The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced a COVID-19 booster programme this autumn for adults over the age of 50, as well as frontline health and social care workers, unpaid carers, residents and staff in care homes for older adults, individuals aged 5 to 49 in clinical risk groups and household contacts of those who are immunosuppressed, based on Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommendations (Box 1).
Box 1.Those eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccination this autumn
- All adults aged 50 years and over
- Those aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, including pregnant women
- Those aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
- Those aged 16 to 49 years who are carers
- Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
- Frontline health and social care workers
Reducing the risk of COVID-19 hospitalisation and death
The programme of COVID-19 boosters is expected to start in early autumn, but further details have not been provided yet. Commenting on the autumn COVID-19 booster programme, Professor Anthony Harnden, Deputy Chair of the JCVI, said: ‘The COVID-19 boosters are highly effective at increasing immunity and, by offering a further dose to those at higher risk of severe illness this autumn, we hope to significantly reduce the risk of hospitalisations and deaths over the winter.’
Expansion of the flu programme
The DHSC also announced an expansion of the influenza vaccination programme in England.
Health and social care secretary Steve Barclay said: ‘The flu virus could also be highly infectious at this time of year, so today I am also announcing that those eligible for a free flu vaccination this year will include everyone aged 50 and over, primary school children and secondary school pupils in years 7, 8 and 9, as well as people in clinical risk groups, unpaid carers and household contacts of those who are immunosuppressed.’
The additional groups will only be eligible once the most vulnerable, including previously announced pre-school and primary school children, those aged 65 years and over and those in clinical risk groups, have been offered the jab.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at UKHSA, said: ‘Widening the eligibility for the flu vaccine will help reduce the number of people getting seriously ill and ease pressures on the NHS, particularly during the busy winter period. It is also important that everyone eligible for the COVID-19 booster gets the jab when invited, including pregnant women, who are among those at higher risk.’
Women's health strategy for England to tackle gender health gap
The first ever women's health strategy for England has been launched, aiming to improve the health of women and girls and close the gender health gap. Women live on average for longer than men but spend more of their life in poor health. This follows on from the call to evidence which received almost 100 000 responses.
The strategy includes commitments to research and data gathering, the expansion of women's health-focused education and training for new doctors, improvements to fertility services, ensuring women have access to high quality health information, and updating guidance for female-specific health conditions to ensure the latest evidence and advice is being used.
Highlighting the need for a strategy, health and social care secretary Steve Barclay said: ‘Our health and care system only works if it works for everyone. It is not right that 51% of our population are disadvantaged in accessing the care they need, simply because of their sex. The publication of this strategy is a landmark moment in addressing entrenched inequalities and improving the health and wellbeing of women across the country.’
Initiatives include the expansion of Women's Health Hubs and ‘one-stop clinics’, bringing essential women's services together to help women to maintain good health and improve efficiency in the NHS.
Women's Health Ambassador Dame Lesley Regan said: ‘Having spent my career looking after women, I am deeply aware of the need for a women's health strategy which empowers both women and clinicians to tackle the gender health gap.’
Dr Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians (RCOG) and Gynaecologists, although broadly welcoming of the publication, said: ‘We are disappointed, though, that the strategy falls short of RCOG recommendations in some areas, for example in its commitments around supporting migrant women's access to care. We are also concerned at the lack of dedicated funding to make these ambitions a reality.’
Patient satisfaction with GP services falls, although care remains good
The latest GP patient survey has shown a drop in the numbers of patients saying they had a good overall experience with their general practice, with 72% saying they had a good experience in 2022 compared with 83% in 2021. The survey is run annually and included 720 000 patient responses.
Problems with access
The findings suggest issues with access with only 53% saying it is easy to get through to their practice by telephone, compared with 68% in 2021. Only 72% of people were satisfied with the appointment offered, and accepted it, compared with 82% in 2021. Of the people who needed an appointment but avoided making one, over a quarter said it was because it was too difficult.
Patient care has remained high quality
However, patient care has remained good, with 85% of people saying the healthcare professional they saw in general practice was good at listening to them, 83% saying they were given enough time and 83% saying they were treated with care and concern. In total, 93% said they have confidence and trust in the health professional they saw.
Commenting on the survey results, Professor Martin Marshall, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: ‘These findings reflect an over-stretched service, with GPs and our teams doing our best for patients under intense workload and workforce pressures. It's never easy to hear patients reporting unsatisfactory experiences of receiving general practice care, or that they are having difficulties accessing our services. Ultimately, GPs, our teams and patients want the same thing - access to high quality and timely care - and we share patients’ frustrations when this can't be delivered. This is why we are calling on the Government to introduce a bold new plan for general practice.’
Staff shortages a key problem
Beccy Baird, senior fellow at The King's Fund highlighted staff shortages as a key problem facing general practice: ‘Many of the challenges patients face accessing their GP stem from the chronic staff shortages that have plagued services for years. Practices can't recruit enough GPs, nurses or other professionals to meet the rising levels of need, because in many cases those staff simply don't exist. There has been a failure of successive governments to adequately plan and invest in the future NHS workforce, a failure that has left GPs and patients to pick up the pieces.’
‘There are no quick fixes to the crisis in general practice as it will take a long time to train and recruit new staff, but some short term improvements could be made. While the exact challenges differ from practice to practice, many GPs would benefit from having ready access to support to help them make improvements such as upgrading booking systems, implementing new technology, and making best use of their physical space.’