Thursday, July 31, 2003

National and International News



A flash in the pan or a risk?

Exhibitionism is far from harmless behaviour

The Times 31/07/03


Ambulance plan hits a £4m bump

Forty new ambulances worth £4m have been mothballed after a health authority belatedly found that they could not cope with speed bumps.

The Guardian 31/07/03


Avoid the Amin fate

Many remember the dictator Idi Amin of Uganda only because of his atrocities. He killed hundreds of thousands of his opponents, and those whose company no longer amused him, and exiled tens of thousands of Asians from Uganda. It was said that the contents of his deep-freeze did not bear investigation — no one would want his ice cubes in a drink.

The Times 31/07/03


Concern as Blair expands foundations scheme

The prime minister today announced plans to more than double the size of the controversial foundation hospitals reform programme, prompting criticism from the scheme's opponents.

The Guardian 30/07/03
The Guardian 30/07/03
Daily Post 31/07/03


Bedwetting 'linked to breathing problems'

Bedwetting could be linked to breathing problems, researchers have suggested.

BBC Health 31/07/03


We lost your trust, Blair admits

PM tries to switch focus to domestic issues as he admits Iraq dossier affair has dented public's faith

The Guardian 31/07/03
a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/leaders/story/0,3604,1009243,00.html">The Guardian 31/07/03


Brit binge-drinking v the French habit of tippling

The residents of some small towns in the Dordogne have complained that their culture is being eroded by a British invasion. In some places, 25 per cent of the property is owned by British nationals. The French are not persuaded that we have a right to be there just because that part of France was British before the Hundred Years War. Rather, their ire is raised by the sight of such obvious examples of British culinary traditions as stacks of baked beans and rows of Marmite in their stores.

The Times 31/07/03


Cut health care for illegal migrants says Byers

All asylum seekers who fail to register with the government should be deprived of access to British schools and hospitals, the former cabinet minister Stephen Byers said yesterday in a controversial speech designed to reassure working class voters that Labour understood their concerns about immigration.

The Guardian 31/07/03


Doctors threaten legal action on hours

Junior doctors threatened legal action against the NHS yesterday after evidence that three out of four hospitals in England are failing to meet a statutory deadline for reducing working hours to a safe weekly limit.

The Guardian 31/07/03


Excitement over weight loss drug

Monkeys given a new hormone-like compound lost a massive seven per cent of their body weight - in just one week.

BBC Health News 30/07/03


Heart op girl leaves hospital

A two-year-old Pakistani girl, whose heart surgery in India has come to symbolise hopes of friendship between South Asia's nuclear rivals, has left hospital.

BBC Health 31/07/03


Israel performs pioneer sunlight surgery

Doctors in Israel have successfully used sunlight to perform surgery on rats.

BBC Health 30/07/03


Gene fault 'leads to Alzheimer's'

Scientists have discovered how the faulty production of an enzyme can lead to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

BBC Health 31/07/03


Judges call MMR link to autism ‘junk science’

Medical evidence of a link between autism and the MMR vaccine was dismisssed as “junk science” by the Court of Appeal yesterday when it ruled that two girls should be immunised against their mothers’ wishes.

The Times 31/07/03
The Independent 31/07/03


Labour donor loses vaccine contract

The company at the heart of a row over Labour donors has failed to win a £45.2m government contract for smallpox vaccine, it was announced yesterday.

The Independent 31/07/03


More elderly care places lost

The shortage of care places available for the elderly is worsening, according to figures seen by the BBC.

BBC Health 31/07/03


Prescription spending up

Spending on prescriptions rose to £6.8 billion in England last year, up 8.5% from the previous year, latest figures have shown.

BBC Health 31/07/03


Public domain

When bank managers move from one branch to another, they see the same computer screens. When doctors move from one NHS hospital to another, they almost always change IT systems as well. Scarcely any two NHS hospitals run exactly the same combinations of computer software and hardware.

The Guardian 31/07/03


Radiation lessons of Hiroshima bomb

A study into the impact of the Hiroshima bomb has concluded that current safety limits on radiation exposure are correct.

BBC Health 31/07/03


Too painful to walk

Although it was reported this week that many thousands of cases of intermittent claudication (characterised by extreme pain on walking) are missed, the symptoms are usually so consistent that if a patient is given enough time to talk, they will nearly always reveal clues that make the diagnosis easy.

The Times 31/07/03


Twins decision angers doctors

Nigerian doctors are heading for a confrontation with their government over a decision to send Siamese twins to an American hospital for an operation to separate them.

BBC Health 30/07/03


Virtual taster could help elderly diets

Elderly people could be able to eat a wider range of foods thanks to a "tasting device" designed by scientists.

BBC Health News 30/07/03



Woman's horror at moth in ear

A woman has described her shock at discovering that she had a dead moth stuck in her ear.

BBC Health 30/07/03


Cheshire and Mersey News


Doctor saves life of boy, 4

A Knutsford doctor told this week how he saved the life of a little boy while on holiday in Spain.

Knutsford Guardian 30/07/03


Emergency calls hit record-breaking high

Ambulance crews in Widnes and Runcorn are feeling the heat after being tested to the limit by sweltering summer weather which has sent emergency calls across Cheshire and Merseyside rocketing.

Runcorn Weekly News 31/07/03


Health Trust's 'one star' rating

The hospital trust serving Runcorn and Widnes has received a 'one star' rating for the second year in a row.

Runcorn World 30/07/03


Heart-attack drugs trial for paramedics

Paramedics have been given special 'clot-busting' drugs in a bid to cut the number of heart-attack deaths in South Cheshire.

Crewe Chronicle 30/07/03


Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich residents who are addicted to prescription drugs could help to prevent others coming to harm.

More than 1.2 million people in Britain are long-term addicts of drugs said to be more dangerous and addictive than heroin.

Northwich Guardian 30/07/03


Region's hospitals are top performers

The region's hospitals and primary care trusts have fared well in the latest patient surveys by the Commission for Health Improvement.

Daily Post 30/07/03


Teams appeal for OD action

Halton Council has joined Drug Action Teams across the north west to launch a campaign aimed at reducing the number of overdose deaths.

Runcorn World 30/07/03


Cumbria and Lancashire News


Dissatisfied with NHS

Regarding Mr James Grubb's praise for a new hospital to be built at Queen's Park, Blackburn (Letters, July 23) we still have two very good hospitals as yet, but with a long waiting list which I am led to believe is not only due to bed shortages but also specialists' services.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 30/07/03


'Mystery man' bids to retain surgery

An anonymous businessman with deep-rooted Stacksteads connections is hoping to ensure the village retains its doctors' surgery, after submitting an outline planning application for a new site.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 30/07/03


Greater Manchester News


Hospital staff fury over car park cash plan

Staff at the Royal Bolton Hospital are being ask to pay for a car park extension out of their own wages. Every member of staff at the hospital in Farnworth has received a letter asking them to contribute £48-a-year - even though it will not guarantee them a car park space.

Bolton Evening News 30/07/03


The start of the last drag?

After three years out of the headlines, Pat Karney, for more than a decade one of Manchester town hall's highest-profile politicians, is back in the thick of controversy. The one-time "councillor for fun", instrumental in creating Manchester's 24-hour city image, is about to lock horns with the pub, bar and club scene he did so much to promote.

Manchester Evening News 30/07/03


Wednesday, July 30, 2003

National and International News



An autumn virus, then suddenly I was deaf

When the writer Meredith Hooper lost her hearing without warning, she thought that it would be permanent. Our correspondent explains some of the causes of sudden deafness

The Times 30/07/03


Anti-depressant offers brain tumour hope

Hope of a longer life is being offered to brain tumour sufferers by research carried out by a Hampshire-based charity.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Barbecue cancer warning

Barbecues poison the air with toxins and could cause cancer, research suggests.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Blair confronts rebels over elite hospitals

A defiant Tony Blair will today risk further isolation from Labour MPs and trade unions by announcing plans to more than double the size of his controversial foundation hospitals reform programme.

The Times 30/07/03


Blair hails big expansion of private surgical clinics

Tony Blair will seek to shift attention from the David Kelly affair today when he announces a big expansion of private health care to cut NHS waiting lists.

The Independent 30/07/03


Blair prepares to talk up public sector successes

Tony Blair will today attempt to shrug off a month of crisis by pointing to falling crime figures and improvements in school performance and NHS waiting lists as proof that the government's public sector reform programme is beginning to deliver results.

The Guardian 30/07/03


Brain scans 'reveal baby thoughts'

A burst of brain activity recorded by scientists could offer clues to a baby's level of understanding of the world around it.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Cancer targets not speeding care

The government's two-week target is failing to have a significant impact on waiting times for breast cancer treatment, research has found.

BBC Health 29/07/03
The Guardian 30/07/03


Cash switch clashes with 'value' pledge

Millions of pounds intended for services for people with learning disabilities has been spent on other things by cash-strapped strategic health authorities (SHAs).

The Guardain 30/07/03


China's last Sars patients recover

Chinese media say the country's last 12 Sars patients now have no more symptoms of the pneumonia-like disease and are no longer infectious, even though they are still in hospital with complications.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Decision due on MMR ruling

The Court of Appeal will decide on Wednesday whether to overturn a High Court order forcing two women to have their children vaccinated with the controversial MMR jab against their will.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Early diagnosis is vital for this most baffling and distressing kind of hearing loss

Sudden deafness is one of the most baffling kinds of hearing loss. Deafness can be divided into two categories. Conductive deafness occurs when the passage of sound vibrations to the inner ear is impeded (perhaps because of fluid in the middle ear, or a hole in the eardrum). The second category is sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), caused by damage to the cochlea (the acoustic nerve). In a related condition — sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) — a sufferer may go to bed with normal hearing and wake partially or completely deaf in one ear. In 99.9 per cent of cases the loss is in one ear, and it is often accompanied by tinnitus (ringing in the ear). Occasionally SSNHL can be brought on by trauma — head injuries, surgery, loud explosions — or viruses such as mumps and herpes, and possibly also measles and German measles. But about 95 per cent of new cases of SSNHL — up to 1,000 a year in Britain — have no known cause.

The Times 30/07/03


Falling babies risk brain injury

Simple household falls may be more likely to produce severe brain injuries in babies than previously thought, say researchers.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Health: Patience the key in Labour's struggle to transform NHS

The NHS was practically moribund when Labour won power in 1997 but the Blair Government delayed for two years before attempting emergency resuscitation. It has since ordered the largest injection of funds in the NHS's history and launched a recovery plan that would make Aneurin Bevan's eyes gleam with envy. But that initial delay could prove fatal. The big question now is: can the NHS deliver before ministerial and public patience runs out?

The Independent 30/07/03



'Heart share' athletes compete

Two men - connected by a transplant which gave one the other's heart - are battling for medals at a unique competition.

BBC Health 29/07/03


HIV patients at risk of cancer

HIV patients living without the benefit of modern drugs are far more vulnerable to several different types of cancer, say researchers.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Male suicide rate high

Suicide is the single biggest cause of accidental or violent death among men in England and Wales, statistics show.

BBC Health 29/07/03


McDonald's trumpets healthy sales

Fast-food giant McDonald's has thanked what it called "a dramatic new difference in service, taste and relevance" for signs of a revival in its fortunes.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Pills for everything

Thousands of children are on drugs to control their behaviour. But are they really ill or just the products of poor parenting?

The Guardian 30/07/03


Screen break

Many patients stuck in hospital long for a break from the tedium. And at St Thomas' in London, they get it - as the cinema comes to them. Sarah Ebner reports.

The Guardian 30/07/03


Shipman's nurse sues for £100,000

The nurse who worked alongside Harold Shipman is suing him and the health authority for £100,000 damages over the stress she suffered working with the mass murderer.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Surgery knife siege ends

A doctor who was taken hostage by an armed man has been freed.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Take gas bill to get NHS treatment

Patients going for routine treatment at NHS hospitals in England will have to present a gas bill, passport or other proof of identity to prove eligibility for free care, John Hutton, the health minister, said yesterday.

The Guardian 30/07/03


Taste of tradition

For Asian men, smoking is second nature and a sign of belonging - but some areas are more committed than others in providing help for them to quit. Tina Bexson reports.

The Guardian 30/07/03


Tough call to shame young pretenders

The government should introduce a national standard for organisations seeking to involve young people and should make it "a positive factor" in distribution of funding, the outgoing director of the Carnegie Young People Initiative says today.

The Guardian 30/07/03


WHO steps up polio fight

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a programme of mass polio immunisation in the four countries where the disease remains a major problem.

BBC Health 29/07/03


Cheshire and Mersey News


Centre plans set to improve your health

Plans for a new medical centre serving Appleton and Stretton are unveiled this week - and residents can influence how it will be run.

Warrington Guardian 29/07/03


Cumbria and Lancashire News


£1.8m development for single homeless opens

A £1.8 million flagship scheme to help single homeless people in Bury has finally opened following weeks of uncertainty.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/07/03


Ending a town's housing woe

Ostensibly, , Burnley is in the grip of a grim paradox in being named as one of the worst places in the country for homelessness while having almost 4,000 empty houses.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/07/03


More young "depressed"

Depression is "prevalent" among Bury's young people, a survey has found.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/07/03


Patient's Passport scheme flawed, says MP

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice today spoke of his concerns about the Conservative Party's plans for a Patient's Passport. He said the voucher scheme would subsidise payment for private operations by 60 per cent of the cost in the NHS.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/07/03


Greater Manchester News


Alert as doctor gets hepatitis

Hundreds of women will be offered blood tests after it was revealed a doctor at a Greater Manchester hospital has hepatitis C.

Manchester Evening News 29/07/03

Tuesday, July 29, 2003

National and International News



A vaccination too far?

Our 20-month-old son is up-to-date with all his immunisations, but two weeks ago our GP invited him for an Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B) booster. According to the letter there has been a recent rise in Hib cases. Our son’s red child health book does not mention Hib. Is it new? Is it safe?

The Times 29/07/03


Advanced booking scrapped by GPs

GP surgeries across the country are scrapping advanced appointments so that they can meet a government waiting time target.

BBC Health 28/07/03


Boy flies to US for skin cure

A three-year-old Worcestershire boy who could die if he is exposed to sunlight has flown to the US for treatment.

BBC Health 28/07/03

Cancer growth genes uncovered

Research into the human genome has highlighted dozens of genes which may influence the growth of cancer cells.

BBC Health 28/07/03


Chemical nerve signal discovered

Scientists have found a chemical which can influences the direction of nerve cell growth - and say it could help repair damaged spinal cords.

BBC Health 28/07/03


Clampdown on health tourists

Health tourists who use bogus business trips to get thousands of pounds worth of free health service treatment are to be banned under a government crackdown.

The Times 29/08/07
The Guardian 29/07/03


Death count 'may have found Shipman'

A system for analysing the numbers of deaths at each GP practice might have helped reveal Dr Harold Shipman's killing spree, say researchers.

BBC Health 28/07/03


Europe 'winning cancer battle'

There were fewer deaths from cancer across Europe in 2000 than had experts had predicted, it has been revealed.

BBC Health 28/07/03


'How many anaesthetics are too many? And what is meant by a portion of fruit or veg?'

I am a 39-year-old male and, within the last two years, I have had between 15 and 20 operations under general anaesthetic. I have been told that the effects of a general anaesthetic can take up to six months to work its way out of one's system. Is this true? I now get extremely tired at lunchtime each day and would be interested to know if there is any link. What are the cumulative effects of such a high number of general anaesthetics likely to be? Are there any recommended safety limits on the number of anaesthetics one should have?

The Independent 28/07/03


Hyperactivity 'just high spirits'

Children diagnosed with behavioural disorders may simply need to be allowed to "let off steam", an expert has claimed.

BBC Health 28/07/03


'I felt like a freak'

Twenty-five years after the birth of the first test-tube baby, actress Connie Hyde tells Lucy Ward about her experience of IVF - and why it isn't yet the miracle infertility cure.

The Guardian 29/07/03
The Independent 28/07/03


Junk food ads 'should be banned'

Adverts which promote junk food for children should be banned, says the government's food watchdog.

BBC Health 29/07/03


London treatment for injured Ali

An Iraqi boy who lost both arms in a bombing raid on Baghdad is travelling to London to have artificial limbs fitted.

BBC Health 28/07/03


Lottery fund awards £500,000 to drug trial that will give addicts free heroin

The National Lottery's Community Fund has awarded a £500,000 grant to fund a scheme that will provide drug addicts with heroin, The Independent can reveal.

The Independent 29/07/03


NHS and police team-up in malpractice crackdown

All NHS trusts will set up joint investigation teams with the police to speed up checks on doctors and nurses suspected of abuse and malpractice, under measures to be presented at the Shipman inquiry.

The Guardian 29/07/03


Record number of doctors banned for serious misconduct

A record number of doctors were banned from practising medicine last year after being found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the General Medical Council, the doctors' disciplinary body.

The Independent 29/07/03


Sars all-clear for Hong Kong patients

Fears of a renewed Sars outbreak in Hong Kong have been quelled by the results of tests on 18 people suspected of having the illness.

BBC Health 28/07/03


Scientists postpone labour

Scientists have found a way to postpone labour which they hope could eventually be used to prevent premature births.

BBC Health 28/07/03


So few births at home

Home births have a lot going for them — there is increasing acceptance that they are not only safe but actually beneficial in normal pregnancies.

The Times 29/07/03


Tight ties could damage eyesight

Wearing your tie too tight could put you at increased risk of blindness, say doctors.

BBC Health 28/07/03
The Independent 29/07/03


Unemployment 'triples suicide risk'

Unemployment increases a person's risk of suicide by up the three times, researchers have found.

BBC Health 28/07/03


Cheshire and Mersey News


New mum dies after 10 days

A mother who dreamed of having a child following a miscarriage three years ago has died just 10 days after giving birth to a daughter.

Daily Post 28/07/03


Cumbria and Lancashire News


It's all in the brains

A wheelchair that can be moved by brainpower could transform the lives of severely disabled people.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 28/07/03


Model died of rare condition

A mother today spoke of her heartache after experts revealed her son died from the rare condition linked to the death of international footballer Marc Vivien Foe.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 28/07/03


Tips to beat the barbecue blues

one in ten families in Blackburn and Darwen suffer food poisoning as a result of a barbecue which goes wrong, new figures have revealed.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 28/07/03


Greater Manchester News


Family's plea to missing doctor

The family of missing hospital doctor Richard Stevens have made an emotional appeal to him to let them know he is safe, exactly one week after he disappeared.

Manchester Evening News 28/07/03


Older people setting the fitness pace

More people over the age of 50 in Wigan are getting fit than ever before thanks to exercise schemes.

Bolton Evening News 28/07/03


Super hospital

These days it seems to be common practice to run our hospitals down, so I would just like to say, after having a major operation and three weeks' stay in the Royal Bolton Hospital, that I couldn't have been treated and cared for better if I had been a member of the Royal Family.

Bolton Evening News 28/07/03

Saturday, July 26, 2003

National and International News



Banking on your genes

Will you be joining the Biobank? Half a million of us will soon be asked to give samples of our DNA in a radical long-term plan to conquer disease. Jo Revill asks who will profit from the data

The Observer 27/07/03


Electrodes in brain to 'switch off' pain

Hundreds of patients who are in agonising long-term pain following serious injury or a stroke could have their lives transformed by surgery that involves implanting electrodes in the brain.

The Observer 27/07/03


'Factory clinics' to cut NHS lists

An American private healthcare firm will launch the first of a new wave of 'surgery factories' in Britain next month under radical plans to slash NHS waiting lists.

The Observer 27/07/03


'Freebase' nicotine - why some some cigarettes may be more addictive

Some brands of cigarette are likely to be far more habit-forming than others because of the amount of highly addictive "freebase" nicotine they produce.

The Independent 28/07/03


GPs' fingers are on the button not on the pulse

More than two million patients are being banned from making advance appointments to see their family doctor so surgeries can meet the latest government waiting times target.

The Times 28/07/03


Hyperactive? Just go to a park and climb a tree

Professor claims that behavioural 'syndromes' are normal childhood restlessness of generation stuck at home.

The Times 28/07/03


Inefficient public services 'are wasting £70bn a year'

As much as £70 billion is being wasted by the UK Government every year because of inefficiency in the public services, a new independent study suggests.

The Times 28/07/03


New rules on breast implants to aid safety

New safety measures for breast implants are to be introduced on September 1, the Department of Health said yesterday.

The Times 26/07/03
The Independent 26/07/03


Ritalin use and abuse fears

Where there is an illness there is often a drug and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is no different.

The Times 28/07/03


'Shipman spotters' to be taken on by hospital trusts

Every hospital in the country is to appoint a “Harold Shipman spotter� to prevent another mass murderer striking in the health service.

The Times 28/07/03


Tense? Angry? Let's measure how stressed you really are

Scientists at Oxford University have pioneered the world's first test for accurately measuring stress. A simple blood sample could be used to select people for the right jobs, help drivers know when to take a break, monitor stress at work and diagnose those in need of medical help.

The Independent 27/07/03


Tough-case bonus for social workers

Ministers want to attract more recruits into social work by paying a premium rate to the staff who take on the toughest cases.

The Times 28/07/03


Why do we tell porkies to our GP?

If I had been George Best, exposed earlier this month by the News of the World for being in the pub, I'd have been less worried about the headlines, or the reaction of the long-suffering Alex Best, than I would have been about the fact that my eminent liver surgeon would belatedly discover that I was back on the wine boxes.

The Observer 27/07/03


Why training gap should get the big e

Those in most need of the opportunity to learn new skills are the least likely to get the chance. But now the NHS is leading the way in tackling the problem by introducing a new computer based learning project. Colin Cottell reports

The Guardian 26/07/03


Women to be offered abortions at home

British women are for the first time to be offered drug-induced abortions at home under plans drawn up by a leading family planning organisation.

The Independent 27/07/03


Cheshire and Mersey News


Donor mum tells of fears for brave son

A teenager is fighting for his life again three months after his mother donated her kidney to save him.

Liverpool Echo 25/07/03
Daily Post 25/07/03


Teenagers urged to take up mumps vaccination

An outbreak of mumps in Cheshire has led to a health warning urging teenagers to get an emergency vaccination.

Chester Chronicle 25/07/03


Cumbria and Lancashire News


Dentists have abandoned their patients

I am at the end of my tether having searched across East Lancashire for a dentist willing to treat my family on the NHS. I was finally pointed by NHS Direct to the last dental practice in the whole of the region which would still accept new NHS patients.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 26/07/03


Health centre controversy: See the plans - and have your say

People will be able to have their say on plans for the controversial £11million Darwen Health Centre which will go on show today for the first time.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 26/07/03


Stomach bug led to death

A woman died from complications picked up after she was prescribed antibiotics for an infection caused by a hip replacement, an inquest heard.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 26/07/03


Greater Manchester News


£190m face-lift will transform health

Health chiefs have unveiled plans to build a top notch hospital to rocket Stockport into the next century.

Stockport Express 25/07/03


Country-wide sightings of missing doctor

Police are investigating a number of new sightings of missing doctor Richard Stevens.

Manchester Evening News 26/07/03


Davenport GP slammed over shipman deaths

The Shipman Inquiry into a botched investigation which let the former Hyde GP carry on killing, has criticised a Davenport doctor.

Stockport Express 25/07/03


So upset with hospital care

A doting daughter has slammed low staffing levels at Tameside Hospital after she was left to discover the body of her terminally-ill mother.

Tameside Advertiser 25/07/03


Stroke service hit by funding withdrawal

Crucial services for stroke victims are being halved because Stockport Primary Care Trust (PCT) cannot increase its funding by £14,000 a year.

Stockport Express 25/07/03

Friday, July 25, 2003

International, National & Local Health & Social Care News

Coffee can save alcohol drinkers from cirrhosis

DRINKING three or more cups of coffee a day can almost halve the risk of cirrhosis of the liver, according to a new study in Norway.

The Times 25/07/03




End of infertility within a decade, say doctors

The end of infertility is within sight, scientists said yesterday, anticipating the possibility within a decade of solving the biggest remaining problem by growing new eggs and sperm from stem cells for people who can no longer produce them.

The Guardian 25/07/03
The Times 25/07/03
BBC Health News 25/07/03



Grief eased for euthanasia families

FAMILIES whose loved ones die as a result of euthanasia suffer less harrowing grief and fewer symptoms of stress than do those whose relations die of natural causes, according to a Dutch study.

The Times 25/07/03
BBC Health News 25/07/03



MS drug could fight Sars

A drug used to treat patients with multiple sclerosis may also be effective against the deadly Sars virus, according to scientists.

BBC Health News 25/07/03



No patient too long in tooth for dentist

Duncan Cowie examined his handiwork yesterday after being asked to provide new teeth for a 200-year-old crocodile skeleton at Aberdeen University.

The Times 25/07/03



Stress can make acne worse, researchers say

Hormones produced by raised stress levels have been found to aggravate acne. More than 85 per cent of people suffer the disorder at some point in their lives, although scientists are still unsure exactly what triggers it.

The Independent 24/0/7/03



The Priory launches do-it-yourself therapy

The Priory chain of clinics, which has helped a host of celebrities and the public triumph over problems, is launching a range of own-brand self-help products.

The Independent 24/07/03



Cheshire & Merseyside News

Concern over more maternity closures

A GOVERNMENT report has slammed the closure of small maternity units - just weeks after the decision was made to shut one in Liverpool.

Daily Post 24/07/03



Future fears for hospital

HALTON hospital is being purposely run down by its managing NHS Trust to ease £5m debts, according to an insider.

Runcorn Weekly News 24/07/03



Panic alarms for staff at hospital

PANIC alarm sensors are to be placed in all areas of a Liverpool hospital after a sharp increase in attacks on staff.

Daily Post 24/07/03



NHS to slash waiting times

Ellesmere Port & Neston Primary Care Trust (PCT) has unveiled its corporate plan, which is centred on guidelines laid down by the Government and priorities based on the needs of the towns.

Ellsmere Port Pioneer 24/07/03



Cumbria & Lancashire News

Backing grows for doctor left out in the cold

Dr Mahesh Chandra, who ran his Blackburn Road surgery on his own, handed in his resignation to Bolton's Primary Care Trust, believing he could return as a locum after 28 days.

Bolton Evening News 24/07/03



Families' vigilance over killer allergy

How to cope when nuts can be deadly for your child

Bolton Evening News 24/07/03



Hospital food is top notch

PATIENTS in Bury Hospital are getting excellent food, a new report has claimed. The national Patient Environment Action Team gave the Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust top marks -- awarding its directors £100,000 to make further improvements.

Bolton Evening News 24/07/03



Greater Manchester News

A kiss, then doctor vanished

THE frantic wife of a doctor who has been missing for four days told how she kissed him goodbye before he left for work and disappeared.

Manchester Evening News 24/07/03



Hospital where mum's the word

MUM's the word at Christie Hospital where 20 nurses have become pregnant.
The world-renowned cancer centre, in Withington, has almost five per cent of the nursing workforce on maternity leave or about to go.

Manchester Evening News 24/07/03



New breakthrough in cancer battle

MANCHESTER scientists believe they have found the way a virus triggers cancer in some people. Research carried out at the Paterson Institute, at Christie Hospital, has found that the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infects a cell and causes it to divide out of control.

Manchester Evening News 24/07/03


International, National & Local Health & Social Care News

Acne 'made worse by stress'

The skin condition acne may be worsened by stress, research has found.
Scientists found that college students with acne were vulnerable to a worsening of their condition during examination periods.

BBC Health News 23/07/03




Dear doctor

I am becoming nervous about vaccinating my baby. She is only a month old and I am already sceptical about MMR. But now I have heard that the injections they have at two, three and four months old contain mercury. Is it true and should I avoid them?

The Guardian 22/07/03



Diet dissenters swing into Atkins

It may have worked wonders for Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Zeta-Jones and half the people in your office, but Dr Robert Atkins' high-protein, low carbohydrate diet seems to be falling from favour.

The Guardian 23/07/03



Fats ain't what they used to be

First they told us they were bad for us. Then carbohydrates were the enemy. So are fats our friends or our foes?

The Guardian 22/07/03



Fertility watchdog to review egg donation

The fertility watchdog, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, is to review egg giving - the practice by which a woman will donate all her eggs from the first cycle of fertility treatment (when she is stimulated with powerful drugs to superovulate) to a recipient who cannot produce eggs of her own. In some clinics the donor is then offered cut-price treatment on the second cycle of fertility treatment.

The Independent 22/07/03



Go vegan and cut deadly cholesterol, say scientists

Never mind expensive drugs or new-fangled margarines, scientists say they have devised a simple diet that dramatically reduces cholesterol without any need for medication

The Independent 23/07/03



Health service IT contractors plan £700m merger

Two of the main providers of software systems to the national health service are to merge in a near-£700m deal.

The Guardian 23/07/03



I give up

In 1998 Florida University doctors announced that they were using antidepressants to help treat nicotine addiction. "This is a very, very tenacious addiction," said psychiatrist Dr Douglas Eaton. "This is as hard an addiction to beat as heroin or cocaine - it's right up there with the biggies."

The Guardian 22/07/03



Instrument sale to GSK lifts Tepnel 10%

Shares in Tepnel Life Sciences rose more than 10 per cent yesterday after the biotechnology group sold a DNA purification system to GlaxoSmithKline.

Financial Times 23/07/03



Killer in the garden

Breakfast in the back garden may not sound particularly dangerous, but for Jane Murray it was the prelude to a tragedy. Within a matter of hours of sharing breakfast with her husband, she was in a coma. The wasp took less than five seconds to deliver its deadly sting, but it was another three years before Jane Murray died. She spent the remaining time in a coma.

The Guardian 22/07/03



New study rejects MMR link to autism rise

A link between the rise in autism and the MMR jab has been comprehensively rejected by a study that claims to have found "compelling evidence" the triple vaccine is safe.

The Independent 22/07/03



NHS attacks 'must be stopped'

Action must be taken to curb the "shocking" levels of violence experienced by NHS staff, MPs have said.

BBC Health News 23/07/03



NHS 'neglecting' older nurses

The NHS is neglecting the needs of older nurses - and thus failing to make the most of their valuable experience, a report has found. The study, by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, found that NHS hospitals focus on nurturing young recruits at the expense of their more experienced colleagues.

BBC Health News 23/07/03



Rate of murder in cot deaths is far lower than alleged

The number of cot deaths caused by murder has been overestimated, a medical study says today.

The Independent 22/07/03



Regulators face Yondelis dilemma

European pharmaceutical regulators will today face an ethical dilemma as they decide whether to approve Yondelis, a controversial new cancer treatment developed by Zeltia, the Spanish biotechnology company.

Financial Times 23/07/03



Take violent patients to court - MPs

MPs want more prosecutions of violent patients who threaten NHS staff, saying the existing "zero tolerance" approach has failed to bring reductions in physical or verbal abuse and that many incidents are still not reported.

The Guardian 23/07/03



The scribes of good health in the grip of listeria

"This morning I have already written and rewritten my to-do list three times, and it still doesn't seem to be getting any shorter," complained the editor of Women's Health (August) in her introductory letter. "What's more I've started making extra lists of more important things that need doing, the idea being that I prioritise."

The Guardian 23/07/03



Wildlife fear leaves GM safety debate unresolved

The most serious potential harm from growing genetically modified crops in Britain is their effect on farmland wildlife, and this cannot yet be predicted, the Government's review of GM science said yesterday.

The Independent 22/07/03



Cheshire & Merseyside News

Foreign nurses 'exploited'

Nurses from overseas who come to work in British hospitals and care homes face racism, exploitation and isolation, a report claims.

The Liverpool Echo 22/07/03



Hospital hit by TB scare

Around 1,400 patients have been contacted after a member of staff at a top Northern Ireland hospital was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Liverpool Post 22/07/03



MPs urge protection for NHS staff

Frontline health workers are to be taught how to deal with violence and aggression in one of the largest ever NHS training exercises.

Liverpool Echo 23/07/03



Cumbria & Lancashire News

An obsession fuelled by fear

OCD is a condition that leaves sufferers slavishly following bizarre, self-imposed rituals and routines and Paul Gascoigne himself has spoken frankly about it.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Concern as hospital doctor goes missing

POLICE were today becomingly increased concerned for the safety and welfare of a doctor who has been missing from his home for 24 hours.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Fattening food for thought

SO, food portions have grown so big in restaurants over the last 40 years that they're making us obese.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Fluoride: Let the public vote, says MP

Bolton North-east MP David Crausby fears the chemical could be added to supplies against the people's wishes if a new bill currently going through Parliament is given the go ahead.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Parent power is simply magic

SPARE a thought for the families of chidren born with a disability the next time you're inclined to moan about tough family life.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



New drive to beat drugs

A CAMPAIGN to give parents and carers more information about drugs was launched in Burnley.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



School deserve a tanning

WE may not get massive amounts of hot sunshine in this country but when we do, look out.

Liverpool Echo 22/07/03



Support for doctor wanting to work

SUPPORT for a recently retired family doctor who was told he could not retract his resignation is gathering pace.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Greater Manchester News

Lifesaver on the line

TEN minutes could have separated life and death for little Bridget Noctor. But thanks to quick-thinking `telephone nursing' by Eileen Walter, the three-year-old got the speedy treatment she needed for meningitis and meningoccocal septicaemia and she is well on the road to receovery.

Manchester Evening News 23/07/03



Mystery of missing doctor

IT LOOKS like a scene for the start of a busy working day. The jacket is on the back of the chair and the security pass lies on the desk next to piles of paperwork.

Manchester Evening News 23/07/03


Wednesday, July 23, 2003

International, National & Local Health & Social Care News

Acne 'made worse by stress'

The skin condition acne may be worsened by stress, research has found.
Scientists found that college students with acne were vulnerable to a worsening of their condition during examination periods.

BBC Health News 23/07/03




Dear doctor

I am becoming nervous about vaccinating my baby. She is only a month old and I am already sceptical about MMR. But now I have heard that the injections they have at two, three and four months old contain mercury. Is it true and should I avoid them?

The Guardian 22/07/03



Diet dissenters swing into Atkins

It may have worked wonders for Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Zeta-Jones and half the people in your office, but Dr Robert Atkins' high-protein, low carbohydrate diet seems to be falling from favour.

The Guardian 23/07/03



Fats ain't what they used to be

First they told us they were bad for us. Then carbohydrates were the enemy. So are fats our friends or our foes?

The Guardian 22/07/03



Fertility watchdog to review egg donation

The fertility watchdog, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, is to review egg giving - the practice by which a woman will donate all her eggs from the first cycle of fertility treatment (when she is stimulated with powerful drugs to superovulate) to a recipient who cannot produce eggs of her own. In some clinics the donor is then offered cut-price treatment on the second cycle of fertility treatment.

The Independent 22/07/03



Go vegan and cut deadly cholesterol, say scientists

Never mind expensive drugs or new-fangled margarines, scientists say they have devised a simple diet that dramatically reduces cholesterol without any need for medication

The Independent 23/07/03



Health service IT contractors plan £700m merger

Two of the main providers of software systems to the national health service are to merge in a near-£700m deal.

The Guardian 23/07/03



I give up

In 1998 Florida University doctors announced that they were using antidepressants to help treat nicotine addiction. "This is a very, very tenacious addiction," said psychiatrist Dr Douglas Eaton. "This is as hard an addiction to beat as heroin or cocaine - it's right up there with the biggies."

The Guardian 22/07/03



Instrument sale to GSK lifts Tepnel 10%

Shares in Tepnel Life Sciences rose more than 10 per cent yesterday after the biotechnology group sold a DNA purification system to GlaxoSmithKline.

Financial Times 23/07/03



Killer in the garden

Breakfast in the back garden may not sound particularly dangerous, but for Jane Murray it was the prelude to a tragedy. Within a matter of hours of sharing breakfast with her husband, she was in a coma. The wasp took less than five seconds to deliver its deadly sting, but it was another three years before Jane Murray died. She spent the remaining time in a coma.

The Guardian 22/07/03



New study rejects MMR link to autism rise

A link between the rise in autism and the MMR jab has been comprehensively rejected by a study that claims to have found "compelling evidence" the triple vaccine is safe.

The Independent 22/07/03



NHS attacks 'must be stopped'

Action must be taken to curb the "shocking" levels of violence experienced by NHS staff, MPs have said.

BBC Health News 23/07/03



NHS 'neglecting' older nurses

The NHS is neglecting the needs of older nurses - and thus failing to make the most of their valuable experience, a report has found. The study, by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, found that NHS hospitals focus on nurturing young recruits at the expense of their more experienced colleagues.

BBC Health News 23/07/03



Rate of murder in cot deaths is far lower than alleged

The number of cot deaths caused by murder has been overestimated, a medical study says today.

The Independent 22/07/03



Regulators face Yondelis dilemma

European pharmaceutical regulators will today face an ethical dilemma as they decide whether to approve Yondelis, a controversial new cancer treatment developed by Zeltia, the Spanish biotechnology company.

Financial Times 23/07/03



Take violent patients to court - MPs

MPs want more prosecutions of violent patients who threaten NHS staff, saying the existing "zero tolerance" approach has failed to bring reductions in physical or verbal abuse and that many incidents are still not reported.

The Guardian 23/07/03



The scribes of good health in the grip of listeria

"This morning I have already written and rewritten my to-do list three times, and it still doesn't seem to be getting any shorter," complained the editor of Women's Health (August) in her introductory letter. "What's more I've started making extra lists of more important things that need doing, the idea being that I prioritise."

The Guardian 23/07/03



Wildlife fear leaves GM safety debate unresolved

The most serious potential harm from growing genetically modified crops in Britain is their effect on farmland wildlife, and this cannot yet be predicted, the Government's review of GM science said yesterday.

The Independent 22/07/03



Cheshire & Merseyside News

Foreign nurses 'exploited'

Nurses from overseas who come to work in British hospitals and care homes face racism, exploitation and isolation, a report claims.

The Liverpool Echo 22/07/03



Hospital hit by TB scare

Around 1,400 patients have been contacted after a member of staff at a top Northern Ireland hospital was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Liverpool Post 22/07/03



MPs urge protection for NHS staff

Frontline health workers are to be taught how to deal with violence and aggression in one of the largest ever NHS training exercises.

Liverpool Echo 23/07/03



Cumbria & Lancashire News

An obsession fuelled by fear

OCD is a condition that leaves sufferers slavishly following bizarre, self-imposed rituals and routines and Paul Gascoigne himself has spoken frankly about it.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Concern as hospital doctor goes missing

POLICE were today becomingly increased concerned for the safety and welfare of a doctor who has been missing from his home for 24 hours.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Fattening food for thought

SO, food portions have grown so big in restaurants over the last 40 years that they're making us obese.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Fluoride: Let the public vote, says MP

Bolton North-east MP David Crausby fears the chemical could be added to supplies against the people's wishes if a new bill currently going through Parliament is given the go ahead.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Parent power is simply magic

SPARE a thought for the families of chidren born with a disability the next time you're inclined to moan about tough family life.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



New drive to beat drugs

A CAMPAIGN to give parents and carers more information about drugs was launched in Burnley.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



School deserve a tanning

WE may not get massive amounts of hot sunshine in this country but when we do, look out.

Liverpool Echo 22/07/03



Support for doctor wanting to work

SUPPORT for a recently retired family doctor who was told he could not retract his resignation is gathering pace.

Bolton Evening News 22/07/03



Greater Manchester News

Lifesaver on the line

TEN minutes could have separated life and death for little Bridget Noctor. But thanks to quick-thinking `telephone nursing' by Eileen Walter, the three-year-old got the speedy treatment she needed for meningitis and meningoccocal septicaemia and she is well on the road to receovery.

Manchester Evening News 23/07/03



Mystery of missing doctor

IT LOOKS like a scene for the start of a busy working day. The jacket is on the back of the chair and the security pass lies on the desk next to piles of paperwork.

Manchester Evening News 23/07/03



Monday, July 21, 2003

International, National & Local Health & Social Care News

Atkins dieters may lose one stone to gain another

THE weight-loss revolution that has inspired millions of women to rise up against the temptation of carbohydrates in favour of a juicy steak with a side order of spinach or rocket may not be medically safe after all, a team of doctors says.

The Times 21/07/03




Celebrities blamed for promoting irresponsible and gimmicky diets

Celebrities are being "irresponsible" in endorsing fad diets that could be harmful, the British Dietetic Association says today.

The Independent 21/07/03



Children blamed for hyperactivity 'are victims of poor parenting'

Hundreds of thousands of children prescribed the drug Ritalin for hyperactivity might simply be the victims of lax parenting, new evidence suggests.

The Independent 21/07/03



GM - the truth

Today the government publishes a report which will have a major impact on whether Britain becomes a GM nation. Ian Sample asks the vital questions - and weighs the scientific evidence

The Guardian 21/07/03



Foreign doctor rules 'to be eased'

The General Medical Council is considering scrapping its English language test for doctors who train overseas.

BBC Health News 21/07/03



Hormone fault 'causes infertility'

Scientists say a fault in how the body processes hormones could cause women to develop a condition which can cause infertility.

BBC Health News 21/07/03



Locking patient in room for days ruled unlawful

Ashworth Hospital, whose high profile patients include the Moors murderer Ian Brady, has been found in breach of government guidelines for keeping psychiatric patients locked in seclusion, often for weeks at a time.

The Independent 20/07/03



Mind games to fix your brain waves

Sitting at a desk on the 10th floor of London's Charing Cross hospital, Tobias Egner appears to be relaxing with a curious computer game. Shapes keep changing on the screen but there is no mouse or keyboard. Instead, wires trail from different points on his scalp.

The Financial Times 21/07/03



No quick fix in the pipeline for Bristol-Myers

Wall Street is only a short ride from Bristol-Myers Squibb's lamp-lit, wood-panelled headquarters on Park Avenue. But Peter Dolan, chief executive, has been the pharmaceutical industry's mystery man lately: neither Wall Street nor the public have seen or heard much of him for some time.

The Financial Times 21/07/03



Plea to ease epilepsy driving ban

Epilepsy patients should not have to wait for a year after a seizure before they can get back behind the wheel, say researchers.

BBC Health News 21/07/03



Shortage of GPs creates longer waiting times

PATIENTS are having to wait substantially longer to see their family doctor than they were five years ago, according to official figures.

The Times 21/07/03



Viagra is prescribed on NHS 1m times

The demand for impotence medicines has soared since the drug's release, but its availability on prescription is limited

The Independent 20/07/03



Cheshire & Merseyside News

Faulty freezer destroys sperm samples

A hospital has admitted that frozen sperm belonging to 28 cancer patients, whose treatment may have left them sterile. had defrosted.

The Liverpool Post 19/07/03



Cumbria and Lancashire News

Helping people live with chronic illness

A NEW course for people living with chronic illness is being launched by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust in September.

Burnley Citizen 19/07/03



Hospital chiefs relieved as pay deal ends strike

HOSPITAL bosses have breathed a sigh of relief after porters and cleaning staff called off their strike and accepted a new pay deal.

Bolton Evening News 19/07/03



Greater Manchester News

Cancer hopes dashed as key data is stolen

BREAST cancer research has suffered a setback after a world-renowned specialist was targeted by thieves who stole a laptop computer containing 20 years of "invaluable" work.

Manchester Evening News 21/07/03

Another 15 Minutes Weekend Health News from Fade.....

Saturday, July 19, 2003

National and International News



Belated patients' survey tells of NHS miseries

A national survey showing that many NHS patients suffer unnecessary pain, sleepless nights and lack of respect from insensitive doctors was published this week in a remote corner of the Department of Health's website after being suppressed since last year.

The Guardian 19/07/03


Cabinet on alert over spending

Gordon Brown is warning the majority of his cabinet colleagues to forget hopes of big increases in next year's spending round as the government concentrates its pre-election firepower on its priority areas of education and fighting crime

The Guardian 19/07/03


Eating GM foods will not harm you, says official report

The risk to human health from genetically modified crops is “very low�, an expert panel appointed by the Government will rule on Monday.

The Times 19/07/03


Euro will pay for NHS, says Blair

Britain will be billions of pounds better off if it joins the European single currency, saving enough money over the next 30 years to pay for the whole of the National Health Service, the Prime Minister said yesterday.

The Observer 20/07/03


Faulty freezer ruins 28 cancer patients' stored sperm

Frozen sperm belonging to 28 cancer patients, whose treatment may have left them sterile, has defrosted, a hospital admitted yesterday.

The Independent 20/07/03


Girl, 5, tortured to death for being too beautiful

A woman was jailed yesterday for torturing and abusing her partner’s five-year-old daughter; she had described the child as being “too beautiful�.

The Times 19/07/03


He was a fair cop

This is not the time to short-change our emergency services.

The Observer 20/07/03


Healthy, wealthy and wise

What price good health? One in five people of working age in the UK has a long-term disability, according to official figures, and Cash has compared the costs of being ill with the costs of healthy living. Is it feasible to reduce your susceptibility to back pain, heart disease, stress and the other main debilitating conditions of our time? The results are very encouraging.

The Observer 20/07/03


Locking patient in room for days ruled unlawful

Ashworth Hospital, whose high profile patients include the Moors murderer Ian Brady, has been found in breach of government guidelines for keeping psychiatric patients locked in seclusion, often for weeks at a time.

The Independent 20/07/03


MPs look at tax breaks for the fit

Tax breaks for taking a walk, going to the gym or swimming a few lengths are being considered by the Government to tackle the growing 'couch potato culture'.

The Observer 20/07/03


Patient patients

Three years ago the British Medical Association signed up to Labour's 10-year plan to make the NHS more patient-centred. For the last year the BMA has been in negotiations with successive health secretaries to ensure the focus in hospitals remained consultant-centred. John Reid, the new health secretary, was right to reopen talks on the disputed new contract. He was right to go an "extra mile or two" because without cooperative consultants, the government would not reach the ambitious targets it has set the NHS. Both sides have made concessions - the government giving up its demand that new consultants should give their first eight hours of overtime to NHS patients; the BMA agreeing that all consultants would offer the first four hours of overtime to the NHS. The deal has still to be approved by ballot but the BMA's negotiators are recommending acceptance.

The Guardian 19/07/03


Viagra is prescribed on NHS 1m times

The demand for impotence medicines has soared since the drug's release, but its availability on prescription is limited.

The Independent 20/07/03


Women fearful of 'war zone' treatment have babies alone

Pregnant women face lack of privacy and staff shortages in hospitals.

The Observer 20/07/03


Cheshire and Mersey News


Battling medics in 999 bust-up

A paramedic punched and kicked a fellow emergency worker who accused him of only responding quickly to members of his own family.

Chester Chronicle 18/07/03


Hospital insiders claim star ratings are 'a fix'

A health watchdog believes the Countess of Chester Hospital has retained its three star status because it is being lined up to become a Foundation hospital under a controversial government scheme.

Chester Chronicle 18/07/03


Hospitals may face shutting at night

Hospitals could be forced to shut at night unless they urgently change they way work, the Cheshire- based leader of Britain's doctors has warned.

Daily Post 18/07/03


Jobs losses in the stars at NHS trust

Bosses at one of the region's biggest ambulance providers could face a reshuffle after failing to improve its trust's standing in a national league of health excellence.

Chester Chroncle 18/07/03


New chief executive at Women's Hospital

Liverpool Women's Hospital has a new chief executive. Louise Shepherd, who is currently deputy chief executive at the Countess of Chester NHS Trust, will take over the position at the hospital on August 11.

Daily Post 18/07/03


Cumbria and Lancashire News


Casualty closure fear scotched

Fears that wards could close without warning at Fairfield General Hospital have been voiced by Bury's health watchdogs.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 18/07/03


Helping people live with chronic illness

A new course for people living with chronic illness is being launched by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust in September.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 18/07/03


Prescription to save chemists

The outcome of this newspaper's campaign to save local chemists might not be totally clear-cut, but their future looks brighter now that the government has responded to the public's outcry.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 18/07/03


Greater Manchester News


Hospital chiefs relieved as pay deal ends strike

Hospital bosses have breathed a sigh of relief after porters and cleaning staff called off their strike and accepted a new pay deal. Staff have been striking for 12 days on and off and The Royal Bolton Hospital has been severely disrupted.

Bolton Evening News 19/07/03


Friday, July 18, 2003

National and International News



Alarm at UK's vaccine shortage

Plans for an emergency vaccine production centre at Porton Down in Wiltshire, already rejected once by the government, are to be reconsidered following stinging criticism of Britain's pre paredness for infectious epidemics.

The Guardian 18/07/03


All together now on Aids

Rivalries are buried in Paris as scientists weigh up the benefits of drug treatment against the risk of new infections from a mutant form of HIV.

The Guardian 17/07/03


Beating the holiday ills

As more of us travel to exotic places, it pays to be ready for trouble

The Times 17/07/03


Consultants closer to pay deal after winning concessions

Doctors leaders won concessions from the Government yesterday over the new contract for hospital consultants which has been the subject of a bitter dispute for more than eight months.

The Independent 18/07/03
The Times 18/07/03


Consultants keep private work rights in NHS deal

John Reid, the health secretary, made peace with NHS hospital consultants in England last night after their negotiators accepted his offer of a revised contract that will no longer oblige doctors to do non-emergency work during evenings or weekends.

The Guardian 18/07/03


DNA database could go private

THE national DNA database could be privatised under government plans announced yesterday to sell off laboratories providing forensic evidence.

The Times 18/07/03


Downgraded trust to appeal £1m cut

CONSULTANTS at one of the four would-be foundation hospitals denied three stars in this year’s ratings have decided to challenge the results.

The Times 17/07/03


EC thought for food

Food advertisers are to be barred from making vague or misleading claims about the health benefits of eating their products, under new European commission rules proposed yesterday.

The Guardian 17/07/03
The Times 17/07/03


Four trusts cut from foundation hospital list after missing targets

Four NHS trusts were removed from the shortlist for the first wave of foundation hospitals yesterday after failing to make the grade in league tables.

The Independent 18/07/03


Genetic mutation linked to depression

Researchers find inheritance factor in succumbing to life's woes

The Guardian 08/07/03


Health department admits ratings errors

The Department of Health has been forced to apologise to two NHS trusts whose performance was appraised on the basis of mistaken data.

Financial Times 18/07/03


Health risks warning on body art dyes

A gruesome list of illnesses and health problems contracted by people who have had tattoos or piercings which went wrong was released by the European commission yesterday in an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of body art.

The Guardian 08/07/03


'Healthy' food labels

Phrases like "fat-free", "light" or "high-fibre" may soon be less prominent on supermarket shelves, if proposals launched by the European Commission get the go-ahead.

The Guardian 18/07/03


High fat diet linked to breast cancer

Women who eat 90g of fat a day at twice the risk, says study

The Guardian 08/07/03


How did that boy end up with his twin growing inside him?

It's the result of an extremely rare condition called foetus in foetu. While the condition is well documented, doctors are unsure how it happens.

The Guardian 17/08/03


Open war over smoking

The Californian study that failed to find any health effects of secondhand smoke was not "carried out by the American Cancer Prevention Study" (Rod Liddle, G2, July 16).

The Guardian 08/07/03


Patients to choose their NHS hospital

Within two years all NHS patients in England will be given a choice of at least four hospitals for any treatment recommended by a GP under plans for a huge injection of consumer values into the health service announced yesterday by John Reid, the health secretary.

The Guardian 18/07/03
The Independent 18/07/03
The Times 17/07/03


Prostate cancer – is the solution in a man’s hands?

THE solution to protecting yourself against prostate cancer could lie in your own hands, men have been told.

The Times 17/07/03


Public suspicion forces GM rethink

Ministers see political risks as outweighing any advantages

The Guardian 08/07/03


Rules on chemists relaxed

Patricia Hewitt, the trade and industry secretary, yesterday paved the way for more supermarkets to open in-store pharmacies, a trend which small chemists claim will threaten their existence.

The Guardian 08/07/03
Sars epidemic could recur

Only two out of nine experts say humans are safe

The Guardian 18/07/03


Cumbria and Lancashire News


Hospital doctors reach contract deal

Hospital doctors and the Government have reached an agreement over a new national NHS contract, Health Secretary John Reid has said.

Crewe Chronicle 18/07/03


Hospital wins back its three-star rating

WEST Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust has won back its three-star status – just 12 months after being stripped of the top honour.

Bury Free Press 18/07/03


Greater Manchester News


Hospital consultants hit out at NHS chiefs over ward closures

HOSPITAL consultants came face to face with MPs at a question and answer session over the health service in Rochdale on Friday.

The Rochdale Observer 18/07/03