Cancer patient wins legal battle for last-hope drug - The Guardian 11th September 2008
A cancer patient given about two months to live yesterday won a high court battle over access to a life-prolonging drug when the judge quashed an NHS trust's decision to refuse to fund the treatment.
Colin Ross, 55, from Horsham, West Sussex, was diagnosed four years ago with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cell cancer, and was told by doctors that unless he took the drug Revlimid he would not survive beyond the autumn.Doctors are running out of antibiotics to treat some infections that can kill vulnerable people or those in hospital, experts said yesterday, urging drug companies not to give up an area of research they consider unprofitable.
Although the pharmaceutical industry has developed new antibiotics to treat the so-called hospital superbug MRSA (methycillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), the pipeline for drugs to treat some other infections was practically dry, said Dr David Livermore, laboratory director of the Health Protection Agency's centre for infections.New backstop to save NHS hospitals from bankruptcy - The Guardian 11th September 2008
Failing NHS hospitals are to be saved from bankruptcy under plans set out by the government yesterday to protect patients from the consequences of financial meltdown.
A "failure regime" for the NHS in England was published for consultation by the Department of Health after years of wrangling in Whitehall about the implications for independent foundation hospitals, which were supposed to be free to sink or swim in a competitive NHS market.The attack on Nice is wide of the mark - The Guardian 11th September 2008
A nasty little spat broke out yesterday over the organisation with the thankless task of telling patients which drugs the NHS can't afford to give them, the incongruously named Nice (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence). Nice has recently been having an even harder time than usual, accused of condemning kidney cancer patients to death for refusing to approve new drugs that offer a few more months of life but cost up to £35,000 per patient per year. The denunciation by one consultant of its "blood-stained portals" gives something of a flavour of the debate.
The drugs don't work, testing for counterfeit medicines - The Guardian 11th September 2008
Scientists are developing a quick and inexpensive method of testing for potentially dangerous counterfeit medicines
Health agency calls for new drugs to fight hospital superbugs - The Guardian 10th September 2008
Government body that monitors infectious diseases has warned that hospitals are running out of effective treatments
Hospitals are running out of effective treatments for superbugs and new drugs are needed to prevent worsening outbreaks, the government body that monitors infectious diseases warned today.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has called on the pharmaceutical industry to develop new antibiotics to ensure that more hospital infections do not become untreatable.An increase in infections that are resistant to all known antibiotics is threatening Britain and the world, unless ways can be found to develop and finance new drugs, public health experts warned yesterday.
Fears have been heightened by a three-fold rise in resistant strains of E.coli, one of the hardest-to-treat infections, which can cause serious illness and death.Health experts warn of need for new antibiotics - The Independent 10th September 2008
Experts issued a stark warning today over the increasing resistance of germs to antibiotics.
They called on pharmaceutical companies to work on developing new drugs to fight infections so the number of treatments available does not run out.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is particularly worried about a group of bacteria called "gram-negative" which includes E.coli.Dying cancer patient wins High Court battle for drug - The Independent 11th September 2008
A cancer sufferer given months to live won a court battle yesterday to get a drug that could prolong his life by up to three years.
Colin Ross, 55, who has the blood cancer myeloma, was granted an interim injunction to allow him to start treatment with the drug Revlimid at the Royal Marsden Hospital today.Cancer patient wins High Court battle over drug - The Independent 10th September 2008
A cancer sufferer with just a couple of months to live won his High Court battle today over access to a life-prolonging drug.
A judge allowed a desperate "end of the road" legal challenge by 55-year-old Colin Ross to an NHS trust's refusal to fund treatment.A cancer patient yesterday won a legal battle against the NHS to be given a drug that doctors say could prolong his life by up to three years.
Colin Ross, 55, of Horsham, West Sussex, has multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood cells, and was not expected to survive to see Christmas unless he was given a drug described as his “last chance”.Heart disease: the view from inside - The Times 10th September 2008
Ahmed Al Haj is 48 and looks healthy on the outside, yet this Bangladeshi waiter has ended up on the operating table for a triple heart bypass after a lifetime of eating too much saturated fat.
The father of six children is a Muslim and does not smoke or drink, but his diet was rich in ghee, the clarified butter which is composed almost entirely of saturated fat. Instead of a healthy pink muscle, his heart is covered in a layer of fat so thick that surgeons have difficulty seeing his coronary arteries.Superbugs force hospitals 'down to last line of antibiotic defence' - The Times 10th September 2008
Hospitals are down to their last line of antibiotic defence against certain types of drug-resistant “superbugs”, experts warned yesterday.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA), which monitors infections, has called on pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs in the face of increasingly-resistant bacteria, so that the number of effective treatments does not run out.Pregnant women are opting for risky 'freebirths', experts warn - The Telegraph 11th September 2008
Women are opting for risky "freebirths", with no doctors or midwives involved, because of a lack of choice over their labour, experts have warned.
Dying cancer patient wins High Court Revlimid drug challenge - The Telegraph 11th September 2008
A cancer sufferer with only months to live has won his High Court battle for access to a drug that will prolong his life by three years.
Stem cell research institute and cord blood bank opens - The Telegraph 11th September 2008
Stem cells taken from the blood of umbilical cords is to be stored at a research institute, which will be opened today. (THU)
Two-year-old girl prepares for her new prosthetic hands - The Telegraph 11th September 2008
A two-year-old girl who lost both her hands after contracting meningitis has been fitted with a silicone glove in preparation for a new set of prosthetic hands.
Nice doesn't have to be nasty - The Telegraph 10th September 2008
In recent weeks our newspapers and television screens have been dominated by tragic stories of NHS patients being denied access to drugs which have the potential to extend their life.
Why women have the SCARIEST nightmares - Daily Mail 11th September 2008
Women experience far more terrifying nightmares than men, a study has found.
Their dreams are also more intense and leave more of an impression when they wake up, scientists say.
Psychologists say changes in a woman's body temperature - caused by her monthly cycle - are responsible for increasing the number of vivid and disturbing dreams.A desperate shortage of midwives has been blamed for fuelling a dangerous trend for DIY home births.
The head of the Royal College of Midwives said women are still being denied choice in maternity care.How to help stave off heart attacks ... keep your TEETH clean - Daily Mail 11th September 2008
Keeping your teeth clean could save you from a heart attack, scientists say.
Researchers have found that poor dental hygiene and bleeding gums could allow up to 700 different types of bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
A cancer patient with months to live has won a High Court battle to get a life-prolonging drug on the NHS.
Colin Ross, 55, began his 'end of the road' legal challenge against an NHS trust's refusal to pay for his treatment.
Judge Simon Grenfell overturned the trust's ruling that the new drug Revlimid was not cost effective, and that Mr Ross's case should not be treated as 'exceptional'.Bionic implants that promise to give 45-year-olds the vision of someone 20 years younger could be available in just five years.
The 'super lenses' will correct both long and short-sightedness, allowing patients to throw away their glasses for good.A reflexologist was jailed for eight years today for sexually assaulting four women during treatment sessions.
Stuart Hill, 57, who was supposed to be massaging their feet, touched them intimately after telling them he was using the latest Chinese massage technique to make them better.Free cook books for 11-year-olds - BBC Health News 11th September 2008
All 11-year-olds in England will be able to receive a free cookbook under a programme aimed at tackling obesity.\n\nHead teachers will be able to order the booklet, which has recipes for favourites such as spaghetti bolognese, roast chicken and jacket potatoes.
Cord blood bank 'will save lives' - BBC Health News 11th September 2008
A scheme to store blood taken from the umbilical cords of newborns and use it to save lives has been launched.
Cord blood, like bone marrow, can help patients survive deadly diseases such as leukaemia.Mental health care 'still flawed' - BBC Health News 10th September 2008
Almost half of community mental health patients in England are unable to access any out-of-hours care, an NHS inspectorate survey suggests.
The Healthcare Commission also found one-third of patients are not told about side-effects of new medication.Hospitals 'fail homeless people' - BBC Health News 10th September 2008
The NHS is failing homeless people by not offering the support they need when released from hospital, the Tories say.
Figures obtained by shadow housing minister Grant Shapps showed the number of homeless people treated in hospital had risen by 28% in four years.Antibiotic resistance rise fears - BBC Health News 10th September 2008
The rise in antibiotic resistance is reaching worrying levels, experts say.
The Health Protection Agency said while the focus on infections such as MRSA had been largely successful, new trends in other bugs were now posing a threat.Cancer patient wins drug battle - BBC Health News 10th September 2008
A cancer patient has won a battle in the High Court to be given a drug which doctors say could prolong his life by up to three years.\n\nColin Ross, 55, from Horsham, West Sussex, who has the bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma, launched his legal battle to obtain the drug Revlimid.
Trust bans woman from hospitals - BBC Health News 10th September 2008
A woman from Herne Bay has been banned from entering any hospital or contacting NHS staff anywhere in Kent.
Jackie Palmer, of Spenser Road, is not allowed to visit any NHS site "except accident and emergency in the event of a genuine personal medical emergency".
The ban was placed on her by Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust after she admitted harassing and intimidating staff.Making the world understand my face - BBC Health News 10th September 2008
On a packed commuter train, passengers rarely give their fellow travellers more than a passing glance. But Alison Rich is not just another face in the crowd - what is the impact of facial disfigurement on an otherwise normal life?
Every morning on her way to work, Alison Rich is met with sideways glances and furtive second looks. Some people stare openly, others turn away out of embarrassment.Man convicted over cancer 'cure' - BBC Health News 10th September 2008
A Manchester man has been convicted of advertising a "natural cure" for cancer on the internet.
Andrew Harris, 49, of Sale, advertised "Triamazon" on two websites as a natural alternative for treating all types of cancer.First five polyclinics for London - BBC Health News 10th September 2008
The first five polyclinics for London will be up and running by next spring, healthcare officials have announced.\n\nThe polyclinics in Harrow, Hounslow, Lambeth, Redbridge and Waltham Forest will reach patients in some of the most deprived areas of the city.
Hidden heart harm of fatty foods - BBC Health News 9th September 2008
Ahmed Al Haj is only 48 and looks healthy on the outside, yet this Bangladeshi waiter has ended up on the operating table for a triple heart bypass.
As a Muslim, Ahmed does not smoke or drink, but his diet has been rich in ghee, the clarified butter in which many south Asian dishes are drenched.Declaring love boosts sex appeal - BBC Health News 9th September 2008
Telling someone you fancy 'I really like you' could make him or her find you more attractive, research suggests.
Making eye contact and smiling have a similar effect, says Aberdeen University psychologist Dr Ben Jones
UK Health News 09/11/2008
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Posted by Kieran at 11:30 0 comments
UK Health News 09/09/2008
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
Man who raped schoolgirl after fleeing hospital sent to Broadmoor - The Guardian 9th September 2008
A mentally ill man who raped a schoolgirl after escaping from a low-security psychiatric hospital had previously been allowed to amass a collection of pornographic and horror DVDs, a court heard yesterday.
Darren Harkin, 21, who attacked the 14-year-old girl the morning after absconding, was also taken by staff to the cinema to see horror films and had been allowed unsupervised leave.tags: Schizophrenia, Mental Health, Health, News, UHN, Violent People, The Guardian
Controversial surgery for treating obesity that involves reducing the patient's stomach to the size of a thumb should be more widely available on the NHS, according to researchers. They say a lack of resources and prejudice from some doctors is preventing many morbidly obese patients from receiving life-saving surgery.
Joanna Moorhead on - The Guardian 9th September 2008
For many people with serious illnesses, blogging offers a way to cope and share their stories.
tags: Palliative Care, Health, News, Information Technology, Informatics, UHN, The Guardian
Darian Leader on cognitive behavioural therapy - The Guardian 9th September 2008
The government is promoting cognitive behavioural therapy as a cost-effective, no-nonsense remedy for our psychological ills. It's the triumph of a market-driven view of the human psyche, says Darian Leader
tags: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mental Health, Health, News, UHN, The Guardian
A confidential report reveals Manchester University staff were using contaminated labs.
Radiation left over from 100-year-old experiments by Ernest Rutherford, the father of modern nuclear physics, may be responsible for the recent deaths of two Manchester University lecturers. Hundreds more former lecturers and students at Manchester University could be at risk from nuclear materials they were exposed to. At least as late as 2006, there was still contamination in the building in which Rutherford worked, known as the Rutherford Building. This included materials such as polonium, which killed Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian dissident.tags: Radiation, Health and Safety, Higher Education, GMHN, Health, News, UHN, The Guardian
A dangerous psychiatric patient who escaped from hospital and raped a teenage girl had been taken to see violent horror films by staff, a court was told yesterday.
Darren Harkin, 20, who was originally detained for the murder of his six-month-old stepbrother, had also built up a large collection of horror movies and pornography on DVD while in the low-security Hayes hospital unit in Bristol.tags: Schizophrenia, Mental Health, Health, News, UHN, Violent People, The Times
Children ‘are much less active than parents think’ - The Times 9th September 2008
Children in England take less exercise than their parents may think, according to a study.
Only 2 to 3 per cent of a group of six and seven-year-olds achieved recommended levels, it found. The study, published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, monitored 130 children over seven days. The amount of physical activity they did was estimated using an accelerometer device attached to their belts. The results were compared with information supplied by their parents for the Health Survey for England.tags: Physical Activity, Health, News, UHN, The Times, Children, Young People
Risk of emotional problems for premature babies - Times Online
Children born extremely prematurely are four times more likely to have emotional problems or behavioural disorders later in life, according to a study led by the department of psychology at the University of Warwick and Warwick Medical School.
tags: Psychology, Mental Health, UHN, Obstetrics, Health, News, The, Times
Lib Dems back ‘top-up’ payments for cancer drugs by NHS patients - The Times 9th September 2008
Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, will set out today why he believes patients should be allowed to pay privately for drugs to “top up” NHS care.
The Liberal Democrats will seek to outflank both Labour and the Tories after patients who bought life-extending cancer drugs privately were refused further treatment by the NHS.tags: Cancer, Drug Therapy, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News, Health Service Economics, Financial Management, NHS
Dentist to open at supermarket checkout - The Times 8th September 2008
Supermarket shoppers will soon be able to get their teeth polished, or pay for that all important filling, when out buying their groceries.
Sainsbury's, whose advertising slogan is “Try something new today”, will unveil the nation's first in-store dental surgery in Sale, near Manchester, next week. The private surgery will offer check-ups from £16 on a first come, first served basis, along with other general and cosmetic dentistry.A mother drowned her four-year-old daughter in the bath because she was embarrassed by the girl's disability, a court heard.
tags: Mental Health, Disabilities, Health, News, UHN, Homicide, The Telegraph
Half of nursing home residents wrongly drugged, study shows - The Telegraph 9th September 2008
Half of all nursing home residents in Britain are being wrongly drugged, a new study suggests, twice as many as previously thought.
tags: Residential Care, Drug Therapy, Health, News, UHN, Ethics, Older People, The Telegraph
A psychiatric patient who was allowed to watch pornography films raped a 14-year-old girl after escaping from hospital.
An investigation is under way to discover why Darren Harkin, 21, was being kept at a low-security institution.
A mother drowned her daughter in the bath because she was embarrassed by the girl's disability and could not cope, a court has heard.
Joanne Hill, 32, had tried to persuade husband Simon to have their four-year-old daughter Naomi, who suffered from cerebral palsy, adopted. But when the devoted father refused, Hill hatched a plan to murder the child instead, it is alleged.tags: Mental Health, Disabilities, Health, News, UHN, Homicide, Daily Mail
An injection that cures obesity could be available within five years, leading scientists claimed today.
Researchers at University College London are developing drugs to control a patient's hormone levels and effectively stop them feeling hungry.tags: Obesity, Drug Therapy, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail
At 15 Zara Hovelsas started using sunbeds every day. Now 27, you would think she should know better. Especially as she has been diagnosed with skin cancer.
But Miss Hovelsas insists she can't help herself. Six months after having her cancerous moles removed, she is back on a sunbed once a week - despite doctors warning it could result in the cancer returning.tags: Skin Cancer, Health, News, Dermatology, UHN, Daily Mail
High heel horrors! The hidden costs of the extra inches - Daily Mail 9th September 2008
More women are wearing higher heels, and for longer, and experts are increasingly concerned about the longterm damage they are doing to their feet.
Recent research suggests that up to a third of women suffer permanent problems as a result of their prolonged wearing of 'killer heels', ranging from hammer toes and bunions to irreversible damage to leg tendons.tags: Podiatry, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail
Premature lifeline: The baby saved by milk from another mother - Daily Mail 9th September 2008
After the Kate Garraway breast-milk storm, another mother tells of the gratitude she will always feel for the donor of her baby's breast milk
tags: Infants, Diet, Nutrition, Breastfeeding, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail
The 'slinky' drug dispenser that will 'banish eyedrops' - Daily Mail 9th September 2008
A tiny coil which is implanted in the eye could mean an end to the injections and drops used by thousands of patients with common eye complaints.
The spiral-shaped coil, so small it can be inserted through a hollow needle, can be loaded with drugs to treat conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic macular edema.tags: Ophthalmology, Drug Therapy, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail
The NHS is very good at stopping you dying - not so great at helping you live. OK, it may not have a 100 per cent record at stopping people dying, but it's up against the awkward statistic that 100 per cent of people will die, so I like to cut the NHS some slack. Sometimes.
tags: Daily Mail, Health, News, NHS, Rehabilitation, UHN
Esther Rantzen: The deadly conflicting messages on heart disease - Daily Mail 8th September 2008
Despite the health warnings, we're all eating too much fat - which is linked to heart disease, the UK's biggest killer. Just why so many people are getting it wrong is the subject of a major debate tomorrow, chaired by John Humphrys. Here, Esther Rantzen blames the conflicting health messages.
tags: Daily Mail, Heart Diseases, Health, News, Diet, Nutrition, UHN, Hypertension
Alzheimer's and marriage: 'Where did my lovely wife go?' - Daily Mail 8th September 2008
When Hilary, his beloved wife of 30 years, developed Alzheimer's, there was never any doubt in Jim Wild's mind that he would look after her. And so he became one of the estimated 240,000 people who are full-time carers for Alzheimer's sufferers.
tags: Alzheimers Disease, Relationships, Health, News, Carers, UHN, Daily Mail
When her 11-year-old son Sam was suddenly violently sick one morning, Kirstine Sykes-Drinkell assumed he'd picked up a stomach bug.
'I kept him off school and thought he'd bounce back the next day,' says the 36-year-old housewife from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. 'But the same thing happened every day for the next month.tags: Migraine, Headaches, Health, News, Pain, UHN, Daily Mail
Do YOU want your medical secrets on a plastic card? - Daily Mail 8th September 2008
Keen to be involved in the management of his health, diabetes sufferer Simon Benson is one of the first UK patients to use a Health eCard.
This looks like a credit card, but it is loaded with a patient's entire medical records from their GP, allowing them access to their records through a computer anywhere in the world.tags: Information Technology, Informatics, Medical Records, Health, news, UHN, Daily Mail
Women who count calories during pregnancy could be condemning their unborn children to a lifetime of obesity, scientists have warned.
It is thought that a lack of food in the womb alters the programming of the baby's fat cells, leading to weight problems in later life.tags: Obesity, Health, News, Diet, Nutrition, Pregnancy, UHN, Daily Mail
Mental care escapes 'horrifying' - BBC Health News 9th September 2008
There were at least 116 escapes from medium and low secure psychiatric hospitals last year, a BBC investigation has found.
Some of those units held patients who committed serious and violent crimes.tags: Mental Health, Health, News, UHN, Violent People, BBC Health News
Vitamin linked to brain shrinking - BBC Health News 8th September 2008
A vitamin found in meat, fish and milk may help stave off memory loss in old age, a study has suggested.
Older people with lower than average vitamin B12 levels were more than six times more likely to experience brain shrinkage, researchers concluded.tags: Memory, Alzheimers Disease, Vitamins, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News
Child exercise estimates 'wrong' - BBC Health News 8th September 2008
Parents vastly overestimate the amount of time their children spend exercising, research suggests.
On average they claimed their offspring took more than two hours exercise a day - while the truth was less than 30 minutes for both boys and girls.tags: Physical Activity, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News
Money worries 'may harm health' - BBC Health News 8th September 2008
The economic downturn could be bad news for our bodies, as well as our pockets, suggest specialists.
Britons are cutting back on expensive fruit and vegetables, and gym membership, claims a report by the Blood Pressure Association.tags: Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Health, News, Hypertension, UHN, BBC Health News
The NHS spends far more on treating people with diseases like cancer and heart disease in some areas of the country than in others, a study has found.
The King's Fund, which has carried out the analysis, says that after adjustment for the age and the health of the population, there is little explanation for the striking variation on spending from one primary care trust to another, and it probably cannot always be justified.tags: Health Service Economics, Primary Care, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, NHS, The Guardian
Table: Local variations in NHS spending priorities - The Guardian 8th September 2008
What PCTs spend per head, adjusted for need, age, costs and distance from allocation target, according to King's Fund data
tags: Health Service Economics, Primary Care, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, NHS, The Guardian
A weekly treatment for type 2 diabetes has proved safe and effective for patients in a trial involving 259 volunteers.
The formulation is a version of a previously available treatment called exenatide, which mimics one of the body's hormones. The existing version must be self-injected by patients twice daily. The trial showed that the slow-acting form was more effective than the original at keeping glucose levels in the blood under control, and more convenient to use.tags: Health, News, Diabetes, Drug Therapy, The Guardian, UHN
Scenes from the battle to staunch flow of stab deaths - The Observer 7th September 2008
Yesterday another teenager was stabbed to death. As knife crime soars, hospitals across the UK are dealing with record numbers of victims. Through last week The Observer was given unprecedented access to the A&E unit at King's College Hospital, London, which admits more stab victims than any in England. This is the story of how the hospital staff cope
tags: The Observer, Health, News, UHN, Violent People, Accident and Emergency Departments
Healer to stars in court battle to save reputation - The Observer 7th September 2008
The man hailed as the 'eighth wonder of the world' for his natural approach to healthcare is facing a lawsuit from a patient whose legs were amputated after treatment in his clinic
tags: Complementary Therapies, Health, News, UHN, The Observer, Negligence
Diabetics left at heart attack risk - The Observer 7th September 2008
A quarter of Britain's diabetics are not being given the basic medicines they need to ward off cardiovascular illnesses and heart attacks. This is the conclusion of researchers who have studied the treatments being prescribed for patients aged over 40.
tags: Diabetes, Drug Therapy, Health, News, UHN, Heart Diseases, The Observer
Study finds huge differences in cancer health spending - The Independent 8th September 2008
Cancer patients in the metropolitan borough of Knowsley, near Liverpool, can count themselves fortunate in one respect. Unlucky though they are to have the disease, they live in the area with the highest spending on cancer treatment in the country.
tags: Health Service Economics, Primary Care, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, NHS, The Independent
Raise taxes to stub out smoking by 2025, say doctors - The Independent 8th September 2008
Britain's oldest and most powerful medical college today calls on the Government to set a target to eliminate smoking by 2025.
The Royal College of Physicians says radical measures are needed to curb smoking: swingeing increases in tobacco tax; tougher penalties for tobacco smugglers; and promoting alternative forms of nicotine. The college says the approach "has the potential to end tobacco smoking in the UK within the next 20 years".Schizophrenia patients denied talking therapies - The Independent on Sunday 7th September 2008
Mental health services are failing to comply with national guidelines, relying instead on potentially risky drugs
Thousands of people with mental health problems are being denied the best and most effective treatments, years after they were approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, according to experts.tags: Mental Health, Drug Therapy, Health, News, UHN, The Independent on Sunday
Diabetics not offered vital drugs - The Independent on Sunday 7th September 2008
One in four people with diabetes are not taking the right medicine, according to a study by pharmacists.
Scores of diabetics are not being prescribed life-saving drugs, placing them at greater risk of heart disease and stroke, the British Pharmaceutical Conference will be told this week.tags: Diabetes, Drug Therapy, Health, News, UHN, The Independent on Sunday
Trials start on flu vaccine that could end yearly jabs - The Independent 6th September 2008
Clinical trials of a new universal flu vaccine that could offer long-term protection against strains including human mutations of bird flu are starting at Oxford University.
If successful, the jab would overcome two problems – at the moment, doctors can only vaccinate against certain strains of flu and have to change the formulation every year in response to the developments of new variants.tags: Influenza, Immunisation, Health, News, UHN, The Independent
A global shortage of radioactive imaging agents vital to the diagnosis of cancer and other diseases threatens to delay treatment for hundreds of patients in Britain.
tags: Radiography, Radiation, Health, News, UHN, The Independent
Lord Winston to farm pigs for transplants - The Sunday Times 7th September 2008
Lord Winston, the fertility expert and Labour peer, is to begin breeding genetically modified pigs in the next three months to produce hearts, livers and kidneys for transplanting to humans.
Winston has pioneered a simplified technique to create pigs with “humanised” organs that will not be rejected by the patients’ immune systems.tags: Genetics, Health, News, The Sunday Times, Transplantation Services, UHN, Ethics
Maternity units' missing £330m funding - The Times 6th September 2008
Funding promised by the Government to improve poor standards of care for mothers and newborn babies is failing to reach maternity units, The Times has learnt.
A survey of NHS trusts has showed that nine out of ten cannot identify their share of the £330 million pledged by ministers.tags: Pregnancy, Obstetrics, Midwifery, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, The Times
Case study: Waiting in pain - The Times 6th September 2008
For women like Clare Payne, who experience complications during pregnancy, childbirth can be an agonising experience.
Mrs Payne, 23, gave birth to her first son Harry in 2006 with few problems, but his brother Finley’s birth last September was delayed repeatedly owing to a shortage of staff and beds.tags: Pregnancy, Obstetrics, Midwifery, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, The Times
Chris Moyles radio show 'encourages binge drinking' - The Times 5th September 2008
The BBC's Chris Moyles has been highlighted in a government-funded report as encouraging binge drinking with some of his on-air dialogue.
Research into 1,200 hours of radio output found that many DJs use language that celebrates excessive drinking and one show was entitled “The Morning After” with the jingle “If you’re hungover from the night before, listen to Tim and Kate”.
Posted by Kieran at 11:31 1 comments
UK Health News 09/08/2008
Monday, 8 September 2008
The level of healthcare inequality across the country is disclosed in a detailed report which shows some areas are spending twice as much tackling heart disease and cancer as others.
tags: Health Service Economics, Primary Care, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, NHS, The Telegraph
Taxpayers face £3.5bn pensions bill - The Telegraph 9th September 2008
Taxpayers face an extra £3.5bn a year bill to fund a two-tier pension system that gives public sector workers vastly superior retirement benefits to those working in private companies.
Research from pensions adviser Ros Altmann shows civil servants, teachers, NHS staff and the Armed Forces are, on average, paying lower National Insurance (NI) than others. They also tend to retire earlier.tags: Pensions, Health Service Economics, Financial Management, Health, News, NHS, UHN, The Telegraph
Finger on the pulse - The Telegraph 9th September 2008
Max Pemberton says space in NHS hospitals is at a premium
There is a new commodity emerging within the NHS that is the source of constant meetings, emails, diktats and complaints. Its distribution is arbitrary and frequently unfair, and yet it is rarely discussed openly because this precious resource is not a wonder drug, a service or even personnel. It is far more intangible and, until it is gone, most people won't even be aware of it. It is space.tags: Health Service Economics, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, The Telegraph, NHS, NHS Estates
Patient refuses to leave hospital after operation cancelled - The Sunday Telegraph 8th August 2008
A hospital patient is refusing to leave her bed until she is treated after her operation was cancelled four times.
SAS author Andy McNab warns of mental breakdown among troops - The Sunday Telegraph 8th August 2008
The SAS veteran Andy McNab has launched a scathing attack on the Government's treatment of British troops after a poll found that two thirds of the public thought their care was "disgraceful".
tags: Mental Health, Health, News, Armed Forces, UHN, The Sunday Telegraph
Mobile phones 'can give you brain tumours' - The Sunday Telegraph 8th August 2008
Long term use of mobile phones can significantly increase the risk of developing brain tumours, it was claimed.
tags: Mobile Telephony, Health, News, UHN, The Sunday Telegraph, Cancer
Umbilical cord bank could save thousands of lives - The Telegraph 6th September 2008
Mothers are to be asked to donate their new-born babies' umbilical cords as part of a major medical project that could save around 4,000 lives a year.
tags: UHN, Genetics, Health, News, The Telegraph
A healer whose clients include the Duchess of Cornwall and Geri Halliwell faces a High Court lawsuit from a former patient who claims treatments led to him having both legs amputated.
Mosaraf Ali has built up an enviable client list treating a range of conditions with alternative therapies including yoga, relaxation and massage.tags: Complementary Therapies, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail
Tories call for a £500 tax perk to encourage stay-at-home mothers - Daily Mail 8th September 2008
Mothers should be given financial help to encourage them to stay at home with their young children, according to an influential Tory think-tank.
The study, which is likely to be read closely by David Cameron, said too many parents who wish to look after their children are being forced back to work by financial pressures.tags: Parenting, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail
Migraine painkillers 'fail millions of women', study reveals - Daily Mail 8th September 2008
Migraines are bringing misery to millions of women, with one in three failing to get any relief from 'unreliable' painkilling medication, says a new survey.
It reveals sufferers are struck by two attacks a month on average, with most having symptoms that last for a day or more.tags: Migraine, Headaches, Drug Therapy, Pain, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail
The NHS spends three times more in some areas on treating the same conditions, it has emerged.
A report highlighted huge variations in amounts spent locally, even after the needs of different communities were accounted for.tags: Health Service Economics, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail, Primary Care
The new drug that could shine a light on the mysteries of MRSA - Daily Mail 8th September 2008
A new light-activated drug could tackle MRSA infections more effectively than existing antibiotics, researchers say.
They used a type of gel - a hydrogel - to hold the drug and cover infected wounds.
The gel then releases the drug, which is activated by a particular kind of light to kill the bugs. In laboratory studies, the system had a 100 per cent success rate.tags: MRSA, Drug Therapy, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail
Intrepid explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes is no stranger to pain. Since the Sixties he has undertaken gruelling physical expeditions worldwide. He has suffered frostbite, resulting in the loss of fingertips on his left hand, and a heart attack that necessitated a double heart bypass.
But one pain from which the 64-year-old adventurer does not suffer is that caused by arthritis.tags: Arthritis, Complementary Therapies, Health, News, UHN, Daily Mail
How you can stay flexible by stretching your mind ... and body - Daily Mail 6th September 2008
The minute we got out of bed this morning, millions of us will have stretched and yawned. Stretching in its most basic form is natural, enjoyable and instinctive. Even before getting out of bed, I would recommend doing some simple stretches before putting any weight on to your joints. Try stretching after a hot bath or shower in the morning when your muscles have warmed up or, if you prefer, at the end of the day when your muscles have been naturally warmed.
tags: Health, News, Physical Activity, UHN, Daily Mail
Hay fever has left me addicted to nose spray - Daily Mail 6th September 2008
Hay fever brings misery to an estimated 12million sufferers in the UK - and one of the most distressing symptoms is a blocked nose that, for many, can be relieved only by 'vasoconstrictive' nose drops or sprays that relieve inflammation.
tags: Hypersensitivity, Drug Therapy, Health, News, Addiction, UHN, Daily Mail
Vein tubes 'fitted needlessly' - BBC Health News 7th September 2008
A third of patients have unnecessary tubes inserted into veins when they are in hospital, pharmacists have warned.
Researchers from Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University said this needlessly exposed them to serious complications, such as infections and blood clots.tags: Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News, Accident and Emergency Departments, Cannulas
'Dozens' of under-16s have STIs - BBC Health News 7th September 2008
A total of 281 Scottish children under 16 contracted a sexually transmitted infection (STI) last year, according to new figures obtained by BBC Scotland.
Figures from the Information and Statistics Division show 181 youngsters tested positive for chlamydia.tags: Sexually Transmitted Infections, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News, Young People
Young 'ignorant on mental health' - BBC Health News 7th September 2008
Almost half of all schoolchildren cannot name a single mental health condition, a study of 500 young people has found.
And fewer than half of those surveyed felt that schools provided enough information about mental health, a third preferred to trust the internet.tags: Mental Health, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News
Veterans' mental care condemned - BBC Health News 8th September 2008
Britain faces a "timebomb" of mental health problems among veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, best-selling author Andy McNab has said.
He spoke out ahead of the launch of his latest book, which examines the fate of the men he served with in the SAS.tags: Mental Health, Armed Forces, Health, News, UHN, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, BBC Health News
Shining a light on bowel cancer - BBC Health News 7th September 2008
A new method of diagnosing bowel cancer using 'light' may soon be available, according to researchers from Queen's University, Belfast.
The ideas were presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester.tags: Bowel Cancer, Health, News, UHN, Diagnosis, BBC Health News
Venomous clues in lung bug battle - BBC Health News 7th September 2008
Bacterial colonies in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients use chemicals found in snake venom to attack them, say UK researchers.
The Pseudomonas bug lives in "biofilm" communities in the lungs, becoming resistant to antibiotics and increasingly hard to treat.tags: Cystic Fibrosis, Health, News, Bacteria, UHN, BBC Health News
NHS 'spending lottery persists' - BBC Health News 7th September 2008
Entrenched differences remain in the amount local health bodies spend on major diseases, a think-tank says.
The King's Fund says variations in spending on mental health, cancer and heart disease across England was virtually unchanged from 2004 to 2007.tags: Health Service Economics, Financial Management, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News, Primary Care
'Music helped me recover from stroke' - BBC Health News 6th September 2008
Just four days after his wife's funeral following her death from a stroke, Cyril Merle had a massive stroke himself.
The 86-year-old was paralysed down the left side of his body and had difficulty speaking and eating.tags: Stroke, Rehabilitation, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News
Reinventing the wheel to help disabled - BBC Health News 5th September 2008
When David Hughes sets off to travel he has to plan his journey with meticulous care.
For David, aged 49, from Blackpool, is a wheelchair user and although he can use crutches for short distance, the majority of the time he needs his chair or a mobility scooter.tags: Disabilities, Health, News, CLHN, UHN, BBC Health News
Universal flu vaccine tests start - BBC Health News 5th September 2008
A universal flu vaccine which could mean an end to the annual jab is being tested on UK volunteers.
It targets a different part of the virus to current vaccines, which means it does not have to be altered every year to match circulating strains.tags: Influenza, Immunisation, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News
Hearing risk for festival goers - BBC Health News 5th September 2008
Festival goers could be seriously damaging their hearing, a leading charity has warned.
A poll of over 2,700 people for the Royal National Institute for the Deaf found over half felt loud music had damaged their ears.tags: Hearing, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News
Isotope shortage may delay scans - BBC Health News 5th September 2008
Hundreds of important NHS hospital tests could be put on hold due to a worldwide shortage of a radioactive isotope, doctors have warned.
Three of the five reactors which produce molybdenum-99 have been shut down, severely reducing the amount available.tags: Radiography, Radiation, Health, News, UHN, BBC Health News
Cancer drug battle goes to court - BBC Health News 4th September 2008
A cancer patient could die within the next two months without a drug that doctors say could give him three more years, the High Court has heard.
Colin Ross, 55, from Horsham, West Sussex, who has the blood cancer multiple myeloma, launched his legal battle to obtain the drug Revlimid.tags: Cancer, Health, News, NHS, Drug Therapy, Jurisprudence, BBC Health News, UHN
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