Heat-related deaths in the UK could triple in the next 30 years, according to a new report by the British Red Cross.
The charity’s Feeling The Heat report looks at how prepared the UK is for rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves, and warns of a dangerous perception gap when it comes to awareness of the risks posed by heat.
Advertisement
Heatwaves – defined as a period of extreme heat lasting three days or more – have increased in the UK, with 84 registered between 2000 and 2020, and will continue to do so, the report says, both in intensity and length.
“The average length of warm spells have more than doubled in length in the last few decades, and by 2050 the UK will be 50% more likely to experience hot summers, while heat-related deaths could more than triple, to around 7,000 per year,” the charity’s briefing says.
Advertisement
The report, which surveyed 2,000 UK adults in June, comes after another period of weather in the UK that prompted extreme heat warnings, and found the risks that can come from heatwaves are not matched by the level of public concern.
Yui Mok – PA Images via Getty Images
A man sunbathing in St James’s Park, London on the hottest day of the year so far.
Even the word heatwave has positive connotations for the public, and is seen as bringing good weather, with a survey suggesting more than a quarter (26%) of people see heatwaves as a good thing. Meanwhile, more than a third (37%) believe heatwaves will be a problem in the future, but not now.
Advertisement
However, August 2020 heatwaves caused a record 2,556 excess deaths in England, as well as significant disruption across the UK, it warns. A severe water shortage led to more than 300 households in West Sussex having no water for five days, and there were an estimated five million staff days lost, at a cost of approximately £770m to the UK economy.
The survey suggests the majority (60%) of UK adults have experienced at least one adverse effect of hot weather in the UK, most commonly headaches (33%), dizziness or feeling faint (22%), or heat rash (21%). However it found that 40% of adults have never seen information on how to protect themselves during a heatwave, and 9% said they’ve never had advanced warning of a heatwave.
People who are more vulnerable to heatwaves
Hot weather can impact us all, but the following groups can be more vulnerable, the report says:
Older people and people who live in care homes
Babies and children
People who are pregnant
People with chronic health conditions
People with mental health conditions
Those drinking to much or taking recreational drugs
People who live alone or are socially isolated
Homeless people and marginalised groups
Refugees and migrants
Outdoor workers
Despite those aged 75 and above being at high risk form these effects, more than half of this age group surveyed said they do not consider themselves as vulnerable to the impact of heatwaves, the research found.
Advertisement
“Through the British Red Cross’s work responding to emergencies here in the UK and abroad, we are already seeing the devastating impact of climate change, including hot weather,” the report says. “But we also know that extreme weather emergencies don’t need to be disasters.”
The charity is calling on the government to ensure the most vulnerable to heat have access to adequate information and support. Former TV weather presenter Sian Lloyd has joined the call for greater awareness and understanding of the risks associated with rising temperatures.
“The UK is getting hotter,” she says. “As a result of climate change, heatwaves are becoming longer and more extreme, and many people’s health and wellbeing will continue to suffer as a result.
“We already know that certain groups are more at risk from extreme heat, including people aged over 75, adults with underlying health conditions, children and babies, as well as people living in top floor flats and in built-up urban areas where temperatures are higher.”
Matthew Killick, director of crisis response and community resilience at British Red Cross, said: “Despite what many think, UK heatwaves can impact us all.
“But heatwaves don’t need to be deadly. From checking on your neighbours to providing first aid, simple early actions can keep you, your family and friends safe and well during hot weather.”
Leaving eight weeks between your first and second dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is the optimum gap for immunity and protection, say scientists.
A new study, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care has found that a 10-week gap between doses produces higher antibody levels, as well as a higher proportion of infection-fighting T cells, compared to just four weeks.
Advertisement
However, scientists involved in the study have described an eight-week dosing interval as the “sweet spot” when it comes to generating a strong immune response while also protecting the UK population against the Delta variant of coronavirus – to which people can still be vulnerable after just one jab.
At the start of the second wave of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) decided to recommend 12 weeks between two doses for the two vaccines that were available at the time: Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca.
Advertisement
This was when vaccines were in short supply and early research suggested that widening the gap from the manufacturer-recommended four weeks to 12 ramped up the jabs’ immune response.
In May, the guidance was changed to eight weeks as cases associated with the Delta variant – which was first identified in India – continued to rise in the UK.
Advertisement
eyesfoto via Getty Images
Professor Susanna Duanchie of the University of Oxford, joint chief investigator in the study, said: “The original recommendation from JCVI was 12 weeks and this was based on a lot of knowledge from other vaccines that often having a longer interval (between doses) gives your immune system a chance to make the highest response.
“The decision to put it to eight weeks is really balancing all the wider issues, the pros and cons – two doses is better than one overall. Also, other factors need to be balanced: vaccine supply, the desire to open up, and so on.”
She added: “I think that eight weeks is about the sweet spot for me, because people do want to get the two vaccine (doses) and there is a lot of Delta out there right now. Unfortunately, I can’t see this virus disappearing so you want to balance that against getting the best protection that you can.”
Researchers recruited 503 healthcare workers for the study, 44% (223) of whom previously had Covid-19, and studied the immune responses generated by the Pfizer jab. They found that both short (three to four-week) and long (10-week) gaps between the Pfizer vaccine doses generated strong antibody and T cell immune responses.
Advertisement
But the longer gap led to higher antibody levels and a higher proportion of helper T cells, which according to the researchers, supports immune memory.
After the second dose, a wider gap also resulted in higher neutralising antibody levels against the Delta variant and all other variants of concern, they found. But in this instance, antibody levels dropped off between first and second dose – leaving the recipients vulnerable against the Delta variant after one jab.
Dr Rebecca Payne, one of the study’s authors from Newcastle University, said the cellular response from infection-fighting T cells remained consistent across both long and short dosing gaps, suggesting they play an important role in protecting against Covid-19 between the first and second jab.
“After the second dose on the longer dosing schedule, antibody levels surpassed those seen at the same timepoint after a shorter dosing interval,” she added. “Although T cell levels were comparatively lower, the profile of T cells present suggested more support of immune memory and antibody generation.”
Researchers said there may be exceptions where the gap between doses may need to be shortened from eight weeks to four, such as before treatments that may affect the immune system, such as cancer or organ transplant.
Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said the government took the JCVI’s advice to shorten the dosing interval from 12 to eight weeks to help protect more people against the Delta variant.
“This latest study provides further evidence that this interval results in a strong immune response and supports our decision,” he added.
“I urge every adult to get both doses of the vaccine to protect yourself and those around you and we are looking to offer millions of the most vulnerable a booster jab from September to ensure this protection is maintained.”
Prince George’s eight birthday has been marked with a new photograph that pays touching tribute to his great-grandfather, the late Duke of Edinburgh.
In the image, taken by his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, George sits on the bonnet of a Land Rover Defender, Prince Philip’s favourite make of car.
Advertisement
The Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April a few months short of his 100th birthday, regularly drove Land Rovers and during his funeral, his coffin was carried by a specially adapted defender, which he helped design himself.
A keen photographer, the Duchess of Cambridge often releases images she has taken of George, his sister Charlotte and brother Louis to mark birthdays and major landmarks of both the Cambridge and Royal families.
Advertisement
Prince George was born on July 22, 2013, in the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington and, at that time of his birth, was the Queen’s third great-grandchild. She now has 11, after latest arrival in June of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who was named by her great-grandmother’s childhood nickname.
George, who is third in line to the throne after his grandfather, the Prince of Wales, and his father, Prince William, made his debut in front of the world’s media on the hospital steps a day after his birth, wrapped in a white merino wool shawl and cradled in his parents’ arms.
Advertisement
Dominic Lipinski – PA Images via Getty Images
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital with their newborn son, Prince George of Cambridge in 2013.
Kate’s latest pictures of Prince George was taken earlier this month in Norfolk, where the Cambridges have a family home, Anmer Hall, which is close to the Queen’s Sandringham residence.
George, who celebrates his birthday on Thursday, is dressed in a striped polo- top and shorts, and is sporting a big smile for his mother behind the lens.
Despite this, Kate has previously revealed that her children sometimes beg her to put her camera down. Speaking at an event for her Hold Still photography contest in June, the duchess said about George, Charlotte and Louis: “Everyone’s like, ‘Mummy, please stop taking photographs’.”
Seven in 10 disabled women say they have been sexually harassed at work, increasing to almost eight in 10 among those aged 18 to 34.
These shocking statistics, which compare to 52% of women in general, are from a new report published by the the TUC that surveyed 2,003 disabled women about their careers. Of those, 1,162 respondents agreed to answer questions about their experiences of sexual harassment at work.
Advertisement
It’s been more than four years since the #MeToo movement took over our social media feeds, but this is the first major study into the sexual harassment of disabled women at work in Great Britain. As the report highlights, “the voices and experiences of disabled women have too infrequently been highlighted”.
Common experiences shared by those surveyed included unwanted sexual advances (38%), unwanted touching (36%), and unwanted sexual touching/sexual assault (18%).
Advertisement
One in 25 said they had experienced a serious sexual assault or rape at work.
Thomas Barwick via Getty Images
The research also suggests that many disabled women experience multiple forms of harassment in the workplace, with more than half of respondents (54%) saying they had experienced two or more types of sexually harassing behaviour, and 45% saying they had experienced three or more. “This points to workplace cultures where sexual harassment is a frequent and normalised occurrence rather than an isolated incident,” the authors said.
Advertisement
The report identified great hesitancy among disabled women in reporting harassment at work. Two thirds (67%) of those who had experienced it did not report the harassment to their boss the most recent time it happened, with 39% saying this was because they did not believe they would be taken seriously.
Some said they were worried it would have a negative impact on their career or work relationships. Other reasons included not thinking they would be believed or thinking they would be blamed if they reported the incident.
And unfortunately, of those who did report the most recent instance of sexual harassment, more than half (53%) said it was not dealt with satisfactorily.
Unsurprisingly, this is having a huge impact on the wellbeing of women.
Advertisement
Around one in three (34%) of those who disclosed harassment in the survey said their experiences had a negative impact on their mental health and more than one in five (21%) said it negatively affected their relationships with colleagues.
The experiences caused one in eight (12%) to leave their job or employer entirely. This is particularly troubling given disabled women already face significant barriers to getting into work and getting paid the same as non-disabled workers.
TUC research in October 2020 found that disabled women earned 36% less than non-disabled men. The analysis also found a huge unemployment gap; disabled women were 32.6% more likely to be unemployed when compared to non-disabled men.
“Four years on from the explosion of #MeToo on a global scale, employers still aren’t doing enough to make sure women are safe at work. It’s time for every employer to take responsibility for protecting their staff from sexual harassment,” said TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady.
“Ministers must change the law to make employers protect workers from sexual harassment specifically, and from all forms of harassment by customers and clients. Anyone worried about sexual harassment at work should get in touch with their union.”
The vaccine programme has been rolled out to more children across the UK, but it’s not open to all under 18s just yet.
Health secretary Sajid Javid said that he has asked the NHS to prepare to vaccinate the newly eligible groups “as soon as possible”. Here’s what you need to know as a parent or guardian.
Advertisement
Can my child get the vaccine?
Under previous advice, teens aged 16 to 17 with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious Covid should have already been offered a jab. The latest announcement extends the vaccine rollout to more vulnerable children.
Advertisement
Vulnerable children between the ages of 12 and 15 will now be offered a Covid vaccine. Those who’ll be offered a jab include children with severe neurodisabilities, Down’s syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities.
The vaccine will also be offered to 17-year-olds who are within three months of their 18th birthday.
Advertisement
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has also recommended that children and young people aged 12 to 17 who live with an immunosuppressed person be offered the vaccine, to indirectly protect their immunosuppressed household contacts.
mixetto via Getty Images
What vaccine will vulnerable children get?
The medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has already approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for use among children aged 12 and over in the UK, so it is likely this is the vaccine they will receive.
Why is there caution about the vaccine for kids?
Advertisement
The government has said it will continue to review whether or not to offer the vaccine to all under 18s.
The caution is due to a lack of available trial data, says Helen Bedford, Professor of Children’s Health at UCL. There’s also a careful balancing act between the benefits of the vaccine vs any potential negative impacts on kids.
“Healthy young people and children become seriously ill with COVID-19 extremely rarely, so there would be few direct benefits for them of vaccination but it would contribute to increasing population immunity,” she explains. “Before recommending vaccination for all children and young people we therefore need to be very clear about of the safety of the vaccines in this group.
“Although there is now good trial data and experience of vaccinating very large numbers of adults and the vaccines have been shown to be safe, we cannot automatically assume this applies to children. More information is needed from trials and experience of using these vaccines in young people and children before the programme is rolled out further.”
What are other countries doing?
Nearly half of European countries have decided to offer the vaccine to children aged 12 and over, including France, Spain, Italy and Austria. Some vaccination programmes have started, while others are imminent, with plans to vaccinate children before the new school term in September widespread.
In rare instances, some children have developed a multi-system inflammatory syndrome linked to Covid-19 which can lead to organ damage. Scientists will consider this when continuing to weigh up the pros and cons of vaccines.
World Animal Protection said KFC’s work with the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) – a set of standards for birds’ welfare – and its reporting on its performance against its own standards set it apart from other retailers.
Nando’s, Burger King and Pizza Hut also scored high points for signing up to the BCC in the UK, unlike Starbucks, Subway, Domino’s or McDonald’s.
When contacted about the Pecking Order report, Dominos told HuffPost UK it supports the aims of the Better Chicken Commitment and that many of the processes it has in place meet, and in some cases, exceed its requirements.
“We are pleased to see the report acknowledges our efforts to provide environmental enrichment are in line with BCC standards,” a spokesperson said. “We are committed to working in an open and transparent manner, including supporting our suppliers to ensure that they improve upon the high standards of animal welfare which we, and our customers, expect.”
HuffPost UK also contacted Subway, Starbucks and McDonald’s and will update this article when we receive responses.
“Many big brand restaurants are denying billions of birds the chance to see sunlight, grow at a healthy rate or behave naturally,” said World Animal Protection global campaign head, Jonty Whittleton.
“Covid-19 has taught us that the welfare of animals and human health is interlinked – there should be no business as usual. Commercial motives are driving cruelty and suffering, and this needs to end.”
He added: “As more people take an active interest in the ethics of their food, more companies are willing to act. Now is the time for real change to happen, and companies that fail to move with the demands of the market are not only causing misery to millions of animals but are also risking their reputation.
“World Animal Protection is calling on these global companies to lead and ensure that any chickens that are being served at their restaurants are guaranteed a life worth living.”
The pandemic has been an undeniably tough time, leaving many people wondering when life will return to ‘normal’. But with more than 86% of adult Brits now having received their first vaccination, the light over the horizon isn’t just visible – it’s shining bright.
Vaccines are the most effective way to protect people from coronavirus and have already saved thousands of lives. We know that vaccinated people are far less likely to develop severe Covid-19, to be admitted to hospital or to die from the virus. What’s more, vaccinated people aren’t just protecting themselves by getting the jab, they are also less likely to pass the virus on to others.
Advertisement
Some people may feel hesitant about getting the jab, but the best way to overcome nerves is to arm yourself with as much information as possible before scheduling the appointment.
Luckily, we have done the work for you.
From how to book your spot to how you’ll feel afterwards, potential side effects and why it’s so important that you get both jabs, here’s everything you need to know about your Covid-19 vaccine appointment.
Halfpoint Images via Getty Images
Covid-19 and vaccination concept.
How To Book An Appointment – And What To Do If You Miss It
Advertisement
In the UK, all those aged 18 or above can book their vaccination through the NHS booking service. You can also call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.
Those who need to change the date of their appointment for any reason can easily cancel, rebook and manage bookings through the free NHS service. The same applies if you have missed your appointment and need to rebook it.
What’s more, walk-in sites will open across England this weekend too (July 16-18), where people can get their Covid-19 vaccine without an appointment. You don’t even need to provide ID or be registered with a GP.
There are also some perks (beyond the obvious protection against coronavirus). For instance, you can ‘grab-a-jab’ this weekend when you pop into Primark, while sunbathing in the park, or exploring Tate Modern, where DJ and influencer Zoe London will be performing Friday evening.
Advertisement
Here’s the most important part: one dose isn’t enough. You need to book and attend two appointments to get both doses for maximum protection.
We get it, life can get hectic – maybe you have kids or a stressful job – but the process is tailored to be easy and convenient. Put your health first.
What To Expect At And After Your Vaccine Appointment
The appointment could take place at a hospital, local GP surgery, a vaccine centre or pharmacy.
Every person is asked a series of questions before the jab is administered and handed an information pack. Equipment, including chairs, is sanitised after each person and the doctors, nurses and volunteers are required to wear masks.
In the UK, there are currently four vaccines approved for use: Moderna, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Janssen. You don’t get to choose which one you get but there’s no need for concern, as each vaccine has gone through the same rigorous safety process and been approved by the MHRA, the regulatory body. All the vaccines are highly effective and will protect you from coronavirus.
After the vaccine is administered into your arm muscle (top tip: wear a T-shirt or top that is easy to roll up or down) you will get a vaccine record card that includes the name of the vaccine, batch number and date it was administered.
Keep this document close and bring it to the second appointment (however, do not fret if you should lose it, as your vaccinations are also logged on the NHS app, which you can download on a smartphone).
Then it’s just a prick of the needle and you’re done. You also get a fancy “I got my Covid vaccine” sticker to show off to the world – and encourage others to get theirs too.
Lacheev via Getty Images/iStockphoto
The vaccine is administered into your arm muscle.
How You Will Feel After The Vaccine
Advertisement
Most reported side effects from the vaccine are mild and short-term, lasting no longer than a week. It’s also possible that you get no side effects at all or that your experience of the first and second dose is different.
Here is a list of some of the most common side effects:
A sore arm
Feeling or being sick
Feeling tired or achy
A headache
There have been reports of extremely rare cases of blood clots with the AstraZeneca vaccine however, the MHRA – the UK’s independent regulator – and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have both stated that the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks for the vast majority of adults. As a precaution though, anyone under the age of 40 is offered a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
If you are concerned, don’t avoid the issue altogether. Instead, read the advice on the NHS website or speak to your GP so that they can help and answer any questions.
From Allergies To Pregnancy: Is The Covid-19 Vaccine Suitable For You?
At the appointment, you will be asked a series of questions to find out whether the vaccine is suitable for you. Answer these questions honestly and openly, so the experts can recommend the right vaccine option for you.
For instance, if you’ve ever had a serious allergic reaction to a previous dose of a Covid-19 vaccine or any of its ingredients, you should not get it. Also, if you’ve ever had a serious allergic reaction in general, tell the person administering the shot before your vaccination, so that they are aware.
All pregnant or breastfeeding women over 18 can now book a vaccine. If pregnant, this will be linked to your age and clinical risk group. If you are under 40 you will only be offered Pfizer and Moderna vaccine appointments. If you are over 40 you will be asked when booking if you are pregnant and will then only be offered Pfizer or Moderna appointments as the JCVI has advised these vaccines be offered to pregnant women based on the fact that 100,000 pregnant women have had these vaccines with no safety concerns.
There is no evidence that the vaccine will affect fertility or your chances of becoming pregnant in the future, and the vaccine can’t give you or your baby Covid-19.
Advertisement
Additionally, the vaccines are suitable for vegetarians and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients.
Prostock-Studio via Getty Images/iStockphoto
Successful Coronavirus Vaccination. Doctor In Face Mask Gesturing Thumbs-Up To Vaccinated Against Corona Virus Female Patient Sitting In Hospital. Covid Vaccine Injection And Immunization Campaign
Why You Should Get The Vaccine
Medical jargon aside, some of you might be struggling with other worries about the vaccine.
Here are some facts to put your mind at ease:
The four approved vaccines have been tested and are safe, so people should be assured that whatever vaccine they get will be highly effective and protect them from coronavirus.
Vaccinated people are far less likely to get Covid with symptoms. Vaccinated people are even more unlikely to get serious Covid-19, to be admitted to hospital, or to die from it and vaccinated people are less likely to pass the virus to others.
The first dose of the vaccine offers good levels of protection, but to get maximum protection everyone must get a second dose, so we are urging all people to book their second jab through the NHS booking system
Vaccines are helping to keep life moving. This could mean children safely hugging their grandparents, flirting in nightclubs, shaking hands with strangers, going on holidays abroad and the economy bouncing back.
But most importantly, vaccines save lives. And that’s really all you need to know.
A Dundee primary school class has been crowned the UK’s funniest with a topical joke about face masks.
Class 5B from Forthill Primary School entered the Beano’s annual competition to find Britain’s Funniest Class, and came out on top with their timely submission joke winning 21.7% of the public vote.
And the gag goes as follows.
“What did the face mask say to the mouth?” “Let me cover for you!”
The joke was one of 10 shortlisted by a panel at the DC Thomson comic before the public decided which they found funniest. Beano’s Mike Stirling presented the class at Forthill with the official trophy, alongside a bundle of goodies including Beano subscriptions for all the children.
“We’ve learned our greatest gags have always come from kids themselves and Britain’s Funniest Class has schooled us yet again, raising some much-needed chuckles in classrooms,” he said.
Beano’s favourite kids jokes of 2021
1. Forthill Primary School: “What did the face mask say to the mouth? Let me cover for you!”
2. Greystones Primary School: “What did the teacher say to the comic lover as a punishment? There will Beano comics for you.”
3. St John the Baptist Primary School: “Where’s the best place to take a dog for a walk? Leeds.”
4. Upton Meadows Primary: “Knock knock. Who’s there? Justin. Justin who? Justin time to read Beano.”
5. Bradford Christian School: “What did Minnie change her name to when Rubi’s ‘Growth Ray’ experiment went wrong? Minnie the Shrinks!”
6. Hampton Hill Junior School: “Why did the mobile phone go for an eye test? Because it lost its contacts!”
7. Howardian Primary School: “What did the pen say to the rock? Nothing, because pens can’t talk.”
8. Uffculme Primary School: “What does a scary panda say? Bam boooooooo!”
9. Finton House School: “What is the coldest Christmas food? Pigs in blankets.”
10. Porthcawl Primary School: “Why didn’t the robber steal Bea’s sweets? Because no one would stoop that low!”
One in four women who experience a severe injury during birth regret having their child. It’s taboo to admit, but with more than 600,000 women giving birth in England and Wales alone each year, we need to talk about this.
A new survey of mothers affected by birth injuries lays bare the physical and psychological impact on women, which can last years into their child’s life.
Advertisement
The overwhelming majority (85%) of mothers who suffered severe injuries say their experience damaged their relationship with their child, with 14% saying this harm was permanent. One in three (34%) said they saw their child as the cause of the injury while, heartbreakingly, three in 10 (31%) thought their child would be better off without them.
The research, from birth injury charity The MASIC Foundation, surveyed 325 women who self-identified as having suffered severe perineal trauma when giving birth. The sample size may be small, but the research adds to growing concern about women’s health outcomes after giving birth in the UK.
Advertisement
While it’s important to acknowledge that millions of women around the world give birth each year without problems, it’s equally important to say this isn’t always the case – and women are increasingly talking about their negative experiences and demanding better care.
HuffPost UK has previously reported on the gaps in NHS postpartum care that widened during the pandemic. In a separate survey of mums, the majority (91%) said they were not given enough advice during pregnancy about postpartum recovery.
Advertisement
We also know that Black women are five times more likely to die during childbirth than white women. A controversial proposal to tackle this – inducing labour at 39 weeks for pregnant black, Asian and minority ethnic women as a matter of course – has been called “racist” by some doctors and midwives.
In the latest research, 78% of women surveyed said they have traumatic memories of birth and 52% said they face embarrassment due to symptoms of their injury.
Estersinhache fotografÃa via Getty Images
This rings true for Catherine*, who had a prolonged labour following induction with her son, which then required an episiotomy and ventouse (vacuum delivery).
She had a third-degree tear (defined as a tear that extends into the anal sphincter), but it was initially misdiagnosed as a second-degree tear, meaning she wasn’t offered the correct treatment. Her undiagnosed injury left her in too much pain to sit down or attend mother and baby groups, leaving her “essentially house-bound” for her maternity leave. After a year – and hitting a brick wall with the NHS – she accessed help at a private clinic.
Advertisement
The damage has been permanent, though, and she’s still prone to toilet urgency and accidents. Catherine now carries pads, wipes, Imodium and spare underwear everywhere she goes. She quit a job she loved as she was struggling to manage her condition, and has been diagnosed with PTSD.
““My confidence, my me-ness, the essence of who I am, has been destroyed.”
– Catherine, 44, Bristol
“My confidence, my me-ness, the essence of who I am, has been destroyed,” says the 44-year-old, from Bristol. “My relationships with my child and my partner have suffered.”
Catherine has struggled to talk to friends about her experience – or even watch programmes when childbirth is mentioned – and has counselling each year in the run-up to her son’s birthday.
“With my son, I love him dearly, he is the best thing in my life, but his birth caused the injury and it is difficult to square the two,” she says.
“Every year I dread his birthday and the reminders of my traumatic experience. It is not fair on him or on me – his birthdays are not a happy occasion, but every year I have to pretend it is.”
While her partner has been understanding, Catherine says “he also carries his own guilt about what happened”. Their physical relationship has also been impacted hugely. “I feel like a shell of my former self at times,” she adds.
Like Catherine, 69% of mothers surveyed said the impact of a birth injury was both physical and emotional. Almost half (45%) said they have had postnatal depression as a result and 29% said it has affected their ability to breastfeed their baby, with 18% stopping earlier than planned.
Elizabeth*, who now has a 10-year-old daughter, describes the period after birth as the “worst time of [her] entire life” and is still impacted by her birth injury a decade later.
Aged 30, she had a fourth-degree tear (a tear that extends further into the lining of the anus). Six days after delivery, she passed faeces vaginally and was in extreme pain. She was then readmitted to hospital and found to have a recto-vaginal fistula, causing an infection in her vagina and bowel.
““I am ashamed to say that at times I wished I had never become a mother and I grieved for the life I had before.””
– Elizabeth, 40, Hampshire
Although she’s had further treatment, she still experiences rectal incontinence, which has affected her ability to socialise and work. “I often avoid eating out as this stimulates my bowel,” says the now 40-year-old, from Hampshire. “I always need to know where the toilets are.”
Advertisement
Her birth injury meant Elizabeth was forced to give up her beloved hobbies of horse riding and swimming. For a long time, she was in too much pain to even walk her dog. “I am ashamed to say that at times I wished I had never become a mother and I grieved for the life I had before,” she says. “I paid such a high price to have a baby.”
Jen Hall, a MASIC spokesperson, is sadly unsurprised by Catherine and Elizabeth’s stories, after having a “brutal forceps delivery” that left her with physical and psychological damage herself.
“Nobody warns you that having a child can leave you with life-changing injuries and no woman should have to go through this without support and proper medical care,” she says.
Most of these injuries are “entirely preventable”, she adds – the result of something going wrong during birth or a failure to identify risk factors beforehand, according to MASIC. The charity is calling on the government and the NHS to roll out a programme of training for medical professionals.
The Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury (OASI) care bundle – a package of training which has been praised by the Royal College of Midwives – has been trialled in 16 maternity units across the NHS and is being extended to a further 20, but this still leaves three in four (76%) maternity units yet to be reached.
The charity is calling for it to be rolled out nationwide. They’ve also set out a seven-point plan for better care, calling for:
Improved identification, diagnosis and treatment of birth injuries in the NHS.
An education programme for obstetricians and midwives so that severe injuries are recognised at birth and treated in line with best evidence.
A primary care education programme so that all women are asked at contacts following birth about signs and symptoms of OASI/incontinence, with appropriate referral pathways for those with symptoms in line with the NHS long-term plan.
Information about the risks of OASI given to all women antenatally.
Women’s concerns to be listened to and not dismissed as “normal” postnatal experiences.
Specialised psychological treatment and support for women after OASI injury and an end to the stigma and taboo of talking about these injuries.
Dedicated OASI clinics nationwide.
HuffPost UK has contacted NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care for a response. We’ll update this article if they provide a statement.
Without change, women like Catherine do not feel like they can have a second child. “I feel like I was someone the birth just happened to,” she says. “At the time I was happy to place my faith in the medical professionals dealing with me; I had no reason not to. Whilst birth is normal, natural and inevitable, and women’s bodies are designed to do it, unfortunately as we all know it isn’t always that simple. The people who were meant to help me through it let me down.”
• Surnames have been omitted to offer anonymity to interviewees.
Advertisement
Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.
Camera footage has captured shots of the first baby beaver to be born on Exmoor for 400 years.
The youngster, known as a kit, was caught on film at the Holnicote Estate in Somerset, where beavers were introduced to an enclosure in January 2020.
Advertisement
Once-native to Britain but more better known for their fictional portrayal in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the semi-aquatic mammals are finally making a return to the wild after being hunted to extinction for their fur, glands and meat in the 16th century.
Beavers are often referred to as “nature’s engineers” for their restoration of wetland habitats through dam-building and felling trees. This process slows, stores and filters water in the landscape, which attracts other wildlife and reduces flooding downstream.
Advertisement
They have transformed the 2.7 hectare enclosure where they were released at Holnicote from unmanaged woodland to a more open wetland in just 18 months, according to the National Trust, which owns the estate.
Now footage shows the beavers have successfully bred. Images from a static camera reveal a six-week-old kit swimming with its mother back to the family lodge while she stops to nibble a branch.
Advertisement
National Trust / PA
Camera footage has captured shots of the first baby beaver to be born on Exmoor for 400 years.
“We first had an inkling that our pair of beavers had mated successfully when the male started being a lot more active building and dragging wood and vegetation around the site in late spring,” said Jack Siviter, one of the rangers on the Holnicote estate.
“The female also changed her usual habits, and stayed out of sight, leaving the male to work alone. It was then several weeks until we spotted her again, and this is when our suspicions were confirmed that she had given birth, due to having very visible teats.”
He added: “We are particularly pleased for our female, nicknamed Grylls due to her survival instincts, as she didn’t have the easiest start to life, being orphaned at an early age. As a first-time mum she seems to be thriving and it’s great to see her with her new kit.”
The family should now stay together for the next two years before the kit will want to go off to create a territory of its own – when it will be relocated into another enclosure or a wild release site if regulations permit in the near future.
Advertisement
A number of organisations and landowners across England are introducing beavers to enclosed sites to help boost nature and reduce flooding, and they are now also found wild on several rivers in England and Scotland.
National Trust PA
Conservationists back the return of beavers to restore wetland habitats, boost other wildlife, curb flooding, improve water quality and support eco-tourism – though landowners raise concerns about the impact locally. A consultation on the approach to beavers in England is expected to take place this summer.
The two beavers at Holnicote are the first to be introduced on National Trust land in the charity’s 125-year history, with another pair released into a large enclosure in the South Downs.
The National Trust said they had transformed the habitat on the Exmoor estate, building a dam network from trees, mud, stones and vegetation which has created ponds and new channels, and felling some trees, which has allowed more light to the woodland floor.
This wet woodland habitat is now attracting wildlife from bats to dragonflies, kingfishers and sparrowhawks. Ben Eardley, project manager for the National Trust at Holnicote, said: “The beavers are doing a lot of what we want to see in terms of conservation and land management.
“They are letting the light and the water into the site, helping natural processes and providing opportunities for a host of other wildlife.”
