Valuing health: why prioritising population health is essential to prosperity

Valuing health: why prioritising population health is essential to prosperity This report calls on the government to consider the health of the population as crucial to sustainable economic growth, rather than being dependent on a prosperous economy. Raising alarm about rapidly declining population health and widening health inequalities, the report identifies that the nation is facing a ‘ticking time-bomb’ of ill health with current government policies insufficient to meet the scale of the challenge. To-date, principal discourse centres upon healthcare and treatments, rather than developing and sustaining trajectories that preserve health. British Medical Association

NHS faces consultant exodus

NHS faces consultant exodus The NHS is facing a potential exodus of senior doctors as punitive pay and pensions rules force many consultants to consider quitting, the BMA has warned.

The association’s consultants committee has told the Government the health service could face a ‘tidal wave of resignations’ during the next year, after a survey of consultants in England revealed 44 per cent were planning to leave their roles ‘in some capacity’ in the next 12 months. BMA

See also:

• NHS ‘in danger of complete collapse’ as senior medics plan to leave, warns BMA The Independent

MPs call on Government to address postcode lottery of menopause treatment in new report

MPs call on Government to address postcode lottery of menopause treatment in new report Ahead of World Menopause Day, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Menopause (the APPG), chaired by leading parliamentary campaigner Carolyn Harris MP, publishes its final report following a year-long inquiry into the subject.

The MPs findings demonstrate that widespread action is needed across all spheres to improve the situation for those going through the menopause, and the families, friends and colleagues affected by it.

Menopause symptoms can have a debilitating impact on the day-to-day lives of women. Whether from the inability to get the right diagnosis at the right time, difficulties in accessing HRT, a lack of support from their employer while struggling at work, or simply not being able to recognise what is happening to them and their bodies and seek help.

See also:

• Give all women a menopause check at 45, MPs told BBC News
• All women should be offered a health check aged 45 to diagnose early menopause, MPs say The Daily Mail
• MPs call for menopause health checks at 45 and free HRT in England The Guardian
• Offer 45-year-old women a menopause health check on the NHS, MPs say The Independent

£50 million to tackle health inequalities through research

£50 million to tackle health inequalities through research People are set to benefit from a £50 million research boost to tackle health inequalities in local areas and improve health outcomes across the country.

The significant investment, overseen by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), will enable 13 local authorities to set up pioneering Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) between experts and academics to address knowledge gaps in local areas. Department of Health and Social Care

Significant milestone reached as extra 2 million scans, tests and checks delivered to bust the COVID backlogs

Significant milestone reached as extra 2 million scans, tests and checks delivered to bust the COVID backlogs Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) have delivered more than 2 million vital tests, checks and scans for patients, with a further 10 centres now approved, the Health and Social Care Secretary has announced today (11 October 2022). These centres are busting the COVID-19 backlogs by speeding up access to lifesaving tests. Department of Health and Social Care

World-first national genetic testing service to deliver rapid life-saving checks for babies and kids

World-first national genetic testing service to deliver rapid life-saving checks for babies and kids The NHS will be able to diagnose and potentially save the lives of thousands of severely ill children and babies — within days rather than weeks — with a world-first national genetic testing service launching today.

Announcing the groundbreaking new service at the first-ever NHS genomics conference in England, NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard hailed it as the start of a “new era of genomic medicine”. NHS England

See also: 

• Life-saving gene test for seriously ill children in England BBC News
• DNA revolution 'to save thousands of young lives The Daily Mail
• New NHS genetic testing service 'could save thousands of children' in England The Guardian

People not looking for work due to illness hits record high

People not looking for work due to illness hits record high The number of people not looking for work because they are suffering from a long-term illness has hit a record high, latest official figures show.

The fall in the number looking for work has helped to push the unemployment rate to its lowest for nearly 50 years.

The jobless rate fell to 3.5% in the three months to August, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. BBC News

'Not a single penny less' to NHS despite tax hike reversal, says minister

'Not a single penny less' to NHS despite tax hike reversal, says minister The NHS and social care will receive “not a single penny less” as a result of the Government repealing a multibillion-pound tax hike, according to a Treasury minister.

Chris Philp offered the guarantee as the House of Commons took steps to scrap the national insurance rise introduced by former prime minister Boris Johnson’s government. The Independent

Nurses will not get higher pay offer, says UK health secretary, as strikes loom

Nurses will not get higher pay offer, says UK health secretary, as strikes loom Health secretary said there is limited scope for negotiation on 3% offer and she is ‘not anticipating further changes’

Thérèse Coffey has said nurses will not get a higher pay offer, as they vote on strike action for the first time in decades.

The Royal College of Nursing will ballot nurses this week, asking for a higher pay award as well as action to tackle pressures caused by surging vacancies. The Guardian

See also:

• Therese Coffey tell nurses they're not getting more cash as strike action looms The Daily Mail

Old diabetes drugs slash the risk of dementia by more than a FIFTH, study finds

Old diabetes drugs slash the risk of dementia by more than a FIFTH, study finds A class of diabetes drugs that have fallen out of fashion may help prevent Alzheimer's, a major study suggests. 

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) reduced the risk of developing the disease by more than a fifth in a study of more than half a million patients.

The drugs are thought to work by reducing bad cholesterol in the blood and boosting blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain. The Daily Mail