What's New

NHS England has advised GPs that they can resume non-clinically urgent blood tests from 17 September 2021, in a phased manner.

Running from 20 to 26 September, Fire Door Safety Week 2021 aims to raise awareness of the critical role that this particular feature of buildings plays in saving lives and protecting property.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has agreed to end the requirement for Covid-19 shielding guidance for people previously considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV).

Director of Adult Social Care Delivery Claire Armstrong has written to local authorities, directors of adult social services, care home providers, care home managers and agencies to say people will be able to self-certify that they meet the medical exemption criteria for Covid-19 vaccination, on a temporary basis.

We reported recently that parts of the Coronavirus Act 2020 were expected to be repealed as the Government prepared to set out its latest plan for dealing with Covid-19 (see Government outlines next steps in its Covid response).

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended booster jabs for over 50s and younger adults with health conditions, amid concern about waning immunity.

More detailed guidance for health professionals on some rare side effects associated with Covid-19 vaccines has been issued by Public Health England (PHE).

The UK's four chief medical officers (CMOs) have said healthy children aged 12 to 15 should be offered one dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

The Government has launched a consultation on Making Vaccination a Condition of Deployment in the Health and Wider Social Care Sector to seek views on whether or not to extend vaccination requirements to other health and care settings for Covid-19 and also for flu.

The Prime Minister’s proposals to raise National Insurance (NI) to fund health and social care have been greeted with dismay across the whole range of business groups.