Nick Atkinson, 44, from Hebburn, was on an escalator in Asda, Boldon, when he had a cardiac arrest. His partner Kerry Main, also 44, managed to stop the moving walkway, while staff had rushed to get the store’s defibrillator and called 999.

Community Matron Paula Jackson then came across what was happening.

Paula, who works for South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust, stepped in to use her CPR skills and defibrillator training. She worked alongside Kerry and the store staff to try and get Nick’s heart working again by using chest compressions, while a shock was delivered with the device.

Crews from the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and the Great North Air Ambulance then arrived and they were able to help move Nick onto the floor of the shop. They continued to give him treatment before he was taken to an ambulance for further care.

Nick was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital by road and underwent urgent surgery to put in stents to help blood flow around his body. He spent two weeks in its Integrated Critical Care Unit (ICCU) and B22 Cardiology Ward and his long road to recovery continues.

Now, with Kerry’s help, he has been able to meet up with Paula so they could thank her for using her lifesaving skills. They have also expressed their gratitude to everyone involved for their help in keeping him alive.

Kerry Main and Nick Atkinson thanked Paula Jackson for saving him as they were reunited at Mac ‘n’ Alli cafe.

In addition to the CPR and defibrillator training Paula undergoes as part of her role as a nurse with the Trust, it also offers non-clinical members of staff sessions as part of October’s Restart a Heart Day. During last year more than 120 non-clinical colleagues signed up for the lessons around the awareness day.

Both Paula and Kerry plan to launch fundraisers to buy defibrillators for their community after seeing first-hand how they can keep someone alive.

Paula is raising funds with the help of the Believe To Run group, which is based in her hometown of South Shields. It will use the device to take to events.

Kerry plans to collect cash to buy one for Perth Green Community Association in Jarrow, which is where Tyneside Ignite Cheerleading Club trains. The couple’s daughter is a member and Kerry is among its first aiders.

Paula, 44, works across Jarrow and Hebburn as well as in the A&E department at South Tyneside District Hospital as a nurse practitioner. She is married to John, 47, and is mum to Liam, 27, and Rhys, 21.

She said: “I was shopping in Asda and went to go down the escalator and the staff at the top said I couldn’t go down because there was a medical emergency at the bottom. I explained I was a nurse and could help.

“I was able to start CPR and the defibrillator was able to shock the patient. A first responder arrived and then ambulance crews from the North East Ambulance Service and team from the Great North Air Ambulance. It was a team effort to help Nick.

“Nick became ill just before Restart a Heart Day and I want to get across just how important it is to learn CPR skills, but also know how to use a defibrillator.

“I just knew what to do and it came naturally, and thank God, it helped Nick. Starting CPR within three to five minutes of collapse can increase survival rates by as high as 50 or 70%.

“My family have said they’re proud, but I’ve explained to them and everyone else who has heard about this that it is so important to learn CPR but also how to use a defibrillator.

“I hope anyone who sees or hears about this picks that up too. It can make all the difference.”

Nick has since had further admissions and experienced complications, including Vasovagel syncope – faints – which means he often uses a wheelchair to get around. He has diabetes, which causes issues with his feet and requires specialist care by the Trust’s podiatry team.

Kerry and Nick both work for the NHS Business Services Authority, Kerry in its Prescription Check team and Nick in its Pensions department.

They have been together for more than 20 years, after first meeting when they worked in KFC in Chichester Road, South Shields, and have both also worked for JD Wetherspoon pubs.

Kerry said: “In those moments in Asda, I had to come to terms with the fact I might lose him, but when he went through to the hospital’s Cath Lab, I had hope and positivity. That was until I got taking into the relatives’ room later that day and was told the next 48 hours would be very critical.

“We are still struggling and we can’t yet get back to work. It’s been a very stressful time. People think when you leave hospital, that’s it, but it’s a long journey.

“We want to share what happened so that others learn about CPR and defibrillators. We can’t thank Paula enough and all the others for that they did to help him.

“It is so important if you are first aid trained to know what to do, it is difficult to give chest compressions, but you have to do it to make it work – ribs do get broken, but that’s what it can take.

“People should also find out where their nearest defibrillator is available, that time is so important.

“We’re so grateful to those who responded on the day and the NHS for all its ongoing treatment and the podiatry team, who are wonderful and know Nick and how to look after him so well.”

A NEAS spokesperson said: “We hope Nick’s recovery continues well.

“Paula did a sterling job that day – it makes a huge difference to the outcome of a patient in cardiac arrest to have a bystander willing to do CPR on scene.

“When our crews are travelling to such critical incidents, it’s really heartwarming for them to find that someone has been able to intervene in those vital minutes whilst they are travelling.”

Jemma Kirby is a paramedic at GNAAS. It landed one of its helicopters in a park nearby so its team could reach Nick.

She said: “We’re glad to have played a small part in the chain of survival and hear that Nick is slowly making progress in his recovery.

“We’d like to thank our supporters for enabling us to respond and wish Nick all the best for the future.”

Information about how to perform CPR can be found through the NHS’s website – CPR-First aid

Details on defibrillators across the North East can be found through the NEAS website – Community defibrillators

The Great North Air Ambulance’s website, including how to donate to the charity, can be found through https://www.greatnorthairambulance.co.uk/

Source: https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/news/latest-news/patient-reunited-duty-nurse-who-joined-effort-save-him-cpr-and-defibrillator-after-collapse

If you or your child have used this service, we would love to hear from you. We want to know what works well. We also need to find out what could be better.

How to share your thoughts

A survey is helping to collect feedback

• Complete it online – https://eu.surveymonkey.com/r/SaLT-ST-Sun
• If you would like a paper version to fill out please email necsu.icb.involvement@nhs.net 
• Call 07917 475018

The survey will take around 15 minutes to complete. The closing date is 26th February 2025.

Your survey responses will be gathered by NHS North East North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB). Your views will not be used in a way that will identify you. It will help to write a report to help NHS staff plan services and make improvements.

You can also visit one of the drop-in sessions across our area:

• Tuesday, February 4, from 2pm to 4pm, at Hebburn Family Hub, Campbell Park Road, Hebburn, NE31 1QY
• Monday, February 10, from 9.30am to 11.30am, at All Saints Family Hub. Whitehall Street, South Shields, NE33 4SU

A summary of the report will be published on the ICB involvement webpage which will also include information on what will happen next.

If you need help filling in the survey or have any questions, please email us on necsu.icb.involvement@nhs.net or call 07917475018.

Source: https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/news/latest-news/childrens-speech-and-language-therapy-can-you-help-us-review-service

The test is part of national genetic testing available on the NHS and will help identify if potential donors carry genes that mean they have a high risk of kidney disease after donation.

The NHS plans to carry out around 160 tests a year to identify people with ‘high-risk’ variants of a gene known as ‘APOL1’, common in people of Black African and Black Caribbean, and the test will help clinicians assess donor suitability and future risk of kidney failure.

Following APOL1 testing, those shown to be at high risk of developing kidney failure later in life, and who are under 60 years old, will be advised against kidney donation.

The genetic test for potential donors could also help prevent future kidney disease and reduce healthcare inequalities among people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage who are more likely to develop kidney disease than those of White heritage.

Those found to be at higher risk of kidney disease will be able to receive regular monitoring and kidney check-ups as well as given advice around lifestyle changes and diet which can help reduce their risk of developing kidney disease in the future.

Each year around 1,000 people choose to donate one of their kidneys to someone with kidney failure.

People with two parents of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage are more likely to have kidney failure and to need a transplant than people of White heritage.

Research shows around three in five people with two high-risk genes develop kidney disease after donating a kidney.

The genetic test will look for the genes in all people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage who are considering donating a kidney to help assess whether potential donors are at a higher risk of developing kidney failure in later life, providing more information about their suitability for donation – around 500 tests are expected to be undertaken over the next three years.

The test has been made available nationally after a request was made by members of Bristol Health Partners’ Kidney Disease Health Integration Team working at the University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust.

Testing is now available across the country with samples being sent to the South West and South East Genomic Laboratory Hubs for analysis.

The initiative is part of wider work to embed genomics in the NHS, including how genomic medicine can best serve diverse communities and reduce health disparities.

Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of NHS England, said: “It’s great news that this simple blood test on the NHS will help protect donors of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage who are selflessly coming forward to try and save lives.

“We know kidney failure disproportionately impacts people from Black African and Black Caribbean heritage and this genetic test will not only help keep potential donors safe from future kidney disease, but it will also enable NHS staff to monitor those most at risk, which could ultimately improve hundreds of lives.

“This is just the latest example of how the NHS is harnessing the full force of genomic medicine to prevent future ill health, improve the lives of patients and, at the same time, to address healthcare inequalities to improve the lives of all NHS patients.”

Professor Bola Owolabi, Director of the National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme, NHS England, said: “This is a great step forward in narrowing the gap in kidney health and tackling healthcare inequalities faced by Black African and Black Caribbean donors. This new genetic test will help make kidney donation safer for those who are generously willing to help others, while also enabling the NHS to help donors live longer and healthier lives.”

Professor Dame Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer for NHS England and Senior Responsible Officer for NHS Genomics, said: “The NHS is a world leader in genomics and has helped to change the lives of millions of patients and their families, by ensuring that they have access to the diagnosis, treatments and care they need. 

“This national offer of genomic medicine is also there to serve the needs of our diverse communities. By introducing APOL1 testing, we can now help protect the kidney health of people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage when they are generously considering donating a kidney. This is a prime example of how genomics can play a part in reducing health inequalities across England.”

Dr Pippa Bailey, Associate Professor at the University of Bristol and Consultant Nephrologist at North Bristol NHS Trust and Dr Natalie Forrester, Consultant Clinical Scientist at the South West Genomics Hub, requested for the test to be added to the National Genomics Test Directory.

Pippa said: “Thanks to this testing being approved by NHS England we can now identify people who could be at a higher risk of developing kidney disease if they donate a kidney and therefore advise them against kidney donation. At the same time, we can reassure those who are not at high risk.”

“The new test provides people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage with personalised information about the risks of kidney donation which helps to reduce cases of kidney failure in kidney donors. It also allows us to reassure low-risk donors which may help to redress ethnic inequity in living donor kidney transplantation.”

Dr Celia Duff-Farrier, Principal Clinical Scientist and Renal lead for the South West Genomics Laboratory Hub, said: “It’s fantastic that we can now offer APOL1 gene testing through the NHS. In the short time we have been running this service we have already identified numerous high-risk individuals, providing hugely valuable information to support transplant decisions and improve patient lives.”

Dr Dela Idowu, 65, from Northwest London, who had APOL1 testing through the South East Genomic Laboratory Hub, said: “My brother Tayo and I are very close so, when he told me he had chronic kidney disease and would need a kidney transplant, I offered to be his donor. For me, it was a no-brainer. I wanted him to live a full and healthy life, and I didn’t want him to spend years on dialysis which is often the case for Black patients due to the lack of Black organ donors.

“Although I was a perfect tissue match and the same blood group, the results of an APOL1 test sadly showed it was too risky for me to be my brother’s donor – although this was heartbreaking, he was eventually able to get a successful transplant from another donor.

“I now have an annual kidney health check with my GP because of the results of my test. I did not think twice about having it and would definitely encourage anyone of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage considering being a kidney donor to have the test. It’s so important to know if it’s safe to donate or not.”

Professor Derek Manas, Medical Director for Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “NHS Blood and Transplant welcomes the news that NHS England has now approved APOL1 testing which is now available nationally on the NHS – this will provide more certainty to people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage who are considering donating a kidney and improve the assessment and communication of donor risk in the evaluation of donors of African origin.”

Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron said: “This rollout is a transformative step forward which will reduce health inequalities and help save lives.

“Kidney donation is a profoundly generous act, and the genetic test will make sure this decision is made with the utmost care for both donors and recipients.”

Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/01/nhs-rolls-out-national-genetic-test-to-reduce-risk-of-donor-kidney-failure/

Following Lord Ara Darzi’s independent investigation into NHS performance last year, Healthwatch England commissioned a poll to assess whether people are aware of how to file complaints about their NHS healthcare and access support in doing so.

The investigation found serious failings in how the service listens to and responds to patient feedback. It highlighted that “the patient voice is simply not loud enough. There are real problems in responsiveness of services to the people they are intended to serve.

Key findings in Healthwatch research 

The poll, conducted by YouGov, found that out of 2,650 adults living in England who had a poor experience of NHS healthcare, over half, 56%, took no action about their care, and fewer than one in 10, nine per cent, made a formal complaint.

Among those who didn’t formally complain when they had a poor experience, research identified several key barriers to doing so:

• Around a third of respondents, 34%, didn’t believe the NHS would use their complaint to improve services;
• A third, 33%, thought NHS organisations wouldn’t respond effectively to their complaint;
• Thirty percent didn’t believe the NHS would think their complaint was serious enough;
• One in five, 20%, were scared that complaining would affect their ongoing treatment;
• Nineteen percent said they didn’t know who to contact to make a complaint.
• Overall, over half of people who made a complaint to an NHS organisation were dissatisfied with both the process of making a complaint, 56%, and the outcome of their complaint, 56%.

We need an effective NHS complaints system 

Making a complaint is a right guaranteed by the NHS Constitution, introduced in 2009, which commits to listening to feedback, learning from it, and driving improvements in patient care.

An effective complaints system is vital to enhancing healthcare services and rebuilding public satisfaction in the NHS, which according to data from The King’s Fund, currently stands at a record low of just 24%

In recent years, numerous public inquiries and reports have called for changes to the complaints system after providers and regulators failed to act in serious safety cases.

In 2014, Healthwatch England published a report on people’s experiences of health and care complaints systems, following the scandal at Mid-Staffordshire Hospital. Suffering in Silence concluded that people found “making complaints overly complex, incredibly frustrating and largely ineffective”.

Since then, there have been structural changes in complaints handling, with England’s 42 integrated care boards taking on powers to handle primary care complaints where patients don’t go to their service directly.

Most recently, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which handles concerns that haven’t been resolved locally, saw a significant rise in complaints about the NHS. They have called on the Government and the NHS to listen and learn “when things go wrong”.

Beth’s story: “I feel let down by the NHS”   

Beth, 60, made a formal complaint to PALS in March 2024 after she was taken to A&E the previous year.

She believed she had been misdiagnosed at A&E. During her 18-week treatment at hospital, her possessions, including engagement and wedding rings, went missing, she found a wound on her leg, and she was treated poorly by a hospital staff member.

Following her complaint, an investigation was launched and a meeting scheduled few months later.

Beth said: “They were unable to answer any of my questions. The hospital couldn’t even find a record of the staff member I mentioned. I had to fight for answers about what happened, but now it doesn’t feel like this will do anything at all. Instead of taking my complaint seriously and fixing the problems in their system, the hospital staff just circle the wagons and deflect. I feel let down by the NHS.”

Beth’s experience has shattered her confidence to raise complaints again. It’s also made her feel uncomfortable getting any treatment at her local hospital, to the extent that she now feels privately funded care is the only way she’ll continue her recovery.

We call for a culture of listening and learning from complaints

Louise Ansari, Chief Executive of Healthwatch England, said: “We know that public satisfaction with the NHS is at record low levels, with too many patients receiving poor care. When patients feel their complaints are not taken seriously or don’t take any action due to a complex system, services miss out on vital information to help them improve.

“We flagged failings with the NHS over a decade ago, following the patient safety scandal at Mid Staffordshire Hospital. Ten years on, our research shows that the public still lacks confidence in the NHS complaints system.

“We need a step change in how people’s complaints are handled and acted on. Healthcare leaders should focus on developing a culture of listening and learning from complaints across the sector.

“Making it easier for patients and families to navigate the complaints system through the NHS App, setting mandatory response times, and measuring people’s satisfaction with the process and the outcomes from complaints will be a key part of this.”

Key recommendations 

Findings show that the NHS does not consistently welcome, handle, respond to or learn from complaints in a patient-centred manner. We need action to:

• Make the complaints process easier for patients and their families to navigate.
• Monitor and improve the performance of organisations that handle complaints
• Develop a culture of listening to and learning from complaints.

Read the ‘A pain to complain’ report 

About the poll 

YouGov undertook polling on people’s experience of NHS complaints systems. It consisted of two parts:

1. Nationally representative sample of 2,042 adults (18+) living in England polled between 17 and 22 October. The polling aimed to find out their confidence in making a complaint about poor care and the prevalence of people in the population who had had an experience of poor NHS care since October 2023. It found nearly one-quarter, 24%, had a poor experience of NHS care in the past 12 months. This would equate to an estimated 10.7 million adults when applied across the current population.
2. Boosted samples to find out the experience of people who had had a poor experience of the population. Fieldwork was carried out between 17 and 23 October 2024. Total sample size was 2,650 adults (18+) living in England that had a poor experience of NHS healthcare since October 2023.

Source: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/news/2025-01-27/nhs-complaints-system-lets-people-down-new-research-warns

New data also shows almost 2 million referrals (1.8 million) to Talking Therapies were made last year, with more than 1.2 million people starting treatment.

NHS Talking Therapies help people who struggle with their mental health, such as anxiety or depression, and as part of the programme patients can be linked up with their own employment advisor if finding and keeping work is something they are keen to explore or receive help with.

Once an individual is signed up to the service, they are linked up with employment advisors who can help with a variety of different tasks, from finding a new role to CV writing, prepping for interviews, advising on reasonable adjustments in the workplace and setting goals.

Employment and mental health are closely linked, and research shows employment support from an advisor, alongside therapy, can help improve symptoms of anxiety and depression.

67,794 people began receiving employment advice through the programme last year, compared to 41,907 in the previous 12 months – a rise of 62%.

Anyone can sign up to the NHS Talking Therapies Programme, either online or by contacting their GP and NHS figures also show 9 in 10 were given mental health support within six weeks of referral to the service.

This comes after a recruitment drive for an additional 700 NHS employment advisors, with more set to be recruited in the coming months.

NHS National Director for Mental Health, Claire Murdoch, said: “The NHS has heard for many years from patients struggling with their mental health that working and having a purpose can have a hugely positive impact.

“This is why I’m thrilled that NHS staff have helped more than 67,000 mental health patients with employment advice, because for many, having the right job and support is crucial in their mental health journey.

“If you or someone you know is worried about their mental health, please come forward, the NHS is here to help.”

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said: “It is vital that patients can get the support they need, to improve their mental health and help them back to work.

“This government will transform mental health services, recruiting more than 8,500 mental health professionals, introducing mental health support in every school, and investing in Talking Therapies for an extra 380,000 patients next year.”

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, said: “Good work is good for people’s health and wellbeing. Talking Therapies are helping people get the mental health support and employment advice they need to secure work and get on in life.

“With more people in well paid, secure work, we will boost living standards and get the economy growing.”

Today’s announcement comes after ONS analysis found that NHS Talking Therapies can improve monthly pay prospects while also boosting the chance of employment.

The NHS Talking Therapies Programme is available to anyone who feels they need support with things like feelings of depression, excessive worry, social anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, please do come forward for help. Ask your GP for a referral to NHS Talking Therapies, or you can refer yourself via nhs.uk/talk.

Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/01/nhs-supports-thousands-more-people-back-into-work/

New data published on January 23 shows that 784 patients a day were in hospital with norovirus last week (week ending 19 January 2025), up from 650 the previous week. Levels are up almost 80% compared to the same period last year (438 in 2024), and are the highest seen in hospitals in any January since 2020.

Flu rates have dropped since their peak but remain almost 2.5 times higher than last year, with 3,833 patients in hospital with the illness on average each day last week, including 176 in critical care.

Other winter viruses are adding to the strain, with over a thousand patients on average (1,071) in hospital with COVID-19 every day last week. While 29 children on average were in hospital with RSV each day – a fall from the previous week (51) – but numbers were still up 91% on last year (15 in 2024).

Amid this increased demand, hospitals remain extremely busy with 96% of adult hospital beds occupied by patients.

Almost one in seven of these (13,710) were last week taken up by patients who did not need to be in hospital and were well enough to be discharged – 125 more than the previous week.

Despite the pressure on services, time lost to delays in ambulance handovers continued to fall to 18,971 hours – down a third on the week before (29,956 hours) and on the same week last year (28,712).

More than 29 million flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines have been delivered since autumn and those eligible can still protect themselves by visiting a COVID-19 walk-in vaccination site or finding a pharmacy offering the flu vaccine.

Measures put in place ahead of winter by the NHS included upgraded 24 hour co-ordination centres, support for frequent users of A&E services, strengthened same day emergency care and more care in the community.

Professor Julian Redhead, NHS National Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care said: “NHS hospitals have been hit by a surge in norovirus cases over the last week – with the highest level recorded in any January since 2020.

“This, along with higher than normal rates of flu and other winter viruses – and continued issues in delays in discharging patients – means hospitals remain extremely busy with patients.

“Staff are working incredibly hard to see patients as quickly as possible, and it is welcome news that flu cases have now peaked. Patients should continue to use 111 and 111 online if you need advice and support for health conditions and call 999 or go to A&E in life-threatening emergencies.”

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said: “Despite the work we did to end the strikes and roll out the new RSV vaccine, hospitals up and down the country are still facing significant pressure and patients continue to face unacceptable levels of care this winter.

“It’s welcome that flu rates are starting to decline and ambulance handovers are improving – but we’re not out of the woods yet.

“If you’re eligible, it’s not too late to get your flu vaccination – contact your local pharmacy or GP to protect yourself this winter.”

Norovirus can spread very easily and washing hands frequently with soap and water is the best way to stop it spreading.

The weekly situation report publications can be found here: Statistics » Urgent and Emergency Care Daily Situation Reports 2024-25

Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/01/surge-in-norovirus-cases-keeps-pressure-on-hospitals-high/