Monday 7 September 2015

Tests to diagnose cancer underfunded and staff overstretched

Poor Beginnings: Health Inequalities among young children across England

Poor Beginnings: Health Inequalities among young children across England Simply by growing up in a certain part of England a child under five is more likely to have poor health that will impact the rest of their lives

The first five years of a child's life are critical to their future development. This new report is based on official data published by Public Health England. It looks at four key measures of young children's health and well-being - obesity, tooth decay, accidental injury and 'school readiness'. The report provides a clear picture of the health of children under five years old living in England and shows how growing up in different areas of the country has a dramatic effect on their lives. National Children's Bureau

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Action demanded on weekend NHS risk

Action demanded on weekend NHS risk The case for improving hospital care at weekends is "simply unassailable", medical chiefs say, as new figures on death rates are published. BBC News

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Seven-day GP opening 'unachievable'

Seven-day GP opening 'unachievable' The goal of seven-day GP opening is unachievable in this Parliament and risks destabilising services, the Royal College of Surgeons says. BBC News

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Update on the current Cancer Drugs Fund list

Update on the current Cancer Drugs Fund list The Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) has today completed a further review of the effectiveness of treatments it funds to ensure it delivers the best outcomes for patients.

Professor Peter Clark, Chair of the Cancer Drugs Fund and an oncologist, said: “There is no escaping the fact that we face a difficult set of choices, but it is our duty to ensure we get maximum value from every penny available on behalf of patients. We must ensure we invest in those treatments that offer the most benefit, based on rigorous evidence-based clinical analysis and an assessment of the cost of those treatments.”

NHS 'had no mental health beds left'

NHS 'had no mental health beds left' An NHS trust was told there were no mental health beds available across England for its patients, its medical director says. BBC News

High rise in indemnity costs for GPs, survey shows

High rise in indemnity costs for GPs, survey shows ‘Frightening figures’ may fuel recruitment crisis OnMedica

Breast cancer care quality threatened by lack of specialist nurses

Breast cancer care quality threatened by lack of specialist nursesA near 20% rise in cases of breast cancer in UK in last decade has not been matched by increase in specially trained staff

A shortage of specialist nurses to help people with breast cancer is threatening the quality of care, a charity has said.

A near 20% rise in newly diagnosed cases in England over the last decade has not been matched by increases in nurses, according to Breast Cancer Care. Continue reading... The Guardian

Tattoos to 3D printing: five inventions that will revolutionise healthcare

Tattoos to 3D printing: five inventions that will revolutionise healthcare People know more about their car than their own health. With these technologies, that is about to change

Most people know they are sick or their health is at risk because of symptoms – pain, temperature, swelling, rash etc. These are the alarm bells that drive people to doctors. However, new epidemics like obesity and type 2 diabetes can start causing damage a long time before symptoms appear, and no alarms go off.

Today we can meet these challenges with new allies. Beyond the health and fitness uses, the new world of wearables (external surface sensors) and, in time, digestibles (nanoparticle sensors that can transmit information from within), offer the opportunity to restore control back to us. Advances in biotechnology as well as material science offer us alternatives never before dreamed possible. Continue reading... The Guardian