:: Fade - the blog ::

If you want to understand the origins of the headings go to Friday, November 29, 2002.

:: Saturday, March 01, 2003 ::

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Africa's 'cursed' children given hope

For the first two years of his life burns victim Mavuto was unable to walk.

BBC Health 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Babies learn to give doting parents a helping hand

Nurseries in Britain are about to be swept by the new craze of baby signing. Communicating with infants with strange hand gestures is to take over from baby massages as the latest fashion among aspirational parents.

The Observer 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blair alarms Labour with new plans for NHS charging

Tony Blair has been warned against opening a "second front" in his increasingly tense relations with the Labour Party by experimenting with more public service reform.

The Independent 02/03/03
The Independent 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bouncers to guard GPs

Bouncers will be drafted into GPs' surgeries to crack down on violence against staff.

Manchester Evening News 01/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Bungled op killed my mum'

The daughter of a woman who died after routine surgery went drastically wrong is calling for an inquiry. Linda Wilson whose mother Moreen Goring 79 of Ingol Head died following a hip replacement claims staff failed to react quick enough following the bungled operation. Mrs Wilson 44 who now lives in London spoke out after the inquest on Thursday February 20 into her mother's death where a verdict of misadventure was recorded.

The Lancashire Evening Post 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chewing qat hooks teen thrill seekers

A bunch of qat leaves can be bought for just £3. Now children as young as 14 are becoming addicted to the drug.

The Independent 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Church of England demands changes to 'regressive' mental health reforms

The Church of England has condemned the Government's Mental Health Bill which will lead to mentally ill people who have not committed a crime being locked up against their will.

The Independent 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Councils' chairman criticises plan for hospital boards

Alan Milburn's plans to have locally elected boards at foundation hospitals are to be attacked at Labour's national policy forum this weekend. Sir Jeremy Beecham chairman of the Local Government Association warned that the move risked fragmenting health and social care.

The Financial Times 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Couple in 9-hour A&E nightmare

Health bosses today issued an unconditional apology after a man complained his wife waited more than nine hours for treatment at Burnley General Hospital's accident and emergency unit.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drive to cut hospital infection deaths

Experts have launched an initiative to reduce the number of patients who die from infections acquired while they are in hospital.

BBC Health 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Hostile' doctors and teachers discriminate against vegetarian children, say parents

Vegetarian parents are protesting against the discrimination they and their children are forced to face in everyday life.

The Independent 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In praise of David Blunkett

Home secreteary changes plans for the extension of the rights of officialdom to access communications data. The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act of 2000 (RIPA), which would have given the NHS the the power to demand access to communications data.

The Observer 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial Reactions

There we were a small group of nurses happily going about our daily business when someone in hospital management approached us and began a conversation which had us slack-jawed in seconds. It went something like this. How does the PCT affect the BFG after hearing that the OMD has gone TGFC It was not exactly that but I do know that I have never heard so many capital letters in my life.

Micromedex News 01/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minority Report

More than 1 000 randomised controlled trials RCTs are underway in the UK according to the National Research Registers record of all NHS-supported research. But only nine of these trials refer specifically to ethnic minority or non-English speaking groups. Two of these studies look at diabetes and heart disease among ethnic minorities two exclude non-fluent English speakers and another excludes all ethnic groups altogether.

Micromedex News 01/02/03
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New target for anti-cholesterol drugs

The latest insight into hardening of the arteries could lead to novel drugs to prevent heart attacks and stroke.

BBC Health 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nurses Press for Defined Skill Mix Ratios in Trusts

Minimium nurse-to-patient ratios must be introduced in all healthcare settings to reduce staff burnout and boost care standards RCN congress will be told in April. A resolution by members from the RCN's Lewisham and North Southwark branch will urge the RCN's ruling council to lobby the government for compulsory ratios and skill mixes.

Micromedex News 01/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remote control

Face-to-face consultations may soon be a thing of the past. Patients can now see their doctor at home, on holiday or even in prison. Wendy Moore tunes in to telehealth.

The Observer 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Snooker ace so caring

Snooker star John Parrott arrived on cue at Southport and Formby District General Hospital yesterday (Thursday) to visit the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms.

Southport Visiter 27/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Split as NHS trusts bid for new freedom

The unexpectedly large number of NHS trusts that have applied to become foundation hospitals free from Whitehall's control threatens to deepen splits within the Government about unleashing market forces into the health services.

The Observer 02/03/03
The Financial Times 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Technology boost for NHS

The Scottish Executive will almost double investment in information technology in the National Health Service, it was announced yesterday.

The Scotsman 01/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The bands that are out of tune

Tens of thousands of patients in care homes are in line for compensation after a damning report by health service ombudsman Ann Abraham into four complaints lodged by individuals denied free continuing care from the NHS.

The Guardian 01/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Too Many NHS Targets Are 'Bullying' Staff, MPs Told

The number of performance targets forced on healthcare professionals must be reduced from 400 to about 15 because staff are being bullied into working harder, the RCN has told an influential group of MPs.

Micromedex News 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuition Fee Hike Threatens Healthcare Recruitment

Unions fear nurse recruitment could be dealt a body blow if the potentially huge increases in university tuition fees are not subsidised for nursing students by the Department of Health. Health ministers are under pressure from the RCN and Unison following a government white paper that would allow universities to charge tuition fees of up to 3 000 a year.

Micromedex News 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to Immigration Central. Please join the queue: your number is 110,001...

Special report by Martin Bright: As asylum-seeker numbers reach record levels, we join the throng at the centre that decides their fate.

The Observer 02/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:: Kieran 11:55 PM [+] ::
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alder Hey's 'lessons learned'

Alder Hey hospital and the University of Liverpool have given assurances that practices have been changed in the wake of the organ retention scandal.

Liverpool Echo 28/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ambulance chiefs fiddle results of 999 call-out times

More than half of Britain’s ambulance trusts are fiddling emergency response times to meet government targets.

The Times 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blunkett pushes for refugee safe havens

The home secretary, David Blunkett, is to launch a drive to win European backing for his "safe havens" plan for refugees in the wake of yesterday's figures showing more than 110,000 people applied for asylum in Britain last year.

The Guardian 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CJD cases 'in decline'

The worst of human BSE infection may be over, according to scientists monitoring vCJD. The UK's National CJD Surveillance Unit said the number of people dying from the human form of mad cow disease each year is falling.

BBC Health 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Children's centres plan for homes

Former old people's homes across Merseyside which are lying derelict could be given a new lease of life. Businessman Lee Bloomberg and his father Jeff want to convert homes which have closed down into centres for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Daily Post 28/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contamination rules tightened after CJD scare

The NHS is to strengthen rules to protect patients from accidental infection via contaminated surgical instruments after a CJD scare last year.

The Guardian 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doctor checks 'to be easier'

New safety checks on doctors to see if they are fit to continue working are to be simpler than first proposed.

BBC Health 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flow of asylum-seekers costs £3.5bn in two years

The cost of dealing with asylum-seekers in the past two years reached £3.5 billion as the Government struggled to deal with record numbers of applicants entering the country.

The Times 01/03/03
The Guardian 01/02/03
The Independent 01/03/03
The Independent 01/03/03
The Independent 01/03/03
The Independent 01/03/03
Manchester Evening News 28/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gene controls cancer spread

Researchers have identified a gene responsible for spread of cancer in the body. They hope the discovery could lead to new ways to stop the development of secondary, or metastatic tumours.

BBC Health 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Genetic clue to heart disorder

Scientists have found a genetic clue to the cause of irregular heartbeats. A study of four generations of a Chinese family has pinpointed a faulty gene that helps control the heart's electrical activity.

BBC Health 01/03/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New opposition to super hospital

Manchester's controversial 'superhospital' has hit new opposition. Work is due to start on the £300m scheme in just a few months, but Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust (MMHSCT), which uses buildings due for demolition, says the new accommodation is too expensive at £900,000 a year.

Manchester Evening News 28/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Organs apology is 'not enough'

Families affected by the Alder Hey organ scandal today said they would continue fighting for a change in the law after receiving a public apology.

Liverpool Echo 28/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents' outrage at absence of minister

Parents involved in Merseyside's organ retention scandal have renewed calls for a change in the law to prevent the tragic events happening again.

The Daily Post 28/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waiting list row boss quits again

The former boss of a Manchester NHS trust at the centre of a controversy over waiting list figures has quit her new job.

Manchester Evening News 28/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Widow wins recognition for father of her sons

Diane Blood, who fought for the right to have children using her dead husband's sperm, secured a new victory yesterday in her battle to have him legally recognised as their father.

The Guardian 01/03/03

:: Kieran 11:44 PM [+] ::
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Une valise a ses cotés - Today's Grey Literature
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the Department for Education and Skills 'Access to education for children with medical needs: a map of best practice' which aims of this research were to identify best practice in the provision of effective services for children and young people with medical needs and show how barriers to improving services can be overcome. The four page 'Access to education for children with medical needs: a map of best practice: research brief' may save some reading though!

The Social Exclusion Unit in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have completed 'Making the Connections: Final Report on Transport and Social Exclusion' which examines the links between social exclusion, transport and the location of services. It is particularly focused on access to those opportunities that have the most impact on life-chances, such as work, learning and healthcare. Again a summary is available 'Making the Connections: Final Report on Transport and Social Exclusion: summary' for those who wish to save some time and effort.

'Life expectancy at birth by local authority in England and Wales 1991-1993 to 1999-2001' from the Office of National Statistics provides figures for life expectancy in England and Wales from 1991-93 to 1999-01.

There is a whole heap of great grey literature available from the Work Foundation, 'Working minds: attitudes on mental health in the workplace with proposals for change' is research report about mental health at work. It paints a grim picture of the employment difficulties faced by people experiencing mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. 'Poor Reception: refugees and asylum seekers: welfare or work?' has a focus on the economic integration of asylum seekers in the UK economy. It identifies trends and good practice and clearly demonstrate the value of immigration to the UK economy. They are also responsible for 'Full employment and the new deal' which considers the impact of the new deal and its role in terms of social inclusion. Related is 'Not very qualified: raising skills levels in the UK workforce' which looks at how central govenment can provide the skills required by employers through effective policy. In terms of gender issues around employment 'Small step or giant leap: towards gender equality at work' which questions progress on equity in terms of employment opportunities for women. On a similar theme 'Unequal entrepreneurs: why female enterpise is an uphill business' looks at the inequalities evident in the female experience of establishing small businesses. With regard to the impact of ICT on economic performance remains hugely controversial. The long-boom of the 1990s appeared to herald a 'new economy', in which technological innovation began hard-wiring changes into Western economies. Enterprises would become more productive and markets more efficient. The end of the Internet boom brought new doubts: had anything happened, and could any change be measured? 'Getting the measure of the new economy' aims to answer this question. This theme is continued with 'RealityIT - Technology and Everyday Life'. Interactive technology has moved swiftly into British homes over the last decade. But has it changed the lives of those who live there? RealityIT, a major survey of the use and adoption of digital technology in the UK, provides many of the answers.
:: Kieran 10:55 PM [+] ::
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Une valise a ses cotes - Today's Grey Literature
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have produced 'Establishing fire safety issues among older people: report' to better understand the specific issues concerning fire safety amongst older people and to help inform future developments in fire safety policy and campaigns targeted at older people.

'Risk: Improving government’s capability to handle risk and uncertainty: full report' from the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit explains that handling risk – both opportunity and threat – is increasingly central to the business of government. Details the corporate governance need and function of risk management. For those that don't fancy th 135 page original the 'Risk: Improving government’s capability to handle risk and uncertainty: summary report' provides a 28 page alternative.

From the Home Office 'The prison population in 2001: a statistical review' a summary of the Home Office report prison statistics England and Wales for 2001. For those wishing for international comparisons 'World Prison Population List (fourth edition)' gives details of the number of prisoners held in some 205 independent countries and dependent territories. It shows the differences in the level of imprisonment across the world and makes possible an estimate of the world prison population total. Thye've also produced a 'Review of training in racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity' a report of a major research project into the impact and effectiveness of training in racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity in the public sector. The research arises from recommendation 54 of the report of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry. 'Training in racism awareness and cultural diversity' provides a good practice guide has been produced based on research findings from the previous document. For those interested in juvenile offenders 'One Year Juvenile Reconviction Rates: First quarter of 2001 cohort' is the second Public Service Agreement target monitor. It covers reconviction rates for offenders dealt with between January and March 2001, providing a measure of the proportion of juveniles reconvicted within one year of their original conviction or reprimand or final warning. 'Asylum seekers in dispersal: healthcare issues' is a summary of a study which examined the provision of healthcare services for asylum seekers in areas to which they are dispersed by the National Asylum Support Service. The study investigated the accessibility and quality of healthcare provision for asylum seekers in dispersal areas; examined the impact of dispersal on the health of asylum seekers and identified existing and emerging good practice.

Sport England, erstwhile home of Trevor Brooking have produced 'Young People and Sport in England: Trends in participation 1994-2002' a survey that provides information on young people's participation in sport in school lessons, in extra curricular time and in their leisure time and their attitudes towards sport. It also includes the views of teachers about PE and sport in their schools. It is summarised in 'Young People and Sport National Survey 2002: Headline Findings', which loses 90 pages on the way, coming in at only five pages.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport have produced a 'Review of lottery funding: a consultation paper on lottery distribution policy' to look at how we can enhance and develop the its future and make Lottery funding more responsive to the needs and priorities of communities. The 'Review of lottery funding: summary of analysis of responses to the consultation paper on Lottery Distribution Policy' analyses the responses to the initial paper.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 'Sustainable development: Government annual report 2002: achieving a better quality of life' have produced the Government's third annual report on sustainable development in the United Kingdom, updates progress on the Government's 15 headline indicators of sustainable development: the 'quality of life' barometer. While on environmental matters the 'Our energy future: creating a low carbon economy' white paper form the Department of Trade and Industry provides iformation on the challenges faced on the environment, the decline of indigenous energy supplies and the need to update energy infrastructure, and the policies to be pursued over the next twenty years and beyond to meet these challenges.

The Department of Work and Pensions have produced 'Migrants in the UK : a descriptive analysis of their characteristics and labour market performance, based on the Labour Force Survey' which brings together a range of statistics and evidence from the UK labour force survey, in order to shed light on the key issues surrounding the migrant population in the UK in 2001.




:: Kieran 2:35 AM [+] ::
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tied Up With Chains Your Parents Made - Useful Links
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Risk Support Team has been set up in HM Treasury to support a two-year programme of change, which will tie in with the 2004 Spending Review. More information on this programme can be found elsewhere on this web site.

Public Sector Benchmarking Service provides access for interested parties to discussion groups, knowledge banks, search facilities, document download facility, notice board, links, and enquiry service helpdesk/research facilities. Also, a database of good practice in risk management has been established, hosted by the PSBS. Users are encouraged to submit examples for the database.

Risk Portal from the Cabinet Office.



:: Kieran 11:15 PM [+] ::
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agency nurses cost more, says SNP

More than £13 million of taxpayers' money could be saved if agency nurses were directly employed by the NHS, it was claimed yesterday.

The Scotsman 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black man is legal father of IVF twins born to white woman

The black biological father of mixed-race twins born to a white mother after an IVF sperm mix-up is the children's legal father, a top High Court judge ruled today.

The Independent 26/02/03
BBC Health News 26/02/03
ITV News 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blunkett u-turn on data privacy plans

David Blunkett, the home secretary, has bowed to intense public concern over the privacy of electronic communications and radically redrawn plans to give a host of state agencies and local authorities the power to access telephone, internet and email records.

The Guardian 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bottle-fed babies in parents' bed at risk of cot death

BOTTLE-FED babies are at greater risk of cot death than breast-fed babies if they share a bed with their mothers, research shows.

The Times 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cancer risk for inactive women

Only one woman in five takes the amount of exercise which the government says brings health benefits, a survey for Cancer Research UK said yesterday.

The Guardian 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash for questions

Calls mount for independent review of social care funding. Directors of social services are asking the government to order a thorough, independent review of funding of social care along the lines of the work on the NHS carried out for the Treasury by Derek Wanless, former chief executive of NatWest bank.

The Guardian 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Council leaders attack foundation hospitals plan

Council leaders today joined the rising tide of opposition to the plans for semi-autonomous foundation hospitals, claiming that the new organisations would "perpetuate and rigidify" the lack of cooperation between local government and the NHS.

The Guardian 25/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diabetes screening launched

The government is setting up nine pilot sites to identify people at risk of developing diabetes.

BBC Health News 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Stuttaford answers your questions on epilepsy

The Times 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fast-track qualification plan for young doctors

The most capable doctors will be able to qualify as consultants while still in their 20s under plans disclosed by the government yesterday to streamline medical education.

The Guardian 26/02/03
The Times 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Given the space and time to grieve, people find their own ways to heal, or contain, their sadness'

Say the word "bereavement" and most of us think of a physical death. Yet the loss of anything or anyone precious to us can trigger off the same reactions of denial, anger and depression.

The Independent 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minister bars asylum seekers from surgery

A Labour minister has banned asylum seekers from his constituency surgery because he says they are clogging up the system.

The Guardian 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New 'tsar' to lead anti-diabetes drive

The government has appointed one of Britain's leading authorities on diabetes care to oversee its plans to tackle the disease, a growing epidemic in the UK.

The Guardian 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHS renal services at point of collapse

The NHS will not be able to cope with a predicted increase in patients suffering from kidney disease, with units already working to full capacity or beyond, a report has warned.

The Scotsman 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NICE announcement offers hope for 3 million women

NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) today approved TVT as an effective treatment for many women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), a common but debilitating condition.

Micromedex News 25/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nothing to laugh about

THERE IS AN almost universal reluctance to see the bowel as anything more than the source of silly jokes. Yet here occur some of the most common, and most serious, health problems.

The Times 25/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Out of isolation

Rural communities are often reluctant to seek mental health help. Mike George reports on projects trying to change this

The Guardian 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paymaster general launches child care proposals

Dawn Primarolo, the paymaster general, visited a workplace nursery at the Royal London hospital yesterday to launch government proposals on employer-subsidised child care.

The Guardian 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Polycystic ovaries, polio jabs for India

I have had an ultrasound scan recently that showed polycystic ovaries. When I looked up polycystic ovary syndrome on the internet, I found that it also includes a number of other symptoms (which I do not have), including excess body hair, irregular periods, infertility and acne.

The Independent 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Positive thinking: A spoonful of optimism

Some people are convinced that the healing power of the mind can help overcome cancer. Others disagree. Now the largest-ever study into the effects of positive thinking aims to find out.

The Independent 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanner to cut waiting times

WORK has started on the installation of a new, state-of-the-art CT scanner at Warrington Hospital.

Manchester Evening News 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where there's muck . . .

Matthew Brooks specialises in dirty jobs that others won't touch and few want to think about. His company clears out and cleans up the filthiest properties the public and private housing sectors have to offer.

The Guardian 26/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



:: Kieran 12:45 PM [+] ::
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tied Up With Chains Your Parents Made - Useful Links
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D-Lib Magazine, a monthly publication about research and innovation in digital libraries. Well worth a read to keep up-to-date with information service developments.

:: Kieran 1:55 AM [+] ::
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tied Up With Chains Your Parents Made - Useful Links
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First Monday a peer reviewed web journal on web culture. Well worth a look for those interested in the cultural factors involved in using technology.
:: Kieran 4:02 AM [+] ::
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evil Edna's Corner - Broadcast Health for Next Week
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evil Edna's Corner is a listing of programmes available on terrestrial TV and radio in the UK requiring no additional set top boxes or gizmos beyond a standard television set or three band radio receiver and is of course named in honour of the Willow the Wisp character....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Matters Mon 24 Feb, 20:05 - 20:30
BBC World Service

Andrew Luck-Baker presents four programmes on the diseases which affect animals, which in turn have an effect on human beings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Body Hits Mon 24 Feb, 23:55 - 00:25
BBC One

BBC THREE On BBC ONE. Detox Devils: From colonic irrigation and manual lymphatic drainage, to juice fasts and detox diets, Dr John Marsden strips off to reveal the science behind detox. W/S.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/tv/bodyhits.shtml
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Matters Tue 25 Feb, 02:05 - 02:30
BBC World Service

Andrew Luck-Baker presents four programmes on the diseases which affect animals, which in turn have an effect on human beings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Matters Tue 25 Feb, 15:05 - 15:30
BBC World Service

Andrew Luck-Baker presents four programmes on the diseases which affect animals, which in turn have an effect on human beings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Matters Wed 26 Feb, 10:05 - 10:30
BBC World Service

News and features about health, medicine and fitness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All In The Mind Wed 26 Feb, 16:30 - 17:00
BBC Radio 4 FM

Dr Raj Persaud investigates the pressing issues in psychology and psychiatry, hearing about mental health concerns from those affected, and pursuing the latest research with the experts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Children's Hospital Wed 26 Feb, 19:00 - 19:30
BBC One

Baby Rachel who has liver cancer, has the surgery needed to save her life, Adam begins to walk again on his leg-lengthening frame and a five-year-old boy is admitted with a fractured skull. W/S.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/ch/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check Up Thu 27 Feb, 15:00 - 15:30
BBC Radio 4 FM

Barbara Myers presents the health phone-in. This week's programme focuses on osteopathy, a therapy rapidly gaining in popularity which can be used to treat a variety of complaints.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/checkup.shtml
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday Surgery Sun 2 Mar, 21:00 - 23:00
BBC Radio 1

Forgive And Forget: Emma B and Dr Mark Hamilton with help and advice on listeners' dilemmas. Call 08700 100 100 [national rates], or call free on 0800 110 100 to speak to someone off air.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/djs/sunday_surgery.shtml
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Kieran 6:39 AM [+] ::
...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Botox will help coma bride walk down the aisle

Botox, the toxin that celebrities hope will smooth away their wrinkles, is helping an accident victim to walk again.

The Daily Post 21/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chemical stops stroke damage

People who have a high level of an anti-inflammatory agent are protected from stroke damage, researchers have found.

BBC Health 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chocs away for kidney gift girl

Feasting on chocolate cake is an everyday treat, but for seven-year-old Delise Waters it's a lifetime first she can now look forward to - thanks to the gift of a kidney from her mum, Romina.

Manchester Evening News 22/01/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Complex recovery

The difficulties doctors are having with the Scottish Executive’s waiting list database are not wholly unexpected, but still depressing. It is said that for every problem there is a solution which is simple, obvious and wrong. The introduction of a database to solve the complex problem of waiting list management falls into this category.

Scotland on Sunday 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Customised cells combat skin cancer

Scientists have created customised blood cells that can destroy deadly tumours. The researchers used cells, hand-picked from a patient's own blood supply and grown in laboratories, to kill off malignant skin cancers.

The Observer 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dolphins helped my child

The diagnosis of a disabled child often leads parents to want to do something - anything - to improve their child's quality of life. One option available to them is Dolphin Therapy. But is it simply a pleasant experience, or a miracle cure?

BBC Health 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eating tomatoes 'turns kids into criminals'

Pioneering clinic will bring new hope to disruptive youngsters, reports Jean West.

The Observer 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good for the Treasury, less so for the patient

If I were a newly qualified doctor, nothing in the new GP contract, not even the chance of a substantial salary, would persuade me that general practice in the future would produce a more rewarding career than hospital medicine.

The Times 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health fears as city car pollution soars

Fears for public health have been triggered by new figures that reveal the levels of traffic pollution in the Capital have risen in the last year. Latest research carried out on behalf of the Scottish Executive shows that the amount of harmful gases produced by vehicles in Edinburgh is higher than national guideline targets.

The Scotsman 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health improves but obesity rises

Health has improved in the last 50 years and people are more conscious of the need to stay fit. But obesity has doubled and asthma quadrupled. Those born in 1970 were twice as likely to be obese (12% of men and 11% of women) by their 30s than those born in 1946 (5% of men and 7% of women).

The Guardian 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GP reform linked to pay rise

General practitioners could see their pay increase by 50 per cent with a contract that will radically change the way they provide patient care.

The Scotsman 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GPs agree to £1.9bn contract shake-up

The biggest change in the way general practice is organised and funded in almost 40 years has been agreed by family doctors' leaders and ministers.

The Financial Times 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GPs' new deal will provide extra services

The negotiated contract is also expected to include an undisclosed but significant pay rise for the nation's 1 300 GPs. But the GPs have yet to vote on whether to accept it. A rejection could see family doctors resigning en masse from the NHS. Doctors leaders have warned Welsh politicians that any delay in implementing an approved contract could result in GPs opting to work on the other side of the border.

Western Mail 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GPs win 50 per cent pay rise in return for extra services

Family doctors could see their pay rise by 50 per cent over the next three years under a deal announced yesterday to switch the care of millions of chronically ill patients from hospital to local surgeries.

The Independent 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keeping people with MS in work

When Suzanne Miller first got multiple sclerosis she was working as an administrative officer for a local education authority.

BBC Health 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Milburn cannot afford a second rejected contract

The new GP contract could not have emerged at a more critical time for the National Health Service and for Alan Milburn, the Health Secretary.

The Times 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miscarriage link to heart risk

A study has shown some women who suffer early miscarriages are at an increased risk of developing heart disease later in life.

BBC Health 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MMR fears lead to big demand for separate jabs

The scare over the triple measles, mumps and rubella vaccination (MMR) has led to a surge in demand for separate vaccines, official figures show.

The Independent 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New pay deal could put some GPs on £100,000

Family doctors will be paid according to the quality of the treatment they offer under proposals for the biggest reform of primary care since the foundation of the National Health Service. GPs will receive pay rises of between 10 and 50 per cent depending on the services they offer and how well they comply with best treatment practice which could put some on more than 163 100 000 a year.

The Times 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHS database 'a load of nonsense'

A waiting times database set up by the government to give patients faster access to treatment is full of serious errors Scotland on Sunday can reveal. Doctors have discovered the system grossly underestimates the delay facing some hospital patients in one case promising a wait of just four weeks for an operation that can involve a delay of almost 18 months.

Scotland on Sunday 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents warned over measles jab

A mother who chose to give her baby the single-shot alternatives to the controversial combined MMR vaccine at an unlicensed clinic has been told there is a "strong possibility" her son may have contracted measles.

The Independent 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pressure on young over mental illness

The extent of pressure young people are facing over mental health problems is revealed in a new survey which shows that a far greater number are exposed to the problem than previously thought.

The Independent 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soccer star's plea to help GP with cancer

A footballer who is as famous in his native China as David Beckham could be the cataylst to finding a bone marrow donor for a doctor with an incurable blood cancer.

The Daily Post 21/02/03
Manchester Evening News 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The genius of blogging

The traditional media may be baffled, and even alarmed, by the blogging phenemenon. But Google's latest acquisition will make it even more difficult to ignore.

The Observer 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'This should let us improve our care'

John Canning thinks that the proposals could help doctors like him to share their workload and improve care.

The Times 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ticking the box: Will GPs take the medicine?

Highly educated and fiercely independent neither clubbable nor bribeable GPs are a group that politicians dread dealing with. Like the hospital consultants who rejected their new government contract last year GPs are not NHS employees but self-employed contractors. So it is hard to predict whether they will accept what looks to be a generous attempt to make general practice a more rewarding occupation but will also hand more control to NHS managers.

The Times 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transplant error girl dies

A teenage girl from Mexico who needed a second heart and lung transplant operation after receiving the wrong organs in the US has died.

BBC Health 23/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warning over sex disease 'crisis'

A national safe sex campaign is needed to counter a dramatic rise in the number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases, a group of MPs has warned.

BBC Health 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why radical surgery is needed to save our NHS

Last year 50 nurses 'adopted' an MSP in a campaign to boost politicians' awareness of nursing. Now many MSPs have 'adopted' a nurse in return. Tommy Sheridan shadowed Gartnavel General nurse Stephen Rooney - and here he gives his impressions of nurses' pay and other NHS issues.

Glasgow Evening Times 22/02/03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Kieran 4:14 AM [+] ::
...