Weekly News from the Patients Association

Welcome to the Patients Association's
Weekly News

Forward

Lockdown, one year on

It’s nearly a year since we were first asked to stay at home, on 23 March last year. Our Pandemic Patient Experience report, based directly on what you told us, showed that emergency measures introduced to help the NHS cope with COVID-19 pandemic came at a huge cost to patients.

Our follow-up survey is currently live, and asks about your experiences throughout the last 12 months.

Please let us know what has happened to you and how you have found things during the pandemic. We heard last summer that patients across the UK had difficulties accessing care, and experienced increased levels of worry, and loneliness. Half of respondents were left feeling unsupported. How do you feel about things now?

Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences last year, and who has taken the latest survey. We will be publishing our follow-up report this spring.

Take the survey

Vaccine supply variations

There has been substantial news coverage this week of variations in the supply of COVID-19 vaccines. Supply from manufacturers has increased this week, and will remain higher next week.

However, there will be a ‘significant reduction’ over the four weeks from 29 March. This is the same period in which people will be eligible for their second doses in larger numbers, and the NHS has been instructed to ensure that the available supply is prioritised for this.

Some first doses will continue to be available: the NHS has been instructed to concentrate on getting first doses to the remaining people in the first nine priority groups (people aged 50 or above, plus ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ and ‘vulnerable’ people).

Because of the fast pace of roll-out so far, the Government has stated that it remains on target to offer a first dose to all adults by the end of July.

Shielding scheduled to end in England at the end of the month

Shielding guidance that came into effect on 5 January 2021 for ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ people will be paused on 31 March for residents in England.

For people in Wales, that date is 1 April.

In Scotland, shielding guidance is scheduled to stay in place until 30 June but it varies depending on which tier you live in, so you should check locally.

In Northern Ireland, shielding was paused last summer.

You can access the current guidance on shielding where you are in the UK via our website.

Check the guidance

A Cry for Hope - new report

The Care and Support Alliance, of which the Patients Association is a member, has this week published its new report, A Cry for Hope. It is based on a survey of over 4,000 people, and lays bare the immense personal cost of the long-running crisis in adult social care.

Lack of care places people at higher risk of their health deteriorating generally (28% of respondents reported this) and even of needing hospital treatment (14%).

A further 1 in 10 said they were often worried about how to cope and stay safe and
3 in 10 (31%) of those who had difficulties doing day to day activities said they never got any help or assistance.

Read the report

CQC report on DNACPRs

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its latest report into the use of ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ (DNACPR) orders during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. This followed widespread reports that some NHS organisations were unlawfully applying these decisions to groups of patients on a blanket basis, based on disability or age for instance, rather than arriving at decisions with each individual patient.

CQC’s investigation found evidence of poor practice, some of it pre-existing and exacerbated by the pressures of the pandemic. The report makes recommendations for better information, training and support, a consistent national approach to care planning, and improved oversight and assurance.

The Patients Association is a partner in CQC's Report Your Care initiative - find out on our website how to share your experiences with CQC, either direct or through our helpline.

Read the report

From the helpline

Malcolm* called our free helpline to say he was still being invited for his first COVID-19 vaccine, even though he’d had the first one in January 2021.

So he checked to see why this might be and found that the online system hadn’t registered this first vaccination. We advised him to call 119, which was able to resolve the issue, and even booked him his second vaccine.

*Name changed for privacy.

We have a range of information leaflets on our website which contain useful information and pointers if you have a quick question about your health and social care. If you can’t find the answers you need there, you can always call our helpline on 0800 3457115 between 9.30am and 5pm on weekdays, or email helpline@patients-association.org.uk. See our website for more ways to get in touch.

What our team is reading

In a pandemic it isn't a case of health v wealth

Greece travel corridor brought in 'a large amount of virus'

South African variant of COVID cannot be kept out of UK for ever

Flu levels in Wales see 'remarkable' suppression

Rapidly prioritising innovations in adult social care for evaluation

About Us

Our vision is that health and social care will be delivered in a way that meets every person’s health and social care needs.

Our mission is to give effect to the patient voice, to improve patient experience and support people to engage fully in their own care. Find out more about our values on our website.

Forward

Copyright © 2021 The Patients Association, All rights reserved.

Our full privacy policy is available on our website.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

The Patients Association is a registered charity in England and Wales (1006733). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (02620761)
Registered address: P Block, Northwick Park Hospital, The North West Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 3YJ