Meeting the challenge of population health: what we can learn from Kaiser Permanente

Meeting the challenge of population health: what we can learn from Kaiser Permanente After a visit to the US to see the Kaiser Permanente model working in action, Jo Bibby gives her thougths on what the NHS can learn from their way of working. The Health Foundation

Quality checking government: People with learning disabilities describe the impact of Government policy on their lives

Quality checking government: People with learning disabilities describe the impact of Government policy on their lives Earlier this year LDA England ran a mass survey to find out what impact people felt the current (2010-2015) Coalition Government had on the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families.


We surveyed nearly 2,000 people, half of whom were disabled people (including, but not limited to people with learning disabilities). The vast majority of people thought that the Government had made things a lot worse (putting together all views – positive and negative) the Government was given an overall score of 2 out 10 – which is very low indeed. Learning Disability Alliance England

Probiotic yoghurts 'may help' hay fever

Probiotic yoghurts 'may help' hay fever "Is YOGURT the secret to easing hay fever? Probiotics can 'relieve sneezing and itchy eyes','' the Daily Mail reports. New research found initial, but not definitive, evidence that probiotics may offer some relief from this common allergic condition for some people.

Hay fever affects around one in five people, causing frequent sneezing, a runny nose and itchy eyes. It happens when an allergic irritant sets off an immune response in the mucosa of the nasal passages, causing an allergic reaction. Most often, people are sensitive to seasonal allergens such as pollen, hence the name hay fever. However, some people can get symptoms all year round (this is known as allergic rhinitis).

There has been a lot of interest in whether probiotics – "healthy" bacteria that live in the gut – can relieve symptoms.

This review identified 23 trials investigating the effect of probiotic supplements on hay fever. These studies were highly variable in terms of their study populations, the probiotics used, outcomes measured and, importantly, results. While most studies found some benefit for at least one outcome, others found no benefit at all.

VIDEO: 'It's hard to get a job with Down's'

VIDEO: 'It's hard to get a job with Down's' People living with Down's syndrome tell Victoria Derbyshire there are still too many barriers to finding a job. BBC News

CCGs need IT practice agreements

CCGs need IT practice agreements Clinical commissioning groups must put an IT practice agreement in place with every practice before the end of the year, or risk losing GP Systems of Choice funding, NHS England has warned. E-Health Insider

C diff used to fight C diff

C diff used to fight C diff Study shows benefits of using non-aggressive strain of C difficile. OnMedica

Five lessons we should have learned from pandemics

Five lessons we should have learned from pandemics Scientific advances have helped us understand and limit the impact of pandemics but we still cannot deliver the simple measures needed to control them for the benefit of all Continue reading... The Guardian

Cancer survivor: The empathy cards I wish I'd received

Cancer survivor: The empathy cards I wish I'd received Emily McDowell has created a series of cards for people with serious illnesses, based on the messages she wishes she'd received when she was battling cancer. The Daily Telegraph