy as I have witnessed, firsthand, how it is has preserved the intellect and physical well being of my little boy.

“I am grateful that the government listened when I told them how hard it was for Alex and I to get on that plane, and leave my family and my home without the support of all of the health professionals that we know and trust.

“I know now that in the future, little children in England will get the best cancer care on the planet because the new proton centre will be run by NHS staff and that my little boy has, in a small way contributed to it.”

Head of Cancer Research UK's information nurses, Martin Ledwick, said:

"It is good to see the Department of Health encouraging the development of different forms of radiotherapy. Although, at the moment, the number of people this treatment is likely to help is quite small, it is possible that as we learn more about it, Proton Therapy may have the potential to have a bigger impact on cancer treatment."

The Department of Health will work with the NSCT to select providers that will be able to treat around 1,500 patients in England each year with a wider range of tumours. The Department hopes the services will be available within three-five years.

NHS apprenticeships to boost jobs for young people

£25 million announced to more than treble the number of NHS apprenticeships.

NHS organisations will receive a total of £25 million to create 5,000 new NHS apprenticeships by March 2010, Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced today.

The funding forms part of the Prime Minister’s commitment made in February 2009 to increase the number of apprenticeships by 21,000 across the public sector, expanding and strengthening apprenticeships as a mainstream option for young people and adults alike.

New NHS apprenticeships will get real ‘on the job’ experience while improving their qualifications and contributing to the NHS workforce. Apprenticeships will include clinical support roles such as dental nurses and pharmacy support workers and non-clinical roles such as IT support, estates and facilities management and catering.

Apprenticeships widen the range of young people who can work in clinical support roles with the added potential of progressing to a professional career.

In addition to the £25 million worth of funding announced today, progress towards achieving the 5,000 new apprenticeships has so far included:

• The creation of a National Apprenticeship Advisory Committee chaired by Guys’ and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive Ron Kerr to drive progress and promote recruitment and retention of apprenticeships in the NHS;
• Plans from Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) which demonstrate their individual planned contribution to this important commitment; and
• Joint working between the NHS, Skills for Health (the sector Skills Council for the health sector) and NHS Employers who are actively supporting the NHS to promote a skilled, flexible workforce to improve the quality of health and healthcare through appropriate apprenticeship training programmes and frameworks for both health employers and employees.

Meeting apprentices on a visit to Aintree Hospital, Liverpool, today Health Secretary Andy Burnham said:

“We are totally committed to being able to provide apprenticeship opportunities for young people. Our ambitious programme to more than treble the number of apprentices will create over 5,000 new apprenticeships in the NHS.

“Apprenticeships are an excellent way of giving young people the chance to learn life changing skills and offer a genuine opportunity to train clinical staff.

“In these tough economic times, we must do all we can to provide high quality routes into jobs so that we can ensure we have a highly skilled, highly motivated and loyal NHS workforce for future generations.”

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said:

“The funding to create 5,000 new NHS apprenticeships is the right move at the right time.

“The public sector has an important role to play in supporting people through the recession. Young people in particular are

being hit hard and are struggling to get even near the jobs ladder.

“The NHS is a stimulating and worthwhile environment and the apprenticeships will provide excellent training opportunities and a vital springboard into full-time employment.”

Apprenticeship Working Group Chair Ron Kerr said:

“I am very excited to have been offered the opportunity to Chair the National Apprenticeship Advisory Committee that will look to develop and sustain a longer term vision for the role of apprenticeships.

“Opportunity is the key to development and I am convinced that the apprenticeship agenda will see a raft of talent coming through into the NHS.”

There are currently 1,500 apprentices in the NHS. All new apprentices will be in post by March 2010.

Amended - SWIM4LIFE - Search for new swimming stroke

Are your kids bored of breaststroke? Fed-up of front crawl? Think they can do better than backstroke and butterfly?

Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham is calling on kids up and down the country to help Swim4Life create a brand new swimming stroke.

The national competition to kick off Swim4Life, part of Change4Life, asks youngsters to send their ideas, including a description of how they came up with their new stroke, a picture that inspired it and a suggested name.

The competition is all about getting kids moving in the water where their bodies have to work harder than on dry land - be it the dolphin, the penguin or the wriggly worm stroke.

Secretary of State, Andy Burnham said:

“Taking the kids swimming is a great way of making sure they’re moving around and having fun.

“We know that a huge number of people have taken the opportunity to swim for free since we introduced our free swimming scheme in April.

“I hope this Swim4Life competition will see even more families take the plunge and head to their local pool to think up an inventive new stroke.”

The swimming stroke competition marks the start of Swim4Life, a new part of Change4Life. Over the next few weeks selected local papers will carry a free Swim4Life poster crammed full of fun facts and swimming games, and parents will be able to download free swimming tips and advice for families on getting more active through swimming from http://www.nhs.uk/change4life

Swimming is a great way to the get the 60 active minutes kids need everyday. It’s also a great way for families to be active together over the summer months.

The Swim4Life competition will be judged by a panel of experts including coaching expert Ian Armiger. The winner will be announced by Andy Burnham in September, when he completes The Great North Swim 2009 in Lake Windermere.

Swimming expert Ian Armiger said:

“Asking children to invent a new stroke is a great idea, one that’ll get them more active in the water and using their imaginations.

“Swimming is a brilliant way for people of all ages to get moving, and thinking of a new stroke should be a perfect excuse to get to the pool this summer.”

The inventor of the winning stroke will win a trip to Alton Towers Water Park for a family of four (two adults and two children) including travel, overnight accommodation, entrance to the park and spending money.

New Horizons - government consults on mental health and well-being

New vision to make mental health everyone’s business.

Urban allotments, reading groups and computer training for the over 50s are just some of the good practice initiatives featured as part of a new approach to public mental health and well-being, announced by Care Services Minister Phil Hope today (00.01am Thursday)

‘New Horizons’ marks a new era in mental health. It sets out a dynamic new approach to improving well-being for the whole population, aiming for the first time to create a powerful alliance that can target the root causes of poor mental health.

The consultation launched today was developed with a wide range of partners, all of whom have a vital role to play. As well as health services, the response of local authorities and education will be critical. From schools to employers, and the NHS to the criminal justice system, New Horizons makes mental health everyone’s business.

A number of key themes are being consulted on:

· prevention and public mental health– recognising the need to prevent as well as treat mental health and promote mental health and well-being.

· stigma – strengthening our focus on social inclusion and tackling stigma and discrimination wherever they occur.

· early intervention –expanding the principle of early intervention to improve long term outcomes.

· personalised care – ensuring care is based on individuals’ needs and wishes leading to recovery.

· multi-agency commissioning/collaboration – working to achieve a joint approach between local authorities, the NHS and others, mirrored by cross government collaboration.

· innovation – seeking out new and dynamic ways to achieve our objectives based on research and new technologies.

· value for money – delivering cost-effective and innovative services in a period of recession.

· strengthening transition – improving the often difficult transition from child and adolescent mental health services to adult services, for those with continuing needs and issues.

One in six of us experience a mental health problem at any one time. Mental health care has been transformed over recent years, and services in England are now recognised as international leaders, but New Horizons aims to take that even further.

As we enter the next decade, services need to be personalised, allowing the patient to make decisions about their treatment, monitor their own condition and tell the professionals what it is they want to help get their life back on track.

Care Services Minister Phil Hope said:

“Better mental health and well-being is vital for a healthy society. People with mental health problems are more likely to do other things that damage their health, such as have a poor diet, smoke or take drugs. So promoting good mental health is a key part of tackling many other health inequalities.

“Over the last ten years of the national service framework we’ve transformed mental healthcare but now we want to go further. Our aim is to build on recent achievements, whilst simultaneously taking the next logical step – helping to prevent mental health problems from developing in the first place. New Horizons will help us do this.

“We want to involve everyone in building mentally healthier communities, which is why it is important that people up and down the country tell us what they think about the ideas set out in New Horizons.”

Steve Shrubb, Director of the Mental Health Network of the NHS Confederation said:

“The strength of this consultation is that it has been developed with the involvement of a full range of organisations* in mental healthcare. Promoting mental health is everyone's business and the coalition fully supports the move to embedding good mental health across society while continuing to improve services.

“Only by working together across government can we address problems as early as possible, combat stigma and put mental health service users in charge of the support they receive. We know there can be no health without mental health. Fostering good mental well-being will be a vital part of how we respond as a society to the challenges of the recession.”

*The Future Vision Coalition consists of the following national organisations:

· Association of Directors of Adult Social Services
· Association of Directors of Children’s Services
· Local Government Association
· Mental Health Foundation
· Mental Health Network, NHS Confederation
· Mental Health Providers Forum, NHS Confederation
· Mind
· Rethink
· Royal College of Psychiatrists
· Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health
· Together

Louis Appleby, National Director for Mental Health Services said:

“Around 50% of lifetime mental illness starts before the age of 14 and continues to have a detrimental affect on people’s lives. Potentially half of these problems are preventable.

“The New Horizons vision is about promoting better mental health and well-being. It is also about high quality, responsive services, that intervene early and effectively to lessen the long-term effects of mental ill-health. Services that are focused not only on treatment outcomes, but on wider quality of life issues, strengthened by efforts to promote social inclusion and tackle stigma and discrimination of every kind.”

“Poor mental health is already believed to cost the economy £77billion a year, with the King’s Fund predicting that the cost in terms of GDP will double to over 10% by 2026. The indirect costs of poor mental health include poor educational attainment, unemployment and increased crime and anti-social behaviour.”

National Pandemic Flu Service goes live

Log on to www.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu or call 0800 1 513 100 or 0800 1 513 200 (Textphone)

New service will relieve pressure on GPs and NHS

A new self-care service which will give people with pandemic swine flu symptoms fast access to antivirals was launched today by Health Secretary Andy Burnham.

The National Pandemic Flu Service is a new dedicated website (www.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu) and phoneline (0800 1 513 100 or 0800 1 513 200 (Textphone)) for people to check their symptoms and get a unique number which will give them access to antivirals if necessary.

People who have swine flu symptoms will be given a unique access number and told where their nearest antiviral collection point is. They should then ask a flu friend – a friend or relative who doesn’t have swine flu – to go and pick up their antivirals.

The flu friend must show their own ID as well as that of the patient. The authorisation number and ID information will be checked to ensure it matches the information provided when the assessment of symptoms was completed.

Anyone who suspects they have swine flu is advised not to go to their GP or A&E.

People should contact their doctor direct rather than using the National Pandemic Flu Service if:

• they have a serious underlying illness;
• they are pregnant;
• they have a sick child under one year old;
• their condition suddenly gets much worse; or
• if their condition is still getting worse after 7 days (5 for a child).

Andy Burnham said:

“The National Pandemic Flu Service will give patients access to information and antivirals as quickly as possible. It will free up GPs so they can focus their efforts on helping those in at risk groups and patients with other illnesses.

“People can still speak to their GP if they are concerned. In fact - it is important to stress that people with underlying health conditions, pregnant women, and parents with children under the age of one should speak to their GP if they have symptoms.

“For the vast majority of people, swine flu has been mild. Some people find that they get better by staying in bed, drinking plenty of water and taking over the counter flu medication.”

Up to two thousand call operators will be trained for a minimum of three hours. Less experienced call operators will be trained for a day. Strict industry standard regulations are in place when employing staff. These include the right to work in the UK (therefore no illegal immigrants), satisfactory employment references and satisfactory character references.

Doctors from the Royal College of General Practitioners will have a special liaison role with each of these call centres and will feed back problems or concerns that arise during the operation of the service.

As swine flu spreads, it is important to be able to recognise its symptoms. People who have two of the following symptoms and a temperature of 38° C and above or feels hot may have swine flu.

The typical symptoms are:

• sudden fever (a high body temperature of 38C/100.4F or above), and
• sudden cough.

Other symptoms may include:

• headache,
• tiredness,
• chills,
• aching muscles,
• limb or joint pain,
• diarrhoea or stomach upset,
• sore throat,
• runny nose,
• sneezing,
• loss of appetite.

New ways to extend professional regulation

New alternatives to statutory regulation for currently unregulated health and occupational professions have been proposed by a specialist working group, Health Minister Ann Keen announced today.

The Extending Professional Regulation Working Group has recommended that unregulated groups could be covered by new licensing laws, which will reassure patients and the public that they are getting the highest quality of care possible.

Recommendations in the Working Group’s report: Extending Professional and Occupational Regulation include:

• Making safe, effective and high quality care the top consideration when deciding on the most appropriate form of regulation for each profession;
• A suggested menu of regulatory alternatives to statutory regulation that are tailored to any risk posed by the particular profession or occupational group;
• A new ‘Gatekeeper’ role in which an existing or newly created organisation will act as an advisory body for future regulation and work in partnership with key stakeholders

Health Minister Ann Keen said:

“I welcome this report and thank the group, and the Chair Dr Moira Livingston, for their work in making sense of the complexities surrounding extending regulation to new health professions and occupational groups.

“The working group has remained focused on the primary purpose of regulation which is to ensure safe and effective care for patients.

“We want to develop alternatives to statutory regulation that will improve the quality and safety of care of patients without imposing unnecessary red tape.”

Chair of the Extending Professional Regulation Working Group, Dr Moira Livingston said:

“This was a long and complex process but our recommendations are clear – future decision making should ensure that regulatory solutions are in line with the risks posed by such groups.

“We look forward to seeing how the Department of Health will take forward this work.”

The report does not commit Government to firm changes in policy at this stage. The Department of Health will now assess their full implications before any implementation.

(DH) Threat of beer bellies and man boobs scaring men into moderation

Concerns about health and looks are driving thousands to cut back on booze

Men are worried that drinking too much alcohol will give them a beer belly or man boobs according to a new survey for the Know Your Limits campaign published today.

Released during Men's Health Week, the statistics show that watching the waistline is no longer only the preserve of women, with more than one in three men (37%) claiming they would reduce their drinking to cut down on the number of calories they consume. Only money-saving (44%) is a bigger incentive.

The YouGov survey of almost 1,000 male drinkers over 18 in England revealed:

* One in six men (17%) are worried their drinking will lead to man boobs
* One in four (27%) are worried about getting a beer belly
* More than one in eight (13%) think their boozing is affecting their appearance
* Nearly one in ten (9%) worry that excessive drinking is affecting their sexual performance

The NHS recommends men do not regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day - equivalent to less than two pints of normal strength beer. According to the Office of National Statistics, an estimated 6.3 million men in England regularly drink above these limits*.

The YouGov survey revealed more than one in three men (36%) are worried booze is risking their long-term health, and more than one in five (22%) already feel it is affecting their general health and wellbeing.

But awareness of the specific health risks is generally worse among men than women. While most men (73%) were aware of the increased risk of liver disease associated with drinking above the recommended limits, 83% didn't know about the link with mouth cancer, 84% were equally unaware of the risk of throat cancer, and two-thirds (66%) were blind to the increased risk of stroke.

Encouragingly, when told about these risks, more than a quarter (28%) said it made them keener to cut down.

Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron said:

"Our survey shows that more and more men are worried about alcohol ruining their looks. It is encouraging that they are also thinking about their health. Men who drink too much are at risk of conditions such as liver disease and stroke, as well as getting out of shape.

"Unfortunately, the longer-term effect drinking too much can have on your health is harder to spot until it's too late.

"Our Know Your Limits campaign arms people with the facts about how many units are in their favourite drinks, to help them keep a check on how much they drink each day."

Dr Ian Banks, President of the Men's Health Forum, is backing the Government's Know Your Limits campaign.

He said: "It's clear men are more concerned about the impact of their drinking on their bodies than we might imagine. Many of us only begin to see the visual evidence of our drinking habits as we get older and start to carry excess baggage, but excessive drinking can also take its toll beneath the skin.

"Most of us enjoy a drink from time to time, and that's fine. But more men ought to be aware that drinking a couple of pints of beer or sharing a bottle of wine most days of the week can push them over the recommended limits, increasing their risk of liver disease, cancer, heart disease and stroke."

Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of the DrinkAware Trust said: "Men are clearly worried about how alcohol affects their looks so Men's Health Week is an ideal opportunity to get back into shape and start calculating alcohol calories on Drinkaware's website.

"Whether it's drinking with friends in the pub or relaxing at home, it's crucial men keep track of units to avoid their looks deteriorating and serious health problems including liver and heart disease, cancer, and reduced fertility. Sticking to the recommended daily unit guidelines, taking 48 hours off after a heavy session and doing regular exercise will also help men keep the beer belly - and major illnesses - at bay."

In 2007/08, there were more than 863,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions, an increase of 69% since 2002/03. Of these, 62% were for men.

Fewer than a third of men (31%) in the YouGov survey reported keeping track of their units. But a drinks calculator at http://www.nhs.uk/units does the maths for you, helping drinkers stick within their limits.

(DH) Review of the effect of European working time directive on junior doctor training

A review into the quality of training for junior doctors in the light of the implementation of the European Working Time Directive was announced by Health Secretary Alan Johnson today.

The review will consider the concerns raised by some professionals that the introduction of a 48-hour working week may have a detrimental effect on junior doctors' training, particularly on the training they receive while at work.

The Health Secretary has asked Medical Education England (MEE), the independent advisory board on medical training, to commission the Post-graduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB), the independent regulator of standards of training, to work with stakeholders to identify areas where changes to training might be necessary as a consequence of reduced working reduced hours.

Alan Johnson said:

"Everyone's overriding objective is the quality and safety of patient care. We are also concerned for our workforce and the hours they work. We want to provide doctors with a good work life balance and we do not want a return to junior doctors working excessive hours.

"There is no evidence that greater numbers of trainees are failing their end of year assessments where 48 hour working has been introduced.

"Also no junior doctor can become a consultant until the appropriate Royal College has issued a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). This is an essential safeguard, ensuring medical training remains of the highest standard.

"However, given the concerns raised by some professional groups it is important that there is an independent and objective assessment of whether the introduction of the European Working Time Directive fully into the NHS will necessitate changes to the current system of postgraduate medical training."

Chairman of Medical Education England, Sir Christopher Edwards, said:

"MEE is delighted that the Secretary of State for Health, by asking MEE to commission a review by PMETB, is being proactive in trying to ensure that the introduction of the European Working Time Directive does not have an adverse effect on high quality medical training.

"This will be discussed as a main agenda item at the next meeting of MEE on June 8th. After this we will be submitting to the Secretary of State Alan Johnson our proposals for both the programme and the timetable for this review."

(DH) Abortion statistics, England & Wales: 2008

The following National Statistics were released today by the Department of Health:

Abortion Statistics, England & Wales: 2008 Main findings:
In 2008, for women resident in England and Wales:

* the total number of abortions was 195,296, compared with 198,499 in 2007, a fall of 1.6%

* the age-standardised abortion rate was 18.2 per 1,000 resident women aged 15-44, compared with 18.6 in 2007

* the abortion rate was highest at 36 per 1,000, for women age 19, the same as in 2007

* the under-16 abortion rate was 4.2 and the under-18 rate was 18.9 per 1,000 women, both lower than in 2007

* 91% of abortions were funded by the NHS; of these, just over half (58%) took place in the independent sector under NHS contract

* 90% of abortions were carried out at under 13 weeks gestation; 73% were at under 10 weeks

* medical abortions accounted for 38% of the total

* 1,988 abortions (1%) were under ground E, risk that the child would be born handicapped

Non-residents:

* in 2008, there were 6,862 abortions for non-residents carried out in hospitals and clinics in England and Wales (7,099 in 2007)

                     2007               2008
All abortions        198,499 (100%)     195,296 (100%)
3-9 weeks            139,144 (70.1%)    142,645 (73.0%)
10-12 weeks          38,998 (19.6%)     33,661 (17.2%)
13-19 weeks          17,430 (8.8%)      16,101 (8.2%)
20-21 weeks          1,726 (0.9%)       1,615 (0.8%)
22-23 weeks          1,066 (0.5%)       1,150 (0.6%)
24 weeks and over    135 (0.1%)         124 (0.1%)

See this link for detailed figures.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/DH_099285

(DH) Government responds to Archer Inquiry

The Government today responded to the independent inquiry into contaminated blood supplies in the 1970s and 1980s.

In a Written Ministerial Statement, Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo set out the Government's response to the Archer Inquiry into individuals infected by HIV and hepatitis C through infected NHS blood and blood products.

The response includes:

* there will be a significant increase in annual payments to £12,800 for individuals infected with HIV, in addition to the £45 million already given out in lump sums and discretionary payments;

* further support for the Haemophilia Society of £100,000 per year for the next five years; and

* a commitment to review the financial relief for individuals affected by hepatitis C in five years.

Tough measures are already in place to prevent similar events happening in the future. To ensure all patients with bleeding disorders who may have been infected have been identified, a look back exercise will be undertaken.

Minister for Public Health, Dawn Primarolo said:

"I would like to offer my deepest sympathy to all those who suffered in this tragic episode. Sadly, it was not possible to effectively test for these viruses in the 1970s and early 80s and we deeply regret that these events occurred following NHS treatment.

"Steps to safeguard blood products against HIV and hepatitis C have been in place since 1985. Every reasonable step to minimise risks from blood transfusion has been taken and robust screening measures are in place to protect patients.

"In addition to the £150 million already given out in lump sums and discretionary payments to those infected with HIV and hepatitis C, financial help for those infected with HIV will rise to £12,800 per year."

The full response to Lord Archer's report has been placed in the Library of the House.

In keeping with the Government's commitment to make information available that relates to this period, the remaining 468 relevant documents have been placed on the Department of Health website:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/FreedomOfInformation/Freedomofinformationpublicationschemefeedback/FOIreleases/DH_076693

(DH) Agreements secured for pre-pandemic vaccine for the UK

Agreements have been signed between the UK Government and vaccine manufacturers to secure supplies of up to 90 million doses of pre-pandemic H1N1 vaccine before a pandemic begins, the Department of Health announced today.

The deals signed between Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and Baxter, will enable production of pre-pandemic vaccine to begin as soon as possible.

The agreements could provide enough vaccine to protect the most vulnerable in our population before a pandemic is likely to arrive, without affecting our supply of seasonal flu vaccine.

Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson said:

"The localised cases of swine flu found in the UK have so far been mild, and our strategy of containing the spread with anti-virals appears to have been effective in reducing symptoms and preventing further spread of infection.

"Scientists tell us that as yet we don't know enough about this novel strain, or whether it's likely to mutate, but that this virus has the potential to become a pandemic and we can't predict how serious that would be. We have an opportunity to secure vaccine in advance of a pandemic wave. We have Advance Purchase Agreements to provide vaccine for the entire UK population which will take effect when Phase 6 pandemic is declared. It will then take over a year for all the vaccine necessary to be provided.

"These additional arrangements provide the opportunity by December this year to have enough pre-pandemic vaccine to protect at least half of the population from swine flu. This will however depend on when and if the manufacturers switched from seasonal to H1N1 pandemic specific vaccine production at a time after Phase 6 is declared by the World Health Organisation, as this will take precedence over pre-pandemic contracts."

If a pandemic is declared, Advance Supply Agreements signed by the Government with GSK and Baxter in July 2007, will enable the UK to purchase up to 132 million doses of pandemic specific vaccine, when it becomes available.

(DH) First step towards Swine Flu vaccine prototype achieved

The first step towards producing a European prototype of a swine flu vaccine has been achieved by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced today.

On a visit to the HPA's National Institute of Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) this morning, Alan Johnson learnt that researchers have sequenced the full genetic code of the virus. This is critical in understanding how the virus operates and identifying the crucial parts of the virus that can be used in vaccine manufacture.

Researchers hope that European manufacturers will be able to take delivery of candidate vaccine prototypes in the coming months so preliminary steps to mass vaccine production can begin.

The NIBSC is the only centre in the UK and one of a handful around the world developing vaccine prototypes for the European vaccine manufacturers. In the US, efforts are focused through the Centre for Disease Control.

In July 2007, the Government signed advanced supply agreements, which will enable the UK to purchase up to 132 million doses of pandemic specific vaccine, when it becomes available. The advanced supply agreements are worth £155.4 million over four years. Under these contracts, GSK and Baxter are committed to supplying a pandemic influenza vaccine as soon as the pandemic strain is identified and made available by the World Health Organization.

The HPA researchers will also work with sister organisations to compare the characteristics of this virus with other samples to gain a greater understanding of how flu infects people and how it can quickly change to evade our immune systems.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson said:

"A significant step towards protecting the world's health against swine flu has been taken.

"The speed with which vaccine prototypes can be created to combat potential pandemics is testimony to the dedication and world-class expertise of Health Protection Agency researchers.

"We have been preparing for the possibility of a pandemic for some time. We now look to the vaccine industry to produce the required quantities of vaccine as quickly as possible."

Professor Maria Zambon, Director of the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Infections, said:

"We are continuing to learn more and more each day about swine flu. The pure sample of virus that we have isolated, together with its genetic fingerprint, will be important resources as scientific organisations join forces on the development of an effective vaccine.

"The rapid assessment of this virus will ultimately help us to make future decisions regarding the health implications of swine flu."

(DH) Public information update from Department of Health

Swine Flu - Thursday 7 May 6pm

A Department of Health spokesperson said:

"Two new cases of swine flu have been confirmed in England today. One new case is an adult from the East of England region who recently returned from the United States. The second is a school-aged child from the London region.

"Both patients have already received antivirals and are recovering at home. Close contacts of these cases are also receiving antivirals as a precautionary measure.

"There are now 34 confirmed cases in the UK - 30 in England and four in Scotland.

"It is right that we are preparing for the possibility of a global pandemic. The UK's arrangements are continuing to ensure that we are well-placed to deal with this new infection."

Further information

If you have flu like symptoms and are concerned, stay at home, if you can go online check your symptoms on the symptom checker on http://www.nhs.uk or call the swine flu information line on 0800 1 513 513. If you have taken these steps and are still concerned call your GP or NHS Direct.

KEY ISSUES

CURRENT SITUATION

* There are now 34 confirmed cases in the UK - 30 in England and four in Scotland.

* The arrangements in place across the UK are continuing to ensure that we are well-placed to deal with this new infection.

* At present, there are 1518 confirmed cases across the world. Twenty-nine deaths from swine flu have been confirmed in Mexico, and two in the US.

* There is not yet evidence of sustained person to person transmission - that is to say, different people in the community who have no obvious link to each other catching this disease.

* Ten people who are not known to have travelled to Mexico have caught the virus in the UK from other infected people who are close contacts. We can reasonably expect the number of such cases to increase considerably over the coming weeks.

* Of the UK cases, 12 are children. Following expert assessment, four schools closed on the advice of local health protection officers in order to contain any potential outbreak.

* A fifth school and a linked nursery decided to close on their own volition after two pupils at the school were confirmed to have the disease, though they had not been at school when symptomatic.

Is it a mild infection and therefore no cause for concern?

* We must not be complacent. It is too soon to assume it will be a mild infection. We don't know the profile of the virus and we are closely monitoring each case that comes up.

* Everyone who has contracted the virus in this country has been diagnosed early and treated with antivirals, which reduce the severity of symptoms.

* The flu virus changes character very rapidly. They essentially evolve with the 'fast forward' button switched on. That means the flu virus is unstable. It can pick up and swap genetic material, which can dramatically change its character - increasing the severity of symptoms. The virus could change in the autumn so we need to plan for all eventualities.

STEPS THE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING TO CONTAIN THE VIRUS

* We know a great deal more about these issues than the governments who had to deal with the pandemics of the last century.

* However, we still don't know enough about the nature of this specific virus. At present, leading scientific experts in this country and across the world are urgently studying who this virus is most likely to affect, whether it will mutate and the possibility of its re-emergence in the autumn as a more dangerous strain.

* While it seems that those who have developed the disease outside Mexico have generally only experienced mild symptoms, there has been a second death in America of a woman who had chronic underlying health conditions.

* The Health Protection Agency and the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies, which is jointly chaired by the government's Chief Scientist Professor John Beddington and Professor Sir Gordon Duff (Chair of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Committee), are clear that it is still too early for confident predictions about the possible severity of this flu in the UK.

* The current containment phase means that all those who contract the virus have been given antivirals to aid recovery, and close contacts - whether they have symptoms or not - are given antivirals prophylactically to reduce their chance of developing the disease and spreading it further.

* This strategy has been adopted because there is good scientific evidence that in the early stages it will stop some outbreaks and delay for as long as possible the establishment of an epidemic.

* However, through this approach, we can only hope to delay a more widespread outbreak, we cannot stop it altogether.

SCHOOLS

* Pupil welfare is paramount. If schools and other childcare settings close at the right time, the spread of infection could be significantly reduced.

* The decision to close a school should be made in conjunction with the local health protection experts.

* For schools that are closed, arrangements will be put in place by Ofqual and exam awarding bodies to ensure that all pupils are treated fairly. These procedures are already in place.

* We recognise the enormous disruption that school closure can cause pupils, parents and staff. Parents should be reassured that the Department of Children, Schools and Families have well-established plans, including procedures to handle any disruption to exams.

PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN

* As the World Health Organisation has made clear, one of the critical elements of any country's response to this situation is how the public are kept informed of developments; the steps they can take to protect themselves; and what they should do if they or a family member falls ill.

* A mass public health campaign has begun with print, television and radio advertising.

* Leaflets are being delivered to every home with information about the outbreak and the preventative measures people can take. Recorded information is available on the Swine Flu Information Line (0800 1 513 513).

TAMIFLU

* We currently have treatment courses for around 50 per cent of the population. This is one of the highest levels in the world. The stockpile is being conserved for treatment. We are increasing our stockpile to cover 80 per cent of the population.

* Where suspect cases are being identified, arrangements are in place to ensure between Primary Care Trusts and the Health Protection Unit that tamiflu is made available locally. Health Protection Unit stocks are being replenished from the stocks held by the Emergency Preparedness Division of the Department of Health and stocks are available.

Has the Government banned pharmacists from giving out Tamiflu?

* We have not withdrawn Tamiflu from over counter sales but, because we are increasing our stocks, pharmacists won't be able to buy any more at the moment. Normal supplies of tamiflu in pharmacists are usually relatively small as prescription is normally restricted by NICE guidelines.

ANTIBIOTICS
* We are increasing our stockpiles of antibiotics, which are essential for treating any potential complications caused by swine flu so that we have enough to cover 30 per cent of the population by September.

FLU LINE

* To make sure we can distribute antivirals effectively, we are working to get the Flu line up and running as quickly as possible, and it will be ready by the autumn.

* In the meantime, we are finalising plans for an alternative system that we aim to use in the short term, should the virus become more widespread more quickly.

* The interim arrangements we are putting in place will mean that people with symptoms can be assessed quickly, and antivirals made available so that they can start treatment within 48 hours of symptoms developing. We will co-ordinate local arrangements with primary care trusts for assessment and collection, web access and also the potential for phone services.

* It is critical that any system is robust and as thoroughly tested as possible before it is made operational.

VACCINE

* Scientists are now much closer to developing a vaccine strain from the virus.

* But while the first strain of the vaccine may be ready in a matter of weeks, developing this into a useable vaccine will take several months.

* The UK government and the Devolved Administrations already have agreements in place with manufacturers to supply stocks of a vaccine as soon after production begins as possible. In the meantime, we will continue to get expert advice on what will be the most effective vaccine strategy, and what would best protect us if the virus returned in a more virulent form in the autumn.

* We also need to assess the effects on the availability of the seasonal flu vaccine this winter.

LEVEL FIVE AND PREPAREDNESS

What does level five mean?

* Phase five indicates that WHO considers a global pandemic to be imminent, whereas at phase four a global pandemic is not inevitable. This means there has been person-to-person spread but it is still localised.

* We are still not in a pandemic phase.

Preparedness

* We have been preparing for the possibility of a pandemic for a number of years and are among the most prepared countries in the world.

* The NHS has developed its planning from a national, local and individual level and our plans are robust and advanced.

FACEMASKS

* There is no convincing scientific evidence that the widespread issue of facemasks to healthy members of the public can stop this disease spreading. Moreover, they give can false reassurance, and can encourage people to ignore basic and straightforward hand hygiene measures which have proven effectiveness.

* However, specialist and other types of facemasks are useful for frontline NHS staff who are caring for infected patients, if they are the appropriate type; worn correctly; changed frequently; removed properly; disposed of safely and used in combination with good hygiene measures.

* Although we have a supply of facemasks for NHS staff, we do need more. have ordered an additional 227 million surgical facemasks and 34 million respirators, which, if used properly, can prevent transmission to NHS staff who are in close and frequent contact with patients.

WEBSITES

Key websites

Directgov (http://www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu) the primary government website for essential cross-government swine flu messages; NHS Choices (http://www.nhs.uk) the primary public-facing health information and advice service; the Department of Health website (http://www.dh.gov.uk) the home of content relating to health and care professionals; and Business Link (http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/swineflu) the home of business-related information. The dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website is at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/swine-flu