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Non-specialist mental health staff can treat depression with psychotherapy

Depression can be treated effectively with psychotherapy by mental health nurses with minimal training, according to new preliminary research findings.

16 Feb 2011

Cholesterol woes across Australia

A new study shows that Victorians and Tasmanians have the worst average cholesterol levels in Australia. The study looked at almost 200,000 patient records over 5 and half years and showed that Tasmanians’ average cholesterol level was the nation’s highest, at 5.41mmol/L (millimoles per litre), with Victorians’ average level at 5.23mmol/L.

15 Feb 2011

Pfizer enters definitive agreement to purchase Ferrosan's consumer healthcare business

Pfizer Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Ferrosan's consumer healthcare business, which includes dietary supplements and lifestyle products, from Altor 2003 Fund GP Limited.

7 Feb 2011

Researchers to develop new diagnostics platform for early detection of lung cancer

The earlier cancers can be detected, the better the chances of a cure. Researchers are now working to develop a new diagnostics platform with which the illness can be diagnosed in its early stages, even during a visit to the general practitioner: protein biomarkers in exhaled air divulge the presence of pathological cells in the lung.

3 Feb 2011

Patients unaware of stroke risk with irregular heart beat conditions

Thousand of people who suffer from irregular heartbeats or conditions termed as arrhythmias are unaware they are at high risk of suffering a stroke. A new survey found that two of three people do not know the warning signs of shortness of breath and palpitations. Experts estimate that more than 4,000 strokes a year could be prevented by better awareness among the general public and doctors of the heart condition atrial fibrillation (AF) this manifests as palpitations and irregular heart beat.

31 Jan 2011

Effective fusion of consumer technology and front line medicine needed

Government spending cuts and the high cost of distributed healthcare provision could mean a major shift toward home-based patient care. Lack of resource, increased travel time and an aging population is leading some to consider a more viable alternative. However, limited broadband Internet access in remote areas means that joined up policy changes are needed to ensure an effective solution is achieved.

28 Jan 2011

NHS reforms & proposed spending questioned

According to John Appleby, Chief Economist at the King’s Fund, deaths from heart attacks and cancer in the UK are falling despite lower spending on health than in countries such as France. This, he said calls attention to the Government’s claim that poor outcomes justify a £1.4 billion restructuring of the NHS that will pass control of budgets from managers to GPs. He said, “Comparing health outcomes across countries is complex and not simply down to healthcare spending, but these trends must challenge one of the government’s key justifications for reforming the NHS.”

27 Jan 2011

PHDcic, Aetna receive Health Service Journal award for programme to create systemic change in primary care

An innovative group of GPs in the West Midlands is proving that starting small can produce big changes — and their efforts are not going unnoticed. Pathfinder Healthcare Developments cic (PHDcic) together with Aetna Health Services UK (Aetna) have secured their latest award from the Health Service Journal for a programme that aims to create systemic change in primary care.

27 Jan 2011

Measles warnings for Australia and New Zealand

In a flight from Brisbane that arrived in Auckland two weeks ago, a child was confirmed to have measles and has been taken to hospital. Five other cases of the virus have been confirmed. At present a further 100 cases are being investigated by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service.

26 Jan 2011

UWE researcher receives two CSPCT grants to improve clinical delivery of treatments

A researcher from the University of the West of England has been awarded two grants to fund work that will encourage people with serious joint conditions to move and excercise more.

24 Jan 2011

Australia’s Healthy Weight Week

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) has launched Australia’s Healthy Weight Week (AHWW) on Sunday in an attempt to make people choose a healthier lifestyle of eating better and exercising more.

23 Jan 2011

Study finds link between public transport and risk of catching ARI

You are six times more likely to end up at the doctors with an acute respiratory infection if you have recently used a bus or tram — but those who use buses or trams daily might well be somewhat protected compared with more occasional users.

19 Jan 2011

Legionnaires’ disease scare in Bali: Australian tourists warned

Commonwealth chief medical officer Jim Bishop has warned Australians who have returned from Bali on an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease on the popular Indonesian resort island. The Australian health authorities knew of 11 cases of Legionnaires’ disease detected in Victorians and Western Australians after holidays in the Kuta area of Bali between August 2010 and January 2011.

19 Jan 2011

Jayex launches online healthcare media library

Jayex, the healthcare digital display system specialist, today announces the launch of Med-Extranet; its online healthcare media library. Med-Extranet offers hospitals, clinics, and GP surgeries online access to educational videos, digital posters and public service announcements that can be displayed on patient waiting room screens.

19 Jan 2011

Concomitant physical symptoms in patients with depression and anxiety associated with poorer prognosis

This study, published in the last 2010 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, indicate that concomitant physical symptoms in patients with depression and anxiety are associated with a poorer prognosis of symptoms of depression and anxiety and that it might prove worthwhile to pay attention to the role of multiple physical symptoms in the process of tailoring interventions to meet the needs of depressed and anxious patients in primary care.

19 Jan 2011

Australian rural healthcare ailing with lack of funds: Report

The latest data shows that Medicare paid out at least $670 million less in rural Australia in 2006-07 for GP and other primary health services than it has done for the cities. A total of at least $2.1 billion every year is short in the public health expenditure for rural regions compared to cities. Also there is a $500 million underspend in rural areas on the PBS, and at least a $1 billion shortfall on dental and allied health.

17 Jan 2011

Peninsula scientists to implement Policy Research Unit for early cancer screening and diagnosis

A team of researchers from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry are part of a wider group of researchers from leading institutions that will implement a -4.7m Policy Research Unit dedicated to achieving early cancer screening and diagnosis. The funding is provided over five years by the Department of Health and will be led by Queen Mary, University of London.

13 Jan 2011

Pain services severely inadequate: report

The Patients Association has urged the Government to create a clear care pathway for chronic pain services throughout the National Health Service. This came in after a survey of more than 4,000 patients revealed significant shortcomings in care.

11 Jan 2011

Positive preclinical results from Inovio's novel DNA vaccine targeting HIV Clade C virus

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today the publication of a scientific paper highlighting positive preclinical results from Inovio's novel DNA vaccine targeting HIV Clade C viruses in the journal Vaccine.

10 Jan 2011

Flu worries continue

As number of cases of flu rise in the UK, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is under pressure to strengthen the flu vaccination campaign. He reinstated a public health “Catch It, Bin It, Kill It” advertising campaign after he was warned by government advisers of the need to improve immunization rates which are at their lowest this winter for many years. It had been discontinued despite helping educate the public to adopt good hygiene habits during last year’s H1N1 swine flu epidemic at a cost of just £609,000. There were 12 more deaths in the last week from flu, bringing the total this winter to 39, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said today. Thirty-six were killed by H1N1 swine flu, which is the most virulent of the two main flu strains currently circulating. The others died after contracting Influenza B, the other strain. All except one of the 39 were under 65 and four were under five.

2 Jan 2011