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Boys born to mothers who drank lightly during pregnancy are better behaved and score more highly in tests at the age of three than the sons of women who abstained, according to a study published today. Researchers found there was no link between light drinking in pregnancy - defined as one to two units a week, or on occasion - and any behavioural or cognitive problems in children at the age of three.
Link to ArticleI went to a gig last night … why am I lying? It’s stupid. I went to a public meeting at the TUC building last night, at which there happened to be music, and the music there happened to be was by the folk artist Eliza Carthy, who is very pregnant. I identified with her strongly, because she looked fine from the front, but then from the side, especially when she danced, she looked like a sofa being electrocuted. What an amazing musician she is. Though if she were ever to read this, she wouldn’t notice that bit, she’d just be thinking, “How dare that bitch call me a sofa?”
Crime Survey shows cannabis use at lowest for a decade – but Home Office determined to reclassify as class B
Link to ArticleBeing tested for STDs once or twice a year should be standard practice for anyone who’s sexually active
NHS patients undergoing hip replacement surgery at a private clinic in Sussex were put at risk by slack hygiene procedures, NHS watchdogs have revealed. The Healthcare Commission said inspectors had “serious concerns” about the Sussex orthopaedic treatment centre, which is run by Care UK in Haywards Heath.
Link to ArticleThe health benefits of a regular tipple have been thrown into doubt after the discovery of widespread metal contamination in common table wines. Tests on red and white wines from 15 countries, including France, Spain and Italy, have revealed the existence of ions at levels scientists consider hazardous.
Link to ArticleThe gap in life expectancy between men and women is at its lowest level for more than 50 years. While both sexes are living longer, the latest figures released yesterday show that men are catching up with women.
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Additional Stories
Men’s life expectancy lengthens by 3.8 years (and they’re closing the gap on women) - Daily Mail 30th October 2008
Life expectancy gender gap closes - BBC Health News 30th October 2008
The increase in the number of British troops suffering from hearing disabilities after combat in Iraq and Afghanistan could leave regiments struggling to fulfil their commitments, it was claimed yesterday. Liam Fox, the Shadow Defence Secretary, said that the growing problem could have a “big impact on the number of soldiers available for deployment” and needed to be investigated fully.
Link to ArticleAn attempt to legalise assisted suicide was made at the Scottish Parliament last night. Margo MacDonald, the veteran MSP who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, started the process to bring a Private Member’s Bill before the Parliament next year.
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Nine out of ten preventable deaths in the NHS are never reported to officials, it has emerged. Of the estimated 72,000 annual deaths in the NHS, just 3,200 are recorded by the National Patient Safety Agency, MPs were told. The Commons Health Select Committee heard evidence from experts in its first evidence session on its investigation into patient safety.
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Thousands of cancer patients are not getting radiotherapy to treat their condition, the Conservatives have claimed.
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Additional Story
Many cancer patients ‘miss out’ - BBC Health News 31st October 2008
Nine out of ten preventable deaths in the NHS are never reported to officials, it has emerged. Of the estimated 72,000 annual deaths in the NHS, just 3,200 are recorded by the National Patient Safety Agency, MPs were told. The Commons Health Select Committee heard evidence from experts in its first evidence session on its investigation into patient safety.
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Kidney cancer patients will have to wait months for the NHS drugs rationing body to decide if they can have new drugs after guidance was delayed.
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Round-the-clock drinking has led to a rise in early morning hospital admissions, a study shows.
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A mother-of-three died from a brain haemorrhage just days after being sent home from hospital with headache pills following a car crash.
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Additional Story
Mother-of-three dies from brain haemorrhage after ‘NHS sent her home with headache pills’ - Daily Mail 30th October 2008
Britain's biggest baker, Warburtons, has been warned it is putting customers at greater risk of heart disease after research showed it is selling bread with up to 20 per cent more salt than rivals.
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In an age of super-surgeries, polyclinics and locum GPs, Dr Chris Whitworth is very much a family doctor. He represents the fifth generation in a line of GPs to serve his village since 1839.
Link to ArticleEating just three grams of oats a day can protect against heart attacks, says a study. This could help lower levels of cholesterol by up to 17 per cent. One bowl of muesli or porridge at breakfast and a lunchtime sandwich made from two slices of oat-flour bread would be enough to reach this recommended level.
Link to ArticleA musician is fighting for his life after contracting a rare form of deadly anthrax. Fernando Gomez fell ill after handling animal hide imported from Africa which he used to make bongo drums. He is only the second person in the UK to be infected with inhalation anthrax since 1974.
Link to ArticleSpending by individuals on private healthcare has seen the first significant fall since the mid 1990s, figures show. Analysts Laing and Buisson estimate that in the last year, UK spending on non-cosmetic surgery such as knee and hips fell by nearly £30m to £345m.
Link to ArticleA rising number of nurses, doctors and teachers are among the 4,000 people a year who are dying from the effects of asbestos, according to campaigners who are calling for a central government survey of asbestos in public buildings.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
Getting stuck into the housework or doing salsa dancing late in life could significantly cut a woman’s risk of breast cancer, research shows. Women who regularly carry out strenuous exercise in their 60s are 30 per cent less likely to develop the disease.
Channel hoppers beware. Your favourite gadget could give you a cold. Couch potatoes slumped in their armchair with the TV remote may not be as safe and cosy as they think. The remote control device, it seems, is a cold virus ‘hot spot’ in the home - along with doorknobs, fridge door handles, telephones and bathroom taps.
Link to ArticleResearchers combing the human gene map have found four more areas that affect the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and believe the studies are starting to point to new and better treatments. Some of the genes, associated with the most common form of Alzheimer’s, appear linked to known genetic risks for the degenerative brain disorder, the team at Harvard Medical School in Boston reported on Thursday.
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Also available as RSS (What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
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Articles relating to mass media Health Stories about the Cumbria and Lancashire patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
The new chief executive of north Cumbria’s main hospitals has spoken of the challenges she faces at a trust with £23 million of debts. Carole Heatly was head-hunted to replace Marie Burnham at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. She came from Kingston in London to a trust in severe debt, which is on the brink of starting work on a new hospital to replace the West Cumberland in Whitehaven.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
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A 14-year-old boy has died after suffering an allergic reaction to the acne medication he was given by his doctor, his father said yesterday. An inquest into the death of Shaun Jones, from Rhydyfelin in Pontypridd, south Wales, has been opened and adjourned while further inquiries are made. Jones was said to be a fit and healthy rugby player, but appeared to suffer a severe reaction on October 21 after taking the first dose of antibiotic tablets.
Link to ArticleA man was being treated for anthrax last night in intensive care at an east London hospital after he contracted the disease by inhaling spores from animal skins. The man was admitted to Homerton hospital last week and remains in a critical condition according to health authorities.
Link to ArticleA croissant and latte on the way to work may not always be a healthier option than stopping at a "greasy spoon" cafe, according to a campaign group that aims to reduce salt in diets.
Many foods eaten for breakfast contain high levels of salt. While many consumers recognise there are high salt levels in traditional English fry-ups including bacon, beans and sausages, far fewer realise that sweet pastries on offer at high street coffee chains could also contribute significantly to busting the 6g of salt daily target set for adults by the government's Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Doctors have drawn up plans to screen older men for the male menopause, amid concerns that as many as one in five of the over-65s may be affected. The existence of a male equivalent to the menopause is still controversial, but most experts agree some men experience a crash in testosterone that can leave them tired, depressed and lacking in libido.
Link to ArticleRevlimid has been found to lengthen the lives of patients with multiple myeloma, a deadly bone cancer, by up to three years
Link to ArticleThe future of the NHS’s £12.7bn computer programme was in doubt last night after its managers acknowledged further delays in introducing a system for the electronic storage and transmission of patients’ records. Connecting for Health, the NHS agency responsible for the world’s biggest civil IT project, said it was no longer possible to give a date when hospitals in England will start using the sophisticated software that is required to keep track of patients’ medical files.
Additional StoriesHomeless people are to be given a rare opportunity to comment on the quality of service they receive from the NHS, thanks to a new online initiative. Patient Opinion, the social enterprise that pioneered public involvement in the health service using the web, has teamed up with homelessness charities to canvass the views of homeless people and filter them back to NHS managers.
Link to ArticleFreelance senior executives working in the public and voluntary sectors are fast becoming a profession in their own right. Many are responsible for pushing through government reforms in service delivery and organisational change, playing a key role in shaping the public services of the new millennium.
Additional StoriesCouncils slowly get the message - The Guardian 29th October 2008
Private sector veterans managing in the NHS - The Guardian 29th October 2008
Challenging the interim manager stereotype - The Guardian 29th October 2008
Interims in the public sector - The Guardian 29th October 2008
Interview: Sheree Axon - The Guardian 29th October 2008
Interim managers at Citywest Homes - The Guradian 29th October 2008
Interim managers in charities - The Guardian 29th October 2008
Interim benefits”Public Sector” - The Guardian 29th October 2008
Mike Whitlam on the use of interim managers in charities - The Guardian 29th October 2008
The costs of hiring an interim manager - The Guardian 29th October 2008
Paul Botting on the growing industry of interim management - The Guardian 29th October 2008In the name of “modernisation”, the government has insisted on competitive commissioning, a narrow focus on financial efficiency savings, and investment through the private finance initiative (PFI) that builds up long-term debts. It has shown a strong preference for large, aggregated contracts. In other words, public services have been subject to the same blind faith in market forces as the rest of the economy.
Link to ArticleWhat does TAG stand for? Transforming A Generation. The initiative was set up as a response to growing street violence and aims to help 18- to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training (Neet) to swap street life for a greater sense of self-worth by gaining career prospects and benefiting their communities by becoming local wellbeing champions.
Link to ArticleThey were launched to help safeguard children by encouraging joint working following the death of Victoria Climbié, but a damning report published today by the Audit Commission concludes that children’s trusts are “confused and confusing” and are failing to improve the lives of young people.
Link to ArticleThe proliferation of ever larger centralised databases is increasing the risk of people’s personal data being lost or abused, the government’s official privacy watchdog claims today. The warning from the information commissioner, Richard Thomas, comes as he discloses that reported data losses have soared in the past year.
Link to ArticleThe government is not doing enough to prevent road accidents from becoming a serious public health problem, MPs have warned. The Commons transport committee is urging ministers to reduce road deaths from fewer than 3,000 a year to 2,000 by 2020 in its report, published today. Road accidents are the largest single cause of death for people aged between five and 35, and accidents cost the economy an estimated 1.5% of GDP, or £18bn, every year.
Link to ArticleIt can be hard for GPs to tell whether someone should receive benefits – and many dislike making the decision
Link to ArticleA patient has become the first in Britain to have a life-saving transplant using a technique that doctors hope will increase by 25 per cent the number of lungs available for transplant. Kenneth Collins, 55, who was diagnosed with emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease earlier this year, had been on a transplant list since June. A third of patients die while waiting for suitable lungs to become available from donors.
Link to ArticleFood manufacturers have been urged to tackle obesity by reducing the size of snacks and soft drinks. Health minister Dawn Primarolo said the fact that 30 per cent of primary-school children were overweight meant that firms should start undersizing products.
Link to ArticleBe concise, don’t expect miracles – and know when to stay away. Dr Pauline Brimblecombe on how to get the best from your GP Who’d be a GP? Unfortunately, we family doctors have a bad reputation at the moment. The Government doesn’t like us because we got a massive pay rise and now they’re painting us as lazy fat cats whom patients can never get to see.
Link to ArticleWines from 13 different countries contain potentially hazardous levels of metals, according to a chemical analysis by British scientists. The findings suggest that the health benefits of drinking red wine may often be counter-balanced by risks posed by excessive levels of metals such as copper, manganese and vanadium, researchers at Kingston University said.
Link to ArticleBritish regiments serving in the mixed desert and fertile terrain of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan have fired millions of rounds of ammunition during hundreds of clashes with the Taleban in the past two years. Close combat machine gun exchanges, roadside bombs, landmines and the dropping of precision-guided 500lb bombs from RAF Harriers and American F16s have created a cacophony and stretched military and medical resources.
Link to ArticleA woman suffering from multiple sclerosis appealed to Parliament yesterday after losing her landmark attempt to clarify the law on assisted suicide. Debbie Purdy, 45, vowed to fight on to the Court of Appeal after failing to win a High Court ruling that the Director of Public Prosecutions must make clear the Crown Prosecution Authority’s policy on assisted suicide.
Link to ArticleThe NHS drugs rationing body must release details of how it reached a decision to restrict the use of new Alzheimer's medicines, the House of Lords has ruled.
Link to ArticleBritish couples are choosing the sex of their babies at clinics abroad which offer the procedure illegally, according to an investigation.
Link to ArticleOne million women in England are putting themselves at risk of cancer by ignoring invitations to have a smear test, latest data has revealed.
Link to ArticleThe Treasury could try to claw back more than £3bn out of the NHS to contribute towards the credit crisis bail-out package, a leading health service academic has warned.
Link to ArticleMore than 10 million people in England are drinking too much, with around one in four adults consuming alcohol at “hazardous” levels, according to a Government watchdog.
Additional StoryA nurse who put her knickers up for sale on the online auction site eBay has appeared before a disciplinary panel.
Link to ArticleSmokers could be completely banned from fostering children under controversial proposals branded health 'fascism' by opponents. Redbridge in East London is believed to the first council in the country to consider a total ban on foster carers who smoke, no matter how old the child they want to look after.
Link to ArticleA blundering chemist gave a mother the deadly heroin substitute, morphine, for her six month old baby - instead of medication he was supposed to be taking for vomiting. Selina Brown, 24, was handed the super-strength, highly addictive painkiller - normally prescribed to class A drug addicts - which was marked as her son's medication.
Link to ArticleAt least seven morbidly obese children were taken into care last year by social services. A boy of six who was seriously overweight, a girl of seven with a Body Mass Index three times higher than normal, and an eight-year-old girl who weighed nine stone, were among those taken from their parents.
Link to ArticleBritain is the toughest country in Europe on smokers, a major survey revealed today. The survey, which ranked 27 European countries according to tobacco control measures, was carried out by the EU’s ‘Help – For a Life Without Tobacco’ campaign. Britain was ranked second, behind Ireland, in 2005, but has scored higher in subsequent years. The high rating has been put down to the elevated cost of tobacco in the UK, and better treatment programmes.
Link to ArticleProudly posing for a photograph with her new husband, Katie Brickell smiles on her wedding day. It was one of the happiest events of the 25-year-old’s life, but her joy masked bleak news. She has been told she has two years at most to relish her marriage to husband Rolan after she was diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer.
Link to ArticleMaking door handles, taps and light switches from copper could help the country beat superbugs, scientists say. A study found that copper fittings rapidly killed bugs on hospital wards, succeeding where other infection control measures failed.
Link to ArticleThe largest hospital trust in the country has breached a national hygiene code, a health watchdog found. Imperial College Healthcare, which includes St Mary’s and Hammersmith hospitals, was ordered to improve the way it monitors cleaning in its hospitals by the Healthcare Commission.
Link to ArticleMidwifery services are “buckling” under the strain of rising birthrates, inadequate funding and a lack of staff, the Government was warned today. The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said research showed that staff were facing increasing workloads and were “struggling” to provide a safe service to women and babies.
Link to ArticleA bird lover has been struck down by a rare disease caused by a pet budgerigar she kept 35 years ago. Carole Dawson, 58, is hooked up to an oxygen cylinder 24 hours a day to keep her alive. Her lungs are so weak that she cannot walk unaided for more than a few steps without gasping for breath and feeling lightheaded. She is virtually unable to leave the house alone, and has had to leave her job as a shoe shop assistant.
Link to ArticleA father of three who underwent a routine vasectomy at his local GP surgery was left fighting for his life in hospital after suffering gangrene. Rob Smith expected to be back at work soon after the operation at his local GP surgery, but was rushed to intensive care a few days later in excruciating pain.
Link to ArticleFast-food outlets should be barred from opening near schools, Ed Balls will say today. The Schools Secretary also believes pupils should be prevented from leaving the premises at lunchtime to improve their diets. There is ‘no point’ banning junk food in schools if teenagers can dodge healthy menus by buying from takeaway outlets which undercut school prices, he will say.
Link to ArticleA new test tells women how many years they are away from their menopause so they can better plan pregnancies in later life. Doctors can now tell women when their reproductive life is likely to end by measuring hormone levels in the blood.
Link to ArticleIf you’d rather not think about the calorie content of your last meal out, you may not welcome the latest plans from officialdom. To help counter the obesity problem, ministers want restaurants to print calorie counts on their menus.
Link to ArticleHot flushes, night sweats and painful joints may be a sign of success for breast cancer therapy, research shows. Women taking tamoxifen or anastrozole are 10% less likely to have a recurrence of the disease if they have the side-effects, a study found.
Link to ArticleElderly people are suffering because of poor access to dentistry services, experts say. Improvements in dental care following the creation of the NHS mean that many pensioners have kept their own teeth.
Link to ArticleParents are being warned to be on the look out for a potentially-fatal winter baby infection. The British Lung Foundation said October heralds the start of what is known as the RSV season.
Link to ArticleThe North West of England could be on the verge of a measles epidemic, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) says. Twenty-two children have been diagnosed with the illness following an outbreak in parts of Cheshire, the third in the region in 2008.
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A blood test that screens pregnant woman for pre-eclampsia long before symptoms develop could be available in the next five years, doctors predict. The condition, which leads to the deaths of 1,000 babies each year in the UK alone, could be detected as early as the first trimester, a study suggests.
Link to ArticleA blood test that screens pregnant woman for pre-eclampsia long before symptoms develop could be available in the next five years, doctors predict. The condition, which leads to the deaths of 1,000 babies each year in the UK alone, could be detected as early as the first trimester, a study suggests.
Link to ArticleA programme aimed at cutting deaths from bowel cancer in Wales is starting with a plea to men to overcome any embarrassment and check their health. People aged 60-69 are being sent home screening test kits, and organisers say it is the first scheme to cover men as well as women.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
A toddler from East Timor has had a tumour which weighed one third of his body weight removed by doctors in New Zealand.The miracle surgery, performed in Wellington on the weekend, saved the life of 14-month-old Alex Gonzaga, who would have died in weeks had the 3.3kg (7.2lb) growth not been removed.
Additional StoryThe makers of World of Warcraft, an online game with more than 11 million players, today brought an end to a virtual plague that has infected hundreds of thousands of players, causing uproar among many fans who said it was spoiling the game. Blizzard, the software company that runs the game, had deliberately introduced the virulent disease into its virtual world last week. The “undead plague” was designed to be highly contagious and, if left untreated, would turn players them into flesh-eating zombies.
Link to ArticleMalnourishment in the womb causes genetic changes that can still be seen when people reach middle and old age, according to new research that shows how strongly environmental influences can interact with the human genome to shape health.
Link to ArticleGrapes helped lower blood pressure and improve heart function in lab rats fed an otherwise salty diet, U.S. researchers have said. The findings, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences, may help people with high blood pressure, they said.
Link to ArticleMost people with allergies consider them a nuisance at best while more serious cases can be life threatening. But scientists now claim that they have an upside. Hay fever and eczema could be your body’s defense against cancer.
Link to ArticleStatin drugs taken by millions of men could dampen a key indicator of prostate cancer, doctors have warned. Findings suggest men taking the cholesterol-lowering drug experienced a significant drop in blood levels of a protein marker used to help diagnose the cancer.
Link to ArticleA “homing missile” antibody that targets a hunger hormone may provide a new way to tackle obesity, new research suggests. Tests on mice have shown that the antibody seeks out and destroys the hormone ghrelin, which increases appetite and inhibits the break down of stored fat.
Link to ArticleStoring donated blood too long increases the chance of an infection, US researchers claim. The risk of blood poisoning or pneumonia doubled once the 29-day mark passed, Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey found.
Scientists say they have a working prototype of a fully artificial heart ready for implanting in humans. The device beats almost exactly like the real thing using electronic sensors to regulate heart rate and blood flow. Developers Carmat now need approval from the French authorities before pushing ahead with clinical trials.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Cheshire and Merseyside patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
ONLY one child in 131 invited to have an emergency measles jab turned up at a special clinic. Merseyside health officials were put on alert after an outbreak of the illness in Cheshire, where three confirmed and 11 possible cases were reported. As a result, the NHS in Knowsley held MMR catch-up clinics last Saturday – but out of 131 two to four-year-olds invited, only one child was brought in.
Link to ArticleEX-SMOKERS in Liverpool are saving more than £40m a year by kicking their habit. New figures released today by SmokeFree Liverpool show each quitter is estimated to have around £2,000 a year extra to spend.
Link to ArticleA LIVERPOOL surgeon has scooped a major prize for a groundbreaking piece of research into arthritis treatment. Andy Molloy, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at University Hospital Aintree, has received the 2008 Roger A Mann Award for a study researching treatment for patients suffering ankle arthritis.
Link to ArticleTHE science behind diagnosing and curing diseases will be explained during a special week of events at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The events are part of National Pathology Week, starting on November 3, which will highlight the role of pathology in around two thirds of all NHS diagnoses.
Link to ArticleCHESHIRE’S latest mental health facility has been officially opened in Winsford. Shadow Health Minister Stephen O’Brien unveiled the commemorative plaque at the Vale House Resource Centre last week. The new facility, on High Street, will provide community health services to adults and the elderly in Mid Cheshire as part of Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) NHS Trust.
Link to ArticleAN ANNUAL health check for hospitals has seen facilities in mid Cheshire maintain a consistent ‘good’ rating. Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which looks after the Victoria Infirmary Northwich and Leighton Hospital, Crewe, received the rating in the 2007/08 Annual Health Check published by the Healthcare Commission.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
Articles relating to mass media Health Stories about the Cumbria and Lancashire patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
AN 87-YEAR-OLD woman fell and later died after a catalogue of blunders at the West Cumberland Hospital, an inquest has heard. Mary Marshall, known as Marie, died three weeks after falling down a step in the Whitehaven hospital following a series of events which her family’s solicitor said represented “an astonishing lack of care”.
Link to ArticleCUMBRIA health bosses want to be allowed to set their own rules on which GP practices can dispense medicines. Currently, patients who live more than a mile away from a chemist are entitled to medication direct from their GP.
Link to ArticleTHE North-west has the highest level of hospital admissions in the country for depression, anxiety and schizophrenia, a study has revealed. Admission rates across the region, which includes Bolton, are 55 per cent above the national average for depression, 29 per cent above the national average for anxiety and 39 per cent above the national average for schizophrenia.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
Articles relating to mass media Health Stories about the Greater Manchester patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
A LIFE-saving transplant using lungs which were made to `breathe’ outside the body has been carried out at a Manchester hospital. Ken Collins, 55, is the first in Britain to benefit from the `ex vivo’ - or outside the body - procedure, after a 14-hour op at Wythenshawe Hospital.
Link to ArticleA DOCTOR has been criticised by health watchdogs over his treatment of a pregnant woman whose daughter died after birth. But the General Medical Council allowed Dr Sami Al Shenar to continue practising medicine after ruling that he had learned from his mistakes.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
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Talk of welfare reform usually triggers strong emotions and yesterday’s revamp of incapacity benefit (IB), a tough policy legacy from the Thatcher era, is no exception. Ministers are routinely accused by campaigners and academics of failing to understand the deep-seated problems of chronically ill, disabled or mentally unstable people.
Link to ArticleDespite the surfeit of medical information on the internet, reaching for a trusted home-diagnosis book can often provide a more concise answer to your health worries.
Link to ArticleThe head of the Islamic Medical Association sent a homophobic letter to a magazine for GPs, saying gay people needed the “stick of law to put them on the right path”, the General Medical Council heard today. Dr Muhammad Siddiq was working as a GP at the Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust when he wrote the letter to Pulse in July last year.
Link to ArticleA cancer drug which could prolong the lives of thousands of patients, has been ruled not cost effective by the NHS drugs watchdog.
Link to ArticleMinisters are planning a guide to the NHS which will use patients’ comments to rate individual trusts and services.
Link to ArticleYou report the problem of medical unemployment. Many of the unemployed doctors are newly qualified and have been prevented from entering the pre-registration period. These doctors have undergone rigorous training and passed stiff examinations, often incurring heavy debts. The registration of doctors is the responsibility of the General Medical Council, not the medical schools, which are responsible for the training of doctors and for setting their examinations.
Link to ArticleA row has broken out over restrictions on drugs to prevent women with weak bones from suffering fractures.
Link to ArticleThe cause of the canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman would have been even stronger still had the church authorities discovered, on opening his grave, his remains miraculously preserved, rather than missing through decomposition (as reported earlier this month).
Link to ArticleHe was such a special delivery, and such incredibly fragile goods, that the usual sort of wrapping just wouldn’t do. The little mite swaddled in bubble wrap is Gregor Craig, who was born at just 24 weeks weighing a tiny 1lb 14oz - so small that his father’s wedding ring fitted over his arm.
Link to ArticleA Tesco pharmacist is facing trial for supplying the wrong drugs to a cancer sufferer who later died. Grandmother Carmel Sheller, 72, collapsed after taking a lethal dose of tablets normally used to treat heart problems.
Link to ArticleEvery Tuesday, Britain’s leading nutritionist explains how to eat your way to health. This week Jane explains why it’s important that we take care of our bones in the winter months and how vitamins can help in the battle…
Link to ArticleCancer sufferers are suing the NHS after they were forced to buy their own life-prolonging drugs, it emerged today. Hundreds of patients have forked out thousands of pounds for drugs after NHS bosses ruled they were not ‘cost effective’ - even though they can extend a dying person’s life or help ease suffering in their final days.
Link to ArticleDr Martin Scurr has been treating patients for more than 30 years and is one of the country’s leading GPs. Here he tackles stinging hands and abdominal pains…
Link to ArticleThis summer, actress and model Gaynor Carrington splashed out on 12 pairs of new shoes. She bought high-heeled sandals, flipflops and open-toed ballet pumps, all flimsy and strappy in beautiful bright colours.
Link to ArticleFormer Bunny Girl Sarah Burge has spent half a million pounds turning herself into a real-life Barbie doll. The 49-year-old housewife and beautician from St Neots, in Cambridgeshire has spent £539,500 transforming herself - breaking the world record previously held by American Cindy Jackson.
Link to ArticleIt is advice that has traditionally been dispensed by mothers and grandmothers. But now the Met Office is also warning people to wrap up warm to dodge a nasty chest as part of a pilot scheme offering patients personal weather warnings. Patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will be called by the automated service to warn them of severe weather conditions over the following week.
Link to ArticleSnoring could actually be good for your health, especially if you’re elderly, new research suggests. It shows that those aged over 65 who suffer with a snoring-related condition called sleep apnoea tend to live longer than those who do not snore.
Link to ArticleMany breast cancer patients undergo weeks of gruelling radiotherapy following surgery. Mary Daniels, 64, a secondary school teacher from the Wirral, Merseyside, was the first woman in Britain to undergo a new, more convenient treatment with fewer side-effects. She tells her story to THEA JOURDAN.
Link to ArticleTiny battery-powered skin patches are being used to keep muscles healthy in people unable to exercise because of broken limbs or other injuries. Musculoskeletal injuries - damage to bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons - are among the most common causes for people seeing GPs or attending A&E units. If treatment involves putting the limb in a cast, this can lead to muscle wastage.
Link to ArticleCharlotte Raveney’s front room is filled with pictures of her gorgeous newborn daughter: a perfect little girl with huge brown eyes. Like most new mothers, Charlotte can’t stop talking about her baby. But while the walls are covered in photos, there are no toys on the carpet and the house is strangely silent.
Link to ArticlePatient groups are calling for a pharmaceutical firm to cut the cost of a bone marrow cancer drug so it can be used by the NHS in England and Wales. Drug advisers the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said lenalidomide was not cost effective for myeloma in a draft ruling.
Link to ArticleA monthly injection could halt rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in half of all patients, trial data suggests. The antibody drug tocilizumab works in conjunction with an existing treatment, methotrexate, to stop the condition in which the body attacks its own joints.
Link to ArticlePaying GPs to cut hospital referral rates could damage confidence in the service, key health staff say. Health bosses in England have started introducing incentive schemes to get doctors to reduce referrals as the NHS tries to achieve hit waiting targets. The NHS Alliance, which represents GPs and community staff, said the payments were not wrong, but were a grey area.
Link to ArticleAn action plan designed to dramatically cut cancer deaths and improve the lives of survivors has been unveiled by the Scottish Government. As part of the plan, all women attending routine screening for breast cancer will get two x-rays of each breast instead of one.
Link to ArticleThe call comes through. A young female has collapsed in the street outside a nightclub. The paramedic is dispatched to the scene, parks his ambulance and starts to assess the situation. The young woman appears drunk and is singing in a slurred way, but after an examination and blood and glucose tests the paramedic discovers she is also diabetic and in need of immediate treatment.
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The Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz yearned for one, but a mechanical heart has also been the dream of surgeons for many years. With the increasing burden of heart disease and a chronic shortage of donor organs, it is cheering to think that science could design a prosthetic organ capable of reproducing the essential functions of the body’s main pump.
A popular epilepsy drug can reverse the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, scientists have discovered. Treatment with valproic acid stops further damage to the brain and improves memory, tests show. The experiments in mice have proved so successful that the researchers are now testing the drug on Alzheimer’s patients.
Link to ArticleHealth stories from around the world this week include shark blood being used to tackle cancer, the discovery that lifting weights can help reduce joint pain, and the use of daily soy supplements to alleviate the symptoms of asthma.
Link to ArticleTennis line judges are more likely to make mistakes when calling balls “out” rather than “in”, say researchers. Californian scientists found that of 83 incorrect calls, 70 of the errors were wrong “out” calls.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Cheshire and Merseyside patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
INCOMPETENT nurse Michelle Williams was struck off the medical register after her own bosses reported her. Health chiefs in Wirral said they had no choice but to report Williams, of Birkenhead, to ensure she could never work as a nurse anywhere in the country again.
Link to ArticleRobert Moots, professor of rheumatology at the University of Liverpool, said it was very exciting that trials using tocilizumab had shown the disease could be stopped in 50% of cases.
Link to ArticleMERSEYSIDE’S doctors and nurses are surviving at work on a diet of chips and gravy. A survey of hundreds of medical staff in six of the region’s hospitals found it was the most popular and widely purchased hot meal in workplace canteens.
Link to ArticleMany breast cancer patients undergo weeks of gruelling radiotherapy following surgery. Mary Daniels, 64, a secondary school teacher from the Wirral, Merseyside, was the first woman in Britain to undergo a new, more convenient treatment with fewer side-effects. She tells her story to THEA JOURDAN.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
Articles relating to mass media Health Stories about the Cumbria and Lancashire patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
FREE gym use has been introduced in Darwen after council bosses said they had listened to unhappy residents. Following complaints from residents, Blackburn with Darwen Council has announced it will open up gym sessions for free on weekends for those who fit the Re:fresh scheme criteria.
Link to ArticleAt 2am yesterday the clocks went back one hour – and that afternoon it suddenly seemed a whole lot darker. Now that British Summer Time has ended, the darkness that began to fall at about 6pm last week will be descending at 5pm instead. And when you add the current wind, rain and cold temperatures into the mix, it is no surprise that the extra hour of gloomy skies will be enough to send many of us into a gloomy mood.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
Articles relating to mass media Health Stories about the Greater Manchester patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
THE cost of adding fluoride to Bolton’s water is to be examined by health bosses. Primary Care Trust chiefs in Bolton have agreed to allow regional chiefs to examine the issue more closely. Bolton was one of three towns in Greater Manchester which had not asked NHS North-west to produce a fluoridation plan, but the Primary Care Trust board has now officially submitted its request.
Link to ArticleAlso available as RSS (BBC What is RSS?), the easiest way to keep up to date with new material on web pages without any effort.
If you don't know how to use RSS ask your local health Librarian to show you MyUpdate on the MyLibrary section of the National Library for Health.
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Tomatoes that have been genetically modified to be rich in antioxidants can give protection against cancer, a team of British scientists has found. Researchers at the John Innes Centre in Norwich created the crop of purple tomatoes by altering them with genes from snapdragon flowers. In tests, mice that were prone to cancer lived almost a third longer if their diet was supplemented by the modified tomatoes.
Additional StoriesNearly a quarter of all births in Britain last year were by section - up from 9 per cent in 1980. Now a leading midwife says this is ‘unacceptably high’, and that women lack the confidence to have a natural birth. Denis Campbell reports.
Additional Storues
Women comment on their C-section experiences - The Observer 26th October 2008
Superbugs still claim the lives of too many patients – yet Labour has cut the number of single rooms on hospital wards
Link to ArticleWelcome to nerds’ corner, and yet another small print criticism of a trivial act of borderline dubiousness which will lead to distorted evidence, irrational decisions, and bad outcomes in what I like to call “the real world”. So the ClinPsyc blog (clinpsyc.blogspot.com) has spotted that the drug company Lilly has published identical data on duloxetine - a newish antidepressant drug - twice over, in two entirely separate scientific papers.
Link to ArticleThe NHS should revolutionise the way it communicates with patients by making more use of email and the internet, a thinktank said today. The health service has been slow to use new technology widely used in other sectors, said the King’s Fund.
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