Wednesday 2 October 2019

'Flu is still dangerous' say couple who lost baby son

'Flu is still dangerous' say couple who lost baby son A couple whose baby son died of flu said they wanted to "raise people's awareness that the flu is still dangerous" by telling his story.

Nikki Shaw, 32, and Dan Rowe, 36, from Market Harborough, had identical twin boys, Ned and Gus in December 2018.

In January Ned was rushed to Kettering General Hospital, later diagnosed with flu and passed away at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. BBC Northampton

NHS sickness absence

NHS sickness absence Sickness absence rates in the NHS are higher than in the rest of the economy. NHS staff sickness rates rose from 3.8 per cent in April 2018 to 4.1 per cent in April 2019. This is the highest level at that time of year in more than a decade, and represents more than 1.4 million full-time equivalent (FTE) days lost in that month alone. The King's Fund

New Insights Into Sexual Harassment at Work: Medscape UK Doctors' Survey

New Insights Into Sexual Harassment at Work: Medscape UK Doctors' Survey More than 1 in 5 doctors in the UK have been sexually harassed at work, or witnessed sexual harassment, according to the results of an exclusive survey by Medscape UK (requires free registration) .

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The community mental health framework for adults and older adults

The community mental health framework for adults and older adults This framework describes how the NHS long term plan’s vision for a place-based community mental health model can be realised, and how community services should modernise to offer whole-person, whole-population health approaches, aligned with the new primary care networks. NHS England

    Policy paper: Health infrastructure plan

    Policy paper: Health infrastructure plan The health infrastructure plan (HIP) will deliver a long-term, rolling five-year programme of investment in health infrastructure, including capital to: build new hospitals; modernise the primary care estate; improve mental health facilities; invest in new diagnostics and technology; and help eradicate critical safety issues in the NHS estate. Department of Health and Social Care

    Pharmacy staff warn they are suffering shortages in every major medicine category 

    Pharmacy staff warn they are suffering shortages in every major medicine category Community pharmacy staff have reported shortages across all 36 categories of medicines included in C+D’s Shortages Survey, ranging from topical NSAIDs to HRT products.

    The 402 community pharmacy professionals who responded to C+D’s survey – which ran from September 17-26 – reported experiencing shortages in every listed category in the last six months. Chemist and Druggist

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    One in ten children had drunk alcohol in previous week - NHS survey.

    One in ten children had drunk alcohol in previous week - NHS survey. Barrow-in-Furness is struggling to cope with underage drinking. More children are admitted to hospital for alcohol consumption here than anywhere else in England.

    NHS Digital figures suggest one in 10 children aged 11-15 had drunk alcohol in the previous week, and nearly a quarter of 15-year-olds describing themselves as having recently been "drunk".BBC News

    Virtual reality PTSD treatment has 'big impact' for veterans

    Virtual reality PTSD treatment has 'big impact' for veterans Virtual reality could be used to help military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who have struggled with mainstream treatment.

    It involves patients walking on a treadmill in front of a screen which projects images depicting the type of trauma experienced.

    A two-year trial found some patients could see almost a 40% improvement in their symptoms. BBC News

    NHS launches AI database designed to free up staff from mundane administrative jobs

    NHS launches AI database designed to free up staff from mundane administrative jobs The NHS has developed a new database of automated computer processes designed to free up staff time by allowing virtual robots to complete mundane and time-consuming administrative tasks.

    NHS Trusts will be able to download their chosen process from the NHS Marketplace website, a library of code they can download and run themselves without the need for technical knowledge. iNews

    Brexit referendum triggered man’s acute psychosis, doctor says

    Brexit referendum triggered man’s acute psychosis, doctor says The Brexit referendum caused a man to have an acute psychotic illness, with him suffering a serious of hallucinations and delusions, a doctor has said.

    This is the first reported case of Brexit-triggered psychosis, according to a new report which warns political upheaval can take a serious toll on mental health. The Independent

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    As a GP, I know that there is already a huge void for patients where the NHS used to be

    As a GP, I know that there is already a huge void for patients where the NHS used to be | Zara Aziz Rationing means that hernia repair, hip or knee replacements and removing tonsils or a gallbladder are no longer routinely funded

    The government’s pledge to invest £13bn in hospital projects across England, at the start of the Conservative party conference, won’t help the increasing number of patients I see who are being denied routine surgery on the NHS as more and more treatment is rationed.

    Did you know that hernia repair; hip or knee replacements; removal of cataracts, tonsils, haemorrhoids or a gallbladder; injections for back pain; and referral to specialised pain clinics are among the growing list of treatments that are no longer routinely funded by the NHS?

    Until recently, we had access to a children’s weight management service, but the funding has been replaced by just online support. The Guardian

    GPs are leaving patients in the dark on the side effects of antidepressants

    GPs are leaving patients in the dark on the side effects of antidepressants Family doctors are leaving patients in the dark about the side effects of antidepressants, sedatives and other psychiatric treatments, experts have warned.

    Four in every five patients with mental health problems were not told the potential side effects of their medications, according to the charity Mind.

    The organisation's annual survey, which asked 12,000 people about their experiences, found 53 per cent of patients did not receive enough information about the purpose of treatments they were prescribed. The Daily Mail

    Britain's cancer rates won't improve unless Government tackles staff shortages, charities warn

    Britain's cancer rates won't improve unless Government tackles staff shortages, charities warn Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support have written to the PM highlighting how patients are being diagnosed late, making the cancer harder to treat, largely because of a lack of staff. The Daily Mail