Friday 19 July 2019

Guidance on use of data for innovation

Guidance on use of data for innovation The Department of Health and Social Care has issued guidance on how the NHS should engage with researchers and innovators when entering into data sharing arrangements.

The department has promised to set up a national centre of excellence assist in the development of data sharing agreements.

Music 'calms nerves before surgery' as well as sedative

Music 'calms nerves before surgery' as well as sedative Listening to the "world's most relaxing song" before an operation could be just as good at calming patients' nerves as medication, US researchers say.

The song, written to reduce anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate, performed as well as a sedative in a study of 157 people.

But patients said they would have preferred to choose their own music. BBC News

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Capita admits further cervical screening administration errors

Capita admits further cervical screening administration errors Capita has admitted that correspondence relating to cervical screening was not processed properly due to an administrative error.

The private company, which runs the NHS's Primary Care Support England service, revealed in a statement that the error caused a delay to 16 women being invited to screening - but insisted no harm was caused. Pulse

Thousands go missing from mental health hospitals in England each year

Thousands go missing from mental health hospitals in England each year Thousands of patients went missing from mental health hospitals in England last year, NHS figures show.

A total of 3,462 people who had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act went AWOL - absent without leave - from facilities between April 2018 and March 2019.

This is a 4.4% rise on the previous year during which 3,316 patients went missing. Sky News

'Vaccine hesitant': a gentler label than anti-vaxxer, but just as scary

'Vaccine hesitant': a gentler label than anti-vaxxer, but just as scary Reluctant parents who keep their opinions on jabs to themselves have been called a global threat by the World Health Organisation

This week we learned that parents who are unsure whether to have their children vaccinated against dangerous diseases are in the grip of “vaccine hesitancy”, a term that first appeared in print in 2008 but is becoming distressingly more common. It is not clear whether there is a symmetrically opposed group who are “vaccine curious”, but to call such waverers “hesitant” is at least gentler than calling them “deniers”. The Guardian

NHS flu jabs delayed amid scramble to keep up with 'Aussie' strain 

NHS flu jabs delayed amid scramble to keep up with 'Aussie' strain The NHS is scrambling to get hold of the right flu jabs in time for this winter, amid fears millions of Britons will not be protected against a deadly “Aussie” strain.

Health officials say delays by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in selecting the vaccine for this winter mean that some jabs will not be delivered to GP practices until the end of November.

Normally flu vaccinations are offered by the NHS from September. The Daily Telegraph

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Relaxing salt regulations in ready meals 'caused 9,9000 cases of heart disease'

Relaxing salt regulations in ready meals 'caused 9,9000 cases of heart disease' Relaxing salt regulations in the UK has been linked to thousands of cases of heart disease and stomach cancer that would never have otherwise occurred, research suggests.

A study looked at salt intake in England before and after changes to legislation were introduced in 2011.

The 'tragic' Public Health Responsibility Deal saw the food industry set its own salt targets, rather than being monitored by an independent body. The Daily Mail

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