RECENT NEWS

The National Association of Assistants in Surgical Practice (NAASP) and the Association of Perioperative Practice (AfPP) have announced that the NAASP will, from 30 June, cease to exist, instead becoming part of a special interest arm of AfPP, with a view to providing a stronger voice within this sector of healthcare.

Ovarian cancer patients who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations are significantly more likely to survive the disease than women without these faulty genes, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

A study at St George’s, University of London, has found that the benefits of aspirin are more modest than previously believed. People without a history of cardiovascular disease (such as heart attack or stroke) are unlikely to benefit from a regular dose of aspirin, given the risk of internal bleeding.

Three major projects are to receive over £1 m of Government funding to enable them to develop new and improved health-economics tools or products that will assist and improve the design and evaluation of diagnostic clinical trials for infectious agents.

A paper published in the February edition of the Bulletin of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) points out that surgery could be missing out on some of the best graduates. It highlights the fact that, although women who apply for surgical training are proportionately more likely to be appointed than men, surgery remains a predominately male profession.

Pall Medical is to hold a series of free-to-attend educational seminars, dubbed ‘training masterclasses’, across the UK focusing on current guidelines for prevention of waterborne diseases in healthcare premises, and their implications for healthcare estates teams, clinical personnel involved with augmented care such as treating burns victims and ICU patients, microbiologists, and infection control staff.

Building on the success of the inaugural Florence Nightingale Foundation Conference, the second annual conference will be taking place on 8th & 9th March 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London.This Conference is aimed at senior professionals across all aspects of healthcare delivery and is relevant to everyone in healthcare.

Fewer people per 100,000 population aged below 75 are now dying from respiratory disease compared to nearly a decade ago.

Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley has announced that Professor Viv Bennett has been appointed as the first director of nursing in the Department of Health and the Government’s principal advisor on public health nursing.

Building on the progress made on healthcare associated infections in 2011, the Government has announced its latest ambition for the NHS.

The latest in a series of good practice guides to support commissioners in designing high quality, evidence-based services to improve outcomes for patients and to help the NHS make better use of resources has been published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

A drive to free up nurses’ time to spend on patient care has been announced by Prime Minister, David Cameron.

People with low levels of iron in the blood have a higher risk of dangerous blood clots, according to research published in the journal Thorax.

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has received a boost to its training budget with an award of £40,000 from the Charles Wolfson Trust, which gives grants to registered charities in the fields of medicine, education and welfare.

Ward sisters/charge nurses need to be a given a more prominent leadership role in hospitals if standards of acute nursing care are to be improved, according to a new paper from the University of Birmingham’s leading health policy unit, the Health Services Management Centre.

A report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) has identified missed opportunities to tackle alcohol abuse through existing sexual health services.

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has launched a pocketbook guide entitled AfPP in your Pocket, which provides a concentrated snap shot of perioperative practice.

More than 100,000 cancers – equivalent to one third of all those diagnosed in the UK each year – are being caused by smoking, unhealthy diets, alcohol and excess weight, according to figures from Cancer Research UK.

The findings of a recent Royal College of Nursing (RCN) study show that verbal abuse, intimidation and attacks are still very real threats faced by community based nurses on a regular basis.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has warned that a ‘perfect storm’ could be created by the bumper sporting calendar and extra bank holidays, severely affecting blood donation levels in 2012.