RECENT NEWS

Earlier diagnosis of a rare condition and better coordinated care will help improve the quality of life for people with rare diseases and their families, according to the first ever UK plan on rare diseases, published for consultation by the Department of Health.

Two new training modules focusing on the challenges of sterility maintenance and wet packs within a hospital’s central sterilisation department are now available from Kimberly- Clark Health Care’s Knowledge Network Clinical Education Programme.

A new survey from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) found that over a quarter (28%) of consultant physicians surveyed rate their hospital’s ability to deliver continuity of care as poor or very poor.

Over £100 m will be invested in NHS clinical research facilities to develop new treatments to benefit thousands of patients.

Patients are now almost twice as likely to be screened in hospital for venous thromboembolism (VTE) than in 2010, helping save thousands of lives, Health Minister Simon Burns has revealed.

People with long-term conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, are two to three times more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population.

The latest NICE guidance on four new generation cardiac computed tomography (CT) scanners supports their use in the NHS in England for people with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD) in whom imaging is difficult with earlier generation CT scanners.

New guidance from the General Medical Council will prevent doctors entering into contracts or agreements that seek to stop them raising concerns about poor quality care.

Living in sunnier climates may curb the likelihood of developing inflammatory bowel disease, particularly after the age of 30, suggests a large, long-term US study, published online in the journal Gut.

In its final draft guidance, NICE plans to recommend fingolimod, the first pill-based medicine to help reduce the number of relapses for some adults who have a particular type of multiple sclerosis.

Two research centres will receive a share of over £13 million funding to help make the NHS a safer place for patients. The money, which comes from the National Institute for Health Research, will be used to advance and refine new ways of improving safety in hospitals, GP surgeries and in the community.

An independent, educational event, ‘EBME Seminar 2012: Innovations in Medical Devices’ is expected to be attended by over 200 medical equipment healthcare professionals, involved in areas such as procurement, maintenance, user training, and managing inventories.

More research training will be offered to nurses, midwives and allied health professionals as a result of a new strategy launched by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.

Seventy four charities including the Motor Neurone Disease Association, Epilepsy Society and the Spinal Injuries Association will get a share of more than £6.8 million to test and develop innovative approaches to improve health and wellbeing, Care Services Minister Paul Burstow has announced.

NICE has published a new quality standard and guidance on patient experience in adult NHS services. The new standard includes ensuring that patients are given the opportunity to discuss their health beliefs, concerns and preferences in order to personalise their care. It also states that patients have their physical needs (such as nutrition, hydration, personal hygiene and pain relief) and psychological concerns (such as fear and anxiety) assessed.

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has announced details of an inspirational career day for healthcare professionals at all levels aiming to make their mark in a competitive job market. The AfPP Perioperative Career Day takes place on 10 May 2012 at Old Trafford, Manchester, as part of the charity’s annual Perioperative Week, and offers an opportunity to pick up tips and advice from continuing professional development (CPD) experts.

The Department of Health has announced three appointments to its senior team.

A three-year follow-up study has shown that an alternate treatment for obstructed arteries in the leg may be warranted. The results are from a clinical trial comparing primary nitinol stent implantation with balloon angioplasty. This examination of the study provides a long-term assessment of the two procedures, which is favorable for the primary stent.

Earlier diagnosis of a rare condition and better coordinated care will help improve the quality of life for people with rare diseases and their families, according to the first ever UK plan on rare diseases, published for consultation by the Department of Health. The consultation document recommends using specialist centres to make exact diagnosis – this will make sure people are treated earlier and in some cases this could save lives.

A family of proteins named after Popeye play an essential role in allowing the heart to respond to stress, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The finding could help scientists develop new treatments for abnormal heart rhythms.