When a mother is exposed to pollens, moulds and dust, her breast milk passes these allergens to her baby to help prevent future allergies. The discovery of this mechanism, announced today, could pave the way to improved formula milk and new methods to prime the immune system of a baby so that they do not suffer from asthma later in life.
Link to Article
Allergens in breast milk help tolerance - The Telegraph 28th January 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Babies 'feel pain before 24-week abortion limit' - The Telegraph 28th January 2008
Babies in the womb can feel pain from an early stage of development, according to research by the world's leading expert on foetal pain. Prof Sunny Anand of the University of Arkansas will present his report into foetal pain to MPs discussing changes to abortion law on Monday night. His research concludes that the part of a baby's brain that can feel pain develops before the legal abortion limit of 24 weeks.
Link to Article
Additional Stories
Babies 'feel pain before 24-week abortion limit' - The Telegraph 28th January 2008
Abortion time limit should be reduced as foetuses feel pain before 24 weeks, MPs told - Daily Mail 28th January 2008
Marijuana vending machines open in California - The Telegraph 28th January 2008
California's first marijuana vending machines open today. The machines can be used by patients who are prescribed marijuana for health reasons. Patients have to present a prescription and be fingerprinted before they are issued with a pre-paid credit card that stores the dosage and type of drug prescribed.
Link to Article
Additional Stories
Marijuana vending machines open in California - The Telegraph 28th January 2008
Marijuana vending machines in US - BBC Health News 28th January 2008
Marijuana vending machines open in California - The Telegraph 28th January 2008
California's first marijuana vending machines open today. The machines can be used by patients who are prescribed marijuana for health reasons. Patients have to present a prescription and be fingerprinted before they are issued with a pre-paid credit card that stores the dosage and type of drug prescribed.
Link to Article
Additional Stories
Marijuana vending machines open in California - The Telegraph 28th January 2008
Marijuana vending machines in US - BBC Health News 28th January 2008
Allergens in breast milk help tolerance - The Telegraph 28th January 2008
When a mother is exposed to pollens, moulds and dust, her breast milk passes these allergens to her baby to help prevent future allergies. The discovery of this mechanism, announced today, could pave the way to improved formula milk and new methods to prime the immune system of a baby so that they do not suffer from asthma later in life.
Link to Article
Additional Story
Breast milk 'may be allergy key' - BBC Health News 28th January 2008
India bird flu disease 'alarming' - BBC Health News 28th January 2008
The bird flu epidemic has spread further in the Indian state of West Bengal with 13 of the state's 19 districts affected, officials say. An outbreak has been reported from Budge Budge, a suburb of the capital, Calcutta, officials say.
Link to Article
Female smokers 'double in Russia' - BBC Health News 27th January 2007
Smoking rates have more than doubled in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, researchers say. The Bath University-led team said "aggressive targeting" of women by tobacco firms was behind the rise. Researchers monitoring 7,000 people over 11 years found 7% of women smoked in 1992, compared with 15% in 2003, the Tobacco Control journal reports.
Link to Article
The NHS cash YES that could save the sight of 700 people - Liverpool Echo 28th January 2008
HUNDREDS of Merseyside people at risk of going blind are to get treatment not widely available on the NHS. Elsewhere in the UK there is a postcode lottery as to whether patients are prescribed the sight-saving drugs Macugen and Lucentis. But Merseyside’s health chiefs have agreed to allow every GP to refer suitable candidates for treatment at the Royal Liverpool’s St Paul’s Eye hospital which has pioneered use of the drugs.
Link to Article
Have your say on health - Wirral Globe 28th January 2008
WIRRAL'S Primary Care Trust has launched a new website as part of its Health for all, Have your say campaign. Among its resources is an online questionnaire, a public commissioning strategy booklet and a blog page.
Link to Article
Would you call 888 for urgent care? - Warrington Guardian 28th January 2008
YOUR views can help make a change to the NHS, according to Warrington Primary Care Trust which is urging people to make their voice heard by filling in an online feedback form. It is part of the Darzi Review of health service.
Link to Article
Cheshire and Merseyside Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health Stories about the Cumbria and Lancashire patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
Ambulance staff attacks rise - Carlisle News & Star 28th January 2008
CUMBRIA’S ambulance staff face the increasing possibility of being attacked at work as assaults on paramedics continue to rise across the area. Figures released by the Department of Health show that in 2006/7, 166 paramedics working for the newly-reconfigured North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust were physically assaulted while at work.
Link to Article
Call to get involved in 999 review - Lancashire Telegraph 28th January 2008
People are being asked to comment on proposals to introduce an alternative to the traditional 999 emergency number for access to urgent health care. The proposed 888 number would put callers through to a dedicated handling service that would stream out those people who need immediate response from an ambulance crew and then channel all other callers to the most appropriate service to meet their needs.
Link to Article
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News RSS Feed
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.
Greater Manchester Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health Stories about the Greater Manchester patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
Security stepped up follow hospital theft - The Bolton News 28th January 2008
SECURITY is being stepped up across the NHS in Bolton after the theft of a computer containing patients' personal details. The theft of the laptop from Royal Bolton Hospital last November prompted both hospital and Primary Care Trust bosses to review their security policies. PCT chiefs insist they already have robust security procedures in place and have contacted all staff to tell them not to store any patient details on computer hard drives or portable memory sticks.
Link to Article
Blame dirty shoes and dirty floors - The Bolton News 28th January 2008
SOS, save our NHS. A celebrity with her top lawyers claims £5 million from our NHS for contracting a form of MRSA. Whose fault is that? After visiting the Royal Bolton recently, I witnessed a number of people wandering about inside and outside the hospital in their pyjamas and slippers. I say, if you want to use our fantastic health system, we will have to get tough.
Link to Article
Prison study could show better diet reduces violence - The Guardian 29th January 2008
A three-year trial in British prisons is to be launched to establish whether improvements in the diets of inmates can cut violence and antisocial behaviour. Those involved in the trial say success could have profound social implications. Experts hope to find that ensuring prisoners have recommended levels of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids reduces the number of times they break prison rules, through fighting or stealing from other inmates. If they are right then it is possible that raising nutritional standards among communities where offending is high could cut crime levels.
Additional Stories
Prison study to investigate link between junk food and violence - The Independent 29th January 2008
Better diet could stop criminals from getting a taste of porridge - The Times 29th January 2008
Inmate discipline faces diet test - BBC Health News 28th January 2008
Greater Manchester Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
UK Health News
Friday, January 25, 2008
Want to keep up-to-date with mass media news on a particular topic? Ask your health librarian about RSS and check out the RSS directory from the Fade Library.
Library Blog
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
Pill 'stopped 100,000 UK deaths' BBC Health News 25th January 2007
At least 100,000 deaths from ovarian cancer have been prevented in the UK by the contraceptive pill over 50 years, research has concluded. The Oxford University team said the pill's rising popularity meant 30,000 new cases will soon be avoided each year, the Lancet reported.
Link to article
Additional stories
Taking the Pill cuts long-term risk of cancer - Independent.co.uk 25th January 2008
Contraceptive pill cuts ovarian cancer risk, study says - The Guardian 25th January 2008
NHS maternity care varies widely - BBC Health News 25th January 2008
An independent review of maternity services in England has highlighted huge variations in the quality of care. Around 70% of NHS trusts in London were classed as "least well performing", whereas most trusts in the north were ranked fairly high. The Healthcare Commission report also highlighted problems with staffing and inadequate screening checks
Link to article
Additional stories
One in four hospitals letting down pregnant women by not scanning foetuses properly for birth defects | Daily Mail 25th January 2008
Best and worst NHS trusts for maternity care - Telegraph 25th January 2008
New mothers failed by NHS, says watchdog - Telegraph 25th January 2008
NHS trusts' maternity care ratings in full - Telegraph 25th January 2008
Maternity units failing to meet guidelines - Times Online 25th January 2008
One in five hospital trusts found to be putting mothers and babies at risk - Independent.co.uk 25th January 2008
300,000 drivers 'at risk from sleep disorder' | Daily Mail 25th January 2008
More than 300,000 drivers are at risk of falling asleep at the wheel because they have a rare medical condition, it has been claimed. The disorder - obstructive sleep apnoeahypopnoea syndrome - leaves sufferers exhausted because they struggle to breathe properly at night. Overweight men between the ages of 30 and 65 are most at danger, as are those who drink heavily.
Link to article
UK Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Cumbria and Lancashire patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
Cutting Costs To Save Lives (from This Is Lancashire) 25th January 2008
EAST Lancashire doctors are among the best in the North West for prescribing low-cost life-saving drugs. New figures from the NHS put Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust top in the region and 14th best in the country for prescribing cholestrol busting drugs statins which prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Link to article
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News RSS Feed
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.
UK Health News
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Want to keep up-to-date with mass media news on a particular topic? Ask your health librarian about RSS and check out the RSS directory from the Fade Library.
Library Blog
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
Millions lost in NHS private fees - BBC Health News 24th January 2008
Millions lost in NHS private fees NHS trusts are writing off millions of pounds in unpaid debts from private and overseas patients, a report suggests. An investigation into the finances of four trusts found by the end of the last financial year, they had written off more than £4.8m of private bills.
Link to article
Dementia 'must be key priority' - BBC Health News 24th January 2008
Dementia 'must be key priority' Dementia must be viewed as an urgent priority after years of woeful neglect by the NHS, says the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The disease deserves the same attention accorded to cancer and heart disease, given that so many of us are now set to develop the condition, the MPs said.
Link to article
Patients face paying £25 to visit a doctor as GPs threaten to quit NHS | The Daily Mail 24th January 2008
Family doctors are threatening to desert the NHS and charge patients £25 for an appointment. Union officials said Britain's 30,000 GPs - among the best-paid in Europe - should consider resigning en masse if the Government persists in trying to get them to work longer hours in the evening and at weekends.
Link to article
Cash carrot for obese people to lose pounds - Times Online 24th January 2008
Obese and overweight adults in England could be paid to lose weight under plans being considered by the Government. The new strategy to tackle poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles includes the suggestion that people should receive financial rewards or shopping vouchers for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Link to article
Additional Stories
Obese people will be paid to lose weight - Health News, Health & Wellbeing - Independent.co.uk 24th January 2008
Obesity crisis: get paid to lose weight - The Telegraph 24th January 2008
Supermarkets forced to use one health information label on foods to fight against obesity | the Daily Mail 24th January 2008
Supermarkets will be forced to use the same food labelling scheme to make it easier for consumers to know which options are the healthiest. They currently use three different schemes, such as a traffic light system or labels that show the percentage of the recommended daily intake of fat, salt and sugar.
Link to article
Sweetness and blight - Times Online 24th January 2008
Almost exactly two centuries before Tutankhamun died in 1352BC, Hesy-Ra, an Egyptian physician, had described diabetes and had understood its symptoms, if not the pathology that caused them. About one in 20 of the UK population, but a much higher percentage of older, plumper people, have diabetes. But a third of those with the condition, presumably including many attending the current Tutankhamun exhibition at the O2, London, won’t know that they have it.
Link to article
UK Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Global rise in breast cancer due to 'Western lifestyles' - Health News, Health & Wellbeing - Independent.co.uk 24th January 2008
Of all the exports from our modern world, breast cancer ranks as among the most dubious. Once thought to be a disease of the rich, it is now a global epidemic. The rise of the cancer in Europe and America – cases have jumped 80 per cent in the UK since the 1970s – is being mirrored across the world. And scientists say increasing prosperity and the “Westernisation” of traditional lifestyles is to blame.
Link to article
Vitamin E 'helps older people move' - The Telegraph 24th January 2008
A diet rich in olive oil, nuts and green leafy vegetables could help to slow physical decline in the elderly, scientists say. Researchers monitoring the health of almost 700 people over the age of 65 found that those who consumed low levels of vitamin E struggled more with moving. The lead researcher, Dr Benedetta Bartali of Yale University School of Medicine, said: "Our results suggest that an appropriate dietary intake of vitamin E may help to reduce the decline in physical function among older persons."
Link to article
International Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Cumbria and Lancashire patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
High Blood Pressure In Northwest (from This Is Lancashire) 24th January 2008
THE proportion of people with high blood pressure in the North-west is above the national average, according to a new survey. A study by the Blood Pressure Association discovered that 41 per cent of North-west people had high blood pressure, while the English national rate was 40 per cent.
Link to article
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News RSS Feed
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.
Greater Manchester Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Greater Manchester patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
Plight of the NHS 'victims' - News - Manchester Evening News 24th January 2008
NEARLY 30,000 people in Greater Manchester suffering from dementia are being neglected by the NHS, MPs have revealed. They are among 560,000 sufferers in England and, according to the Commons public accounts committee, the number of cases will soar over the next 15 years. It costs £14 billion to deal with the problem nationally - that is more than cancer, heart disease and strokes combined.
Link to article
Patient dies after superbug battle - News - Manchester Evening News 24th January 2008
A PENSIONER has died after battling against a superbug when he was admitted to hospital for a routine operation. Stan Whitehead, 77, from Sale, went into Trafford General for an operation to replace his knee. Just a couple of days after surgery, the former teacher appeared to be making a speedy recovery and was planning to return home. Link to article
Greater Manchester Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
UK Health News
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Want to keep up-to-date with mass media news on a particular topic? Ask your health librarian about RSS and check out the RSS directory from the Fade Library.
Library Blog
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
Top bosses and pre-teens have drink problems - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
The dangers of excessive consumption of alcohol were revealed in two official reports yesterday, identifying health risks for captains of industry downing bottles of wine after work and a social crisis among children getting drunk on cheap booze from the corner shop. The Office for National Statistics produced the first evidence that company directors and senior managers of big organisations have taken over from middle-income employees as the group most likely to over-indulge in alcohol.
Additional Stories
Opinion: Diversionary tactics for binge drinkers - The Guardian 23rd January 2008Additional Stories
The more successful you are, the more you drink, research finds - The Independent 23rd January 2008
One in three men drink at 'hazardous levels' - The Telegraph 23rd January 2008
Millions of women are drinking more than they realise because of larger wine glasses - Daily Mail 22nd January 2008
Food labels simplified in anti-obesity fight - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
A promise to introduce a single, simple food labelling scheme this year, ending the contradictory and confusing systems, will form the centrepiece of the government's anti-obesity drive today. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has commissioned a review of labelling. Alan Johnson, the health secretary, believes he has set up a process that will persuade the warring supermarkets, including Tesco, to abide by the outcome.
Link to Article
Additional Stories
Food labelling scheme to be introduced - The Telegraph 23rd January 2008
Labels 'key to obesity battle' - BBC Health News 23rd January 2008
Detailed gene map will lift lid on diseases - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
An ambitious project to create the most detailed picture of human genetic variation yet has been launched by British and American scientists. The 1000 Genomes Project will map the tiny fraction of genetic material that differs between people, giving scientists unprecedented insight into why some are more susceptible to disease than others.
Link to Article
Additional Stories
Shortcut to cause of common disease - The Times 23rd January 2008
Detailed gene map 'within grasp' - BBC Health News 22nd January 2008
Clegg retreats on 'free for all' care of elderly - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
The Liberal Democrats yesterday promised £2 billion a year towards care for England's ageing population, but admitted this could not fund Scottish-style free care for all. Nick Clegg, the party leader, was outlining plans for a "people's health service" to include elected health bosses and a new patients' contract. The proposals, to be put to the party's spring conference in March and aiming to stop elderly people having to sell the family home, would have the state matching £1 for £1 the cost of care, with the poorest getting all fees paid through benefit - splitting the care bill two-thirds to the government and one-third to patients.
Additional Story
Clegg sets out elderly care plan - BBC Health News 22nd January 2008
New Labour's reforms have failed to dent the idealism of public services staff - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
New Labour's obsession with market-led reforms has, perhaps surprisingly, failed to dent the idealism of public services staff.
Link to Article
The myths of fruit - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
Fresh fruit is good for us, we believe - so much so that sales of prepared fruit have almost doubled in the UK in the past two years. But are all those ready-sliced apples, mango medleys and 'superfood' smoothies really such a healthy choice?
Link to Article
Second thoughts - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
Supporters of "personalisation" in social care tell an exciting story. But it's time it was subjected to the same tests as any other public policy. The government is driving hard on its personalisation agenda, setting an ambition that all service users have control over the support they need. But the good intentions of a policy that currently is just a coating of values without the commitment of cash gives way, when scratched, to hidden rationing and restrictions, with choice and opportunity being overwhelmed by a declining quality of life and more stress.
Link to Article
Planners urged to put walkers and cyclists first - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
Town planners and architects will today be told to give pedestrians and cyclists priority over cars in towns, and to design staircases that make people want to use them, as part of a radical move to make Britons more physically active. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has departed from its usual remit of advising on NHS treatments to produce guidance on the built environment with regard to health.
Link to Article
Surgeons attempt to repair hearts with stem cell injections - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
British scientists have been given the go-ahead to begin potentially ground-breaking experiments using injections of stem cells to repair patients' damaged hearts. The team hopes to repair the organs of people who have suffered the most severe heart attacks.
Link to Article
The question: How popular is crack? - The Guardian 23rd January 2008
Footage has emerged of the troubled songstress Amy Winehouse apparently smoking crack at her home in east London. The substance is widely regarded as the "down-and-out" drug. "Crack is whack," as Whitney Houston once put it. But is it growing in popularity? Home Office figures show that 28% of drug expenditure in 2003-04 (the most recent statistics) was on crack, compared with 23% for heroin, 20% on cannabis and 18% on powdered cocaine. It is generally bought on the street in small quantities - rocks cost about £10 each.
Link to Article
Whitehall study links work stress and heart attack risk - The Independent 23rd January 2008
High-pressure jobs which cause chronic stress at work can dramatically increase the risk of a heart attack. Scientists have uncovered the biological mechanism that shows how work stress causes ill health, providing the strongest evidence yet of its link with heart disease. The Whitehall study has followed more than 10,000 civil servants since the mid-1980s, and its findings could lead to tougher guidelines for employers on reducing stress.
Additional Stories
Work stress 'increases under-50s heart risk' - The Telegraph 23rd January 2008
Work stress 'changes your body' - BBC Health News 23rd January 2008
I still love my abusive father - The Times 23rd January 2008
From the age of 8 Julia Latchem-Smith was sexually abused by her father, but her mother begged her to keep it secret. Only after she had her first child did she report it to the police – but she still loves both her parents
Link to Article
Ed Balls's cooking lessons won't stop obesity - The Telegraph 23rd January 2008
My nine-year-old son is crazy about football. Like his Dad, he is a Leeds United supporter, which is not an easy thing to be these days, particularly if you are growing up in London. But he is a determined sort and loves nothing more than to put on his Leeds kit and kick a ball around with his mates. He tells them that his favourite club was once as great as theirs, and will be back up there with the Chelseas and Arsenals in a few seasons.
Link to Article
Additional Stories
Link to Article
Additional Stories
Cookery classes to be compulsory - BBC Health News 22nd January 2008
Miracle baby makes medical history after she is saved by mechanical heart - Daily Mail 23rd January 2008
A toddler made medical history when she became the first person suffering a rare heart defect to be saved by a mechanical heart. Abigail Hall was born with just one heart chamber - a normal healthy heart has two - and was put onto the transplant waiting list. But when a potential donor fell through and the three-year-old's condition deteriorated rapidly, her parents feared the worst.
Link to Article
Where there's a Wii, there's a competitive father with back trouble - Daily Mail 23rd January 2008
Competitive dads are suffering a spate of injuries after spending too long playing computer games with their children. Back experts say unfit adults are under-estimating the physical effort needed to play the Nintendo Wii and similar consoles in their living rooms.
Link to Article
Council orders fish and chip shops to put fewer holes in salt shakers in new health drive - Daily Mail 22nd Jaunary 2008
A generous sprinkling of salt is as much a part of the traditional fish-and-chips experience as a splash of vinegar. But in these health-conscious times, it was never going to be long before the nation's chippies came under pressure to change.
Link to Article
Shock as Tory MP takes 'herbal Viagra' sex drug on live TV - Daily Mail 22nd Jaunary 2008
A close ally of David Cameron raised eyebrows yesterday when he agreed to test a herbal Viagra-style pill on live daytime TV. Tory frontbencher Ed Vaizey swallowed a Viapro pill on the Channel 5 show The Wright Stuff to test the manufacturer's claims that it increases the libido within 30 minutes.
Link to Article
Smoking is a dying habit as more people quit than ever before - Daily Mail 22nd Jaunary 2008
The number of smokers has fallen to a record low, the Office for National Statistics has revealed. Only 22 per cent of Britons aged 16 and above smoke - down from 24 per cent the year before, an ONS study found.
Link to Article
Champix: Is this smoking pill safe? - Daily Mail 22nd Jaunary 2008
When Karen McGhee woke up in a hospital bed and saw her teenage daughter looking anxiously at her, she was completely flummoxed. "My arm was bandaged and the left side of my mouth and neck felt numb, as if I had been to the dentist - but I had no idea why I was in hospital," says the 38-year-old.
Link to Article
UK Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
David Beckham's plea over African child deaths - The Telegraph 23rd January 2008
David Beckham appealed for the world not to turn a blind eye to "shocking" child mortality rates in developing nations as he returned from a visit to poverty-stricken Sierra Leone.
Link to Article
Additional Stories
Hand washing can prevent hundreds of deaths - The Telegraph 23rd January 2008Link to Article
Additional Stories
Africa 'lagging on child deaths' - BBC Health News 22nd January 2008
Brazilian beauties are getting fatter, study says - The Telegraph 23rd January 2008
They are famous for their sculpted bodies and minuscule bathing suits but Brazilians are getting fatter, according to a study. More than half of all adults are overweight, said the report by the Brazilian Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
India's poor hold the key to its future - The Telegraph 23rd January 2008
In a week when Gordon Brown has visited India and world markets have been rocked by fears of global recession, the stark contrasts between rich and poor in new India are more striking than ever.
Link to Article
International Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Cheshire and Merseyside Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Cheshire and Merseyside patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
Fresh crisis hits Liverpool's out-of-hours GP service - Liverpool Daily Post 22nd January 2008
POLICE are investigating the theft of controlled drugs from Liverpool’s out-of-hours GP service. Urgent Care 24 (UC24) admitted that there had been thefts of the addictive-drug diazepam from their Wavertree base and were now working with Liverpool primary care trust to improve drug store security.
Link to Article
Nurses told to ‘act as guards’ at Liverpool prison - Liverpool Daily Post 22nd January 2008
NURSES were locked inside a Merseyside prison overnight as guards staged a wildcat strike. Male and female staff in the medical unit at HMP Liverpool were forced to remain inside the Category B prison overnight after an unauthorised walk-out by Prison Officer Association (POA) union members last August.
Link to Article
Cheshire and Merseyside Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Cumbria and Lancashire patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
Walking bus keeps kids healthy - Carlisle News & Star 22nd January 2008
A COCKERMOUTH school has started a walking bus to help keep youngsters healthy. Children from All Saints Primary School get picked up in the morning by ‘bus driver’ Sarah Smith, a classroom assistant and mid-day supervisor at the school, and a volunteer ‘conductor.’
Link to Article
Woman sues drug company - Carlisle News & Star 21st January 2008
A CUMBRIAN woman is heading for a High Court showdown with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline over the controversial drug Seroxat. Lynn Bamber, who lives near Cockermouth, says she has suffered undisclosed personal injuries after taking the well-known antidepressant.
Link to Article
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News RSS Feed
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.
Greater Manchester Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Greater Manchester patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
'Full' hospitals axed 350 beds - Manchester Evening News 22nd January 2008
MORE than 350 hospital beds have been axed across Greater Manchester over the last two years, the M.E.N. can reveal today. The cuts have left some hospitals struggling to cope with demand at the busiest times, and have forced managers in one area to pay for private beds and hire beds in a neighbouring NHS area.
Link to Article
Health staff to have new employers - The Bolton News 22nd January 2008
DOZENS of NHS staff who are currently working on secondments for Bolton Council will have their jobs officially moved to the council in April. Bolton NHS Primary Care Trust employees who work in Joint Learning Disability Teams, including nurses, therapists and administrative staff, will have their wages paid by Bolton Council from April.
Link to Article
Health costs rise by £7.8m - The Bolton News 22nd January 2008
HEALTHCARE in Bolton cost almost £353 million between April, 2006, and April, 2007. Bolton NHS Primary Care Trust, which manages the borough's healthcare budget, spent an extra £7.8 million compared to the same period 12 months earlier.
Link to Article
Health service complaints halved - The Bolton News 22nd January 2008
Formal complaints about health services in Bolton in a three-month period almost halved compared to a year earlier. Between April and June 2006, a total of 47 complaints were made about issues such as waits for appointments, treatment and communication problems.
Link to Article
Why I object to NHS super surgery plan - The Bolton News 22nd January 2008
I WAS very pleased to read that my GP colleague, Dr Bernard Newgrosh, has publicly challenged the concept of the GP super surgeries (January 7). I am absolutely in agreement with his comments that, in the long term, they will spell the end of the smaller, local surgery where patients are able to obtain a more personal service from doctors and staff.
Link to Article
Greater Manchester Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
UK Health News
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Want to keep up-to-date with mass media news on a particular topic? Ask your health librarian about RSS and check out the RSS directory from the Fade Library.
Library Blog
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
Midwife denies blame for drug blunder that killed new mother - The Guardian 22nd January 2008
A midwife on duty when a potent epidural anaesthetic was mistakenly given intravenously to a mother yesterday denied responsibility for the fatal blunder. Marie To was caring for Mayra Cabrera, a Filipino theatre nurse, as she gave birth to son Zac in May 2004 at Great Western hospital in Swindon, Wiltshire. Cabrera, 30, died of a heart attack less than three hours after the birth, an inquest heard. Her son survived.
Link to Article
Link to Article
Five ways to ... cope with a new baby - The Guardian 22nd January 2008
The first six weeks or so of a baby's life can feel insane for the mother: there are the hormones, the sleep deprivation, the paparazzi visitors, the soreness, the joy, fear and confusion. Here are a few tips on how to smooth things along.
Link to Article
In praise of ... pedometers - The Guardian 22nd January 2008
One of the smallest, cheapest, oldest and most cost-effective gadgets of them all, it rarely gets the kind of coverage it deserves. The pedometer, which simply records the number of steps you take as you walk, can be purchased for less than £5 but often has a disproportionate and beneficial effect on health. A recent survey, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that use of a pedometer was associated with significant increases in physical activity and decreases in body mass index and blood pressure. It is not a miracle worker but people with pedometers tend to be more conscious of their daily exercise and, when they drop below the 10,000 steps a day recommended for weight control, are more likely to do something about it.
Link to Article
Days of darkness: How did Adam Bloom cope in a small, pitch black cell for 48 hours? - The Independent 22nd January 2008
Ever since I can remember, I've had a mind that refuses to switch off for more than a few seconds and a body that refuses to keep still for more than a couple of minutes. So, when a researcher for BBC's Horizon asked me to volunteer for an experiment to test the reactions of people living in solitary confinement in a nuclear bunker, I jumped at the challenge.
Link to Article
Link to Article
Well seasoned: How salt can actually be good for you - The Independent 22nd January 2008
Health campaigners reckon that it's a recipe for high blood pressure – but some mineral-rich varieties can actually benefit our health. When it comes to matters of health, salt has got bad press. It's that cheap condiment and hidden food flavouring with the hidden health risks. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, it can strain your heart and blood pressure, bringing that fateful day a little closer. Studies indicate it might also increase your risk of brittle bones and other ailments.
New age of yoga: The Primrose Hill set's favourite yogi introduces a new way to practice the ancient art - The Independent 22nd January 2008
Standing with six other women in a room lit only by candles, with my feet bare and arms loosely hanging down, I begin twisting my torso from side to side, letting my arms swing out with each turn. I feel like I'm six again, pretending to be a wind-blown tree. "Now, you should focus your awareness on the movement in each and every vertebra," says our teacher, Simon Low, who gives precise instructions in a soothing voice. The muscular loosening in my lower back is so pleasant that I even stop fretting that my toenails aren't as perfectly painted as the woman standing next to me.
Link to Article
What worked for me - The Times 22nd January 2008
BEV FERRIS nurse manager for Bro Morgannwg NHS trust in South Wales, who manages a team caring for adults with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour at a bungalow in Ferndale in the Rhondda valley
Link to Article
Nurses' low pay 'fatal in rich areas' - The Times 22nd January 2008
Lives are being lost because of the central negotiation of pay rates for nurses, a study has found. Hospitals in prosperous areas such as London and the South East find it harder to recruit and retain nurses than those in areas where local wage rates are lower. This is because regional differences in nurses’ pay are not as big as regional differences in the wider labour market.
Link to Article
It’s important to get your message across - The Times 22nd January 2008
Paranoia about security also prevents messages getting through. Health Service Journal (Jan 17) reports that NHS trusts’ restrictions on external websites mean that junior doctors are unable to apply for specialist training posts.
Legislation Update: Stephen Cragg - The Times 22nd January 2008
RESTRICTING community care services to those most in need is a controversial policy adopted by some local authorities and the legal issues around it have recently been considered by the High Court in a challenge by service users.
Link to Article
Drug hope for kidney cancer sufferers - The Telegraph 22nd January 2008
A treatment that could offer new hope of survival to patients with advanced kidney cancer is available from today. When used with existing drugs, bevacizumab, sold as Avastin, doubled the average time before renal cancer carcinoma (RCC) returned in patients to 10 months.
Comfortable, affordable and fast - braces which give a perfect smile without any hassle- Daily Mail 21st January 2008
If your teeth have gone a little wayward but you don't want to look like Ugly Betty having them sorted out, fortune may be about so smile on you. A brace whose working parts remain largely out of sight is about to revolutionise cosmetic dentistry, practitioners claim.
Link to Article
Pro-life peers attempt to derail bill which allows late abortions for babies with minor defects- Daily Mail 21st January 2008
The first Parliamentary battle over abortion laws for almost 20 years broke out last night as pro-life campaigners sought to block terminations for babies with minor disabilities. Peers launched an attempt to change the law to prevent terminations right up to birth if an unborn child is thought to have a range of conditions.
Link to Article
Photograph saves toddler's life as parents spy black spot on daughter's eye- Daily Mail 21st January 2008
A photograph at a family wedding saved the life of little Sophie Ripley as she posed for pictures with her twin sister. Their parents were looking at the wedding snaps days later when they noticed Sophie's eyes were different colours. Her right was blue - just like her sister Molly - but three year old Sophie's left eye had a black spot that puzzled parents Tracey and David.
The blood donors who saved my life, by Pete Waterman's son- Daily Mail 21st January 2008
Peter Waterman vividly remembers the go-karting accident that nearly cost him his life. "I hit a bank of tyres and suddenly I was upside down with the weight of the cart pushing down on my head," says Peter, the son of music mogul Pete Waterman.
Link to Article
Could the pregnancy vitamin help men beat depression?- Daily Mail 21st January 2008
A vitamin used to lower the risk of birth defects may also be an effective treatment for depression. Research shows that men with high levels of folate in their diets were up to 50 per cent less likely to have symptoms of depression than those with the lowest amounts.
Eating a proper breakfast 'fuels decision-making' - Daily Mail 21st January 2008
Business leaders could put their decision-making abilities at risk by failing to eat a proper breakfast, according to a survey out today. A third start work on an empty stomach which can affect their ability to think straight in the office.
Gel 'to speed up wound healing' - BBC Health News 22nd January 2008
A gel to speed up wound healing and reduce scarring is being developed by UK scientists. It works by suppressing a key gene, boosting blood supply, and altering the way new tissue is laid down.
Physiotherapists 'can't get work' - BBC Health News 21st January 2008
Half of all physiotherapists who graduated last year in England cannot find jobs, according to a survey released to the BBC. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy said the government should act urgently to sort out the problem, as NHS money has paid for their training.
Link to Article
UK Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Tests on rats show genetically modified viruses can kill pain - The Guardian 22nd January 2008
Scientists have successfully tested a new method to treat long-term pain, using genetically-modified viruses. By delivering specific genes directly into the spinal column the viruses alleviated severe pain for up to three months at a time and avoided the need for drugs.
Disarmed Ebola virus to aid quest for vaccine - The Times 22nd January 2008
Scientists disarmed the Ebola virus by removing a single gene, providing a new laboratory tool that will help the development of drugs and vaccines against the lethal tropical disease. Efforts to find ways of treating Ebola, a haemorrhagic fever that kills between 50-90 per cent of the people it infects, have so far been greatly held up by its extreme virulence. The extreme health hazard posed by the virus means that it can be studied only in highly specialised laboratories equipped to biosafety level four (BSL 4), the highest category of containment facility.
Link to Article
Additional Story
'Safe Ebola' created for research - BBC Health News 22nd January 2008
Three cups of coffee a day 'can cut the risk of ovarian cancer'- Daily Mail 21st January 2008
Three cups of coffee a day can help prevent ovarian cancer, research suggests. A study found that caffeine reduces the risk of the disease by a fifth. The risk is even less for women who do not take the Pill or do not use hormone replacement therapy.
International Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Cheshire and Merseyside Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Cheshire and Merseyside patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
Intensive care unit for psychiatric patients - Liverpool Echo 21st January 2008
MERSEYSIDE is to get its first intensive care unit for patients with severe mental health problems. Currently, patients in need of intensive treatment are ferried to Manchester for care and some have to go as far as Bradford or London. But after receiving funding from the department of health, Mersey Care is building Merseyside’s first Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
Kidney swop ‘data error’ - Liverpool Echo 21st January 2008
A NEWLY transplanted kidney was removed after a few hours when it was found the patient’s blood type had been incorrectly recorded. The incident was revealed in a Freedom of Information request. The mistake was made after staff at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals trust wrongly recorded the patient’s blood type as A positive and sent it to the computerised national transplant database.
Patient given wrong kidney transplant - Liverpool Daily Post 21st January 2008
Cheshire and Merseyside Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News
Articles relating to mass media Health news about the Cumbria and Lancashire patch of the NHS in the North West of England.
Cut beds, cut bugs - Carlisle News & Star 19th January 2008
REDUCING bed numbers at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary could help to prevent the spread of deadly superbugs such as MRSA. An estimated 40 beds will be lost over the next few years if plans to move more services into community settings go ahead as planned.
'My fear of dying' - Carlisle News & Star 19th January 2008
A CUMBRIAN woman whose life is blighted by an overwhelming fear that she is going to die has spoken out for the first time in a television documentary. At her worst, Karen Armstrong, of Carlisle, would visit the doctor up to five times a week and even go to work with her husband because she was too scared to be left alone.
Link to Article
Cumbria and Lancashire Health News RSS Feed
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.
Greater Manchester Health News
Fears over health plan - The Bolton News 21st January 2008
HEALTH bosses have warned that their struggle to increase the average life expectancy in Bolton is being undermined by poor standards of living. Plans to help boost life expectancy include building seven new "super surgeries" and changing the way emergency care is delivered.
Link to Article
Greater Manchester Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
UK Health News
Monday, January 21, 2008
Want to keep up-to-date with mass media news on a particular topic? Ask your health librarian about RSS and check out the RSS directory from the Fade Library.
Library Blog
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
The easiest way to keep up-to-date with latest publications, electronic resources and top tips on using information to best effect. Or just visit to see what the Fade Library crew are up to!
Women undergoing surgery for ovarian cancer ‘needlessly’ - The Times 21st January 2008
Many women are undergoing major surgery unnecessarily because of a lack of ultrasound experts to diagnose ovarian cancer, researchers say. Improving the quality of preoperative ultrasound examinations could lead to a decrease in the number of operations on women with suspected ovarian cancer, as benign tumours may be discovered before surgery.
Link to Article
You are holding back life-saving research, scientists tell ministers - The Times 21st January 2008
Life-saving medical research will be held back by draconian new consent laws planned for embryonic stem-cell experiments, a group of leading scientists tell the Government in a letter to The Times today. The Government’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will delay vital research by requiring all tissue used to create cloned embryonic stem cells to have the explicit consent of its donor, the experts say.
Link to Article
Additional Story
Will I leave my wife a young widow? - The Times 21st January 2008
As a 43-year-old married father of three, I need sound guidance on effective methods of behaviour change. I have high cholesterol, am moderately overweight (probably obese) and a have history of heart disease in my family (my father died of a heart attack in his early sixties). With this in mind, and a loving wife who is always reminding me to get fit because, as she puts it, she does not wish to be a young widow, I know I must act now. I also know my lifestyle does not make me a good health role model for my children (the eldest is concerned about my weight). Every new year I pledge health resolutions and start well with a diet and exercise, but each year I end heavier than before – now I think this might be dangerous.
Link to Article
Surrogate mother prepares for eighth baby - The Telegraph 21st January 2008
A surrogate mother says she is preparing to give birth to another couple's baby for the eighth time. Jill Hawkins, 43, has no children of her own. After her last surrogacy in 2006 she said she would not do it again. Now her family fear her unusual career could be taking its toll on her mental health.
Link to Article
Additional Story
Anorexia: 'I hit five stone and could not go on' - The Telegraph 21st January 2008
Can a sponsored weight-gain challenge save the life of long-term anorexic Lizzie Grimaldi? Christa D'Souza reports Whenever former ballet dancer Lizzie Grimaldi, 36, sees an anorexic walking down the street, her impulse is always the same. "I want to grab her by the shoulders and say, 'Can't you see what you are doing to yourself? Can't you see that skinny like that is unsexy? That men find it absolutely repulsive'?"
Link to Article
Patient given wrong donor kidney - The Telegraph 21st January 2008
A kidney transplant operation had to be aborted after a hospital computer blunder meant doctors had the wrong blood type for the patient. In what was believed to be the first mistake of its kind in a British hospital, the transplanted organ had to be removed after just a few hours. The error could have led to the organ being rejected and even the death of the patient. The incident will raise further concerns over plans to upload NHS data on to a single computer database.
Link to Article
How safe are your daily supplements? - The Telegraph 21st January 2008
Many of us pop vitamin pills in the belief that we are safeguarding our health. But, Chloe Rhodes discovers, some could be doing more harm than good Nutritional supplements have come a long way since the cod liver oil and fortified bread of the postwar years. More than 40 per cent of us now pop a pill once a day and the industry is booming. Britons spent about £360million on supplements last year and in America the annual spend was a massive $6billion.
Link to Article
Government may ban fast food near schools - The Telegraph 21st January 2008
Fast food restaurants could be banned from opening near schools as part of a more interventionist approach by the Government to tackling childhood obesity. Ministers are concerned that many older children shun healthy school lunches for junk food, while younger pupils use "pester power" to force their parents to buy them unhealthy snacks on the way home.
Link to Article
James Le Fanu: Doctor's diary - The Telegraph 21st January 2008
James Le Fanu on ethical confusion, getting appointments with GPs and mystery cramps Life can be complicated enough without getting drawn into pseudo-ethical controversies. That at least would seem to be the lesson of the tale, recounted by Catholic peer Lord Alton, of the twins separated at birth who subsequently married only to have their union annulled when they discovered their sibling relationship.
Link to Article
How Britain will be a nation of the elderly this century - Daily Mail 21st January 2008
Britain is getting older faster, according to scientists. By the middle of the century, the average Briton will be 48.4 years old, against 39.1 years old now. But by 2100 the rate of increase will have slowed, with the average age rising to 53.5 years.
Link to Article
Demand for cosmetic surgery 'up by a third because it has lost its stigma' - Daily Mail 20th January 2008
Demand for cosmetic surgery has soared because it has lost its stigma, it is claimed. One of the country's biggest operators, the Harley Medical Group, says that for many Britons some simple procedures are as routine as going to their hairdresser.
Link to Article
GPs on alert for killer MRSA in nurseries, schools and the gym - Daily Mail 20th January 2008
Family doctors are being put on high alert for cases of a flesh-eating strain of MRSA that thrives in nurseries, classrooms and gyms. GPs will for the first time be given detailed guidelines on how to diagnose and treat the highly-infectious bug, thought to be even deadlier than the version sweeping through hospitals. The risk is so serious that the Health Protection Agency and the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy have come together to draw up the advice, designed to stop the bug running riot across the UK as it has in the U.S.
Link to Article
Gene advance on immune disorder - BBC Health News 21st January 2008
The genes involved in the devastating immune system disease Lupus, which affects 50,000 people in the UK, have been identified. A team led by London's Imperial College examined the genetic makeup of 3,000 women, publishing their findings in the journal Nature Genetics.
Link to Article
Online junk food adverts ban call - BBC Health News 21st January 2008
A ban on all junk food marketing aimed at children, including online games, is being called for by campaigners. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) and the Children's Food Campaign are calling for the rules on packaging and online marketing to be tightened.
Link to Article
UK Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Two coffees a day doubles risk of miscarriage, says US study - The Guardian 21st January 2008
Women are being advised to cut out caffeine during the first three months of pregnancy, to help reduce their risk of having a miscarriage. The warning follows a study that found pregnant women who consumed two or more mugs of coffee a day were twice as likely to miscarry than those who abstained from caffeine completely.
Additional Story
Just two cups of coffee per day could double risk of miscarriage - The Times 21st January 2008
Mice offer hope for people with muscular dystrophy - The Times 21st January 2008
Embryonic stem cells have been used to cure mice with the equivalent of muscular dystrophy, promising a new strategy for treating people with the wasting disease. Scientists in the US have successfully coaxed mouse embryonic stem cells to develop into muscle tissue and then transplanted those cells into animals bred with the genetic mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Link to Article
Additional Story
Muscular dystrophy stem cell hope - BBC Health News 21st January 2008
Using a mobile phone before going to bed is bad for your health, says new study - Daily Mail 20th January 2008
Using a mobile phone before going to bed can damage your health, according to a major study. It claims that radiation from the handset can cause insomnia and headaches as well as cutting the time spent in deep sleep. Failing to get enough sleep can lead to depression, lack of concentration and personality changes.
Link to Article
International Health News RSS Feed
Also 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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
