Friday 31 July 2015

New initiatives at Kettering Hospital to help get patients home sooner

New initiatives at Kettering Hospital to help get patients home sooner Kettering General Hospital has launched a number of initiatives to improve the way in which it discharges patients. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton hospital ward set to close, NHS staff told

Northampton hospital ward set to close, NHS staff told A ward at Berrywood Hospital in Northampton is set to close as the NHS seeks to make treatment “more efficient”. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Hepatitis C in the UK: annual report

Hepatitis C in the UK: annual report The annual hepatitis C report for 2015 has been published, showing an increase in end stage liver disease. Public Health England

GMC sets new standards for medical education and training

GMC sets new standards for medical education and training A new single set of standards promoting excellence and patient safety has been launched by the General Medical Council.

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Cancer patients lose faith in healthcare system if referred late by GP

Cancer patients lose faith in healthcare system if referred late by GP If it takes more than three trips to the GP to be referred for cancer tests, patients are more likely to be dissatisfied with their overall care, eroding confidence in the doctors and nurses who go on to treat and monitor them.

These worrying levels of dissatisfaction are based on further analysis of survey data from more than 70,000 cancer patients, by Cancer Research UK scientists at UCL (University College London) and the University of Cambridge, published in the European Journal of Cancer Care. Cancer Research UK

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Can the so-called 'male menopause' be treated with HRT?

Can the so-called 'male menopause' be treated with HRT? "New research suggests that testosterone deficiency in older men is much more prevalent than current screening methods suggest, and that more men would benefit from hormone treatment," The Daily Telegraph reports.

The male menopause, which remains controversial, is said to be a syndrome of associated symptoms linked to the fall of testosterone, which include:
The research behind the headlines involved more than 2,000 men given trials of testosterone therapy after attending private Men's Health clinics in the UK.

The men had an average age of 54, though some were aged 90. All the men reported symptoms associated with the so-called male menopause. Most (83%) had testosterone levels that would be considered to be in the normal range, but all were given trials of testosterone therapy.

The men reported a reduction in symptoms with treatment. However, there are risks associated with testosterone therapy, including an increased risk of prostate cancer and blood clots.

NHS recruitment from EU 'aggressive'

NHS recruitment from EU 'aggressive' Nursing leaders in Portugal, Spain and Italy say "aggressive strategies" are being used to "fool" a growing number of their staff into working in the NHS. BBC News

Surge in doctors' days off for stress

Surge in doctors' days off for stress Days lost to stress-related sickness by doctors at a hospital trust increases by more than 430% in five years, it is revealed. BBC News

Exclusive: CCG plans handover to 'accountable care organisation'

Exclusive: CCG plans handover to 'accountable care organisation' A clinical commissioning group is proposing to hand its budget and nearly all its functions to a provider led ‘accountable care organisation’, in what could be a first in the NHS. Health Service Journal

Viewpoint: The high cost of the BMA blocking the drive to a seven-day NHS

Viewpoint: The high cost of the BMA blocking the drive to a seven-day NHS There are two main reasons why health secretary Jeremy Hunt is pushing for a seven-day NHS right now, writes Paul Corrigan. GP Online

About 27% of Europeans are likely to experience a mental health problem in a year

About 27% of Europeans are likely to experience a mental health problem in a year A 2011 update to the 2005 research once again found that 27% of Europeans experience a mental health condition in a given year, although because the population of the EU has grown and because the study covered a wider age range the estimate for the number affected went up from 83 million to 118 million. Given that more time has elapsed since then, and the EU’s population continues to grow, the number affected will now likely be even higher. Full Fact

Care workers must respond to needs of the first generation to grow old with HIV

Care workers must respond to needs of the first generation to grow old with HIV Like the public, the sector still remains largely unaware of this condition and is unready for the unique challenges it presents.

The most recent data from Public Health England shows that one in four people living with HIV are over 50, a marked increase from one in eight a decade ago. This is partly due to an increase in the number of older people being diagnosed, but also because people who were diagnosed years ago are now doing well on treatment – if you are found to have HIV today, you can expect to live into your 70s. While care for this group once fell to specialists it is now a concern for generic social care services. Continue reading.. The Guardian

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Bowel cancer patients will be 'thrown into dark ages' if drugs denied

Bowel cancer patients will be 'thrown into dark ages' if drugs denied Fifteen leading cancer experts have expressed fear that patients with advanced bowel cancer will have their lives cut short if life-extending treatments suffer further cuts. The Daily Telegraph

Simply spending more on the NHS is not the answer

Simply spending more on the NHS is not the answer Telegraph View: The National Health Service needs to be more efficient, and a national debate about how to do it is overdue. The Daily Telegraph