Tuesday 29 October 2019

Why you’re better off being a cleaner than a care worker

Why you’re better off being a cleaner than a care worker Does the latest data on the social care workforce offer much optimism for the sector? In a word, no. The trends are largely a continuation of last year’s – a slowing almost to a standstill of the growth in jobs, an increasing vacancy rate and a high turnover rate. The King's Fund

69% of consultant surgeons cut their hours because of NHS pensions ‘tax trap’, as waiting times rise

69% of consultant surgeons cut their hours because of NHS pensions ‘tax trap’, as waiting times rise A YouGov survey of surgeons commissioned by the Royal College of Surgeons of England in October, and published today, reports:
  • 68% of consultant surgeons are considering early retirement because of the pensions tax situation.
  • 64% of consultant surgeons have been advised to work fewer hours in the NHS following recent changes in pension taxation rules to avoid ‘crippling and unpredictable’ tax bills.
  • 69% of consultant surgeons have reduced the amount of time they have spent working in the NHS as a direct result of changes to pension taxation rules.
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Improving healthcare quality in Europe: Characteristics, effectiveness and implementation of different strategies

Improving healthcare quality in Europe: Characteristics, effectiveness and implementation of different strategies Quality improvement initiatives take many forms, from the creation of standards for health professionals, health technologies and health facilities, to audit and feedback, and from fostering a patient safety culture to public reporting and paying for quality. For policy-makers who struggle to decide which initiatives to prioritise for investment, understanding the potential of different quality strategies in their unique settings is key.....This book is intended to help policy-makers to understand concepts of quality and to support them to evaluate single strategies and combinations of strategies. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

Brain illness spread by ticks has reached UK

Brain illness spread by ticks has reached UK An infectious disease that can harm the brain and is spread to people by tick bites has been identified in ticks in the UK for the first time.

Public Health England (PHE) says it has confirmed cases of tick-borne encephalitis virus in ticks from two parts of England - Thetford Forest and an area on the Hampshire-Dorset border.

PHE says the risk to people is still "very low".

It is monitoring the situation to check how common the infected ticks may be. BBC News

Narcissists 'horrible people but happy'

Narcissists 'horrible people but happy' Narcissists might have "grandiose" delusions about their own importance and an absence of "shame" - but psychologists say they are also likely to be happier than most people.

An ongoing study of narcissism by researchers at Queen's University Belfast has found such people might infuriate others but are less likely to be stressed or depressed. BBC News

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NHS bill for US drugs 'could soar under post-Brexit trade deal'

NHS bill for US drugs 'could soar under post-Brexit trade deal' The price the NHS pays for US medicines could soar under a trade deal with the United States after the UK leaves the European Union, according to an investigation.

Despite Boris Johnson’s assertion that the NHS is not on the table, sources with knowledge of the initial trade discussions between the two countries question whether the Prime Minister is able to keep to that promise. In fact “drug pricing” has been discussed in six initial meetings between trade officials from the two countries and secret meetings between US drugs firms and British civil servants where medicine “price caps” have been talked about, according to Dispatches. iNews

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Lack of evidence showing medical cannabis helps mental health conditions, scientists say

Lack of evidence showing medical cannabis helps mental health conditions, scientists say There is inadequate evidence that cannabinoids relieve depression, anxiety disorders or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, scientists have said.

The meta-analysis also looked at the impact of medicinal cannabinoids on Tourette's syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis.

Research which combined 83 studies involving 3,000 people suggested their use for the six mental health conditions cannot be justified based on the current evidence. The Independent

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Doctors call on workplaces to ban sale of sugary drinks

Doctors call on workplaces to ban sale of sugary drinks Research at University of California shows a ban slashed staff’s intake by nearly half

Doctors have called on workplaces to ban sales of sugary drinks after research showed that removing them from cafes, canteens and vending machines helped reduce people’s waistlines and improve their health.

Researchers monitored more than 200 staff at the University of California in San Francisco and its associated hospital after a ban was introduced in 2015. Before the ban, the participating staff consumed on average more than a litre of sugary drinks daily, but 10 months later had slashed their intake by nearly half. The Guardian

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NHS manager allowed to work from Marbella on rates of £2,000 a day 

NHS manager allowed to work from Marbella on rates of £2,000 a day An NHS manager is being paid rates of almost £2,000 a day and allowed to work from his home in Marbella, an investigation has found.

The “astronomical” sums, revealed in Freedom of Information disclosures, are being paid by a health board which has a deficit of more than £40 million. The Daily Telegraph

Schizophrenia could be detected by testing human hair, scientists claim

Schizophrenia could be detected by testing human hair, scientists claim Schizophrenia could one day be detected by testing human hair for levels of a certain enzyme, scientists have claimed.

Tests show patients with the severe mental health disorder have much higher levels of MPST, compared to those without.

The Japanese team now say looking for levels of the enzyme in hair could help spot the condition before patients suffer hallucinations. The Daily Mail

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