Makers agree to cut cost of latest drugs – The Guardian 20th November 2008
More patients will be able to get cutting-edge medicines under a radical deal involving drug companies lowering their prices, the government claimed yesterday. It could lead to more drugs being approved by Nice, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which now turns down some effective drugs for NHS use because they are too expensive.
- Drugs deal will save the NHS £350 million a year – The Telegraph 20th November 2008
- Deal reached on NHS drug prices – BBC Health News 19th November 2008
Johnjoe McFadden: The stem cell transplant is a triumph – The Guardian 19th November 2008
The use of stem cell technology for a transplant is a scientific triumph, but it won’t end the vexed debate on embryo research
Bernard Crump, chief executive, NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement
What is the NHS Institute?
A small organisation, part of the NHS, which helps the NHS to find and deploy innovative solutions to the most pressing needs of the service.
Sex & the citizens: New prostitution laws explained – The Independent 20th November 2008
New laws for the oldest profession are designed to ‘punish the punter’ and protect the prostitute. Ben Russell explains Home Secretary Jacqui Smith’s proposals
Additional Stories
- Will this be the end of prostitution? – The Times 20th November 2008
- New laws on prostitution will drive it underground – The Telegraph 19th November 2008
- Jacqui Smith’s prostitution laws could help free women from sexual slavery – The Telegraph 19th November 2008
- Men face rape charges for using prostitutes illegally trafficked to Britain – Daily Mail 20th November 2008
Children left at risk by rise in legal costs – The Independent 20th November 2008
The number of vulnerable youngsters taken into care has fallen after a 3,000% increase in court charges
Children at risk of abuse are being left unprotected following a sharp fall in the numbers being taken into care, a children’s charity says.
Figures obtained by The Independent from Cafcass, the children’s legal charity, in the wake of the Baby P case, show that more than 600 fewer court applications were made by local authorities to take children into care in the past six months compared with the same period in 2007.
NHS staff regularly breach security rules, says survey – The Independent 19th November 2008
NHS staff are regularly breaching security rules by sharing “smartcards” to access patient records, according to a poll out today.
One in six GPs told Pulse magazine they were aware of staff sharing smartcards, which were issued as part of the Government’s multi-billion pound upgrade of the NHS computer system.
Four at-risk children die from abuse every week – The Times 20th November 2008
Up to four children die each week in England from abuse or neglect, according to official figures that reveal the alarming scale of the problem.
The damning report by Ofsted makes clear that the death of Baby P was far from an isolated tragedy.
Additional Story
The doctor accused of failing to detect that Baby P had a broken back and eight broken ribs has spoken of the “shocking and tragic circumstances” of the case.
Sabah al-Zayyat was the last medical professional to examine the 17-month-old toddler before his death, and the only person to be sacked in the investigation so far. In a statement released yesterday she said: “Like everyone involved in this case, I have been deeply affected by the shocking and tragic circumstances of this young child’s death.
Additional Stories
- Baby P: Photograph that may have saved the boy’s life – Daily Mail 20th November 2008
- ‘I’m devastated’: Baby P doctor sacked for failing to spot his broken back breaks her silence – Daily Mail 19th November 2008
- Baby P doctor ‘deeply affected’ – BBC Health News 19th November 2008
Schools and hospitals are likely to benefit from Gordon Brown’s decision to spend his way out of a recession but most departments still face a tight squeeze in the next two years.
On Monday Alistair Darling will fast-track a range of small and medium-sized capital projects in an attempt to rescue the construction industry. This will lead to more schools being refurbished, one-stop health centres being built, social housing accelerated and roads repaired. Bigger projects take too much time to plan, commission and design and are less likely.
The latest advance in medical care: mobile phones – The Times 20th November 2008
Mobile phones have been regarded as potential health hazards almost since they were invented. Now they are being used to improve the lives of thousands of Britons with chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma.
Additional Stories
- Case study: they even call nurse for help – The Times 20th November 2008
- The text nurse: Mobile phone ‘diary’ allows people with diabetes and asthma to monitor their own health – Daily Mail 20th November 2008
Avoidable blood clots ’still kill too many hospital patients’ – The Telegraph 20th November 2008
Avoidable blood clots continue to kill thousands of hospital patients every year because staff don’t assess them, an influential parliamentary group has found.
A hospital has sparked outrage by unveiling cost-cutting plans to stop supplying free milk to new-born babies.
New mothers, who will continue to receive free meals, will have to buy £5 tokens from maternity ward machines to exchange for a pack of 10 bottles and teats.
GPs ‘waste’ £100m NHS fund set aside for local care, study finds – Daily Mail 20th November 2008
Family doctors are failing to provide improved services for patients, despite being paid tens of millions of pounds to do so, a report claims.
Cash handed to thousands of GPs to commission services including X-rays, blood tests, eye tests and services for diabetics simply ends up in practice coffers, it was found.
Additional Story
Bags of stress: Why Christmas shopping is bad for your health – Daily Mail 20th November 2008
Our wallets will not be the only thing suffering as we buy presents this Christmas.
The mind and body will also be put under dangerous levels of stress, a study has found.
Christmas shopping increased blood pressure to dangerous levels in 50 per cent of shoppers.
Heavy drinkers ‘lie to doctors’ – BBC Health News 20th November 2008
Almost two in five people who drink to excess are lying to their doctors about how much alcohol they really consume, suggests a survey.
Men and women drinking double the daily limit also admitted concealing it from partners, friends and colleagues.
Technology to eradicate malaria – BBC Health News 19th November 2008
Emerging technologies could boost supplies of essential plant-based drugs to combat and ultimately help eradicate malaria, says a report.
In the face of increasing parasite resistance to anti-malarial drugs there is now great reliance on artemisinin combination therapies to treat malaria.
Anthrax found on teacher’s drums – BBC Health News 19th November 2008
A drumming teacher has told a fatal accident inquiry she had not “thought deeply” about the possible health risks of importing West African drums.
Two drums owned by Geraldine Keita tested positive for anthrax, a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told.
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
