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Cases of invasive meningococcal disease notified in Kent latest update

Source: UK Health Security Agency published on this website Wednesday 18 March 2026 by Jil Powell

Update 18 March

The UK Health Security Agency is continuing to investigate an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Kent. As of 5pm on 17 March, 9 laboratory cases are confirmed and 11 notifications remain under investigation, bringing the total to 20. Six of the confirmed cases are confirmed to be group B meningococcal disease.

Sadly 2 people have died, with no further deaths since the last update.

One individual who had resided in Kent presented to a London hospital with no community contacts in London. All those affected who are currently linked to the outbreak are young adults. UKHSA is aware of a baby with confirmed Meningococcal group B infection who is not currently linked to the outbreak but UKHSA will continue to investigate this case.

This is a rapidly evolving situation and there may be further cases as those with symptoms are encouraged to seek medical advice.

Antibiotics remain the most effective treatment to limit the spread of invasive meningococcal disease. So far, over 2,500 doses have been given to students, close contacts and others including some of those who attended Club Chemistry between 5 and 7 March.

GPs across the country will today be advised to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited Club Chemistry between 5 and 7 March and to University of Kent students, if they have been asked to seek preventative treatment. This is so that anyone who has travelled home, or away from Kent, can easily access this important preventative treatment close to them.

Given the severity of the outbreak, and as an additional precautionary measure, a targeted vaccination programme will begin, starting with students that are residents of the Canterbury Campus Halls of Residence at the University of Kent who will be contacted directly. Initially, it’s expected that up to 5,000 students will be contacted and offered the vaccine. UKHSA will continue to assess ongoing risk to other populations and the programme may be extended.

UKHSA also continues to advise anyone who visited Club Chemistry on 5, 6 or 7 March to come forward for preventative antibiotic treatment as a precautionary measure. This can be collected from the following sites, which remain open whilst people are still coming forward for the preventative treatment:

Gate Clinic, Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Ethelbert Road, Canterbury, CT1 3NG - open from 8.30am to 7.30pm.
Westgate Hall, Westgate Hall Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2BT- open from 8.30am to 7.30pm.
Carey Building, Thanet Hub, Margate Northwood Rd, Westwood, Broadstairs, CT10 2WA - open from 8.30am to 7.30pm.
Senate Building at University of Kent, CT2 7NZ – open from 9am to 8pm.

Meningococcal disease can progress rapidly. Signs and symptoms of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia can include a fever, headache, rapid breathing, drowsiness, shivering, vomiting and cold hands and feet. Septicaemia can also cause a characteristic rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass.

Early symptoms can often be confused with other illnesses such as a cold, flu or hangover and students are particularly at risk of missing the early warning signs. If you or anyone you know develops any of these symptoms, seek medical help immediately by contacting a GP, calling NHS 111 or dialling 999 in an emergency. Knowing the signs and taking early treatment can be lifesaving.

UKHSA is coordinating a national response to the outbreak. This does not mean a national NHS incident has been declared. A national incident is a formal operational status used when the health service is under significant system-wide pressure, which is not the case with this outbreak. NHS services continue to operate as normal.

Background

Meningococcal disease (meningitis and septicaemia) is an uncommon but serious disease caused by meningococcal bacteria. Very occasionally, the meningococcal bacteria can cause serious illness, (inflammation of the lining of the brain) and septicaemia (blood poisoning), which can rapidly lead to sepsis.

The onset of illness is often sudden and early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics are vital.

Early symptoms, which may not always be present, include:

a rash that doesn’t fade when pressed with a glass
sudden onset of high fever
severe and worsening headache
stiff neck
vomiting and diarrhoea
joint and muscle pain
dislike of bright lights
very cold hands and feet
seizures
confusion/delirium
extreme sleepiness/difficulty waking

Young people going on to university or college for the first time are particularly at risk of meningitis because they newly mix with so many other students, some of whom are unknowingly carrying the bacteria at the back of their nose and throat.

There are numerous strains of the meningococcal infection. The MenACWY vaccination gives good protection against MenA, MenC, MenW, and MenY and is routinely offered to teenagers in school Years 9 and 10. However, this vaccine does not protect against all forms of meningococcal infection. Other strains such as MenB can circulate in young adults, which is why it’s important to know how to spot the symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia as early detection and treatment can save lives.

Further information on meningococcal disease

Meningitis - NHS
The Meningitis Research Foundation
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
UK: 080 8800 3344
Republic of Ireland: 1800 41 33 44
Meningitis Now
0808 80 10 388
(9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 1pm Friday)

Major funding boost to divert women from a life of crime

Source: Ministry of Justice published on this website Tuesday 17 March 2029 by Jill Powell

New government investment will enable women’s centres and charities across the country to deliver vital specialist help to female offenders, the overwhelming majority of whom are themselves victims of crime.

The multi‑year package represents a 50 per cent increase in funding to help women get clean, find work and accommodation, and move away from abusive relationships.

This support is key to cutting crime with evidence showing how more than two‑thirds of women in custody report being victims of domestic abuse, a factor which is a known indicator of crimes.

Further statistics show how more than half of female offenders have sustained brain injuries while roughly the same percentage have drug addictions.

Tackling these underlying issues and addressing the root causes of crime helps to prevent more victims and reduce the £18 billion overall cost of reoffending to the taxpayer.

The report also recommends greater use of Intensive Supervision Courts which the Government has committed to expanding — including a new site for female offenders in Liverpool, due to open later this year.

These crime‑cutting courts support offenders who have committed low‑level crimes and are also dealing with issues such as addiction or trauma.

They require participants to attend appropriate treatment and appear regularly before the same judge, who closely monitors their progress. Those who fail to comply face tough consequences, including time in prison.

Countries using this model have been shown to experience arrests for further offences drop by a third compared to offenders on a standard prison sentence.

As the Government looks to support the next phase of work to divert women from custody, the Women’s Justice Board will transition into a Women’s Justice Advisory Group, offering independent expertise as reforms develop.

Gloucestershire woman who imprisoned victim for over 20 years is jailed

Source: Crown Prosecution Service Prosecution Service (CPS) Published on this website Friday 13 March 2026 by Jill Powell

A woman from Tewkesbury who kept another woman captive for over 20 years and forced her to carry out labour in her home has been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment.

Amanda Wixon, 56, was convicted by a jury at Gloucestershire Crown Court in January of two counts of forced or compulsory labour, one count of false imprisonment and three counts of assault.

During her more than 20-year imprisonment, the victim was repeatedly beaten while being forced to clean and sweep the floors of Wixon’s home and get her children ready for school.

She told the police that the assaults she was subjected to included being hit, being strangled into unconsciousness while her head was forced into a toilet and being force-fed cleaning products.

Wixon assumed responsibility for the victim and moved her in with her own family in 1996. She was found by police in March 2021, following a call from one of Wixon’s sons who was concerned about her welfare. At the time of her discovery, she was malnourished, her hair had been forcibly cut, and all of her teeth had been removed.

Rachael Scott of the Crown Prosecution Service said:

“The victim in this case was subjected to decades of torment, exploitation and control. She was denied her freedom, made to live in appalling physical and emotional conditions, and forced to act at the whim of the woman who imprisoned her.

“Over the years of captivity, which she was only able to track by the passing of each Christmas, she was left to live off the crumbs that Wixon provided, while suffering unimaginable abuse and experiencing no acts of kindness at all.

“Despite all of this, the progress she has made since finding freedom is remarkable and a true testament to her strength.

“Our thoughts remain with her, and I hope that today’s sentence brings her some comfort as she continues to rebuild her life.”

Ofsted announces new pilot to use more serving school and college leaders as inspectors

Source: Ofsted published on this website Monday 16 March 2025 by Jill Powell

Ofsted has announced that it is piloting a new way of involving more serving education leaders in the inspections of schools and further education providers.

Inspections already bring together the expertise of Ofsted’s full-time His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and the real-time sector knowledge of contracted Ofsted Inspectors (OIs). This new pilot is exploring how Ofsted can enhance that crucial blend with even more shared insight into the context, challenges and day-to-day realities providers face, and how inspection can support improvement.

This is part of Ofsted’s commitment to making sure inspection teams include people with relevant, sector‑specific experience, who are best placed to understand the part of the system they are inspecting.

Currently, most OIs join Ofsted as individuals and their interaction with other OIs and HMI is largely limited to their inspection work. While this has worked well for inspection, it can restrict chances for two-way professional reflection and shared learning. The pilot is developing structured engagement opportunities for OIs, provided by the Ofsted Academy, to help forge an even deeper and more enduring connection between Ofsted and the education sector.

The scheme, which is already underway, involves OIs joining Ofsted as groups of peers drawn from the professional organisations and networks they’re already part of, such as multi-academy trusts, local authorities, dioceses, local school networks, independent learning providers and general further education colleges.

OIs recruited in this way will form a professional community with each other and with HMI. Ofsted will ensure they have regular opportunities to share feedback collectively and to reflect on what they’re seeing and learning day-to-day. Their experiences will then feed directly into how Ofsted continuously improves inspection.

First time an e-bike rider has been sentenced for manslaughter after crashing into an elderly man

Source: Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published on this website Thursday 12 March 2026 by Jill Powell

An e-bike cyclist who killed an elderly man while riding on the pavement has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment suspended for two years for his manslaughter in what is thought to be the first case of its kind in the country.

Clifford Cage was riding an e-bike along City Way in Rochester on 6 July 2023 when he hit 91-year-old James Blackwood, who was crossing the pavement back to his house, after putting rubbish out.

James was taken to the hospital with stomach pains and scans later revealed a small bleed on his brain and damage to his liver. His condition worsened and he passed away on 13 October 2023.

Following his death, multiple injuries were found, including a brain injury, consistent with the time of the collision.

Joe Pullen, Senior Crown Prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, said:

“This case, which is a legal first, tragically highlights how exceptionally dangerous it can be to cycle on the pavement and the reason it is illegal.

“James Blackwood went from being fully mobile before the collision to being bedbound and immobile afterwards, eventually resulting in his death.

“Clifford Cage has made it clear that he never intended to cause the victim any harm, but the risk he took in cycling on an e-bike on the pavement should have been obvious to him.

“Instead, Cage admitted he had never thought about the danger he could pose to others. It was that simple lack of thought that led to James’ death.

“We hope today’s sentencing brings some comfort to James’ family and sends a strong message to everyone about stopping this potentially deadly practice on our footpaths.”

Similar cases to this have been prosecuted, but as wanton and furious cycling, not manslaughter. Cycling on the footpath is prohibited under Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835.