One In Five LGBTQ+ NHS Staff Have Been Attacked n The Last Year - HuffPost UK

One In Five LGBTQ+ NHS Staff Have Been Attacked n The Last Year One in five NHS staff who are LGBTQ+ say they have been attacked while working in the last 12 months, new figures reveal.

When responding to the 2018 NHS Staff Survey, more than 20% of those identifying as gay and bisexual reported experiencing at least one attack in the last 12 months from patients, service users, relatives or other members of the public. Huffington Post UK

Give local authorities extra powers to curb junk food ads – report

Give local authorities extra powers to curb junk food ads – report Local authorities should be given greater powers to make it easier for them to impose restrictions on junk food advertising in their areas, a report has recommended.

Loopholes ripe for closure include the rules governing promotions in public telephone boxes – normally outside councils’ jurisdiction – while the remit of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) should be extended to advertising not only near schools but also nurseries, children’s centres, parks, family attractions and leisure centres, it said. The Guardian

See also:

• Taking down junk food ads – how local authorities are taking action on outdoor advertising Food Active and Sustain

Hancock: NHS must adopt new technology or it will not survive

Hancock: NHS must adopt new technology or it will not survive The NHS must adopt new technology in order to survive, the health secretary has warned, as a report calls for widespread use of robots and artificial intelligence.

The study by the Taxpayers Alliance suggests one tenth of the NHS budget could be saved by the introduction of “automation” across the health service.

The report highlights innovations, such as the use of AI to analyse emergency calls, which were found to detect life-threatening situations more quickly. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Health Secretary launches TPA report on automation in health care Taxpayers Alliance
• Embracing technology in health and social care Taxpayers Alliance

Government promises £8million to give ambulance staff body cameras

Government promises £8million to give ambulance staff body cameras A third paramedics have been attacked in the past year, according to official figures from the NHS.

Nearly 7,000 ambulance staff admitted to having suffered physical violence at work last year from patients and the public.

The figures have prompted the Government to announce a series of measures that could see all paramedics given body-worn cameras.

In an announcement today, health chiefs promised to spend £8million on a pilot that will see staff at three ambulance trusts wear them. The Daily Mail

£2m lung scan project to detect cancer earlier in Corby hotspot

£2m lung scan project to detect cancer earlier in Corby hotspot Lung scanning trucks are coming to Corby as part of a four-year £2.3m project to detect cancer earlier.

Lung cancer rates for the town have for many years been much higher than those of surrounding towns and the national average.

Now in a bid for earlier detection, patients aged between 55 and 74 with a history of smoking will be offered a lung MOT by their GP and a low dose CT scan from a mobile unit. The units will also be stationed at places such as supermarkets so that people can drop in for a check. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Outbreak of virus sees closure of Northampton General Hospital ward

Outbreak of virus sees closure of Northampton General Hospital ward Six patients have been affected by an outbreak of the norovirus bug at NGH prompting the hospital to warn those who have had diarrhoea and sickness not to visit.

A spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed a minor outbreak, which is contained to Becket Ward.

To keep patients safe and prevent further spread of the virus managers have implemented "stringent infection prevention and control procedures", which include isolating the ward. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Campaign to tackle 'botched' cosmetic procedures

Campaign to tackle 'botched' cosmetic procedures A campaign to tackle "botched" cosmetic procedures is to be launched shortly by the government in England.

It follows a rise in people seeking surgeries such as a "Brazilian butt lift" abroad, which has led to deaths.

There have also been warnings about the rise in the use of self-injected dermal and lip fillers, with the risk of causing complications that then have to be treated on the NHS. BBC News

Targeted checks 'prevent one-in-10 heart attacks'

Targeted checks 'prevent one-in-10 heart attacks' Nearly one in 10 heart attacks and strokes in England and Wales could be prevented if routine check-ups were better targeted, say researchers.

Currently, people aged 40 and over are eligible to have their heart health assessed every five years.

But UCL scientists say people at low risk are being checked too often while those considered at high risk are not checked often enough.

They say a personalised approach could save lives without costing any more. BBC News

See also:

• 5-year versus risk-category-specific screening intervals for cardiovascular disease prevention: a cohort study (open access) Lancet Public Health

Learning disability 'trapped' in hospitals as NHS target missed

Learning disability 'trapped' in hospitals as NHS target missed An NHS target to reduce the number of people with learning disabilities being treated in long-stay hospitals has been missed, resulting in more than 2,200 remaining in-patients in England.

Charities say they are at risk of abuse and neglect in hospital units and should be cared for in homes in the community, close to their families.

NHS England committed to halving the numbers in hospitals, but achieved 19%.

It said it was investing in community care to help hundreds more people. BBC News

NHS mental health patients kept on locked wards for years

NHS mental health patients kept on locked wards for years Guardian finds many people confined far from families, sometimes for decades

A patient locked in a secure ward for more than 21 years is among hundreds of people with mental health problems being kept in what one MP has called “old-style asylums” in NHS hospitals, an investigation can reveal.

Keeping people in so-called “locked rehabilitation wards” has been condemned as “outdated and sometimes institutionalised care”, by the NHS watchdog, with many patients housed far from their homes. This is despite a 2017 report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) that said the model of care had no place in a modern healthcare system. The Guardian

Sexual dysfunction cuts risk 'leaving thousands in UK without help'

Sexual dysfunction cuts risk 'leaving thousands in UK without help' Cuts to sexual dysfunction services risk leaving thousands of people without help for problems that can affect their wellbeing, relationships and ability to conceive, the Guardian can reveal.

Experts say funding cuts to sexual health clinics and clinical commissioning groups have led to the decommissioning of services that tackle sexual dysfunction. This, they say, is leaving men and women with dwindling support for problems ranging from erectile trouble to pain during sex – a situation that not only impacts people’s quality of life, but could mean they miss their chance to start a family. The Guardian

NHS England to expand jobs scheme for mental health patients

NHS England to expand jobs scheme for mental health patients Thousands more people who want to return to work to have access to IPS support service

Thousands more people in England with mental health problems are to receive support finding a job, it has been announced.

A scheme aimed at helping patients who wish to return to work will be rolled out to 28 new local NHS areas, NHS England said. The Guardian

See also:

• Thousands more set to get help as NHS rolls out mental health job coaches NHS England

'One in four' NHS doctors suffering from a mental health condition

'One in four' NHS doctors suffering from a mental health condition More than a quarter of NHS doctors suffer from mental health conditions, a survey indicates, as leading medics say many refuse to seek help for fear it will ruin their career.

The British Medical Association (BMA) today warns of a mental health “crisis” among the workforce, with 27 per cent having received a psychiatric diagnosis. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• 1 in 4 doctors 'have suffered mental health issues' as stresses of the job can lead to depression, anxiety, and drinking problems The Daily Mail
• Burnout Britain: Report Warns Of 'Alarming Mental Health Crisis' Among Doctors Huffington Post UK

Gagging orders for NHS whistleblowers will be banned, Health Secretary promises

Gagging orders for NHS whistleblowers will be banned, Health Secretary promises Gagging orders for whistleblowers will be banished from the NHS, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has promised, after a radiographer had her non-disclosure agreement overturned.

Mr Hancock said he was "determined to end" the injustice of making health service staff choose between speaking out to protect patients or keeping their job. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NHS non-disclosure agreements to end, vows Matt Hancock The Guardian
• Gagging orders on NHS whistleblowers to be banned The Independent

Volunteering at hospitals will help boost your ‘personal resilience’, head of the NHS says

Volunteering at hospitals will help boost your ‘personal resilience’, head of the NHS says The head of the NHS has encouraged teenagers and young adults to help out in hospitals.

Simon Stevens called for a ‘new generation’ of volunteers step forward, pointing out that some roles would undoubtedly lead to future health service careers.

He said volunteering was particularly beneficial for younger age groups in building their self-confidence and giving them invaluable life-skills. BBC News

Number of patients seen by NHS hospitals rockets by five MILLION annually in 15 years

Number of patients seen by NHS hospitals rockets by five MILLION annually in 15 years Hospitals in England are dealing with 5 million more patients than 15 years ago.

The number of emergency, planned and day-case patients has soared by more than 40 per cent since 2004, to 17.6 million in 2016-17. The ageing population, obesity crisis and diabetes have all been blamed.

People being treated as outpatients waited 11 days longer in 2016-17, with the average time to treatment jumping from 37 days in 2007-08 to 48 days.

Researchers at the University of York spelled out the pressure mounting on the NHS, which has seen emergency visits to A&E rise almost 9 per cent in a decade. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Staff praised as NHS productivity grows more than twice as fast as wider economy NHS England
• 'Inefficient' NHS has seen productivity grow twice as fast as economy The Indepdendent

Northants NHS CCG staff survey results ‘poor’

Northants NHS CCG staff survey results ‘poor’ A damning survey of NHS staff working for the body responsible for Northamptonshire’s health services has said that senior managers don’t communicate properly or act on staff feedback.

New chief executive of the Nene and Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups Toby Sanders has said the results of the survey, which was carried out last November, are very poor and that senior management should ‘be very concerned about what they tell us about the organisation.’ Northamptonshire Telegraph

Rising waiting list for chronic eye disease sufferers in Northamptonshire as hospitals are several thousand appointments short

Rising waiting list for chronic eye disease sufferers in Northamptonshire as hospitals are several thousand appointments short There is a rising waiting list for those with chronic eye disease in Northamptonshire and the county’s two hospitals could be several thousand eye appointments short each year of what is needed.

A review of eye care services undertaken by the Northamptonshire Health Care Partnership on the request of NHS England to all health systems has shown that there is a growing issue with a rising waiting list for follow-up appointments. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Government must end use of pain-inducing restraint techniques and solitary confinement of detained children

Government must end use of pain-inducing restraint techniques and solitary confinement of detained children The use of pain inducing techniques and solitary confinement of children in detention must be banned, says a new report by the UK Parliament’s Human Rights Committee. These cause physical distress and psychological harm in both the short and longer term, and are clearly not compliant with human rights standards.

“The UK is under international and domestic legal obligations to ensure that children are not subject to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

The Government must comply with its legal obligations and ensure that children in detention are not subject to solitary confinement or unnecessary or disproportionate uses of restraint.”

The Committee’s inquiry considered the use of restraint and separation in a range of settings where 2,500 children are detained at any one time: some for care, treatment or welfare reasons, and some because of criminal offences. Most are highly vulnerable, many have multiple challenges.

See also:

• Ministers under pressure to ban use of pain-inducing restraint and solitary confinement on children in detention The Independent

Building better: the role of transport infrastructure and services in improving mental health

Building better: the role of transport infrastructure and services in improving mental health According to this report, mental illness is costing the country £66.5 billion every year and better transport journeys can help. The report uses NHS Digital data to assess the prevalence and cost of mental health disorders in different English regions and finds that improving the way people travel and their experience at rail stations, airports and on roads, could play a significant role in improving their mental wellbeing. London City Airport

Number of CCGs could be cut by 75% by April 2020

Number of CCGs could be cut by 75% by April 2020 Measures to cut the number of CCGs in England by more than three quarters could be in place within a year as part of a service redesign that will see commissioning groups merge so that they align with local STPs and integrated care systems (ICSs). GP online

Ipswich murder-suicide: Crisis team 'missed opportunity'

Ipswich murder-suicide: Crisis team 'missed opportunity' A mental health trust has been criticised for failing to prevent a patient killing his wife and then taking his own life.

Thomas and Katherine Kemp were found dead in Ipswich on 6 August.

An inquest heard Mrs Kemp, 31, was found with 28 knife wounds at the flat she shared with her husband, 32.

Ipswich coroner Jacqueline Devonish said the refusal to offer Mr Kemp a bed or assessment was a "missed opportunity" to prevent their deaths.

She criticised Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT)'s crisis team for not intervening, after the couple had visited hospital in the early hours of 6 August. BBC News

'A wonder drug helped me eat - then for 10 years I had to go without'

'A wonder drug helped me eat - then for 10 years I had to go without' Because of rare illness, Louise Moorhouse is on a special diet of pills or foul-tasting shakes. There's a drug that would allow her to eat like anyone else - she took it for three years during a clinical trial. But the NHS won't pay for it, reports the BBC's Deborah Cohen - and the drug company stopped giving it to her once the trial was over. BBC News

Gene therapy cures babies of rare ‘bubble boy’ immune disorder in world first

Gene therapy cures babies of rare ‘bubble boy’ immune disorder in world first Ten newborns with the rare genetic disorder known as “bubble boy” disease were cured with gene therapy, researchers said on Wednesday.

The treatment appears to have completely rid the babies of their immune disorder with no side effects or complications – a result scientists have sought for decades through painstaking research and heartbreaking setbacks. The Independent

See also:

• St. Jude gene therapy cures babies with 'bubble boy' disease St Jude Children's Research Hospital
• HIV used to cure 'bubble boy' disease BBC News

Parents caring for sick children warned against sharing stories on social media in wake of Charlie Gard and Alfie Evans cases

Parents caring for sick children warned against sharing stories on social media in wake of Charlie Gard and Alfie Evans cases Parents caring for sick children have been warned against sharing stories on social media in the wake of a number of high profile cases.

It follows the high-profile cases of Charlie Gard, Alfie Evans and Ashya King, which attracted international attention and drew commentary from figures including Donald Trump and the Pope.

The new guidance by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) suggests parents should be given more help to understand the possible impact on their personal lives of posting online or involving the media. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• New advice seeks to prevent parent/doctor conflict in paediatrics Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
• Children's healthcare: new advice aims to avoid breakdown of parents’ trust The Guardian

The Priory Group fined £300,000 by judge over death of teenage girl at psychiatric hospital

The Priory Group fined £300,000 by judge over death of teenage girl at psychiatric hospital The Priory Group, a private mental healthcare company, has been fined £300,000 for breaching health and safety law after a 14-year-old girl died in its care.

A criminal investigation was launched by the Health and Safety Executive after the death of Amy El-Keria, who was found dead at Ticehurst House psychiatric hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, in 2012. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Mother of 14-year-old who killed herself at the Priory speaks out BBC News
• The Priory fined £300k over death of 14-year-old girl BBC News
• Priory fined £300,000 over death of girl, 14, in East Sussex hospital The Guardian
• Priory hospital group fined £300,000 over death of 14-year-old girl Amy El-Keria The Independent

Planned C-sections are £400 cheaper than vaginal births for the NHS, finds study

Planned C-sections are £400 cheaper than vaginal births for the NHS, finds study Delivering a baby by a planned caesarean section is cheaper for the NHS than a vaginal birth, research suggests.

Around £400 could be saved once compensation costs are taken into consideration.

The majority of expectant mothers are being denied a C-section, despite official guidelines saying they should have the choice.

However experts have raised concerns over the guidelines having previously found that the risks of serious complications - including haemorrhaging - are higher with C-sections than vaginal births. The Daily Mail

Practice reveals appointment waits were cut by 21% after adding a self-care note for colds on phone

Practice reveals appointment waits were cut by 21% after adding a self-care note for colds on phone Adding a simple message onto the end of GP phone lines on how to self-care for a cold could cut waiting times, a study suggests.

One practice in Scotland saw the wait for routine appointments drop by 21 per cent after patients decided they no longer needed to see a doctor.

It comes as millions of patients are having to wait more than two weeks to see their GP amid a staffing crisis that is hurting the NHS from all sides. The Daily Mail

Northamptonshire's Brexit planning revealed

Northamptonshire's Brexit planning revealed Officials making Brexit preparations for Northamptonshire have been looking at the possible impact on public disorder, workforce shortages, food and medicine supply and transport issues.

Over the past few months the county’s local councils, police and health agencies have been coming up with plans to make sure services in the county continue to run as smoothly as possible in the face of Britain leaving the EU. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton nurse who lied about past misconduct in job application is struck off

Northampton nurse who lied about past misconduct in job application is struck off A nurse from Northampton who misled two prospective employers about his past has been kicked out of the profession.

Fredrick Ogunsanmi was originally charged by the Nursing and Midwifery Council after failing to give a patient a pain relief patch on April 1 2014 but pretending that he had done so by signing the relevant form.

But he then went on to apply to two separate nursing home companies - Stepping Stones Care Homes in Northampton and MHA in Rushden - in which he falsely stated on forms that he had never been subject to any misconduct process or safeguarding investigation. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Specialist nursing support for unpaid carers of people with dementia: a mixed-methods feasibility study

Specialist nursing support for unpaid carers of people with dementia: a mixed-methods feasibility study Admiral Nursing is the only specialist nursing service in the UK that specifically focuses on supporting carers of people with dementia, but evidence of its effectiveness, costs, and relationships to other services is limited. This project, jointly undertaken with the University of York’s Social Policy Research Unit, aimed to address this gap and explore the feasibility of full-scale formal evaluation. Centre for Health Economics

NHS Property Services awards Mitie with extension to facilities management mega-contract

NHS Property Services awards Mitie with extension to facilities management mega-contract NHS Property Services (NHS PS) has awarded an extension to a three-year contract to deliver engineering, landscaping and security services across the health service to Mitie.

The contract will see Mitie deliver mechanical and electrical services, building maintenance, security, and ground maintenance across the public body’s portfolio of 3,500 buildings, which represents about 10% of the total NHS estate. National Health Executive

Technology to keep dementia patients out of hospital

Technology to keep dementia patients out of hospital Sensors small enough to fit in the ear, robotic devices and sleep monitors could all become standard technology in the homes of people with dementia, scientists say.

The idea is to keep people safe and independent in their own homes, rather than needing to go to hospital.

Scientists, engineers and doctors are working to develop the technology at Imperial College London.

They say much of it is affordable and "could be usable in five years". BBC News

Breech baby scan 'would save lives'

Breech baby scan 'would save lives' Mums-to-be could be routinely offered an ultrasound scan at 36 weeks to help spot risky breech deliveries, when a baby's bottom or feet will emerge first, say UK researchers.

Breech births can be hazardous and tricky to diagnose.

Currently, midwives and doctors tend to rely on the shape and feel of the mother's bump to check.

Researchers estimate the scans would avoid 4,000 emergency caesareans and eight baby deaths a year in England. BBC News

See also:

• Screening for breech presentation using universal late-pregnancy ultrasonography: A prospective cohort study and cost effectiveness analysis (open access) PLOS Medicine
• Giving all pregnant women an extra ultrasound at 36 weeks could prevent C-sections The Daily Mail
• Ultrasound at eight months could prevent deaths and emergency caesareans, study shows The Independent

Mental health nurses join police officers on duty

Mental health nurses join police officers on duty Police in Berkshire have stopped more than 150 mental health patients from being sectioned or detained unnecessarily in cells over the past year.

Officers credit an initiative where mental health nurses join them on duty for an evening.

Thames Valley Police said the "invaluable" service saves officers' time because the nurses have access to medical records.

There are now calls for the service to be expanded so it's available around the clock. BBC News

Workplace wellness schemes don't improve productivity or cut absences, trial finds

Workplace wellness schemes don't improve productivity or cut absences, trial finds Workplace wellness programmes which aim to help employees stay fit, healthy, and - crucially - productive, do not reduce sick days, staff turnover or improve job performance, a major trial has found.

For the first time researchers, led by Harvard Medical School, have conducted a comprehensive trial to test the effects of diet advice, fitness coaching and mental health schemes offered by many businesses. The Independent

See also:

• Effect of a Workplace Wellness Program on Employee Health and Economic Outcomes: A Randomized Clinical Trial (open access) JAMA

Those left behind by the contaminated blood scandal shouldn’t have to fight for support

Those left behind by the contaminated blood scandal shouldn’t have to fight for support | Su Gorman My husband was a victim of the contaminated blood scandal. His death started my Kafkaesque battle with bureaucracy

My husband, Steve Dymond, was a mild haemophiliac and a victim of the contaminated blood scandal. He was a funny, clever, gentle man for whom tributes have not ceased, since he finally died in late December, aged 62. In the 1970s he was infected with hepatitis C after being given contaminated blood products on the NHS – 4,800 British haemophiliacs were infected with the product at the time and many have subsequently died.

When I kissed his cheek for the last time and then stepped out into that lonely night, I had no idea what was awaiting me. The Guardian

Eating red meat just once a day increases bowel cancer risk by a fifth

Eating red meat just once a day increases bowel cancer risk by a fifth Eating red meat just once a day increases your risk of bowel cancer by a fifth, a study by Oxford University suggests.

The research based on almost half a million British men and women found that even moderate consumption of ham and bacon was linked to an increased chance of developing the disease.

Scientists recommended cutting intake of red and processed meat to no more than twice a week, in light of the findings. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Diet and colorectal cancer in UK Biobank: a prospective study (open access) International Journal of Epidemiology
• A rasher of bacon 'ups cancer risk' BBC News
• Eating 76g of red and processed meat STILL raises your risk of bowel cancer The Daily Mail
• Even government guideline amounts of red meat and bacon increase risk of bowel cancer, study finds The Independent

From fear to fatwas: the data behind the growing mistrust in vaccines

From fear to fatwas: the data behind the growing mistrust in vaccines Startling figures released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday showed the extent to which measles has overrun the globe in the last few months.

The data show that the number of cases of measles worldwide more than trebled in the first three months of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018, increasing from around 28,000 to 112,000 cases.

WHO is clear that stagnating vaccination rates are one of the key reasons behind the disease's resurgence. The Daily Telegraph

Hitting the sweet spot?

Hitting the sweet spot? It has taken a while for everybody to digest the NHS long-term plan, a meaty document of over 130 pages and by some counts around 500 commitments. As if that weren't enough, it has also been followed by a plethora of further detail. The King's Fund

Hospitals still running with nurse staffing levels that put patient lives at risk

Hospitals still running with nurse staffing levels that put patient lives at risk Hospital wards across the NHS in England are still under staffed and putting patient lives at risk despite new policies coming into force as a result of the 2013 Mid-Staffordshire Inquiry, warns a new report published by the University of Southampton.

See also:

• Implementation, impact and costs of policies for safe staffing in acute NHS trusts University of Southampton.
• One in four NHS wards routinely operate at unsafe staffing levels that threaten patient safety The Daily Mail
• One in four NHS wards has dangerously low numbers of nurses, researchers find The Independent

Advances in cancer treatment

Advances in cancer treatment The pace of innovation in cancer treatment is rapid, with promising developments for patients in terms of survival and quality of life. Research in the fields of immunotherapy and radiotherapy has shown positive results in treating some cancers where established treatments are not effective. This POSTnote gives an overview of recent advances, the potential benefits and risks, and considers the opportunities and challenges of using new technologies in the NHS. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

Violence in England and Wales in 2018: an accident and emergency perspective

Violence in England and Wales in 2018: an accident and emergency perspective This report finds that despite the recent spate of knife violence and homicide in some UK cities, the number of people injured in serious violence in England and Wales dropped by 1.7 per cent between 2017 and 2018. The study, which examines data by age and sex, is produced from a scientific sample of 126 emergency departments, minor injury units and walk-in centres in England and Wales. All are certified members of the National Violence Surveillance Network (NVSN), which has published an annual report for the past 18 years. Crime and Security Research Institute

Productivity of the English National Health Service: 2016/17 update

Productivity of the English National Health Service: 2016/17 update This report updates the Centre for Health Economics’ time-series of National Health Service (NHS) productivity growth for the period 2015/16 to 2016/17 and sets out trends in output, input and productivity since 2004/05. Centre for Health Economics

Statins 'don't work well for one in two people'

Statins 'don't work well for one in two people' Cholesterol-lowering "statin" drugs taken by millions of Britons may not work well enough in about half of those prescribed them, research suggests.

UK investigators looked at 165,000 patients on statins and found that for one in two, the drugs had too little effect on bad cholesterol - one of the big risk factors for heart disease.

They are not sure why statins appear to help some more than others.

Patients should not stop taking the drugs without seeing their doctor. BBC News

See also:

• Sub-optimal cholesterol response to initiation of statins and future risk of cardiovascular disease (abstract) Heart
• Half of patients taking statins won't reach 'healthy' cholesterol levels The Daily Mail
• Statins failing adequately to reduce cholesterol in 'half' of patients The Daily Telegraph

Clampdown planned for British online pharmacies

Clampdown planned for British online pharmacies New rules to keep people safe when buying medications from online pharmacies have been described as a "big step forward" by Britain's pharmacy regulator.

It comes after patients and relatives raised concerns, as well as an investigation by BBC Panorama.

The General Pharmaceutical Council has issued guidance for providers.

It will help regulate access to addictive medication, such as strong painkillers. BBC News

See also:

• New safeguards for people seeking medicines online General Pharmaceutical Council

Number of measles cases rocket amid warnings of poor vaccination rates

Number of measles cases rocket amid warnings of poor vaccination rates The number of cases of measles rose by more than 300 per cent in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2018, according to new figures from the World Health Organization.

Some 112,163 cases of measles globally were reported between January and March this year compared to just 28,124 during the same period last year. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Measles cases triple globally in 2019, says UN BBC News
• Measles cases in first three months of 2019 up 300% globally, WHO says The Independent

The forgotten sex: why is men's health ignored by policy makers?

The forgotten sex: why is men's health ignored by policy makers? British men have died at a younger age than British women since at least the time of Queen Victoria’s accession and they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

This is not some strange peculiarity of these islands: the pattern is repeated throughout every region of the world. There is not a single country where men outlive women. In both the UK and globally, there is currently a four-year difference in life expectancy between the sexes. The Daily Telegraph

NHS trusts are now handing out cash top-ups to convince doctors not to retire

NHS trusts are now handing out cash top-ups to convince doctors not to retire The NHS is handing out cash top-ups to doctors' salaries in a desperate bid to stop them from retiring early.

Doctors are trying to avoid big tax bills from stricter pension rules that put a cap on their saving allowances.

It's led to thousands leaving the profession early, amid a worsening staff shortage in the NHS workforce.

Around ten NHS trusts have now offered to contribute cash to doctors' pensions so they can opt out of the pension scheme, the Financial Times reports. The Daily Mail

Digital tool to help reduce avoidable lengthy stays in hospital

Digital tool to help reduce avoidable lengthy stays in hospital A new digital portal is being introduced by the NHS and councils which allows health and social care staff to see how many vacancies there are in local care homes, saving hours of time phoning around to check availability and helping people to get the right care or return home as quickly as possible. NHS England

Gene-silencing: 'New class' of medicine reverses disease porphyria

Gene-silencing: 'New class' of medicine reverses disease porphyria Doctors have used a new type of medicine called "gene silencing" to reverse a disease that leaves people in crippling pain.

The condition, acute intermittent porphyria, also causes paralysis and is fatal in some cases.

The novel approach fine-tunes the genetic instructions locked in our DNA.

Doctors say they are "genuinely surprised" how successful it is and that the same approach could be used in previously untreatable diseases. BBC News

Bounty pregnancy club fined £400,000 over data handling

Bounty pregnancy club fined £400,000 over data handling Pregnancy club Bounty UK has been given a £400,000 fine for illegally sharing the personal information of more than 14 million people.

The fine was issued by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in what it said was an "unprecedented" case.

Bounty compiled personal data but did not tell people that it was shared with 39 other organisations, said the ICO.

Bounty said it "acknowledged" the ICO's findings and had now made changes to how it handled member data. BBC News

Obese people unfairly denied IVF by cost-cutting NHS, says Oxford academic

Obese people unfairly denied IVF by cost-cutting NHS, says Oxford academic Obese people are being unfairly denied IVF by NHS bureaucrats who see them as “easy targets” for refusal of the expensive treatment, Oxford University research has concluded.

A paper by health researcher Dr Rebecca Brown said unsubstantiated assumptions that people are overweight by choice, and have become infertile as a consequence of this, result in their applications being declined.

She argues high-quality data from clinical trials – which the NHS demands for other treatments as a matter of course – are scarce or absent for IVF. The Independent

See also:

• Irresponsibly Infertile? Obesity, Efficiency, and Exclusion from Treatment (open access) Health Care Analysis

Medical cannabis isn’t reaching NHS patients. And I’m in too much pain to wait

Medical cannabis isn’t reaching NHS patients. And I’m in too much pain to wait | James Coke The government has broken its promise to make products that help with my MS available on prescription

I was delighted when the home secretary, Sajid Javid, announced that medical cannabis would be made available on prescription from November, including the two main active ingredients cannabidiol (CBD) and the psychoactive component of the plant, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Having used the drug for years to alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), I and thousands of others would benefit from the change, or so I thought.

I’d hoped that acquiring cannabis oil legally would be a formality by now, but the door still remains firmly closed. Having recently moved house, I registered with a new doctor and enquired about getting the oil for my pain management. The request for oil containing THC was met with incredulity and a lecture on the dangers it could have on my mental health. I had to bite my tongue as I was offered ibuprofen or OxyContin instead: the former can rot your guts and the latter can leave you addicted to opiates. To say the least, it was a disappointing appointment. The Guardian

Hospital develops AI to identify patients likely to skip appointments

Hospital develops AI to identify patients likely to skip appointments Exclusive: London’s UCLH creates tool predicting 90% of no-shows – potentially saving NHS millions

A leading hospital has developed artificial intelligence to predict which patients are most likely to miss appointments.

University College Hospital in London created an algorithm using records from 22,000 appointments for MRI scans, allowing it to identify 90% of those patients who would turn out to be no-shows. The machine intelligence is not perfect – it also incorrectly flags about half of patients attending appointments as being at risk of not showing. The Guardian

Nearly 4 million GP appointments could be freed up by 2022 under NHS plans

Nearly 4 million GP appointments could be freed up by 2022 under NHS plans Nearly 4 million GP appointments could be freed up by 2022 under an NHS plan to cut bureaucracy.

The Time for Care programme encourages GP surgeries to be more efficient, by allowing patients to book appointments sooner, cutting paperwork and offering faster access to health specialists.

The programme has been piloted at over 2,000 surgeries since 2016 and will now be rolled out across the country with an aim to cover three quarters of GP practices by 2022. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• GP scheme frees up half a million hours for patients NHS England
• Releasing time to care NHS England
• Time for Care 'one part' of much bigger solution that is needed on GP workforce and workload Royal College of General Practitoners
• More GP appointments available due to success of pilot scheme BBC News

Woman, 78, died after nine-hour ambulance wait

Woman, 78, died after nine-hour ambulance wait Faster treatment could have saved the life of a 78-year-old woman who waited more than nine hours for an ambulance, a coroner has said.

Diana Gudgeon died on 25 May 2018, two days after calling 111 with symptoms of a water infection and sepsis.

A Northampton coroner has raised concerns over how her emergency call was graded and an ambulance shortage.

East Midlands Ambulance Service said it was recruiting more staff to plug the "fundamental gap" in its resources. BBC Northampton

Context matters: the contrasting effect of enhancing support in residential and nursing homes

Context matters: the contrasting effect of enhancing support in residential and nursing homes The NHS Long Term Plan commits to improving NHS support to all care home residents over the next five years. This includes stronger links with primary care networks to help keep care home residents healthy and out of hospital wherever possible. The Health Foundation

Meeting the challenge of reducing stress and building resilience in the NHS workforce

Meeting the challenge of reducing stress and building resilience in the NHS workforce A new framework aimed at helping health and social care employers improve the mental wellbeing of their employees has been launched by Health Education England (HEE).

The Workforce Stress and the Supportive Organisation – A framework for improvement through reflection, curiosity and change encourages employers to take a closer look at the systems they currently have in place for managing staff wellbeing, it challenges them to give greater consideration to the impact workforce stress has on staff and look at the role they can play in providing better support to staff who may need it.

Fewer people injured in violent attacks - A&E data study

Fewer people injured in violent attacks - A&E data study Overall levels of violence in England and Wales are on the decline, in spite of an increase in knife crime, a study of A&E data suggests.

Analysis by Cardiff University found admissions of patients injured in violent attacks dropped 1.7% in 2018.

Its indicates a rise in knife crime, gun crime and homicide recorded by police is not part of a wider upsurge. BBC News

Give women more consistent abortion service, NHS told

Give women more consistent abortion service, NHS told Abortion services in England must provide a more consistent service to women, the NHS says.

The call comes from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) - the official NHS advisory body - in its first abortion guidance.

The draft proposal says women should be offered an appointment within a week and a termination a week after that.

All services should also accept self-referrals rather than expecting women to see a GP first, it adds. BBC News

See also:

• Offer women a choice of procedure to terminate their pregnancy NICE
• Termination of pregnancy (draft guidelines and consultation) NICE
• Women could be able to have an abortion within a week The Daily Mail
• Women should be given the choice of a medical or surgical abortion and self-referral, says health watchdog The Independent

Doctors call for transparency over no-deal drug risk

Doctors call for transparency over no-deal drug risk Doctors' leaders have raised concerns over a lack of clarity about drug availability highlighted by no-deal Brexit planning.

The British Medical Association (BMA) warns "a culture of secrecy" could undermine the ability of medics to plan care and deliver treatment.

Confidential NHS England files, seen by Newsnight, suggest supply chain issues mean some drugs "cannot be stockpiled".

The government said it has been "as transparent as possible". BBC News

Brexit uncertainty affecting mental health of 1 in 3 UK adults, study shows

Brexit uncertainty affecting mental health of 1 in 3 UK adults, study shows Uncertainty about the future of Brexit is affecting the mental health of a third of UK adults, a new survey has found.

Around 33 per cent of people said Britain's departure from the European Union has had a negative effect on their wellbeing, according to a poll by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). The Independent

See also:

• One third of adults say Brexit has affected their mental health, BACP research finds British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

A&E patients waiting more than four hours reaches record high

A&E patients waiting more than four hours reaches record high Almost 3 million people not dealt with in target time last year, NHS England data shows.

Almost 3 million patients in England waited more than four hours to be dealt with by A&E last year, the highest number since records began 16 years ago.

Figures from NHS England show 88% of patients were dealt with in four hours or less in 2018-19, the lowest-ever level, down from 88.3% in 2017-18. The Guardian

See also:

• Last year was worst on record for A&E waiting times, NHS figures show The Independent

Hospital inspections 'bad for patients'

Hospital inspections 'bad for patients' Hospital inspections are bad for patients because they divert staff away from giving basic care, a new study indicates. A major review of NHS trusts found the rate of potentially dangerous falls and bedsores tends to be worse in the aftermath of a visit by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) than they otherwise would be.

Since 2013, the watchdog has undertaken longer and more complex inspections of hospitals at least once every three years. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Researchers call for rethink of external NHS inspections amid questions of effectiveness EurekAlert 

More than 71,000 'frail' patients were rushed back to hospital after just one day

More than 71,000 'frail' patients were rushed back to hospital after just one day More than 71,000 patients were taken back to hospital last year just a day after they were sent home, figures have revealed.

The number of readmissions soared by a third in four years, figures revealed, with experts blaming a severe shortage of hospital beds.

They are concerned patients are being sent home before they have recovered to create room for others arriving from A&E. The Daily Mail

What principles should underpin the funding system for social care?

What principles should underpin the funding system for social care? While there may not be one perfect way to fund social care, Camille Oung and Laura Schlepper describe four principles that should be central to any approach. Nuffield Trust

Health and wellbeing at work

Health and wellbeing at work This is the nineteenth annual survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) exploring trends and practices in health, well-being and absence management in UK workplaces. Overall, the findings reflect employers' growing recognition of their critical role in improving the health of the workforce. But the survey highlights some cause for concern, including an increase in stress-related absence and a lack of support for managers, who are increasingly expected to take responsibility for their team's well-being. The CIPD is calling on employers to invest in more training and development for managers and have published some top tips to support managers to minimise stress in their teams.

Spring brings no respite for NHS in England

Spring brings no respite for NHS in England The start of spring has brought little respite for the NHS in England, with A&E departments still struggling.

One in seven patients spent longer than the four-hour waiting target figure in A&E in March - only marginally better than the situation seen during winter.

It comes amid mounting concern about the pressure in cancer care. BBC News

'Dismantling cancer' reveals weak spots

'Dismantling cancer' reveals weak spots Scientists have taken cancer apart piece-by-piece to reveal its weaknesses, and come up with new ideas for treatment.

A team at the Wellcome Sanger Institute disabled every genetic instruction, one at a time, inside 30 types of cancer.

It has thrown up 600 new cancer vulnerabilities and each could be the target of a drug.

Cancer Research UK praised the sheer scale of the study. BBC News

See also:

• New cancer drug targets accelerate path to precision medicine Wellcome Sanger Institute 
• Scientists dismantle cancer piece-by-piece to reveal its weak spots The Daily Mail

‘Three-person’ baby boy born in Greece

‘Three-person’ baby boy born in Greece Fertility doctors in Greece and Spain say they have produced a baby from three people in order to overcome a woman's infertility.

The baby boy was born weighing 2.9kg (6lbs) on Tuesday. The mother and child are said to be in good health.

The doctors say they are "making medical history" which could help infertile couples around the world.

But some experts in the UK say the procedure raises ethical questions and should not have taken place. BBC News

I'm an A&E doctor. It's not my job to report the victims of knife crime

I'm an A&E doctor. It's not my job to report the victims of knife crime I’m concerned about the impact this new legislation could have on victims seeking my care. We risk losing their trust

While working a night shift in A&E last New Year’s Eve, I looked after a 17-year-old stab wound victim, Ben. It had been a busy night, our usual winter pressures exacerbated by the flurry of drunken injuries and cocaine-induced panic attacks. Ben had been booked in by our reception team as a “wrist injury” and had been sitting in the waiting room for a long time before I saw him. He followed me into a cubicle, cradling his wrist in a tea towel under his T-shirt.

Based on his booking information I was expecting a sprain, a quick consultation, an x-ray, and then to give him painkillers to take away. Instead he unwrapped his arm to show me a 10cm gash from his wrist up his forearm. It was thankfully not too deep and I was able to stop the bleeding with a few stitches and a pressure dressing. He responded vaguely to my questions that it had been “a friend” at a party and was “no big deal”. The Guardian

Therapy over phone or online could help people with IBS – study

Therapy over phone or online could help people with IBS – study CBT recommended for condition with symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea

Talking therapies delivered remotely over the phone and internet could help people living with irritable bowel syndrome, research suggests.

About 10-20% of the UK population are thought to have IBS, a condition with symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating and problems with constipation and diarrhoea. The Guardian

30 per cent of child asthma cases due to pollution in parts of UK

30 per cent of child asthma cases due to pollution in parts of UK Three in ten child asthma cases in some parts of Britain are caused by traffic pollution, a major international study has found.

The new research reveals hundreds of thousands of cases of the potentially fatal respiratory condition could be avoided with cleaner air.

The study found that, overall, 19 per cent of new childhood asthma cases each year are attributable to nitrogen dioxide pollution. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Global, national, and urban burdens of paediatric asthma incidence attributable to ambient NO2 pollution: estimates from global datasets The Lancet Planetary Health
• One in 10 child asthma cases 'linked to traffic pollution' BBC News
• Traffic-related air pollution causes FOUR MILLION cases of asthma each year The Daily Mail
• UK worst in Europe for pollution-linked childhood asthma, study shows The Independent

Over a third of local areas in England reduce real terms spending on low level children’s mental health services

Over a third of local areas in England reduce real terms spending on low level children’s mental health services Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, has published a report looking at the amount spent on “low-level” mental health support for children in England.

The Children’s Commissioner’s research is the first time any organisation has collected data to show how much is being spent by areas in England on low level mental health. It reveals that local areas, which included both local authorities and NHS spending, allocated a total of £226 million for low-level mental health services in 2018/19, just over £14 per child.

The report shows there were wide variations between areas in how much funding is available: the top 25% of local areas spent at least £1.1 million or more, while the bottom 25% spent £180,000 or less. This postcode lottery comes at a time when the Government has made more funding available for children’s mental health nationally as the number of children in need of support and treatment from children’s mental health services has increased over the last decade.

See also:

• Early access to mental health support (report) Children’s Commissioner for England
• Children's mental health services 'postcode lottery' BBC News
• Teenagers with mental health conditions are being turned away by the NHS, officials warn The Daily Mail
• Children who need help with mental health face postcode lottery – study The Guardian
• Child 'drank bleach after being denied help' as mental health services see spending cut across England The Independent

Research and analysis: Child sexual exploitation: prevention and intervention

Research and analysis: Child sexual exploitation: prevention and intervention This report summarises the emerging evidence from the UK on the issue of child sexual exploitation. It provides practice examples to support local public health leaders to establish a public health framework for prevention and intervention.

The literature search is a summary of the latest international research about effective interventions to prevent child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation. Public Health England

Guidance on planning of better MSK services

Guidance on planning of better MSK services The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance has published guidance for commissioners and providers on provision of better musculoskeletal (MSK) services. Better MSK services are a priority of the NHS Long Term Plan.

Averting the AMR crisis: what are the avenues for policy action for countries in Europe?

Averting the AMR crisis: what are the avenues for policy action for countries in Europe? This policy briefing summarises some of the key policy avenues for tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Following the widely accepted ‘One Health’ approach to combating AMR, the brief aims to support the implementation of national action plans on AMR, drawing on numerous examples of effective policies implemented by European Union member states and involving the human, animal and environmental health sectors. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

Independent hospitals must report same patient safety and outcomes data as NHS to prevent another Ian Paterson, warns RCS

Independent hospitals must report same patient safety and outcomes data as NHS to prevent another Ian Paterson, warns RCS The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) is calling for independent hospitals to collect and publish equivalent data to that which the NHS routinely provides on patient safety and clinical audits. The RCS has published a position statement today (10 April) setting out the changes to standards in the independent sector it believes are required to prevent a repeat of the harm caused by rogue breast surgeon, Ian Paterson.

While progress has undoubtedly been made to improve the collection and publication of data in the independent sector, key issues remain. Further regulatory alignment is needed to bring independent sector hospitals’ reporting requirements for patient safety and outcomes data in line with the NHS.

See also:

• Private hospitals 'must do more to keep patients safe' BBC News
• Private hospitals must share more data with NHS, says top surgeon The Guardian

Epilepsy and cancer drugs on record-high shortage list amid Brexit uncertainty

Epilepsy and cancer drugs on record-high shortage list amid Brexit uncertainty Medicines vital for managing epilepsy, cancer and life-threatening asthma attacks are among a record number of products which are currently facing shortages made worse by Brexit uncertainty.

The number of drugs which the government is having to subsidise through the “concession” pricing list for short supply medicines has more than doubled since October. The Independent

See also:

• 'Steep rise' in patients struggling to get epilepsy drugs BBC News

Doctor struck off over boy's death allowed to return to work

Doctor struck off over boy's death allowed to return to work Hadiza Bawa-Garba, convicted over death of Jack Adcock, will be supervised for two years.

A doctor who was struck off the medical register after the death of a child and then reinstated after a battle through the courts has been told she can return to work under supervision.

Hadiza Bawa-Garba has not worked since November 2015 when a jury convicted her of gross negligence manslaughter over her treatment of six-year-old Jack Adcock, who developed sepsis and died of cardiac arrest at Leicester Royal Infirmary in February 2011. The Guardian

See also:

• Dr Hadiza BAWA-GARBA Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service
• Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba: Struck-off doctor can return to work BBC News
• Parents of six-year-old boy who died of sepsis exasperated as doctor responsible cleared to practise again The Daily Telegraph
• Blaming Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba won't protect other patients | Dolin Bhagawati The Guardian
• Where does the blame lie when something goes wrong at hospital? The Guardian
• Hadiza Bawa-Garba: Doctor guilty of child's manslaughter by negligence to return to work The Independent

Biggest volunteer recruitment drive since WW2 to help boost mental health in same way as exercise

Biggest volunteer recruitment drive since WW2 to help boost mental health in same way as exercise The nation’s biggest volunteer recruitment drive since the Second World War has been launched by a charity with the aim of boosting people’s mental health and giving them a “high”.

The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) said that challenges facing the UK are "acute" with “unprecedented” pressure on public services. However today it has launched a major call up for the public to volunteer in a bid to boost people's' mental health. The Daily Telegraph

Health chiefs to tell hospitals how to treat a deadly fungus amid fears it is spreading globally

Health chiefs to tell hospitals how to treat a deadly fungus amid fears it is spreading globally Public health bosses will advise hospitals on how to cope with a deadly fungus that has become resistant to most drugs.

Candida auris was first identified in 2009 and has since struck hundreds in Britain and the US, among other countries.

Hospitals are now struggling to deal with the little-known fungus, prompting health officials in England and Wales to step in. The Daily Mail

See also:

• The scariest superbug on the CDC's radar is sweeping the US with hundreds infected The Daily Mail

Government's plan to ban junk food adverts before 9pm 'will cut just TWO calories a day'

Government's plan to ban junk food adverts before 9pm 'will cut just TWO calories a day' Banning junk food adverts before the watershed will only cut two calories from a child's diet a day, research shows.

The Government revealed plans in March to restrict advertising of foods high in salt, fat and sugar on television and social media until after 9pm.

They hoped the strict rules would curb soaring childhood obesity rates, which are already at a record high in Britain. The Daily Mail

Northampton hospice wants to show patients how they can find their independence again

Northampton hospice wants to show patients how they can find their independence again When so much can change in a person's life with the news of a serious illness, it can feel like an old way of life has been lost.

But now a Northampton hospice is offering a new service to help people with life-limiting illnesses find their independence again.

Yesterday (April 8) marked the launch of the Wellbeing Service at the Cynthia Spencer's Hospice Charity, off Kettering Road. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Hepatitis C deaths fall by 16 per cent between 2015 and 2017

Hepatitis C deaths fall by 16 per cent between 2015 and 2017 Deaths from serious hepatitis C related liver disease fell from 380 to 319, thanks to new curative treatments. But while England has exceeded the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target to reduce hepatitis C related mortality by 10% by 2020, challenges still exit to eliminate the disease in this country. Public Health England

New tools to help health professionals boost prevention impact

New tools to help health professionals boost prevention impact Public Health England (PHE) has launched a series of new e-learning tools to boost health and care professionals’ knowledge and skills in dealing with some of the biggest issues in public health.

The new interactive e-learning tools, developed by PHE and Health Education England e-Learning for Healthcare, offer bite-sized information on key public health issues to help professionals prevent illness, protect health and promote wellbeing.

EU qualifications recognised after the UK leaves the EU

EU qualifications recognised after the UK leaves the EU The Secretary of State for Health and Social care has announced that EU workers with professional qualifications can continue to practise in the UK after the UK leaves the EU, with or without a deal. NHS Employers

Widespread debate needed on 'disease mongering' and overdiagnosis of patients, says RCGP in response to BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine paper on definitions of disease

Widespread debate needed on 'disease mongering' and overdiagnosis of patients, says RCGP in response to BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine paper on definitions of disease "Disease mongering is scaremongering and it has the potential to cause huge strain for the NHS and other healthcare systems around the world.

"Giving people unnecessary medical labels causes anxiety and distress and, in the worst cases, causes harm that can ruin lives. It also leads to unnecessary workload burdens in general practice and secondary care, and consumes funding that could be much better spent elsewhere on the care of patients who really need it.

"This is a controversial but ground-breaking paper that should spark a widespread debate on the entire industry that has grown up around disease mongering and overdiagnosis. Royal College of General Practitioners

See also:

• Reforming disease definitions: a new primary care led, people-centred approach (abstract) BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine

The long-term impact for babies born with brain injuries

The long-term impact for babies born with brain injuries When Beth Kendall's son Wilder was born, he was immediately rushed to a special care unit after being starved of oxygen.

He suffered a type of brain injury, known as Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy (HIE), a condition which affects one in every 1,000 babies when they are born.

Two years later and Wilder, who is from Poole in Dorset, is doing well, but not enough is known about his long-term prognosis.

Researchers at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton are fundraising so they can carry out additional work that will give parents a more detailed diagnosis. BBC News

EU doctors’ Brexit dilemma: do we stay or do we go?

EU doctors’ Brexit dilemma: do we stay or do we go? They believed they were in a welcoming country. Three consultants discuss how their lives have been upended. The Guardian

Mental health problems don't end with age. Older people need help too

Mental health problems don't end with age. Older people need help too | Emily Reynolds Loneliness is sometimes presented as the main reason for older people’s mental ill-health, but that’s not the case

After years languishing in the dark, mental illness is finally getting its moment in the spotlight. Frustrating political football it may be, but one thing can’t be denied – it’s making headlines more than ever. Focus, largely, has been on young people – crises in child and adolescent mental healthcare and in student populations have been both persistent and significant. But mental illness doesn’t end with reaching adulthood – often, in fact, it doesn’t end at all.

New research from the British Journal of Psychiatry into self-harm in older people puts this into stark perspective. A meta-analysis of 40 studies found that yearly self-harm rates were about 65 per 100,000 people, with risk of repetition and of suicide also higher than average. Self-harm is still seen as a problem among younger demographics; and while that remains true, this data proves that the issue is even more complex and diffuse than we thought. The Guardian

Woman who sued NHS for £2.5m claiming operation left her in agony seen in clubs celebrating hen night

Woman who sued NHS for £2.5m claiming operation left her in agony seen in clubs celebrating hen night A woman who tried to claim £2.5m from the NHS after claiming that having vaginal mesh fitted had left her in constant pain has been sent to prison after pictures showed her enjoying her daughter's Ibiza hen party. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Lesley Elder jailed over false £2.5m NHS claim  BBC News
• Jail for mother whose £2.5m NHS claim over op she said left her severely disabled was exposed The Daily Mail

Cyber crime warning as experts say hackers deliberately target hospitals

Cyber crime warning as experts say hackers deliberately target hospitals Hospitals and the health care industry are being deliberately targeted by hackers, cyber criminals and spies seeking a treasure trove of personal and financial information, a business consultancy has warned.

Attacks by organised gangs and even state spy agencies are a growing concern as they hunt for details that can be used for extortion or even espionage. The Daily Telegraph

Asthma inhalers as bad for the environment as 180-mile car journey, health chiefs say

Asthma inhalers as bad for the environment as 180-mile car journey, health chiefs say Asthmatics have been warned by health chiefs that each inhaler they use could be polluting the environment by as much as a 180-mile car journey.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has issued new guidance urging sufferers, where possible, to avoid using the most popular type of inhaler, known as a metered dose inhaler (MDI). The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NICE encourages use of greener asthma inhalers NICE
• Use a 'greener' inhaler if you can, patients told BBC News

GPs told to take pictures of suspected skin cancers on their PHONES to slash referrals

GPs told to take pictures of suspected skin cancers on their PHONES to slash referrals GPs have been told to take pictures of suspicious moles on their phones before referring patients to a skin-cancer specialist.

Under new plans, general practitioners working across four areas in North East England will have to take three photographs on their mobiles, which then get sent to a consultant for review.

The specialist may then offer the patient an urgent or routine appointment, or decide there is no cause for concern. The Daily Mail

NHSX: digital experts will be part of cancer and mental health teams

NHSX: digital experts will be part of cancer and mental health teams Digital and data specialists from NHSX will team up with NHS England’s cancer and mental health national policy teams to help clinicians and policymakers improve patient experience through technology. Department of Health and Social Care

Tackling inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities

Tackling inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities This report says there has been a persistent failure by national and local policy makers to tackle long standing inequalities facing Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in any sustained way. It finds that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people have the worst outcomes of any ethnic group across a huge range of areas, including education, health, employment, criminal justice and hate crime. The report of this two year inquiry makes 49 recommendations for change. Women and Equalities Select Committee