RECENT NEWS

The King's Fund responds to latest life expectancy data

The latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows that vast swathes of Britain is still below pre-pandemic levels for life expectancy.

GMC publishes physician associate and anaesthesia associate consultation report

The General Medical Council (GMC) has published the results of its consultation on the rules, standards and guidance by which it will regulate physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs). It will begin regulating PAs and AAs from 13 December. The consultation, which ran between March and May this year, attracted more than 3,000 responses, from individuals as well as organisations.

Free webinar: Leading infection prevention expert, Jon Otter, to present white paper on glove quality

The Clinical Services Journal and Arka Medical will be hosting a FREE webinar on 'Role of Glove Quality in Maximising Staff Safety'. Taking place on Monday December 16th at 15:00 GMT, the webinar will feature leading expert Dr. Jon Otter - an active researcher in the field of infection prevention and antimicrobial resistance, and the Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

Women at risk of gestational diabetes gain access to at-home testing

Women at risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy will now have access to at-home testing as part of an initiative from Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust (DGT) to make GDM testing more accessible and improve health equity across their patient population.

Report highlights impact of emergency departments missing or delaying ‘time critical’ medication for patients

HSSIB have published a report examining the case of a patient who did not receive time critical Parkinson’s medication while attending an emergency department. The report charts the first in a series of investigations exploring patient safety events in NHS organisations to understand why patients may not receive medications as planned.

Boost for UK HealthTech as ABHI's accelerator model expands to the Middle East

The Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) has announced the launch of the ABHI Middle East Accelerator, a transformative programme designed to support UK HealthTech companies in scaling their operations across the dynamic Middle Eastern healthcare landscape.

70% of young people with long Covid recover within two years

Most young people who were confirmed to have long Covid three months after a positive PCR test had recovered within 24 months, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

Preventing brain injury complications with specialised optical fibres

Fibre optics are a means of transmitting information at incredibly high speeds; however, the technology can be used for more than just providing a fast internet connection. Researchers reporting in ACS Sensors have developed an optical fibre sensing system that could help medical professionals monitor patients for complications after a traumatic brain injury.

Junk food ad ban legislation progresses to curb childhood obesity

Children will no longer be exposed to TV adverts for junk food products as new law confirms the final details of advertising restrictions. Ads on television will only be allowed past the 9pm watershed from October 2025 as part of plans to curb childhood obesity.

Secretary of State commits to first ever Men’s Health Strategy

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, has announced plans for a Men’s Health Strategy at a Men’s Health Summit held in partnership with Movember, hosted by Arsenal and the Premier League.

Calls to support education and competency in decontamination

The Institute of Decontamination Sciences' annual conference recently took place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, bringing together decontamination scientists and experts from across the UK. IDSc Chair, Trevor Garcia, emphasised the vital need for education for the decontamination sector and the importance of attending events such as the annual conference, in order to update knowledge and share experiences.

UK risks ‘sleepwalking’ into a waste of doctors’ skills, warns GMC

The UK risks wasting the talents of tens of thousands of overlooked and undervalued doctors, to the detriment of patient care, General Medical Council (GMC) Chief Executive Charlie Massey has warned in a new report.

Using artificial intelligence to treat infections more accurately

New research from the Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network (CAMO-Net) at the University of Liverpool has shown that using artificial intelligence (AI) can improve how we treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), and help to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Nerve stimulation could ease inflammatory bowel disease

Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine have found that tapping into the nervous system could help reduce the gut inflammation that drives inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The human heart may have a hidden ability to repair itself

After severe heart failure, the ability of the heart to heal by forming new cells is very low. However, after receiving treatment with a supportive heart pump, the capacity of a damaged heart to repair itself with new muscle cells becomes significantly higher, even higher than in a healthy heart.

High nurse and doctor turnover rates linked to increased patient deaths in NHS hospitals

More than 4,000 people could be dying per year because of high turnover rates of nurses and doctors in NHS hospitals, according to new research from the University of Surrey.

History of endometriosis and fibroids linked to heightened risk of early death

Women with a history of endometriosis and uterine fibroids might have an increased long term risk of premature death, finds a large study from the United States published by The BMJ.

Genomic surveillance studies reveal circulation of multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales in Europe

Two studies have indicated warning signs about the spread of bacteria resistant to carbapenems in both healthcare and community settings across Europe.

Government acts to eradicate modern slavery from NHS

Proposed new measures would legally require public bodies procuring goods and services for the NHS to both identify and mitigate risks of modern slavery.

Millions of patients benefitting from improved care as new NHS IT software rolled out

Innovative IT software designed to tackle waiting lists and reduce discharge delays has been rolled out across more than two thirds of the NHS.

Latest Issues

The AfPP Roadshow - Leeds

TBA, Leeds
7th December 2024

AfPP Manchester Regional Conference

Manchester Metropolitan University Business School
1st March 2025

The Fifth Annual Operating Theatres Show 2025

Kia Oval, London
11th March 2025, 9:00am - 4:00pm

AfPP Newcastle Regional Conference

Herschel Building, Newcastle University
26th April 2025

Infection Prevention and Control 2025 Conference and Exhibition

The National Conference Centre, Birmingham
29th – 30th April 2025

Decontamination and Sterilisation 2025 Conference and Exhibition

The National Conference Centre, Birmingham
29th April 2025