Ask your questions about the future of cancer service at lunchtime webchat

Ask your questions about the future of cancer service at lunchtime webchat:
The shake-up of Northampton General Hospital could mean basic cancer services end up closer to patients, a top doctor has said, ahead of a webchat hosted by the Chron today. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Joint personal budgets: a new solution to the problem of integrated care?

Joint personal budgets: a new solution to the problem of integrated care?: Like many health systems around the world, the NHS struggles to find ways of delivering integrated care. NHS Confederation

New briefings to help develop better local mental health services

New briefings to help develop better local mental health services: A partnership of leading mental health charities has launched a series of briefings to help develop better local mental health services. Following the publication of the implementation framework for the Government’s mental health strategy, these briefings set out the steps that local authorities and NHS commissioning groups can take to improve mental health care, treatment [read the full story...] The Mental Elf

Strokes in young people on the rise

Strokes in young people on the rise:
A British charity has warned that the NHS could be placed under greater strain from strokes after a study suggested victims were becoming younger.
The Stroke Association says the problem needs to be addressed now with lifestyle changes to ensure the health service is not unnecessarily burdened with younger stroke sufferers who will need care over a longer period.
The warning follows research published i... Healthcare Today

Herbal remedy Echinacea 'does protect against colds'

Herbal remedy Echinacea 'does protect against colds':

Echinacea “can prevent colds”, reports The Daily Telegraph, while the Daily Mail reports that the “largest ever clinical study into Echinacea finds herbal remedy can protect against colds”.
These headlines were based on a study which found that giving healthy adults three doses of the herbal remedy Echinacea daily for four months reduced the combined number and duration of cold episodes by an average of 26% compared to placebo.

Is it time for the over-medicalisation of mental health to recede? - The Independent (blog)

Is it time for the over-medicalisation of mental health to recede? - The Independent (blog):

The Independent (blog)

Is it time for the over-medicalisation of mental health to recede? The Independent (blog) A so-called “mental health bible” is undergoing a significant revision that will further expand the boundaries of what constitutes mental illness. The tome, relied on by professionals around the world, was first published by the American Psychiatric ... all 7 news articles »

Mid Staffordshire scandal highlights regulators' failings

Mid Staffordshire scandal highlights regulators' failings: The Francis report on what went wrong at the trust has been put back – let's hope the QC is not under pressure to water down his inquiry

Lack of weekend NHS consultants 'risking patients' lives'

Lack of weekend NHS consultants 'risking patients' lives': Seriously ill patients are being put at risk on NHS wards because not enough consultant doctors are working at nights or weekends, according to a new healthcare report. The Daily Telegraph

Toolkit from the Royal College of Physicians here.

It's official: the science on abortion really hasn't 'moved on'

It's official: the science on abortion really hasn't 'moved on':
Cabinet ministers' claims that abortion laws should be tightened because of medical advances are challenged today by official figures showing no improvement in survival for extremely premature babies. The Independent