Identifying the health care system benefits of housing with care

Identifying the health care system benefits of housing with care This study, published together with Southampton City Council, found benefits ranging from improvements to residents’ quality of life, reductions in the use of health services and associated resources, and significant cost-benefits for the health system from the use of housing with care services. Although the research focuses on Southampton, the findings will be of interest to planners and commissioners of services across the UK. Housing Learning and Improvement Network

NHS to set up national artificial intelligence lab

NHS to set up national artificial intelligence lab The NHS in England is setting up a national artificial intelligence laboratory to enhance care of patients and research.

The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said AI had "enormous power" to improve care, save lives and ensure doctors had more time to spend with patients.

He has announced £250m will be spent on boosting the role of AI within the health service.

However, AI will pose new challenges including protecting patient data. BBC News

See also:

• A positive step towards a digital future but technology needs to be driven by patient need The Health Foundation
• NHS to receive £250m boost for AI development The Daily Telegraph
• Boris Johnson pledges £250m for NHS artificial intelligence The Guardian
• New £250m fund marks dawn of artificial intelligence for NHS Health Service Journal
• NHS to receive £250m boost for AI development ITV News

I'll lose my mental health care when I turn 18. Why?

I'll lose my mental health care when I turn 18. Why? Thomas says he was close to ending his life a few months ago. He has been receiving mental health care for five years, but he's been told his treatment will stop on his 18th birthday.

This is a common problem for young people in the UK. According to a leading expert, thousands of young people "fall off the cliff edge" when transitioning from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services. BBC News

'I was denied cervical screening because of my disability'

'I was denied cervical screening because of my disability' Women with physical disabilities often have to fight to access cervical screening, with some denied it altogether, a charity is warning.

Some said they hadn't had smear tests for years because hoists were unavailable and testing at home was not an option, a report found.

Other women said they felt invisible and their needs were not understood. BBC News

I've lived the difference between US and UK health care. Here's what I learned

I've lived the difference between US and UK health care. Here's what I learned Laura Beers has been sick and needed care in both the UK and the US, and she says while the British National Health *Service* isn't perfect, it's far superior. CNN

Air pollution gives hundreds of thousands of European children asthma, study finds

Air pollution gives hundreds of thousands of European children asthma, study finds Up to a third of new cases of childhood asthma in Europe could be caused by air pollution, a study has found.

Hundreds of thousands of children from one to 14 years old are believed to have been made ill each year by breathing in pollutants, researchers estimate.

Around 1.1 million children are believed to suffer from asthma in the UK. The Independent

See also:

• 33% of New Childhood Asthma Cases in Europe Attributable to Air Pollution Barcelona Institute for Global Health
• A THIRD of all childhood asthma cases in Europe are caused by air pollution The Daily Mail

My wait for NHS surgery has caused me further pain

My wait for NHS surgery has caused me further pain | Susannah Thraves I am one of the record number of patients in England waiting for surgery. Behind the numbers are people in serious distress

My weekend was spent at the Edinburgh fringe watching standup comedians that I love, while sitting curled up in my seat with heat pads stuck to my skin. This isn’t ideal in summer, but I needed the heat pressed against my left side to drown out the agonising pain I often experience. The only way I can describe it is that it feels like my organs are being squeezed as tightly as possible. The Guardian

NHS could save £727MILLION over the next decade if type 2 diabetes patients met treatment targets

NHS could save £727MILLION over the next decade if type 2 diabetes patients met treatment targets The NHS could save £727million over the next decade if type 2 diabetes patients met three key treatment targets.

Analysts say the money would mainly be saved by preventing complications caused by the condition, such as heart attacks.

Fewer than two in five patients in England and Wales keep their blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check. The Daily Mail

Eating more plant-based foods lowers your risk of dying from heart disease by 32%

Eating more plant-based foods lowers your risk of dying from heart disease by 32% Vegan diets really are good for you, research suggests.

A study of more than 12,000 people found those who ate mostly plant-based foods were 32 per cent less likely to die from heart disease.

Opting for vegetables, whole grains and nuts also reduced their risk of dying from any cause by a quarter over 29 years, scientists found. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Plant‐Based Diets Are Associated With a Lower Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Disease Mortality, and All‐Cause Mortality in a General Population of Middle‐Aged Adults (open access) Journal of the American Heart Association
• Plant-based diet can fight climate change - UN BBC News