:: Fade - the blog ::
News, views and the odd bit of strange stuff from the North West Grey Literature Service.If you want to understand the origins of the headings go to Friday, November 29, 2002.
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:: Saturday, April 19, 2003 ::
------------------------------------------------------------------------------:: Friday, April 18, 2003 ::
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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Boarding pupils put in camps as fears of Sars rise
Dozens of boarding school children from Asia arriving back in Britain yesterday for a new term at schools including Eton were instead put into quarantine camps to see whether they have the deadly virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).
The Independent 19/04/03
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British Sars case man disappears
A British man suspected of being Indonesia's only Sars case has disappeared after being placed under home quarantine, a newspaper reported today.
The Guardian 19/04/03
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Cannabis may become 'the aspirin of the 21st century'
Cannabis, the third most popular recreational drug after alcohol and tobacco, could win a new role as the aspirin of the 21st century, with growing evidence that its compounds may protect the brain against the damaging effects of ageing.
The Independent 19/04/03
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Canada's grip on Sars weakens
Public health officials in Toronto have admitted they may be losing control of the biggest outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) outside south-east Asia.
BBC Health 19/04/03
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Foundation hospitals' accountability
Sir, Co-operative Party MPs may be premature in co-operating with plans for foundation trusts (report, April 14). Rhetoric about the co-operative ethos and mutuality cannot hide the dilemmas involved in bringing more local accountability to NHS structures, while keeping a National Health Service that promotes national standards and reduces health inequalities.
The Times 19/04/03
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Hospital hygiene and MRSA
Sir, The steady spread of the MRSA “superbug” through hospitals (report, April 14) has less to do with how clean they are than with how clean the hospital workers are.
The Times 19/04/03
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Hospital in crisis over drive to modernise
One of Britain's most famous teaching hospitals is in a state of unprecedented crisis and riven by internal quarrels due to government pressure to modernise, a Guardian investigation has discovered.
The Guardian 19/04/03
The Guardian 19/04/03
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Lead is still poisoning children, study shows
Efforts to cut the levels of lead in the environment over 30 years have failed to protect children from the damaging effects of the neurotoxic poison, research suggests. Despite lead-free petrol and the phasing out of lead paint and lead pipes, one in 10 children in the UK may still be exposed to levels high enough to cause brain damage affecting IQ.
The Independent 19/04/03
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Rebels force Blair to drop fines for no-show patients
Tony Blair has blocked secret plans to fine patients for missing appointments at leading NHS hospitals amid fears that such a measure would fuel a looming Labour revolt against health reforms.
The Times 19/04/03
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:: Kieran 2:56 AM [+] ::
...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------:: Thursday, April 17, 2003 ::
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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Bid to rescue GP contract
The British Medical Association and the government have struck a deal aimed at rescuing the new contract for GPs.
BBC Health 17/04/03
The Guardian 18/04/03
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Care homes in low fees protest
Care homes in England may refuse to take new patients, or cancel existing contracts, if payment rates do not increase substantially.
The Times 18/04/03
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Care 'significantly below' what it should have been
Efforts by Harry Longden's next-of-kin, his wife - and his son - to obtain his medical records took more than five months even though they both had legal power of attorney and his written permission to represent him in medical affairs.
Chester Chronicle 17/04/03
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Chemical alert closes casualty at Hope
Emergency decontamination procedures were put into practise on Monday after six people were admitted to Hope Hospital for exposure to a mysterious white powder.
Salford Advertiser 17/04/03
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Check your blood pressure and make a difference
Free blood pressure checks were the order of the day in Earlestown when Rotary International teamed up with the Stroke Association.
Newton Guardian 17/04/03
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Child casualties 'fill Iraq hospitals'
The appalling injuries suffered by Ali Ismail Abbas are not unique, says an aid worker who has visited Mosul's hospitals.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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Dead body defiled in hospital
A £5,000 reward for information has been offered after the body of a Muslim woman, who died in a north west London hospital, was found desecrated in the mortuary.
BBC Health 17/04/03
The Independent 19/04/03
The Independent 18/04/03
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Design differences will not delay new hospital
Patients were today assured that Blackburn's £96million 'super hospital' would not be affected by recent hitches.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 18/04/03
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Diet guru Atkins dies
Controversial US diet guru Dr Robert Atkins has died, aged 72, a week after he injured his head in a fall.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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Disaster plan gets updated
Health bosses in Chorley have updated major incident plans after a report said they were not fully prepared to deal with an emergency.
Lancashire Evning Telegraph 17/04/03
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Doctor may be forced to close practice
Anxious patients of a village doctor are backing a campaign to save his practice. Dr Graham Davenport has cared for patients at Wrenbury for the past 19 years but unless he can find an alternative site, his surgery will close down.
Chester Chronicle 17/04/03
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Electronic voting will boost poll, council
Thousands of people in Cheshire are expected to use the internet or the phone to vote in the council elections.
Daily Post 18/04/03
Chester Chronicle 17/04/03
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Eyewitness: Vietnam's Sars survivor
Nguyen Thi Men, the only health worker at the centre of Vietnam's Sars outbreak to fall severely ill and survive, tells her story to the BBC Vietnamese Service's Nga Pham.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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Family's alarm at deterioration
Harry Longden's mental capacities had diminished because of Alzheimer's Disease but according to his family he was a physically fit 65-year-old.
Chester Chronicle 17/04/03
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'Fat gene' discovery
Scientist have discovered a gene that makes people more likely to absorb fat.
BBC Health 18/04/03
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Fears after residents find hyperdermic needle
A group of residents in Alamein Road are at the end of their tether - after finding a hypodermic needle outside a house.
Northwich Guardian 18/04/03
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Folic acid 'cuts Down's risk'
Taking folic acid before pregnancy could reduce the risk of the baby having Down's syndrome, researchers have suggested.
BBC Health 17/04/03
The Independent 18/04/03
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Get this hospital scheme sorted
With the start of construction work already a year adrift of the original timetable, Blackburn's £90 million new super hospital at Queen's Park suffers a second setback in as many months.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 17/04/03
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Hepatitis C drug breakthrough
New drugs to fight hepatitis C reduce the virus to nearly undetectable levels in a matter of days, according to scientists.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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Hospital marks cancer awareness month
Coffee mornings giving people the opportunity to get more information about bowel cancer are taking place at Warrington Hospital over the next fortnight.
Warrington Guardian 17/04/03
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Hospital plan 'back to drawing board'
Health bosses have been sent back to the drawing board after being told plans for Blackburn's new 'super hospital' were not up to scratch.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 17/04/03
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India Sars patient sent home
The first Indian patient to be diagnosed with the deadly Sars pneumonia virus has been discharged from hospital.
BBC Health 18/04/03
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It's T-Day for sick mum Jennifer
Lancaster mum Jennifer Wilson will have her bone marrow transplant this Thursday - just days after a Citizen appeal helped to find her a donor.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 17/04/03
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Kiss of life couldn't save my baby
A heartbroken father today spoke of how he frantically tried to revive his eight month-old baby after finding her unconscious.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 17/04/03
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Laughing gas 'craze' revealed
Laughing gas is becoming a popular recreational drug, say doctors, who warn of potential health risks from its use.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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'Learning to live in two worlds'
Teaching your child communicate can be frustrating and tricky for any parent. But for the Cobb family from Surrey, it could have proved doubly difficult. For parents Yvonne and Reg are both deaf, but their daughter Serena is hearing. However three-year-old Serena has proved it is possible to straddle the hearing and non-hearing world with incredible ease.
BBC Health 18/04/03
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Learning to live with arthritis
A free course called Challenging Arthritis is to be held in Runcorn to give sufferers practical help and support in dealing with the illness.
Runcorn World 18/04/03
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Mersey quest for SARS jab
The US Government has charged a Merseyside biotechnology plant with finding a vaccine for the deadly Sars virus.
Daily Post 18/04/03
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Milburn allows hospitals to impose pay deal rejected by consultants
Hospital trusts will be allowed to impose controversial new pay and conditions on their consultants, the Government announced yesterday.
The Independent 18/04/03
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More hit by holiday camp virus
Hundreds of guests at a Somerset holiday centre have fallen ill with a serious gastric bug - the third year in succession the virus has struck.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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NHS on standby for Iraqi casualties
NHS hospitals across Britain are on standby to admit children wounded in the war against Iraq.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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Pupils sent into quarantine
Pupils from 32 boarding schools who have arrived back in the UK from Hong Kong are being held in quarantine for 10 days amid fears of the deadly Sars virus.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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Schools take action against Sars
Thousands of children from China who are studying in Britain are to be checked twice a day for the Sars illness.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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Smear test peace of mind will cost £50
A revolutionary new smear test is available to women in Liverpool - but they will have to pay. The liquid cytology test for cervical cancer is being offered at a private health clinic in the city, four months before the Government decides whether or not to introduce it to the NHS.
Daily Post 17/04/03
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Smoking linked to cot death
Scientists have found yet more evidence to suggest that smoking during pregnancy can seriously affect the health of babies.
BBC Health 18/04/03
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Son may take action after father choked to death in home
A registrar may take legal action against the nursing home where his father died after choking on a piece of meat.
Chester Chronicle 17/04/03
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Surgeon makes life sweeter for Antonia
Little Antonia McGrath is tasting her first Easter egg today - thanks to a famous surgeon.
Manchester Evening News 18/04/03
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Surgery site plan looks likely to fail
Plans to house the Stacksteads village surgery on the former ambulance station site in Commercial Street will go back before planning chiefs next week, but look likely to be refused.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 17/04/03
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Why we get high cholesterol
Scientists have found clues to why people develop high cholesterol levels - an important cause of heart disease.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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Woman's bone marrow transplant
A Lancaster woman is recovering at home after a bone marrow transplant.
Bolton Evening News 18/04/03
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:: Kieran 1:12 PM [+] ::
...
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La valise est perdue parmi des étrangers - Grey Literature We Missed
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From the ever delightful Department of Health 'Developing NHS Direct: A strategy document for the next three years'. Since its launch in March 1998, NHS Direct has grown from small-scale pilots to being the largest and most successful healthcare provider of its kind, anywhere in the world. This paper sets out service development and organisational plans for NHS Direct for the next three years and beyond.
The Deparment are also responsible for 'Core information outputs for children's social care: consultation' which commissioned children's social care researchers to produce advisory guidance on the key outputs from information systems needed to support effective practice and good management of children's social services. This draft framework is a stage in the process. The item links to the draft framework.
'Learning Disabilities: The Government's Annual Report on learning disability 2003' and its 'Executive Summary' detail progress in this area.
Hepatitis C: your questions answered describes the Hepatitis C virus, explains how the illness can be contracted, the resulting symptoms, and goes on to detail the treatment available.
'Social Services Inspectorate: Who we are and what we do - 2003 edition' a guide which is designed to help everyone who comes into contact with the Social Services Inspectorate (SSI). It explains the present role of the SSI, and the changes planned for social care inspection and regulation in future.
'NHS complaints reform - making things right' lists proposals to reform the NHS complaints procedure.
Not only has the DoH been busy Jacqui Smith MP, Minister of State for Health delivered the following speech at the ADSS Spring Conference Seminar, Liverpool, 10 April 2003 The speech concentrates on children's services.
The Department for Transport have been busy with 'Bicycle helmets: a review of their effectiveness: a critical review of the literature'. The overall aim of this report is to examine the efficacy of bicycle helmets. The specific context of the cycling environment in Great Britain was considered and combined with international perspectives on four main themes. These are bicycle helmet standards, case studies of the protection offered by helmets, evaluated intervention studies of bicycle helmet education and barriers and facilitators of helmet use.
'Safety of Wheelchair Occupants in Road Passenger Vehicles' which lists projects that address the safety of adult wheelchair users in private vehicles, taxis, minibuses, coaches and urban buses. A companion volume Safety of wheelchair occupants in M category vehicles is also available.
From the Home Office 'Crime in England and Wales: quarterly update to December 2002' which looks at the British crime survey and recorded crime together, and gives a general picture of falls resuming in the second half of 2002, after a relatively flat period over the previous year.
From the Lord Chancellor's Department 'For your information: how can the public sector provide people with information on, and build confidence in, the way it handles their personal details?' in which views are sought on how best to boost people's confidence in the way in which public sector organisations handle personal information about them.
:: Kieran 2:47 AM [+] ::
...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------:: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 ::
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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£100m health project lifts off
Work on the £100m health project described as Britain's biggest-ever scheme to improve health and social care is due to start in the Autumn.
Bolton Evening News 16/04/03
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£300,000 for patients in sex cases
The health service has agreed to pay nearly £300,000 compensation to 16 women who accused a senior psychiatrist of sexual abuse. Only one claim was proved in court but health officials admitted failure to investigate complaints against the consultant over more than 20 years.
The Guardian 17/04/03
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Ageing gene identified
Two research teams have identified the gene which accelerates ageing. Only one child in 4m is likely to suffer from Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), but that child is likely to die of progressive atherosclerosis at 13.
The Guardian 17/04/03
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Asthmatics warned over smog levels
People with breathing disorders, such as asthma, are being warned to take care in the current heatwave.
BBC Health 16/04/03
The Independent 17/04/03
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Breakthrough in Sars battle
The mystery virus which has claimed the lives of more than 150 people worldwide is a new form of the common cold, scientists have confirmed.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Botox: why it's just like the miniskirt
Medicine, like the miniskirt, is subject to fashion. Many of the stars — both men and women — who partied in Hollywood for the annual Oscar presentations had the telltale bland expression of those who rely on Botox to iron away the years.
The Times 17/04/03
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Britons keen on complementary medicine
Britons are spending more money on complementary medicines than ever before.
BBC Health 17/04/03
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Cancer legacy of Vietnam war
Millions of Vietnamese may have been exposed to poisonous chemicals like Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, a study suggests.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Cancer survivors' heart risk
Men cured of testicular cancer may be at greater risk of developing heart disease later in life, research suggests.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Celtic cancer history traced
Genes that contribute to cancers in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different from elsewhere in the UK, researchers claim.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Consultants feel the pain of NHS trust's cutting edge
Consultants at Birch Hill Hospital have protested angrily against funding cuts in mental health services.
Rochdale Observer 16/04/03
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Eton bans pupils as schools react to Sars danger
More than 7,000 children from China who are studying at independent schools in Britain will be subject to twice- daily Sars tests when they return to school after the Easter holidays.
The Times 17/04/03
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First surgery for young Ali
The plastic surgeon treating injured Iraqi orphan Ali Ismail Abbas says the 12-year-old is recovering well after his first round of treatment.
BBC Health 16/04/03
The Guardian 17/04/03
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'Freedoms curbed' in care homes
Care workers infringed the human rights of people with learning disabilities by locking them out of rooms and stopping them coming and going as they pleased, health inspectors said yesterday.
The Guardian 17/04/03
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Guilt-free guilt?
Eating good-quality chocolate may be good for your bones.
The Times 16/04/03
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Health centre offers future vision
A health centre in London is offering a vision of the future for doctor's surgeries. Doctors at Chorleywood Health Centre use broadband connections, videoconferencing and next-generation diagnostic equipment to cut waiting times for patients and reduce outpatient referrals by three-quarters.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Health chief quits to take
Health chief Paul Cronin is leaving his post as boss of Halton and Warrington Hospital. He is taking up a new job as chief executive of Shropshire and Mid Wales Hospice.
Widnes World 16/04/03
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Heavy school bags 'not bad for back'
Carrying heavy bags to school does not increase the risk of lower back pain in pupils, according to a new British study.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Help on the web
A website has been launched in the battle against drug abuse on Merseyside. Wirral Drug and Alcohol Action Team helps doctors, police and youth workers in the fight against sub-stance abuse.
Liverpool Echo 16/04/03
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Home help... who for?
As public protest is ignored and councils close old folk's homes by the dozen, the 'better' way forward, we are told, is for the elderly to stay in their own homes with back-up care to help them cope and retain their independence.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 16/04/03
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Houses action, not waffle
Regarding your report 'Hold-up in cash for homes blitz' (LET, April 14), after receiving massive publicity about their mammoth proposals for the improvement of housing conditions in East Lancashire, once again, New Labour stuffs the people.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 16/04/03
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Man found safe and well
A man who went missing from Whittingham Hospital, Preston, last week has now been found.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 16/04/03
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Menopause 'triggers sweet tooth'
Women may be at risk of developing a sweet tooth after they go through the menopause, a study suggests.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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More nurses register to work
More nurses, midwives and health visitors are registered in the UK than ever before, according to new figures.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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My ordeal is over at last
The widow of Reg Crew today said her night-mare was finally over. Win Crew, 71, from Hunts Cross, spoke out for the first time since police announced they would take no action against her for helping her husband commit suicide.
Liverpool Echo 16/04/03
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NHS selects 31 companies to bid for £5bn IT contract
Thirty-one organisations, ranging from smaller UK-based companies to transatlantic consortia that include the world's largest IT companies, have been selected to bid for the next stage of the NHS IT programme. Full list of qualifying companies at www.doh.gov.uk/ipu/ whatnew/npprocprog.htm
Financial Times 17/04/03
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NHS Trust cleared of abuse
An NHS Trust has been cleared of charges that adults in its care were physically abused.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Nurses back pay deal that rewards skills, not job titles
Alan Milburn, the health secretary, got his first good news on pay in months yesterday as the biggest nursing union in the NHS voted overwhelmingly to back a complex new pay deal.
Financial Times 16/04/03
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Nurses' English 'in need of treatment'
Some parts of Britain's national health service would "cease to function" without a massive and sustained influx of foreign nurses. This was the prediction issued by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) earlier this year as part of research into the current dependency of hospitals and care homes on foreign staff.
The Guardian 17/04/03
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Parents' kidneys to save children
A couple are to become live kidney donors for their daughter and son - beating odds of 14 million to one against a successful match.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Powerful parents cast long shadow
The offspring of rich and successful people can suffer psychological problems when their own forceful personality is thwarted by the pressures of adolescence.
The Times 17/04/03
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'Safe' lead levels affect IQ
Even "safe" levels of lead can damage children's IQ, researchers have suggested.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Safety alert over sick children
Parents have been using ear thermometers incorrectly and getting falsely reassuring information about their children's health.
The Guardian 17/04/03
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Sam on the mend after transplant
Brave Sam Evans is doing 'wonderfully well' after receiving a potentially life saving bone marrow transplant - from his mum.
Widnbes World 16/04/03
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Suicide alert over Easter
Suicide rates increase at Easter — especially when, as this year, it is celebrated in April. They soar anyway over public holidays (when, to the depressed, other people seem to have such better lives), and are always high in April, when the seasonal spring increase in depression, so-called vernal depression, reaches a peak.
The Times 17/04/03
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Swiss assisted suicide 'may be illegal'
A Tory MP is calling for an investigation into whether the deaths of a British couple who travelled to Switzerland to commit suicide was illegal.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Tories seek inquiry into tax credit 'shambles'
Gordon Brown faced demands yesterday for an urgent inquiry into the "shambles" surrounding the Government's new tax credits amid claims that hundreds of thousands of families are waiting to receive payments.
The Independent 17/04/03
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'We're not ready for germ war attack'
Hospitals and ambulance services in regions such as the north west are not fully prepared for a terrorist attack, say MPs.
Manchester Evening News 16/04/03
Financial Tiomes 16/04/03
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:: Kieran 12:58 AM [+] ::
...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------:: Monday, April 14, 2003 ::
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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Ambulance sent for dead man
A widow says she was shocked when an ambulance was sent for her husband six months after he died.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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Baby bias
Young mothers could be missing out on services because they are being stereotyped by professionals
The Guardian 16/04/03
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Bouncer 'killed over smoking ban'
A nightclub bouncer in New York was stabbed to death as he tried to enforce the city's new ban on smoking in bars, police have said.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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Checking up on your health
People from across Warrington benefited from free blood pressure checks earlier this month as part of Stroke Awareness Day.
Warrington Guardian 15/04/03
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China pressed on 'Sars cover-up'
The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking access to military hospitals in Beijing which are rumoured to be harbouring unreported cases of the Sars virus.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Chinese seek Sars remedies
First it was vinegar, now Chinese herbalists are recommending concoctions such as cicada tea and turnip soup as a means of fending off the deadly Sars virus.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Council can take baby at birth
A couple threatened with having their unborn baby removed by social services at birth yesterday lost their high court attempt to stop Gloucestershire county council going ahead with emergency care proceedings.
The Guardian 16/03/04
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Couple's 'suicide pact' shocks family
The sister of a British woman who died at a Swiss clinic after an apparent suicide pact with her husband has told of the family's disbelief at the couple's death.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Eighth Briton tested for suspected Sars
The eighth suspected British victim of the Sars bug was today awaiting the results of tests in a Spanish hospital, local health officials said today.
Daily Mail 16/04/03
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Fears over antibacterial ingredient
Exposure to sunlight could turn triclosan, an ingredient of antibacterial soaps, into a polluting chemical, claims research.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Fears that private service is edging out NHS patients in dental care
A furious Crewe councillor has voiced her fears about a dental crisis in Crewe and Nantwich. Christine Bratherton, who represents the Leighton ward, said that NHS patients were being left in the cold as dental practices focus exclusively on private services.
Crewe Guardian 15/04/03
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Grand Prix team kicks the habit with sponsor
Two years before Formula One has to wean itself off its traditional dependence on tobacco advertising, a motor racing team has come up with a novel way of recouping the lost revenue.
The Independent 16/04/03
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Gulf War Syndrome ruling reserved
The High Court has reserved judgment on a dispute over whether Gulf War Syndrome should be recognised officially in law.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Hope for young Ali
His terrible injuries will have caused many to despair, but there may be hope for young Ali after all.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Hospital plan set for green light
Controversial and ambitious plans for a £2million development at Burnley General Hospital are set to get the green light next week.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 05/04/03
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Iraqi boy airlifted to burns unit
A young Iraqi boy who lost both his arms and most of his family in a coalition air raid has arrived in Kuwait to begin specialist treatment for his injuries.
BBC Health 16/04/03
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Jump in Sars deaths
More people have died of a deadly flu-like illness Sars in Hong Kong in the last 24 hours than on any day since the outbreak started.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Midwife prompts baby TB tests
Tuberculosis screening is being offered to 246 babies after a midwife contracted the disease.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Mother to risk all for her son
A Merseyside mother is today preparing to give the gift of life to her teenage son. Sue Chambers is donating one of her kidneys to her son, Graham.
Daily Post 16/04/03
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NHS Direct 'to double in size'
Ministers are hoping that the number of calls to its NHS Direct telephone advice line will double by 2006.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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NHS warned over terrorist threat
The NHS is "not well prepared" to cope with a major bioterrorist attack, MPs have warned.
BBC Health 15/04/03
The Guardian 16/03/04
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Nurses back NHS pay deal
Nurses have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new NHS pay deal.
BBC Health 15/04/03
The Guardian 16/04/03
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Nurses vote for 12.5 per cent rise and pay revolution
The biggest shake-up of NHS pay in more than a decade has won overwhelming support from nurses and midwives.
The Independent 16/04/03
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Patient undergoes Sars tests
Tests are continuing on a man from Scotland to determine whether he has the potentially deadly Sars virus.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Prozac 'could beat cancer'
The anti-depressant drug Prozac could help doctors tackle cancer, says a UK-based research team.
BBC Health 15/04/03
Daily Mail 16/04/03
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Suicide reform plea to stop Britons going abroad to die
Campaigners for euthanasia claimed yesterday that a failure to make assisted suicide legal in Britain was driving people abroad to end their lives.
The Guardian 16/03/04
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The voice of experience
A woman with learning disabilities helps get to the truth
The Guardian 16/03/04
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Tumour Diary: Regaining a future
BBC News Online science and technology writer Ivan Noble was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour in August last year. Since then he has been sharing his experiences in an online diary.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Why are sex diseases rising?
The number of people being diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is now at record levels.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Yoghurt helps keep you trim
If you're dieting and want to shed weight more quickly, then eat yoghurt and other dairy products.
Daily Mail 16/04/03
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:: Kieran 2:11 AM [+] ::
...
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Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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Abuse: Blunkett defends probes
Home Secretary David Blunkett has rejected claims that police investigations into child abuse in Lancashire had ruined lives and had put innocent people in the dock.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 14/04/03
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Alcohol 'increases crash injuries'
Everyone knows that drinking too much raises the risk of having a car crash - but research suggests it may also worsen your injuries.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Anger down our alley
Liverpool residents are calling for a change in the law after being told that alleygates would not be fitted because one person living in a different road has objected.
Liverpool Echo 14/04/03
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Asthma is no bar to marathon running
Paula Radcliffe puts her winning ways down to a programme of healthy practices and bizarre remedies that enable her to push her waif-like frame through a punishing 140-mile-a-week training regimen.
The Times 15/04/03
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Bad medicine
Will your drugs help or harm you? Sophie Petit-Zeman visits a new website that could put your mind at rest. http://www.jameslindlibrary.org/
The Guardian 15/04/03
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Beer mats idea to mop up drug crime
Drinkers in Burnley will have a chance to help fight crime while downing their pints after police announced plans to produce beer mats as part of a crackdown on drug dealers.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 14/04/03
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Breast cancer women miss test
More than half of women suffering from breast cancer are missing out on a potentially life-saving test, according to a survey released today.
Daily Mail 15/04/03
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Brisk walk 'not healthy enough'
Half an hour of brisk walking five times a week might keep you limber and make you feel better - but experts say it is unlikely to stave off an early death from heart disease.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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Caring for the victims of war
Doctors in the southern Iraqi city of Basra have warned of a humanitarian crisis because of the lack of basic supplies in some of the city's hospitals. BBC News Online visited Basra's teaching hospital to find out how staff were coping with the aftermath of conflict.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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Chemical reactionaries
In order to pay off exorbitant student loans (yeah, yeah, tell that to the judge), young graduates are increasingly turning to the manufacture of psychoactive drugs. Well, not all students, naturally - English students couldn't manufacture anything but an Adornian reading of Donnie Darko. No, this is entirely chemistry students: they know what they're doing, they have peerless access to labs and materials, and they're very easy to spot. The criminal fraternity just has to go into its local campus and look for the person with the chemistry hair.
The Guardian 15/04/03
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Crackdown on violent patients
Violent patients in hospitals face tougher legal action under a crackdown on anti-social behaviour unveiled yesterday by the government.
The Guardian 15/04/03
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DNA chip gives drug advice
Doctors will be able to personally tailor treatments using a DNA test which shows which drugs will work best.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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Election broadcast 'shocking'
A political row has erupted over an election broadcast by the Scottish National Party which depicts a pensioner dying waiting for treatment.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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Euro MP urges cannabis rethink
North-west Euro MP Chris Davies is calling for the Government to rethink cannabis laws. His comments follow a report suggesting smaller penalties for people growing their own supplies of the drug at home. The proposals have been put forward by social policy research group, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Mr Davies says the move would draw a line between the use of hard and soft drugs.
Bolton Evening News 14/04/03
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Expert warns of sex disease crisis
A big rise in sex diseases in England threatens to cause a public health crisis, warns the architect of the government's sexual health strategy.
BBC Health 15/04/03
Daily Mail 15/04/03
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Fit victims spark Sars worry
The deaths of six previously healthy young Hong Kong patients from the Sars illness has increased concern among doctors.
BBC Health14/04/03
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Football win cuts heart attacks
When a nation's football team wins there are fewer deaths from heart attacks, according to a new study published today.
Daily Mail 15/04/03
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Funding gap puts care in jeopardy
Care homes are being short-changed by more than £100,000 each per year. The ECHO has seen a secret report that proves there is a huge gap between the fee levels paid by St Helens council and the real cost of care in the borough.
Liverpool Echo 14/04/03
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Home-grown cannabis push
People who grow their own cannabis should escape with a police warning if they only cultivate it on a small scale, a think-tank said.
Liverpool Echo 14/04/03
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Hopes for new asthma vaccine
The lives of millions of asthma sufferers could be transformed by a vaccine.
Liverpool Echo 14/04/03
BBC Health 14/04/03
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Iraqi boy may die without airlift
Medical staff treating an Iraqi boy who lost both his arms in a coalition bombing have said he may die unless he is immediately flown out for specialist treatment.
BBC Health 14/04/03
The Guardian 15/04/03
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Living with long term illness
Bolton people who live with a long term illness such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis or arthritis are invited to take part in a new NHS Expert Patients Programme.
Bolton Evening News 14/04/03
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My mobile can treat asthma, can yours?
Patients can now be monitored via pocket computers, thanks to telemedicine.
The Times 15/04/03
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New test for Sars virus
A German biotechnology company is distributing a new high-speed test for Sars, as China expresses grave concerns about the spread of the virus.
BBC Health 15/04/03
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Shaking hands
My 11-year-old son has developed a mild tremor in both hands. It is not noticeable to anyone else but he complains that it interferes with his schoolwork, and he can’t draw a straight line. Our GP says that it is probably due to muscular strain and that unless it gets worse there is no need for further investigation. However, I am concerned that it could be a neurological condition.
The Times 15/04/03
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Should modern matrons carry on?
Sweeping down the corridors of Whipps Cross in her imposing charcoal grey uniform with distinctive red sash and frilly cuffs, Julie Day stands out from her fellow nurses.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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Superbug 'worst in cleanest hospitals'
Some of the "cleanest" hospitals have the highest rates of superbug infection, a survey has revealed.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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Transplants increase but organ shortage 'critical'
The number of organ transplants rose slightly last year but is still below the level of the mid-1990s despite more than £3m being spent on measures to increase donations.
The Independent 15/04/03
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UK couple die at suicide clinic
A British couple suffering from chronic illnesses have died at a Swiss clinic, following an apparent suicide pact.
BBC Health 15/04/03
The Guardian 15/04/03
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You go first
If the government is to persuade industry to tackle low skills levels, it must take the lead, says Simon Midgley.
The Guardian 15/04/03
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:: Kieran 11:36 PM [+] ::
...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------:: Sunday, April 13, 2003 ::
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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A human time bomb
Antony Worral Thomson , the celebrity chef, has been worrying about his waist. It is a bit more than 40in (101cm), which means that he is at risk of a newly identified disorder that is causing concern among health experts. The condition already affects 25-30 per cent of the population and, if left untreated, can lead to diabetes, heart disease and stroke. It has also been linked with poor memory and a shrunken hippocampus — the area of the brain involved in memory formation.
The Times 14/04/03
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A vaccine for asthma
Millions of asthma sufferers could have their lives transformed by a vaccine. The breakthrough by British scientists would let up to three million people in this country throw away the inhalers they carry to fight the condition.
Daily Mail 14/04/03
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Cannabis leniency plea
People who grow their own cannabis should face lighter penalties to end their contact with criminal suppliers, an influential think tank tells the Home Office.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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'Clean' hospitals have worst record for superbug
The Government’s high-profile campaign to clean up Britain’s hospitals has had no impact on the spread of the MRSA “superbug”. A new study has found that all 40 hospitals with the worst infection rates passed cleanliness tests with flying colours.
The Times 14/04/03
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Heavy petals
My wife went to visit an elderly relative in hospital last week. But as she walked through the door with the bouquet of spring blooms, the response was as if she had attempted to smuggle a bomb on to a flight to Tel Aviv. Although sirens didn't go off or steel doors speedily slip from the ceiling to trap her in place as a crack squad of commandos dressed all in black abseiled from the roof panels to pin her to the floor, she was nevertheless accosted with a speed that could hardly have been matched had she brought Osama bin Laden along to pay his respects.
The Guardian 14/04/03
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Home blood tests 'accurate as hospital'
Thousands of patients on blood thinning treatments could benefit from devices that carry out vital tests at home, says research.
BBC Health 14/04/03
The Guardian 14/04/03
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Human genome finally complete
The biological code crackers sequencing the human genome have said they have finished the job - two years ahead of schedule.
BBC Health 14/04/03
The Guardian 14/04/03
The Guardian 14/04/03
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MPs vote on restaurant smoking ban
A bill to make lighting up in restaurants and cafes illegal, cutting the number of deaths from passive smoking, is to appear before parliament.
BBC Health 14/04/03
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NHS no better for extra cash, say doctors
An overwhelming majority of doctors can detect no improvement in the NHS as a result of extra government spending on health, the British Medical Association said yesterday.
The Guardian 14/04/03
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Nurse to be questioned on deaths of 19 patients
Detectives are to question a young male nurse about the deaths of 19 elderly people after sifting through patients' records following the fatal collapse of a healthy woman admitted to hospital with a fractured hip.
The Guardian 14/04/03
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Samaritans help public cope with war
Concern at the high number of Britons upset by the war in Iraq has prompted the charity Samaritans to launch a new campaign urging people to seek help.
The Guardian 14/04/03
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Scents 'influence women's behaviour'
Strong smells can trigger a change in mood in women and even influence their behaviour, a study suggests.
BBC Health 14/03/04
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Suspected Sars case 'responding'
A man who may be the sixth person to have the deadly Sars virus in the UK remains in isolation at a north London hospital.
BBC Health 13/04/03
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Targets 'diverting NHS money'
Excessive Government targets are preventing extra investment in the NHS reaching frontline services, warns the leader of Britain's doctors.
Daily Mail 13/04/03
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Unmentionables: rosacea
This affects one in 20 of the population, and is most common among women and people with fair skin. For many the condition can be embarrassing and even lead to depression.
The Times 14/04/03
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:: Kieran 2:16 AM [+] ::
...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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£10,000 for those who still perform
The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which administers Fairfield General Hospital, has met government waiting time targets.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 11/04/03
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Asthma myth 'widely held'
Two thirds of people have serious misconceptions about asthma, warn experts.
BBC Health 13/04/03
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Blair presses ahead with NHS reforms
Tony Blair has decided to ignore advice from government whips – who were calling for at least a year's delay – and press ahead with controversial plans to reform the NHS by the summer.
The Independent 13/04/03
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Botox: now it's not just for wrinkles
Just another vanity project or could Botox injections help to treat migraine? Now experts are finding new and surprising uses for the 'face-freezing' agent derived from rancid sausages.
The Observer 13/04/03
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Britons want to follow New York smoking ban
More than half of Britons back New York-style bans on smoking in restaurants, according to a survey published today.
The Observer 13/04/03
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Burns victim in intensive care
A man is recovering in hospital after fire crews pulled his 'lifeless' body from a burning flat.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 11/04/03
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Businessman becomes first to contract Sars in Britain
The first case of a potentially lethal virus caught in Britain was announced last night as health officials tried to trace anyone who had been in contact with an infected Hong Kong businessman.
The Independent 12/04/03
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But for us these homes would be shut
I would remind Councillor Mike Connolly (Yours Truly, April 3) that if CARE (Care and Respect for the Elderly) had not instigated a judicial review then Warthfield and Whittaker House EPHs would be now closed and the consultation would never have taken place. This does not exactly "demonstrate the council's intent"!
Lancashire Evning Telegraph 11/04/03
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Care fees: system is 'divisive'
I am a law-abiding resident and have paid my taxes and council tax for more than 30 years in the hope that this money would be spent wisely and efficiently, for the benefit of all members of the community.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 11/04/03
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Clash over strategy blamed for departure of NHS chief inspector
A row over the direction of the government's powerful new National Health Service inspectorate was yesterday blamed for the shock departure of Peter Homa, its chief inspector, just weeks after he was appointed to the £165,000-a-year job.
Financial Times 12/04/03
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DNA pioneer backs cloning of humans
James Watson, one of the discoverers of the secret of DNA half a century ago, is backing the right of Severino Antinori, the maverick Italian scientist, to create a human clone. He told The Independent on Sunday that he had no ethical or scientific objection to scientists trying to create clones.
The Independent 13/04/03
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Doctor shortage closes baby unit
North Manchester General Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit is to close because of a shortage of doctors.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 11/04/03
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Eyewitness: Medics carry guns
Long, hungry queues form outside a working bakery - one of the few signs of a return to normality here. The people of Baghdad are desperate now to see public services and security restored.
BBC Health 12/04/03
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GPs on the critical list
Family doctors always come top of the tree for admiration and value in opinion polls. And yet general practitioners feel quite remarkably undervalued within the National Health Service. When the Prime Minister talks of education and health, he always uses the phrase 'schools and hospitals' - ignoring the fact that nearly 90 per cent of the work of the NHS is carried out by GPs and their teams.
The Observer 13/04/03
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GP quits in cash wrangle
Places for almost a thousand patients have had to be found with new surgeries this week after a Morecambe GP shut up shop over a funding row.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 11/04/03
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Hospital's poor rating may be down to 'error'
A report that put Chorley Hospital at the bottom of a league table may have been based on the wrong figures, the publishers have admitted.
Lancashire Evning Telegraph 11/04/03
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'I lost my daughter'
When she was just one year old, Naomi Best's development stopped.
BBC Health 13/04/03
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Indonesia's first Sars case is British
A British man has been diagnosed with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) in Indonesia.
BBC Health 13/04/03
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Jennifer's gift of life
A donor has been found for Jennifer Wilson, the Lancaster mum whose only hope of recovery from a rare form of leukaemia is a bone marrow transplant.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 11/04/03
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New-life savers
A kidney transplant is just the beginning for patients. Without the right medication to prevent the organ being rejected, all the hard work of surgeons would be wasted.
But fortunately for children like Sean and Stevie Corry from Runcorn, doctors at Alder Hey hospital are at the forefront of new research, which is helping children like them live happier and healthier lives for longer.
Liverpool Echo 11/04/03
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New vaccine could spare millions from misery of asthma
Millions of asthmatics and hay fever sufferers could be spared the misery of severe attacks by a new vaccine, which has been successfully tested on people with an allergy to cats.
The Independent 13/04/03
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'No benefit' from pain op
Keyhole operations to deal with scar tissue inside the abdomen have surprisingly little effect on pain, says a study.
BBC Health 13/04/03
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Sars death toll pushes higher
The spread of the mystery Sars virus has shown few signs of ending with more deaths reported across Asia and in Canada.
BBC Health 13/04/03
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Soldier delivers war baby
A soldier from Swansea who has been fighting the war in Iraq has turned midwife and delivered her first baby.
BBC Health 12/04/03
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Sorry, I can't work, I'm too stressed out
Stress and mental health problems are the biggest cause of employee absence in Merseyside , new research has revealed.
Daily Post 11/04/03
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Store has right dose for pharmacy
A supermarket has presented MP David Chaytor with a petition to open pharmacies in its stores.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 11/04/03
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Suspected Sars case 'responding'
A man who may be the sixth person to have the deadly Sars virus in the UK is responding well to treatment.
BBC Health 13/04/03
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The argument against...
To ban smoking in public places would be the ruling of a "nanny state" according to smokers and pro-smoking lobbyists.
Lancaster Evening News 11/04/03
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The argument for...
Dr. Jim Paris is one of the top men when it comes to promoting the health of people in East Lancashire. And as director of public health for Blackburn with Darwen, he believes a ban on smoking in public places is the right thing.
Lancaster Evening News 11/04/03
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Three cheers for the public sector
After my father's death last summer my mother was understandably depressed - a common enough complaint among old people after a long marriage and sudden bereavement. But what impressed me and all our family was the way the local National Health Service stepped in. A newly-built wing in Farnborough Hospital, Bromley, is dedicated to nursing the elderly suffering from the depression associated with bereavement, and my mother was found her own room almost immediately.
The Observer 13/04/03
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Trust meets target times
The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which governs Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, has met Government waiting time targets, according to new figures.
Bolton Evening News 11/04/03
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:: Kieran 2:39 AM [+] ::
...
