National and International News
Slowing population 'lacks funds'
Efforts to slow down the growth of the world's population by linking poverty relief to women's rights and access to birth control are working, the UN says.
BBC Health News 19/09/04
'Ladettes' clog casualty units after catfights
The number of women who are seeking treatment at hospital casualty units after being injured in drunken catfights is rising sharply, consultants warn.
The Telegraph 19/09/04
Health authorities told: GPs must be available for night-time home visits
Ministers are to declare that night-time home visits from general practitioners must be available to all patients who need them, after The Telegraph revealed that one English health authority completely withdrew out-of-hours family doctor cover, with others set to follow.
The Telegraph 19/09/04
Why does working for Corby council make so many people ill?
On most mornings Rose Farmer can be found in her usual seat near the bar at the Stardust Bingo Hall. Sometimes she pops back in the afternoons and, occasionally, she pays another visit in the evenings.
The Telegraph 19/09/04
Impoverished British war veterans in Zimbabwe 'face death by malnutrition'
More than 1,000 British-born servicemen and women who fought in the Second World War will die because of malnutrition and lack of medicines in Zimbabwe unless they are given urgent help, according to the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League.
The Telegraph 19/09/04
Deadly West Nile Virus hits Horse Town USA
When Toni, a 19-year-old mare, starting shaking "like it had Parkinson's" and its eyes moved in a wild, jerky dance, its owners suspected that it was suffering more than a bout of colic.
The Telegraph 19/09/04
'Snacks not cause of obesity in children'
The booming industry in chocolate bars and crisps, often blamed for the rise in childhood obesity, is not in fact responsible for weight gain in children, according to research by scientists at Harvard University.
The Independent 19/09/04
Efforts to curb child smoking 'a failure'
Attempts to clamp down on under-age smoking have failed so far, according to a major study published this week.
The Independent 19/09/04
Revealed: How fake ID cards fuel under-age drinking boom
Investigation: Licensees are being duped by phoney proof-of-age cards bought by youngsters over the internet without difficulty.
The Independent 19/09/04
City children suffer serious lung damage
Children in polluted inner cities are five times more likely than those outside to develop weak and damaged lungs - greatly increasing their risk of premature death, researchers have found.
The Independent 19/09/04
Admit the mistakes, Jowell urges Labour
John Reid, the Health Secretary, is tomorrow expected to reassure leftwingers worried about the privatisation of healthcare by unveiling plans to let charities provide services now delivered by the NHS.
The Observer 19/09/04
Union attacks private care orders
Public service union Unison has attacked the Government after it emerged NHS executives have been instructed to spend between 10% and 15% of their budgets on private care from next year.
The Observer 19/09/04
Fostering watchdog in sex abuse row
The government body that regulates Britain's fostering agencies has been accused of 'very serious failures' over the way it investigates sex offenders in the care system.
The Observer 19/09/04
Heroin policy has failed, say charities
Government plans to let more doctors prescribe drug were 'abandoned'.
The Observer 19/09/04
Babies at risk from stress in pregnancy
Mothers' anxiety levels linked to autism and dyslexia.
The Observer 19/09/04
Restless legs keep 6m awake
If you are woken up at night by your partner kicking out as if he's on a football pitch, he may not simply be dreaming about the World Cup. He could have restless leg syndrome (RLS), a condition which doctors are warning is extremely common but virtually untreated in Britain.
The Observer 19/09/04
'I don't want to plan my death, I want to enjoy life'
Britain is one of the few European countries where assisting suicide is still a crime. A report on the growing euthanasia debate and the people it most affects.
The Observer 19/09/04
Football fans to get physicals as clubs seek a clinical finish
Stadiums will have drop-in surgeries to attract men who refuse to visit the doctor.
The Observer 19/09/04
Britons told to cut down on sugar
A major campaign to persuade people to cut down on sugar in their diet is to be launched by the government, flushed by the success of their crackdown on salt.
The Observer 19/09/04
Revealed: full scale of euthanasia in Britain
British doctors help nearly 20,000 people a year to die, according to one of the UK's leading authorities on euthanasia. The claim, the first public attempt by a credible expert to put a figure on 'assisted dying' rates, will reignite the emotive debate over the practice.
The Observer 19/09/04
Susan Clark: What's the alternative?
I want to check whether it is safe for me to continue taking the spagyric remedy for PCOS, which you recommended earlier this year, while I’m trying to get pregnant. Also, is it okay for me to carry on taking tejaswini?
The Sunday Times 19/09/04
Too much fun?
A party-hard lifestyle requires top-class therapists. Rosie Green reveals whom the A list call.
The Sunday Times 19/09/04
Parenting is a worthwhile job
THANK you Minette Marrin for your column on childcare (We preach baby worship but practise baby farming, , last week). My youngest child is nearly 18 and in his last year of school. Throughout both my children’s lives I have been at home for them. I only went out to work in the past four years and even now I am home before the school bus. I have no career and certainly no money but I wouldn’t change a moment of it. Having children is the biggest responsibility any of us can undertake and too many people treat it with indifference. The government encourages poor parenting and then wonders why society has so many social problems.
The Sunday Times 19/09/04
British doctors dispatch 25,000 a year, says euthanasia expert
DOCTORS may be helping more than 25,000 people to die every year in Britain, one of the country’s leading authorities on euthanasia has claimed.
The Sunday Times 19/09/04
Surgeon who hit big time on TV probed
THE doctor who carried out the biggest breast enlargement in Britain for live television is facing an investigation into his conduct. Separately, it has emerged that he is not a qualified specialist plastic surgeon.
The Sunday Times 19/09/04
Danger from Laser Displays
Impressive laser displays used at pop concerts and in nightclubs risk public health if controlled by inexperienced operators, radiation experts are to warn.
Tiscali News 19/09/04
Technology could beat ageing
A brave new world in which science helps to push back barriers to ageing has been revealed.
Tiscali News 19/09/04
SPECIAL INVESTIGATION : 200 FAGS
That's how many non-smokers get through in a year from passive smoking in pubs.
Sunday Mail 19/09/04
DIY DRUGS ROW: THESE HEROIN KITS ARE BEING HANDED OUT FREE ON THE NHS
FREE heroin kits are being handed out by three Scots health boards.
Sunday Mail 19/09/04
HEALTH CUTS PROTESTERS TO STAGE DEMO
HEALTH campaigners are to protest against cuts and centralisation in Glasgow next month.
Sunday Mail 19/09/04
SHIRLEY'S SECRET ILLNESS: SINGER'S AGONY
Manson's craving to eat dirt and matches / Star is victim of a rare form of anaemia.
Sunday Mail 19/09/04
SCOTS DOCS TO DEBATE SAFETY OF 5-IN-1 JAB
SCOTS doctors will meet tomorrow to discuss the controversial new five-inone jab.
Sunday Mail 19/09/04
FACE SWAP DOCS READY
A TEAM of doctors say they are ready to perform a face transplant, despite controversy over it.
Sunday Mail 19/09/04
DR GARETH: AM I TOO OLD AT 67 TO GET LEGS WAXED?
This may seem like a silly question but I am 67 and want to have my legs waxed. Is it safe at my age?
Sunday Mail 19/09/04
DR YVONNE CASEY'S COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE: HEALTHY DIET CAN EASE THE MISERY OF MENOPAUSE
MY friend swears by a good diet to ease her menopausal symptoms. Could this make a difference?
Sunday Mail 19/09/04
Tough bone repair cement created
Scientists have developed a stengthened cement to be used in reconstructive surgery.
BBC Health News 17/09/04
Singapore warns of deadly illness
Authorities in Singapore have expressed concern about the rising death toll from the tropical disease melioidosis.
BBC Health News 17/09/04
Kidney test may cut dialysis need
A new test can detect kidney disease triggered by inflammation of the blood vessels before symptoms become apparent.
BBC Health News 17/09/04
Island fungus may provide cure for disabling tumour
A drug isolated from a fungus found on Easter Island is offering new hope to thousands of people who suffer the misery of a genetic disease that makes tumours grow throughout the body, a conference was told.
The Telegraph 18/09/04
Freudian theories
The notion that Freud's ideas were "developed through experiment, observation and hypothesis" has been undermined by the scholarship of recent decades that has demonstrated that for Freud "observation" meant the interpretation of clinical material in terms of whatever theory he postulated at any given time (Letters, September 15). That is why he was always able to "confirm" his theories, even those long since discarded by most psychoanalysts.
The Guardian 18/09/04
There's trouble in the air
Cities in North America are banning artificial fragrances in public places as evidence mounts that they make people sick. Hugh Wilson investigates.
The Guardian 18/09/04
Candles light career path for young Asians
A new project is seeking to employ ethnic talent who hold jaundiced views on nursing as a career, and who may yet slip through the NHS job net. Colin Cottell investigates.
The Guardian 18/09/04
Call me old fashioned
On the eve of the party conference, leading Lib Dems Lembit Opik and Mark Oaten try to bridge the gap on profit in the public services.
The Guardian 18/09/04
Crippling, and not just the cost. High heels injure girls, aged 10
Dedicated followers of fashion looking to step into the shoes of glamorous film stars have been warned they face being crippled for life. A rise in foot injuries, leading to chronic pain and even amputations, among young women has created a busy time for podiatrists across the country.
The Independent 18/09/04
Pensions crisis 'could lead to tax rise of 5p in pound'
Rated 3 in National and International News on Sep 18, 2004 at 19:45:14 GMT. (1 views)
Income tax could soar by 5p in the pound to head off a public sector pensions crisis, it was predicted yesterday.
The Independent 18/09/04
Pearson chief back at work after lungs transplant
A chief executive aged 55 has returned to his £695,000-a-year job just months after undergoing a double lung transplant.
The Independent 18/09/04
What future for our NHS?
I AM a consultant psychiatrist working in Glasgow and have just finished an MBA. Several years ago, as an idealist, I felt the solution to healthcare lay in removing the politics. However, I have learned that as long as the public see it as “their” health service this will never happen (News, September 12). Subsequent governments have used the NHS for political gain, as have oppositions. A public debate will not help as – sorry for appearing to be condescending – the issues are too complex .
Sunday Herald 18/09/04
Sorted: children's trainers
Put their best foot forward. Charlotte Hawkins, a podiatrist, tests the latest sports shoes and finds that good looks and comfort needn't brankrupt parents
The Times 18/09/04
Tough it out: Strict spa for a stubborn problem
Spirit is willing but the weight won’t budge? Grace Bradberry finds the answer in Surrey.
The Times 18/09/04
How the fit and fabulous stay that way: Lisa Stansfield, 38
Singer Lisa Stansfield, 38, hates Atkins, loves herbal highs and finds peace in being true to herself
The Times 18/09/04
How to cheat at eating: Blueberry muffins
Woulda ... THE WILDBEAN CAFE MUFFIN
The Times 18/09/04
Food: Friend at your table
The new Times nutritionist Jane Clarke is passionate about what we eat. Here she outlines what’s on the menu — and warns that the knives will be sharp.
The Times 18/09/04
It works for me: Paediatric osteopathy
Lisa Grainger meets a mother whose epileptic daughter benefited from hands-on treatment.
The Times 18/09/04
Sex with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson
I am 65 and my husband died 11 months ago. Since then I have attracted a lot of male attention and am particularly interested in one man. I haven't had sex for five years and as it always took me a long time to reach orgasm, I am worried that I might not function sexually any more. Should I tell him my fears?
The Times 18/09/04
Moving on: Irma Kurtz: My husband is bisexual
We are both in our mid-fifties with a strong marriage and sexual life. My husband has now decided to take a young boyfriend (25) and I am happy to go along with this and have met him. My husband certainly appears to be bisexual rather than gay (if we need to have labels, which don’t always work) and all three of us seem to be managing the various aspects of the relationship. It is not, however, a ménage à trois. Because I have asked my husband to be honest with me, I know what is going on and do not waste time worrying and being anxious. The reason I am writing to you is really to confirm that I am doing the right thing. What are your views?
The Times 18/09/04
Junk medicine: Mark Henderson: Natural science
Reproductive medicine is well known for pushing back the boundaries of parenthood. It became clear just how far they can stretch this week when the birth of twins at a Leicester clinic was highlighted in the journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online.
The Times 18/09/04
Benjamin Fry: What's wrong with your ... inheritance
I have a friend who is looking to buy a house. After his engagement it seemed a sensible thing to do. Yet he is now expecting his second child and still there is no house. It raises the question why. His reasons are based in the realm of practical detail, but I see a grand psychological plot where the “home” has archetypal significance, and his reluctance to pick one is an invitation to look deep into his psyche. He’d rather I didn’t. In fact, when I asked him if he read this column he said: “I get enough of you banging on in real life.”
The Times 18/09/04
Interview: Emma Richards: New star of the sea
Solo sailor Emma Richards finds loneliness and freeze-dried food hard to take, but she tells Alison Kervin that it’s just part of her job.
The Times 18/09/04
iGeneration: Youth on the couch
What did our psychoanalyst Darian Leader find inside the minds of iGeneration?
The Times 18/09/04
Aga or bust?
It was a tough choice but Judy Lee says she feels much more at home with bigger boobs than a dream cooker
The Times 18/09/04
Analyse this: Darian Leader: Foxhunting
What is a fox? The passionate debate about foxhunting has polarised not just Parliament, but thousands of people across Britain. The scenes at Westminster this week revealed a strength of feeling rarely seen in the public arena. And the virulence of the arguments suggests that more is at stake than the poor fox.
The Times 18/09/04
The worst of times
YOUNG people are far more troubled than they were 30 years ago, according to a new study for the Nuffield Foundation.
The Times 18/09/04
No pills or needles
PEOPLE on long-term medications such as insulin could say farewell to the daily chore of injecting themselves or taking tablets if a new technological breakthrough comes to fruition.
The Times 18/09/04
Bitter pills: A doctor takes on the happy drugs
When Dr David Healy first raised doubts about the safety of antidepressants seven years ago, they fell on deaf ears. Now everyone’s listening
The Times 18/09/04
Salt: time to slug it out
AFTER several years of messing around, the real war on salt began this week. The Government’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched the first sallies with a computer- generated slug called Sid who is besieging advertising space with his message that salt raises blood pressure and gives you heart attacks.
The Times 18/09/04
Binge drinking still on rise
BINGE drinking is continuing to increase, the latest figures on alcohol consumption show.
The Times 18/09/04
Blunkett blitz on sale of drink to youngsters
DAVID BLUNKETT is writing to more than 650 bars, shops and off-licences after they were caught repeatedly selling alcohol to under-18s.
The Times 18/09/04
Family hits out as drink crash doctor is cleared
THE parents of a student who died after he was involved in a collision with a car driven by a drunk hospital casualty doctor have called for a change in the law after the man walked free from court.
The Times 18/09/04
GP jailed for sex attacks on women patients
A “COLD and arrogant” doctor who sexually abused women patients for more than a decade was jailed for six years yesterday.
The Times 18/09/04
Death crash doctor escapes jail sentence
THE parents of a student who died after he was involved in a collision with a car driven by a drunk A&E doctor called for zero tolerance for drink drivers after Dr David Herbert walked free from court yesterday.
The Scotsman 18/09/04
Six years for 'healer turned predator' GP
A GP WHO sexually abused female patients for more than a decade was beginning a six-year jail term last night.
The Scotsman 18/09/04
GP jailed for six years for sexual abuse of patients
The victims of a general practitioner who sexually abused female patients for 10 years burst into applause as he was sentenced to six years in prison yesterday.
The Guardian 18/09/04
PERVERT GP GETS SIX YEARS
A DOCTOR who sexually assaulted at least 23 patients was jailed for six years yesterday.
Daily Record 18/09/04
Singapore to host WHO expert consultation on outbreak communications
Singapore will host the World Health Organization's (WHO) Expert Consultation on Outbreak Communications next week, part of a series of WHO activities aimedat making risk communications an integral part of outbreak response.
People's Daily 18/09/04
"Miracle": leukemia mother, hepatitis-B father give birth to healthy baby
The 26 year-old woman has suffered from leukemia for 11 years. Her husband has been tested positive for hepatitis-B. Last year, they made a brave and risky decision: to have a baby of their own.
People's Daily 18/09/04
No new bird flu case in north Malaysia in three days: official
The bird flu outbreak which has hit four districts in north state of Kelantan seems to be under control with no new cases in the past three days, a veterinary official said Friday.
People's Daily 18/09/04
Sophie tot brain bug fear
POP star Sophie Ellis-Bextor rushed her baby son to hospital with a deadly brain bug, it was revealed.
The Sun 18/09/04
Increasing use of statins has had little effect on admissions for MI
Analysis of UK prescribing data and hospital statistics shows that despite large increases in the prescribing of lipid-lowering drugs - mostly statins - the numbers of admissions to hospital for myocardial infarction (MI) have fallen only slightly. Between 1996 and 2002, NHS primary care trusts more than quintupled their prescribing of lipid-lowering drugs, from 3.1 million to 17.6 million, with consequent increase in expenditure. Over this period, however, hospital admissions for MI only declined by 9.3% to 2001-2 and they actually rose again in 2002-3. The authors consider, however, that it is likely that this rise reflects changes in diagnostic criteria rather than a real rise. There are wide fluctuations between PCTs in prescribing rates and hospital admission rates: while there is some positive correlation between the two, probably reflecting the prevalence of CHD in local populations, the authors consider that this needs further investigation. They point out that lipid-lowering drugs are given only to high-risk individuals, whereas many MI occur in people at low risk who would not be considered candidates for lipid lowering. They conclude that MI has a multifactorial aetiology, and messages about statin use need to be combined with the management of other risk factors. [Editor's comment: proving it might be difficult, but it seems logical that population-based lifestyle changes might be the best way to reduce the incidence in low-risk people.
UKMiCentral 18/09/04
X-ray: computed radiography - Diagnostic imaging - 2004
The X-ray computed radiography (CR) 2004 evaluation reports are listed below. New reports are highlighted.
MDA 18/09/04
Finding the heart for sport
Our 10-year-old son was born with a congenital heart defect which was corrected with an operation when he was a week old. He had a procedure when he was 5 to pump up a narrowed aorta, but otherwise his annual heart scans have been fine. His paediatric cardiologist says that my son can play sports, but he does not have much stamina. A recent aerobic activity left him with pains in his legs for three days. He is very academic and would rather read or play on his computer than exercise. He will soon start secondary school where cross-country running is compulsory, but I am worried about forcing him to exercise when he feels so weary afterwards. What is your view?
The Times 18/09/04
Dr Copperfield: Inside the mind of a GP: Diagnosing
I took my A levels in the 1970s before all this dumbing down crap. I can still take them to the bank and use them as collateral because everyone knew that a quartet of passes in the days before Punk meant that you had a real grasp of your subjects. If current trends persist, in five years’ time everyone who turns up for the exam on time will pass. But it isn’t only in the world of education where the goalposts are moving.
The Times 18/09/04
GP jailed for six years
A GP who sexually abused female patients for more than a decade was beginning a six-year jail term today.
The Sun 18/09/04
Keyhole cancer surgery breakthrough
Pioneering keyhole cancer surgery will mean patients will be able to resume a normal sex life after their operation, it has been revealed.
Daily Mail 19/09/04
Satellites track dementia patients
The families of elderly dementia victims are being given peace of mind by a satellite tracking system.
Tiscali News 19/09/04
Medicine firms seek cure for Double Dutch
BADLY-needed new medicines will be delayed for years because of European rules which insist on drug brand names being acceptable in all 20 official languages, it was claimed last night.
The Scotsman 19/09/04
Mean streets make GPs take a back seat
SCOTTISH GPs are being chauffeur-driven to out-of-hours visits after research showed one in 25 medics had been assaulted on a home call, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.
The Scotsman 19/09/04
Minister Denies NHS Private Sector Spending 'Rule Change'
Health minister John Hutton today denied the Government had changed the rules governing NHS spending on the private sector, after facing union fury at reports Primary Care Trusts were being ordered to increase their spending outside the health service.
The Scotsman 19/09/04
At least 13 monitored for bird flu in Thailand
At least 13 people are now being monitored for the avian influenza virus after having handled infected poultry, said the Ministry of Public Health.
Peoples Daily 19/09/04
Cheshire and Merseyside News
Industrial disease will kill more next decade
THE human cost of Cheshire's industrial past is likely to soar in the next decade as a generation's exposure to asbestos claims lives across the region.
Chester Chronicle 17/09/04
Disabled club's fight for access to all areas
PUBS, restaurants and cinemas will be 'named and shamed' by disabled people fed up of not being able to enjoy a night out.
Chester Chronicle 17/09/04
Heart unit will be free of MRSA
THE 75m expansion of Liverpool's specialist heart and chest centre has been designed to be an MRSA-free zone, it was revealed last night.
Daily Post 17/09/04
Kids keep teeth smiles better
THEY'RE not just brushing up on their maths ...
Liverpool Echo 17/09/04
How a simple mirror can be used as a pain-killer
RELIEF could be at hand for amputees still feeling excruciating pain from missing limbs - thanks to a trick with mirrors.
Daily Post 17/09/04
Wirral drugs tsar to speed up closure of crack houses
A DRUGS tsar is being appointed in Wirral to speed up police efforts to close drug dens.
Daily Post 17/09/04
Couple woke to find baby dead in bed
A MOTHER and father awoke to find their baby dead in bed with them after they went to sleep following a night-out drinking, an inquest was told.
Liverpool Echo 17/09/04
Booze seized in blitz
NEARLY 10,000 people had alcohol taken off them by police in a summer drinking blitz.
Liverpool Echo 17/09/04
17m appeal launch to help abused children
THE Daily Post joins forces with the NSPCC today to launch a major campaign to protect and safeguard abused children across Merseyside and the North West.
Daily Post 17/09/04
Death crash driver walks free
THE family of a student who died after a car crash involving a drunk doctor reacted with fury today after he walked free from court.
Liverpool Echo 17/09/04
Predator doc gets six years
A GP was jailed for six years today for indecently assaulting 23 women patients.
Liverpool Echo 17/09/04
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Passionate protest for baby unit
MORE than 400 people crammed into Bury Town Hall on Monday (Sept 13) to voice their anger at proposals to shut Fairfield Hospital 's special care baby unit.
Bury Times 18/09/04
New Emergency Services Centre Launched (from This Is The Lake District)
A NEW emergency control centre for south Cumbria is being launched today (Friday).
The Westmoreland Gazette 18/09/04
Greater Manchester News
Sex attack doctor jailed
A GP who sexually abused female patients for more than a decade was beginning a six-year jail term today.
Wigan Evening Post 18/09/04
Boozing shock of one in five primary kids
SHOCKING figures have revealed that one in five Rochdale primary school children has drunk alcohol in the last seven days.
Rochdale Observer 18/09/04
Police called escort man to hospital
POLICE were called to a house in Heywood Road, Prestwich, shortly after 11am on Wednesday (Sept 15), to help escort a man to hospital under the Mental Health Act.
Bury Times 18/09/04
Baby who died had brain cyst
SEIZURES which affected a baby in the weeks before he died may have occurred because he was not developing fast enough, an inquest heard.
Bury Times 18/09/04
'Fluoride on tap' move stirs up fury
PROTESTERS were due to stage a rally later today after health bosses announced plans to take a step towards the fluoridation of Greater Manchester's water supply.
Manchester Evening News 19/09/04
Killer bug in kids' pool
A CHILD is seriously ill in hospital and three more children are sick after an E.coli outbreak at a swimming pool.
Manchester Evening News 18/09/04
