Tuesday 26 May 2015

Dozens of schools take part in first ever Northamptonshire Healthy Schools Week

Dozens of schools take part in first ever Northamptonshire Healthy Schools Week Nearly 70 schools have taken part in the first ever Northamptonshire Healthy Schools Week. Primary schools across the county have been running a variety of fun health-related activities this week for children to take part in and learn about leading a healthy active lifestyle. Northamptonshire Telegraph

NHS inpatient survey 2014

NHS inpatient survey 2014 This survey asked almost 59,000 inpatients a range of questions about the care and treatment they received. This included: whether they were given enough information, whether they were involved in decisions about their care, whether there were enough nurses to care for them, whether the wards were noisy and clean and what arrangements were in place for when they left hospital. It found that the majority of respondents are positive about their hospital stay, with 84% rating their experience seven or above out of 10. Care Quality Commission

Response to ‘escalation of advice’ from Healthwatch England gender identity services

Response to ‘escalation of advice’ from Healthwatch England gender identity services This collated correspondence between Healthwatch and NHS England details the concerns raised by Healthwatch regarding the delays being faced by some people seeking gender reassignment surgery.

Quarter of sun-exposed skin samples had DNA mutations

Quarter of sun-exposed skin samples had DNA mutations A sobering BBC News headline greets sun worshippers on the eve of the spring bank holiday: "More than a quarter of a middle-aged person's skin may have already made the first steps towards cancer."

Sunlight is made up of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Low levels of exposure to UV light are actually beneficial to health – sunlight helps our bodies produce vitamin D.

But prolonged exposure can change (mutate) the DNA in the cells. Over time the mutations accumulate, turning the skin cells cancerous, which can lead to either non-melanoma ormelanoma skin cancer.

As part of a study into skin cancer, researchers analysed skin removed from the eyelids of four people aged 55 to 73 known to have a varying history of sun exposure (but not a history of cancer) to see what DNA mutations had built up.

To their surprise they found hundreds of normal cells showing DNA mutations linked to cancer, called "mutant clones", in every 1sq cm (0.1 sq in) of skin, and there were thousands of DNA mutations per cell.

The results were based on skin cells from the eyelids of just four people, so we don't yet know if the same would be found in other skin areas, or in other people, or what proportion of the mutated cells would eventually progress to skin cancer.

NHS trusts' deficit rises to £822m

NHS trusts' deficit rises to £822m NHS trusts in England report a total deficit of £822m for last financial year, compared with £115m the previous year. BBC News

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Personalised Care Planning For Adults With Chronic Or Long-Term Health Conditions

Personalised Care Planning For Adults With Chronic Or Long-Term Health Conditions GP Lynda Ware looks at this collaborative approach to managing long term conditions. Evidently Cochrane

NHS plans to allow patients to view records could put confidentiality at risk

NHS plans to allow patients to view records could put confidentiality at risk Under the proposals from NHS England, every person in the country will be able to access their medical record online by 2020. The Daily Mail

No 10 pours cold water over junior health minister's sugar tax proposal

No 10 pours cold water over junior health minister's sugar tax proposal George Freeman’s idea to help meet the costs of tackling obesity is not the right approach, says spokesman for the prime minister

No 10 has moved swiftly to reprimand a junior health minister who proposed a tax on sugary food and drink to raise money to help the government meet the costs of tackling obesity.

The prime minister’s spokesman said George Freeman’s idea was not the right approach and that the Department of Health would be looking at other strategies to curb obesity. Continue reading... The Guardian

MPs call for police inquiry into bogus 'cancer cures' offer by alternative medicine practitioners

MPs call for police inquiry into bogus 'cancer cures' offer by alternative medicine practitioners One alternative ''cure'' involves the use of industrial strength bleach to treat autism and HIV. The Daily Telegraph

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No repercussions for pharmacist dispensing errors, health body proposes

No repercussions for pharmacist dispensing errors, health body proposes Pharmacists who prescribe the wrong medicines by mistake would be immune from prosecution under plans being considered by the Department of Health. The Daily Telegraph

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Tobacco companies file lawsuits against UK Government over plain packaging laws

Tobacco companies file lawsuits against UK Government over plain packaging laws Two of the world’s biggest tobacco companies have filed lawsuits against the UK Government over its plan to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products. The Independent

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