RECENT NEWS

An independent report to clarify the rules on organ transplants for NHS patients and non-UK EU residents was published by Elisabeth Buggins, former chair of the Organ Donation Taskforce.

Head and neck cancer patients are receiving better care than in previous years, but there is still room for improvement, the summary report from the National Head and Neck Cancer Audit (DAHNO) has shown.

Roche has announce that it is providing a Point of Care (POC) Managed Laboratory Service (MLS) to the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Trust and the Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has moved to a neutral position on assisted suicide, following an extensive and detailed consultation process. RCN members voiced a range of opinions on the issue.

A joint Department of Health and Home Office review group has published its findings on a review into access to the NHS by foreign nationals.

A blood test (BNP) should be recommended over an electrocardiogram (ECG) for the diagnosis of heart failure according to research published by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme.

The STA has confirmed that NHS Managers responsible for workplace training are getting ready to implement the new one-day Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) qualification which comes into effect from 1 October 2009.

Nuffield Health, a registered charity and not-for-profit independent healthcare provider, has secured a £250 million refinance package from a consortium of banks to support the ongoing implementation of its healthcare strategy.

Cancer research UK scientists have identified a new approach to cancer treatment, which radically increases the effectiveness of radiotherapy by increasing oxygen delivery to tumours.

Spending commitments made by the Labour and Conservative parties not to cut NHS spending in real terms from 2011 onwards would inevitably result in hard decisions such as cuts to other departments’ budgets or further tax-raising measures over the period to 2017, according to a major new analysis published by The King’s Fund and Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

According to new data, Patients who fail to keep hospital appointments cost the NHS more than £600 million a year – enough to run two medium-size hospitals, the BBC reported.

Rates of oral cancers, such as cancers of the mouth, tongue and lip, have increased by around a quarter in the past decade among people in their 40s, according to figures from Cancer Research UK.

A new study, reported in The Telegraph, has found that non-alcoholic drinks with a high sugar content can cause fatty liver disease.

ParAid Medical has come to the aid of one of the country’s air ambulance services with its neo-natal aeromedical transport systems. The air ambulance service based on the Isle of Man, operated from Nobles Hospital in Douglas, is equipped with a Piper Chieftain aircraft.

Together, the IET and the IoN are pleased to present a one day seminar focusing on micro and nano scaled bio-medical devices. These exciting technologies offer huge potential and ultimately promise to shape and revolutionise the future of healthcare worldwide. The event entitled: Bionic Health: "Next Generation Implants, Prosthetics and Devices" will take place in London in October, and will be reviewed in depth by The Clinical Services Journal.

BD Medical Diabetes Care has announced the full UK availability of its new patient support literature in versions designed specifically for different age groups. The guides clearly and simply describe best practice for blood sampling and self-injection of insulin using language and imagery appropriate for each age group: children; teenagers; adults and older patients.

A Health Committee report has stated that the NHS has failed to collect evidence about whether patients are any safer after a decade of initiatives to stop harm.

The environment of inpatient units has improved and high standards of food and privacy and dignity have been maintained across the NHS over the past year, according to research by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA).

The chairman of the BMA’s Consultants Committee has warned that the health service is entering a “dark and dangerous period” due to the economic crisis.

The number of people who die or are severely disabled by stroke each year could be substantially reduced through a cheap blood test and simple inexpensive treatment.