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Leader of UK GPs warns ‘Ordinary GPs’ must not be cut out of involvement in NHS reforms

The development of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) is happening without the involvement of many ordinary GPs, the leader of the UK’s GPs warns today in his speech to the annual GPs’ conference.

22 May 2012

Government Information Strategy contains improvements for patients, though care will be needed to ensure records remain secure, says BMA

The launch of the government’s Information Strategy for health and social care contains positive improvements which should benefit patients, but it would need to be carefully implemented so it didn’t jeopardise patient confidentiality, the BMA said today (Monday 21 May 2012).

21 May 2012

Caring for carers

According to a new poll, there are hundreds of thousands of unpaid carers in Scotland who are suffering from mental health problems and struggling to keep their jobs.

8 May 2012

No functional difference in effects of Lucentis and Avastin on preventing vision loss

The one year results from a study into whether two drug treatments (Lucentis and Avastin), are equally effective in treating neovascular or wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), have been reported today at an international research meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The findings will also appear online shortly in the leading journal Ophthalmology.

7 May 2012

Re-engagement of doctors is ‘critical' to success of new NHS partnership structures

Commenting on the publication of the Health Committee report on its inquiry into the integration of health and social care, Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the BMA in Scotland said:

4 May 2012

Clinical trial to investigate statins in patients with acute severe respiratory failure

Queen's University and NUI Galway and are leading a clinical trial to investigate the possibility that statins, a drug commonly used to combat cholesterol, might help patients with acute severe respiratory failure.

4 May 2012

Devices to aid dementia sufferers suggested

Five novel ideas were shortlisted for further development in a competition run by the Design Council and the Department of Health, to help make the lives of hundreds of thousands of people with dementia easier and more enjoyable.

29 Apr 2012

Sheffield researchers investigate ways to improve treatment for elderly patients with breast cancer

Sheffield researchers are investigating ways to improve the treatment and survival rate of elderly patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

25 Apr 2012

Study finds lack of cervical screening in non-Caucasian, young and socioeconomically deprived women

New research published today in the Journal of Public Health has found that cervical screening participation is significantly lower in general practices that look after a high percentage of younger-aged women, non-Caucasian women and those living in areas of socioeconomic deprivation. The authors, Ji Young Bang, Ghasem Yadegarfar, Michael Soljak and Azeem Majeed, suggest that this disparity needs to be addressed by developing and implementing strategies to improve cervical screening attendance in these women.

19 Apr 2012

Staggering economic costs of autism will continue to rise

Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced preliminary results of new research that estimates autism costs society a staggering $126 billion per year (U.S.) - a number that has more than tripled since 2006, and annually in the U.K. has reached more than -34 billion (equivalent to $54 billion U.S.).

30 Mar 2012

Dementia research gets a boost in the UK

The UK has seen a rise in the number of dementia sufferers by 50,000 in the past year, new figures have revealed. There are now more than 800,000 victims in Britain, with three out of four becoming anxious or depressed and six out of 10 feeling lonely, according to a new survey.

27 Mar 2012

Alcohol linked to 25% increase in liver disease deaths

The first report from the fledgling National End of Life Care Intelligence Network warns that the victims of liver disease are getting younger, with deaths increasing among people in their forties. Deaths rose from 9,231 in 2001 to 11,575 in 2009; some 60% of these were men, and 90% of them were under 70. Deaths are more common in England's northern regions marked by high unemployment and low educational achievement.

25 Mar 2012

Nurses too pushed for basic elderly care: Report finds

A new report found that three out of four nurses say they have no time to talk to older hospital patients and many are so rushed they can’t help them to eat. A lack of qualified nurses is jeopardizing safe care for the elderly on wards which are still dominated by age discrimination, according to the Royal College of Nursing.

21 Mar 2012

Leading expert expresses concern about lack of research about home drinking

A leading expert on alcohol abuse has expressed concern about the lack of research about home drinking. Dr John Foster from the University of Greenwich is the first UK researcher to review all the research available about the drinking of alcohol by adults at home.

16 Mar 2012

Northern Ireland has higher survival rates for pancreatic cancer, leukaemia

The first audit of leukaemia treatment and survival in Northern Ireland by the Cancer Registry (NICR) at Queen's University Belfast has shown that survival rates for the disease here are at the highest levels since data collection began in 1993.

2 Mar 2012

HIV treatment to be extended to asylum seekers in UK

Now foreign nationals are to be offered free treatment for HIV under the NHS under plans backed by the government. Campaigners say the move in England will reduce the risk of Britons being infected and cut the costs of more expensive later treatment. Currently only British residents are eligible, which excludes migrants.

29 Feb 2012

Cancer survival rates on the rise in Northern Ireland

Despite the rising incidence of cancer in Northern Ireland, the number of people surviving the disease in the country is increasing significantly year on year.

29 Feb 2012

Doctors balloted on industrial action against pension rule modifications

Over 100,000 doctors in the UK are to be balloted on industrial action as the stand-off between the Government and the medical profession complicates further.

27 Feb 2012

Planned NHS reforms face opposition

According to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg the NHS reforms that have been chalked out must go ahead, despite fresh criticism from MPs. The Commons health select committee is expected to say that plans to scrap primary care trusts and other changes are hampering efforts to save billions.

23 Jan 2012

Doctors’ threaten strike for first time in 4 decades over pension cuts

Doctors’ dispute with the Government over planned changes to their pensions yesterday got worse after a British Medical Association survey showed almost two out of three would back some form of industrial action.

19 Jan 2012