Monday 18 November 2019

KGH shows its LGBTQ support

KGH shows its LGBTQ support Staff at Kettering General Hospital are showing their support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community by wearing distinctive enamel badges. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Experimental waiting times data for autism services published for first time

Experimental waiting times data for autism services published for first time NHS Digital has published partial statistics on waiting times for people in contact with autism services – the first time this data has been available.

The report includes data on the number of new patients referred for suspected autism within the reporting period and waiting times for the first appointment. 

The surgeon as an expert witness: a guide to good practice

The surgeon as an expert witness: a guide to good practice This guidance sets out the role a surgeon should play when acting as an expert witness in civil, criminal and coroners’ cases. The guidance comes after two independent reviews highlighted a need to improve the quality and consistency of expert witnesses in gross negligence manslaughter cases. Royal College of Surgeons

    Why more people are talking about the issue of social care

    Why more people are talking about the issue of social care The care system helps older and disabled people with day-to-day tasks like washing, dressing, eating and medication.

    It is under pressure across the UK after past governments failed to reform or fund the council-run system properly.

    Experts believe the problems are now so acute that politicians who ignore the issue at this election, do so at their peril. BBC News

    Switch to vaping 'helps smokers' hearts'

    Switch to vaping 'helps smokers' hearts' Smokers can improve the health of their hearts within weeks of switching to e-cigarettes, the largest trial of its kind shows.

    The month-long study of 114 smokers suggests vaping has the potential to reduce heart attack and stroke risk.

    The team, at the University of Dundee, stressed vaping was "not safe" - just less harmful than tobacco.

    The British Heart Foundation said stopping smoking was the single best thing you could do for your heart. BBC News

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    Huntington's disease: Woman who inherited gene sues NHS

    Huntington's disease: Woman who inherited gene sues NHS A woman is suing a London NHS trust for not revealing her father had been diagnosed with Huntington's disease before she had her own child.

    She only discovered he carried the gene for the degenerative, incurable brain disorder after her daughter was born.

    The woman then found out she too carried the faulty gene, meaning her daughter has a 50% chance of having it.

    The NHS said the case raised competing duty of care and duty of confidentiality issues. BBC News

    The NHS will be key to this election. And that’s bad news for the health service

    The NHS will be key to this election. And that’s bad news for the health service | Andy Cowper Labour and the Tories trying to outdo each other on spending pledges is not a mature way to run such a vital service

    Health policy in a well-run country should be boring. It should be the precise and prosaic matter of examining data on health and care demand; looking at issues of performance, outcomes and safety; and making systems run in such ways that every taxpayer’s pound buys as much as possible of what we citizens and taxpayers need. The Guardian

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    Great Ormond Street Hospital accused of 'cover up' in scandal over controversial treatments given to children

    Great Ormond Street Hospital accused of 'cover up' in scandal over controversial treatments given to children Great Ormond Street has been accused of a “cover up” in a scandal over controversial treatments that may have been used on hundreds of children.

    The world famous children’s hospital may have subjected up to 463 children with a rare gut disease to unnecessary and potentially risky treatment.

    Under the “aggressive” treatment, some children were needlessly banned from eating for years – instead getting food via a tube through their stomachs. The Daily Telegraph

    Dangerous legacy of vaccine myths as one in three children have missed potentially lifesaving jabs

    Dangerous legacy of vaccine myths as one in three children have missed potentially lifesaving jabs One in three parents say their children have missed at least one potentially lifesaving jab, a Daily Mail poll reveals today.

    In a sign that ‘anti-vaxx’ myths may be hindering take-up, many cited concerns about safety and side-effects.

    A total of 30 per cent of parents surveyed said their children had missed one or more routine jabs including MMR, flu or meningitis. One in four claimed the reason for missing the appointment was ‘safety concerns’ about vaccines.

    A quarter of parents surveyed said they were often exposed to anti-vaxx messages on social media sites.