Health and care sector latest developments

Meningitis vaccine roll-out beings at the University of Kent 

A roll-out of the meningitis B vaccine has begun at the University of Kent's Canterbury campus. 

It comes after 20 suspected cases resulted from an outbreak of meningitis linked to a nightclub. 

At Prime Minister’s Question in parliament today, Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, gave condolences to the families of young people who’ve passed away after contracting the disease. He said health workers are distributing antibiotics and will begin a targeted vaccination programme in the coming days, and he called for anyone who attended Club Chemistry on 5, 6 or 7 March to come forward and receive antibiotics. 

This afternoon, it has been reported that the outbreak has spread to a second university – Canterbury Christ Church University. 

NHS would struggle to cope with another pandemic, doctors warn 

The NHS is in a ‘perilous’ state and would struggle to cope with another pandemic, as overcrowded hospitals buckle under even day-to-day demands, top doctors have said. 

Dr Ian Higginson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said that he has “not seen any active evidence anywhere of people planning for the next one. Our hospitals are in a much more perilous state than they were before the last pandemic. From our perspective, our departments are much more overcrowded, and our hospitals are under even more pressure than they were before.” 

Dr Higginson’s comments come on the eve of the publication of the COVID-19 inquiry’s latest report which is expected to reveal the impact the pandemic had on NHS and patients. 

MPs issue warning on hospice finances 

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has warned that the government is not responding adequately to the financial crisis in the adult hospice sector. 

In a new report, the committee explains that hospices are having to reduce essential services, as demand for palliative care continues to increase. 

While capital funding boosts have been welcomed by the sector, the report says that a one-off boost does not address longer-term struggles with funding service delivery. 

Committee chair Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown warned that “by the time any help arrives, invaluable services may already have been cut.” 

The issue of hospice funding was also raised at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions by Conservative MP, Wendy Morton, who asked the PM to commit to long-term, sustainable funding. The PM said in reply that it is important that the funding and (modern service) framework – due for publication in the coming months – is put in place and the government supports the work of hospices. 

Stronger visiting rights for people in health and care settings

The government has announced that patients and residents in care homes, hospitals and hospices will no longer be cut off from their loved ones unless in exceptional circumstances, under a drive to strengthen visiting rights and end blanket bans.

While health and care providers are required to make sure those in health and care settings can see their families and loved ones, but a review by the government revealed that many people continue to face barriers in visitation.

In response, the government has said it will distribute comprehensive guidance and resources to make visitation rights clear and ensure people’s rights are being protected.

NHS England expects local resistance to centralised procurement plan 

The Health Service Journal has reported that NHS England is prepared for local resistance to its plan to take greater control over the buying decisions of local trusts.

NHS Enlgand wants the NHS to adopt ‘a centre-led commercial model’ to realise £2 billion in savings and reduce fragmentation to realise benefit for the whole of the NHS and not individual organisations. 

Currently, procurement is controlled at a local level by trusts, increasingly working together with their neighbours to drive cost improvements. 

Select committee discusses gaps in EHCP health provision 

The Health and Social Care Committee met today to examine the delivery of the Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), with witnesses highlighting that families are often unable to access timely support and frequently only receive care once needs reach crisis point. 

MPs heard that workforce shortages across children’s therapies are a central constraint, with evidence suggesting that even fully staffed services would struggle to meet rising demand, pointing to systemic capacity issues. 

The Committee was told that the health element of EHCPs is often the weakest, with vague provisions, limited enforceability and blurred responsibilities between health and education undermining accountability. 

Witnesses argued that addressing these issues will require stronger integration across services, including joint commissioning, clearer accountability structures and a dedicated workforce strategy to better align health, education and care provision. 

Gordon Brown pushes for urgent end-of-life care reform 

Former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has said that the UK has a “moral obligation” to fix unequal end-of-life care, warning that a “postcode lottery” leaves many without proper support. 

Speaking after Scotland rejected assisted dying laws, he stressed improving palliative care should be the priority to prevent avoidable suffering at the end of life.

As PA Media reports, Brown urged all UK Governments to cooperate so that everyone can be “guaranteed the most compassionate and highest quality of care” regardless of location. 

Crisis car service to end across most of London 

Most of London is to lose its mental health response cars after three integrated care boards – North East, North Central and South West – withdrew funding for the service. 

The cars have attended more than 39,000 callouts since 2020 and they were commissioned to provide care to those in mental health crisis who might otherwise attend A&E or get an ambulance response. 

The service will continue to operate in North West and South East London. 

Chair of the NHS’s biggest hospital group to step down 

Matthew Swindellswill step down as chair of the North West London Acute Provider Collaborative, which includes Imperial College Healthcare and three other acute trusts, when his term ends at the end of this month.

It comes following criticism in relation to his role of advising US tech firm Palantir.