Teenagers who smoke and drink suffer ill effects by age of 17

Teenagers who smoke and drink suffer ill effects by age of 17 Teenagers who smoke and drink alcohol are causing visible damage to their arteries by the age of 17, a study has revealed. Tests showed stiffening of the arteries had begun by this relatively young age.

These physical changes have been linked with an increased risk of heart and blood vessel problems, such as stroke and heart attack, in later life.

But the study also found that the arteries of teenagers who stopped smoking or drinking returned to normal. BBC News - Health

See also:

• Teenagers who binge drink and smoke are increasing their risk of heart attacks and strokes as their arteries are already stiffening by 17 - but quitting can reverse the damage Mail Online

Quarter of 14-year-old girls in UK 'self-harmed in last year'

Quarter of 14-year-old girls in UK 'self-harmed in last year' Nearly a quarter of 14-year-old girls in the UK said they had self-harmed, a report suggests.

A survey of 11,000 children found 22% of the girls and 9% of the boys said they had hurt themselves on purpose in the year prior to the questionnaire.

Rates of self-harm were worst (46%) among those who were attracted to people of the same or both genders.

The Children's Society report said gender stereotypes and worries about looks were contributing to unhappiness. BBC News - Health

See also:

• The Good Childhood Report 2017 The Children's Society 
• Quarter of 14-year-old girls self-harm, study finds, amid warning of 'crisis in children's mental health' The Telegraph

Northampton brain injury charity fear end is in sight without formal funding in face of cuts

Northampton brain injury charity fear end is in sight without formal funding in face of cuts A Northampton charity supporting adults with brain injuries fear they "won't be here in two years" without funding.

Headway Northampton run a large day centre in Kings Heath where they help people who have sustained brain damage learn to live with their injuries.

But after losing out on grants and bearing the brunt of the county council's financial crisis, they now fear they will fold in as little as two years - and think other healthcare charities will follow. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The end is nigh for paper prescriptions

The end is nigh for paper prescriptions Paper prescriptions will as good as disappear under a shakeup to allow more electronic authorising of medicines, the health and social care secretary has announced.

Regulations that prevent GPs sending prescriptions to pharmacies digitally in some circumstances will be dropped with the aim of saving the NHS £300m by 2021. The changes will also benefit patients, the Department for Health and Social Care says: it will mean they have to spend less time waiting in pharmacies and GP practices, repeat prescriptions will be able to be collected from the pharmacy instead of having to visit the GP first, and they will not have to worry about losing paper prescriptions. OnMedica

No-deal Brexit: Plan to maintain medicine supplies 'could cost £2bn'

No-deal Brexit: Plan to maintain medicine supplies 'could cost £2bn'  Campaign group Best for Britain warns of cost to health secretary’s stockpiling strategy

The health secretary’s plan to set aside six weeks’ worth of vital medicines to avoid supply disruptions in the event of a no-deal Brexit could cost up to £2bn, campaign group Best for Britain warns today.

Matt Hancock wrote to healthcare providers last week, saying the government would set in motion plans to “ensure the UK has an additional six weeks’ supply of medicines in case imports from the EU through certain routes are affected”. The Guardian

Judge overturns south London hospital's ban on heart surgeon

Judge overturns south London hospital's ban on heart surgeon Marjan Jahangiri was excluded from St George’s pending disciplinary investigation

A heart surgeon excluded from working at a hospital pending disciplinary proceedings has said she is delighted to win the latest stage of a high court fight.

Prof Marjan Jahangiri had been excluded by bosses at St George’s in Tooting, south London, pending a disciplinary investigation into allegations made against her. The Guardian