Fade the Blog: 08/01/2006

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Contents

Click on content link below to go to the news from that section: this will open a web page if you receive this by email

National News
International News
Cheshire and Merseyside News
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Greater Manchester News

Too fat for a family? - The Guardian 31/08/06

Fertility experts announced this week that overweight women should not be allowed IVF on the NHS. Are there good medical reasons - or do we just not like the idea of fat people breeding? By Kira Cochrane

Experts advise ban on free IVF for obese women -Reuters 30/08/06

Has this man found the secret of youth? - The Guardian 31/08/06

A Harley Street plastic surgeon claims to have reversed the ageing process by injecting himself with human growth hormone. Can it be true? Vivienne Parry is sceptical

Organ donation reforms introduced - The Guardian 31/08/06

Sweeping changes to the way human organs are stored and donated in most of the UK come into force on Friday, making the wishes of dead patients paramount for the first time.

Organ transplant Act gives new hope to dying patients - The Telegraph 31/08/06#

Organ transplants to increase as law puts donors first - The Times 31/08/06

Radical changes for organ donors - BBC Health News 31/08/06

GPs 'avoiding obesity discussions' - The Guardian 31/08/06

Almost half of GPs avoid discussing the issue of obesity with fat patients, according to a new survey.

NHS should deny obese women IVF, say doctors - Daily Mail 30/08/06

Critically ill Briton tested for vCJD in Hong Kong - The Guardian 31/08/06

Doctors in Hong Kong are trying to establish whether a 23-year-old Briton has the human form of BSE. Tests on the Londoner, who has not been identified, have proved inconclusive.

British Tourist Has Suspected Mad Cow Disease In Hong Kong - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Target missed for cutting deaths from drug abuse - The Guardian 31/08/06

The government has missed its target on cutting deaths from drug abuse, according to figures published yesterday.

UK drug deaths on the rise, despite government pledge - The Independent 31/08/06

Drug death targets 'not reached' - BBC Health News 30/08/06

New laws on body tissue ban secret DNA testing - The Guardian 31/08/06

Taking a sample of a person's DNA for analysis without their consent will be illegal from tomorrow as part of a package of measures designed to regulate the use of human body parts.

The six-stone cover stars - The Guardian 31/08/06

As our fetishisation of weight loss grows, simply being skinny can make a woman famous

Detectives to investigate doctor who suffocated a 'hopeless' newborn baby - The Independent 31/08/06

A hospital doctor who admitted suffocating a severely disabled baby 34 years ago is being investigated by murder squad detectives.

Women over 75 most likely of their gender to commit suicide - The Independent 31/08/06

Women above the age of 75 have the highest suicide rates among the female population.

MPs urge rethink of NHS records project - The Independent 31/08/06

The controversial programme to upgrade the National Health Service's IT systems has suffered another blow after two MPs called for an overhaul of the project yesterday.

Hemant Patel: pharmacy today offers a challenging, varied and rewarding career - The Independent 31/08/06

THERE HAS never been a more exciting time to consider a career in pharmacy. The profession is experiencing a period of unprecedented progress and development. The skills of pharmacists have never been in greater demand and our members now deliver the latest, cutting-edge treatments and medicines to millions of patients every day. In the pages of this supplement you will find many examples of successful pharmacy professionals who are working hard and taking advantage of the various opportunities that a career in pharmacy can offer.

A new member joins the emergency room - The Independent 31/08/06

Pharmacists: Exactly what the doctor ordered - The Independent 31/08/06

The Future Of Pharmacy: 'Next step: genetic testing' - The Independent 31/08/06

Industrial Pharmacy: Under the microscope - The Independent 31/08/06

Pharmacy Technician: Ensuring the right chemistry - The Independent 31/08/06

Child database that shields celebrities runs foul of law - The Times 31/08/06

A PLAN to hold details of every child in England on an electronic database were under threat last night after concerns were raised about its legality and security.

Children's Index will only devalue parents - The Telegraph 31/08/06

Clash expected on £200m private contracts for NHS - The Times 31/08/06

A £200 MILLION government deal that will mean a big expansion of private sector involvement in the health service could provoke a confrontation with the unions and the Labour Left, The Times has learnt.

Help sought on solving child obesity puzzle - The Times 31/08/06

PUZZLED by how to tackle increasing levels of obesity, the Government has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to investigate.

Smoking responsible for one in five deaths among over 35s - The Times 31/08/06

ALMOST one in five deaths in people over 35 is the result of smoking, a report claims.

One in five deaths caused by smoking - Daily Mail 30/08/06

Guest of psychiatrist died at drugs party - The Telegraph 31/08/06

A psychiatrist who specialises in addiction therapy hosted a marathon drink and drugs party that ended with a guest dying from an overdose of ecstasy, it was claimed yesterday.

There's nothing national about the National Health Service - The Telegraph 31/08/06

As anyone will know who has witnessed the death of a relative from multiple myeloma, it can be a grim way to go. Your very marrow is in revolt, as the cancer takes over the blood-making processes.

Pregnancy 'is turning older first-time mothers into nervous wrecks' - The Telegraph 31/08/06

Older first-time mothers who may never have held a baby before having their own are turning into "nervous wrecks" during pregnancy, a survey reveals.

Coughs 'cost economy millions' - Daily Mail 30/08/06

Acute coughs are costing the UK economy an estimated £979 million a year, the group representing respiratory specialists said today.

More intense workouts better at keeping kids slim - Daily Mail 30/08/06

Sustained, vigorous exercise may be more effective than lower-intensity activity in helping children avoid obesity and stay fit, a new study shows.

Flaws found in NHS child services - BBC Health News 30/08/06

Many NHS trusts have significant flaws in the service they provide for children, a report finds.

100 more hospital posts at risk - BBC Health News 30/08/06

More than 100 jobs could be cut at two hospitals in Essex to help meet a £14m budget deficit, a health trust revealed on Wednesday.

Stem cell treatment warning - BBC Health News 30/08/06

A company operating out of South Africa is charging tens of thousands of pounds for stem cell treatments, using cells that should not be injected into people, putting the lives of their vulnerable and chronically ill patients at risk, BBC TWO's Newsnight programme has uncovered.

Anger at wait for neck-break op - BBC Health News 30/08/06

Relatives of a 61-year-old woman knocked down by a car six days ago, say they are angry she is still waiting for specialist surgery on her broken neck.

Polish offer rich vein of blood - BBC Health News 30/08/06

Polish people are being urged to give blood in their new home of Aberdeen - as a way of showing their thanks for Scotland’s warm welcome.

Scots suicide rate highest in UK - BBC Health News 30/08/06

Scotland has the highest suicide rate in the UK, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

International News

Critically ill Briton tested for vCJD in Hong Kong - The Guardian 31/08/06

Doctors in Hong Kong are trying to establish whether a 23-year-old Briton has the human form of BSE. Tests on the Londoner, who has not been identified, have proved inconclusive.

Pop a pill to keep a six-pack without even breaking sweat - The Times 31/08/06

WHILE achieving a toned and muscular physique is hard enough, maintaining it can become a chore. For the would-be Brad Pitts among us, help is at hand.

Stem cell treatment warning - BBC Health News 30/08/06

Anger speeds up deterioration of lungs: study - Reuters 30/08/06

Lung power normally declines as a person ages but being angry and hostile can speed up the process, researchers said on Thursday.

Electric stimulation improves Parkinson symptoms - Reuters 30/08/06

Electrical impulses delivered to two areas of the brain that control movement alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease more effectively than drugs alone, according to a study in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.

Colitis patients need better immunization: report - Reuters 30/08/06

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are frequently not immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases, researchers report.

Surgery may help people with heart failure - Reuters 30/08/06

Quite often, people with heart failure have some degree of blockage of the coronary arteries. In such cases, those who undergo surgery to clear to arteries have markedly better survival than those treated with medication, researchers from Canada report.

Foods could make arthritis worse - Reuters 30/08/06

The production of antibodies to certain foods is "strikingly increased" in the gut of many patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Norwegian researchers report. It may be that hypersensitivity to certain foods leads to a flare-up in the joints.

Body acceptance tied to healthy eating - Reuters 30/08/06

Women who accept their bodies, flaws and all, are more likely to eat healthily or intuitively, new research shows. This suggests that women's typical reasons for dieting -- dissatisfaction with their bodies -- may backfire.

Excessive exercise common in anorexia - Reuters 30/08/06

Excessive exercise is one of the general warning signs of an eating disorder, but the problem may be particularly common among anorexic women who vomit or use laxatives to lose weight, a study shows.

Chinese students spend summer holidays trading faces - Reuters 30/08/06

Like a growing number of students in China, Pan Ou will spend her university vacation going under the knife in a plastic surgery procedure she hopes will boost her chances of getting a good job after graduation.

Pill could replace allergy shots for hay fever - Reuters 30/08/06

Hay fever sufferers may soon be able to get their allergy shots in the form of a pill, according to a European study.

Hana says FDA to review cancer nausea drug - Reuters 30/08/06

Cancer-focused biotechnology firm Hana Biosciences said on Wednesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had accepted Zensana Oral Spray for review.

Hand Washing A Low Priority For Most Americans - Medical News Today 30/08/06

New results indicate that 69 percent of Americans fail to wash their hands properly even though 68 percent of them say they believe that routine hand washing is the optimal method for thwarting disease transmission.

US Cigarettes Have 10% More Nicotine Today Than Six Years Ago - Medical News Today 30/08/06

All tobacco brands have been increasing the nicotine dosage in each cigarette steadily during the last six years, says a report from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The overall increase has been about 10% during 1998-2004. The higher the nicotine dose, the more hooked you get - it is much more difficult to quit.

British Tourist Has Suspected Mad Cow Disease In Hong Kong - Medical News Today 30/08/06

A 23-year-old British tourist of Chinese origin has been hospitalized in Hong Kong with suspected vCJD, the human version of mad cow disease, say authorities. The man is at the Prince of Wales Hospital - the hospital has adopted infection control measures. He is said to be in a ‘critical condition’.

New Anthrax Inhibitor Could Combat Antibiotic-resistant Strains - Medical News Today 30/08/06

In a new approach to treating anthrax exposure, a team of scientists has created an inhibitor designed to tackle the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant strains. Reporting in this week's online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Toronto describe the new anthrax toxin inhibitor, which performed successfully in both laboratory and animal tests.

XVI International AIDS Conference Was Characterized By 'Guarded Optimism,' Scientific Advances - Medical News Today 30/08/06

The XVI International AIDS Conference, which was held Aug. 13 through Aug. 18 in Toronto, was characterized by "guarded optimism," the Los Angeles Times reports. According to the Times, the "feeling of hope was palpable." Bill Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and former President Clinton, who attended and spoke at the conference, "expressed hope that the tide of the virus could be turned," the Times reports. Some of the most productive new HIV/AIDS treatment developments were presented and discussed at the conference, according to Charles Farthing, chief of medicine for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Los Angeles

Researchers Find That Sunscreens Can Damage Skin - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Are sunscreens always beneficial, or can they be detrimental to users? A research team led by UC Riverside chemists reports that unless people out in the sun apply sunscreen often, the sunscreen itself can become harmful to the skin.

Help For Fatal Pediatric Disorder From Previously Approved Drugs - Medical News Today 30/08/06

A progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is often fatal within the first two decades of life may be treatable via a molecule already targeted by approved drugs, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and other institutions report.

Immune Cells Can Be A Primary Cause Of Bone Loss In Gum Disease Confirmed By First Human Study

Researchers at The Forsyth Institute have confirmed in human gingival tissue that immune cells play a destructive role in periodontal disease. Although researchers had suspected the correlation between bone loss in periodontal (gum) disease and immune cells, this is the first time that this has been confirmed in human tissue samples. With this work, Forsyth scientists and colleagues hope to determine methods for intervening and halting bone loss and thus improving the health outcomes of the estimated 80 million Americans suffering from periodontal disease.

Obesity Leads To More Aggressive Ovarian Cancer, Cedars-Sinai Research Shows - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Whether or not a woman is obese will likely affect her outcome once she has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, according to a new study from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

First Cancer Vaccine Shots Received By Brisbane Teenagers - Medical News Today 30/08/06

UQ Professor Ian Frazer administered the first shots of the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil in Queensland this afternoon at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Myths And Truths About Therapeutic Nicotine - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Currently, 70 percent of the 44.5 million adult smokers in the United States say they would like to quit, and about 40 percent make an attempt to quit each year. However, less than 15 percent of those quitters take advantage of therapeutic nicotine, which doubles a smoker's chances of quitting successfully. Following are misperceptions that may be derailing successful quitting and the truths that every reader of your Website [or Blog] should know.

Therapeutic Nicotine Fast Facts - Celebrating Ten Years Of Progress - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Smoking increases the number of receptors in a smoker's brain that thrive on nicotine. Take that nicotine away, as with quitting, and the receptors "call out" for it, something the smoker feels as a craving. Cravings can be intense and last weeks longer than many smokers realize, sabotaging willpower. Therapeutic nicotine helps safely reduce cravings so a smoker can wean himself off nicotine gradually, giving his willpower a fighting chance.

Researchers Discover How A Signal Tells Cells Whether To Grow Or Die - Medical News Today 30/08/06

The breakthrough came as Barry Thompson from Stephen Cohen's group at EMBL looked at a recently discovered signaling pathway called "Hippo."

HIV/AIDS Advocates Protest South Africa's HIV/AIDS Treatment Program, Call For Resignation Of Health Minister - Medical News Today 30/08/06

HIV/AIDS advocates from the South African HIV/AIDS treatment advocacy group Treatment Action Campaign on Thursday protested South Africa's HIV/AIDS treatment program and called for Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang to resign, Reuters reports (Quinn, Reuters, 8/24).

Researchers Add Crucial Information On How The Body's T Cells React To Parasitic Diseases - Medical News Today 30/08/06

In the 1980s, the phrase "T cell count" burst into the world's medical vocabulary as thousands and then millions of patients died of AIDS. The public began to understand the crucial importance of T cells--cellular Pac-Men that roam the bloodstream gobbling up infection and guarding against future attacks.

Alternative Therapies Affect Experience Of Chronic Pain - Medical News Today 30/08/06

A significant number of people world-wide suffer with chronic pain, which affects every aspect of their lives, and often results in depression.

Online Tool To Aid Research On Certain "Orphaned" Diseases - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Many people are afflicted with rare illnesses of unknown cause, and finding a common link to such under-studied or "orphaned" diseases as Bardet-Biedl, Alstrom and Meckel-Gruber syndromes can significantly advance the search for causes and treatment. Now, the same Johns Hopkins research team that first identified flaws in the work of tiny, hair-like structures on the surface of cells called cilia as such a common link has compiled - and made available on the World Wide Web - a database of all genes known to contribute to cilia operations in the body.

Journal Editor Resigns After Failure To Disclose Conflict Of Interest - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Charles Nemeroff has decided to resign as editor of the journal Neuropsychopharmacology after he co-authored a favorable article on a chest implant that treats depression and did not disclose his financial ties to Cyberonics, which manufactures the device, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Portugal Approves Supervised Drug Injection Sites, Aims To Establish Prison Needle-Exchange Programs By 2008 - Medical News Today 30/08/06

The Portuguese government on Thursday approved the establishment of community sites where injection drug users can inject themselves under supervision, and new measures call for needle-exchange programs to be installed in prisons by 2008, AFP/Today Online reports.

WHO Proposes Survival Strategy For African Children - Medical News Today 30/08/06

The WHO Regional Office for Africa has developed a strategy to optimize child survival, growth and development, and reduce mortality among children less than five years of age, currently estimated at 4.6 million per year.

A Novel Mechanism Of Manganese-induced Neurological Dysfunction Discovered - Medical News Today 30/08/06

For decades, scientists have known that chronic exposure to high concentrations of the metal manganese can cause movement abnormalities resembling symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but apparently without the same neuron damage characteristic of Parkinson's patients.

Measures To Check Sickle-cell Disease In Africa Proposed By Dr Sambo - Medical News Today 30/08/06

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has proposed measures to check sickle-cell disease. The prevalence of sickle-cell trait ranges between 10% and 40% of the population in some parts of the African Region.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi Opens WHO Meeting, Proposes Measures To Tackle Health Worker Shortage In Africa - Medical News Today 31/08/06

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has described the shortage and high turnover of health workers in Africa as a "major threat" to the achievement of Africa's health goals and proposed two concrete measures to address the problem.

Accelerating HIV Prevention In The African Region - Medical News Today 30/08/06

The "alarming trend in HIV incidence" in the African Region calls for urgent measures to further control the progress of the epidemic", says WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, in a report Tuesday to the fifty-sixth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa.

WHO Advises On Checking Harmful, Counterfeit, Substandard Medicines In Africa - Medical News Today 30/08/06

African countries have been urged to establish or strengthen their medicines regulatory authorities (MRAs) with a view to checking the proliferation of harmful, inefficacious, counterfeit and substandard medicines in the region.

Cheshire and Merseyside News

New code will stop organ scandal happening again - Daily Post 31/08/06

THE solicitor who represented Merseyside families involved in the Alder Hey organs scandal last night welcomed new rules that should stop such abuse ever happening again.

Cancer unit needs your cash - Crewe Chronicle 30/08/06

A £1m appeal to build a new cancer treatment centre at Leighton Hospital will be officially launched on Monday.

Cumbria and Lancashire News

‘Meningitis jab could save your child’s life’ - Carlisle News & Star 30/08/06

THE MENINGITIS Trust is encouraging parents across Cumbria to have their babies and toddlers immunised against a life-threatening strain of the disease when a new vaccine is introduced next Monday.

Greater Manchester News

Third of people will be obese in four years - Bolton Evening News 30/08/06

ONE in three people in Bolton will be obese in four years.

Tragedy-hit family back meningitis baby jabs - Bolton Evening News 30/08/06

THE FAMILY of a toddler who died from meningitis has welcomed plans to vaccinate babies against the potentially fatal virus.

Smoke ban at mental health sites - Bolton Evening News 30/08/06

A BAN on smoking has been imposed at Mental Health Trust buildings across Bolton.

Could Super Furry Animals Provide Clues For Baldness? - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Scientists looking at mice may have discovered why certain people are hairier than others in what could provide clues as to the reason some men go bald prematurely.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Contents

Click on content link below to go to the news from that section: this will open a web page if you receive this by email

National News
International News
Cheshire and Merseyside News
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Greater Manchester News

National News

Code of practice - The Guardian 30/08/06

A court ruling could make it harder for NHS trusts to open up GP surgeries to big business in the face of opposition from patients

The state of emergencies - The Guardian 30/08/06

Ambulance technician Tom Reynolds's popular blog brilliantly captures the tragi-comic reality of life on the NHS frontline. Now it's a bestselling book. Mary O'Hara meets him

One size to fit all - The Guardian 30/08/06

Community care was supposed to put an end to institutional provision, so why do so many of us 'go into a home'

Nasa Begum: We must allow black and minority ethnic service users to speak out - The Guardian 30/08/06

We must allow black and minority ethnic service users to speak out, says Nasa Begum

Minor coughs rack up £979m bill, say specialists - The Guardian 30/08/06

Acute coughs are costing the UK economy an estimated £979m a year, with little evidence that over-the-counter cough medicines have a specific pharmacological effect, the group representing respiratory specialists said yesterday. The British Thoracic Society defined an acute cough as lasting less than three weeks.

Coughs 'take big toll on economy' - BBC Health News 29/08/06

Minister admits malnutrition risk - The Guardian 30/08/06

Health minister Caroline Flint admitted yesterday that elderly people were still malnourished in some hospitals, in spite of government initiatives to ensure they received help during mealtimes.

Couples losing out in NHS infertility treatment lottery - The Guardian 30/08/06

Couples desperate to have a baby still face a postcode lottery to obtain infertility treatment on the NHS, with help for all in some areas but for only a few in others, experts say today.

Money for fertility treatment 'withheld' - The Telegraph 30/08/06

Digital mask heals burn scars - The Times 30/08/06

A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy who suffered serious burns in a camping accident has been spared further operations, thanks to a new method for creating a mask to reduce facial scarring.

Hospital hailed as future of the NHS is forced to close - The Times 30/08/06

A PRIVATE hospital leased four years ago by the NHS is to be closed for lack of patients.

Hospital closes after four years - BBC Health News 29/08/06

Overweight women may lose right to free IVF - The Times 30/08/06

CHILDLESS women who are obese should not get NHS fertility treatment unless they lose weight, and the most seriously overweight should not be treated free at all, an influential group of IVF specialists said yesterday.

Call for fertility ban for obese - BBC Health News 30/08/06

Organic milk: it looks good, it tastes good and by golly they've proved it does you good - The Telegraph 30/08/06

A group of scientists called on the Food Standards Agency yesterday to acknowledge that organic milk is healthier than the conventional pint.

Organic milk 'better for a healthy diet' - Daily Mail 29/08/06

The hi-tech hand surgery that means I can carry on writing my bestsellers - Daily Mail 29/08/06

Last year, the novelist Joanne Harris was diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture, a progressive disease affecting tissue on the palms of the hand, and occasionally feet, in about 5per cent of people, usually between the ages of 40 and 60. This summer, she had an operation to correct the condition. Joanne, 42, author of Chocolat, lives in North Yorkshire with her husband Kevin and daughter Anouchka, 13. Here, she tells OLIVIA WALMSLEY about the treatment, and her surgeon explains the procedure.

I was hit by Parkinson's at eighteen - Daily Mail 29/08/06

Michael Gibson was just 18 when he became one of the youngest people ever to be diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, a degenerative brain disorder that normally affects older people.

Scientists warn of 'unproven stem cell treatments' - Daily Mail 29/08/06

A group of leading British scientists warned patients today to be wary of "extravagant" claims made for "unorthodox" stem cell treatments offered abroad.

My baby was dying - until my husband gave her part of his liver - Daily Mail 29/08/06

As first-time parents, my husband Rob and I were in awe of our newborn daughter, Olivia.

One in 10 girls admits self-harm - BBC Health News 29/08/06

One in 10 teenage girls self-harm each year, claims the largest-ever study of self-harm among 15 to 16-year-olds by Bath and Oxford universities.

Long living heart swap man dies - BBC Health News 29/08/06

Britain's longest surviving heart transplant patient has died 26 years after undergoing the operation.

Hospitals fail hygiene standards - BBC Health News 29/08/06

Three of Scotland's leading hospitals have failed to meet the highest hygiene standards, according to a new study.

Stem cell 'wonder cures' warning - BBC Health News 29/08/06

Patients should beware of so-called stem cell wonder cures as most have not been properly tested, experts say.

Horses used to help drug addicts - BBC Health News 29/08/06

An innovative drug and alcohol programme using horses is being trialled at a hospital in the Borders.

Consumer Hygiene Fears Keep Food Industry On Its Toes - Medical News Today 29/08/06

A major outbreak of E.coli 0157 poisoning in which 500 people were affected and 20 people died, seems to have led to improvements in the management of food risks in the retail and catering industries in Scotland, according to ESRC funded research at the London School of Economics.

An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away, But How About A Pint Of UK Cider? - Medical News Today 29/08/06

The saying goes that an apple a day keeps the doctor away but now scientists at the University of Glasgow are looking into whether a pint of cider could have the same effect.

International News

Why blood of bird flu survivors is a lifesaver - The Times 30/08/06

BLOOD products taken from people who have recovered from bird flu could be useful for treating other patients in the event of a pandemic, research has suggested.

Transfusions 'may cut flu deaths' - BBC Health News 29/08/06

Antiretroviral Drug Lopinavir Selectively Kills HPV-Infected Cells In Lab Tests, Study Says - Medical News Today 30/08/06

The protease inhibitor lopinavir -- the primary component of Abbott Laboratories' antiretroviral drug Kaletra -- selectively killed the human papillomavirus in laboratory tests, according to a study scheduled to be published next month in the journal Anti-Viral Therapy, Reuters reports (Reuters, 8/25).

New Microchip Test Offers Quick Diagnosis Of Flu Strains - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed a microchip-based test that may allow more labs to diagnose influenza infections and learn more about the viruses causing illness.

Health Site Guide Provides Fast, Easy Access To Diabetes Information - Medical News Today 30/08/06

There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease.

Positive Results For Intercell's Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine In Pivotal Phase III Safety Trial - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Intercell AG (VSE, “ICLL”) announced today that the safety analyses for the pivotal Phase III safety trial of its investigational Japanese Encephalitis vaccine are positive.

Higher Risk Of Heart Attack From Obstructive Sleep Apnoea - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Snorers with obstructive sleep apnoea, which causes interruptions to breathing during the night, run a risk of coronary artery disease five times higher than non-apnoeic people. This is the first time such a large study, with more than 300 patients over seven years, has established this causal link.

Sildenafil May Help In Liver Cirrhosis - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Liver cirrhosis is a severe disease that may affect pulmonary circulation. Occasionally, it can lead to high blood pressure in the lung vessels, a condition called portopulmonary hypertension, a serious condition leading to increasing breathlessness, progressive impairment in exercise tolerance, and early death.

Interferon Gamma Therapy May Be An Important Advance In Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients - Medical News Today 30/08/06

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the most common and lethal form of lung scarring, has an outcome similar to that of lung cancer, with average survival of less than three years from diagnosis.

Tobacco: Smokeless Does Not Equal Harmless - Medical News Today 30/08/06

You don't smoke it. You don't sniff it. You don't even have to swallow it, but its effects can harm your body nevertheless. It's smokeless tobacco.

ViroPharma Announces Presentation Of New HCV-796 In Vitro Data At The 13th International Meeting On Hepatitis C Virus & Related Viruses - Medical News Today 30/08/06

ViroPharma Incorporated (Nasdaq: VPHM) today announced the presentation of additional preclinical data on HCV-796, an orally dosed non-nucleoside hepatitis C virus (HCV) polymerase inhibitor being co-developed with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth (NYSE: WYE), at the 13th International Meeting on Hepatitis C Virus & Related Viruses in Cairns, Australia. HCV-796 is completing Phase 1b clinical testing in combination with pegylated interferon, and dosing will begin in Phase 2 clinical trials in the fourth quarter of 2006.

New Thermal Ablation System For Cancer Therapy By BSD Medical Comes With Advanced Predicate Technology - Medical News Today 29/08/06

BSD Medical Corp. (Amex: BSM) has developed a powerful new system designed to kill cancer through precision-guided microwave thermal ablation of cancerous tissue. The new system, the MicroThermX 100, incorporates advanced features and capabilities made possible by years of research, design and development in the discipline of thermal medicine technology at BSD Medical, supported by leading research centers throughout the world.

Allos Therapeutics Initiates Pivotal Phase 2 Study Of PDX In Patients With Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma - Medical News Today 29/08/06

Allos Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTH) today announced enrollment of the first patient in PROPEL, a pivotal multi-center Phase 2 study of the Company's unique next generation antifolate PDX (pralatrexate) with vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation in patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL).

Alleged Link Between Trafficking Of Counterfeit Medications, Parallel Trade In Europe 'Unfounded,' Letter To The Editor States - Medical News Today 29/08/06

An Aug. 15 opinion piece "incorrectly links the worrisome issue of counterfeit medicines with the perfectly safe and legal practice of parallel distribution of medicines in Europe," Richard Freudenberg, Secretary-General of the British Association of European Pharmaceutical Distributors, writes in a letter to the editor of the Baltimore Sun (Freudenberg, Baltimore Sun, 8/25)

Bisphenol A And Breast Cancer Still Linked - Medical News Today 29/08/06

Bisphenol A, a common industrial chemical claimed to speed the growth of human breast and ovarian cancers, retains its carcinogenic properties even after being modified by body processes, report Indiana University and University of California at Berkeley scientists in the Aug. 28th issue of Chemistry & Biology, a Cell Press journal.

Long Working Hours Can Raise Hypertension Risk By 29% - Medical News Today 29/08/06

If you work more than 51 hours each week you should be aware that your chances of developing hypertension are 29% higher, when compared to someone who works up to 39 hours a week, according to scientists from the University of California in Irvine, USA.

Cheshire and Merseyside News

My mother was trapped in hospital for 8 weeks - Daily Post 29/08/06

HILDA McGREARY was kept lying in a hospital bed for eight weeks while she waited for Liverpool City Council to help.

My son is being denied the treatment to help him walk - Daily Post 29/08/06

A MERSEYSIDE toddler is being denied treatment to help him walk for the first time because of the cost.

Vandals attack new health centre before it even opens - Liverpool Echo 29/08/06

YOBS have smashed windows and burnt out a room at a new £5.5m health centre.

Should school pupils be tested for drugs? - Daily Post 29/08/06

Five Merseyside schools are poised to begin random drugs tests. David Higgerson considers the controversial plan

Food scandal of elderly patients - Daily Post 29/08/06

OLDER people's lives are being put at risk because hospital nurses do not always have time to feed them, a charity warns today.

Mother fighting drug firm in 'new Thalidomide' case - Daily Post 29/08/06

BECAUSE of her disabilities Tanya Jenkinson was warned by doctors it would be a day that she should never hope to plan for.

Website to help cancer victims - Daily Post 29/08/06

A NEW website has been set up to offer support and reassurance to those suffering from head and neck cancer.

MP backs campaign to target elderly aid - Crewe Guardian 29/08/06

AN Age Concern campaign for better funding of elderly care is being backed by South Cheshire MP Stephen O'Brien

Wirral health care trusts to be merged - Wirral Globe 29/08/06

WIRRAL'S two Primary Care Trusts are to be merged into one.

Cumbria and Lancashire News

Medical pair praised for help in setting up arthritis group - Carlisle News & Star 29/08/06

A DOCTOR and nurse have been praised for helping to set up a Cumbrian support group for people who have rheumatoid arthritis.

Greater Manchester News

Man rings mum over snake bite - Manchester Evening News 30/08/06

A RAMBLER raced to hospital after being bitten by a poisonous snake - but only after he called his mother to ask if it was dangerous.

Emergency plan cuts hospital wait for scans - Bolton Evening News 29/08/06

WAITING times for potentially life-saving scans at the Royal Bolton Hospital have been slashed after bosses introduced emergency measures.

Prisoner on the run from hospital - Bolton Evening News 29/08/06

A convict serving a life sentence for attempted murder is on the run after escaping from hospital, police said today.

Hospice stalwart is backing our appeal - Bolton Evening News 29/08/06

ONE man knows first-hand just how important Bolton Hospice is, and the facilities it has to offer.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Contents

Click on content link below to go to the news from that section: this will open a web page if you receive this by email

National News
International News
Cheshire and Merseyside News
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Greater Manchester News

National News

Elderly patients at risk because nurses 'too busy' - The Guardian 29/07/06

The lives of elderly hospital patients are being put at risk because nurses do not always have the time to feed them, according to a survey by Age Concern. Nine out of 10 nurses - out of 500 questioned - said they were sometimes too busy to help older people eat and drink.

Busy nurses 'leave elderly to starve' - The Telegraph 29/07/06

Nurses 'too busy to monitor food' - BBC Health News 28/08/06

Cannabis farms spread to the suburbs - The Guardian 29/07/06

Indoor cannabis farms, which can produce up to £250,000 of the class C drug each year, are appearing in quiet residential streets throughout the country in unprecedented numbers, police have told the Guardian.

Does social engineering work? - The Guardian 29/07/06

Social engineering has something of an image problem. It is a phrase used by right wing columnists who make confused literary allusions to Orwellian Brave New Worlds, warning that New Labour is a party of soviet-style autocrats who seek to mould us into Blairite poodles.

IT deals are failing public services - The Guardian 29/07/06

As someone who was involved in NHS computer system design for nearly 20 years, the latest news, although sad, comes as no surprise (Ex-CBI boss caught up in NHS fiasco, August 26). We were told in 2003 that the contracts for the local and national suppliers were "so tight that the suppliers couldn't wriggle out of them". My response at the time was that if that was the case, the directors would walk off with pocketfuls of money while leaving the companies to founder and their staff searching for new jobs as soon as the going got tough. However, even I am slightly surprised at the amounts these directors have creamed off.

Computer experts back calls for review of £6.2bn NHS project - The Guardian 29/07/06

BT gets only £1.3m for two years' NHS work - The Guardian 28/07/06

Richard Wachman: What price the NHS computer upgrade from hell? - The Observer 27/08/06

Millions advanced for crisis-hit NHS system - The Observer 27/08/06

Accenture ready to axe NHS IT contract - The Observer 27/08/06

Ex-CBI boss caught up in NHS fiasco - The Guardian 26/07/06

Banks throw lifeline to IT firm after £344m loss - The Guardian 26/07/06

Suffocating in complexity - The Guardian 26/07/06

When Bill met Tony, seeds of a grandiose scheme were sown - The Guardian 26/07/06

What IT crisis? ministers ask - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Accenture claim threatens iSoft rescue plans - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Relieved investors give sickly iSoft a lift - The Telegraph 26/08/06

Shopping for change - The Guardian 29/07/06

Patricia Hewitt seemed to have little faith in the success of her department's latest anti-obesity drive. "There's only so much the government can do," the health secretary said last week as she revealed the alarming scale of British obesity. "People need to want to change their lifestyles and take responsibility for their health." True. Yet there is a great deal the government can do to help them without falling foul of the familiar charge of nannying.

Unhappiness is inevitable - The Guardian 28/07/06

Poverty and work are what make most of us miserable - and therapy is not the solution

Myths and realities of multiculturalism - The Guardian 28/07/06

Your report (Kelly vows that new debate on immigration will engage critically with multiculturalism, August 25) on the launch of the new Commission on Integration and Cohesion raises worrying concerns not only about its extremely limited remit, but also whether it represents an efficient use of public money.

New injection introduced for children - The Guardian 28/07/06

Parents are being urged to have their babies inoculated against the pneumococcal virus, which kills one in 10 children who fall ill from it. The virus causes meningitis, blood poisoning and pneumonia.

Keef faces cigarette rap - The Guardian 28/07/06

Keith Richards is used to an occasional run-in with the police, most notably drug charges during the 60s and 70s, but his law-breaking days appeared to be behind him. But the legendary rock band's guitarist is now being investigated by Glasgow city council after it received reports that he had broken Scotland's smoking ban.

Cancer hope as vaccine trials start - The Observer 27/08/06

Doctors aim to save thousands of lives by forcing the body's immune system to destroy tumours

Scientists say organic milk is healthier - The Observer 27/08/06

A group of scientists is putting pressure on the government's food watchdog to state that organic milk is healthier than the conventional pint, because of its high content of vitamins and essential fatty acids.

'Fat Town' takes up cudgels in fight against the flab - The Guardian 26/07/06

Richard Elmhirst's mission to "Fat Town" was going well yesterday, as he tempted cautious Bradfordians to nibble scraps of venison on cocktail sticks instead of lunchtime fast food or stodge.

Thinking big as women's waists expand - The Guardian 26/07/06

Marie Chapman, 42, and her friend Louise Werner, 43, leafed dispiritedly through the selection of trousers in Marks & Spencer in central London yesterday morning

Seven exercises that heal - The Guardian 26/07/06

Whatever your ailment, chances are there's a form of physical activity that will alleviate its symptoms, says Peta Bee - or even stop it occurring in the first place

Super-size Britain must curb junk food ads, say campaigners - The Guardian 26/07/06

75% of men and 60% of women could be overweight by 2010

Sam Murphy: On your bike - The Guardian 26/07/06

I was a bit dubious when I first heard about a heart-rate monitor especially for cyclists - after all, they have hearts, lungs and limbs just like the rest of us.

Elderly care - The Guardian 26/07/06

My father, in his 70s, suffers from heat exhaustion. In the past he has taken salt tablets to overcome it, but a high cholesterol count now prevents this. Are there any other natural replacements he can use without boosting his cholesterol?

Ban on the sale of 'fresh' sperm over the internet - Independent 27/08/06

The sale of fresh sperm over the internet is to be banned following a government clampdown. Ministers will outlaw anonymous donations and introduce new rules forcing all sperm samples to be frozen and screened.

Children of problem families need early state help, says Blair - The Independent 27/08/06

Tony Blair will next week call for "early intervention" to stop children who grow up in problem families from becoming criminals, teenage parents or drug users.

Cigarette adverts at shop counters 'must be banned' - The Independent 27/08/06

Cigarette displays at shop counters should be outlawed because they are encouraging people to smoke, the Government has been warned by trading standards enforcers.

Three friends fight 'ill-informed' ruling against cancer drug - The Times 28/08/06

THREE women who met as cancer patients are planning a joint legal action to win access to Velcade, a drug for treating multiple myeloma.

Women's legal bid for cancer drug - BBC Health News 28/07/06

Patients warned over dangers of untested stem-cell wonder cures - The Times 29/08/06

PATIENTS with crippling diseases such as multiple sclerosis should beware of expensive stem-cell “wonder cures” that have never been properly tested, leading medical research groups say today.

No cutting corners in stem-cell research - The Times 29/08/06

The UK is establishing itself as a world leader in stem-cell research thanks to the quality of its science base and its supportive political and funding environment. Ground-breaking discoveries continue to broaden the therapeutic potential of stem cells. Therapies currently available in the UK include skin grafting, transplantation of bone marrow or umbilical cord blood-stem cells to treat certain cancers and immune system and corneal disorders.

Plan to allow flexitime for parents - The Times 28/08/06

Parents could get the right to choose more flexible working arrangements as part of a series of pro-family policies aimed at extending Labour’s “workplace revolution”.

Financial help for children in care - The Times 28/08/06

A leading think-tank is recommending that councils pay £20 a month into an “asset account” for each child in care.

Our little boy often pretends to be a girl. Should we be worried? - The Times 28/08/06

Our four-year-old is a normal, happy little boy who is bright and enthusiastic — but he has a tendency to pretend to be a girl. In some ways he is a typical little boy, but he idolises his mum and thinks that by liking girlie things he will gain more acceptance from her. He loves Cinderella stories and girl programmes — again, because he thinks Mummy does too. The other day he was wearing his football kit while playing with an older girl and someone said that she was wearing a nice dress. He responded: “Do you like mine too?” — and lifted the bottom of his shorts as if he were Snow White holding a pinafore. We want our boy to fit in when he starts school in September and know how cruel children can be. We feel that he might become labelled and this will drive him to behave even more in this way. If, when he’s older, he decides that this is the way he feels, we will love him just as much. But at such an early age, we would like him to have a normal, happy childhood.

Private cancer centres to aid NHS - The Sunday Times 27/08/06

UP to 80 privately run cancer centres will be set up to take over the treatment of cancer patients who are looked after in National Health Service hospitals.

Benefits rise will increase single mums - The Sunday Times 27/08/06

AN increase of £13 a week in benefits may push up the rate of single motherhood by 2%, according to an EU-wide study that suggests a direct link between the welfare system and the number of lone-parent families.

Hospitals botch 300 births a year - The Sunday Times 27/08/06

MORE than 300 babies a year are being left with brain damage because of oxygen starvation caused by lack of proper care at birth.

Serve more food, alcohol tsar tells pubs - The Sunday Times 27/08/06

SCOTLAND’S alcohol tsar has called on pubs and clubs to serve more food to prevent drink-fuelled violence.

Surgery to replace lenses offers sight for poor eyes - The Times 26/08/06

ANYONE in search of perfect vision can now have the lenses in their eyes replaced.

Healthy look for famous faces - The Times 26/08/06

# These fruits of an artist’s imagination are being - Newspaper Edauctioned for charity. Portraits of famous faces, including, from left, Robbie Williams, the Queen, Marilyn Monroe, Gary Lineker and Victoria Beckham, have been created from strawberries, cherries and peaches.

The mole catchers - The Times 26/08/06

Why a new high street skin clinic deserves a pat on the back

Business comment - The Telegraph 29/07/06

Immigration is back at the top of the business and political agenda. Good thing too. With the UK population projected to rise by more than 7m, or 12pc, over the next 25 years, the social and economic implications cannot be brushed under the carpet of polite conversation.

Phew! That was a close shave - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Bureacracy is killing the NHS - and sometimes the patients - complains Alistair Horne

Mandarins use 'life coaching' firm - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Senior civil servants are receiving psychological coaching as part of a leadership programme paid for by the taxpayer.

Call my life coach, not a spin doctor - The Sunday Times 27/08/06

4m mission to develop DVT detector small enough to fit in a pocket - The Telegraph 27/08/06

A hand-held device that can accurately diagnose deep vein thrombosis is to be developed in a £4 million European programme that could save thousands of lives in Britain alone each year.

Could we move into LazyTown? - The Telegraph 28/08/06

A television programme has managed to convert huge numbers of children to a healthier lifestyle - in Iceland. Now that it has arrived in Britain, Bryony Gordon meets the 'ethical entrepreneur' behind it

Blunders by NHS kill thousands of patients each year - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Thousands of patients are dying needlessly every year because of blunders by NHS staff, a report from a Government watchdog has revealed.

Secret talks on cervical cancer jabs at primaries - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Ministers are secretly considering whether to introduce a vaccination programme against cervical cancer in children at primary school.

NHS 'meltdown' predicted by Government bird flu report - The Telegraph 27/08/06

The health service will be plunged into chaos if Britain is struck by a bird flu pandemic, a Government report warns.

Specialists say that preventing youngsters from walking increases risk of obesity and back pain - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Parents are condemning their children to a lifetime of obesity and back problems by not letting them walk at a young enough age, paediatricians have warned.

One day we're told that something will help us live to 150, the next that it causes cancer in white mice - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Is sunshine good for you? For years, scientists have warned us that to lie in the sun all day without sunscreen is more or less fatal. But new research is telling us that we can come out from under our beach umbrellas and sombreros because 95 per cent of our intake of vitamin D comes from sunshine. And vitamin D is essential for absorbing calcium, keeping bones healthy, and protecting against serious diseases such as osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Watchdog to fund Cadbury case - The Telegraph 27/08/06

The Food Standards Agency is planning to give money to a council investigating the salmonella scare at Cadbury's Herefordshire chocolate factory. The cash will help the local authority bring a prosecution against the confectionery company.

Nish Joshi's Q & A - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Ten years ago I had a very severe attack of cholecystitis, although I had no gallstones and haven't had any real problems since I've reduced my fat intake.

Positive thinking - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Privileged, educated, and very, very careful, Regan Hofmann's life fell apart when she discovered she had caught the Aids virus from her 'romantic and sensitive' boyfriend 10 years ago. She tells her story

Your opinion matters, as long as you agree - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Consultation is supposed to be one of the hallmarks of modern government. Decisions taken by public bodies are now meant to be open, transparent, and accountable: they should respond to public opinion, not ignore it.

Mr A's amazing recovery - The Telegraph 27/08/06

Alan Ayckbourn lost all feeling in his left leg. Then his arm. His reaction? 'I don't need all this. I have a play to rehearse.' He talks to Alan Strachan about his stroke and its aftermath.

'Trust us, we mean well' is not a guarantee - The Telegraph 26/08/06

Some time in 2003, while I was editing the Comment pages of this newspaper, I got a phone call from Conservative Central Office.

New investigation into gadget allergy - The Telegraph 26/08/06

A university is trying to unravel the truth behind a 21st century "disease" produced by exposure to electrical equipment.

Medical insurers ease the pain of premium rises - The Telegraph 26/08/06

- The Telegraph 26/08/06A new wave of smart drugs could swell the cost of medical cover which is rising by 10 per cent a year. Peter Pallot examines the options

Fears of vaccine overload with new jab for meningitis - Daily Mail 28/07/06

Babies are to be given lifesaving jabs against meningitis from next week - prompting fears of vaccine overload.

13m obese by 2010 - Daily Mail 25/07/06

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt insisted today that everyone should take responsibility for their own lives in the battle against obesity.

Third of men will be officially obese by 2010 - The Telegraph 26/08/06

Body mass index - The Telegraph 26/08/06

Overweight? Getting fit is up to you, not the NHS, says minister - The Times 26/08/06

'More than 12 million adults to be obese within four years' - The Independent 26/07/06

Horses used to help drug addicts - BBC Health News 29/08/06

An innovative drug and alcohol programme using horses is being trialled at a hospital in the Borders.

UK Asians 'unaware of salt risks' - BBC Health News 28/08/06

Knowledge of the link between salt intake and high blood pressure and stroke remains low in the UK's South Asian community, a poll has found.

Artery warning for heart patients - BBC Health News 28/08/06

People with advanced heart disease have arteries that are biologically 40 years older than their real age, a study by the British Heart Foundation suggests.

Cider 'may have health benefits' - BBC Health News 28/08/06

Scientists in Glasgow are examining whether drinking cider may offer the same health benefits as eating apples.

Call to scrap the term 'asthma' - BBC Health News 25/08/06

The term 'asthma' should be abolished because it is incorrect and misleading, claims a leading medical journal.

Gym members 'throw in the towel' - BBC Health News 25/08/06

As the government warns the UK could soon be facing an obesity epidemic, more Britons are turning their back on health clubs, a study has suggested.

Fitness clubs suffer membership decline - The Times 26/08/06

Tourist attractions 'unhealthy' - BBC Health News 25/08/06

Fast food remains top of the menu at major tourist attractions across the country, a report has found.

International News

Outbreak of killer virus 'ignored' - The Observer 27/08/06

After bird flu in an Indonesian village goes unchecked for weeks, officials are accused of being unable to cope

Ben Goldacre: Bad science - The Guardian 26/07/06

What happens if you transplant western ideas like nutritionism and anti-vaccination panics into a developing world context? Unfortunately, that's not a thought experiment. Between 600 and 800 people die every day in South Africa from HIV/Aids, and their government was roundly criticised at last week's International Aids conference in Toronto.

Take the drugs or go to church: the benefits can be very similar - The Telegraph 27/08/06

The effectiveness of requests for divine intervention is always difficult to assess because one can never be sure whether the desired result, if it materialises, would have happened anyhow. What, for example, is one to make of the report of the women in drought-hit Nepal who drew God's attention to their parched fields by shedding their clothes and ploughing them naked? They were apparently rewarded with some "light rain".

Bush threatened over morning-after pill - The Telegraph 26/08/06

Religious conservatives have promised vengeance against President George W Bush for allowing America's drug safety board to approve sales of the morning-after pill to women over 18.

Scientists find 'anthrax blocker' - BBC Health News 29/08/06

Scientists say they have made a blocker that could stop the lethal anthrax toxin from attacking the body.

Obesity 'worsens ovarian cancer' - BBC Health News 28/08/06

Women who are obese get more aggressive ovarian cancers and are more likely to die from the disease, US scientists have found.

Ovarian cancer more aggressive in obese women, study suggests - The Guardian 29/07/06

Cancer cell 'executioner' found - BBC Health News 27/08/06

Scientists have developed a way of "executing" cancer cells.

'No Polio effects' in later life - BBC Health News 26/08/06

People who survive polio in childhood will not suffer further effects later in life, say US researchers.

Gene for age-related hearing loss - BBC Health News 25/08/06

Hearing loss in the elderly has been linked to flaws in a specific gene in a study by Dutch researchers.

Alzheimer mice memories restored - BBC Health News 25/08/06

The memory of mice suffering from Alzheimer's disease has been restored, a study shows.

Cheshire and Merseyside News

NW water quality clean-up in pipeline - Daily Post 25/08/06

THE quality of Merseyside and Cheshire's drinking water is set to be safeguarded for generations in a £350m scheme.

Why was I quizzed by police over death of my wife? - Liverpool Echo 25/08/06

A LIVERPOOL man was questioned by police after a doctor refused to sign his wife's death certificate.

Ambulance emergency - Chester Chronicle 25/08/06

AMBULANCE responses to the most serious emergency calls by the service covering Cheshire are the third worst in the country - new figures reveal.

Hoole: an unhealthy location to live in? - Chester Chronicle 25/08/06

HOOLE has statistically a higher rate of deaths than would be expected compared with the national average.

Trust defends decision to close heart ward - Southport Visiter 25/08/06

SOUTHPORT and Formby's NHS Trust has defended its decision to close one of its major wards.

District low in cancer spend league table - Ormskirk Advertiser 24/07/06

WEST Lancashire has been revealed as one of the country's lowest spenders when it comes to treating cancer.

Hospital takes a tough line over violence to staff - CreweGuardian 25/08/06

CREWE'S Leighton Hospital is cracking down on violence and abuse by patients to slash the number of attacks on nurses and healthcare staff.

NW water quality clean-up in pipeline - Daily Post 25/08/06

THE quality of Merseyside and Cheshire's drinking water is set to be safeguarded for generations in a £350m scheme.

Why was I quizzed by police over death of my wife? - Liverpool Echo 25/08/06

A LIVERPOOL man was questioned by police after a doctor refused to sign his wife's death certificate.

Ambulance emergency - Chester Chronicle 25/08/06

AMBULANCE responses to the most serious emergency calls by the service covering Cheshire are the third worst in the country - new figures reveal.

Hoole: an unhealthy location to live in? - Chester Chronicle 25/08/06

HOOLE has statistically a higher rate of deaths than would be expected compared with the national average.

Trust defends decision to close heart ward - Southport Visiter 25/08/06

SOUTHPORT and Formby's NHS Trust has defended its decision to close one of its major wards.

District low in cancer spend league table - Ormskirk Advertiser 24/07/06

WEST Lancashire has been revealed as one of the country's lowest spenders when it comes to treating cancer.

Hospital takes a tough line over violence to staff - CreweGuardian 25/08/06

CREWE'S Leighton Hospital is cracking down on violence and abuse by patients to slash the number of attacks on nurses and healthcare staff.

Cumbria and Lancashire News

The future of health care - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 25/08/06

THIS is the future for health services in Radcliffe - a modern new medical centre.

Greater Manchester News