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Welcome to the myHSN Week in Health – the biggest and most important health news stories this week, why they’re important, and how they affect you.
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The Week in… Health policy
What?
£500m of extra funding has been earmarked to support discharges from hospital throughout the winter. This money is to be used for a number of projects and initiatives, at the discretion of local NHS trusts and CCGs.
The intention is to provide funding for social care following discharge. This could be carers in the home, new admissions to care or nursing homes.
Why?
If people aren’t able to exit hospital in a timely manner, this creates blockages at the entrance. One of the largest barriers to timely discharges is having support in place for patients after hospital. Patients require an adequate support system post-discharge, for their own safety and to prevent readmission to hospital.
This fund aims to decrease the amount of medically fit for discharge patients clogging up hospital wards while waiting for care to be set up post-discharge.
How (does it affect you)?
If you’re a patient in hospital this winter in need of care, you may leave hospital more quickly. However, the issue here is that £500m is a drop in the ocean of the NHS budget (>£150 billion per year) and the money is being given to local organisations without an explicit or defined way to use it. Time will tell if this fiscal shot in the dark turns out to be the shot in the arm it’s supposed to be.
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The Week in … Medical breakthroughs
What?
Semaglutide, an injectable drug for diabetes, has been shown to slash the risk of diabetes in half when used in obese patients without diabetes. It also demonstrates powerful weight loss effects and effects on sugar control.
Why?
Obese people have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetic patients produce insulin, but are less sensitive to it, causing blood sugar to rise and longterm complications such as heart disease and stroke, amongst other things. Semaglutide is a current treatment for diabetes, but this research shows that those without the disease may also benefit from it.
How (does it affect you)?
This is brand new research, and therefore this treatment is not available to obese patients in the NHS… yet. It is, however, available to type 2 diabetes patients who fail to control their sugar levels with tablets alone. If cost-effectiveness is demonstrated, NICE may approve this treatment for those with obesity within the next couple of years.
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What?
Researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research have demonstrated that a modified herpes virus is an effective treatment for certain types of cancer. It showed good levels of safety and long term response for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.
Why?
RP2 is a modified herpes virus injected directly into tumours. The virus multiplies and destroys the tumour from within, and simultaneously stimulates the immune system to attack the tumour and other sites of disease.
How (does it affect you)?
This is an early phase trial, so the treatment will not be publicly available for a number of years. However, if you have a type of cancer that would be eligible and have progressed through at least one line of treatment, ask your oncologist whether you can be referred for trials like this one.
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The Week in … UK treatments
What?
Pembrolizumab has been approved by NICE in the UK, for the treatment of stage 2B and 2C melanoma. This is an adjuvant treatment (drugs given after surgery to ‘mop up’ cancer cells) shown to improve survival and reduce the chance of cancer returning.
Why?
Cancer can remain in the bloodstream even if the only known tumour is removed. Immunotherapy like pembrolizumab is a powerful treatment that stimulates the immune system to attack cancer. Previously patients with this stage of melanoma would only have surgery, with no adjuvant treatment.
How (does it affect you)?
If you are one of the 1500 people in the UK with 2B/2C melanoma, this will directly affect you and is proven to increase your chance of survival. Speak to your oncologist to ensure you are receiving this vital treatment appropriately.
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The Week in … Everything else
What?
COVID cases have risen for the for the first time since mid-July, with hospitals seeing an increase at the same time.
Why?
This may be the start of a new wave, but we should be cautious of jumping to conclusions. Rates of infection with the common cold often increase in September as the weather cools down and children go back to school. While cases are rising in England and Wales, they are decreasing in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
How (does it affect you)?
This news serves as a reminder that COVID has not disappeared and infection remains a risk. Equally, it may be an indication that COVID can now co-exist with the common cold and the flu.
Most importantly, it should be a prompt to remember to safeguard the health of yourself and others. Receive the COVID vaccine, practice good hand hygiene and stay at home if you feel unwell.
As always, best wishes from myHSN!
