:: 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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:: Thursday, April 24, 2003 ::
:: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 ::
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
National Health and Social Care News
Africa 'needs better malaria drugs'
Health campaigners are calling for more effective, but more expensive, anti-malarial drugs to be made available across Africa.
BBC Health 25/04/03
China imposes Sars quarantines
China has begun implementing draconian quarantine measures to try to curb the spread of the pneumonia-like Sars virus.
BBC Health 24/04/03
Dangerous toy banned by government
A type of yo-yo that has hurt eight kids has been banned by the government.
BBC Health 24/04/03
Early breast screening 'saves lives'
Screening women in their 40s for breast cancer would save a significant number of lives in the UK, research suggests.
BBC Health 24/04/03
The Times 25/04/03
The Guardian 25/04/03
E-mail virus exploits Sars fears
A computer worm that takes advantage of growing concerns about the Sars virus has hit the web.
BBC Health 24/04/03
Eyewitness: Hong Kong under Sars
Hong Kong has been badly hit by the deadly Sars virus. Resident Lee Shin-mui tells BBC News Online how daily life has changed.
BBC Health 24/04/03
Exercise key to beating obesity
Anti-obesity drugs are not an instant fix and are only useful if people also change their diet and lifestyle, say the Royal College of Physicians.
Daily Mail 24/04/03
Fear and panic in Chinatown where businesses face contrasting fortunes
Business has rarely been brisker for Dr Jiaf An at the Chinese Medicine Centre in Chinatown, London. Indicating packets of powdered root and cotton face masks on his counter, he said: "There are constantly people wanting something. Sars is causing panic.''
The Independent 25/04/03
Folic acid cuts child cancer risk
A child's chance of developing leukaemia can be significantly reduced if they are exposed to high levels of folic acid while in the womb, researchers suggest.
BBC Health 24/04/03
Daily Mail 24/04/03
Government 'must end Sars confusion'
The government must act decisively to end the confusion surrounding different schools' stance on Sars, a leading medical academic has warned.
BBC Health 24/04/03
Gulf troops face tests for cancer
Soldiers returning from the Gulf will be offered tests to check levels of depleted uranium in their bodies to assess whether they are in danger of suffering kidney damage and lung cancer as a result of exposure, the Ministry of Defence said last night.
The Guardian 25/04/03
The Independent 25/04/03
Hospital 'very sorry' for cancer error
A Bedfordshire widow has made a formal complaint to a hospital after radiotherapy was directed at the wrong place on her husband.
BBC Health 24/04/03
How dieting risks damaging your baby
Women who become pregnant while they are dieting are risking premature births and the health of their unborn children, scientists said yesterday.
The Times 25/04/03
Illusions and gaps in Sars precautions
Public fears grow but health experts are confident.
The Guardian 25/04/03
Interactive guide: spread of Sars
Macromedia flash guide to the spread of Sars.
The Guardian 25/04/03
London link to Thailand Sars case
A Thai woman is in a Bangkok hospital with suspected Sars, and officials believe she may have contracted the deadly virus in London.
The Guardian 25/04/03
Message of hope from the UK's six victims
All six of the probable UK Sars sufferers have recovered after treatment with a cocktail of antibiotics and have been released from hospital, although at least one is still in quarantine at home.
The Guardian 25/04/03
Models 'drive girls to smoke'
More teenage girls are taking up smoking just to keep their weight down, evidence suggests.
Daily Mail 24/04/03
More parents shun MMR jab
More parents than ever are shunning the MMR jab amid continuing fears of a link to autism and bowel disease, according to latest figures.
Daily Mail 24/04/03
MPs call for Sars quarantine
The UK government is failing to do enough to protect people against the rising threat of Sars, say the Conservatives.
BBC Health 24/04/03
Nervous Shanghai steps up precautions
There is a run on face masks at chemists in China's second city. Customers, alarmed at the prospect of physical contact, are forced to jostle one another to reach the counter.
The Guardian 25/04/03
NHS hits private income high
Growing evidence emerged today of the increasing partnership between the NHS and the private health sector after latest figures revealed the biggest rise in three years in trust income from treating private patients.
The Guardian 24/04/03
Pesticide 'link' to breast cancer
Women with breast cancer are five times more likely to have pesticide residues such as DDT in their bloodstream than healthy women, according to a controversial new study.
Daily Mail 24/04/03
PFI 'leads to hospital bed cuts'
Private finance initiative schemes damage hospital services, turning the NHS into "an emergency service" because of a reduction in beds, researchers have claimed.
BBC Health 24/03/04
The Independent 25/04/03
Q & A: What is this disease and why is it so deadly?
What is Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome)? A new disease, never seen before in humans. In its early stages it resembles flu and most patients recover. But it can rapidly progress to pneumonia, and in the most serious cases lead to breathing difficulties and death.
The Independent 25/04/03
Sars alarm as Toronto 'no-go'
Panic over the deadly Sars virus escalated last night. Toronto became the first Western city declared a no-go zone in an unprecedented global health warning.
Daily Mail 24/04/03
Sars claims more corporate victims
The Sars virus continued to wreak havoc on international businesses yesterday when Intercontinental Hotels said the outbreak was compounding the "worst conditions" the hotel industry has ever encountered while Cookson, the engineering group, said the epidemic could trigger a global recession.
The Independent 25/04/03
Sars panic 'will cause financial turmoil'
Calls for the Government to make Sars a notifiable disease were rejected yesterday as mounting panic over the illness spread across the world.
The Times 25/04/03
Sars screening at airports rejected
Sars screening of arriving passengers at airports rejected.
The Guardian 25/04/03
'Sperm washing' hope for HIV patients
HIV-positive men who underwent a "sperm washing" treatment have fathered children without risking their partner's health.
BBC Health 24/03/04
Steve Connor: The diseases from nowhere which strike with a venom
The sudden appearance of an infectious agent that spreads rapidly from one country to the next is the classic nightmare of scientists investigating so-called emerging diseases.
The Independent 25/04/03
The first global epidemic of the 21st century
A hospital in China is surrounded by police, officials in Toronto meet in emergency session and airline chiefs discuss the billion-dollar losses from the collapse of international travel – welcome to the first global epidemic of the 21st century.
The Independent 25/04/03
The race to cure Sars
In Toronto, the city's mayor exploded with anger this week after the World Health Organisation blacklisted the Canadian city because of an outbreak of Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome). WHO was accused of being precipitate, reckless and rushing to conclusions. Back in the UK, Dr Liam Fox, the Conservative shadow health secretary, condemned Britain's response to the new medical threats as "feeble, complacent and irresponsible". The UK is declining to add Sars to the list of "notifiable diseases" that would allow officials to force people to take treatment. But the UK only has six cases. In both countries, the medical experts seem to have got it right, and their critics wrong. But it is still early days for the first new medical scourge of the 21st century with epidemic potential. Most new diseases in the last two decades have had features that limited their ability to pose a serious threat. Sars could be different.
The Guardian 25/04/03
Why WHO opted for a policy of isolation
The scale of the threat posed by Sars is still unknown. For the victims and their families, whose numbers continue to mount, it is a personal tragedy. For the economies of the Far East and, now, Toronto, it is already a catastrophe. For the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is the biggest challenge it has faced.
The Independent 25/04/03
Cheshire and Mersey Health and Social Care News
North Mersey Health and Social Care News
Centre for addicts is under fire
A row has broken out over a plan to turn a Liverpool video shop into a drop-in centre for drug addicts.
Liverpool Echo 24/04/03
Legionnaires death
A pensioner from Burscough died after contracting legionnaires disease.
Liverpool Echo 24/04/03
Move to protect nurses at the Royal
Liverpool's biggest hospital is introducing tight security restrictions around its accident and emergency department after a terrifying series of attacks on staff.
Liverpool Echo 24/04/03
South Cheshire Health and Social Care News
It's eggs all round!
A champion fundraiser has returned to the hospital unit where he nearly died 12 years ago to hand over goods worth hundreds of pounds.
Ellesmere Port Pioneer 24/04/03
School trip pupils face quarantine
A party of Cheshire youngsters heading back to Britain from China may be quarantined against the spread of the deadly Sars virus.
Manchester Evening News 24/04/03
Daily Post 24/04/03
Knutsford Guardian 24/04/03
St Helen's and Knowsley Health and Social Care News
Help at hand for single parents
Single parents can get a helping hand from the new Loan Parents Advisory Service that is available at the Newton Community Centre.
Newton Guardian 24/04/03
Cumbria and Lancashire Health and Social Care News
East Lancashire Health and Social Care News
SARS symptoms reported by trio
Three East Lancashire people suffering SARS-like symptoms have sought medical advice after travelling in the Far East.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24/04/03
Morecambe Bay Health and Social Care News
Even homeless have to wait
Vulnerable people living rough in Lancaster face a waiting list for emergency accommodation.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24/05/03
We want more compensation
Victims of last summer's Legionnaires' Disease outbreak in Barrow have overwhelmingly rejected the first batch of compensation offers.
North West Evening Mail 24/04/03
North Cumbria Health and Social Care News
Missing Doctor and his Family Have Quit Country
A Whitehaven doctor and his family who had not been seen for more than a fortnight have left the country, it emerged today.
Carlisle News and Star 24/04/03
North West Lancashire Health and Social Care News
Drive to keep workers safe
Health bosses are cracking down on violent patients at Chorley Hospital by adopting a zero tolerance approach to the problem.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 24/04/03
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care News
Bury and Rochdale Health and Social Care News
Mystery illness has left Judith a prisoner in her home
Illness has left Judith Hilton a prisoner in her own home. The mother-of-two was suddenly struck down by BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Postional Vertigo) on Christmas Day.
Lancahsire Evening Telegraph 24/04/03
Manchester Health and Social Care News
15 years on, so young at heart
Bubbly Sholeh Rhodes is celebrating 15 full years since heart surgeons gave her a new lease of life.
Manchester Evening News 24/04/03
West Pennine Health and Social Care News
First test tube baby to wed
The world's first test tube baby is getting married. Louise Brown, 24, whose birth in Oldham on July 25, 1978, brought hope to millions of infertile couples, has become engaged to 33-year-old bank security officer Wesley Mullinder.
Manchester Evening News 24/04/03
Wigan and Bolton Health and Social Care News
Staying slim could put health at risk
Stars and celebrities who eat a certain way to keep slim may be causing long-term damage to their kidneys, according to doctors.
Bolton Evening News 24/05/03
:: Kieran 9:50 PM [+] ::
...
:: Tuesday, April 22, 2003 ::
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
National Health and Social Care News
£27m investment to save sight
Around 1,000 people a year could be prevented from going blind or having their sight impaired thanks to a new £27 million investment, the Government said today.
The Daily Mail 24/03/04
Banking on IT
SA Mathieson on the savvy methods used to keep pennies in our high-street banks.
"In most outsourcing, employees are going to oppose it," says Skyte. "They joined a company of their own volition, and are being transferred against their will. The issues are job security and pensions, although there are lots of others." These two worries are particularly strong in the public sector. The NHS's giant IT-outsourcing programme will be managed by a division of Halliburton, formerly run by US vice-president Dick Cheney - not known for his support for health care free at the point of delivery.
The Guardian 24/04/03
Bowel cancer: early warnings
The charity Beating Bowel Cancer has designated April as bowel cancer month. This charity has achieved considerable success in publicising the main symptoms of colo-rectal cancer, and has helped in making it possible to discuss the disease in everyday life.
The Times 24/04/03
Casualty units 'understaffed'
Accident and emergency departments are being forced to cope with a serious shortage of senior doctors, the Liberal Democrats have claimed.
BBC Health 24/04/03
Chocolates and homeopathy
I was delighted to see that the government has given £1.3m to the pseudo-scientists marketing alternative therapies such as homeopathy and acupuncture. This money will go towards research projects to determine whether their money-making scams really help people, and whether they should be available on the NHS. I can think of nothing better, though why an industry reported this week to make £130m a year out of the British public can't be bothered to spend 1% of that on sorting out its own research is another question. And how they plan to help an underfunded NHS, in which GPs can offer only six-minute appointments, get round the fact that people prefer alternative therapists because they are privately employed to spend an hour listening to people talk about themselves without calling it counselling, is another matter.
The Guardian 24/04/03
Direct increase
NHS Direct, the world's largest provider of e-healthcare, is to have its budget nearly doubled, health minister John Hutton said this week. The new money will pay for a national digital TV channel to add to the existing telephone and web service. NHS Direct's national number, 0845 46 47, deals with half a million calls a month and has been hailed as a success in the NHS's use of IT. However, it is not well integrated with the rest of the health service. Under the new plan, Developing NHS Direct, the service will become a standard national out-of-hours service for GPs. Patients will also be offered a "personal health organiser" for securely storing key health information about themselves in the system. The new capacity will enable it to handle 16 million calls a year.
www.doh.gov.uk/developingnhsdirect
The Guardian 24/04/03
Eat less sugar, urges WHO
Sugar should only make up 10 per cent of our daily calorie intake or we run the risk of developing chronic illnesses such as diabetes, the World Health Organisation warns today.
The Daily Mail 24/04/03
Expert: 'Sars more serious than Aids'
A Sars expert today warned the killer virus had the potential to be more devastating than the Aids epidemic.
The Daily Mail 23/04/03
Fresh doubt cast on Sars cause
The virus pinpointed as the likely cause of the killer Sars illness may not be responsible - most Canadian victims don't carry it.
BBC Health 23/04/03
Girls 'smoke to stay thin'
Teenage girls who are concerned about their weight are more likely to take up smoking, a study suggests.
BBC Health 23/04/03
Hayfever in the mask of mumps
A woman with all the signs of a second case of mumps seemed a strange case, but seasonal changes solved the mystery.
The Times 24/04/03
Heinz rapped over veg claim
Food giant Heinz today agreed to suspend advertising for one of its products until clarification about how much it contributed to the recommended daily five portions of fruit or vegetables.
The Independent 24/04/03
The Daily Mail 23/04/03
Home castrator jailed in US
A Taiwanese man is to spend up to four years in prison after performing an illegal castration in his kitchen last year, a US court has ruled.
BBC Health 23/04/03
How condom unlocked mystery of life
You might think solving one of the world's great scientific mysteries - the structure of DNA - would take complicated equipment and endless experiments.
The Daily Mail 23/04/03
'I caught Sars on holiday'
A British woman has told the BBC how she contracted what is believed to be the Sars virus after a trip to Singapore.
BBC Health 23/04/03
In the time it takes you to read this article Pfizer will make $250,000. So does it have a duty to provide cheap drugs to the poor?
Shareholders will gather in Michigan today to hear about the soaring profits of the world's largest pharmaceutical company. But, report Sarah Boseley and Nils Pratley, it faces new pressure to do more for the world's poor
The Guardian 24/04/03
Meningitis link to bad behaviour
Having meningitis as a baby can lead to teenage behavioural problems, researchers have suggested.
BBC Health 23/04/03
Mixed-sex twins 'more social'
Children with a twin of the opposite sex may do better than their classmates when it comes to emotional and social development, claim researchers.
BBC Health 23/04/03
Nurses may take over hospital wards
Nurses may run hospital wards instead of junior doctors at night and weekends.
The Daily Mail 24/04/03
Obesity drugs 'no quick fix'
People who are seriously overweight should only be given anti-obesity drugs if they are prepared to diet and exercise, say doctors.
BBC Health 23/04/03
Patients' surveys 'buried' by ministers
Alan Milburn, the Secretary of State for Health, was accused yesterday of "burying" bad news about the NHS by refusing to publish government surveys of patients' experiences in the health service.
The Independent 24/04/03
Police report on tainted blood
Prosecutors are to consider whether there should be a criminal investigation into the medical disaster which left hundreds of Scots infected with hepatitis C.
BBC Health 23/04/03
Private patients give NHS a shot in the arm
Private patients provided the National Health Service with a growing source of income last year, a report revealed yesterday.
Financial Times 24/04/03
Prostate op is no big deal
Alan Greenspan , the 77-year-old chairman of the US Federal Reserve, is to have a second operation on his prostate. He first had a transurethral resection of the prostate (Turp) in 1994. The Turp remains the gold standard by which other treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia, previously known as benign prostatic hypertrophy but both usually referred to as BPH, are judged.
The Times 24/04/03
Public Domain
Up and down England, councillors are anxiously awaiting the electorate's verdict on their fancy new websites and other electronic public services.
The Guardian 24/04/03
Sars travel blacklist as toll rises
The World Health Organisation last night issued an unprecedented warning that the Sars epidemic had for the first time made a Western city unsafe to visit.
The Times 24/04/03
BBC Health 24/04/03
The Guardian 24/04/03
The Independent 24/03/04
Sars: UK to update advice
The Foreign Office today said it was considering its travel advice in light of the World Health Organisation's decision to tell travellers to avoid Toronto, Beijing and China's Shanxi province because of Sars virus.
The Daily Mail 23/04/03
The Guardian 24/04/03
Simple ways to reduce strokes
If, as American doctors, used to suggest, having strokes is optional, why do they remain the third most common cause of death and a serious source of distressing disability? They affect all classes, all types, all nationalities and, albeit not equally, all ages. Those who have had a stroke recently include Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, and Princess Margaret had three, possibly four, strokes before she died.
The Times 24/04/03
Tender fight
US defence giants are lining up to compete for NHS IT contracts worth up to £2.3 billion. A list of 31 potential bidders published by the Department of Health last week includes Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. The companies' products, such as the F14 Tomcat fighter and Patriot missile, were used in the Iraq war. Other bidders include BT, Fujitsu, IBM and Oracle. One consortium is headed by Jarvis Plc, best known as a rail maintenance firm. At stake are contracts to take over NHS IT and to provide new "national applications" such as electronic booking. The first of the new contracts, covering London, is due to be placed in September.
The Guardian 24/04/03
Test tube bride
Louise Brown, the world's first test tube baby, is getting married.
The Daily Mail 23/04/03
'Top marks' ambulance trust fails health inspection
Ministers' understanding of the ambulance service was called into question yesterday when health inspectors discovered serious defects in an ambulance trust which was awarded top marks in the government's performance tables.
The Guardian 24/04/03
'Virgin births' could resolve debate
A "virgin birth" technique could be used to obtain embryonic stem cells without offending pro-life or religious beliefs, it has been claimed.
The Guardian 24/04/03
Virus used to kill food bug
Sheep carry a virus which could be harnessed to kill the E.coli food poisoning bug.
BBC Health 23/04/03
Wage cut
I read Polly Toynbee (Beware the wreckers, April 18) before leaving to work on a psychiatric ward on Good Friday. I earned a 60% supplement to my hours for the day, by virtue of working a public holiday. From October 2004, under the Agenda for Change, the new pay deal for the NHS, I will receive no extra payment for working public holidays at the point of working. Under this deal, negotiated between the government and "sensible" union leaders, I estimate that I will lose around £2,000 a year on net income. It is Polly's wreckers who are attempting to protect workers; the sensible squad are happy to slash wages in the name of modernisation.
The Guardian 24/04/03
'Whistleblower' sacking denied
Hospital chiefs have dismissed claims from a senior NHS manager that he was sacked after blowing the whistle on alleged waiting list fiddles.
BBC Health 23/04/03
The Guardian 24/04/03
The Guardian 23/04/03
Worm risk from dog stroking
A disease carried by dogs that can harm eyesight in humans can be picked up by simply stroking the animal, say researchers.
BBC Health 23/04/03
Cheshire and Mersey Health and Social Care News
North Cheshire Health and Social Care News
That's living all right!
A host of healthy activities were put on for pupils at Murdishaw West Primary School last week.
Runcorn World 24/03/04
North Mersey Health and Social Care News
Cancer tragedy of rugby player
A young rugby player has died from cancer, just two weeks after falling ill.
Liverpool Echo 23/04/03
South Cheshire Health and Social Care News
Animal waste centre is put under spotlight
Planning chiefs in Vale Royal were due to give their final verdict on controversial plans to create an animal waste site near Middlewich last night, Tuesday.
Middlewich Guardian 24/04/03
Doctor denies strike-off row
A doctor has dismissed a claim that he took a patient off his list because of a row over a property earmarked for a new surgery.
Crewe Chronicle 23/04/03
Group goes on-line to fight incinerator
Anti-incineration campaign group RAIN (Residents Against Incineration in Northwich) now has its own website, which members say highlights concerns about Cheshire County Council's Energy From Waste strategy.
Northwich Chronicle 23/04/03
Fresh Appeals Over Dump Plan
Controversial plans to dump chemical waste in Winsford salt mine could be dealt a final blow if protestors emerge victorious at another public inquiry.
Winsford Guardian 23/04/03
Northwich Chronicle 23/04/03
Northwich Chronicle 23/04/03
School trip to SARS zone
Fears were growing last night for the safety of a Cheshire school group caught up in the deadly Sars outbreak sweeping across south-east Asia.
Daily Post 23/04/03
Wirral Health and Social Care News
Community hospital to be rebuilt
A community hospital unveiled a £3.5m redevelopment plan last night.
Daily Post 23/04/03
Cumbria and Lancashire Health and Social Care News
East Lancashire Health and Social Care News
Age Concern will put you right
Regarding the person who is having to pay £17 out of his state pension for home help services (LET, April 4), I am on the state pension, plus a company pension and Income Support and a disability payment and do not pay one penny for this service, or Council Tax.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 23/04/03
Call for pride in run-down area
Sometime in the near future, the Pathfinder scheme is going to start in Blackburn, where run-down areas will be regenerated and my area, Little Harwood, at long last is one of them.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 23/04/03
Green light for cycle plan
A £500,000 COUNCIL plan to encourage people to get on their bikes has been given the green light.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 23/04/03
Scheme missing social aspects
Reporters from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph spent many hours at meetings listening to county councillors and officers saying that the closure of care homes would not mean less care for the elderly and their representatives praised the 'care in the home' service.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 23/04/03
West Lancashire Health and Social Care News
Doctor in new deaths inquiry
A pathologist who gave crucial evidence during the trial into the death of tragic Karla Selley was today being investigated for his role in other cases.
Lancashire Evening Post 23/04/03
Morecambe Bay Health and Social Care News
Cash Could Prevent Diabetic Blindness
Health bosses in South Cumbria will share a £191,000 windfall to prevent diabetic patients going blind.
North West Evening Mail 23/04/03
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care News
Manchester Health and Social Care News
A schoolgirl has died from suspected meningitis hours after being admitted to hospital.
Manchester Evening News 24/03/04
Salford and Trafford Health and Social Care News
Luxury spree by NHS boss
A health boss went on a spending spree for clothes with money meant for mentally ill young people.
Manchester Evening News 24/04/03
Stockport Health and Social Care News
My ordeal, by suspected Sars victim
A suspected victim of the potentially deadly SARS bug has returned to her Greater Manchester home and spoken of her ordeal for the first time.
Manchester Evening News 24/04/03
West Pennine Health and Social Care News
Shipman surgery for sale
The surgery where killer doctor Harold Shipman launched his career is up for sale.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 23/04/03
Wigan and Bolton Health and Social Care News
Cannabis soft line welcomed
A Bolton MP has welcomed a report calling for small scale cannabis growers to escape with a police warning
Bolton Evening News 23/04/03
MP seeks to shield local pharmacies
The threat to the future of community pharmacies has caused grave concern in Bolton, where many elderly and vulnerable people fear their local chemists could be forced out of business if outlets open in supermarkets.
Bolton Evening News 23/04/03
Patients' helpful health service
Patients will be able to get advice, information and support from a new service at Bolton.
Bolton Evening News 23/04/03
Soup riddle
Food giant Heinz have agreed to suspend advertising its cans of tomato soup in a row over how healthy they are.
Bolton Evening News 23/04/03
:: Kieran 10:15 PM [+] ::
...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------:: Monday, April 21, 2003 ::
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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National Health and Social Care News
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A day in the life of the NHS
Births, deaths and critical operations are part of the everyday fabric of the NHS - but it takes a huge range of skills to ensure that the service can cope.
BBC Health 22/04/03
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Bile 'limits stroke damage'
An injection of a bile acid could reduce the number of brain cells which die in the wake of a stroke or serious head injury.
BBC Health 23/04/03
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Health ruling on soup ad
The food giant Heinz has agreed to suspend advertising for one of its products until clarification about how much it contributed to the recommended daily five portions of fruit or vegetables.
The Guardian 23/04/03
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Heart attacks - greater danger to women
Women are more vulnerable to the deadly effect of heart attacks than men - despite the illness being viewed as a 'men only' problem, a study has found.
Daily Mail 23/04/03
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Heart of England divided on asylum
When Ken Clarke, one-time home secretary and would-be Tory leader, spoke at a planning inquiry into a controversial accommodation centre for asylum seekers to be built in his Nottinghamshire constituency last week, he proclaimed: "I think people in Rushcliffe have pretty liberal views."
The Guardian 23/04/03
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Just say no to a drugs policy that doesn't work
'A drugs-free world - we can do it!" That is the official slogan of the UN's current 10-year war-on-drugs strategy. A drugs summit marking the halfway point in that 10-year plan ended in Vienna last week - and it has all been a triumphant success. Or so said the director of the UN office on drugs and crime in his breezy opening address. "Does drug control policy work?" he asked rhetorically. "This question can be answered in the affirmative and unanimously." Yes, the UN programme is "on target to reach its goals" - to eradicate drug abuse and the cultivation of coca, cannabis and opium by the year 2008. Yes, really
The Guardain 23/04/03
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Memorial to Bristol heart babies
A memorial woodland glade has been opened in remembrance of the babies who died in the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) heart scandal.
BBC Health 22/04/03
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NHS hospitals boost private-sector work
NHS trusts have received a record boost in their private work at a time when more than one million NHS patients still languish on hospital waiting lists.
The Independent 23/04/03
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'No mutation' in Dutch bird virus
A Dutch vet believed to have died of bird flu was not suffering from a mutated form of the virus, the Dutch health ministry has been quoted as saying.
BBC Health 22/04/03
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Sars mars Indian wedding
An Indian wedding party has been quarantined after the bride tested positive for the Sars virus.
BBC Health 23/04/03
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Sars virus 'mutating rapidly'
The virus thought to cause Sars is constantly changing form, say scientists - which will make developing a vaccine difficult.
BBC Health 22/04/03
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Scientists find there is no quick cure for Sars
Scientists searching for a cure for severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) have suffered a setback after finding that the virus blamed for the potentially fatal disease was not present in most patients taken ill.
The Times 23/04/03
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Spinal test 'detects' Alzheimer's
Doctors could soon diagnose Alzheimer's disease by carrying out tests on fluid taken from the spine.
BBC Health 23/04/03
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Stem cells found in baby teeth
Scientists have found another source of stem cells for research - the pulp of a child's first set of teeth.
BBC Health 23/04/03
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Swiss raise alarm over Aids
Switzerland has launched its latest Aids prevention campaign with a series of hard-hitting posters aimed at involving all sections of society in the fight against the disease.
BBC Health 22/04/03
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Three cuppas a day are healthy
People all over the world are potty about tea. But as well as being a much loved beverage, research now says drinking three cups a day beefs up the immune system and gives the body a better chance of fighting off colds, flu and all types of infection.
Daily Mail 23/04/03
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TV watching 'makes you obese'
Scientists have come up with proof that watching television can be bad for your health.
BBC Health 22/03/04
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Wanless inquiry 'an excuse for tax rises'
The Tories accused Gordon Brown yesterday of planning to use a new inquiry into the National Health Service as an excuse for a further rise in tax.
The Independent 23/04/03
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WHO attacks US sugar lobby
The World Health Organization has accused big business interests in the United States of trying to influence a new report on the dangers of consuming too much sugar.
BBC Health 22/03/04
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What's the point of it?
Regular acupuncture could prevent you from picking up infections — so long as the needle is in exactly the right spot and given a good tweak.
The Times 23/04/03
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Why football's theatre of cruelty can turn the ecstasy into agony
Football management is as bad for your heart as drinking and smoking: so say researchers, and with the latest Premiership manager to suffer chest pains still in hospital their conclusions deserve to be taken seriously.
The Times 23/04/03
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Mersey and Cheshire Health and Social Care News
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North Mersey
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£200m plant to deal with city's rubbish
A multi-million pound recycling plant is being planned to deal with all household waste generated in Liverpool.
Daily Post 22/04/03
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Meet the New Deal...it's the same as the old deal
Ever since the New Deal for Kensington was announced, ever since we were told millions of pounds would come flooding into the area, Kensington has gone from bad to worse.
Liverpool Echo 22/04/03
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Smokers can take shelter
Thousands of Liverpool workers are being provided with smoking shelters.
Liverpool Echo 22/04/03
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Twin reason to be happy
Years of heartache melted away on the day Joanne McKenna found out she was going to be a mother.
Liverpool Echo 22/04/03
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Cumbria and Lancashire Health and Social Care News
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East Lancashire
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Change of super hospital plans scrapped
Health bosses have cancelled a planning application asking for alterations to the design of their £90million super-hospital after being told councillors would reject it.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/04/03
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Help for addicts deserves support
Whether low self esteem is a product of drug addiction or one of its causes, it would certainly seem a condition that goes hand in hand with the self-hurt that drug abuse ultimately amounts to.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/04/03
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Hospital radio's public airing
Visitors will be able to find out more about the workings of hospital radio next month during an open weekend in Rossendale.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 22/04/03
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Greater Manchester Health and Social Care News
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Manchester
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'Meningitis' tragedy of schoolgirl, 15
A schoolgirl has died from suspected meningitis hours after being admitted to hospital.
Manchester Evening News 22/04/03
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Wigan and Bolton
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Cancer cash remembers victim, 17
The death of a Bolton student from cancer has inspired a fund-raising campaign which has raised thousands of pounds within the space of just five months.
Bolton Evening News 22/04/03
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NHS bosses back violence crackdown
Bolton hospital chiefs have welcomed new measures to crack down on violence against doctors and nurses.
Bolton Evening News 22/04/03
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Nurse allegations
A nurse is due to face misconduct allegations at a hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Professional Conduct Committee.
Bolton Evening News 22/04/03
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:: Kieran 10:54 PM [+] ::
...
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Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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Navigation Menu
National Health and Social Care News
Cheshire and Mersey Health and Social Care News
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National Health and Social Care News
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A bird with the healing touch
Aborigines swear by emu oil and Paula Radcliffe might not have won the marathon without it. Our correspondent reports on its powers.
The Times 22/04/03
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A little bit of lift
A non-surgical breast-enhancing treatment that can boost your bust in only an hour? Sounds too good to be true, but that wasn't going to stop Charlotte Cripps giving it a try.
The Independent 21/04/03
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A Question of Health: Breathe easy
After two years of violent coughing, antibiotics, steroids, X-rays, CAT scans and sinus operations, I have now been told that I have bronchiectasis. I am 55 and have never smoked. I have already had to cut down my teaching job from five to four days, but still feel extremely tired most of the time. I have been prescribed another month of the antibiotic doxycycline (the second course this year) and have been given an appointment to see a physiotherapist. Why have I developed this condition and is it progressive?
The Independent 21/04/03
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Blunkett backed on asylum centres
A leading leftwing thinktank has come out in support of home secretary David Blunkett's controversial plan to send all asylum seekers to processing centres outside the EU.
The Guardian 22/04/03
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'Breakthrough' in malaria research
British scientists claim to have made a breakthrough in finding a permanent treatment for malaria. Scientists say they have identified the element in the make-up of the parasite responsible for the disease which enables it to become quickly resistant to new treatments, a property which has severely hampered drug companies' efforts to develop a vaccine.
The Guardian 22/04/03
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Fears grow over Sars as China struggles to cope
The Sars outbreak spreading from China could be even worse than feared, according to officials of the World Health Organisation who doubt Beijing’s ability to contain the spread of the virus.
The Times 21/04/03
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Gene hope for diabetics
Scientists from the United States and Japan have successfully treated diabetic mice by inserting healthy genes in the animals.
BBC Health 24/04/03
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Health managers 'set to quit'
Half of all health professionals running the government's flagship primary care bodies plan to quit in the next two years, a survey has suggested.
BBC Health 21/04/03
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Hospitals may go without doctors to comply with EU
Hospital wards may run without doctors during the evenings and at night under government plans to comply with new European working regulations.
The Times 22/04/03
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How can I get my grandson to stop biting his nails?
About a year ago our four-and-a-half year-old grandson started biting his nails. Despite reasoning, gentle persuasion, firm warnings, applying anti-nail-biting lotion to his nails and threatening the withdrawal of sweets, the problem continues. He started school full-time in September and is otherwise confident, happy and outgoing. What can we do?
The Times 22/04/03
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'I felt chained to my computer'
More than a third of people are unhappy with their job. Many feel their hours are too long and that work is leaving them feeling irritable, anxious or depressed.
BBC Health 21/04/03
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'It's a gut thing'
When Natalie Partridge was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, her GP said stress was the likely cause. But investigating physical causes has helped her control her symptoms.
The Independent 21/04/03
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NHS may be doing better than data suggest
NHS statistics no longer fully reflect what the health service is doing, the Office of Health Economics warned yesterday.
Financial Times 22/04/03
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Sars death toll grows in China
China says the Sars virus has killed 13 and affected 194 more people since Friday, as the deadly disease continues to spread.
BBC Health 21/04/03
The Guardian 22/04/03
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Stem cell hope for heart patients
Thousands of people diagnosed with severe heart disease could soon be given fresh hope.
BBC Health 21/04/03
The Guardian 22/04/03
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Survey says children fed diet of ready meals
British children are being brought up on a diet of convenience foods, a new survey reveals today.
The Guardian 22/04/03
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Tales From The Therapist's Couch: 'We split our lives into right and wrong'
It's often assumed that people undergo therapy in order to rid themselves of uncertainty. Whether the uncertainty is about oneself or the relationships one is entwined with, analysis is perceived as a clarifier, a way of making transparent what feels unendurably murky and opaque.
The Independent 21/04/03
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Tax rise threat over fresh NHS inquiry
Gordon Brown has ordered another inquiry into the funding of the National Health Service, which is expected to lead to a further injection of billions of pounds next year.
The Independent 22/04/03
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Tea helps fight off infections
Drinking tea may prime the immune system to fight infections and even cancer, researchers have said.
BBC Health 21/04/03
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Thinktank backs new model for public services
Ministers could improve some public services by setting up public interest companies on the model of NHS foundation trusts, the left of centre thinktank the Institute of Public Policy Research will propose this week.
BBC Health 21/04/03
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Cheshire and Mersey Health and Social Care News
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North Mersey Health and Social Care News
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North Mersey Health and Social Care News
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Talks on city waste plant
A £200m recycling centre is being planned to treat all of Liverpool's waste. The council is discussing the idea with a private company, with a possible location on the outskirts of the city and in operation by 2008. Environmental campaigners claim cancerous dioxins could be released into the atmosphere if an incinerator is used.
Liverpool Echo 21/04/03
Liverpool Echo 21/04/03
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:: Kieran 11:13 PM [+] ::
...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------:: Sunday, April 20, 2003 ::
Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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'Asthma took away my childhood'
For 42 years Kate Jude was a chronic asthmatic. She could not take part in any sports, and had to sit by watching her brothers and sisters racing about on their bikes having fun.
BBC Health 21/04/03
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China's secrecy over Sars
"Why aren't you guys wearing face masks?" I asked the man in a sober dark blue uniform manning the quarantine counter at Shanghai's international airport a few days ago.
BBC Health 20/04/03
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Complementary therapy research boost
The government is to pump more than a million pounds into research projects involving alternative medicine, it was announced on Monday.
BBC Health 20/04/03
Daily Mail 21/04/03
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Deadly virus spreads in China
The Sars outbreak in China has spread to three new provinces, while there have been two more deaths.
BBC Health 21/04/03
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Death toll tops 200 as countries struggle to stem spread of disease
Sars Outbreak The cost to the global economy may reach £19bn, says WHO as a sense of crisis increases in China.
The Independent 21/04/03
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Diabetes cure hopes boosted by mice tests
American scientists using experimental gene therapy on mice believe they may have found a cure for diabetes.
The Independent 21/04/03
The Guardian 21/04/03
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Baby deaths trial doctor faces probe
The pathologist whose evidence contributed to the wrongful conviction of Sally Clark for murdering her two baby sons is being investigated.
Daily Post 20/04/03
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Government misses main target on youth crime
Labour has missed a central target on law and order, ministers have been told in a Whitehall report on the fast-tracking of persistent young offenders in the criminal justice system.
The Independent 21/04/03
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Labour's tax rises hit poor households far harder than rich
The poorest people in society are paying a far higher proportion of their income on taxes – particularly council tax – than middle-income earners or the rich.
The Independent 21/04/03
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NHS told to prepare for Sars outbreak
Hospitals across Britain were put on alert last night for a possible outbreak of Sars as China confirmed that the potentially fatal flu-like virus had spread far more widely than previously admitted.
The Times 21/04/03
Daily Mail 21/04/03
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No time for the worried well
GPs who dismiss their patients as hypochondriacs could be missing the point.
The Times 21/04/03
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On target but over budget for turnaround
This month, as part of our long-term investigation into whether the government is delivering improvements to public services on the ground, we revisit Enfield's Chase Farm hospital and find hopes are high of winning a star rating but extra funding still falls short of what is needed
The Guardian 21/04/03
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Panic grips Beijing as leaders admit tenfold rise in Sars infection rates
China sacked its Health Minister and the mayor of Beijing yesterday and cancelled a week-long May Day holiday after suddenly increasing the figure for Sars cases in the capital.
The Independent 21/04/03
The Guardian 21/04/03
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Poverty hits exam scores
Stark evidence of the impact of poverty and inequality in English education will be demonstrated in new research on schools to be presented by the Liberal Democrats this week.
The Guardian 21/04/03
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Quarantine bid to stop Sars
A number of school pupils and restaurant staff are being put in quarantine as the north west battles to stop the Sars virus wreaking havoc.
Manchester Evening News 21/03/04
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Scramble to meet waiting list goals
NHS chiefs in Enfield hit the 2003 hospital waiting time targets with just a few hours to spare before the government's deadline at the end of March.
The Guardian 21/04/03
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Sugar industry threatens to scupper WHO
The sugar industry in the US is threatening to bring the World Health Organisation to its knees by demanding that Congress end its funding unless the WHO scraps guidelines on healthy eating, due to be published on Wednesday.
The Guardian 21/04/03
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The baby I didn't dare dream of
Policeman Stephen Warburton had given up hope of becoming a father after discovering he had testicular cancer.
Manchester Evening News 21/04/03
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Transplant rejection risk cut
The risk that a transplant patient will reject their new organ can be halved by use of antibodies, doctors have found.
BBC Health 20/04/03
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:: Kieran 1:00 AM [+] ::
...
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Another 15 Minutes... Health News via Fade
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Abortion protest
The 35th anniversary of the Abortion Act will be remembered in Bolton later this month.
Bolton Evening News 19/04/03
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Aids ravages Rwanda
Selafina is just 39-years-old, but she is already preparing to die.
BBC Health 19/04/03
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Breast scan pain fears 'unfounded'
Women should not let fear of pain deter them from being screened for breast cancer, researchers say.
BBC Health 19/04/03
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Changing our sexual mindset
Clap is rising on a relentless scale - there has been an 87 per cent increase in gonorrhoea since 1996. Last week, middle England, and its many media representatives, immediately pointed a finger at their favourite culprits: rampant teenagers allegedly bonking like bunnies, living for today in a condom-free zone. How disgusting is that?
The Observer 20/04/03
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Doctors ordered to slash time for patients
Hospital doctors are being forced to slash the time they spend on individual patients - sometimes to less than three minutes - as managers resort to 'stopwatch' techniques to deliver the Government's stringent NHS targets.
The Observer 20/04/03
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Exposed: secrets of the animal organ lab
Scientists' success in Cambridgeshire could have saved thousands of lives. But they failed, animals suffered and the truth was covered up, reports Mark Townsend.
The Observer 20/04/03
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Focus on health for over-50s
A project to help the over-50s in Darwen stay fit and healthy with a variety of sports and activities will be launched in the town next Friday.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 19/04/03
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Hospice lottery aid plea
Volunteers are needed to help East Lancashire Hospice's lottery continue its super start.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 19/04/03
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How maps can help the NHS
What do you do if you are a cash-strapped NHS manager, desperate to make the most of your resources? Or an ambulance driver, wondering how to avoid getting caught in traffic? The answer, according to a software company is - a very clever map.
BBC Health 19/04/03
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Labour backlash grows over NHS reforms
Tony Blair's problems in persuading the Labour Party to support reforms of the NHS have been hit by another setback, as the senior representative of backbench opinion warns that she is opposed to the proposals.
The Independent 20/04/03
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Long working hours affecting nation's sanity
Britain's intense working culture is having a serious impact upon the nation's mental health, a new survey will reveal.
The Independent 20/04/03
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'Mercy killings' spur law reform
Unease grows over euthanasia after three Britons turned to a Swiss-based firm for assisted suicide.
The Observer 20/04/03
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Nannies to face a ban on smacking
Ministers expected to back tough new regulations, including a right for parents to hear of earlier complaints.
The Independent 20/04/03
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PFI centre means winners all round
Private Finance Initiatives have not had an easy birth as a concept and there have been some well publicised examples of the reality not quite matching up to the much-vaunted theory.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 19/04/03
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Plastic surgeons beat the clock on ageing hands
They have conquered the effects of ageing on most parts of the body, but plastic surgeons have had little success with wrinkly hands.
The Observer 20/04/03
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Privatisation threats to our local services
One of the major concerns about the future of our public services relates to the drive towards privatisation.
Bolton Evening News 19/04/03
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Surgery in move to £1m health centre
A health centre in Blackburn is relocating to new £1million premises. St George's Surgery, in Preston New Road, is moving to a site in Haslingden Road, due to be finished in September.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 19/04/03
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'The pedlars of a final solution offer everyone an easy way out'
Picture a Britain where assisted suicide is legal and, indeed, increasingly the norm. Specialists have sprung up to cater for the new market. For the wealthy, they have come up with the 'Zurich package', which combines luxurious spa treatment ('to ensure you look your best as you exit'), a two-day stay at a four-star hotel with Alpine backdrop ('spend your last hours in serene luxury') and a leather case with your initials embossed in gold for what is euphemistically called the 'last medicine'. The whole is a snip at £1,200. For the poor, there's a downmarket option: a rubber case stuffed with vials, needles and syringe.
The Observer 20/04/03
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Valium to be ranked alongside morphine in list of 'danger drugs'
Valium – dubbed "mother's little helper" – is to be classed in the same category as morphine in moves to tighten controls on anti-anxiety drugs and tranquillisers, campaigners have been told.
The Independent 20/04/03
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Virus deaths mount in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has announced 12 more deaths from the pneumonia-like Sars virus - the largest number of fatalities from the disease in one day.
BBC Health 20/04/03
The Observer 20/04/03
The Independent 20/04/03
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Working tax credit cash 'not working'
A mother-of-four has branded the new working tax credit system 'diabolical' after a series of payment delays.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph 19/04/03
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:: Kieran 1:11 AM [+] ::
...
