Research

Domestic abuse increased globally during pandemic, say researchers

Incidence of domestic abuse may have doubled in some countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggests a British Medical Journal (BMJ) editorial by Prof Gene Feder from the University of Bristol, colleagues in Brazil and Nepal, and the CEO of IRISi, a social enterprise in the UK domestic violence sector. The editorial highlights the need for improved access to support services and ‘safe spaces’ due to the global rise in calls to domestic abuse hotlines and in police incident reports.

Study reveals huge pressures on anaesthesia and critical care workforce and hospitals during winter wave of COVID-19 pandemic, and devastating drop in surgical activity

New research published in Anaesthesia, a journal of the Association of Anaesthetists, shows the huge pressure anaesthesia and critical care staff in the UK have been under throughout the winter wave of COVID-19, as the number of newly admitted infected patients surged and most planned surgeries, including a substantial number of critical cancer operations, were cancelled.