Thursday 19 December 2019

Research and analysis: Shooting Up: infections among people who inject drugs in the UK

Research and analysis: Shooting Up: infections among people who inject drugs in the UK This Public Health England report describes the extent of infections among people who inject drugs (PWID) in the United Kingdom.

National Neonatal Audit Programme Annual Report 2019 - on 2018 data

National Neonatal Audit Programme Annual Report 2019 - on 2018 data This report highlights the key findings and recommendations from the analysis of the data provided by neonatal units on the admissions of babies for neonatal care in England, Scotland and Wales in 2018. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

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New analysis finds our over 80s save Government £23 billion a year through the unpaid care they give loved ones

New analysis finds our over 80s save Government £23 billion a year through the unpaid care they give loved ones New figures by Age UK show that an army of carers amongst the oldest old in our society (80 years old and over) provide 23 million hours of unpaid care a week which adds up to 1.2 billion hours of care a year, saving the health and care system a massive £23 billion a year.

Almost 1 in 3 (30 per cent) older people aged 80 and over are carers and since 2010 the number of carers in this age group has rocketed by nearly a quarter (23 per cent) to 970,000

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Dementia care: ‘It’s not dementia killing me, it’s exhaustion’

Dementia care: ‘It’s not dementia killing me, it’s exhaustion’ The head of the Alzheimer’s Society says that the UK is facing a humanitarian crisis, because the care system is failing those with dementia and their families.

The number of us who will provide care at home for a loved one with dementia is set to rise by almost one million by 2035.

Here are the stories of Anne and Julia – who both care full time for their husbands. BBC News

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Vegans 'need to be aware of B12 deficiency risk'

Vegans 'need to be aware of B12 deficiency risk' Experts are warning that people eating a vegan diet need to make sure they get enough B12 - because the risk of deficiency is "not a myth".

They were speaking ahead of 'Veganuary', when increasing numbers turn to a vegan diet each January.

The diet is generally high in fibre and low in cholesterol, but some nutrients are harder to get enough of - including B12. BBC News

Royal Derby Hospital: Disposable sterile hijabs introduced

Royal Derby Hospital: Disposable sterile hijabs introduced A hospital trust believes it is the first in the UK to introduce disposable sterile headscarves for staff to use in operating theatres.

Junior doctor Farah Roslan, who is Muslim, had the idea during her training at the Royal Derby Hospital.

She said it came following infection concerns related to her hijab that she had been wearing throughout the day.

It is hoped the items can be introduced nationally but NHS England said it would be up to individual trusts. BBC News

Call for end to sick and disabled people being medically assessed by private firms they have never met

Call for end to sick and disabled people being medically assessed by private firms they have never met Lawyers and campaigners have called for an end to state medical assessments of sick and disabled people being carried out by a private firm that never even meets them.

The practice – used by the Home Office as well as local authorities across the country – was highlighted by a joint investigation by The Independent and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, which revealed the firm, NowMedical, had been paid millions of pounds in public money.

Ministers told to scrap ‘deeply flawed’ NHS charging policy

Ministers told to scrap ‘deeply flawed’ NHS charging policy The government’s “deeply flawed” policy of charging migrant women for maternity care is putting lives at risk, a national charity has warned.

Maternity Action has called on the government to scrap charges for maternity care, which can land vulnerable women with bills of at least £7,000.

The charity, which launched a judicial review of the policy in October claiming it was discriminatory, spoke out after The Independent revealed three women died from complications after delaying treatment because of fears they might be charged.

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Why is Matt Hancock bringing bursaries back for student nurses?

Why is Matt Hancock bringing bursaries back for student nurses? The Conservatives abolished nursing grants in 2015 – so is this a U-turn?

Until 2016-17 students doing a first degree in nursing received a bursary from the government worth up to £16,454 a year to help boost the NHS’s supply of “homegrown” nurses. The Guardian

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Doctor falsley diagnosed children with cancer to scare parents into buying private treatment

Doctor falsley diagnosed children with cancer to scare parents into buying private treatment An NHS doctor falsely diagnosed children with cancer to try and scare parents into paying for private treatment, a watchdog has ruled.

Dr Mina Chowdhury, 44, was found to have created “an unwarranted sense of concern” before recommending treatment linked to his private medical company in Glasgow. The Daily Telegraph

Six in 10 teenage girls say they are 'completely unhappy' with poor self-image fuelling despair 

Six in 10 teenage girls say they are 'completely unhappy' with poor self-image fuelling despair Six in 10 teenage girls say they are "completely unhappy" - with poor self-image and a “toxic” social media culture fuelling despair, research suggests.

The study of more than 11,000 teenagers found that misery levels among girls were twice those among boys the same age.

Researchers said young girls were suffering from “toxic social comparisons” in a culture based on unrealistic beauty images, airbrushing and “likes” on social media. The Daily Telegraph

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Want to live for longer? A theatre trip once a month cuts the risk of death by 30%' 

Want to live for longer? A theatre trip once a month cuts the risk of death by 30%'  Going to the theatre once every month may slash your risk of a premature death, a study claims.

University College London researchers tracked nearly 7,000 adults over the age of 50 for 12 years.

Volunteers who engaged with the arts every few months were 14 per cent less likely to die by the end of the study.

Visiting museums, theatres, art galleries more frequently – once a month – cut the risk by 31 per cent, results showed. The Daily Mail

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Living in polluted cities may make you more likely to be depressed or attempt suicide

Living in polluted cities may make you more likely to be depressed or attempt suicide People living in polluted areas are more likely to die by suicide or be depressed, research shows.

Scientists reviewed studies from 16 countries looking into the long-term impact of breathing in toxic airborne particles on mental health.

They found that as the level of pollution increased, so too did the rate of number of suicides and depression diagnoses. The Daily Mail

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