Monday 11 May 2015

NGH chief tells Cameron: my demoralised staff deserve cash for a new hospital

NGH chief tells Cameron: my demoralised staff deserve cash for a new hospital Doctor Sonia Swart, the chief executive of Northampton General Hospital, has tweeted the Prime Minister a wishlist for her staff and patients, including fewer regulations. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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Officials at NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group issue warning about bogus phone calls

Officials at NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group issue warning about bogus phone calls Health leaders from NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are warning members of the public, patients and staff never to reveal personal details to unknown callers. Northants Herald and Post

Eating little and often 'no better for dieters than fewer feasts'

Eating little and often 'no better for dieters than fewer feasts' "Eating little and often – like Jennifer Aniston – could help dieters achieve a healthy weight loss," reports the Mirror. Meanwhile, the Mail Online urges us to "Forget three square meals a day – eating six smaller portions is better for your waistline".

But don't rush to change how often you eat: the claims are based on a tiny study that has been overstated and misinterpreted by the media. In fact, women lost a similar amount of weight regardless of the number of daily meals they ate.

In the study, 11 obese women ate the same low number of calories in either two meals or six meals a day. They lost around the same amount of weight with both diets.

They did retain their non-fat mass (the weight of the body in muscle, organs and bone) better when they were on six meals a day, but the authors warn against drawing firm conclusions from this.

The two-meal pattern seemed to improve levels of "good" cholesterol more than the six-meal pattern. Whether either of these differences would lead to any health benefits for the women was not assessed.

Overall, this study is too small to prove whether six or two meals a day is better for dieters. What is important is to choose an approach to weight loss or healthy weight maintenance that works for you that you can stick to.

VIDEO: Oslo hospital's 'human error cure'

VIDEO: Oslo hospital's 'human error cure' A hospital in Norway says it has developed a project that it hopes will remove the problem of human error in medicine.

The complex drug delivery system is operated by robots and uses a network of pneumatic tubes. BBC News

Ebola 'lives on in eye of survivor'

Ebola 'lives on in eye of survivor' The Ebola virus has been detected in the eye of a US doctor who had already recovered from the illness. BBC News

Proactively target frequent users of emergency care for treatment, say doctors

Proactively target frequent users of emergency care for treatment, say doctors They are more than twice as likely to die, be admitted, or need other outpatient care. OnMedica

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NHS denies lifesaving drug to 5,000 patients it gave infected blood: Sofosbuvir has been approved by regulators but victims are STILL waiting for treatment

NHS denies lifesaving drug to 5,000 patients it gave infected blood: Sofosbuvir has been approved by regulators but victims are STILL waiting for treatment Thousands of patients who contracted hepatitis C through contaminated blood in the biggest scandal in NHS history are being denied a lifesaving drug. The Daily Mail

Eight things the new government should prioritise for the NHS

Eight things the new government should prioritise for the NHS From investing in mental health to keeping the NHS free at the point of delivery, healthcare leaders tell us what they want to see addressed Continue reading... The Guardian

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What’s app, Doc? Patients send their medical data via smartphone

What’s app, Doc? Patients send their medical data via smartphone Patients at thousands of GP surgeries will be able to link health information recorded on their iPhone with their confidential medical records using a new app that promises to transform the care of the long-term ill. The Independent

Campaigners accuse Met Police and mental health trust of racist cover-up

Campaigners accuse Met Police and mental health trust of racist cover-up A mental health trust and the Metropolitan Police have been accused of trying to cover up alleged racism towards patients during an extraordinary night when 48 officers – some in riot gear – were deployed to deal with disturbances in a ward of vulnerable adults. The Independent