Babak Belurs

Rabu, 28 Juni 2023

NHS staff sickness hits record high in England - BBC

By Nick Triggle

Health correspondent

Staff sickness in the NHS in England has reached record levels.

Figures for 2022 show an absence rate - the proportion of days lost - of 5.6%, meaning the NHS lost the equivalent of nearly 75,000 staff to illness.

This is higher than during the peak pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 - and a 29% rise on the 2019 rate.

Mental health problems were the most common cause, responsible for nearly a quarter of absences, the Nuffield Trust analysis of official NHS data shows.

Big rises were also seen in cold, coughs, infections and respiratory problems, likely to be linked to the continued circulation of Covid as well as the return of flu last year.

There were three categories covering these types of illnesses. If combined, they would be responsible for more sickness than mental health.

Staff leavin

The think tank warned the NHS was stuck in a "seemingly unsustainable cycle" of increased work and burnout, which was contributing to staff leaving.

The analysis, exclusively for BBC News, comes ahead of the publication of the government and NHS England's long-awaited workforce plan.

Nuffield Trust senior fellow Dr Billy Palmer said: "The health service is grappling with a difficult new normal when it comes to staff sickness leave.

"There has been a lot of focus on recruitment but we need more endeavour to improve the working conditions of existing staff and protect them from illness.

"The workforce plan needs to have concrete support to enable employers to improve NHS staff experience if the service is to break this cycle of staff absences, sickness and leaving rates."

'Psychological strain'

The NHS sickness rate, the highest since records began, in 2010, is above the public sector average of 3.6%.

The Nuffield Trust warned it was likely to be an undercount of the true figure as not every absence would have been recorded.

And while recording systems differed in Wales and Scotland, it was clear those nations were also seeing increased levels of sickness in the NHS.

Miriam Deakin, of NHS Providers, which represents health managers, said the findings "laid bare the psychological strain on staff".

She said the absences came on top of 110,000 vacancies in the health service and warned the situation was having a "knock-on effect on patient care".

Unison head of health Sara Gorton said the rise in illness was due to the "unrelenting pressure" on the NHS.

"Until the NHS has sufficient employees to care for and treat all the people needing its help, absence levels will keep going through the roof. If there's to be a healthy NHS, it first needs a healthy workforce."

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2023-06-28 23:02:47Z
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UK water sector faces biggest crisis since Thatcher's 1989 privatisation - Financial Times

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2023-06-28 17:37:50Z
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Queen's University Belfast: 10 students have degree results withdrawn - BBC

The Lanyon Building at Queen's University, Belfast

By Robbie Meredith

BBC News NI education correspondent

A university has apologised after some of its students were awarded final results for their degrees but then had them withdrawn.

Queen's University Belfast university blamed "human error at an extremely challenging and difficult time".

But one of the 10 students affected by the error told BBC News NI the news came as "a kick in the teeth".

"My classification was flaunted before me only to be later removed," said Lucy McCormill.

More than 750 students at Queen's are due to graduate without having their degree results finally confirmed as planned this summer.

The situation is due to industrial action by some staff which includes a boycott of marking and assessment.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at universities across the UK have been engaged in long-running industrial action over pay, working conditions and pensions.

A resolution for the dispute at Queen's was announced by the university and the union on Wednesday.

Students at many universities face similar uncertainty over their degree results as those at Queen's.

Ms McCormill is about to graduate with a joint degree in English and history from Queen's.

She was initially told that despite the marking boycott she would be awarded her degree with a classification.

When she logged into the university's online results website it confirmed that she had got her degree with first class honours, the highest grade for an undergraduate degree.

"I was really happy because I had put in so much work, especially in final semester," she told BBC News NI.

"I really throw my all into my academic work and as soon as I found out I was telling everybody."

But she subsequently asked for clarification about one of her marks and was shocked to be told that she had been awarded her degree result in error.

"I thought it was a joke, I really did think it couldn't be real," she said.

While Ms McCormill now knows that she will be awarded a first-class honours degree at some point in the future, she does not know when that will be.

It also means that like hundreds of other Queen's students, she will attend a graduation but will not get her final confirmed degree result.

"It's a strange situation because I know I've got it but I can't celebrate it," she said.

"It's kind of invalid. I was conflicted about whether to defer my graduation or not.

"The final mark and the final outcome and the recognition of my hard work is the important thing.

"Sleepless nights have gone into getting my degree but I feel like my achievements are now a bit undervalued and unrecognised.

"So it just feels like a bit of a kick in the teeth."

Ms McCormill wants to go on to post-graduate study and is hoping that the situation with her degree will not hinder that.

'Unfortunate situation'

In response to questions from BBC News NI, Queen's confirmed that 10 students in all had been awarded a degree result only to have it withdrawn.

"We are deeply sorry for the administrative error regarding classifications," said a university spokesperson in a statement.

"We apologise wholeheartedly for the upset it has caused the 10 students affected, especially in the context of the current industrial dispute that is having a serious impact on students across the board.

"They have all received apologies in person from their heads of school and school managers and we are supporting them in dealing with this unfortunate situation and in relation to their next steps, whether than be continuing in education or starting careers."

"The error was down to human error at an extremely challenging and difficult time but we take full responsibility for the mistake and assure all students we have their best interests at heart and are committed to addressing their concerns and resolving the dispute as soon as possible."

Graduation ceremonies at Queen's are due to begin on Thursday.

'No magic button'

Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Graham Stuart said in response to the report that the government had met all its carbon targets to date and was confident of doing so in the future.

Responding to criticism for continued support for oil and gas projects, he stressed that despite an unprecedented role for renewables, the UK would remain dependent on these sources for power generation for the foreseeable future.

"There is no button I can press tomorrow, and as we will be dependent on oil and gas for decades to come, even as we move to net zero, it makes sense that we should produce it here," he told journalists.

Regarding the new coal mine in Cumbria, he stressed that it would produce coking coal for making steel, not for energy production and that there was currently no alternative.

Rebecca Newsom, head of politics for Greenpeace UK called the report "a pitiful catalogue of Rishi Sunak's climate failures".

"This report exposes the catastrophic negligence shown by this government which has left Britain with higher bills, fewer good jobs, our energy security weakened, and the climate emergency unaddressed," said Labour's Shadow Climate and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband.

The chair of the COP26 summit, Alok Sharma, agreed the UK was at risk of losing what he called its "international reputation and influence on climate".

He said the country risked falling behind without a response to initiatives like the US's vast subsidies for green industries.

"Resting on our laurels is definitely not the answer industry is seeking," he said, one of the sharpest criticisms the Conservative MP has made of the government's climate policy.

table showing comparisons of heat pump installation in Europe

More needs to be done to encourage us all to install heat pumps, insulate our homes, reduce how much meat we eat and fly less, the Committee said.

At the same time, it said, the switch to renewable power needs to be ramped up, industry needs more help to decarbonise and there needs to be a huge increase in the numbers of trees planted and the speed of peatland restoration.

The report acknowledged that glimmers of the Net Zero transition can be seen in growing sales of electric cars and the growing renewable power sector.

But it warned the government continues to rely on unproven technological solutions rather than "more straightforward" encouragement of people to reduce high-carbon activities.

The Committee says the government should be doing more to encourage us to fly less rather than relying on the development of sustainable fuels to reduce the carbon emissions from aviation, for example.

It pointed out that lots of UK airports are planning to expand capacity despite a CCC recommendation that there should be no net airport expansion. Seven out of the 10 major UK airports have plans to expand, according to BBC research.

Lord Deben, whose second and final term as chair of the CCC ends this month, said that one of the government's biggest failures was not putting net zero at the heart of the UK's planning system.

"If you pass laws in order to do something and then don't provide the means, then you're failing," he told the BBC.

He said he was sad his final report "does not show satisfactory progress".

UK greenhouse gas emissions have fallen 46% from 1990 levels, the CCC says, largely thanks to a massive reduction in the use of coal for electricity and the growth of the renewable power sector.

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2023-06-27 23:01:50Z
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Man found dead at Marischal Court property named - The Press & Journal

A 49-year-old man who was allegedly murdered in an Aberdeen high rise has been named.

Police found the body of Neil Jolly in one of the flats in Marischal Court yesterday.

Emergency services were called to the high-rise at around 1.20am and the 49-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

The area was cordoned off for a period of time, with officers stationed outside of the building throughout the evening.

A woman appeared in court today charged with murder.

Detective Inspector William Murdoch said: “Our thoughts are very much with Neil’s family and friends, as well as everyone else affected by his death.

“We are providing his family with support at this difficult time.

“Our investigation into this incident remains ongoing.”

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2023-06-27 18:57:45Z
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Scotland set for hottest June on record, says Met Office - BBC

By Steven McKenzie

BBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter

Scotland - along with the rest of the UK - is on course for its hottest June on record, the Met Office has said.

It said records going back to 1884 would likely be broken in terms of average daily temperature and average maximum temperature.

The hottest temperature Scotland had this month was 30.7C at Threave in Dumfries and Galloway on 12 June.

This month has seen water scarcity warnings and also large wildfires in parts of Scotland.

The Met Office expects to release its full statistics for June next Monday.

But it said provisional figures suggested this month would break the previous record set in June 1940.

The Met Office's Mike Kendon said warm and humid air had been a dominant feature of the weather.

He said: "What has been particularly unusual is the persistent warmth for much of the month, with temperatures reaching 25C widely for at least a fortnight, and at times 28 to 30C - whereas we would more typically expect maximum temperatures in the high teens or low 20s at this time of year."

In Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has been warning of water scarcity issues.

Part of the Esk area of Dumfriesshire and the Loch Maree area of the Highlands have been under Sepa's highest warning level - significant.

Scottish Water appealed to its customers across Scotland to help conserve supplies, while some private water supplies in the Highland Council area dried up.

In the dry conditions, firefighters battled large wildfires near Daviot and Fort William in the Highlands, as well as in Aberdeen.

Ness District Salmon Fishery Board has blamed the weather and hydro-electric schemes for record low levels on Loch Ness and the River Ness.

Board members and anglers rescued fish and eels trapped in drying-up pools of Inverness' Holm Burn, which flows into the Ness.

SSE Renewables said the low water levels were directly linked to the dry weather, adding it used water for hydro schemes responsibly and in line with its environmental obligations.

Western Isles-based meteorologist Dr Eddy Graham said Scotland would likely see June's conditions again because of climate change.

He said: "No surprise really, given the persistence of extreme warmth and high humidity during most of the month, acting in concertina with extraordinary marine heatwave around our coasts.

"Such extreme weather events are now becoming increasingly common in Scotland due to the continued advancement of human-caused climate change."

The days of hot weather and sunshine have been punctuated by thunderstorms and heavy downpours.

Parts of the West Highland Line in Lochaber had to be repaired following flood damage, while damage to a section of the B863 Glencoe-Kinlochleven road is expected to take weeks to repair.

A driver had a lucky escape when landslides hit the B863.

After finding the road blocked by debris, the woman made a three-point turn before her car came within 100m (328ft) of a second, larger landslide containing about 100 tonnes of boulders, mud and trees.

Members of Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team gave the woman a piggy back to safety over knee-deep mud.

International football was also affected by June's thundery downpours, with Scotland's Euro 2024 qualifier against Georgia at Hampden in Glasgow having a 90-minute delay due to rain.

Selasa, 27 Juni 2023

Senior doctors back strike action in England - BBC

By Nick Triggle

Health correspondent

NHS consultants in England have voted in favour of strike action in their fight for more pay.

Some 86% of British Medical Association members backed walkouts over what the union described as repeated pay cuts.

The union had already announced that a 48-hour walkout on 20 and 21 July would take place if doctors backed action.

It will follow a five-day strike by junior doctors - the combination is likely to lead to huge disruption to services, and cancelled treatments.

The walkout by junior doctors across all services will end on 18 July.

Consultants will be providing what is being described as Christmas Day cover during their own strike - so emergency care will be provided, along with a very limited amount of routine work.

British Medical Association (BMA) consultants committee chair, Dr Vishal Sharma, said the vote showed how "furious" they were at being repeatedly devalued by the government.

"Consultants don't want to have to take industrial action, but have been left with no option in the face of a government that continues to cut our pay year after year."

But he said it was not too late to avert strike action, and urged the government to come forward with a credible offer.

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said the "double-whammy" of strikes by doctors next month was a "huge risk" for the NHS to manage.

No pay offer

Consultant pay has fallen by 27% since 2008 once RPI inflation is taken into account, but the BMA said once changes to tax and pension contributions were factored in, the cut to take-home pay was 35%.

A major factor in this is the fact that income tax thresholds have been frozen, and the introduction of the additional 45% tax rate for the highest earners.

During 2022, average NHS earnings exceeded £126,000 for consultants - this includes extra pay for additional hours and performance.

Unlike junior doctors at the start of their dispute, consultants are not asking for full pay restoration in one go. Instead, they want to see the government to start at least giving pay rises that match inflation.

Last year they received a 4.5% pay increase - less than half the rate of RPI inflation in the 12 months to March. No formal pay offer has been made for this year yet.

Junior doctors were offered a 5% rise this year in their talks with government. They rejected this, but have since said they would be willing to phase in pay restoration over a number of years.

Meanwhile, a ballot by the Royal College of Nursing failed to achieve a high enough turnout to give the union a mandate to continue its strike action.

That result - also announced on Tuesday - means the long-running dispute with nurses now comes to an end.

Labour shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: "This is an unmitigated disaster of the government's making and the risk to patients and the NHS is intolerable.

"Rishi Sunak cannot continue to sit back like a passive observer and let this go ahead. He must now get the doctors in for immediate negotiations to bring these strikes to an end."

The Department of Health and Social Care said it was disappointed with the vote.

A spokesman said: "Strikes are hugely disruptive for patients and put pressure on other NHS staff.

"We urge the BMA to carefully consider the likely impact of any action on patients."

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