RECENT NEWS

Children with autism have a different chemical fingerprint in their urine than non-autistic children, according to new research published in the Journal of Proteome Research.

The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has issued guidance for all NHS organisations across England and Wales aimed at reducing the number of wrong dose incidents involving insulin.

Perioperative practitioners still have time to stake their claim for over £6,000 in awards and bursaries from the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP), before the deadline of 31 July.

In 2009, Dr Foster Intelligence highlighted wide variations across UK Trusts in the average length of stay for patients receiving hip replacements for neck of femur fractures. While the average length of stay in English acute Trusts was found to be 19 days, locally this ranged from seven days in the best performing Trust up to 43 days for the worst. With this in mind, Healthcare Events will be hosting a one-day conference aimed at improving the quality and productivity of care delivery for hip replacement patients, which will take place on Thursday 30 September, at 76 Portland Place, London.

The NHS Technology Adoption Centre (NTAC) has published its latest “How to Why to Guide”, designed to support the implementation of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) – also known as insulin pump therapy.

In his first speech since taking up the post, the Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, said that hospitals should be responsible for reducing the number of emergency readmissions following treatment, and support treatment at home, as part of a single payment.

Patients and the public will now be provided more up-to-date information about their local hospital, following the decision by the Department of Health to publish weekly hospital data on MRSA bloodstream infections and C. Difficile.

People admitted to English hospitals in an emergency at the weekend have, on average, a seven percent higher mortality rate than people admitted between Monday and Friday, according to research published in the journal Quality & Safety in Health Care.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said the public should be able to view a list of NHS workers’ concerns about patient safety. The call comes as the College reveals that whistleblower nurses have been raising serious concerns about patient safety each week for the past year.

Doctors are finding their ability to assess patients is being compromised because they are unable to spend enough time with them. This is according to new research released by Aviva UK Health.

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP), which operates across 15 UK regions, has appointed healthcare specialist Dawn Stott as its new managing director. Originally founded in 1964 as the National Association of Theatre Nurses, AfPP is regularly called on by the Government to shape best practice in surgical healthcare and to help pioneer improvements in patient safety. Dawn Stott has amassed 15 years’ experience in primary and secondary healthcare.

Following the success of the first Healthcare Innovation Expo, held in June last year, the UK Department of Health has announced that a second Expo will take place this October.

Working overtime increases the risk of heart diseases, according to results from a study following more than 10,000 civil servants in London.

Frost & Sullivan, a leading global research organisation, has presented its Growth Leadership Award, in the European surgical drapes and gowns market, to Full Support Healthcare.

Professor Dame Sally Davies will take up the role of Chief Medical Officer following the departure of Sir Liam Donaldson until a substantive appointment is made. .

Injections of human adult stem cells around damaged tissue following a heart attack could help to improve the organ’s pumping efficiency for a year, new research suggests.

A free educational symposium, which aims to improve levels of clinical knowledge among biomedical engineers, will be held at the Heritage Motor Centre, Warwickshire, 1 July 2010.

An Australian study has shed further light on the correlation between vitamin D and MS. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, shows that people born after the vitamin D-scarce winter months are roughly 30% more likely to go on to develop MS later in life compared with those born after the summer months.

The NHS has addressed many of the challenges it faced in 1997, but needs to change rapidly if it is to meet the challenges it faces in the future, according to a major review of the NHS by The King’s Fund.

A study published in the Cochrane Library suggests that the treatment of serious gum (periodontal) disease in diabetics with Type 2 diabetes may lower their blood sugar levels.