Thursday, November 30, 2006

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National News


Brown's baby diagnosed with cystic fibrosis - The Telegraph 30/11/2006
Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah are facing fresh heartache after it emerged last night that their baby son, Fraser, has cystic fibrosis.

Four-month-old son of Gordon and Sarah Brown diagnosed with cystic fibrosis - The Guardian 30/11/2006
Brown's child is diagnosed with cystic fibrosis - The Independent 30/11/2006
Another trauma after loss of his first baby - The Independent 30/11/2006
Brown family faces a new challenge as baby Fraser has cystic fibrosis - The Times 30/11/2006
Medical briefing - The Times 30/11/2006


Food industry launches challenge to traffic light labelling scheme - The Guardian 30/11/2006
The food industry began a campaign yesterday aimed at derailing the Food Standards Agency's proposed "traffic light" labelling system, designed to help shoppers choose healthy options.


Is there any proof that Wi-Fi networks can make you sick? - The Guardian 30/11/2006
Strictly speaking, no. Our trawl of the World Health Organisation (who.int) and National Library of Medicine (pubmed.com) databases shows that there have been no scientific papers published that have studied whether Wi-Fi networks cause any physical symptoms.

Steering children away from violence - The Guardian 30/11/2006
At a seminar hosted by children's charity NCH today, experts will consider how to help the small number of disturbed children who may commit extreme violence, like the killers of James Bulger. Such children are often shunned but can be helped, write Renuka Jeyarajah Dent and Ann Hagell


Charities win fight for new cancer plan - The Guardian 30/11/2006
Patricia Hewitt, the health secretary, will confirm the place of cancer at the top of the government's health agenda today by acceding to the demands of campaigners for a second cancer plan.


Most patients reject NHS database in poll - The Guardian 30/11/2006
A national campaign was launched last night to persuade people to refuse on privacy grounds to have their medical records uploaded to a national database. Guy Herbert, of the No2ID group, which is also campaigning against the introduction of identity cards, said: "We'd like to get up to a million people to contact their GPs."


Food good for kids? Fat chance at family restaurants - The Guardian 30/11/2006
With bizarre names such as Cadbury Candymaniac, Mini Chocolate Challenge and Triple Treats dominating the menus, youngsters' health comes a clear second as popular family restaurant chains promote junk food over healthier meal options, a damning report reveals today. Chips with everything, eat-as-much-you-like ice cream and bottomless fizzy drinks laden with dangerous levels of fat, sugar and salt are being served up on the high street to more than 40 million children in the UK each year, according to research carried out by the Soil Association and Organix.


Santé, the traditional way - The Guardian 30/11/2006
Raise a glass for traditional red wine. Some old-world varieties seem to prevent heart disease more effectively than their upstart competitors, according to researchers who have analysed the effect the wine varieties have on blood vessels. And the chemical differences may explain the long lifespans of people in wine-soaked regions of south-west France and Sardinia.


How can I stop worrying about getting cancer? - The Guardian 30/11/2006
The thought of cancer has taken over my life. I have had numerous check-ups and tests, and there is nothing wrong with me. But I am a nervous wreck


The cost of privatisation will haunt us for years to come - The Guardian 30/11/2006
New Labour's aversion to borrowing to invest is driven by corporate siren voices. It is time to ditch this irrational dogma


Anti-smoking guru Allen Carr dies from lung cancer, aged 72 - The Independent 30/11/2006
Allen Carr, an anti-smoking campaigner who helped millions quit by showing how he kicked a 100-a-day habit, has died from lung cancer.


Cancer drugs harmful to brain cells - The Independent 30/11/2006
Common cancer drugs may be more harmful to the brain than the tumour cells they are meant to destroy.


Hospitals are told to produce cancer survival league tables - The Times 30/11/2006
The Government is to publish the cancer survival rates at English hospitals as part of a strategy to improve treatment, The Times has learnt


Doctors' pay soars by 30% - The Times 30/11/2006
Family doctors have enjoyed a massive pay boost thanks to their new contract, according to figures released yesterday.

GPs' pay rises to £106,000 under new contract - The Telegraph 30/11/2006
Average GP pay rises to £106,000 - BBC Health News 29/11/2006


Special needs guidelines - The Times 30/11/2006
Special schools for children with disabilities and special needs cannot be closed by education authorities unless they can demonstrate that they are being replaced with improved provision, the Government said yesterday.


Abortion fears - The Times 30/11/2006
I am deeply concerned about the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) proposals — who perform more than 50,000 of the 180,000 abortions each year under contract to the NHS — to provide abortion on demand (report, Nov 28). Currently, there are about 600 abortions performed each day. Making abortions available on demand will encourage women to use abortion as a form of contraception.



The wine diet, day 3: revealed: the food fads that damage your health - The Telegraph 30/11/2006
Prof Roger Corder explodes myths about low-fat diets, fibre and drinking lots of water


Motor man makes a change in health service job market - The Telegraph 30/11/2006
The chairman of the NHS's temporary worker agency tells Martin Baker how his private sector skills transferred


MRSA superbug claims may surge - BBC Health News 30/11/2006
A flood of MRSA compensation claims could finally be realised as lawyers turn to workplace safety legislation to pursue hospitals.


Concern at nutrition in hospitals - BBC Health News 30/11/2006
Hospital food needs to be more nutritious, according to a watchdog.


Social care improvement 'slows - BBC Health News 30/11/2006
For the first time since star ratings were introduced, no council in England has been zero-star-rated for adult social services this year.



Gene abuse in sport 'detectable' - BBC Health News 29/11/2006
The future use of genetic technology by athletes to re-engineer their bodies will be detectable, MPs have heard.


Allen Carr dies from lung cancer - BBC Health News 29/11/2006
An anti-smoking guru who has helped millions of smokers kick the habit has died from lung cancer.


International News


Guardian Weekly - The Guardian 30/11/2006
In the end it was a display of garlic, beetroot, lemons and African potatoes that changed the policies of a government and may yet save the lives of thousands of people with HIV/Aids.


China must wake up to Aids, says freed activist - The Telegraph 30/11/2006
China's best-known Aids activist used his first interview since being released from police custody this week to accuse the authorities of being "asleep" in the face of the spread of the virus through the country.

Surgery 'restores male fertility' - BBC Health News 29/11/2006
A simple surgical procedure can treat what some regard as a leading cause of male infertility, scientists report.


Saudi warning over tobacco firms - BBC Health News 29/11/2006
Saudi Arabia has warned that it will sue global tobacco firms unless they pay the full cost of treating patients suffering from smoking-related illness.


Bacon link to bladder cancer risk - BBC Health News 29/11/2006
Getting too hooked on a daily bacon sandwich may increase the risk of bladder cancer, research suggests.


Cheshire and Merseyside News


University unveils £4.5m centre dedicated to improving bedside manner - Liverpool Echo 29/11/2006
A NEW £4.5m centre, dedicated to improving medical students’ bedside manner, was launched in Liverpool last night.


Starter for good health - Liverpool Echo 29/11/2006
FAMILIES from low income households in the north west will benefit from a new scheme giving free milk and fresh fruit and vegetables to children and mums-to-be.

Most smokers quit in winter - Liverpool Echo 29/11/2006
THREE quarters of smokers in Knowsley who quit, do so during winter.


Blood strike warning - Liverpool Echo 29/11/2006
UNION Amicus is warning the NHS Blood Service that it is preparing to ballot its members for industrial action.


The poorer relations of health care - Knutsford Guardian 29/11/2006
HEALTH watchdogs have angrily clashed over plans to plug an incredible £29million spending gap between affluent east Cheshire and its poorer central Cheshire neighbours.


Cumbria and Lancashire News


A&E treatment second to none - Lancashire Telegraph 29/11/2006
I AM writing to thank the Royal Blackburn Hospital's A&E department for the excellent care and attention shown to my sister Susan, who was admitted by ambulance recently.


Greater Manchester News


National award for doctor - Asian Image 29/11/2006
A doctor has been awarded a national award from the Institute of Careers Guidance.


Health tips for pilgrims - The Bolton News 29/11/2006
HEALTH advice will be available to Muslims preparing for their pilgrimage to Mecca.


Posted by Tracy at 9:57 am 0 comments

Wednesday, November 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

Cerebral secrets with spice on the menu - The Guardian 29/11/06

For many years the place to go for high octane debate about the future of the NHS and social care was the elegant dinner table of the Nuffield Trust. The occasions were cerebral, but secret - and you couldn't go if you weren't invited.


First show of decline in teen pregnancies - The Guardian 29/11/06

A chink of optimism for the government's beleaguered national teenage pregnancy strategy shows an 11% decline in the number of under-18s giving birth since its launch in 1999.

Some activists say the disability movement is focusing on all the wrong issues - The Guardian 29/11/06

According to some activists, the disability movement is focusing on all the wrong issues and has lost its way. So where next?

An award-winning training programme helps people find a career in social care - The Guardian 29/11/06

An award-winning training programme helps people to swap the dole queue for a career in social care

Raj, 32, is a registered paramedic with seven years' experience - The Guardian 29/11/06

Raj, 32, is a registered paramedic with seven years' experience. He earns £32,000, including an unsocial hours payment

Britain's binge drinkers begin to sober up - The Guardian 29/11/06

A tide of binge drinking that threatened to engulf Britain has started to recede, according to official figures yesterday. In 2004, 39% of men admitted drinking more than the "sensible" daily maximum set by the government, but this fell to 35% last year. Over the same period, the proportion of women exceeding the sensible limit fell from 24% to 22%, the Office for National Statistics said.

Excessive drinking among men and women starts on downward trend - The Independent 29/11/06

1 in 5 men classed as excessive drinkers - The Telegraph 29/11/06

New system aids hunt for intensive care cots -The Guardian 29/11/06

Doctors looking for intensive care cots for premature or sick babies will be able to find them more quickly following the launch of an online cot locater system yesterday.

1.6m children in housing crisis -The Guardian 29/11/06

One in seven children in Britain is homeless or trapped in temporary accommodation or bad housing, research by homeless charity Shelter reveals today.

Mothers who sleep with new babies 'have more success at breast-feeding' - The Times 29/11/06

Government advice urging mothers to place newborn babies in a cot at night rather than in their bed is detrimental to breast-feeding, according to new research.

Writer energised by cancer drug stands to become a winner - The Times 29/11/06

A man who believes that drugs prescribed for cancer helped him to finish the novel he began 30 years ago has been shortlisted for a highly regarded literary prize.

Cancer forced me to write, says author - The Telegraph 29/11/06

The numbers and words to define modern poverty - The Times 29/11/06

Oliver Letwin claims incorrectly that the number of people living on less than 40 per cent of median income has grown by 750,000 under Labour (Comment, “Sir Humphrey, we can beat poverty”, Nov 27).

Get your drunk workers home safely, Acas tells bosses - The Telegraph 29/11/06

Employers have "a duty of care" to ensure drunken staff get home safely after office Christmas parties, legal experts warned in guidelines published yesterday.

The wine diet, day 3: how to live well - and save your life - The Telegraph 29/11/06

When you eat, how long you sleep, even how often you visit the dentist, can play a part in boosting good health, says Professor Roger Corder

Enjoy a glass or two with meals - but go easy on the refills - The Telegraph 29/11/06

Cancer forced me to write, says author - The Telegraph 29/11/06

A former rock singer and publisher was celebrating yesterday – in his own way – after his debut novel, which had taken him 30 years to write, was shortlisted for one of the country's top literary prizes.

The best way to get teeth whiter than white - Daily Mail 28/11/06

We all want a brighter, whiter smile, but with whitening treatments at the dentist costing up to £750 a time, many people are turning to DIY kits.

Walking stick that calls an ambulance - Daily Mail 28/11/06

A walking stick that calls an ambulance if its owner is injured has been developed by scientists. The revolutionary walking aid is packed with sensors that can recognise whether it is in a vertical or horizontal position.

£10m burns centre to 'give hope' - BBC Health News 29/11/06

A burns research centre which a charity says offers "hope to thousands" is to be set up in both Cardiff and Swansea.


NHS funding 'reaching key areas' - BBC Health News 29/11/06

A detailed breakdown of NHS spending shows money is reaching key health priorities, the government says.

Delay in nurse misconduct cases - BBC Health News 28/11/06

The safety of NHS patients is at risk because of long delays in hearing complaints against nurses.

'No tabloid laws' on mental care - BBC Health News 28/11/06

Ministers have been warned not to create laws "dictated by the tabloid press", in a debate on proposals to toughen up mental health legislation.

Luxury hotel tested in spy probe - BBC Health News 28/11/06

Police investigating the radiation poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko are examining a five-star London hotel.

Trusts 'not reporting' superbugs - BBC Health News 28/11/06

Outbreaks of the potentially lethal hospital bug Clostridium difficile are not being reported by some hospitals, says the body monitoring infections.

Red tape 'causing mental illness' - BBC Health News 28/11/06

Constant political interference is causing stress-induced mental breakdowns in public servants, a consultant psychiatrist has claimed.

Marine died from medical failings - BBC Health News 28/11/06

A Royal Marine who died when his heart stopped beating suddenly while on duty in Iraq should "not have been in the Armed Forces".

'No barriers' let bug into water - BBC Health News 28/11/06

A stomach bug which left hundreds ill entered the north Wales water supply because treatment procedures were not sufficient, says an official report.



International News

Arthritis drug dangers explained - BBC Health News 28/11/06

Scientists believe they have uncovered why some arthritis drugs such as Vioxx can cause heart attacks and strokes.

Face transplant woman can smile - BBC Health News 28/11/06

The recipient of the first partial face transplant has recovered so well she can go out without people noticing her scars, her surgeon has said.

Small ecstasy use 'harms brain' - BBC Health News 28/11/06

Even small amounts of the illegal drug ecstasy can be harmful to the brains of first time users, researchers say.

US court rejects cigarette case - BBC Health News 28/11/06

The US Supreme Court has backed a 2005 Illinois court ruling that threw out a $10.1bn (£5.2bn) damages claim against US tobacco giant Philip Morris.

Anger at Togo's herbal advert ban - BBC Health News 27/11/06

Togo's authorities say they will enforce a ban on advertisements for traditional medicines and pastors who claim to have healing powers.



Cheshire and Merseyside News

Blood centre 'set to close' - Liverpool Daily Post 28/11/06

THE future of Liverpool’s blood centre is hanging in the balance, trade union officials warned last night.

Royal calls in MRSA hit squad - Liverpool Daily Post 28/11/06

MERSEYSIDE’S largest hospital trust has called in an MRSA hit squad after regional health bosses branded it one of the worst in the North West for the spread of the bug.



Cumbria and Lancashire News

Hospital visitors warned - Carlisle News & Star 28/11/06

HOSPITAL visitors are being urged to take extra precautions this winter following a further outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting.



Greater Manchester News

Christie opens doors on new £7m unit - Manchester Evening News 28/11/06

A NEW unit to care for critically ill cancer patients will open this week at Christie Hospital after a four-year battle.

Gran, 82 ‘left on trolley at A&E door’, inquest told - Lancashire Telegraph 28/11/06

A GRANDMOTHER was left on a trolley between the sliding doors at the A&E entrance to Blackburn's new super hospital, an inquest was told.

It’s just the tonic for our healthy schools - Lancashire Telegraph 28/11/06

GOVERNMENT chiefs have saluted Lancashire for leading the way when it comes to creating healthy schools.

Blood service strike threat - The Bolton News 28/11/06

The NHS Blood Service could face a strike by technicians and scientists at its Manchester and Liverpool centres over Christmas in a nationwide dispute over jobs.

Nursing home jobs face axe in cutbacks - The Bolton News 28/11/06

JOBS and services at a nursing home could be axed to save Bolton Council £500,000.

Katerina shows off her brain wave to MPs - The Bolton News 28/11/06

A UNIVERSITY student was presenting research to MPs today on what she believes is a ground breaking discovery.

Hospital payouts escalate - The Bolton News 28/11/06

THE amount of compensation paid out by the Royal Bolton Hospital has rocketed by £1 million in the last two years.


Posted by Kieran at 8:52 am 0 comments

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Contents

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National News

Poll backs nurses being allowed to give abortion pills - The Guardian 28/11/06

Nurses should be allowed to give abortion pills to women in early pregnancy without the consent of doctors, Britain's largest abortion provider said yesterday. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) says a poll published today reveals that nearly two-thirds of the public believe women should not have to continue with pregnancies if they want an abortion.

Abortions should be made easier on demand, says charity - The Times 28/11/06

Easier access may reduce late terminations - The Times 28/11/06

'The importance of pregnancy is trivialised by repeated abortions' - The Times 28/11/06

Most 'favour right to abortion' - BBC Health News 28/11/06


NHS hospitals can use celebrities to advertise - but there's a question over payment - The Guardian 28/11/06

NHS hospitals would be allowed to recruit celebrities to advertise their services under a code of practice proposed yesterday by the Department of Health. Ministers think it would be acceptable for trusts in England to use pop stars or footballers to promote the merits of a hospital as it competes for NHS patients.

Is nothing sacred? - The Guardian 28/11/06

He who prays fervently courts danger - neurological danger. This stark fact has only recently been reported to the public, in a study published by five neurologists at Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel in Germany. But fear not - the risk for any particular individual is low. In the recorded history of the world, the physicians try to assure us, this is probably the very first case.

But will men take it? - The Guardian 28/11/06

A single dose of a new male contraceptive pill promises 'instant' protection from pregnancy - and no lasting effects. Is this the future of contraception, asks James Randerson

UK scientists invent male 'pill' that can be taken hours before sex - Daily Mail 27/11/06

Sperm-blocking contraceptive hope - BBC Health News 27/11/06

Peta Bee: The BMI myth - The Guardian 28/11/06

It's long been accepted as the most accurate indication of good health, but now the efficiency of the body mass index is being questioned. Peta Bee reports

Sight loss: Coping with vision disturbance - The Independent 28/11/06

When Victoria Summerley suddenly lost her sight, she was terrified. But she found her condition was far from rare

Your health questions answered - The Independent 28/11/06

Was I born with this heart condition or has it developed? Why did I collapse while working out at the gym?

A cure for everything: your medical handbook - The Independent 28/11/06

What's the best way to treat headaches, veruccas, acne or heartburn? Now you can find out, from a website that gives you access to the latest research. Jeremy Laurance reports

Mother in coma laughs at her children's jokes - The Times 28/11/06

A mother of two who has spent two years in a coma has started chuckling at her children’s jokes. It was the first sound Andrea Brushneen, 31, had made since suffering severe head injuries in a car crash.


Mind the gap if you want to end inequality - The Times 28/11/06

THE gender agenda raises its head in the public sector more frequently than it should — and it is usually women who come off worse.


NHS ‘cuts’ inspire new breed of protester - The Times 28/11/06

MIDDLE England is revolting. On the mean streets of Haywards Heath, Banbury and Ludlow, respectable people are venting their spleens. And the cause of their anger? The NHS, or rather cuts to the NHS.


Carers also have rights - The Times 28/11/06

AH, human rights law, what trouble you can cause. This week the damage is a fracture in the adult care sector after a High Court ruling that placing temporary work bans on people accused of elder abuse without a hearing was incompatible with the Human Rights Act.


Revealed: how to fix a broken heart - The Telegraph 28/11/06

Work at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London could mean the end to heart transplant rejection, says Roger Highfield


Lifeclass: 'I would urge any father to fight' - The Telegraph 28/11/06

A month on, desperate letters about fathers who have been denied access to their children continue to pour in to Lesley Garner


Our life-enhancing love affair with chocolate - The Telegraph 28/11/06

Professor Roger Corder charts the history of the cocoa bean and the benefits gained from it


The Wine Diet, day 2: Spice up your life and save your heart - The Telegraph 28/11/06

He's uncorked the beneficial effects of wine. Now, Professor Roger Corder reveals how delicious seasonal fare – chocolate, cranberries, nuts and spices – can lead to a longer life


Do you have the hidden baby killer? - Daily Mail 27/11/06

Few know it, but one in three mothers-to-be carries a bug which could leave their baby brain damaged - or even kill them. A £10 test, offered widely abroad, could prevent such misery. Tragically, Katie Taylor found out too late


Why Cheryl Baker is campaigning to clean up hospital wards - Daily Mail 27/11/06

A hospital superbug killed Cheryl Baker's mother-in-law. Now she's fighting to clean up the filthy wards


Laser therapy to beat cancer without chemo - Daily Mail 27/11/06

Mike Sherratt was facing the dismal prospect of losing an eye. A mole by the inside corner had turned cancerous and was going to have to be cut out.


Saved by the clot crusher - Daily Mail 27/11/06

A clot-grabber that removes blockages after strokes can restore blood flow in up to seven out of ten patients. And unlike drugs, the device can be used several hours after a stroke to remove the clot and reduce its damaging effects.


Sentenced to death by NICE - Daily Mail 27/11/06

It's the body that decides which drugs are allowed on the NHS. But in this blistering attack, a leading GP argues the organisation set up to improve care is obsessed by costs, discriminates against the elderly - and ultimately is killing patients:


Woman has first 'grow your own' knee transplant - Daily Mail 26/11/06

A woman with a damaged knee has become the first Briton to have a revolutionary 'grow your own' cartilage transplant that offers hope for thousands for injured sports enthusiasts.


Most parents unaware if their son or daughter is sexually active - Daily Mail 26/11/06

Most parents do not know whether their son or daughter is sexually active and are happy to leave the whole question of sex education to teachers, a poll has revealed.


Teenagers who smoke 50 per cent more likely to develop drink problems - Daily Mail 26/11/06

Teenagers who smoke are priming their brains for future addictions to alcohol and other drugs, alarming new research shows.


Obesity clinic named best in UK - BBC Health News 28/11/06

An NHS clinic in Glasgow has been named as the best in the UK at treating obesity and weight problems by the National Obesity Forum.


Sitting straight 'bad for backs' - BBC Health News 28/11/06

Sitting up straight is not the best position for office workers, a study has suggested.

Training for 'PlayStation medics' - BBC Health News 27/11/06

A training system has been developed for doctors who grew up playing computer games like PlayStation.


Blood service strike moves closer - BBC Health News 27/11/06

National blood centres in 14 locations across England could be affected by a strike involving hundreds of staff over Christmas, a union has warned.

Trio in clinic after spy's death - BBC Health News 27/11/06

Three people have been sent to a specialist clinic for radiological tests following the death of Russian former spy Alexander Litvinenko.



International News

New medical research - The Times 28/11/06

Adolescents with a history of getting arrested are significantly more likely to become infected with HIV, says a study in Drug And Alcohol Dependence (Nov). Brown University researchers who examined the records of young people aged 15 to 21 found that the correlation was strong, no matter how trivial the reason for their arrest. They say that youths’ arrests should be used as an opportunity to educate them about HIV risks.


Heavy smokers 'must quit totally' - BBC Health News 28/11/06

There are no half measures for heavy smokers wanting to minimise the risk that their habit will lead to their early death, research suggests.



Cheshire and Merseyside News

Blood centre 'set to close' - Liverpool Daily Post 28/11/06

THE future of Liverpool’s blood centre is hanging in the balance, trade union officials warned last night.

Royal calls in MRSA hit squad - Liverpool Daily Post 28/11/06

MERSEYSIDE’S largest hospital trust has called in an MRSA hit squad after regional health bosses branded it one of the worst in the North West for the spread of the bug.

County population is getting older - Warrington Guardian 27/11/06

THE AGED population in Cheshire is set to increase by more than a third by 2021.


Cumbria and Lancashire News

Public mental health event - Carlisle News & Star 27/11/06

CHANGES to Cumbria’s mental health services will be the focus of a public meeting in Barrow next week.


In Rupert's memory - Carlisle News & Star 27/11/06

CUMBRIA’S new rescue helicopter was dedicated yesterday in memory of an air ambulance doctor killed on a mountain climb this year.

Bullies put six children a week in hospital - Lancashire Telegraph 27/11/06

SIX children a week go to casualty at East Lancashire hospitals after being attacked by bullies, it has been revealed.

Air ambulance charity warns of false claims - Lancashire Telegraph 27/11/06

AIR Ambulance chiefs are warning businesses not to be duped by the false claims of a publishing company.



Greater Manchester News

Fears over security lapses at hospital - Manchester Evening News 27/11/06

AN MP is demanding that security is stepped up at a hospital from which a rapist is on the run.

Pilgrims must get vaccine - Asian Image 27/11/06

Pilgrims going on the annual Hajj are being reminded that to ensure their their meningitis vaccine is up-to-date.

Free fruit and veg for healthy start - The Bolton News 27/11/06

CHILDREN and pregnant women are to be given free fresh fruit and vegetables from today.


Posted by Kieran at 9:16 am 0 comments

Monday, November 27, 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

Patient survey will determine GP bonuses - The Guardian 27/11/06

Patients unhappy with access to their GP will be able to affect the income of their surgery in a government move certain to anger the medical profession.

Survey of patients to determine GPs' share of £72m - The Telegraph 27/11/06

GPs who keep you waiting for an appointment face cash penalties - The Sunday Telegraph 26/11/06

Patient survey to affect GP pay - BBC Health News 26/11/06

The NHS's delicate drug balance - The Guardian 27/11/06

Herceptin for early stage breast cancer is a cost-effective treatment and it is right that the NHS should make it available (Herceptin costs 'would put thousands of other patients at risk', November 24). The challenge of funding new treatments and balancing local and national priorities is one the NHS has faced since its inception. The process the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) follows for evaluating new medicines is the most rigorous anywhere in the world, and local NHS organisations can have confidence that implementing our recommendations is an effective use of their resources.

Deadly bug infects 10 hospital patients - The Observer 26/11/06

A potentially fatal superbug has been discovered at Lincoln County Hospital, it emerged yesterday. Ten patients were affected when Clostridium difficile, which can cause severe diarrhoea and bowel inflammation, spread.

Hundreds face polonium test after ex-spy's death - The Observer 26/11/06

Hundreds of people face being tested for traces of deadly polonium as the impact of the poisoning of former spy Alexander Litvinenko widened dramatically yesterday.

Barbara Ellen on housework - or the lack of it - The Observer 26/11/06

I can't tell you how thrilled I was to read the loo is cleaner than the fridge in eight out of 10 British homes. It seems 64 per cent of you deign to clean the fridge about once a month, 22 per cent twice a year, with 28 per cent only 'taking action' when there is a 'bad smell'.

Where is the care for the mentally ill? - The Observer 26/11/06

It was with dread that I read Tim Salmon's article in the The Observer (My son has schizophrenia. Why can't the system cope? Focus, last week). Having a sister who has suffered mental illness, I know the frustration when 'professionals' won't talk to members of a sick person's family without the 'client's' written permission. They must know the 'clients' are unable to look after themselves and need relatives' help.

Bragg to lead attack on Mental Health Bill - The Independent on Sunday 26/11/06

Small beer for market town dubbed drinking capital - The Guardian 25/11/06

Fears prove unfounded as assaults fall by 72% in first year of 24-hour licences

Drink laws 'not changing habits' - BBC Health News 24/11/06


Supermarket supplier 'puts migrant staff at risk of injury' - The Guardian 25/11/06

A company which supplies many of the leading supermarkets is putting its mainly migrant workforce at risk of injury, according to a trade union.

Consumer test: Laser eye surgery - The Guardian 25/11/06

If you have set your sights on treatment, go into it with your eyes wide open

Weeding out the puritanical quacks and horny old goats - The Guardian 25/11/06

It would be almost too easy to poke fun at Gillian McKeith PhD, just because she's been busted by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority this week for selling sordid medicinal products without a licence. But, as my girlfriend could happily tell you, I'm not a complicated man. So: Dr McKeith's Wild Pink and Horny Goat Weed sex supplements are sold for "maintaining erections, orgasmic pleasure, ejaculation ... lubrication, satisfaction, and arousal", and sexual pleasure is, historically, the natural domain of quackery: but without the appropriate licence demonstrating safety, quality and efficacy her products were illegal.

All you need to know about: powerising - The Guardian 25/11/06

Mattias Lindstrom is considered to be at the forefront of the Powerising craze, which originated in Korea and is starting to take off over here. Spring-loaded boots enable devotees to jump up to 6ft in the air, take 9ft strides and run at more than 20mph. You can see Lindstrom in action at swebounce.com.

Menopause is delayed by 18 months - The Independent on Sunday 26/11/06

Women are going through the menopause 18 months later than their mothers did, according to new research.

The celebrity look: Nip & pluck - The Independent on Sunday 26/11/06

Don't frown. Getting an eyebrow transplant is the latest way to look like a celebrity

High-risk sex lives: HIV on the rise again - The Independent 25/11/06

Infection rates of the HIV virus are on the rise, particularly in the gay community. But many men are intentionally risking their lives by refusing to wear condoms for sex.


Ethical products outsell cigarettes and alcohol - The Times 27/11/06

Sales of Fairtrade coffee, free-range chickens and other “ethical” products have overtaken money spent on alcohol and cigarettes for the first time, according to a report.

Consumers going greener - The Guardian 27/11/06

Rich claim benefits in 'Welfare nation' as millions remain trapped in poverty - The Times 27/11/06

The Government is spending more on welfare than on education or law and order, but the vast sums are doing little to relieve poverty, according to a think-tank.

Five million Britons on state aid - The Telegraph 27/11/06

Criminal probe into MS 'wonder drug' - The Sunday Times 26/11/06

A DRUG company is under criminal investigation for the way it has marketed an unproven 'wonder' treatment for multiple sclerosis to thousands of patients.

Scientists quit in dyslexia 'cure' row - The Sunday Times 26/11/06

A HIGH-PROFILE but controversial treatment for dyslexia has been severely criticised by experts who believe it is based on flawed research and undermined by potential conflicts of interest.

The really tough way to control drugs is to license them - The Sunday Times 26/11/06

A young American friend last week visited Camden Lock, north London, and returned amazed. In a hundred yards he was offered brazenly in the street just about every drug he could imagine. It was easier to buy cannabis or cocaine than a cigarette or a can of beer. The experience could have been repeated in any city centre in Britain. The drug market is totally unregulated and as a result totally dangerous. Welcome to 10 years of Tony Blair's 'war on drugs'.

Filth and shame in an NHS hospital - The Sunday Times 26/11/06

Twenty-four hours to save the NHS! I wonder how often that promise comes back to haunt Tony Blair 10 years later. Week after week reliable reports and the government's own figures tell a disgraceful story of incompetence, debt, misery and filth in the National Health Service. That story is supported, week after week, by heart-rending personal accounts of horrors on the wards.

Cancer patients still left waiting - The Sunday Times 26/11/06

CANCER patients are still having to wait almost a year to see a specialist because health boards have failed to cut waiting times, according to official figures to be released this week, writes Kathleen Nutt.

Is turning A&E into ER the remedy? - The Sunday Times 26/11/06

American-style physician assistants may be the answer to healthcare here, writes Sue Leonard

NHS hires '£43,000-a-year super-nurses' - The Sunday Times 26/11/06

THE National Health Service has recruited a team of £43,000-a-year American 'super-nurses' to plug Scotland's doctor shortage.

'Road-rage' man kills driver and attacks ambulance crew - The Times 25/11/06

An Asian man in his 60s was beaten to death by a stranger in an apparent road-rage incident near Heathrow airport.

Mental health - The Times 25/11/06

Instead of polarising the debate about mental health into a battle between public safety and civil rights, we should be looking to create a law that supports both and confronts the prejudices about violence that still blight the lives of many people with severe mental illnesses.

Driving us together - The Times 25/11/06

There will be fewer differences between the sexes in the future

Meningitis test needs a name. . . and £350,000 - The Telegraph 27/11/06

An angel investor could have a revolutionary test for meningitis named after them, in return for £350,000 of seed investment.

I've now stopped telling people Ben is HIV positive, but not because I'm ashamed. - The Telegraph 27/11/06

When one mother told friends her son was HIV positive, they shunned her. To mark World Aids Day on Friday, she shares her anguish

Drink wine, eat well, live longer. Really! - The Telegraph 27/11/06

Wine has long been known to have health benefits and the festive season is a good time to try the ones that do us the most good. In the first part of our new series, Professor Roger Corder explains how


Thousands of hospital staff fail to wash hands correctly - The Sunday Telegraph 26/11/06

Thousands of doctors and nurses are ignoring warnings about the spread of MRSA in hospitals and failing to wash their hands before treating patients.

Four big, fat myths - The Sunday Telegraph 26/11/06

The Government wants to set up a database to monitor every child in the country including their diet. But are our children as obese and unhealthy as we are told? And what about us? Health researchers argue that being overweight is actually beneficial: it's dieting that kills

Quite clearly a miracle molecule - The Sunday Telegraph 26/11/06

Water is a miracle, both in the sense that we could not do without it, but also in the sense that it appears to defy some fundamental laws of physics. Thus when water solidifies as ice it might be expected to behave as other liquids, to become denser and sink, so that rivers would freeze from the bottom up. Instead, water becomes less dense on freezing and thus floats on the surface, below which fish can carry on swimming happily. Then its boiling point is also unexpectedly high and this reluctance to heat up ensures that the oceans stay cool, thus preventing global warming.

Nish Joshi's Q & A - The Sunday Telegraph 26/11/06

In april I went on holiday and put on more than half a stone. Usually, I watch what I eat, increase the exercise a little, and it drops off, but not this time, so I'm trying a detox. I've been doing it for eight days now, but there's been no change. I'm frustrated as I'm doing everything right without the rewards.

Patients tell naked truth about mixed-sex ward - The Telegraph 25/11/06

Patients spoke yesterday of their grim experiences in mixed hospital wards and claimed the Government fiddles the figures to suggest that most are now segregated.

Sack Hewitt (and not just for her voice) - The Telegraph 25/11/06

Stem cell research under threat - The Telegraph 25/11/06

Britain's position as the world leader in stem cell technology is in serious jeopardy because of a lack of funding, one of the country's leading scientists said yesterday.

Britain's stem cell projects - The Telegraph 25/11/06

Warning on NHS consultant shortage - The Telegraph 25/11/06

The safety of patients needing emergency treatment will be at risk unless the Government develops a plan to deal with a shortage of consultants and NHS cutbacks, the president of the Royal College of Surgeons said yesterday.

'50% increase in doctors needed' - BBC Health News 24/11/06

Moves to allay health fears after radiation found - The Telegraph 25/11/06

Public health protection officials attempted to calm public anxiety over Alexander Litvinenko's radiation poisoning last night after traces of a deadly radioactive element were found at three locations across London.

'No radiation risk' public told - BBC Health News 24/11/06

Should we flap over bird flu? - The Telegraph 25/11/06

There have been suspected human cases of bird flu this week in Somalia and South Korea - the latter country's first outbreak for three years. The news follows fresh outbreaks of the disease among poultry in Vietnam and Thailand, and coincides with reports in The New England Journal of Medicine that the number of human cases linked to bird flu has been steadily rising.

'A bad memory may be a sign of heart trouble'- Daily Mail 25/11/06

Being forgetful could be bad for your heart, say researchers. Those who have poor memories and slower reaction times are more likely to die from a heart attack, according to a 21-year study.

'Stay slim if you want a new hip'- Daily Mail 25/11/06

Patients may only be offered a hip replacement on the Health Service if they promise to stay slim, under plans for 'social contracts' being considered by Tony Blair.

Free fruit and veg for low income families - Daily Mail 25/11/06

Pregnant women and toddlers from low income families are to get free fruit and vegetables under a Government scheme starting next week.

Poor families given fruit and veg - BBC Health News 25/11/06

Overseas dentists 'cannot work' - BBC Health News 27/11/06

A group of dentists are claiming they cannot practise in the UK because they are unable to get permission to work, despite a demand for more NHS staff.


'Cot locator' to save sick babies - BBC Health News 27/11/06

A system to help doctors find the nearest hospital cot for critically ill newborn babies has been launched.


Testicle checks 'now more common' - BBC Health News 26/11/06

The number of young British men who check their testicles for signs of cancer has tripled in a decade, research suggests.


Scan detects child heart killer - BBC Health News 24/11/06

A medical scan can spot which young people risk sudden death because of a weak heart.

'50% increase in doctors needed' - BBC Health News 24/11/06

The leading surgeon in England has said there needs to be a 50% increase in the number of hospital consultants by 2010.

Child expert answers allegations - BBC Health News 24/11/06

A paediatrician facing accusations of acting inappropriately and causing distress to a bereaved person has begun answering the allegations.

Banks to 'withstand' flu pandemic - BBC Health News 24/11/06

UK banks could maintain core services during a flu pandemic despite extensive disruption to business, a major contingency exercise has revealed.

Junk food ad 'tactics' condemned - BBC Health News 24/11/06

Leading food manufacturers are accused of using tactics to push foods high in fat, sugar and salt to children.

Dispute over schizophrenia drugs - BBC Health News 24/11/06

Older schizophrenia drugs may be as effective as the new generation of medications, experts have suggested.


International News

Blessed are the condoms: Why even the Pope may have to learn to love them - The Independent on Sunday 26/11/06

Condoms, Johnnies, French letters, Durex, love gloves, rubbers. Call them what you will, Beatrice Were wishes her husband Francis had worn one. Four months after he died in 1991 she discovered he had been HIV positive and passed the infection on to her. "I was very bitter, and the bitterness took years to go away," she says. "I realised that he knew and did not tell me. I felt betrayed."

Police snatch Aids campaigner - The Times 27/11/06

A former Chinese health official has disappeared and an Aids conference has been cancelled in a suspected police crackdown on unofficial efforts to publicise the illness.

Top China Aids critic 'is seized' - The Observer 26/11/06


New drug to boost defence against bird flu pandemic - The Times 25/11/06

A new flu drug that can kill deadly strains of bird flu is promising to transform global preparations for an influenza pandemic.


Heart attack hope after scientists discover 'master' stem cell - Daily Mail 26/11/06

Work towards stem cell treatments for coronary disease has jumped another step with the discovery of a "master" cell that appears to give rise to all the major parts of the heart.

Wheat's lost gene helps nutrition - BBC Health News 24/11/06

Turning on a gene found in wheat could boost levels of protein, iron and zinc, scientists have discovered.


Cheshire and Merseyside News

Hospital worker 'took cocktail of drugs' - Liverpool Daily Post

A WIRRAL hospital worker died after taking a cocktail of drugs only available from an operating theatre, an inquest heard.

Midwife bullying dismissed - Chester Chronicle 24/11/06

MANAGERS at the Countess of Chester Hospital say allegations of bullying within the midwifery department have been denied.

Probe held at claims doctor lied about CV - Chester Chronicle 24/11/06

A DOCTOR who treated patients at the Countess of Chester Hospital 30 years ago is at the centre of an investigation over claims he lied about his qualifications.

Smoking ban date to be set within weeks - Daily Post 24/11/06

THE START date for England's workplace smoking ban will be announced before Christmas, public health minister Caroline Flint promised yesterday.



Cumbria and Lancashire News

Bryan cuts ribbon on £1m treatment centre - Carlisle News & Star 25/11/06

A NEW £1m assessment and treatment centre opened at the Carleton Clinic in Carlisle this week.


Super-hospital health chiefs in pledge over traffic - Lancashire Telegraph 24/11/06

HEALTH chiefs have pledged to re-examine the road system at the new Royal Blackburn Hospital after complaints from visitors.

Top doctor to quit over health shake-up - Lancashire Telegraph 24/11/06

EAST Lancashire's top children's doctor is to quit in protest at a controversial shake-up of hospital services.

People's champs named for NHS - Lancashire Telegraph 24/11/06

HEALTH bosses have announced the latest line-up of people's champions at an East Lancashire health authority.

Stem cell donation gives sister a new future - Lancashire Telegraph 24/11/06

A WOMAN who beat leukaemia after being given her sister's immune system through a pioneering technique today thanked her for the gift of life.



Greater Manchester News

Panic rooms for battered wives - Manchester Evening News 24/11/06

PANIC rooms are being fitted to homes amid spiralling levels of domestic abuse, a Manchester Evening News special investigation can reveal today.

Nurse struck off after patient affair - Manchester Evening News 24/11/06

A MARRIED nurse who had an affair with a patient has been struck off by her professional body.

Skateboarding keeps young people healthy - The Bolton News 24/11/06

I MUST agree with comments made by Mrs Worth and Mrs Hogg. I was amazed to read that the council is to spend £90,000 on railings to protect the Town Hall steps from skateboarders.


Posted by Kieran at 8:52 am 0 comments

Thursday, November 23, 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


Cardiac master cells discovered - BBC News 23/11/06
Scientists have discovered what they believe could be cardiac master cells, capable of developing into different tissues in the heart.


How damaged eggs are weeded out - BBC News 23/11/06
Scientists have identified a protein that helps detect DNA damage in developing eggs


NHS 'not spending enough on IT' - BBC News 23/11/06
Not enough of Scotland\'s health service budget is being spent on computer systems which could improve patient care, according to a spending watchdog.


Humans show major DNA differences - BBC News 23/11/06
Scientists have shown that our genetic code varies between individuals far more than was previously thought.


Vatican to address condom rules - BBC News 23/11/06
The Catholic Church is due to discuss the use of condoms to fight Aids at a conference on infectious diseases opening at the Vatican.


Row over mixed-sex hospital wards - BBC News 23/11/06
The government has been accused of failing to meet a promise to scrap mixed-sex wards in NHS hospitals.


HIV infection in UK increases to 63,500 - Guardian 23/11/06
The relentless rise of HIV and other sexual infections in the UK is continuing, with evidence that some groups in the population are ignoring warnings and still engaging in risky sexual behaviour, according to figures published yesterday. There are now 63,500 adults living with HIV infection in the UK, of whom 7,450 were diagnosed during 2005, according to the Health Protection Agency.

HIV rise blamed on complacency - Independent 23/11/06


Ecstasy and LSD should be demoted to Class B, says adviser - The Times 23/11/06
The drugs Ecstasy and LSD should be downgraded from Class A to Class B, according to a scientist who advises the Government on drugs law.


Hardened addicts given free heroin in secret NHS trial -The Times 23/11/06
Drug addicts are being given injections of heroin on the NHS under a government-backed plan to deter them from comitting robbery and theft to fund their habit.

UK police join drug legalisation campaign - Guardian 23/11/06


Scotland to raise smoking age - Telegraph 23/11/06
Ministers in Scotland plan to raise the legal age of buying cigarettes to 18 in the latest round of the war on smoking. In a move that could eventually be copied in the rest of Britain, the Scottish Executive confirmed it will be pushing to raise the smoking age from 16, as well as considering a host of other anti-smoking measures.


Executive 'to raise smoking age' - BBC News 23/11/06


Flu vaccine shortage 'threatens lives' - Telegragh 23/11/06
Chronic shortages of flu vaccine could endanger the lives of elderly people this winter, a leading medical newspaper has claimed. Most people at risk from the killer bug have still not been vaccinated during a “malfunctioning campaign” and shortages continue, with time running out to protect people from an anticipated flu outbreak in the New Year.


Doctors fear more elderly may die as flu vaccine runs short - the Daily Mail 23/11/06

Have a jab, and help cut the risk of an avian flu pandemic -The Times 23/11/06


International News

Africa baby deaths preventable - BBC News 23/11/06
More than one million African babies each year die within their first month of life, says a report. The World Health Organisation reveals many newborns are dying from infections which could be cheaply prevented.


Cumbria and Lancashire News


Stroke Unit To Boost Recovery - Blackpool Citizen 23/11/06
Plans to create a state-of-the-art stroke unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital have been given the thumbs up by members of a local support group.


Cancer Scanner Is Uk First - Preston Citizen 23/11/06
The Royal Preston Hospital is to become the first in the country to offer its patients the most advanced cancer scanning technology.


Out Of Court Settlement For Bereaved Parents - Lancashire Telegraph 23/11/06
THE parents of a man who died from septicaemia have received \"substantial\" compensation from a hospital in an out of court settlement.


Male Nurse Suspended Over Allegation - Lancashire Telegraph 23/11/06
A MENTAL health nurse has been suspended over an allegation that he had an inappropriate relationship with a vulnerable female patient.


Posted by Tracy at 10:21 am 1 comments

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