RECENT NEWS
New study confirms success of MenB vaccine in the UK
A new study by Public Health England (PHE) shows that infant vaccination against group B meningococcal disease (MenB) has resulted in a significant decline in cases of the disease in young children since the programme was introduced. The research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.- News
Call for new guideline adoption to get medicines to patients faster
Complex Innovative Design (CID) trials could be transformed for the better, following the publication of recommendations, published in the British Journal of Cancer. The authors believe, if implemented, the ten recommendations they’ve developed for CID trials could ultimately reduce the time it takes to get innovative treatments to patients with cancer.- News
Hull hospitals invest in new environmental monitoring systems for operating theatres
Hospital theatres in the Hull area are tackling the risk of surgical site infection with the use of specialist air sampling technology from Cherwell Laboratories.- News
Patient wins settlement for injury caused by 'never event'
A dad left permanently disabled after a hospital wrongly flushed food into his lung has called for lessons to be learned from his case. Michael Moy had liquid administered into his right lung instead of his stomach on at least two occasions after staff did not check the position of his feeding tube before commencing his feed.- News
Roll-out of new cervical screening test will save more lives
Hundreds of lives could be saved each year in England, following the introduction of a more sensitive cervical screening test.- News
Nutrition: a forgotten aspect of surgical care?
Kate Woodhead RGN DMS has warned that insufficient attention is paid to the consequences of dietary intake, for patients undergoing surgery. In the January edition of The Clinical Services Journal, she highlights the need to assess and manage patients' nutrition to improve surgical outcomes.- News
Brexit could drive strategic partnerships with Middle Eastern healthcare
As Britain leaves the European Union on 31 January, building links with global markets, the Middle East in particular, will be a key focus for UK healthcare companies.- News
Diabetes drug may help prevent recurrent miscarriage
An NIHR-supported study has found that an existing diabetes drug can be used to optimise the lining of the womb and reduce the risk of miscarriage in women who have already experienced pregnancy loss.- News
Report highlights common ‘never event’ that leaves women at risk of harm after childbirth
All too often, retained swabs are leaving women at risk of infection after childbirth and more action is required to tackle the occurrence of this 'never event'. The safety risk has been highlighted by a new report by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB).- News
Targeted screening could prevent one in six prostate cancer deaths
Nearly one in six deaths from prostate cancer could be prevented if targeted screening was introduced for men at a higher genetic risk of the disease, according to a new UCL-led computer modelling study.- News
Bandage material helps stop bleeding without adhering to the wound
Scientists from ETH Zurich and the National University of Singapore have applied for a patent for a new blood-repellant material that also promotes blood-clotting and has an antimicrobial effect. The breakthrough could improve wound care and reduce the risk of infection, the researchers claim.- News
Smartphone technology could speed up UTI diagnosis
Biological Engineers at the University of Bath have developed a test that could help medics quickly diagnose urinary tract infections (UTIs), using a normal smartphone camera.- News
Government to provide £40m fund to tackle staff concerns over IT inefficiencies
The government has announced it will provide £40 million to transform slow login times, one of the main technology frustrations facing NHS staff.- News
Empowering BAME communities to engage with 'living donation'
A 'Living Transplant Initiative' aimed at Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities has had another successful year of engagement. NHS Blood and Transplant's latest annual report shows that more people, in more towns and cities, were engaged with the Initiative’s work than ever before.- News
Half of heart patients miss out on life-saving recovery care
Half of heart patients in the UK are missing out on vital recovery care that could prevent them dying prematurely, according to a new report from the British Heart Foundation.- News
DNA testing announced to fast track diagnosis for critically ill infants
The NHS in England is providing a new form of DNA test capable of rapidly diagnosing rare diseases for critically ill babies and children, as part of its Long Term Plan to use world leading technologies to improve care for the sickest infants.- News
Survey reveals appetite for telehealth, but poor adoption
More than 90% of doctors said they hadn’t recently conducted any outpatient consultations by video but 70% thought that at least some could be carried out in this way, according to a survey conducted by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).- News
Bespoke mobile healthcare suite will offer ophthalmic hub for NHS Trust
A leading medical technology company is working with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to provide a bespoke ophthalmic “hub” in an innovative project. Over the next two years, Vanguard Healthcare Solutions will provide two laminar flow theatres which will create the basis for an eye-surgery hub at Royal Preston Hospital.- News
Nurse numbers show increase, but shortages remain in specialist areas
The latest mid-year figures published by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) reveal the number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates on its register is at an all-time high of 706,252. However, the Royal College of Nursing warns that the increase could be "short term" unless there is increased investment and greater efforts to attract more students into the profession.- News
Proton therapy as effective as standard radiation with fewer side effects
Cancer patients who receive high-tech proton therapy experience similar cure rates and fewer serious side effects compared with those who undergo traditional X-ray radiation therapy, according to a study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.- News
