Breast cancer GP 'didn't think' he could get the disease

Breast cancer GP 'didn't think' he could get the disease A retired male GP who was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago said he "hadn't even contemplated" he could get the disease.

Mike Greenhalgh, from Abthorpe, Northamptonshire, who was a doctor for 27 years, said he had never seen a case of breast cancer in men.

The 63-year-old said he found it "difficult" being seen in a clinic with mostly women patients.

About 360 men in the UK are diagnosed each year, compared to 54,500 women. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Male breast cancer: Men warned to check for symptoms BBC News

Back in the ‘too difficult’ box: social care and the manifestos

Back in the ‘too difficult’ box: social care and the manifestos With concern about care for older people and disabled adults now the third most important issue for voters behind only the NHS and Brexit in the latest poll from Ipsos MORI, we now have the detail of social care pledges from the three main English parties. Labour and the Liberal Democrats have published their manifestos and the Conservatives have announced their social care policy. Do they make for happy reading around social care? The King's Fund

Achieving integrated care: 15 best practice actions

Achieving integrated care: 15 best practice actions This resource, produced in partnership with the Social Care Institute for Excellence, aims to support local systems in fulfilling their ambition of integration. The 15 actions prioritised in this resource draw on evidence about what works from international research, emerging best practices and engagement with our own stakeholders and partners. The actions are deliberately aligned with national policy, legal frameworks and regulatory guidance, but most important, they allow for local variety in system design and service delivery to flourish. Local Government Association

Living near busy road can stunt children's lung growth, study says

Living near busy road can stunt children's lung growth, study says Children exposed to roadside air pollution could have their lung growth stunted by up to 14%, a study suggests.

Living within 50m of a major road could increase the risk of lung cancer by up to 10%, the paper also found.

The study of 13 cities in the UK and Poland found air pollution contributes to a higher chance of heart disease, strokes, heart failure and bronchitis.

Campaigners called on the government to commit to tackling "dangerous" air pollution in the UK. BBC News

See also:

• Research suggests living near a busy road can raise the risk of lung cancer by 10 per cent  The Daily Mail

Cancer immunotherapy drug 'less toxic and prolongs life'

Cancer immunotherapy drug 'less toxic and prolongs life' An immunotherapy drug that could save some cancer patients from the ordeal of extreme chemotherapy may also help them live longer, researchers say.

In a trial, pembrolizumab kept head and neck cancers at bay for an average of two years - five times longer than under chemotherapy.

The patients also suffered far fewer side-effects.

Cases of head and neck cancers are rising in the UK and most are diagnosed late, when they are harder to treat. BBC News

Nurse says NHS trust failed to protect him from racist attack

Nurse says NHS trust failed to protect him from racist attack An NHS nurse is locked in a legal battle with his employer after being assaulted and abused by a patient who was known to be racist.

Colleridge Bessong, a mental health nurse, is taking legal action against Pennine Care NHS trust in Manchester over what he claims is the trust’s failure to protect him from the violent racist attack. The Guardian

NHS winter crisis fears grow after thousands of EU staff quit

NHS winter crisis fears grow after thousands of EU staff quit Mass resignations after Brexit vote compound health staffing shortages

More than 10,000 EU nationals have left the NHS since the Brexit referendum, including almost 5,000 nurses. These new figures will add fuel to concerns about a wider staffing crisis.

So far this year more than 3,250 EU staff have left the NHS, according to data released under the Freedom of Information Act. The figures are from less than half England’s trusts and cover only 10 months, so the actual figure is likely to be higher. This year alone, 1,116 EU nurses have left. The Guardian

Many men still failing to take health seriously, despite success of Movember-style campaigns, research suggests

Many men still failing to take health seriously, despite success of Movember-style campaigns, research suggests Movember-style male health campaigns are failing to make men take their wellbeing seriously, as nearly half still resist going to the doctor, new research suggests.

The arrival of November traditionally sees social media flooded with pictures of men with specially grown moustaches as part of a drive to raise awareness of male health issues.

However, despite the campaign raising £10 million in the UK last year, a survey by Bupa has found a large proportion of the male population are still worryingly cavalier about health. The Daily Telegraph

Figures reveal the NHS trusts where more than 99% of overnight beds were FULL this summer

Figures reveal the NHS trusts where more than 99% of overnight beds were FULL this summer Nine out of 10 hospital beds in England were full between July and September, according to NHS statistics.

Figures revealed more than 50 hospitals had more beds occupied than the NHS's 92 per cent safe operating limit.

The second-quarter figures were the worst in at least a decade and on par with those normally seen in the depths of winter.

Leading English surgeons told MailOnline bed closures have 'gone too far' and when so many beds are full operations have to be cancelled and flu spreads quickly. The Daily Mail

NHS doctors vote to scrap home visits because modern GPs 'don't have time'

NHS doctors vote to scrap home visits because modern GPs 'don't have time' England's Local Medicine Committees voted 54 per cent in favour of removing the obligation to do home visits from GPs' contracts and said the practice is 'virtually unheard of' in other countries. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Home visits are a core part of general practice - and invaluable for some vulnerable patients, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• GPs vote to reduce patient home visits BBC News
• GPs vote to scrap home visits from their contracts The Daily Telegraph
• LMCs vote to remove home visits from GP contract GPonline
• Hancock rejects GPs' vote to remove home visits from contracts The Guardian