Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Teachers and nurses dragged into higher taxes, warns think tank

Teachers and nurses dragged into higher taxes, warns think tank Millions more people, including teachers and nurses, will pay a higher rate of income tax, a leading think tank has warned.

A freeze on income tax thresholds from April means more people will pay a 40% rate, in what the Institute for Fiscal Studies described as the biggest tax raising drive since the late 1970s.

It claimed this will contribute to a sharp fall in household finances.

And if inflation remains high, more people will be affected. BBC News

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Needle-free Covid vaccination trials taking place in Cambridge

Needle-free Covid vaccination trials taking place in Cambridge Trials are taking place of a new needle-free Covid vaccine in Cambridge, where the technology was developed.

The vaccine, administered through a jet of air, was developed by Prof Jonathan Heeney of Cambridge University and chief executive of DIOSynVax.

Volunteers recruited last month are being vaccinated at Addenbrooke's Hospital in the city.

Safety trials have already been conducted at the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility. BBC News

Do not resuscitate: Man choked to death after paramedics stood down

Do not resuscitate: Man choked to death after paramedics stood down Experts are calling for "do not resuscitate" orders to be scrapped, saying they are being misused and putting people's lives at risk. One woman told BBC News that her elderly father might still be alive if the DNR in his medical file had been properly checked.

Cardio exercise can help reduce risk of dying from flu, study suggests

Cardio exercise can help reduce risk of dying from flu, study suggests People who are at a higher risk of dying from flu could benefit from upping their cardio exercise levels, a new study suggests.

Even exercising below the nationally recommended standards could help reduce a person’s risk of dying from flu or pneumonia, scientists said. The Independent

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Quarter of people with dementia symptoms delay seeing doctor

Quarter of people with dementia symptoms delay seeing doctor Almost a quarter of people with dementia symptoms waited more than six months before seeing a doctor, new research shows.

A new survey for the Alzheimer’s Society to mark Dementia Action Week also found one in three people who notice they or a loved one has symptoms keep their fears to themselves or dismiss them as old age.

Just 15 per cent of the 1,137 people surveyed raised the issue straight away and 11 per cent said they hadn’t raised concerns after first spotting symptoms. The Independent

Second patient with 'natural immunity' against Alzheimer's warded off disease for 20 years

Second patient with 'natural immunity' against Alzheimer's warded off disease for 20 years A man managed to ward off Alzheimer's disease thanks to his natural immunity, despite having a gene that made him more susceptible - making him the second known case.

A team of international scientists found the Colombian man, who was predicted to have dementia in his 40s, also carried a rare genetic variation that helped protect him from the debilitating memory condition. The Daily Mail

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Tuesday, 16 May 2023

“Inspiring” photos expressing the hope felt by mental health patients to be displayed across Northampton

“Inspiring” photos expressing the hope felt by mental health patients to be displayed across Northampton People who had been on the brink of “giving up” on life due to their mental health have bravely shared their recovery stories as part of a brand new photography exhibition.

Launched to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, which starts on Monday May 15, the Hope Exhibition was commissioned by mental health charity St Andrew’s Healthcare to break the stigma of complex mental health and to demonstrate how hope can have a positive effect on a person’s life. Northants Life

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In train? An update on mental health nurse education

In train? An update on mental health nurse education Despite some steps towards closing the gap between mental and physical health services, many people still cannot access services or face long waits for treatment. Addressing workforce challenges in mental health services will be crucial to improving this situation.

This report, commissioned and supported by the NHS Confederation's Mental Health Network and written by the Nuffield Trust, looks at the single largest profession within the mental health workforce: nurses. It starts by outlining the scale of the mental health nursing workforce, and highlights trends in recruitment and retention.

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Treatment in corridors and waiting rooms ‘degrading’ for patients, say A&E nurses

Treatment in corridors and waiting rooms ‘degrading’ for patients, say A&E nurses The treatment of patients in inappropriate areas such as corridors and waiting rooms is increasingly common and compromises patient safety and dignity, emergency nurses have told the RCN.

More than five hundred specialist A&E nurses shared their experiences of overcrowded hospitals ahead of RCN Congress. Royal College of Nursing

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Saving Babies’ Lives 2023: A report on progress

Saving Babies’ Lives 2023: A report on progress pulls together data from different sources for the first time, to show the burden of pregnancy and baby loss across the UK. 

Overall, the report paints a concerning picture: progress in reducing baby loss has slowed and there is a risk of going backwards. Tommy's

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Six new community diagnostic centres to deliver more than 500,000 lifesaving checks a year

Six new community diagnostic centres to deliver more than 500,000 lifesaving checks a year Tens of thousands of patients across the country are set to benefit from 6 new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) opening this year - with the ‘one-stop shops’ due to deliver more than 500,000 additional tests, checks and scans a year. Department of Health and Social Care

Senior doctor strike ballot opens over pay dispute

Senior doctor strike ballot opens over pay dispute Senior doctors in England can start voting on whether to strike over a continuing dispute over pay.

Their union, the British Medical Association (BMA), said talks with the government ended on Saturday with an offer that was unacceptable.

Depending on experience, consultants' salaries can range from below £90,000 to £120,000, but the BMA said take-home pay had fallen by 35% since 2008.

The government urged the BMA to consider the impact on patients. BBC News

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Record numbers not working due to ill health

Record numbers not working due to ill health The number of people not working in the UK due to long-term sickness has risen to a new record, official figures show.

The Office for National Statistics said more than two and a half million were not working because of health problems.

There had been a rise in mental health issues in younger people, the ONS said, as well as in back and neck pain, possibly due to home working. BBC News

Online depression therapy given go-ahead in England

Online depression therapy given go-ahead in England Nine online talking-therapy treatments for anxiety or depression have been given the green light to be used by the NHS in England.

They offer faster access to help but less time with a therapist, which may not suit everyone, the health body recommending them said.

There is huge demand for face-to-face services, with people waiting several weeks to see a therapist.

Psychiatrists said digital therapies were not a long-term solution. BBC News

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ADHD: Private clinics exposed by BBC undercover investigation

ADHD: Private clinics exposed by BBC undercover investigation Patients are being offered powerful drugs and told they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) after unreliable online assessments, a BBC investigation has discovered.

Three private clinics diagnosed an undercover reporter via video calls.

But a more detailed, in-person NHS assessment showed he didn't have the condition.

The clinics say they conduct thorough assessments and follow national guidelines. BBC News

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Review into mental health deaths should become public inquiry, chair urges government

Review into mental health deaths should become public inquiry, chair urges government The chair of an independent review into the deaths of around 2,000 mental health patient in Essex has called for the government to grant a public inquiry into the scandal, to compel more staff to give evidence, it has emerged.

The Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry is gathering evidence about mental health inpatient deaths in the county over a 21-year period. The Independent

Plans for UK ‘genomics transformation’ aim to act on lessons of Covid

Plans for UK ‘genomics transformation’ aim to act on lessons of Covid Ten-year science strategy of UK Health Security Agency will use data to combat infectious diseases faster and more effectively

Health officials in the UK have drawn up plans for a “genomics transformation” that aims to detect and deal with outbreaks of infectious diseases faster and more effectively in the light of the Covid pandemic.

Information gleaned from the genetics of Covid proved crucial as the virus swept around the globe, revealing how the pathogen spread, evolved, and responded to a succession of vaccines and medicines developed to protect people. The Guardian

Warnings over NHS data privacy after ‘stalker’ doctor shares woman’s records

Warnings over NHS data privacy after ‘stalker’ doctor shares woman’s records The confidentiality of NHS medical records has been thrown into doubt after a “stalker” hospital doctor accessed and shared highly sensitive information about a woman who had started dating her ex-boyfriend, despite not being involved in her care.

The victim was left in “fear, shock and horror” when she learned that the doctor had used her hospital’s medical records system to look at the woman’s GP records and read – and share – intimate details, known only to a few people, about her and her children. The Guardian

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Skin cancer charity calls for sunscreen tax to be cut so British children are protected in summer 

Skin cancer charity calls for sunscreen tax to be cut so British children are protected in summer VAT should be slashed on sunscreen to protect people from skin cancer, according to a charity.

Charity Melanoma Focus commissioned a survey of 2,003 people on sunscreen, finding half think it is too expensive and around two-thirds would wear more sun cream if it were 20 per cent cheaper.

Some 10 per cent of people said they don't use sunscreen at all due to the cost. The Daily Mail

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Do not use sweeteners for weight control, World Health Organization says

Do not use sweeteners for weight control, World Health Organization says Swapping sugar for sweeteners will not help you lose weight and may cause health problems, new World Health Organization guidelines say.

The advice suggests people shouldn't turn to non-sugar sweeteners like aspartame, which is found in Diet Coke, in a bid to lose weight or prevent diet-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Other popular ones include saccharin and stevia. The Daily Mail

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