Sunday, October 31, 2004

National and International News



Despite Vaccines, Whooping Cough Creeps Back

Whooping cough is making a comeback 40 years after most industrialized countries started vaccinating children, and the culprit seems to be weakening effects of the shot, researchers said on Saturday.

Reuters 31/10/04
CNN.com 31/10/04


We're ex-growth and out of ideas

It seems the pharmaceutical industry has gone from being the best business in the world to one facing the same problems as the rest of capitalism.

The Telegraph 31/10/04


I'm tired of lying awake all night

I'M generally a good sleeper but if there's something playing on my mind, I just can't nod off. I don't feel the need for sleeping tablets but is there something milder I could take on an occasional basis?

Sunday Mail 31/10/04


Nursing shortage claims dismissed

The government has dismissed claims that the NHS may face nurse shortages after a report showed rising numbers of British staff taking jobs in the US.

BBC Health News 31/10/04


Dr Gareth: My sex life has drooped after op

I WENT through a life-saving operation a few months ago. I have recovered now but I have been left with problems in bed. I can't sustain an erection and it is causing great problems in my relationship. What can I do?

Sunday Mail 31/10/04


12-year-old hangs himself after lifetime of violent abuse

Carers ignored years of fear that culminated in father's murder attempt, says mother.

The Observer 31/10/04


Slippery Solutions

What could be more simple than a floor? Among engineered systems and ergonomic furniture, among lighting controls and building automation systems, slip-resistant flooring seems like a relatively simple choice. Yet is it a simple question?

Buildings 31/10/04


Could that facelift leave your finances looking saggy?

Nick Kettles on precautions to take before you submit to the scalpel.

The Observer 31/10/04


Public opinion: NHS lures City boys to new life

REPORTS and rumours suggest that successful City types are fleeing the Square Mile to become plumbers, carpenters and artisans. They are not “resigning to spend more time with their family”, but downshifting to a happier and less stressful lifestyle.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


Susan Clark: What's the alternative?

I have recently read about the power of blueberries as an antioxidant and would be grateful for any further information you could give on the subject.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


Warning over A&E staff shortages

Casualty departments are facing a staffing crisis as more doctors leave to take up lucrative GP work.

Mail on Sunday 31/10/04


Plate watchers

Eating disorders aren't just teen territory. Amanda Ursell repors on how fad diets are threatening the health of older women.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


More nurses quit NHS to work in US

The number of NHS nurses leaving to work in the United States has doubled in the past two years, according to reports.

Mail on Sunday 31/10/04
The Press Association 31/10/04
BBC Health News 31/10/04
The Observer 31/10/04


Shrink to fit

Quick-fix inch-loss treatments promise a short-term solution for bottoms, thighs and stomachs. But do they work? Style road-tests the latest salon slimmers.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


'Stethoscope' hears kidney stones

Scientists have developed a "smart stethoscope" that can hear when a kidney stone has been successfully broken down by treatment.

BBC Health News 30/10/04


Complex cause for brittle bones

A mix of bad genes and poor conditions in the womb and early life may be responsible for some cases of brittle bone disease, research suggests.

BBC Health News 30/10/04


'Do not rush into cosmetic surgery'

Plastic surgery aimed at making people look more beautiful could end up leaving them scarred and deformed, unless they do their homework properly, surgeons are warning.

BBC Health News 29/10/04


Medics call for folic acid in food

STAPLE foods, such as bread or cereal, should be dosed with folic acid to prevent neural birth defects in Irish babies, a medical group has concluded, writes Dearbhail McDonald.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


First unit for gymslip mums opens in Dublin

A TEENAGE pregnancy unit will be opened to cater for the country’s high number of “gymslip mothers”, some as young as 13.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


Shocking cleaning rate at 'superbug' hospital

A hospital where superbug infections have doubled in two years has admitted that its cleaners mop under patients' beds only once a week.

Daily Mail 30/10/04


Postcode lottery fear on allergy treatment

An explosion in the number of Britons suffering from allergies will be revealed this week by a parliamentary report calling for more specialists to be trained to prevent a growing postcode lottery.

The Observer 31/10/04


Comment: Jenny Hjul: Politicians, heal yourselves before you start on the NHS

In the case of Marion Kyle versus Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, or “trolleygate” as it has inevitably been dubbed, it is perhaps too easy to take sides. In the yellow corner we have Nicola Sturgeon, the acting SNP leader, and her colleague Shona Robison, ranting over the treatment of an aggrieved patient. In the white corner, we have the cool consultant in the lab coat, calmly and clearly stating the facts, which happen to contradict the Nats’ version.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


Stress case studies

Louise Palmer, 36, is co-founder of 7days, a management consultancy business. She earns £200,000 a year and lives with her husband Adrian, 42, who works part-time, and their seven-month-old son Archie, in Buckinghamshire.

The Observer 31/10/04


More 13-year-olds to get morning-after pill

THE public furore over Scotland’s sexual health strategy has been reignited by a scheme to extend the provision of the morning-after pill to girls as young as 13 without their parents’ consent.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


Strike a light, smokeless pubs stink

Don't turn up your nose at tobacco until you've sniffed the foul stench under that fug.

The Observer 31/10/04


Reid: Scottish smoking ban is ‘poll suicide’

JACK McCONNELL is coming under pressure from John Reid, the UK health secretary, to ditch plans for an outright smoking ban in Scotland.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


Lost cause

Miscarriage is traumatic. But subsequent medical treatment can make matters worse, says Jo Carlowe.

The Observer 31/10/04


Risky business

An alarming story on the cover of The Lancet cast a serious shadow on the benefits of taking vitamins. Dr John Briffa sheds light on the debate.

The Observer 31/10/04


John Reid: If adults want to gamble, we should let them

The Tories think we should be treated as children without a moral compass.

The Independent 31/10/04
Link


Pregnant ‘punchbags’

LIKE many midwives I have routinely (and I hope sensitively) asked women about domestic violence and contrary to popular belief, physical violence often starts or intensifies during pregnancy (Have you stopped beating your pregnant wife yet? Comment, last week). Murder is the commonest cause of maternal death during pregnancy and the murderer is usually an abusive partner.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


NHS and police reforms 'threaten chaos'

Northern Ireland's public institutions are in danger of 'collapsing like a house of cards', according to an expert in workplace trends.

The Observer 31/10/04


Stress becomes the No 1 complaint of British workers

Stress is the biggest threat to the health of the nation's workforce, according to a survey to be published this week highlighting Britain's gruelling office culture.

The Observer 31/10/04


Gene therapy is just an expensive myth, claim scientists

The "biotech revolution", which has been acclaimed by scientists as the path to miracle cures, has not delivered genuine improvements, according to an official study published this week.

The Telegraph 31/10/04


A generation of troubled youngsters 'criminalised'

Daisy is 17 years old, profoundly deaf and has been in prison for more than a month. Her crime was spitting in public, an offence which earned her an anti-social behaviour order - or Asbo - and subsequently a jail term.

The Independent 31/10/04


Scientist warns disabled over having children

BRITAIN’S leading geneticist is set to outrage disabled couples by arguing that they should choose not to have children if they know they will be born disabled.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


Traffic jams 'treble the risks of heart attacks'

The risk of suffering a heart attack triples in a traffic jam, according to a study by German scientists.

The Telegraph 31/10/04


Compromise on smacking

Parents are likely to retain the right to smack their children under a bill being debated in the Commons on Tuesday, writes John Elliott.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


Health officials warn parents of 'imminent' measles epidemic

Public health officials will this week launch a major campaign to persuade parents to immunise their children with the MMR jab to counter the imminent threat of a severe measles epidemic.

The Independent 31/10/04


Mothers-to-be warned to stay off painkillers

Children exposed to painkillers such as aspirin and paracetamol while in the womb are four times more likely to develop schizophrenia as adults, a study of Danish patients has found.

The Telegraph 31/10/04


He's broke. It's £6 for a fix

Petty crime is driven by drugs, but there's no evidence that Blunkett's Asbo is the answer.

The Observer 31/10/04


Powerlines cancer risk for children

Children living near high-voltage powerlines may reportedly have double the risk of contracting cancer, new research suggests.

Daily Mail 30/10/04
BBC Health News 30/10/04


Middle-aged parents are targeted in adoption drive

Parents in their 50s, whose offspring have grown up and left home will be encouraged for the first time to adopt young children.

The Independent 31/10/04


High fat and salt found in organic food

ORGANIC food may not be quite as healthy as its supporters claim. Some of the products bought by shoppers in Britain’s biggest supermarkets contain levels of salt and fat as much as three times higher than non-organic versions of the same product, it has emerged.

The Sunday Times 31/10/04


Elderly risking health through binge-drinking

A growing number of pensioners are putting their health at risk by binge-drinking.

The Telegraph 31/10/04


Bristol Hepatitis B Drug Beats Glaxo's in Study

An experimental Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. pill for the liver disease hepatitis B proved better than a commonly-used anti-viral medicine made by GlaxoSmithKline in late-stage clinical studies, researchers said.

Reuters 29/10/04


African-American Men Do Well After Prostatectomy

After undergoing prostate removal because of localized cancer, African-American men have better recovery of sexual and urinary function than do non-Hispanic white men, researchers report.

Reuters 29/10/04


Focused Ultrasound Treats Gynecologic Problem

Vulvar dystrophy is a common gynecologic disorder usually involving white lesions on tissues of the vulva that are often accompanied by intense itching. Currently, various treatments can help but may not be long-lasting.

Reuters 29/10/04


Laser and Ultrasound Help Wounds Heal, in Rats

Laser therapy and ultrasound promote wound healing, Turkish researchers have shown in animal experiments.

Reuters 30/10/04


Painful Sweating Reported After Wart Removal

US researchers describe a man who experienced episodes of painful sweating in the face that occurred spontaneously or when eating certain foods.

Reuters 29/10/04


Ducks Pose Further Bird Flu Risk for Humans -- WHO

Ducks also spread bird flu, increasing the risk to humans from a virus that has killed 32 people in Thailand and Vietnam this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

Reuters 29/10/04


Demand, Canada Supply Concern Cut U.S. Flu Shot Trips

A cruise operator ferrying U.S. residents to Canada for flu shots said on Friday it has cut back on its popular service due to overwhelming demand and concerns about diminishing supplies north of the border.

Reuters 29/10/04


Novartis Breast Cancer Drug OK'd for Wider U.S. Use

Novartis AG won U.S. approval to promote the drug Femara for women who have finished standard therapy for early-stage breast cancer and run out of options, the company said on Friday.

Reuters 29/10/04


AstraZeneca's Crestor May Harm Kidneys

Twenty-nine patients who took AstraZeneca Plc's AZN.L AZN.N anti-cholesterol drug Crestor have developed kidney damage, a U.S. consumer group said on Friday as it called again for a ban on the medicine.

Reuters 29/10/04


NHS service helping quitters

A big rise in the number of people quitting smoking with the help of the NHS has been announced by the Government.

Daily Mail 30/10/04


Cell Transplants Restore Lost Skin Color

Transplantation of pigment-producing cells called melanocytes appears to be a safe and effective treatment for vitiligo, in which patches of skin lose their coloration, appearing whitish, according to two reports in the Archives of Dermatology.

Reuters 29/10/04


Checkups scaled down

Will changes in dental practice mean better care for your teeth?

The Times 30/10/04


New hope for colon cancer patients

A new surgery and drug combination could significantly increase the chances of patients surviving colon cancer, results from a major trial showed.

Daily Mail 29/10/04
The Telegraph 30/10/04
BBC Health News 29/10/04


We’re funny in the brain

Heard the one about the comedy computer? It sounds like a bad joke but the newly revealed machine will help children with language difficulties.

The Times 30/10/04


Darian Leader: Analyse this: Devil worship

Many people were scandalised last week at the Royal Navy’s decision to permit Devil worship on board one of its vessels. A sailor, serving on the frigate Cumberland, wished to have the freedom to practise his beliefs and, if necessary, to have a funeral carried out by the Church of Satan. After some debate, the Equal Opportunities Commission decided the outcome: if those were his religious beliefs, why shouldn’t he be allowed to practise them?

The Times 30/10/04


Heartburn drugs fear

SOME of the world’s most frequently taken drugs — medicines for heartburn and stomach ulcers — may be linked to an increased risk of contracting pneumonia, say Dutch researchers.

The Times 30/10/04


Bitter sweet news for slimmers

Women whose palates are sensitive to bitter tastes are more likely to keep the pounds off, according to a new study.

Daily Mail 30/10/04


Mark Henderson: Junk medicine: Anti-vaccine activists

Opponents of MMR believe in homoeopathy, the Force, ESP and all sorts of other rubbish.

The Times 30/10/04


It's definitely not the job for lots of people

Once it was long hours and insecurity that brought dissatisfaction at work. Now, despite higher pay and wider career choices, research suggests it's a lack of control over our daily tasks and pressure of a growing workload that concerns us.

The Guardian 30/10/04


Losing out in retirement

Heavy smokers, the seriously overweight and those with life-threatening illnesses are losing out in retirement.

The Guardian 30/10/04


BMA warning over EU rules

Patients' safety could be endangered by new European Union regulations covering healthcare, doctors' representatives warned.

Daily Mail 30/10/04


Real fat-cat MPs

THEY PREACH healthy living but they don’t practise it. MPs who were brave enough to have their body-mass indexes checked at this year’s party conferences showed that it isn’t only huge expenses claims that make them fat cats.

The Times 30/10/04


Ask Emma

I have polycystic ovarian syndrome. I have been put back on Dianette (stronger than my last contraceptive pill), but do not feel comfortable with it as a long-term solution. I am concerned about my fertility. Are there any alternative remedies you could suggest that would help me manage my condition and reduce the need for such a strong pill?

The Guardian 30/10/04


Help, I’ve got hypochondria

Are you happily healthy? Don’t worry, doctors and drug firms can soon put a stop to that.

The Times 30/10/04


Body strategy

I have just completed my first triathlon (only the novice distance so far). I have had spondylolisthesis for 20 years. It never gives me any problem with exercise, but it does with work. I am a midwife, and at present I'm recovering from lifting a woman who had fainted. I am currently only doing Pilates, walking daily and some swimming on doctor's orders, but I'm worried that I am going to lose my level of fitness.

The Guardian 30/10/04


Laughter can be the best medicine, just ask the homeless

When you are down on your luck, it may be the last thing on your mind.

The Guardian 30/10/04


Interview: Prophet of pill popping

Nutritionist Patrick Holford is on a mission to fill us with vitamins. But why is his message hard to swallow?

The Times 30/10/04


Taking a health cheque on pay

Earnings are up with doctors and company bosses top of the league, as Phillip Inman reports.

The Guardian 30/10/04


Soul keepers

Children explore their inner lives with a rich imagination that adults lack.

The Times 30/10/04


Sex with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson

I'm 76 and when my husband died after 51 years of marriage I became infatuated with another man. We had sex but it was very uncomfortable. I wondered whether I was blocked by guilt. I feel I am too old to have these feelings but I long for a man to share my life and my bed.

The Times 30/10/04


Irma Kurtz: Moving on: Baby versus partner

Slow down and try to discover the precise reason why your man balks at having a baby.

The Times 30/10/04


Back to wet beds

My son is 7. He was not dry at night until 5, when we used a star chart. Just before his seventh birthday party he wet the bed and does so four nights out of five. We restrict fluids in the evening and are resuming the star chart. What else can we do?

The Times 30/10/04


Going out in style

From a motorcycle hearse to a woodland burial in an ecopod coffin, funerals are becoming dead cool.

The Times 30/10/04


Back in the pink

Despite a bad press, farmed organic salmon is thriving in the west of Ireland.

The Times 30/10/04


Jane Clarke: At your table: Enjoying your oats

Start your day with a hearty bowl of oats and feel the benefit long after lunchtime.

The Times 30/10/04


S Africans 'as fat as Americans'

Obesity levels in South Africa are the same as in the United States, say doctors at the first international meeting on obesity in Africa.

BBC Health News 29/10/04


Vaccine against cervical cancer

A vaccine that prevents infections known to cause cervical cancer could be available to women within three years, UK experts believe.

BBC Health News 29/10/04


How the fit and fabulous stay that way: Natasha Bedingfield, 22

Singer Natasha Bedingfield, 22, swapped psychology for stardom, but faith and the gym keep her trim.

The Times 30/10/04


I'm beautiful now, says girl saved by surgeons

A TEENAGE girl from a remote island in South-East Asia has been given hope for a normal life after a fairytale operation to rebuild her face at a London hospital.

The Times 30/10/04


Children's teeth 'best for years'

Tooth decay among children is at its lowest recorded level since 1983, figures show.

BBC Health News 29/10/04


Scottish heart deaths fall

FEWER Scots are dying from heart disease and strokes, figures revealed yesterday.

The Times 30/10/04


Downsides to the new curves

BREAST augmentation has proved of value to younger women who are flat chested, and to older ones whose breasts have become droopy as a result of childbirth or age.

The Times 30/10/04


The breast implants with a more natural look

A SCOTTISH company which started life by making replacement heart valves out of pig gut, is set to start testing a “next generation” breast implant made of ultra-tough but highly malleable plastic.

The Times 30/10/04


Teenage pregnancies continue to rise at 'worrying' rate despite 40m campaign

Teenage pregnancies are continuing to rise in some of the worst-affected areas in Britain, despite a 40m-a-year campaign to tackle the problem.

The Independent 30/10/04


Cheshire and Merseyside News


Region facing an epidemic

HEALTH chiefs are warning that a mumps epidemic is sweeping the region.

Maghull & Aintree Star 28/10/04


Smoke signals

SMOKING will be banned in all public places in Liverpool. If the same happened in Ormskirk or elsewhere in West Lancs, how would the public react? SARAH GAFFNEY investigates

Ormskirk Advertiser 28/10/04


Fake vodka could make you blind

POLICE and Trading Standards Officers are warning consumers about possibly dangerous counterfeit vodka which could be for sale around Lancashire.

Ormskirk Advertiser 28/10/04


Facilities are boosted by new premises

SEFTON Cancer Support Group has begun a new chapter in its history since moving to its Liverpool Road base.

Formby Times 28/10/04


Your guide to health

EVERY household in South Sefton will receive a guide to using health services through their doors next month.

Formby Times 28/10/04


Stub out success

THE owners of West Lancashire's first smoke-free pub are former bar workers who had been forced to work in a smoky atmosphere.

Ormskirk Advertiser 28/10/04


Housing revamp plans on show

MULTI-million pound regeneration plans for Edge Hill were going on show today.

Liverpool Echo 29/10/04


Hospital breakthrough in baby hearing tests

NEWBORN babies can now have their hearing tested at a Chester hospital by technology in the form of a tiny ear-piece.

Chester Chronicle 29/10/04


I pleaded for help but hospital let Glenn die

A WOMAN who claims doctors refused her alcoholic brother life-saving treatment wants to sue Southport hospital.

Southport Visiter 29/10/04


Michael Owen, 5 plays a blinder

A GRANDMOTHER hailed Michael Owen her "guardian angel" after he saved her from a life-threatening diabetic coma.

Liverpool Echo 29/10/04


Dedicated doctor's dual celebration

A MISSIONARY from Cheshire who has dedicated his life to helping people in Uganda will mark a double milestone in style.

Chester Chronicle 29/10/04


Cumbria and Lancashire News


Women's group gives air ambulance a lift

ATHERTON Women's Institute raised 770 for the North-west Air Ambulance after a year of fund-raising including a strawberry fair and a sponsored swim.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/10/04


Tributes to trust chairman

THE chairman of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Brian Booth, has died suddenly.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/10/04


Hospital walk is opened

A NEW woodland walk and nature trail is just the tonic for hospital patients and staff.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/10/04


Dentist crisis fears

COUNCIL leaders have demanded an urgent meeting with health bosses to address Pendle's dental crisis.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 30/10/04


New report due on A&E

A KEY report which backed proposed changes to emergency surgery provision at Chorley Hospital has been withdrawn.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/10/04


Double yellow lines solution at hospital

RE the gate between Rookwood Avenue and Chorley Hospital.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/10/04


Early diagnosis call

BURNLEY MP Peter Pike is backing a new campaign by the UK's leading breast cancer charity, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, to highlight the need for women in the area aged 50 and over to attend their breast screening appointments when invited.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/10/04


Helping to fight cancer

BLACKBURN Cathedral was Tickled Pink yesterday in aid of the charity Breast Cancer Care.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 30/10/04


Greater Manchester News


Elderly must stay on their guard

WE at Help the Aged were concerned to read in your recent report that bogus callers have been targeting older people in Darwen and would like to offer some advice to your older readers on how to ensure they do not become a victim. When dealing with an unexpected visitor, Help the Aged urges older people to follow the simple Lock, Stop, Chain, Check, doorstep safety advice.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 29/10/04


Coroner's warning over smoke alarms

A CORONER is demanding Bury social services fit smoke alarms in the homes of all of its vulnerable and disadvantaged clients, after a fatal house fire in Whitefield.

Bury Times 29/10/04


Air ambulance cash plea

NORTH West Air Ambulance is calling on all former patients to get in touch and help raise both cash and the charityís profile.

Bury Times 29/10/04


Fairfield closure plan U-turn

CONTROVERSIAL proposals to axe Fairfield's special care baby unit have been withdrawn - for now.

Bury Times 29/10/04


Hospital jobs up for grabs

VACANCIES at the Royal Bolton Hospital have risen.

Bolton Evening News 29/10/04


Baby care unit safe - for now

CONTROVERSIAL proposals to axe Fairfield Hospital's special care baby unit have been withdrawn -- for now.

Bolton Evening News 29/10/04


Dentists visits move welcomed

A MOVE for healthy adults to visit their dentist every two years has been welcomed by Bolton dentists.

Bolton Evening News 29/10/04


Chemists to offer advice on quitting

SMOKERS who want to quit will be able to get help from their local chemist.

Bolton Evening News 29/10/04


Hospice gets £20,000

A GALA weekend to raise money for children's hospice Derian House, Chorley, raised more than £20,000.

Bolton Evening News 30/10/04


Flu jab reminder for the elderly

ELDERLY people are being urged to have flu vaccinations in readiness for winter.

Bolton Evening News 29/10/04


Hospital in bid to be 'world leader'

BOSSES at the Royal Bolton Hospital have set out their vision of the hospital as an "international leader in high quality healthcare services".

Bolton Evening News 30/10/04


Legion bug hits office worker

A BOLTON office worker is seriously ill in hospital with suspected Legionnaires Disease after collapsing at his home.

Bolton Evening News 29/10/04


Charity dinner for breast cancer

A COMPANY is holding its annual charity dinner to raise money for Breast Cancer Care.

Bolton Evening News 30/10/04


Hospital set to be smoke free

THE Royal Bolton Hospital will become a smoke free zone when a total ban on smoking is introduced.

Bolton Evening News 29/10/04
Bolton Evening News 30/10/04


Stroke ward to close in shake-up

A WARD at the Royal Bolton Hospital will close as a re-shuffle in elderly care takes place.

Bolton Evening News 30/10/04


Parents back charity after epileptic daughter's death

A HEARTBROKEN couple want to raise awareness of the potentially devastating consequences of epilepsy after their four-year-old daughter died from a seizure in her sleep.

Bolton Evening News 30/10/04


The importance of a good sleep

THE clocks go back Saturday night, meaning the end of British Summer Time and an extra hour in bed. Karen Stephen takes a look at sleep.

Bolton Evening News 30/10/04


Healing hands, green fingers

SAVING lives is not Dr Richard Sawyer's only talent - the chest cancer specialist at Wythenshawe Hospital also doubles as a gardener.

Manchester Evening News 30/10/04


Patients to get hospital choice

The scheme is expected to start in January, when the aim is that all Oldham patients referred for cataract surgery will be given at least two options of where they want treatment.

Oldham Evening Chronicle 30/10/04

Sunday, October 24, 2004

National and International News



'Once-a-year dentist visit enough'

The dreaded trip to the dentist could come around a lot less often following new guidelines due to be released by health chiefs this week.

Mail on Sunday 24/10/04
The Sunday Times 24/10/04


DR YVONNE CASEY'S COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE: HOW DO YOU GET JUICE FROM A CARROT?

EVERYONE knows the old wives' tale about carrot juice being good for your eyesight. How do you go about making it?

The Sundaymail 24/10/04


KILLER ON WARDS: KNOT ON!

DOCTORS are being ordered to tuck in their ties to stop the spread of killer MRSA.

The Sunday Mail 24/10/04


GP FACES BEING STRUCK OFF OVER ASTHMA BOY'S DEATH

A DOCTOR who failed to save a child who died of an asthma attack in her surgery faces being struck off in a misconduct inquiry.

The Sunday Mail 24/10/04


DR GARETH : I WANT A KID AFTER COMING OFF PILL

I AM 31 and came off the pill 10 months ago after taking it for 12 years. Since then my periods have been very light and only last one to two days whereas before I have always had a heavier period lasting four to five days. My partner and I have been trying for a baby for four months and I am worried this may affect my chances of becoming pregnant.

The Sunday Mail 24/10/04


Why were doctors so convinced that my baby Luke should die?

Ruth Winston-Jones cradles her tiny son, wrapped in his favourite shawl, and looks lovingly into his large blue eyes.

Mail on Sunday 24/10/04
Daily Mail 23/10/04
The Mirror 23/10/04
The Telegaph 23/10/04
The Guardian 23/10/04
The Independent 23/10/04
The Times 23/10/04


Virus recruited to kill superbug

Scientists have created detergents laced with viruses that could rid Britain's hospitals of deadly superbugs that now infect the wards. The researchers hope to begin trials in hospitals in the next few months.

The Observer 24/10/04


Internet kidney transplant allowed

A man who found a kidney donor on the internet is undergoing the transplant operation, after surgeons had originally cancelled the procedure over questions about the practice of web matching.

Tiscali News 24/10/04


Philip gives backing to euthanasia bill

THE Duke of Edinburgh is understood to have expressed support for a Conservative peer who is seeking to legalise voluntary euthanasia.

The Sunday Times 24/10/04


Bioterror threat is growing, say medics

The world faces a growing risk that terrorists will use new biological weapons created by genetic engineering, the British Medical Association will warn this week.

The Independent 24/10/04


What shape are you in?

Fit? Trim? Congratulations. But it's no longer enough to watch your waistline. Scientists now say your height, proportions and body outline can help to predict future illness, and offer vital clues on how to keep well. As the NHS prepares to give us all free body MOTs, Joanna Moorhead discovers why it is healthier to be a pear than an apple - and finds that even being a string bean brings its own hazards.

The Independent 24/10/04


Plastic surgeons issue guidelines for patients

Plastic surgeons will tomorrow issue the first official consumer safety guidelines amid growing concern that patients are being exploited by untrained and unscrupulous medics.

The Independent 24/10/04


Do we worry too much about the safety of our children?

New research reveals that a third of children won't be allowed outside on their own this half-term because of fears over abduction and violence. To test the theory, we knocked on the doors of Fieldhead Road in Guiseley near Leeds, officially Britain's most average street.

The Independent 24/10/04


New screening demand over health fears for IVF babies

The Government's fertility watchdog has admitted it now wants to monitor the long- term health effects of IVF treatment a quarter of a century after the first test-tube baby was born.

The Independent 24/10/04


'Health MOT' for every patient in Britain

The National Health Service is to offer every patient in Britain a personal diet and fitness regime among its radical measures to force individuals to take greater responsibility for their own health.
The Independent 24/10/04
BBC Health News 24/10/04


'What a hell of a choice - we either sink or we put our boys into care'

The parents of two severely disabled boys are in despair after a High Court ruling has cut off the possibility of any state help towards meeting the £40,000 cost of desperately needed equipment.

The Telegraph 24/10/04


'Opponents of new gambling law are snobs,' says Tessa Jowell

Opponents of the Government's gambling reforms are snobs who want to deny ordinary people the right to bet, Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, said yesterday.

The Telegraph 24/10/04


Tessa turns her thoughts to sex

A draft press release leaked to The Telegraph appears to show that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell, is to follow the Gambling Bill with an announcement that the Government intends to legalise prostitution.

The Telegraph 24/10/04


The poisonous cocktail in a minister's bloodstream

He is the man appointed by Tony Blair to protect the public from poisonous chemicals. Yet the rural affairs minister, Alun Michael, has admitted that his body contains a cocktail of toxic substances, many of which have been banned on safety grounds for decades.

The Observer 24/10/04


So you thought you were safe at home ...

While undergoing treatment for breast cancer, Carol Harrigan went to stay with her brother. When she was given the all-clear she breathed a sigh of relief and moved back home. But within a few weeks the cancer was back. Four months later she died. Her daughter Claire wanted to know why. Was it the house that had killed her?

The Observer 24/10/04


Black magic

If you want to fight flu, get nature on your side. Black elderberry extract can incapacitate the virus and strengthen your immunity, says Dr John Briffa.

The Observer 24/10/04


It's the modern world, so don't get a life: get a life coach

If you want to get ahead get a hat, so goes the age old advice to ambitious employees keen to climb the corporate ladder. Today's urban warriors, however, ensure they stay at the front of the snapping pack by hiring a life coach.

The Observer 24/10/04


Drinks industry gets another bashing

What is it about the drinks industry that makes them look soft targets for governments seeking a bit of voter popularity? Margaret Thatcher took on the brewing industry towards the end of her time, and produced the Beer Orders, which were meant to free the pub trade from the grip of what used to be called the 'Beerage'. In fact, they wrecked the UK business, to the point where virtually the whole industry is foreign-owned. The drinks companies changed strategy and moved on, adapting to survive in the post-Beer Orders climate. Pubs became more sophisticated, family-friendly places, where you could eat decent food as well as get a drink. On the whole, they were a lot better than the 'boozers' of old, with their 'blokey and smokey' image.

The Observer 24/10/04


Worried doctors opt for caesareans

Doctors admit they fear mothers will sue after difficult births, despite 20 per cent fall in legal claims against NHS trusts by patients.

The Observer 24/10/04


Abstinence makes the pocket grow deeper

We all know about the benefits to your health of giving up smoking and cutting down on alcohol, but what about the benefits to your wallet, asks Nick Kettles.

The Observer 24/10/04


Pound for pound: Steve Cox paid £1,500 for a 12-week course - and lost four stone

Steve Cox is now able to climb a stile in the Warwickshire fields near his home with slightly more ease than in the past. After years of being overweight, the 52-year-old dentist is far more enthusiastic about walking since he lost 25.4kg (four stone) during the summer.

The Observer 24/10/04


Desperate slimmers flock to clinics

Fed up with gyms and endless diets, 100,000 sign up to private weight-loss centres.

The Observer 24/10/04


The difficult art of keeping a fortune (and staying happy)

What would you do if your numbers came up? We all daydream, but the reality of riches came as a rude shock to these three instant millionaires.

The Observer 24/10/04


Bees 'hold key to alcohol misuse'

Scientists believe the honey bee may hold the key to understanding how alcohol addiction affects humans.

BBC Health News 23/10/04


Chemists 'to offer medical care'

Pharmacists in England and Wales could offer some health services currently provided by GPs, under a new deal agreed with the government.

BBC Health News 24/10/04


Mobile aid for diabetes patients

Mobile phones are being used to try to make the lives of people with diabetes easier by high-speed data transfer.

BBC Health News 23/10/04


Smokers' genetic arthritis risk

People genetically prone to arthritis who also smoke are storing up trouble for the future, researchers warn.

BBC Health News 23/10/04


Tap water linked to higher risk of stillbirths

Chlorine which is used to disinfect tap water can contribute to an increased risk of having a stillborn baby, researchers have said. The chance is up to 21 per cent greater where pregnant women are drinking and washing in water laced with by-products of the chemical.

Daily Mail 23/10/04


'Asbestos the Silent Epidemic'

Amicus the UK's largest Private Sector Union, Thompson Solicitors, Rowley Ashworth Solicitors, Trade Union Safety Team (TRUST) and the Derby Asbestos Support Team are today (21/10/04) sponsoring a Major Conference of 200 delegates in Derby entitled 'Asbestos the Silent Epidemic' which will examine the causes and effect of asbestos related illness and how it ruins people's lives.

PRWeb 22/10/04


Drug abuse 'off Government radar'

Ministers appear to have turned their backs on the issue of drug abuse, former drugs czar Keith Hellawell says.

Daily Mail 23/10/04


Suspected vCJD victim undergoes tests

Test were today being carried out at a Dublin hospital on a man suspected of having the first case of vCJD to originate from within the Irish Republic.

Daily Mail 23/10/04


Mastectomy 'cancer risk' warning

Young women who undergo mastectomies should be given drugs to restrict blood supply to cancer cells, research suggests.

BBC Health News 23/10/04


Diabetes link to child mind drugs

Treating children with anti-psychotic drugs may increase the risk of a condition which leads to diabetes and heart disease, research suggests.

BBC Health News 23/10/04


Can a little radiation be a good thing?

It is widely accepted that high doses of radiation are harmful and can cause cancers like leukaemia.

BBC Health News 23/10/04


Ministers push for corporate killing bill exemption

Ministers have called for a bill on corporate killing to exempt public-sector bodies, fearing it could expose public servants to big lawsuits.

Financial Times 23/10/04


Gradual retirement would ease transition and tackle ageism

Sir, The emphasis on financial reasons for raising the pension age ("Plea to base pensions on lifespan", "The rising price of life expectancy", October 9) ignores other good reasons for a flexible retirement age.

Financial Times 23/10/04


Warning over deadly flu threat

An international vaccine expert has warned that it is only a matter of time before a deadly flu pandemic struck and that the world was ill-prepared to cope with a major outbreak of the disease.

Daily Mail 23/10/04


U.S. Works to Deliver Flu Shots, Some Don't Wait

U.S. health officials worked to redistribute flu vaccine to the neediest as worried Americans took matters into their own hands, heading across borders to Canada and Mexico to get shots on Friday

Reuters 23/10/04


Bush Signs Law Banning Certain Steroid-Like Drugs

President Bush signed a law on Friday banning certain steroid-like drugs, used by some athletes as performance enhancers.

Reuters 23/10/04


Americans Flock Across Borders for Flu Shots

Facing a vaccine shortage at home, Americans living near the Canadian and Mexican borders are finding that the flu shots they need may be only a quick car or boat trip away.

Reuters 22/10/04


Study Links Sleep Loss to Teens' Suicide Behaviors

Teenagers who usually fall into bed at 2 a.m. each night and get up a few hours later to make their 8 a.m. classes are putting themselves at risk for more than chronic tiredness.

Reuters 23/10/04


Inhaled Insulin as Effective as Injection

For people with type 2 diabetes, taking an inhaled form of insulin before meals and a single daily injection of long-acting insulin provides blood sugar control comparable to that of a conventional all-injection insulin regimen, researchers report.

Reuters 22/10/04


Does an elderly man in a home have a right to pay for sex?

This is the tale of the prostitute, the pensioner and the NHS, a latter-day baroque opera of missed opportunities and a tragic ending.

The Independent 23/10/04


Gene May Account for Range of Ills, Study Finds

A rare genetic mutation may help explain why some people get hit with a triple whammy of high blood pressure, cholesterol and a tendency to gain weight easily, U.S. researchers reported on Friday.

Reuters 23/10/04


New Method Improves Therapy for Prostate Cancer

British scientists have discovered a new way to improve the effectiveness of drugs used to treat prostate cancer.

Reuters 22/10/04


U.S. Approves Ultrasound to Treat Uterine Fibroids

A new device to treat uterine fibroids -- fibrous clumps that can cause miscarriages, painful menstruation and other related problems in women -- won U.S. regulatory approval on Friday.

Reuters 22/10/04


Doctor for U.S. Lawmakers Donates Flu Vaccine

The attending physician for U.S. lawmakers, their staffs and others who work at the U.S. Capitol received additional doses of the flu vaccine and is donating them to city medical officials, top U.S. Republican lawmakers said on Friday.

Reuters 22/10/04


Weight link to poor fertility

Men who are overweight are more likely to have poor sperm quality, scientists have revealed.

Daily Mail 23/10/04


Hospital deaths probe: two staff bailed

Two hospital employees have been released on bail by police investigating patient deaths.

Channel 4 News 23/10/04
Daily Mail 22/10/04


Arthritis Drugs May Help Fight Cancer-Study

Arthritis drugs like Celebrex and the recently withdrawn Vioxx may boost the immune system's ability to attack brain tumors, and possibly other types of cancer, researchers said on Friday.

Reuters 22/10/04


ONE KISS COULD KILL ME

TEENAGER Isobel Norris is wary about getting a boyfriend because a single kiss could kill her.

The Mirror 23/10/04


London 'could be without water inside 10 years'

London could run out of water within a decade if it does not spend more on replacing leaking Victorian mains or building reservoirs, Thames Water said yesterday.

The Telegraph 23/10/04


Boots chain set to sell sex toys

Boots, the chemist, famous for its family values, is considering selling sex toys.

The Telegraph 23/10/04
The Guardian 23/10/04
The Times 23/10/04


Hard-hitting images for smokers

The Government has been urged to add shocking pictures of smoke-damaged lungs, clogged arteries and gangrenous legs to its anti-smoking armoury.

Daily Mail 22/10/04


Consultancy mania

How fitting that the week in which it was revealed the average MP runs up 118,000 a year in expenses and that NHS productivity has been in serious decline for seven years should be topped off with news that the Government is now spending an incredible 1.75 billion a year on consultants.

The Telegraph 23/10/04


1.75bn: soaring cost of advisers

The Government is spending £1.75 billion a year on private sector consultants to help departments push through reform of the public services.

The Telegraph 23/10/04
The Mirror 23/10/04


Essays that launched a £10bn boom
Rated 3 in National and International News on Oct 23, 2004 at 08:50:20 GMT.
The management consulting industry - worth 10 billion a year in Britain - has come a long way from its humble beginnings nearly a century ago.

The Telegraph 23/10/04


Death at work bill pledge

Your report asserts that the foreign secretary doubts the need for a law to support the prosecution of negligent companies or employers (Straw tries to block law on death at work, October 22). If this is the case, Straw appears to be in conflict with Labour's Warwick agreement in July, and with his prime minister, who committed himself in his party conference speech to introduce a new law on corporate manslaughter. He is also at odds with the grieving relatives of the 1,500 and more people who have been killed at work since Labour's 1997 pledge to change the law.

The Guardian 23/10/04


Shock pictures to scare smokers

Britons will be asked whether tobacco companies should be forced to put shocking pictures on cigarette packets to illustrate the dire consequences of smoking-related diseases.

The Guardian 23/10/04
The Independent 23/10/04
The Times 23/10/04


The new black

There comes a time in a woman's life when all her friends start having babies. For the sake of argument, let's call this time 30, and let's say that while we are very happy for said friends, we are also a mite weary of the assumption that we suddenly give two hoots about how hard it is to find decent childcare/maternity clothes/three-wheeler prams. Pregnant skin, however, I can do.

The Guardian 23/10/04


Natural health therapist Emma Mitchell answers your questions

Could you suggest natural ways of reducing cholesterol levels?

The Guardian 23/10/04


Alys Fowler on the plants that can purify your home

When Nasa scientists needed to create breathable atmospheres for space exploration, they turned to houseplants. Alys Fowler reports on how their research can help us purify our homes.

The Guardian 23/10/04


Louisa Young: This week

There seems to be some confusion this week about how pregnant women want to be treated. The French government is wondering whether to warn them off alcohol by putting health warnings on bottles of wine. The British government thinks it should ask them at ante-natal classes whether they are suffering violence at home, because 30% of domestic violence begins in pregnancy. The Mail thinks they shouldn't be asked such a horrid rude question. Meanwhile on the radio, one woman explained how she lost her baby after being barged into on a crowded train on which no one had offered her a seat; another said it is rude to offer a pregnant woman a seat because she isn't ill, and a third said it's rude because they might not be pregnant, and then they would think that you thought they were fat. And of course there's nothing worse than that, is there?

The Guardian 23/10/04


Internet makes us sick

Does surfing for health information do you more harm than good?

The Times 23/10/04


Pigment of your mind

PEOPLE who claim to be able to see auras around others might not be charlatans - a quirk of their brains may mean they are seeing the colour of their own emotional responses.

The Times 23/10/04


Milk of human coldness: Graphic

For busy mums who want their babies to have breast milk rather than formula, expressing and storing milk is part of the routine.

The Times 23/10/04


Analyse this: Darian Leader: Diagnosis mania

Mozart had Tourette syndrome? B****cks.

The Times 23/10/04


Junk medicine: Mark Henderson: Ovary transplants

Daring fertility treatments make the headlines but can produce more questions than answers.

The Times 23/10/04


Interview: Emma Tennant: Rewriting the ending

When she contracted cancer for the second time, novelist Emma Tennant thought she faced the final chapter.

The Times 23/10/04


Doctor Copperfield: Inside the mind of a GP

Have you ever been taken to hospital suffering from "shock"? Probably - because the media report such incidents every day. Yet the shock described in medical books is actually very rare. It comprises a nasty injury and loss of blood - unlike the popular version, which merely involves a nasty surprise and loss of composure.

The Times 23/10/04


Why we mind gaps

Cosmetic dentistry may be booming in the UK but the industry has its own teething problems.

The Times 23/10/04


My teeth still want to go back to their original positions

I had my first brush with orthodontics when I was 14. Back then I had a smile the BBC props department would have been proud to have on its "gargoyles shelf". My top row of teeth shunned every traditional law of physics: some protruded mid-gum, others were pushing out at 30 degree angles, my canines were piggybacking on my lateral incisors, and my front two teeth looked like the stern of a ship.

The Times 23/10/04


Am I a bad mum if I don't pay to fix my kids' teeth?

I used to laugh at American sitcom jokes about "British" (ie, bad) teeth. Now I sit straight-faced, speculating what will constitute British teeth in future - will it be.

The Times 23/10/04


Sorted: Teeth whitening

A bright white smile may be top of most people's wish list but before you book yourself an appointment to have your teeth whitened, visit a hygienist at your dental clinic.

The Times 23/10/04


Benjamin Fry: What's wrong with your ... wealth

Money can be a catastrophe, says one guru: not having too little - but having too much.

The Times 23/10/04


Do you still want me?

Finding a soulmate is never easy - and then you've got to keep hold of them. In a new book Phillip Hodson gives 50 ways to keep your lover.

The Times 23/10/04


Do your libidos match?

1 Your partner's been away. When he/she gets home do you . . . a Peck your partner on the cheek and tell him/her about your day. b Tear off his/her clothes as soon as he/she walks in the door? c Look forward to showing how much you missed him/her later on that evening?

The Times 23/10/04


Moving on: Irma Kurtz: Return of an unfaithful ex

If a friend falls twice for a man who's bad news, keep your counsel and prepare to offer comfort.

The Times 23/10/04


Sex with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson

I am 23 and can't achieve orgasm during penetrative sex although I can climax easily solo. I manage it in positions that allow me to manually stimulate my clitoris but my partner would like me to achieve orgasm from penetration alone. Discussions with friends and research confirm that the problem is widespread but fail to provide a solution.

The Times 23/10/04


Immunity to travel fears

My husband and I want to take my 6-year-old stepdaughter to Sri Lanka in February for ten days. We have spoken to a GP regarding immunisation and are happy that we can ensure that she is protected. However, her mother is concerned that her immune system will not be fully developed until she is 8. Could this be the case?

The Times 23/10/04


Bio-energy healing

A lifetime of taking hormone pills for a thyroid problem was the fate facing one woman - until she consulted an alternative healer.

The Times 23/10/04
The Times 23/10/04


A little bit of butter's better for us

Spread the news: butter's back, says nutritionist Jane Clarke. After years in the sin bin, we now know a little of what you fancy does you good.

The Times 23/10/04


How to cheat at eating: Brussels pate

Asda Smooth Brussels Pate FAT 33g SALT 2g per 100g PRICE 74p per 175g tub VERDICT Despite being described as "A smooth pork and pork liver pâté", this has just 7 per cent pork and 34 per cent pork liver. It has more chicken fat and milk than pork. Not worth using precious calories for. 359 calories

The Times 23/10/04


How the fit and fabulous stay that way: Miss Immodesty Blaize, 28

Swing out sister. Miss Immodesty Blaize, aka Kelly Fletcher, 28, is proud of her curves and nipple-tasselling skills.

The Times 23/10/04


Vioxx heart-attack fears lead to inquiry into similar drugs

EUROPEAN regulators have ordered an investigation into the safety of five Cox-2 arthritis drugs, amid fears that the drugs could increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

The Times 23/10/04


NHS in crisis over lack of consultants

NEARLY two thirds of hospital departments have at least one senior consultant position sitting unfilled, The Times has learnt.

The Times 23/10/04


Cities join fight to ban smoking in public

MANY of England's biggest cities and nearly 50 councils are lining up behind Liverpool to back a ban on smoking in enclosed public places.

The Times 23/10/04


'I, as a parent, have a right to protect my child'

A woman who regrets her own abortion is fighting for rights of parents.

The Times 23/10/04


Don't worry about Mum finding out about your abortion, it's our secret

Doctors will not inform parents, a pack being sent to schools tells children.

The Times 23/10/04


Britain to give up asylum veto

BRITAIN is to give up full sovereignty over immigration and asylum policy, allowing other European countries to outvote it on one of the most sensitive political issues.

The Times 23/10/04


Cheshire and Merseyside News


Clinic wins award

AINTREE Hospital's prosthetic and wheelchair centre has won an award recognising its rehabilitation care for new amputees.

Maghull & Aintree Star 21/10/04


Patients can make plans to go home

PATIENTS at University Hospital Aintree will now have a realistic idea of how long their stay in hospital is likely to last.

Maghull & Aintree Star 21/10/04


Parents being kept up to date with schools' drugs policies

A LETTER explaining how drug education is taught in all of Sefton's secondary schools will be sent out to parents.

Maghull & Aintree Star 21/10/04


Same-sex relationships 'should have equality'

MP DAVID Borrow left the door ajar on his private life during the debate over the Civil Partnerships Bill.

Skelmersdale Advertiser 21/10/04


Views sought on booze shake-up

SEFTON wants views on the nationwide shake-up of licensing laws which come into play next year.

Formby Times 21/10/04


Sefton declares war on fatty grub

THE number of people in Bootle who die early of heart disease, stroke and cancer could be dramatically reduced - if they improve their diet.

Bootle Times 21/10/04


Spotlight falls on disabled access

LEONARD Cheshire will take to the streets of Formby Village next Thursday (October 28) to find out just how accessible local shops and services are for disabled residents.

Formby Times 21/10/04


Cup got stuck in tot's mouth

A CROSBY woman is demanding action after her baby son's feeding cup became trapped in his mouth.

Crosby Herald 21/10/04


See Emily play after spending months in a body cast

AT JUST three years old, Emily Dudley has endured more than her fair share of gruelling operations and spent seven months covered from her chest to her ankles in a plaster cast.

Warrington Guardian 22/10/04


Best of health week aimed at youngsters

WEST Lancashire is poised to celebrate National Youth Work Week in style under a banner highlighting health.

Ormskirk Advertiser 20/10/04


Life on the streets for woman in wheelchair

A DISABLED Frodsham woman says she feels like a 'second class citizen' every time she goes shopping in the town.

Weekly News 21/10/04


Hospital staff fear job losses

HOSPITAL switchboard staff fear their jobs will be axed if a controversial proposal to move telephonists to Warrington is given the go ahead.

Weekly News 21/10/04


Have you had your jab

ELDERLY people have risen impressively to the challenge of fending off flu this winter.

Southport Visiter 22/10/04


Woman learns to SMILE despite life in severe pain

Everyone has a cross to bear, in fact 10% of the population suffers from chronic pain, but how do you cope if agony and discomfort become a fact of your life? Lisa Rimmer is determined to live hers to the full, despite a muscle wasting disorder. JESSICA SHAUGHNESSY reports.

Chester Chronicle 22/10/04


Alfie needs you

NORTH West Air Ambulance (NWAA), the only regional medical air emergency service will be launching 'Operation Alfie' in just over two weeks' time, and is calling for former patients to get in touch.

Southport Visiter 22/10/04


Putting exercise back into children's lives

A FORMER Royal Marine is helping to cut the next generation down to size through a programme of exercises tailored to the needs of each child.

Chester Chronicle 22/10/04


Fundraising effort gives sufferers their best chance of total recovery

During their lifetime, one in 14 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer - the second most common cancer among men in the UK. It is also one of the most treatable forms of cancer - as long as the condition is diagnosed early. Now, thanks to a huge fundraising drive throughout the region, sufferers in the area will benefit from a new, state-of-the-art treatment centre on their doorstep - and stand a better chance of recovery than ever. GEMMA MELLING finds out more...

Chester Chronicle 22/10/04


Hospital heartache

A FORMER computer student claims her career hopes may be wrecked because hospital staff failed to set her broken arm in plaster for four days.

Southport Visiter 22/10/04


City scientists in new cancer hope

SCIENTISTS in Liverpool have made a major breakthrough which is providing hope to hundreds of cancer sufferers.

Liverpool Echo 22/10/04


Tobacco industry hits out over smoke-free Liverpool

THE Tobacco Manufacturers' Association yesterday condemned Liverpool's vote to make the city smoke-free as premature and divisive.

Daily Post 22/10/04


Carer 'saw patient hit'

A NURSING home matron told a court a carer was distressed after seeing an agency nurse slap a pensioner with Alzheimers and gag him with a urine soaked vest.

Liverpool Echo 22/10/04


Mersey-wide ban

LIVERPOOL council's bid to ban smoking in public places faces an uphill struggle before it can become law.

Liverpool Echo 22/10/04
Liverpool Echo 22/10/04


Mum loses her fight for Luke

DOCTORS treating terminally ill baby Luke Winston-Jones have been given permission to withhold life-saving mechanical ventilation treatment if his condition deteriorates.

Liverpool Echo 22/10/04
Northwich Guardian 22/10/04


Lancashire and Cumbria News


Student mumps warning

DOCTORS are warning East Lancashire college students they are at risk of a mumps outbreak.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 23/10/04


'Grumpy old man' praises health staff

HAVING been described as one of the growing band of grumpy old men by my family, it must come as a pleasant surprise for them as it does myself to compliment and praise someone.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24/10/04


Don't risk a serious illness

MOST people aged over 30 were vaccinated against the range of illnesses that children used to get half a century ago.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 23/10/04


Clampdown on illegal body art

ENVIRONMENTAL Health bosses have moved to stamp-out the trade of backroom skin art in Rossendale after it was revealed a 13-year-old girl had been given an illegal tattoo.

Lancashire Evning Telegraph 22/10/04


New dimension in £20m centre

THIS three-dimensional picture is one of the first views of Burnley's major new health and leisure development.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/10/04


Mumps rise

PEOPLE living in Wyre are being urged to ensure they are vaccinated after a dramatic increase in the number of mumps cases.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/10/04


MMR row blamed for mumps increase

MUMPS is sweeping through Cumbria with a seven-fold rise in cases.

Carlisle News and Star 23/10/04
Carlisle News and Star 23/10/04


Greater Manchester News


Cash for eye cure

A STREET collection by the British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society on October 9 raised more than £400 which will go towards finding a cure for Retinitis Pigmentosa which causes blindness.

Bolton Evening News 23/10/04


Gemma half way to her big target

A SERIOUSLY ill woman is half way to raising the £25,000 she needs to have lifesaving surgery.

Bolton Evening News 23/10/04


Drinking in streets is outlawed

STREET drinkers in Westhoughton face being hit with £40 fines if they flout a ban which has come into force.

Bolton Evening News 23/10/04


Baby given MMR jab in health centre error

A FOUR-month-old baby was accidentally given the controversial MMR vaccine after a mix-up at a health centre.

Bolton Evening News 23/10/04


Where is all the money going?

RECENTLY I went to Fairfield Hospital for a CT scan and overheard patients - some had been there for two hours - being told that the scanner had broken down at lunchtime (it was then 3.30pm).

Bury Times 23/10/04


MPs to meet health chief

BURY'S two MPs are today due to quiz health chiefs responsible for drawing up plans to close the special care baby unit at Fairfield Hospital.

Bury Times 22/10/04


New 'kennel' for health watchdog

BURY'S new health watchdog has moved into new premises and is ready to deal with concerns of residents living in the borough.

Bury Times 22/10/04


Changes in GP's 'on call' service

HEALTH bosses have assured residents in the borough that changes to GPs' out-of-hours services will not affect the care they receive.

Bury Times 22/10/04


Fairfield: it isn't just about the SCBU

DESPITE the many Bury Times articles regarding the proposed closures and rationalisation of services at Fairfield, it still seems that the impact of this is not being understood by the general public.

Bury Times 22/10/04


Decision on Minden may be next week

THE FATE of a town centre medical practice could be decided within the week.

Bury Times 22/10/04


3,000 on the march

IT was the biggest test so far - how many people care deeply enough about Fairfield's children's services to join a town centre protest march?

Bury Times 22/10/04


Smoking ban in 75pc of hotel's bedroom

SMOKING will be banned in restaurants and at least three-quarters of bedrooms at a leading Bolton hotel as part of a nationwide move by its owners.

Bolton Evening News 22/10/04


Ex-mayor has new NHS role

EX-MAYOR Cliff Morris has been appointed as the new chairman of Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust.

Bolton Evening News 22/10/04


'Let baby Luke die'

A JUDGE today gave doctors treating terminally-ill baby Luke Winston-Jones permission to allow him to die if his condition deteriorates.

Manchester Evening News 22/10/04


Shipman victims' garden of peace

A MEMORIAL garden for the relatives of people killed by mass murderer Harold Shipman is being built in Hyde.

Manchester Evening News 23/10/04
Bolton Evening News 23/10/04