Pulse Magazine

Public health officials are warning of an increase in cases of chikungunya in England after travellers caught the infection abroad. There have been 73 cases in the first six months of the year, the UK Health Security Agency said compared with 27 cases in the same period in 2024. It is the highest number of chikungunya cases ever seen in England and reflects ongoing outbreaks overseas.

Editor Sofia Lind on why GPC England should not abandon potential plans for new collective action just yet Earlier this week, health secretary Wes Streeting wrote to every GP in England to say the Government remains committed to the partnership model and to negotiating a new GP contract within this Parliament. It’s the first time he has said this directly since the 10-year Health Plan was published in July. That plan made no reference to a new GMS contract.

The trade union for physician associates is seeking to prevent NHS England from implementing the recommendations of the Government’s review into the role while it is in the middle of a judicial review into the changes. United Medical Associate Professionals (UMAPs) said it is seeking an injunction against NHS England to stop it from ‘rapidly forcing through changes’ to the PA job role while a judicial review it has brought against both NHS England and health secretary Wes Streeting is ongoing.

The Government has announced a pilot to test new ways to support patients living with obesity, in a bid to ‘ease pressures’ on general practice. ICBs will be asked to submit bids to pilot ‘innovative models of care’ for people living with obesity, outside of existing specialist weight management services, including wraparound services, obesity treatments and digital tools.

NHS England has urged pregnant women to use a new service to self-refer directly to local maternity services, without seeing a GP first. By completing an online form on NHS.uk, families can now choose directly which NHS trust to refer themselves to. NHS England estimated that this service could lead to 180,000 fewer calls to GPs and up to 30,000 fewer general practice appointments each year.

The health secretary has written to all GP practices in England thanking them for their ‘tireless efforts’ and reaffirming the Government’s commitment to the partnership model and a new GP contract. In a letter to practices, Wes Streeting said the Government ‘remains committed to the partnership model’ and that it will work with the BMA’s GP committee on ‘a new substantive GP contract within this Parliament’.

A retired GP was among at least 13 health workers arrested at protests against the proscription of the group Palestine Action on Saturday, according to a health worker protest group. The group formed a ‘health block’ at the protest in Parliament Square to draw attention to attacks on health workers in Gaza. It is estimated that over 1,500 health workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, which the UN Human Rights office has ‘condemned’.

Talking therapies offered on the NHS for depression and anxiety appear to be less effective for teenagers and young adults, a study has found. Analysis of data from almost 310,000 patients aged 16-24 years who had an episode of treatment by the NHS Talking Therapies service found they were less likely to have improved or recovered compared with those aged 25 to 65.

The BMA has written to the primary care minister asking to meet ‘at the earliest possible opportunity’ regarding the GP unemployment crisis. Over 3,000 GPs will gain their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) this week, but the BMA said the lack of substantive work available means ‘many face uncertainty’.

Real-world analysis of the first season of vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has shown a dramatic impact on hospitalisation in both older people and newborns. An analysis done by the UK Health Security Agency found RSV vaccination was 82% effective against hospitalisation in older people this winter. It also showed it was ‘highly effective’ in preventing hospitalisation for older people with a chronic respiratory condition and those who are immunosuppressed.