Public Health

UK Public Health News

Local variation in early death rates shocking says Hunt
The "shocking" local variation in early death rates has been exposed today by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to drive public...
Children's health up in smoke
Over 800 children visit their doctor every day due to the serious effects of secondhand smoke exposure, according to research published by the Royal...

Nicotine products can help people to cut down before quitting smoking
Licensed nicotine products, such as patches and gum, should be offered to people who smoke and are...
UK calls for international action on antimicrobial resistance
Health leaders from around the world will be warned by the UK about the catastrophic threat of antimicrobial...

Obesity more likely in children from deprived areas
A PHE trend analysis report has shown that children from deprived areas are almost twice as likely to be obese than those in...
Travellers urged to protect themselves from insect bites as dengue fever cases triple
Figures from the Public Health England (PHE) have shown an almost three-fold increase in the...

Millions more protected against disease through improved vaccination programme
Millions more people will be protected against disease by improvements to the UK's world class...
Tobacco bans come into force in Scotland
The ban on open display of tobacco products in large shops and sales from self-service tobacco vending machines will come into effect...

National MMR vaccination catch-up programme announced in response to increase in measles cases
A national catch-up programme to increase MMR vaccination uptake in children and teenagers is...
Interview with Magnus Scheving, star of LazyTown and children's health ambassador
Anyone who has watched their kids at a playground or park will know that most are naturally...

BMA Scotland backs calls for industry to put public interest before profits
The BMA in Scotland has today backed calls on the food, drink and tobacco industries to abandon...
North East measles outbreak update
Experts at the North East Public Health England (PHE) Centre are continuing to work closely with NHS and local authority colleagues in response...

PIP rolls out in North England
People with Parkinson's in the North of England can claim the new
Role of local authorities in health issues
The Communities and Local Government Committee welcomes the return to local government of the responsibility to improve the health and...

Salt strategy aims to help reduce our salt consumption by a quarter
The Public Health Responsibility Deal's salt strategy sets out future plans to help cut down on the amount of...
Inactive lifestyles kill an estimated 36,815 people in England each year
Lack of physical activity could cause as many as 36,815 premature deaths in England each year, according...

Local stop smoking initiatives
Smoking is the UK's biggest single preventable cause of disease and premature death, costing the NHS over £50 million every...
Government drive to help cut salt consumption by a quarter
A major drive to help reduce the amount of salt we eat by a quarter, including by setting targets with food companies,...

Hidden salt 'present in popular restaurant meals'
Research carried out by Consensus Action on Salt and Health [CASH] for National Salt Awareness Week 2013 revealed shockingly...
EU law threatens to ban e-cigarettes
New regulations being proposed by the EU could result in the ban of electronic cigarettes being sold...

Limiting processed meat consumption 'could prevent three per cent of premature deaths'
If everyone ate less than 20g of processed meat a day, there would be a three per cent drop...
Legislating on plain packaging of tobacco is a slippery slope
Commenting on reports that the government has decided to legislate for the plain packaging of tobacco products,...

Lords gather evidence on the proposed revision to the Tobacco Products Directive
The House of Lords Home Affairs, Health and Education EU Sub-Committee will be conducting...
Number of people diagnosed with diabetes reaches 3 million
The number of people in the UK who have been diagnosed with diabetes has reached three million for the first time,...

First ever Great British Bedtime Report reveals the sleeping patterns of a nation
The report reveals well over a third of Britons are getting just five to six hours sleep a night...
Minister calls for car smoking ban
Health Minister Anna Soubry has called for legislation to ban smoking inside cars where children are...

Sunbed users are twice as likely to use anti-ageing products as non sunbed users
Over two fifths (43 per cent) of people in the UK who have used sunbeds – which are proven to...
Cold weather alert: level 2 issued
The Met Office has forecast that in at least the next 2 to 3 days there is a 60% chance of severe cold weather in the North West, South West,...

Young employees' eating habits investigated by research
A quarter of people who took part in this study said they regularly ate breakfast cereal instead of a full...
FSA publishes industry test results on beef products
The Food Standards Agency is today publishing the first set of industry results from beef products that have been tested for...

"Keep Trade Local" as horsemeat scandal continues to shock consumers
The horsemeat scandal has prompted the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to encourage people to Keep Trade...
Alcohol campaign urges us to check our drinking
Change4Life's latest alcohol campaign aims to raise awareness of the health risks associated with drinking too much and urges...

Give the gift of life this Valentine's Day
This Valentine's Day, doctors are urging Scots to sign up to the Organ Donor Register and to discuss their wishes with those closest to...
Owen Paterson statement following meeting on horse meat
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson today met Europol and Eurojust in the Hague to discuss meat fraud. After the meeting,...

MPs call for more testing of food safety and composition across the food industry
Current arrangements for testing and control across the European food industry have failed UK...
Alzheimer's Society launches Dementia Friends information sessions
From today, people across England will be able to sign up for sessions to become a Dementia Friend. Just over...

Joining forces to get more people active
ukactive and the Sport and Recreation Alliance have joined forces to help national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport understand the public...
61 organisations call for a sugary drinks duty
Already, more than 60 organisations are backing the recommendations in a major new report launched today which calls for Budget...

Significant progress in voluntary industry action on public health
The progress the food industry has made in empowering consumers to make healthier choices has been revealed...
Improve community health through walking, cycling and behaviour change
Improving the health of local populations through encouraging more walking and cycling and by challenging...

Sugar and calories reduced in soft drinks
Leading soft drinks brands Lucozade, Ribena and J20 are among the latest brands to sign up to the Responsibility Deal's calorie...
Shocking health and wealth inequalities in Scotland
A new report, published today by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) shows that, in Scotland, the number of under-25s out of...

MPs criticise lack of clarity on new drug pricing system
The Department of Health urgently needs to clarify details of its proposed new drug-pricing system, an influential...
My Weight, My Future Campaign Challenges the Nation to 'Know My BMI'
As awareness increases around the UK's obesity epidemic, Obesity Management Association (OMA) and

£5.45 billion investment in local public health services
Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has today set out a major commitment to promoting health and prevention of illness, with...
Final report by Trust Special Administrator at South London Healthcare NHS Trust published
In accordance with his statutory duty, the Secretary of State for Health has today...

Drop a Glass Size in 2013
A campaign encouraging women to 'Drop a Glass Size' in 2013 has been launched today by Health Secretary Alex...
Hidden food nasties revealed in new Change4Life campaign
A ground-breaking new campaign exposing the 'hidden nasties' in everyday foods and helping people to be 'food smart' is...

NHS Confederation reminds 'Fall over Friday' revellers to think about their drink
Jo Webber urges a responsible approach to drinking over the festive period in order to ease...
Health visiting on the road
The Royal College of Nursing is running a series of health visitor recruitment roadshows in collaboration with the Department of...

New health inequalities report sets out the scale of the challenge in Scotland
Commenting on the Audit Scotland Report Health inequalities in Scotland published today, Dr Brian...
Minimum unit pricing in Brussels
Health Secretary Alex Neil will visit Brussels on Thursday December 6, to put forward Scotland's view on minimum unit...

NHS financial squeeze set to last a decade
The NHS could experience a £44-£54 billion funding gap in 2021/22 if it fails to deliver unprecedented productivity gains over the...
Government urged to pack it in to protect children from tobacco marketing
Nearly two thirds (63%) of people in the UK back a move to get rid of colourful and slickly designed...

Chair of Public Health England’s Advisory Board announced
Professor David Heymann has today been confirmed as Chair of Public Health England's Advisory...
Tackling the health gap between rich and poor
Ways to narrow the health gap between the richest and poorest people in Scotland will be suggested by a new group of...

Walking and cycling should become the norm for short journeys
Walking and cycling should become the norm for short journeys and should be encouraged throughout local communities...
NHS performance holding up, but treacherous waters are ahead
The NHS is entering a period of significant risk which could jeopardise progress made over the past decade, according...

Hepatitis C risks and awareness
The Hepatitis C Trust is the UK charity for hepatitis C. It is committed to reversing the steeply rising death toll from hepatitis C and provides...
Tough new measures to tackle drink drivers
A consultation on tough measures to crack down on drink drivers has been unveiled. A package of tough measures to crack down on drink...

Chief Medical Officer publishes her first annual report
This first of 2 volumes of the Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies's annual report provides a comprehensive...
Time for sticks, not just carrots on obesity strategy
Responding to the Department of Health's Responsibility Deal fruit and vegetable pledge announcement, Malcolm Clark,...

Businesses pledge for more fruit and veg
More fruit and veg will be added to ready-meals, and supermarket fruit and veg sections will be expanded as part of a new drive to...
Tax fatty foods to aid the obesity challenge
New duties on foods known to be unhealthy should be part of a package of public health policies to tackle overweight and obesity and...

More than half of parents say lower speed limits would help kids exercise
More than half of parents believe lower speed limits would allow their kids to walk, cycle and play outside more often,...
£25 million to improve maternity wards
More help for mums and families has been announced by Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter. This announcement comes ahead of the NHS mandate –...

Charity asks for focus on prevention of accidents
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is today calling for urgent action after unveiling evidence that shows...
Clearer food and drink labelling for consumers
Shoppers will be able to make more informed decisions at the tills due to food labelling rule...

Smokers leave a history of their addiction in DNA
Smokers are leaving a history of addiction in their DNA that may help to measure their risk of cancer, according to research...
Case of anthrax confirmed in Oxford
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is aware that a person who injected heroin has been diagnosed with anthrax infection in Oxford. The patient is...

Food labelling: a common sense approach?
At long last the Department of Health says it will promote a common sense and consistent front-of-pack food labelling scheme...
Type 2 diabetes HbA1c monitoring ‘may be over-frequent’
Current six-monthly monitoring of HbA1c among some patients with type 2 diabetes may be too frequent and cause...

Pharmacy Voice applauds alcohol intervention
Pharmacy Voice has welcomed a report by the University of Central Lancashire and Liverpool John Moores University which highlights...
Stuttering test could be used to screen all schoolchildren
A new model developed by Wellcome Trust researchers to predict the persistence of stuttering could be used to screen...

Getting your kids swimming with Olympic heroes
Swimming is a skill that all kids should learn and a skill that remains with them throughout their lives; and a great form of...
Hybrid system for food labelling given green light
Consumers will be able to make healthier choices about the food they eat with the introduction of a new, consistent system of...

Can modified Pilates help hidden problem?
Academics at Essex and health professionals at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust are joining forces to conduct a...
NHS urged to avoid false economy of hearing service cuts
We're urging NHS commissioners and budget managers across England to protect people with hearing loss from the false...

Conference calls for promotion of vitamin D
SNP Conference has today called for more to be done to promote the health benefits of vitamin D and for the possibility of providing...
Scientists back in-car smoking ban
Scientists have given their backing to a ban on smoking in private cars after their research revealed it can cause harm to passengers even when...

Warning on liquid nitrogen in cocktails
The Food Standards Agency is urging people to be aware of the dangers of liquid nitrogen, following information that it may be being used in alcoholic drinks...
Diabetes screening may not reduce deaths
Screening the UK population to pick up undiagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes may not be as effective at preventing deaths as previously...

Dementia Challenge: York aspiring to be one of the UK's dementia-friendly cities
A new report published today outlines how York and other cities can become truly...
The King's Fund responds to the Shadow Secretary of State for Health's speech at the Labour Party Conference
Responding to the Shadow Secretary of State for Health's speech at...

Diabetes UK predicts huge rise
The number of people with diabetes in Britain is expected to rise by 700,000 by the end of the decade, according to a new analysis by Diabetes...
HPA welcomes introduction of whooping cough vaccination
1,230 cases of whooping cough in England and Wales were reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in August 2012,...

Newborns to be protected against whooping cough
Pregnant women will be offered whooping cough vaccinations to protect their newborn babies following a rise in cases and deaths...
NHS performing well but worries over tougher times ahead
NHS performance is continuing to hold up well, but there is concern that quality of care may suffer as financial...

Reducing the Strength
A campaign to stop the sale of super strength alcohol from off-licences in Ipswich was launched...
Soaring mouth cancer rates highlight need for greater dentists' awareness
Rising rates of mouth cancermean that it's more important than ever that dentists and members of the...

Cancer death rates set to drop 17 per cent by 2030
The rates of people dying from cancer are predicted to fall by 17 per cent (16.8) in the UK by 2030 according to new statistics...
Could painkillers be causing your headaches?
People who regularly take medicines, such as aspirin, paracetamol and triptans could be causing themselves more pain than...

Acute hospital care could be on the brink of collapse
The demand on clinical services is increasing to the point where acute care cannot keep pace in its current form says...
Smokers across the country encouraged to join ‘Stoptober’
Stoptober, the first ever mass quit attempt for smokers has been launched today by Chief Medical Officer Professor...

Little evidence of health benefits from organic foods
You're in the supermarket eyeing a basket of sweet, juicy plums. You reach for the conventionally grown stone fruit, then...
Diabetes and stroke risk tests at pharmacies in Wales
Diabetes UK Cymru has joined forces with the Stoke Association, Public Health Wales, Community Pharmacy Wales and all seven...

Poorest left behind in fight against unhealthy lifestyles, new report finds
The proportion of people engaging in multiple unhealthy lifestyle behaviours has fallen significantly...
Tesco traffic light label move should prompt Government action
The UK's largest supermarket, Tesco, has today announced it will implement a new food labelling scheme that...

A male contraceptive pill in the making?
The development of a male contraceptive pill has long proven to be elusive, but findings from a new study may point scientists in the...
Healthy image of cereal bar is myth says consumer group
Cereal bars are often promoted as a healthy snack or breakfast, and many people choose them over a chocolate bar as they...

OFT welcomes action by NHS trusts to ensure compliance with competition law
Eight NHS Hospital Trusts have given voluntary assurances to the OFT that they will no longer exchange...
National Quality Board set out how to improve quality in the new health system
The National Quality Board (NQB) has today published a report setting out how the new health system...

New consultations aim to protect the interests of patients
The Department of Health has published two consultations, which will help ensure that patients' interests will be...
Major review into cosmetic procedures launched
The cosmetic surgery industry is under scrutiny and could find itself operating under tighter restrictions following a major review...

Plain packaging would be a draconian attack on freedom
Commenting on the closure of the consultation on plain packaging for tobacco, Dr Richard Wellings, Deputy Editorial...
Smoking sharply increases risk of certain cancers of the immune system and bone marrow
Women who smoke increase their risk of developing certain cancers of the blood, immune...

Plain cigarette packs review ends
A UK-wide consultation on government plans to introduce mandatory plain packaging for tobacco will close...
More than 75,000 Cancer Research UK supporters want to ban tobacco branding
More than 75,000 people have so far signed up to support Cancer Research UK's 'The answer is...

England's £1.4 billion price tag for kidney disease
Kidney disease costs the NHS more than breast, lung, colon and skin cancer combined, yet too many cases remain undiagnosed...
Chemo 'undermines itself' through rogue response
Chemotherapy can undermine itself by causing a rogue response in healthy cells, which could explain why people become resistant, a study...

'Spray-on skin' helps heal leg ulcers
A "spray-on skin" which coats a wound with a layer of skin cells could help healing, according to US and Canadian...
David Cameron promises Olympic Games health 'legacy'
David Cameron is to announce the setting-up of a £10m science research centre on the site of the Olympic drug-testing...

Risk of infection from caesareans at nearly 10 per cent
Research from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) identified 394 surgical site infections among 4,107 women followed up...
New National Early Warning Score could save 6,000 lives
A new working party report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) says there should be a national system for...

Hepatitis C burden continues to grow
The number of people chronically infected with hepatitis C in the UK is estimated at 216,000, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA)...
RCN: patients need access to out-of-hours GP service
People need to know that they can access a full range of health services locally within their GP practice at a convenient...

Britons failing to reach five-a-day fruit and veg goal
Fewer than a third of adults and only one in 10 children are eating their recommended "five-a-day" of fruit and vegetables,...
£300m support for future mesothelioma victims
From today newly diagnosed victims of mesothelioma will receive help through a new support scheme, the Minister for Welfare Lord...

Middle-aged hit by surge of skin cancer
British men and women in their 50s have seen cases of malignant melanoma – the most dangerous form of skin cancer - soar from fewer...
Severely obese children's hearts already in danger
Severely obese children are putting their heart at danger even while they are still in primary school, according to a Dutch...

£8 million invested to tackle HIV and improve sexual health
Almost £8 million is being invested in driving down HIV infections and providing information to improve people's...
Lansley backs deals with food industry to tackle obesity
Last week, Mr Lansley defended the government's decision to focus its public health strategy to combat obesity and...

LGA statement on Government alcohol strategy
Responding to the Health Committee announcement on the Government's Alcohol Strategy Cllr David Rogers, Chairman of the LGA's...
Truth about sports drinks
Consumers could be wasting their money on sports drinks, protein shakes and high-end trainers, according to a new joint investigation by BBC Panorama...

Health impact of alcohol misuse "insidious and pervasive" say MPs
The Government's Alcohol Strategy is a welcome attempt to address the problems alcohol causes in a coherent...
Government must heed overwhelming evidence on active travel
Reacting to a series of reports in this week's Lancet highlighting the health issues caused by an inactive lifestyle,...

More needs to be done on exercise treatments
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has, today, published its report on sport and exercise science and medicine and...
Baby heart risk for hairdressers?
Pregnant women exposed to organic solvents at work have a slightly higher chance of having a baby with a heart defect, a study...

Inactivity 'killing as many as smoking'
A lack of exercise is now causing as many deaths as smoking across the world, a study...
Parliamentary mental health group voices concerns about new NHS
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health (APPG MH) has expressed its concerns about the future of mental...

Breast cancer surgery women 'risk more operations'
One in five women with breast cancer who has part of the breast removed, rather than the whole breast, ends up having another...
Lord Howe launches consultation on health scrutiny
New proposals to update local authority health and overview scrutiny were set out today by Health Minister Lord...

Smoking mothers' embryos 'grow more slowly'
Time-lapse photography has shown that embryos of smoking women develop more slowly.French academics in an IVF clinic took regular...
Spending on healthcare has doubled in last decade
The National Audit Office has today published a report highlighting key trends and variations in the delivery of healthcare across the four nations...

Tackling the diabetes crisis
Diabetes is the biggest health challenge in the UK today. There are 3.7 million people with the condition and the numbers are rising dramatically every...
New research condemns government anti-obesity policies
New research published by the Institute of Economic Affairs, highlights the flaws in current government anti-obesity...

Insurers continue to safeguard cover for those taking predictive genetic tests
Thousands of people who have genetic tests for conditions such as Alzheimers and cancer will continue to benefit when...
Launch of Scottish-Californian stem cell research
Scottish and Californian research scientists are to work together on new medical research that could lead to major breakthroughs for people living...

Asbestos boost work-related cancer deaths to over 8,000 a year
Around 8,000 cancer deaths in Britain each year are linked to occupations - especially those where asbestos, diesel engine fumes or...
Carers' health buckling under the strain
New joint research, published today by Carers UK and the seven other Carers Week charities, shows that over 8 in 10 carers have seen a negative impact on...

Screening helps early diagnosis of bowel cancer
Patients who attend bowel screening are more likely to be diagnosed with bowel cancer at an early stage - when there is a better chance of survival -...
New recommendations on public health funding published
Recommendations on how to distribute funding for local authorities to spend on public health were published today by an independent group of...

Huge regional variation in patients having diabetes care checks
Diabetes patients are up to four times more likely to have all their essential care checks depending on where they live in England...
Full annual checks for diabetes are a postcode lottery, finds audit
The likelihood of diabetes patients having all nine essential checks that are recommended every year varies widely across England...

HPA issues food safety reminder
During national Food Safety Week, The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is reminding everyone to practise good kitchen hygiene to reduce their risk of becoming...
Vaccine uptake at all time high on Merseyside
Parents are responding to the largest outbreak of measles on Merseyside since 1988 by having their children vaccinated. The latest figures for...

General Medical Council endorses Patients Association letter to Secretary of State on Revalidation
The General Medical Council (GMC) has welcomed support from the Patients Association for the...
WWF report finds retailers uniquely placed to promote sustainable diets
A new report published today by WWF-UK, Selling sustainable diets? In search of the retail business case for sustainable...

Unhealthy lifestyles have little impact on sperm quality
Lifestyle advice given by doctors to men diagnosed with infertility should be radically overhauled according to research published...
Diesel fumes can cause lung cancer say WHO
After a week-long meeting of international experts, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization...

Patients not satisfied with NHS
Public satisfaction in the NHS has fallen by the largest amount in nearly 30 years according to new research published by the King’s...
Legionnaires' outbreak update
The latest reports from the Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) on the Edinburgh Legionnaires’ disease outbreak show that there are now 39 confirmed cases...

GMC launches new tribunal service for UK doctors
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) is a new impartial adjudication function for doctors and a key part of the GMC’s fitness to...
All sport and no play?
Games4Life, a new campaign to inspire the nation to get active during this year’s summer of sport was launched today by Health Secretary Andrew...

NHS 111 sees 1,000,000th call
NHS 111 has received over 1 million calls, Health Minister Simon Burns announced today, as latest figures show that 92% of callers were very or fairly satisfied with...
London least happy in the UK
The first ever Office for National Statistics (ONS) population survey to include questions about national well-being has been published today, revealing sharp...

NICE opens consultation on draft guidance for depth of anaesthesia monitors
Draft guidance from NICE's Diagnostics Assessment Programme issued for consultation today recommends the use of the...
GP practice data and comparative tool available to patients and professionals
The publication of GP practice data aims to provide the public with information on services they access on a regular...

Patients Association responds to new GP scoring system announcement
The Department of Health has announced that patient decided scores out of 10 will be published on the NHS Choices website for...
Why do Scots die younger?
Life expectancy in Scotland is markedly lower compared to other European nations and the UK as a whole. But what are the reasons for this higher mortality? An explanatory...

Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood could triple the risk of leukaemia and brain cancer
Children and young adults scanned multiple times by computed tomography (CT) have a small increased...
Study concludes that exercise does not help depression
New research published today [6 June] in the BMJ, suggests that adding a physical activity intervention to usual care did not reduce symptoms...

Legionnaires' disease man dies in Edinburgh outbreak
A man in his 50s has died as the number of confirmed and suspected cases of Legionnaires' disease in an Edinburgh outbreak continues to...
Don't look straight at the sun say DH
People could permanently damage their eyesight and even risk blindness if they look directly at Venus passing across the face of the Sun after sunrise on 6...

Alcohol dependency drugs: 60 per cent rise in prescription items in eight years
The number of prescription items dispensed annually to treat alcohol dependency in England has risen by more than 60...
Creating a healthcare legacy
June the 6th will see Govtoday host their eigth Infection Control Conference. Within the last three years Govtoday has witnessed the rise and the fall of Hospital...

New data show sexually transmitted infection diagnoses on the rise in England
Figures released today by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show new sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnoses...
Commission calls for city planners to consider health issues
City governments need to do more to meet the health needs of city dwellers through better urban planning, concludes a commission on...

Superbug silenced by silver
New data presented at the European Wound Management Association (EWMA) conference shows that ACTICOAT™ dressings kill (in vitro) superbugs containing the antibiotic...
Protein could be specific marker for prostate cancer
A newly-discovered protein found only in prostate cancer cells could be used as a marker of the disease and offer a new treatment target,...

OFT calls for greater patient choice and competition in dentistry market
The OFT today called for major changes to the £5.73bn UK dentistry market after a market study found that it is not always...
Importance of sport and exercise medicine outlined in new guide
A new guide on sport and exercise medicine (SEM) outlines how it delivers improved quality of care and...

NHS needs to up game but homelessness problem can not be solved alone
Responding to a report from St Mungo's and Homeless Link, NHS Confederation deputy chief executive David Stout said linking up...
Anti-psychotic drug gives clues to target cancer 'stem cells'
A key type of cancer cell that drives tumours' growth can be neutralised without damaging healthy cells, according to researchers in...

Diabetes care in the NHS is poor say NAO
The National Audit Office has today issued a report examining whether the NHS in England is providing recommended standards of care to people with...
New strains of hospital infections emerging warn HPA
Controlling hospital infections such as salmonella and E.coli must be a priority, say experts.While there has been a drop in rates of the...

HPA welcomes pre-entry TB screening programme
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) welcomes the decision by the Home Office to replace existing airport based screening for TB infection with a...
NICE recommend raising IVF age limit
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently updating its 2004 NHS guidance on the assessment and treatment of couples with...

Giving patients more choice
More data about NHS and social care services is being published to support the public in making meaningful choices based on things like success rates for treatment and...
Encourage walking and cycling say NICE
Walking and cycling should be encouraged throughout the community and should become the norm for short journeys, says NICE, in draft...

Prime Minister announces support for families
Exciting new services to give mums and dads the support they need to do the best for their children were launched today by the Prime...
Ministers call for action on medicines shortages
The UK has been experiencing shortages of NHS prescription medicines for four years. These shortages are caused principally by the export of...

Health Act makes NICE stronger than ever before
NICE will be stronger than ever before under the new Health Act producing quality standards that will be the backbone of commissioning and playing a...
Stacking the shelves in whose favour?
Mother of four Amanda Flint was fed up with supermarkets placing junk food by checkouts within her children’s sight and easy grasp, and wrote to us to ask...

NHS pledges more support for women with postnatal depression
Women who have postnatal depression or who have suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a baby will get more support from the...
Public health map for Europe taking shape
The UNIPHE (Use of sub-National Indicators to Improve Public Health in Europe) project kicked off three years ago and involved public health professionals...

Integration 'key' to managing public health transition
Tackling public health issues such as obesity and alcohol-related illness will need partnership and collaboration among a range of bodies,...
Miliband: tributes but no promises
Ed Miliband got a warm response from RCN Congress today as he laid out his vision for the health...

Large city hospitals 'breed and spread' MRSA
Hospitals in large cities act as breeding grounds for the superbug MRSA prior to it spreading to smaller...
Public back an end to tobacco marketing to children
The vast majority (84 per cent) of UK adults believe that children should not be exposed to any tobacco marketing according to new data published...

Review into PiP implant scandal published
A review into the PiP breast implant scandal has found that, although the regulator acted appropriately and followed scientific and clinical advice, there...
Diabetes healthcare has reached "state of crisis"
Diabetes healthcare in England has drifted into a "state of crisis" where less than half of people with the condition are getting the basic...

New plans could help two million people with hidden lung-disease and save 7,800 lives a year
The two million people with a potentially fatal lung-disease who have not been diagnosed could now be...
Healthy Living Pharmacies
How would you describe your local community pharmacy? For most, their pharmacy is a place to pick up prescriptions or to purchase medicines for minor ailments. But a...

Tsunami of pain predicted as cases of osteoarthritis set to soar by 2030
Britain is facing a "tsunami of pain" as osteoarthritis (OA) cases are set to double to over 17 million by 2030, a leading...
Prostate cancer cases hit 40,000 for the first time
Latest figures from Cancer Research UK reveal that the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK has risen above...

Hand hygiene campaign did cut superbug infections says report
The campaign to improve hand hygiene in hospitals in England and Wales contributed to a significant fall in the rates of superbug...
NICE consults on new Crohn's disease draft guidance
In draft guidance published today for consultation, NICE, the healthcare guidance body, has made recommendations on the role of new and...

Health Committee launches web forum on PIP breast implants
The Health Committee today launches an online forum for women affected by PIP breast implants to give their views on the treatment they...
Tackling healthcare associated infections in Wales
Surveillance of healthcare associated infections in Wales is conducted by a national programme – the Welsh Healthcare Associated Infection...

Schools that crack down on smoking could stub out the habit before it starts
Cracking down on youngsters who smoke and trade cigarettes in school could be the most effective way to reduce the...
Why we must unite to tackle the obesity timebomb
A glance at the UK’s obesity statistics tells a sombre story. A quarter of women and just over a fifth of men in the UK are now classed as obese...

Nearly one in four women risk skin cancer by not wearing sun tan lotion abroad
As the holiday season is fast approaching, a new survey today reveals almost one in four women won’t be wearing sun...
Creating local health and wellbeing boards
Local government and the NHS have enjoyed a mixed and, at times, tempestuous relationship over the years. It is easy to forget that until the creation...

New report and film reveal shocking impact of tobacco packaging on children
Young people and women are identified as target groups to aim tobacco packaging at according to a new Cancer Research UK...
Comprehensive review on mobile phone technologies finds no solid evidence of health effects
A new report by the Health Protection Agency’s independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation...

Widen over-the-counter pill access, says NHS report
The contraceptive pill should be available at pharmacies without a GP prescription, including to some under-16s, suggests an NHS...
HPA reports 22 per cent increase in malaria cases returning from the Indian sub-continent
New figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) on World Malaria Day show that despite a five per cent...

Asda, Morrisons and Iceland named as ‘worst offenders’ for undermining children’s healthy eating
The Children’s Food Campaign today launched a report naming Asda, Morrisons and Iceland as...
NHS spending on diabetes 'to reach £16.9 billion by 2035'
A new report published in the journal Diabetic Medicine has projected that the NHS’s annual spending on diabetes in the UK will...

Good food firmly on London’s Mayoral plate
Four of London’s Mayoral candidates have pledged in their manifestos to improve London’s food – the first time that healthy and sustainable food...
Is the only ship you wouldn’t sail in a partnership?
Despite some success, the history of health and care in England contains a long chapter on missed opportunities, stubborn organisational...

New findings show women run scared from outdoor exercise
Today the mental health charity Mind releases new statistics showing 9 out of 10 women aged over 30 battle body-confidence and low...
Medical profession unite to defuse obesity time-bomb
The medical profession has come together to launch a campaign on what it claims is the single greatest public health threat in the UK – rising...

NHS charges and data skewed by definitions of short-stay patients
A new publication by the Audit Commission highlights a major cause of dispute between those who commission NHS services and those...
The state should not regulate which colours we are allowed to see
Commenting on the announcement of a consultation on the plain packaging of cigarette packets, Mark Littlewood, Director General at...

Consultation on tobacco plain packaging launched
A UK-wide consultation on whether tobacco should be sold in standardised, or plain packaging, has been launched today by Health Secretary Andrew...
HPA reports continued increase in whooping cough cases
665 laboratory confirmed cases of whooping cough have been reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England and Wales between January...

Health and wellbeing boards could be catalyst for integrated care says new report from The King’s Fund
A new report from The King’s Fund, suggests that health and wellbeing boards could be the...
Health and Wellbeing Boards- The must knows
Following Royal Assent of the Health and Social Care Act, shadow health and wellbeing boards are busy looking at how they can make good on a broad list...

Cigarette display ban comes into force
Displays of tobacco in large shops have been removed from sight across England as part of new...
Government bans methoxetamine or ‘mexxy’
The government has used a temporary class drug order for the first time to ban the ‘legal high’ methoxetamine, also called ‘mexxy’ or MXE. From...

Half of people with diabetes have high blood pressure
Diabetes UK has issued a warning about the hugely damaging effect of high blood pressure, as a new analysis reveals that half of people with...
430,000 babies to be screened for five extra rare conditions in newborn screening pilot
More than 400,000 babies will be screened for debilitating, rare inherited conditions as part of a...

RCN sets out guidance for school nurses on sexual health and emergency contraception
School nurses are ideally placed to provide sexual health and contraceptive advice, the Royal College of Nursing...
Burnham calls for NHS heart screening
Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, has today written to Andrew Lansley calling on him to ask the National Screening Committee to re-examine the...

Pathfinder support group exceed 100th Healthy Living Pharmacy target
Pharmacy organisations, Healthy Living Pharmacy (HLP) Pathfinder areas and Pharmacies are celebrating exceeding the target set...
NHS Prescription fee rises
An increase in NHS prescription charges in England of 25p to £7.65 has come into...

Obesity helps drive kidney cancer cases to record high
The number of cases of kidney cancer diagnosed each year in Great Britain has risen over 9,000 for the first time, new figures from Cancer...
UK's only dedicated teenage rehab unit opens in London
A new early intervention clinic for troubled teenagers has opened this week in London, which aims to address the lack of specialist care...

Sustainability day of action for NHS
Today NHS organisations across the country will be taking part in the first annual NHS Sustainability Day of...
All providers should offer to replace breast implants which have failed according to Health Committee
The Health Committee welcomes the Government's decision to commission two reviews following...

The King's Fund comments on the publication of the government’s alcohol strategy
Commenting on the publication of the government’s alcohol strategy, David Buck, Senior Fellow at The King’s...
Big local authority variation in injury deaths and hospital admissions
The rates of people killed and admitted to hospital due to injury differs dramatically from one local authority to...

Record rates of stroke and kidney failure in people with diabetes
Rates of stroke and kidney failure in people with diabetes have reached record levels in England, according to a new analysis by...
Calories to be capped and cut
The country’s biggest supermarkets, food manufacturers, caterers and food outlets are joining forces to help cut five billion calories from the nation’s daily...

Alcohol industry sheds a billion units to cut hospital admissions and 1,000 deaths
A billion units of alcohol will be shed by the alcohol industry through an ambitious plan to help customers drink...
National report warns more people are dying from liver disease than ever before
The number of people dying from liver disease in England is rising, according to the first ever national report on...

123 new quality standards announced
The latest set of quality standards covering a wide range of topics, including heart failure, irritable bowel syndrome, skin cancer, and obesity in adults, has...
Daily aspirin 'prevents and possibly treats cancer'
Taking a low dose of aspirin every day can prevent and possibly even treat cancer, fresh evidence...

Drinks industry’s marketing messages getting through to children
Despite current advertising regulations in the UK that aim to prevent the alcohol industry from directing its marketing messages...
HPV pushes oral cancer cases past 6,000 a year
The number of oral cancer cases diagnosed each year in the UK has risen above 6,000 for the first time, new figures from Cancer Research UK show...

Update on PiP breast implants
New evidence has emerged which shows that around 7,000 more women in the UK may be victims of the PiP scandal caused by a French breast implant manufacturer, Health...
Lung doctors expect respiratory diseases will worsen with global climate change
Worldwide increases in the incidences of asthma, allergies, infectious and cardiovascular diseases will result from a...

Government commits to review sanctions for dispensing errors
The pharmacy bodies are pleased to hear the commitment of Lord Howe to a review of sanctions and penalties in medicines legislation....
Government must do more to tackle the obesity crisis, says Which?
The government is failing to adequately tackle barriers to healthy eating, Which? has found.On the first anniversary of the Public...

New health maps to drive children's health improvements
The differences in health services for children across the country have been laid bare for the first...
Text the school nurse for advice
Young people could soon be texting their school nurses for appointments in a new drive to improve health in schools, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced...

Sunlight rises with UK first
Sunlight, the UK’s market leader in textile rental and laundering services and a major supplier to the NHS, has become the first UK-based organisation in its sector...
HPA experts contribute to WHO publication on antibiotic resistance
A team of leading Health Protection Agency (HPA) experts have contributed to a World Health Organization (WHO) publication...

Telehealth and Telecare could save NHS £1.2 billion
At the international congress for telehealth and telecare, Paul Burstow set out how the appropriate use of telehealth in the NHS can help people...
Uk's first air ambulance to carry Blood on Board
Today, London’s Air Ambulance, will make history as the first air ambulance in the UK to carry blood on board its aircraft and...

One month to go until the end of tobacco displays
On 6 April 2012, all large shops in England will have to hide tobacco products from view in a drive to cut the number of smokers and protect young...
Manchester on the map after Government windfall
The Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility and The Wellcome Trust Children's Clinical Research Facility (WTCRFs), at Central Manchester...

Lives saved as more than 14 million patients are screened for blood clots
Patients are now almost twice as likely to be screened in hospital for venous thromboembolism (VTE) than in 2010, helping...
HPV room disinfection safer and superior to aHP
Hydrogen peroxide vapour technology is confirmed as superior to the aerosolised hydrogen peroxide process following the publication of a recent...

Over £100m to support groundbreaking clinical research
Over £100m will be invested in NHS Clinical Research Facilities to develop new treatments to benefit thousands of patients, the Government...
Gabriel Scientific gleans top innovation accolade
Life sciences company Gabriel Scientific has won the overall ‘Innovation of the Year’ Award at the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation...

More help for people with rare diseases
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,...
No-Germs here
80% of disease causing illness is spread by hand. For over 20 years alcohol-based gels have been the only available hand sanitizer option for health care professionals, despite the...

NICE "key" to delivering public health services
NICE will play a key role in helping local authorities create an integrated public health service underpinned by evidence on what health measures...
Pegler Yorkshire has the touch
According to experts 80% of infectious diseases are transferred by touch, and the most frequently touched surfaces can be contaminated with anywhere from several...

5,200 classrooms of UK kids start smoking every year
Every year around 157,000 children aged 11-15 start smoking – that’s enough to fill 5,200 classrooms or make up nearly 14,000 junior...
Better care for patients
Patients are already benefitting from GPs starting to take a lead in designing local health services and a renewed focus on health...

3,000 women turn to NHS for PiP implant help
Nearly 3,000 women who have PiP breast implants have been forced to get help from the NHS because their private clinics have failed to help, according...
Leading UK model agencies sign up to 'No Sunbed' policy
Ahead of London Fashion Week, leading model agencies sign groundbreaking ‘No Sunbed’ policy agreement as part of Cancer Research UK’s R...

NHS 111 timeframe too tight to ensure consistent service
Responding to calls from the British Medical Association, Ambulance Service Network director Jo Webber agreed that it would be better to...
Private hospital adopts new safety syringe
Following successful trials, the Chaucer BMI hospital in Canterbury, Kent has recently adopted a new safety syringe to reduce the risk of needlestick...

New research professors will help treatments make the leap from the bench to the bedside
Eight of the UK’s most promising leaders in medical health research will be awarded a National Institute...
BMA report asks: “What more should we do to increase the number of organ donors?"
Even if the target set by the Organ Donation Taskforce to increase the number of donors by fifty per cent by 2013...

Conservative Home calls for Health Bill to be scrapped
The NHS was long the Conservative Party’s Achilles heel. David Cameron’s greatest political achievement as Leader of the Opposition was...
Investment in nanoscience innovation to benefit healthcare sector
Grant funding totalling over £6.5 million has been awarded for seven business-led projects that will focus on developing...

Create healthier lives through tree sponsorship in the NHS Forest
The NHS Forest has opened its national Tree Sponsorship Scheme to the public, making it possible for anyone in the UK to sponsor a...
Prostate cancer NICE decision 'makes no sense'
Cancer Research UK is urging a solution to the impasse over the advanced prostate cancer drug abiraterone, which has been turned down by...

Miliband accuses Cameron of damaging patient care
Ed Miliband will today accuse the Government of directly damaging frontline patient care with its unnecessary and unwanted top-down reorganisation...
NHS Trusts to receive funding support
Seven NHS hospital Trusts who have demonstrated that they face serious structural financial issues may receive additional support from the Department of...

Outbreak of Salmonella Newport
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is investigating an outbreak of a strain of Salmonella Newport infection among 30 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
NHS to get £28m cash boost to improve access to dentists
Andrew Lansley has announced extra cash for dentistry in a major Government drive to increase the number of people able to access an NHS...

Circle gets up and running
A private firm has become the first to start running an NHS hospital.Circle, which is co-owned by doctors, has taken on managing Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Cambridgeshire,...
Don’t flush away your toilet worries
The Government’s first ever national cancer campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer will be launched today by Care Services Minister...

Hand Hygiene Compliance- Learning from the U.S
The latest Department of Health monthly statistics show that, for the first time since mandatory surveillance began in 2001, MRSA bloodstream...
Products and services for older adults need urgent innovation
79 per cent of Britons want increased innovation to improve quality of life in older age, according to new findings released today by...

Improving health results for children
A new focus on improving care for children and young people will be unveiled later this year, Secretary of State Andrew Lansley announced...
Thousands of patients will benefit from tests to match treatment to their DNA
NHS patients should be able to benefit from genomic technology which can improve the health service’s understanding...

NHS 111: getting lost in translation?
The new urgent care telephone number NHS 111 may have the potential to bring real benefits to the health care system but, according to a recent NHS Alliance...
New development projects will improve the assessment of point-of-care tests for infectious agents
Three major projects are to receive over £1 million of government funding to enable them to...

Genomic innovation will better target treatment in the NHS
NHS patients should be able to benefit from genomic technology which can improve the health service’s understanding of the nature of...
Department of Health sets out scope of PiP implant and cosmetic surgery reviews
The Department of Health has today published the terms of reference for two reviews established following the recent...

Health Protection Agency confirms new incinerator study
A new study to further extend the evidence base as to whether emissions from modern well run Municipal Waste Incinerators affect human health...
Drug could delay invasive treatment for low-risk prostate cancer
Dutasteride, a drug already used to treat men with enlarged prostates, can also slow the growth of early-stage prostate cancer that...

Councils given power to create healthy communities
Preventing cancer, cutting tooth decay in children and the population weighing less, are just some of the challenges local councils will be able...
Advice to pregnant women to avoid close contact with animals that are giving birth
Pregnant women should avoid close contact with animals that are giving birth, the Government advised...

More patients than ever before are staying in single sex accommodation
Mixed sex accommodation in NHS hospital trusts has dropped by 94 per cent in one year, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley...
Government to seek public views on changing the law to find cures for inherited diseases
The public will be asked if they think the law should be changed to allow science to move a step forward so...

Investigation into Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust
We are currently investigating the delivery of emergency care at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation...
NHS to get £100m cash injection to improve services
Patients across the country will benefit as the NHS receives a cash injection of up to £100 million to boost services in their communities,...

The local government transition guidance for public health workforce
On the launch of the local government transition guidance on public health workforce matters, Sir Merrick Cockell, Chairman of...
New Year ambitions to reduce healthcare associated infections
New ambitions have been set for the NHS which build on the progress made on infections last year, Health Minister Simon Burns...

Patient wristband standards to be introduced
The recent publication of Information Standards Board (ISB) for Health and Social Care Standard 1077 will see every NHS patient in England given a...
Opportunity knocks for Hospitals say's report
There are many ways in which hospitals could improve efficiency and reduce the need for cutbacks in services for patients, according to a major review...

Reviews to ensure safety of people seeking cosmetic treatments
The Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, today announced a series of steps to respond to recent concerns regarding French Poly Implant...
Breastfeeding linked to infant temperament
New evidence from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit, in Cambridge, suggests that breastfed babies may be more irritable than their...

Cancer Research UK launches 'outpatients' trial of breast and ovarian cancer drug
Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office has re-launched a trial of a promising drug to treat inherited...
Hospital's laundry and energy costs tumble
Dedicated to taking an active role in reducing its carbon emissions as well as saving costs, MTW Linen Services, a subsidiary of Maidstone & Tunbridge...

Hospitals spending little on meals for patients
Many hospitals are spending as little as £2.57 on meals for patients, according to new figures released by the NHS Information...
New year quit attempts go up in smoke
Two thirds of UK smokers, the equivalent of six million people, will try and quit in January but half will have failed within just one week, according to new...

NHS Future Forum calls on healthcare professionals to make patient centred care a reality
The NHS Future Forum has given its second set of reports to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley in which it...
RCM comment re Future Forum second phase report
Commenting on the publication of the NHS Future Forum’s second phase reports, Jacque Gerrard, England director of the Royal College of Midwives,...

£30m for sports medicine centre of excellence
The country’s first ever National Sports and Exercise Medicine Centre of Excellence will be developed after £30 million funding was announced...
Department of Health statement on breast implants and response to expert group report
The wellbeing of women who have had PiP breast implants is our main priority. That is why the Health Secretary...

MPs urge Government to review its sensible drinking guidelines
Alcohol guidelines should be reviewed, according to a new report that raises concerns about the Government's advice on sensible...
Whooping cough cases increase
Cases of whooping cough reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England and Wales have more than doubled from 421 cases in 2010 to 1040 in...

Patient champions receive funding boost
The future local champions for patients and the public have been given a £3.5m funding boost, Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley announced...
Half of all smokers underestimate the health and financial impacts of smoking
As millions of New Year’s resolutions are made today, new NHS Smokefree research reveals that many smokers are...

Super deals for healthier meals
A nation-wide campaign to help us all plan affordable healthier meals has been launched by the Public Health Minister Anne Milton and TV chef Ainsley Harriott...
Free trial for GovToday NHS Sustainable Development Conference, February 2012
Sustainability means the capacity of an organisation to endure; to have the financial and organisational capability to...

Homeless people die 30 years before national average
Homeless people die thirty years before the national average, says shocking new research from Sheffield University commissioned by Crisis, the...
Department of Health moves to life course approach and streamlines its communications agencies
In a bid to improve the communication of public health messages to help people live healthy lives and...

UEL signs agreement with Royal Society for Public Health
With the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill set to become legislation in the coming year, two organisations with a key role in...
Report shows how junk food makers target children online
The British Heart Foundation have released a new report today which reveals the tactics used by junk food manufacturers to plug their...

Three-year study identifies key interventions to reduce maternal, newborn and child deaths
A new global consensus has been agreed on the key evidence-based interventions that will sharply reduce...
New report reveals sexual behaviour across the different age groups
Some 27 per cent of women aged between 16 and 24 reported having sex when they were below 16 – a greater proportion than women...

The King's Fund responds to the PAC report on NHS hospitals achieving foundation trust status
Responding to the Public Accounts Committee’s report on achievement of foundation trust status by NHS...
NHS Confederation statement on the PAC report into foundation trusts
David Stout says PAC report presents a stark picture of the challenges many non-foundation trusts are...

London hospitals in shocking state say Committee
The Commons Public Accounts Committee publishes its 60th Report today into the achievement of Foundation Trust NHS Trusts and examines the...
NHS funding to drive improvements
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today announced that the NHS will get a funding boost of over £2.5 billion to provide services for patients in 2012-13.

Report shows each year 24,000 people in England with diabetes suffer avoidable death
The first ever report into mortality from the National Diabetes Audit has outlined some shocking statistics...
£150 million for life-saving cancer treatments
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has unveiled plans to invest up to £150 million in procuring a new cutting-edge ‘proton beam therapy’...

Fewer, larger radiotherapy doses prove safe for prostate cancer patients
Less overall radiotherapy, delivered in fewer but higher doses, is as safe as standard, lower doses for treating prostate...
Atlas maps out variation in NHS
The NHS Atlas of Variation has today been published by the Department of Health to highlight the amount each Primary Care Trust (PCT) spends on clinical services and...

High- risk surgery failing short of standards
The care given to high-risk surgery patients is falling short of acceptable standards, an independent review...
Greater support for local government in new public health role
NICE is to help local government make the most of limited resources to commission the best possible public health services, by...

One in 20 TB patients do not complete treatment
One in 20 TB patients are failing to complete the full treatment for their infection because they are lost to follow up, according to new Health...
NHS Confederation comments on NHS Outcomes Framework 2012/13 announcement
Mike Farrar said the measurements will allow trusts to take a more rounded view on the quality of care provided to...

Putting the NHS on the side of patients
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today set out his vision for an NHS that is truly on the side of patients.In a key speech at Guy’s Hospital, he made three...
Cigarettes, diet, alcohol and obesity behind more than 100,000 cancers
More than 100,000 cancers – equivalent to one third of all those diagnosed in the UK each year – are being caused by...

Drug recovery pilots evaluation contract awarded
The University of Manchester has been awarded a research contract for the independent evaluation of the Department of Health’s drug and alcohol...
NHS Trusts' CRC liability may exceed £26m for 2012
NHS Trusts' face a potential CRC liability exceeding £26m by mid-2012.Trusts are obliged to purchase allowances to cover their emissions from...

The right way to be led up the garden path
Global carbon emissions have been reported to be at an all time high and despite the growing minority who are attempting to live and work in greener...
Government boost to world leading UK life science industry
A multi million pound package of support – including a new £180 million fund to support the next brilliant medical breakthroughs –...

Labour warns Cameron: our NHS is not for sale
Labour today warned David Cameron to tread carefully in his plans to share patient records and NHS data with private...
Childhood cancer drives two thirds of parents into debt
Parents of children with cancer are struggling to cope with the unexpected costs of travel, childcare, food and accommodation while their...

Care Quality Commission 'struggling' to achieve value for money
The Care Quality Commission had a difficult task in establishing itself and has not so far achieved value for money in regulating the...
Caesarean section rate still too high say RCM
Commenting on the publication today of new maternity statistics released by the NHS Information Centre, Louise Silverton, deputy general secretary of...

Experts renew calls for routine HIV testing at GP surgeries
People who live in areas where there is a high prevalence of HIV should be offered testing for the infection when they first register...
Bill carries on through Parliament
The House of Lords will today be debating the Health and Social Care Bill again as it passes through Committee...

People have a right to know the risks this Government is running with their care - Burnham & Thornton
Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, said in response to the Government's...
New research identifies norovirus levels in oysters
Research published today by the Food Standards Agency shows that a significant proportion (76%) of oysters tested from UK oyster growing beds...

Dr Foster report backs the case for change in NHS
Responding to the Dr Foster Hospital Guide, NHS Confederation deputy chief executive David Stout said the report's data helped make the case for...
Three quarters of patients with cancer are referred within one month, reveals RCGP Report
Nearly three-quarters of patients with cancer who go to their GP are diagnosed after one or two visits and...

International report confirms the NHS is performing well for patients
A major international study published today shows that NHS is performing well for patients in many areas including some aspects...
Women could avoid having unnecessary caesareans
Women who have previously been advised to have a caesarean section may be able to avoid having unnecessary surgery, following an update to NICE...

NHS puts preparations in place to deal with winter pressures
As the weather gets colder, it is important to remember the needs of friends, elderly relatives and neighbours who could be at risk the...
Bupa reveals Brits in denial about realities of too much drink
Bupa is warning Brits to face up to the realities of excessive drinking as research reveals that despite having one of the highest...

Carbon monoxide poisoning sends 4,000 people to A&E each year
To mark the start of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week today, the Chief Medical Officer is highlighting the serious health impact of...
New institute to help narrow the health gap
A new UCL (University College London) Institute that aims to reduce health inequalities through action on the social determinants was launched today by...

Cancer Research UK unites with global research groups to develop treatments for patients with rare cancers
Cancer Research UK will join forces with international research groups from the UK, Europe...
Designs help combat hospital bugs
Four new bedside furniture designs to reduce healthcare acquired infections are available today for the NHS to purchase after testing showed positive patient and...

Myths still surround antibiotics say HPA
A quarter of people wrongly believe antibiotics work on most coughs and colds, a Health Protection Agency survey has found.However antibiotics cannot treat...
Seek early diagnosis of COPD to slow its progress
Charities are urging people who may be at risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to visit their doctor and have a...

Hospitals urged to think hard before using antibiotics
Doctors and nurses are being asked to think twice before they prescribe antibiotics in a bid to prevent patients being given them too much...
Not all partnerships are the same
News that a private firm is set to take over the management of an entire NHS hospital has brought back into sharp focus the merits of PPPs. While private sector...

On Andrew Lansley's watch, NHS waiting lists are spiralling upwards - Burnham
Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, commenting on NHS waiting lists, has...
Scottish Botulism Poisoning Highlights Limitations of Anti-bacterial Sanitisers
News of an outbreak of Botulism poisoning in Scotland this week has heightened awareness and concerns over food...

Antibiotic 'could be used to treat leukaemia'
Scientists in Canada have discovered that an antibiotic normally used to treat skin and abdominal infections can also kill leukaemia...
Health and Social Care Bill debate continues
Line by line examination of the Health and Social Care Bill continues in the House of Lords today (Tuesday 15th November).Yesterday, discussion included...

Fathers need to be involved in maternity care
Raising awareness of postnatal depression and post-traumatic stress disorder for fathers is a key issue in a new guide for fathers and midwives being...
CCP welcomes DH’s support on patient choice
The Cooperation and Competition Panel (CCP) has welcomed the Department of Health’s acceptance of its findings on ensuring patient choice in routine...

More than five thousand children saved since 70s thanks to better cancer treatment
At least 5,600 more children have survived for at least five years after being diagnosed with cancer than would...
NHS Partners Network statement on the Government's announcement on waiting times and arbitrary rationing
The NHS Partners Network has welcomed today's (Monday) announcement from the Government...

Andrew Lansley takes firm action to protect patient choice
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has today protected patient choice in the NHS by banning Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) from enforcing minimum...
Half of parents would not consult a GP after spotting the symptoms of a brain tumour
New research by the HeadSmart Campaign shows that nearly half (44%) of parents and carers who spot the possible...

New toolkit launched to promote equality and fairness in the NHS
All parts of the NHS can now work out how fairly they treat patients and employees in a systematic and robust way following the...
Lack of joined up thinking to improve health and well-being is a missed opportunity to drive savings
The lack of integrated services to improve health and well-being across the NHS and local...

Occupancy Analytics: A fundamentally new approach to hospital design
Estates Directors, Hospital Planners, Facility Managers, and Procurement teams are being increasingly challenged to obtain...
NICE publishes quality improvement guide on preventing and controlling healthcare associated infections
NICE has today (9 November) published its quality improvement guide on the prevention and...

Patients Association launches damning report into poor care in England’s Hospitals.
The Patients Association today launches its report “We’ve been listening, have you been learning?” which...
Supporting Informed NHS Customers for Information Technology
The Department of Health today announced a number of initiatives to support the NHS as an informed customer for IT, ensuring that local...

Wales outlines details for opt-out system of organ and tissue donation
The detail of how a soft opt-out system for deceased organ and tissue donation in Wales would work was outlined by the Welsh...
AeroScout and NHS Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Deploy Asset Tracking and Temperature Monitoring Solutions
AeroScout®, the leading provider of Unified Asset Visibility solutions for the...

Huge increase in lung cancer surgery but still some way to go, says new audit
The number of lung cancer patients benefiting from life-saving surgery has shot up by 60 per cent while the operative...
Diet study not about English bragging rights – we can all do better
A new piece of research looking at eating habits in the UK has suggested that people in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales...

Public health champion must be independent, say MPs
The new public health body for England must be, and be seen to be, a fearlessly independent champion of public health standards and objectives...
Public health champion must be independent, say MPs
The new public health body for England must be, and be seen to be, a fearlessly independent champion of public health standards and objectives...

Twitter to offer glimpse into adoption team
An adoption team is breaking new ground by using Twitter to offer a real-time glimpse into its daily work.To coincide with National Adoption Week,...
Get ready for winter
A new plan to keep people warm and healthy throughout the cold winter months was launched today by Health Secretary Andrew...

New discretionary payments for people infected with hepatitis C
A new charity has been established by the Department to provide financial assistance for those people who were infected with...
Stressed and strapped: Cancer patients take financial hit
Over two thirds (70%) of cancer patients are hit financially through increasing costs and lost income as a direct result of their disease,...

Record low for mixed sex accommodation
Mixed sex accommodation in the NHS has fallen by over 90 per cent in under a year, according to new data published by the Department of Health...
NICE Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme welcomes new external assessment centre
The Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme at NICE today welcomes the appointment of a new external...

GPs join forces with headache charities to help schools
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Headache UK launch new guidance to help schools, teachers and parents identify the...
Lords Committee says EU rules put patients at "unacceptable risk"
The rules which allow healthcare professionals to practise throughout the EU pose an unacceptable risk to the safety of patients...

Improving efficiency in blood and organ donation
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) must continue its work to improve services ensuring that blood supplies are used appropriately, efficiently and...
Help wipe out infections
Members are being urged to update their knowledge and thinking on infection prevention as part of an awareness week supported by the...

Government calls time on obesity
A bid to slash five billion calories off the nation’s daily diet was set out as part of the Government’s ambitious new plan to tackle obesity by the Department...
20 Trusts face substantial problems to achieve Foundation status
Many NHS trusts need to tackle a range of financial, quality and governance issues if they are to meet the standards required of...

House of Lords to vote on England NHS bill delay
The House of Lords is to vote on plans that ministers say could kill off the government's health bill for...
Lords debate health bill
Members of the House of Lords are due to spend two days discussing the Health and Social Care Bill from today (11 October).Last week, the Royal College of Nursing issued a...

NHS should pay for organ donors funerals
The NHS should test the idea of paying for the funerals of organ donors to help tackle the current shortage of organs, says a new report by the Nuffield...
The public wants more choice of NHS care
The public wants more say and greater choice over their NHS healthcare according to a new patient survey carried out by an independent research company on...

Dunfermline and West Fife CHP
In preparation for the anticipated launch of the eHealth Programme 2011-2014 which aims to change the way in which information andrelated technology is used...
HPA Study Confirms Cost-Effectiveness of Screening All Intensive Care Patients For MRSA
A study led by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has shown screening all intensive care unit (ICU) patients...

Four in ten disabled children are living in poverty
Four in ten disabled children in the UK - a staggering 320,000 - are living in poverty, reveals a new report by The Children’s Society.Nearly a...
Patients may go abroad for treatment
Government austerity measures could lead to a rise in the number of UK patients traveling abroad for medical treatment, if NHS waiting lists start to lengthen....

New era of research for health
The Government has launched the first two National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) partnerships for early stage health research, which will usher in a new era...
Drop in ‘legal high’ poisonings following ban
Banning so-called 'legal highs' including mephedrone led to a fall in the number of queries on how to treat users, poisoning experts have...

Better access to drugs for rare disease patients
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today announced help for patients with rare diseases, whose doctors may not be able to provide them with unlicensed...
Patients to have a greater say and choice over their care
People receiving continuing healthcare support from the NHS will have the right to ask for a personal health budget, by April 2014 Health...

Health reforms are a risk to patients
The overhaul of the NHS in England will cause irreparable harm, according to leading public health...
Last gasp for cigarette vending machines
From today, the sale of tobacco from vending machines is prohibited across England. The ban has been introduced to prevent under-age sales to children and...

Online tools aid patient health decisions
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today officially launched a set of innovative online tools that can help patients make informed decisions about their...
UK E. coli O157 outbreak associated with soil on vegetables
Consumers are reminded to thoroughly wash vegetables and observe good kitchen hygiene following an investigation into 250 cases of...

Women giving birth to twins or triplets should be offered specialist care
Women who are expecting twins or triplets should receive specialist care from a team of healthcare professionals, according...
Set up "autism teams" to improve services for under-18s, says NICE
Local autism teams should be set up across the country to improve the diagnosis and assessment of children and young people with...

HRA legislation laid before parliament
Legislation to establish the Health Research Authority (HRA), which will provide a new pathway for the regulation and governance of health research, was laid...
Local authorities unprepared for new health responsibilities
The Government’s health and care reforms involve a significant increase in responsibility for local authorities in England as they...

Following NICE guidelines for diabetes treatment 'could save NHS £625m'
The NHS could have saved a total of £625 million if it had prescribed NICE-recommended drugs for the treatment of type 2...
Dismantling the NHS National Programme for IT
The government have announced an acceleration of the dismantling of the National Programme for IT, following the conclusions of a new review by the...

Time to get your flu vaccine
From Monday 3 October, GPs will be seeing millions of people in at risk groups to have their flu vaccine, Chief Medical Officer Dame Professor Sally Davies today...
Stephen Gilbert: End blood ban stereotypes
Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference today urged the Government to end the outright ban on men who have had sex with men from donating blood without...

UK minister calls for tough international action on obesity, smoking and cancer
In a speech at the United Nations, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has called for governments across the world to...
Patients feeling the pain of government squeeze on NHS
Patients are feeling the pain of the Government’s demand for NHS hospitals to deliver £20bn in so called ‘efficiency’ savings’ said...

WHO maps noncommunicable disease trends in all countries
A new WHO report features information about the noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) situation in 193 countries, as global leaders prepare to...
Change4Life and Sportacus tackle our lazy towns
Change4Life is teaming up with super hero Sportacus to inspire children around the country to ditch their junk food and tuck into more ‘Sports...

New Responsibility Deal pledges on health at work and physical activity
Typhoo, McCain and Centrica – who between them employ more than 35,000 people - have today signed up to help their...
Bowel cancer rates vary from region to region
Figures issued today by Beating Bowel Cancer reveal that bowel cancer death rates vary significantly across the UK, depending on where you...

Botulism outbreak in France
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has been made aware of eight cases of botulism in French adults in France. Five of these cases were confirmed in the Vaucluse region...
Off-licence density linked to alcohol harm in under-18s
New research commissioned by Alcohol Concern shows a positive link between the density of off-licensed premises and harm from alcohol in...

Government prioritises children’s oral health in new dental contract trials
The Government today confirmed its commitment to improving the oral health of NHS patients, particularly children, by...
New figures shine a light on A&E quality
New figures showing the quality of A&E services have been published for the first time...

Directors of Public Health
Welcome to our world, directors of public health… Or should I say welcome back to it? The intervening years have seen some notable achievements within the public health...
New estimates of cancer risks after exposure to radiation
New estimates on the risk of developing some types of cancer after exposure to ionising radiation have been published by the Health...

MRSA death rates fall
The number of death certificates in England and Wales mentioning meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) decreased by 38 per cent in 2010 to 485 from 781 in 2009....
Research boost for Imperial College London
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, in partnership with Imperial College London, has been given £112million to accelerate the progression of new...

Salmonella link found in eggs
A multi-agency investigation is continuing after a link has been established between a batch of imported eggs and an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis Phage Type (PT)...
Trainee doctors compromising patient safety
A new study has found that 90% of doctors who responded to a survey believe that patient safety throughout Scotland and the UK is compromised in August...

Millions announced for boosting research and development
The Government today announced a record £800 million funding to boost research and allow the development of ground breaking medicines,...
15 minutes exercise can increase life expectancy
Exercising for just 15 minutes a day could increase life expectancy by 3 years and cut the risk of death by 14 per cent, latest research...

Low-birthweight babies at higher risk of cot death
The national cot death charity, the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID), today called for parents of low-birth weight babies to be...
develop a sustainable health care system
A national project to train medical students to respond to the health effects of climate change is being led by the University of East...

Tackling obesity in pregnancy saves money in long run say midwives
Commenting on research into obesity in pregnancy and links to adolescent asthma published today (Tuesday, 16th August 2011) in...
Hospital waiting times double
The number of people waiting more than four hours in A&E in England has nearly doubled in the past year, according to Department of Health...

Group set up to reduce medicine wastage
A new group set up to tackle the £300 million being lost every year in the NHS due to medicine wastage, at least half of which is avoidable, has been...
Inactivity risks long term health of cancer patients
1.6 million cancer survivors could be at greater risk of serious long term health problems and some are at greater risk of recurrence of cancer...

Green light for £72m rebuild of Lister Hospital in Stevenage
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today gave the go ahead for a £72 million redevelopment of the Lister Hospital in Stevenage that will...
MRSA in the NHS at a record low
MRSA bloodstream infections in the NHS have reached record low levels with fewer than 100 infections recorded in a single month for the first time, new official...

A stronger voice for patients
Patients will today (August 3rd) have a stronger voice under plans set out by Health Secretary, Andrew...
People with stable angina should be initially offered optimal drug treatment
The initial management of people diagnosed with stable angina should be optimal drug treatment, rather than...

Ryhurst Ltd – Providing Land and Asset Solutions for the Health and Social Care Markets
Ryhurst is delighted to have been asked to participate in the "Gov Today" conference, designed to help NHS...
More investment needed in gathering evidence on effective behaviour change, says Lords committee
The Government must invest in gathering more evidence about what measures work to influence...

Weight has strongest influence on breast cancer hormones in post menopausal women
Weight is the biggest factor affecting the level of sex hormones that increase breast cancer risk in post...
National strategy to transform care for millions with respiratory disease
Plans to transform the care, quality of life and health outcomes for millions of people with respiratory disease were...

Four in ten of us will get cancer-say cancer charity
Cancer rates are increasing at such a rate that research shows 42% of people who die in this country will have had a cancer diagnosis. And for...
£4 million investment in NHS stem cell services
A life a month could be saved thanks to a £4 million investment by the Government in NHS stem cell services, Public Health Minister Anne Milton...

HPA issues new advice on management of E. coli cases in children
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has published new guidelines to assist healthcare professionals in the management and treatment...
Sleeping like an angel
"Don't look now: the disgusting truth behind hidden dangers lurking in your pillow"- The Times-...

UK-wide advice on activity and fitness levels
New advice as to how people of all ages can maintain fitness levels and stay or get healthy, was launched today as part of the first UK-wide physical...
Epic complete intensive mobile learning research study for NHS
Epic have recently completed the first intensive mobile learning research study on behalf of the UK’s National Health...

NICE counsults on HCAIs
NICE, in partnership with the Health Protection Agency (HPA), is currently developing advice on the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) in...
Largest ever diabetes audit shows people still not receiving all their basic health checks
Two thirds of people with Type 1 diabetes and almost half of Type 2 patients do not receive all nine...

Health profiles released for your local area
People in England are living longer and fewer people are dying prematurely from heart disease and stroke (June...
Right to Request Programme evaluated too soon, says Social Enterprise Coalition
Responding to the ‘Establishing social enterprises under the Right to Request Programme’ report published today...

Establishing social enterprises under the Right to Request Programme
The National Audit Office has highlighted risks to value for money associated with the Department of Health’s programme aimed...
Measles cases surpass 2010 total but MMR vaccine uptake reaches 90 per cent for the first time in 13 years
Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) reveal that 496* laboratory...

MP suggests Disabled should work for less
Today, Conservative MP Philip Davies suggested that disabled people should offer to work below minimum wage so they get a job when competing with...
Healthcare infection – it’s time to sink or swim in the battle against HCAIs!
Healthcare continues to face significant challenges from HCAI’s but it seems that a key element in the fight...

NHS innovation can spur economic growth say KwickScreen
Since the financial crisis the government has been looking to rebalance the economy towards manufacturing and export-led growth. However...
Delivering excellence in military healthcare: A partnership to be proud of
The fourth annual Military and Civilian Health Partnership Awards (MCHPA) were launched today by the Rt Hon Andrew...

111 number improves urgent care for patients
Early data on the NHS 111 service is published today as part of the Government’s commitment to make urgent care more accessible by introducing a...
Major survey shows family and friends are key influences on teenage drinking
A major survey of early teen drinking patterns in England released today (17 June) finds that drinking escalates to a...

Cancer patients fear vital benefits could be cut
Macmillan Cancer support has urged the government to make changes to Welfare Reform Bill (June...
STIs drop for first time in a decade
New figures released today by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show for the first time in more than 10 years a small decrease in the total number of STIs...

Young blood donor figures show decline
Experts are worried about a generation gap in blood donors as figures show a 20% drop in the number of young people giving blood during the past decade (June...
HPA scientists unlock secrets of E. coli outbreak strain
Scientists at the Health Protection Agency (HPA) have produced the most accurate and detailed genetic analysis to date of the E. coli O104...

Cameron makes vaccination pledge
Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that the UK is stepping up its commitment to vaccinate over 80 million children and save 1.4 million lives by 2015 (June...
Research and development into tumour profiling will lead to improved cancer care
Six new collaborative research and development projects are set to receive nearly £6 million of government funding...

Introduction of bar codes will save NHS millions
A new system to tackle variation in how much NHS hospitals pay for products was announced by Health Minister Simon Burns today (June...
Neurology services not meeting patients' needs
A new report from the Royal College of Physicians and the Association of British Neurologists says that overall, services for patients with...

Update on large outbreak of haemolytic uraemic syndrome caused by E. coli in Germany
According to Robert Koch Institute in Germany , cases of HUS in the country have risen to 630 since Friday, with...
Ekahau Develops Solution for Monitoring Hand Hygiene
Ekahau Inc., the worldwide leader in high performance Wi-Fi-based Real Time Location Systems (RTLS), today (June 6th) announced that it is,...

Antibiotic resistant bacteria found in both humans and dairy cows
Scientists have identified a new strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which occurs both in human and dairy...
Patients get better care thanks to innovative healthcare staff
Frontline NHS staff and other healthcare professionals who come up with innovative ideas to give better patient care are getting their...

Is it time for a LifeCheck?
Is my diet affecting my health? Am I drinking too much? Am I active enough? Getting personalised health information, whether to address specific concerns or just see how...
Measles cases on the rise
334 laboratory confirmed cases of measles have been reported in England and Wales to the Health Protection Agency up to the end of April 2011, compared to a provisional...

Heatwave plan to protect vulnerable from summer heat
With summer on the horizon, this year’s Heatwave Plan is launched today by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley (May...
First seasonal flu plan and consultation on future procurement options for flu vaccine published
Improving vaccine uptake rates for at-risk groups and keeping a reserve of flu vaccine to ensure a...

Superbugs: The continuing problem
Edwina Currie, Patron for MRSA Action discusses the ongoing campaign to reduce infection rates across hospitals and explains the importance of good...
NICE draft guidance gives green light to Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment
Today, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued new draft guidance which recommends a...

Government commits funding to maintain vital Cancer Networks
The Department of Health has committed to funding Cancer Networks in 2012/13, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has announced (May...
Good Samaritan kids denied life-saving skills by Westminster
Over half of kids (60%) are powerless to help someone who has collapsed in the street despite three quarters (73%) wanting to be able to...

Prescription drug addiction addressed
A GP summit today examined how to address addiction to prescription and over-the-counter drugs following publication of two new reports into the scale of the...
Antibiotic prescribing cut by three-quarters following NICE advice
NICE guidance has helped to cut down on unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for the prevention of infective endocarditis, latest...

National audit of MRSA screening
The Department of Health has commissioned the Royal Free/University College London (UCL) and the Health Protection Agency to carry out an independent review of the...
TB screening 'missing most cases'
Current screening for TB in immigrants arriving in the UK is missing the majority of cases, say researchers(April...

The rise of antibiotic resistance
World Health Day on April the 7th highlighted the need for the development of new antibiotics to combat the ever-growing trend in drug resistance. In an exclusive...
NHS trusts failing to tackle staff obesity
Just 15 per cent of NHS trusts have a policy or plan to help tackle staff obesity, a report by the Royal College of Physicians and the Faculty of...

Mayor urged to act on childhood obesity as Assembly shows true costs to London
Childhood obesity costs the capital £7.1 million a year to treat and this bill could reach almost £111 million each...
Service launches five year cost improvement programme
The London Ambulance Service is launching its five year cost improvement programme this week (11 April) to make savings of over...

NICE consults on draft recommendations for the longer-term management of self-harm
NICE is currently developing a clinical guideline on the longer-term care of adults, children and young people who...
62 practices to trial new dental contract
For the first time, from this summer, dentists will be paid for the quality of the treatment they give rather than the number of treatments provided,...

Radical approach to drugs recovery piloted
Eight areas in England will test innovative new ways to help drug addicts recover and achieve a sustained recovery, Public Health Minister Anne Milton...
Drug resistance developments in the UK
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) welcomes actions to raise the profile of emerging drug resistance and fully supports the focus of World Health Day this...

Europe 'losing' superbugs battle
Drug resistance is becoming more severe and many infections are no longer easily cured, leading to prolonged and expensive treatment and greater risk of death,...
NHS tracks more infections
The first set of mandatory monthly data for meticillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) blood stream infection is being published today as part of the...

Prescription charges abolished in Scotland
England is now the only part of the UK still charging for some prescriptions after Scotland joined Northern Ireland and Wales in abolishing the...
Delivering on NHS modernisation: government launches £200 million a year Cancer Drugs Fund
A £200 million a year Cancer Drugs Fund that will help cancer patients get greater access to cancer...

Patients getting improved NHS care
A round-up of NHS quality and financial performance between October and December 2010 has been published by the Department of Health today(March...
300% increase in Hep B prison vaccine helps to drive down infection rates
The uptake of the hepatitis B vaccine in prisons across England and Wales has increased three fold in the last six years...

Hospital infections report for Scotland
Huge progress has been made in tackling hospital infections in the past three years - but there's still more that can, and must, be...
More progress, more quickly on tackling poor diet and alcohol misuse
The Responsibility Deal shows how partnership and challenge can be the most effective way of tackling some public health...

Infection Control
Public Accounts Committee- Reducing Healthcare Associated Infection in...
Millions of patients set to benefit from a modern NHS
The NHS can’t afford to stand still if it is going to cope with the increasing number of people with two or more long term conditions –...

Alcohol Concern pulls out of 'responsibility deal on alcohol'
Health Ministers and the drinks industry came under fire today as Alcohol Concern and other health groups refused to sign the...
Public Health
Healthy lives, healthy people-...

New plans to stub out smoking
New ambitions to tackle the substantial public health harms from tobacco were announced today on No Smoking Day by Health Secretary Andrew LansleyThe Government has...
£775m health research funding 'to benefit NHS patients'
The government has announced funding worth £775m for research that ministers say will directly benefit NHS...

NICE advice on preventing scalds backed by study findings
Installing a thermostatic mixing valve in the home is an effective way of controlling bath water temperature and could help to reduce the...
Hospital shake-up 'needed to protect patients'-says Kings Fund
A major shake-up in hospital services - including the closure of some units - is essential in many parts of England to ensure patient...

Largest ever UK-wide study of babies and young children announced
A new £33.5 million project will follow 90,000 British children from birth to tell us more about the factors affecting the health...
New public health school launched
A new public health research school designed to build closer relations between researchers and practitioners across Public Health England and Local Authorities was...

New guidance to tackle alcohol problems
Over one million people in England are dependent on alcohol, but every year there are over 940,000 people who are either not seeking help, do not have access...
Streamlining research for health
Research into new and improved treatment for patients received a major boost today(Feb 23rd) when the Government announced the launch of a new model agreement...

Putting patient safety back at the heart of the NHS
Just 6 per cent of people in England who have an alcohol problem are receiving treatment for it, as NICE calls for screening and better access to...
Health leaders call for urgent action on public health shake-up
Following a Local Government Group summit, 10 leading public health bodies have issued a joint statement on the Government's Health...

Improved reporting shows wider prevalence of PVL
Reported cases of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) – a toxin associated with a bacteria known as Staphylococcus aureus – have increased 10 fold...
Hospitals to be told to 'stop child heart surgery'
A review of children's heart surgery is expected to recommend that at least four out of 11 units across England should stop...

Million children 'severely maltreated', says NSPCC
One in four people in the UK, aged between 18 and 24, claims to have experienced severe violence, sexual abuse or neglect as a child, says the...
Hospital admissions for alcohol due to rise to 1.5m per year by 2015
Rates of alcohol-related hospital admissions are due to rise to 1.5m per year by the end of this parliament if the Government...

Fuel billing system 'leading to deaths'
The system for calculating most domestic fuel bills in the UK is contributing to thousands of deaths each winter, public health experts...
Rejuvenated health visiting service will give children the very best start
Families with young children will be offered improved help and support thanks to ambitious new...

Why are Cancer rates increasing?
Although more and more women are surviving, breast cancer is the most common...
New HPA guidance on tackling emerging antibiotic resistance
New guidance has been developed by the HPA, in conjunction with the Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare...

Are your premises Functionally Suitable?
There has been a great deal in the press recently about “second rate healthcare” and some aspects of the healthcare estate have come in for criticism....
NHS risks falling behind on technology
A new NHS Confederation report says the over-reliance on treatment delivered through face-to-face contact means the NHS risks being stuck in the technological...

Insomnia damages relationships, according to study
Lack of sleep needs to be treated as a major health issue, according to a report published by the Mental Health...
School toilet guidance in Wales 'doesn't go far enough'
Guidance on school toilets in Wales does not do enough to cut the risk of dangerous bugs spreading, a watchdog...

Do the Government's proposed NHS reforms spell the end of the NHS?
In the run-up to last year's election, David Cameron repeatedly stressed how constant re-organisations of the NHS had been...
New medical centre brings military techniques to NHS
A ground-breaking research centre to enable medical techniques employed on the battlefield to be used on NHS patients has opened in...

Is noise relevant in sustainable development?
Sustainable Development discussions are often conducted exclusively in terms of saving energy and minimising carbon emissions, whether as direct...
RCGP responds to the Health and Social Care Bill
RCGP Chair Dr Clare Gerada has issued the College's response to the Government's Health and Social Care Bill

Patient-centred NHS a step closer to reality
Plans to modernise the National Health Service and put patients at the heart of everything it does were set out in the...
£20 million to bring breakthroughs from battlefield to bedside
Treatment of around 20,000 people who suffer major trauma each year is set to improve as the Government...

NHS IT plans require safeguards, says BMA
Plans to change the way healthcare information is collected, controlled and used will be difficult to achieve within the financial constraints on the NHS,...
Clegg unveils plan for couples to share maternity leave
The Deputy Prime Minister will this morning outline plans to allow couples to share maternity leave

Flu: follow DH advice, says RCN
The Royal College of Nursing has advised nursing staff to follow Department of Health advice and get the flu vaccination during the current influenza...
Weekly influenza report
Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) indicate that levels of seasonal flu may be starting to peak in England, Wales and...

Pharmacists at the heart of the community
In Liberating the NHS, the Government states an ambition to make the NHS ‘the envy of the world’. For this to happen, there has to be partnership...
hepatitis C sufferers benefit from new payment scheme
The support offered to individuals who contracted hepatitis C in England from NHS blood and blood products in the late 1970s and 1980s is to be...

Support vaccinations
Pharmacy Voice encourages health professionals to work together to support vaccination of at risk...
CQC says regulations don’t stop Boots giving flu vaccine to under-16s
Responding to comments from Boots, a Care Quality Commission (CQC) spokesperson...

£10 million to get women more active
Sport England today (January 6th ) revealed 20 sports projects that will benefit from a £10 million National Lottery fund to...
‘Let’s not continue in the same vein!’ – send peripheral cannula infection packing
Peripheral venous cannulation is one of the most commonly performed invasive procedures undertaken by...

Is noise, or silence, important in healthcare?
The Care Quality Commission 2009 Survey of Patients in NHS Hospitals revealed that patients' experiences had deteriorated or not improved with...
Old pandemic flu vaccines may plug shortfall
The government is considering using leftover vaccine from the swine flu pandemic to plug the shortfall in jabs this winter,...

Extra money to help people leaving hospital
Following a successful efficiency drive, the Department of Health is able to make an extra £162 million available to local...
Time to Get Healthy In 2011
Families will get more help this year to eat more healthily and get active thanks to the successful Change4Life healthy living brand, Health...

DH Coding for Success Review
The DH has published its own "Review of Coding for Success Implementation", undertaken by the Auto-ID and Patient Safety National Oversight Group...
Should the NHS invest in technology in the current climate to bring about efficiency gains?
The NHS has to make unprecedented efficiency savings in the next few years just to stay...

Have your Say on the New Service to Get People Healthy
The public is invited to have its say on how the new public health service – Public Health England – will look...
School Pupils to get active with £20 million fund
Up to £20 million of funding to help get the least active children more involved in school sport has been announced...

Ambulance response time to be scrapped
A target requiring ambulances in England to attend less urgent 999 calls within 19 minutes is expected to be scrapped by the...
The King's Fund comments on the government's next steps
Commenting on the government’s next steps in its plan to reform the NHS, published today, Chris Ham, chief...

Patients to benefit from new drug pricing system
Proposals that will in future enable more NHS patients to access innovative medicines were set out by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today (Dec...
Benefits of one-to-one cancer care revealed
One of the largest surveys of cancer patient experience sets out a roadmap for how the NHS can meet their needs, Care...

People want a nudge to healthier lifestyles
People around the world believe that governments should encourage them to lead healthier...
UK lags behind in new family fairness league table
The UK ranks in the bottom 4 in a groundbreaking new ‘Fairness in Families’ index showing countries’ ability to...

High time to match resources to local need
Directors of Adult social services welcome the approach outlined in the Public Health White Paper to focusing on health...
More than a quarter of people with HIV in the UK are 'undiagnosed'
The number of people living with HIV in the UK reached an estimated 86,500 in 2009, according to figures released by the Health...

A new service to get people healthy
A radical plan to go further and faster in tackling today’s causes of premature death and illness and reduce health inequalities,...
Councils in charge of healthy lifestyle drive
Councils are to be put in charge of encouraging healthier lifestyles under plans to be unveiled by ministers

Passive smoking 'kills 600,000' worldwide
The first global study into the effects of passive smoking has found it causes 600,000 deaths every year
Toddlers to get 'six in one' jabs
Young children are to be immunised against six diseases at once, the Government has confirmed

Smarter prescribing cuts C.diff
Speaking on European Antibiotic Awareness Day, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon...
Cutting salt intake could lead to a healthy heart
Eating smaller amounts of salt every day as a teenager could help to reduce high blood pressure and lower the risk of...

Get well soon without antibiotics!
A new drive to raise antibiotics awareness was launched today to remind the public that antibiotics do not work in treating viral...
Frontline NHS staff to control £900m services
housands of frontline NHS staff are taking control of the services they deliver in a drive to transform patient care and improve health outcomes,...

New cases of TB reach highest level for 30 years
Cases of tuberculosis in the UK have reached 9,040 in 2009 - the highest number in the UK for nearly 30 years while the...
Children with glue ear receiving best care
Doctors are successfully following NICE guidelines on the surgical management of glue ear, following a drive to boost...

Experts Agree New Mortality Indicator for the NHS
The method for calculating and using hospital mortality ratios across the NHS in England will change following a national...
Vitamin E risk of some strokes
Taking vitamin E could slightly increase the risk of a particular type of stroke, a study says

Children going into care
The experiences of children placed into care are revealed in a new report today. Among the experiences are many children not knowing that they...
Special baby care 'still failing'
Services caring for England’s premature and sick babies are still being stretched to the limit and not meeting minimum standards...

Alcohol 'more harmful than heroin' says Prof David Nutt
Alcohol is more harmful than heroin or crack, according to a expert study
Putting clocks back damages our health
Not putting the clocks back this weekend would help people exercise more and stay healthier, says an expert

First national guidance on bedwetting
Children under the age of seven should now be considered for treatment for bedwetting, as NICE signals a change to current...
Male cancer patients missing out on sperm banking
Many men - whose fertility may be at risk from cancer treatment - are being denied the chance to store their sperm, as...

More Help for Disadvantaged Families
Twice as many disadvantaged families and new mums and dads will get help from a programme which provides intensive support and home...
Report into use of antibacterials
Heath Secretary Nicola Sturgeon commented on the Antibacterial Primary Care Prescribing Indicators Annual Report 2009-10, published by...

Number diagnosed with diabetes rises
The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has increased by more than 150,000 to 2.8 million in the past year, warns...
4,200 new health visitors to boost young children's and families' health and wellbeing
Thousands more families will benefit from an increased number of health visitors...

The King's Fund response to the Comprehensive Spending Review
Responding to the Comprehensive Spending Review, John Appleby, chief economist at The King’s Fund, has...
Spending Review- Department Responses
In line with the Government’s commitment to protect health spending, overall NHS spending will increase by 0.4% in real terms...

Spending Review: Health to be ringfenced
The Health sector and aid overseas to be ringfenced, but welfare will bear the brunt of Osbourne's...
Reassurances offered to organ donors
A detailed review into how and why errors were made in recording the donation wishes of new would-be organ donors has been published...

HPA study helps in understanding cause of encephalitis
Health Protection Agency (HPA) scientists have shown that specific antibodies, which are produced by a patient's...
NHS launches choice and information revolution
Patients will have more choice and a louder voice under major proposals set out today by Health Secretary Andrew...

No plans to implement generic substitution of medicines
The Government has decided not to progress with plans for the generic substitution of medicines in primary care,...
NICE launches new quality standard
NICE has today (13 October) launched a new quality standard on specialist neonatal care services. These services are defined as...

Public Health in the Community
Following the success of the Healthy Communities Conference, in an exclusive article for Govtoday, Liam Hughes, National Adviser to the Healthy Communities Programme...
Innovative technology for medicine
Healthcare initiative could enhance UK position as a leader in the diagnosis & treatment of...

Claire Raynor dies age 79
Tributes have been paid to agony aunt Claire Rayner, who has died at the age of 79
Antimicrobial stewardship
Antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASP) can be promoted within a number of different settings – Government, hospital, care home, GP practice and by a number...

Delivering healthier communities
Are those who promote obesity surgery ignoring the risks and discounting other effective...
GPs should monitor use of obesity drugs
GPs are prescribing the anti-obesity drug orlistat in line with NICE recommendations, but many patients are being left on the...

Glowing success of winter safety scheme
Hundreds of extra deaths in winter could be prevented and thousands of pounds of NHS money saved by a pioneering winter safety...
Salt and fat content 'too high' in child hospital meals
Children who spend longer than two hours in front of a computer or television screen are more likely to suffer...

Too much screen time 'risks children's mental health'
Children who spend longer than two hours in front of a computer or television screen are more likely to suffer...
Delivering Health and Wellbeing locally
In an Exclusive interview with GovToday, Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council , talks to Editor , Scott Buckler, about enabling...

A health start begins at home
Families should have the choice to buy frozen fruit and veg for a Healthy Start
ME patients face UK ban on donating blood
Patients with ME will no longer be able to donate blood in the UK under new safety guidelines

Fruit and Veg for mums to be
Fresh fruits and vegetables consumed 3 months before pregnancy reduces chance of an SGA baby
Annual flu season begins
The beginning of October marks the start of the annual 'flu season' which will continue through to April...

NHS to track wider range of infections
NHS patients are set to get more access to a wider range of information about healthcare associated infections in a drive to...
New Permanent Secretary for Department of Health
The Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, Sir Gus O'Donnell, is pleased to announce the appointment of Una...

Call for postnatal care improvement
A shocking new report by NCT, the UK’s largest parenting charity, shows new mums are left unprepared and unsupported by the NHS...
NHS 'freezes out' private firms
Patients are being denied potentially better, more timely treatment because of an NHS culture that demands loyalty to the family of NHS...

What are the barriers to hygiene innovation in the NHS?
A cry for help! It is understandable that healthcare professionals may get a little bit initiative weary, but...
The Importance of Understanding Dyslexia or ‘Hidden’ Disability
Managers need to have an understanding of dyslexia if workplaces are to be inclusive and comply with equality and disability...

Cancer patients to get greater access
Cancer patients will have greater access to cancer drugs that their doctors recommend for them due to an extra £50 million in...
Free flu jabs announced by DH
People at risk of seasonal flu are encouraged to protect themselves by getting their annual free flu jabs, the Department of Health said...

Investigation indicates a bean sprout link with Salmonella cases
The HPA is strongly advising caterers and the public to heed the Food Standards Agency’s advice that...
Smoking link to ectopic pregnancy
Scientists have discovered why women who smoke have a higher risk of developing ectopic pregnancies

Incentives could encourage weight loss
Incentive systems could be an effective way of encouraging people to change their unhealthy lifestyles providing that certain...
Reducing HCAIs- The Role of the BIA
The British Infection Association was formed through the merger of the British Infection Society with the Association of Medical Microbiologists, and is...

Controlling Legionnaires disease
Following the recent outbreak of Legionnaires disease in South Wales, GovToday invited the Health Protection Agency to discuss the work they are conducting...
Superbugs could be widespread on Farms
Scientists speaking today will reveal shocking new levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in intensively reared farm animals that...

HPA address Salmonella
The Health Protection Agency with support from Health Protection Scotland, the Food Standards Agency and Environmental Health Officers is...
Vulnerable pregnant women
Too many women faced with difficult social circumstances are not accessing or engaging with maternity services with potential negative...

Seagulls may spread superbugs
Scientists fear migratory birds may be spreading hard-to-treat infections after discovering seagulls can carry antibiotic-resistant...
HPA investigates a national outbreak of salmonella
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has investigated an on-going national outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium DT8

Mental Health still suffering
Some people who use community mental health services in England are still not getting the care and support that fully meets their needs......
Maternity could cost UK
Extending maternity leave to 20 weeks at full pay in the UK alone will be a staggering €3 billion (£2.5 billion) per annum...

Vision for children set out
Cultural shift required
A huge cultural shift is required...

Tackling obesity in children
Is focusing on healthy eating and physical activity behaviours the most appropriate way to prevent and manage weight gain in children and...
Health risks from exposure to radiation
The Health Protection Agency is leading a pioneering research project into the health risks from exposure to ionising radiation...

Health effects of air pollution
Experts at the Health Protection Agency say that current methods of reporting the health effects of air pollution are outdated and need...
HPA dishes the dirt on dish cloths
Research by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that over half the cleaning cloths used in restaurant and take-away...

Scientists reveal new immunotherapy treatment option for C.Difficile
New research will show how an alternative approach for treating and preventing Clostridium difficile...
Meningitis B vaccine trial data is "promising"
MENINGITIS UK has welcomed the latest results from a trial being carried out to test a future vaccine for the deadly...

Botox industry register launched
Independent Healthcare Advisory Service Register of Injectable Cosmetic Providers an appropriate measure to safe guard patients
Keeping up your energy
It is estimated that approximately 3.4 million people aged 6-16 years in England and Scotland regularly participated in football, rugby or field hockey (i.e. team...

Surgery for obese could 'save millions of pounds
Following NICE guidance on bariatric surgery could save the economy hundreds of millions of pounds and the NHS around...
Depression affects a fifth of all fathers
A fifth of fathers and more than a third of mothers experience depression before their child turns 12 years old, with the...

What is the role of the single use Tourniquet?
In 2000 Golder et al. concluded in the Lancet that the use of re-usable tourniquets in hospitals contravenes hospital cross infection policy1. ...
Update on outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in South Wales
Public Health Wales, in collaboration with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environmental Health...

Mother’s care is key to a big brain
The evolution of big-brained mammals may be due to maternal investment, rather than metabolism, according to a new study by...
Long working hours can kill men
Unfit men who work long hours more likely to die from heart disease, says new study

Smoking in pregnancy linked to fertility problems
Smoking during early pregnancy can have an adverse affect on the fertility of the baby in later life, a study has...
Drinks lift for sports teams
Consuming energy drinks during team sports could help young people perform better, a study suggests

Poor public awareness highlights radiotherapy's 'Cinderella' status
Only one in ten people know that radiotherapy helps cure forty per cent of cancer patients according...
Alcohol-related harm on the increase in North West
The Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE 2010) are released by the North West Public Health Observatory, based in...

New 111 Service to Replace NHS Direct Service
The government has confirmed it is planning to scrap the NHS Direct telephone service in...
Ministers hear views on NHS White Paper
Andrew Lansley and his Ministerial team have started a tour of England to hear first-hand the views on the NHS White Paper...

Blackout cases maybe being missed say NICE
People who experience spontaneous blackouts may be missing out on an accurate and timely diagnosis of their symptoms because...
STIs reach almost half a million
New figures released by the Health Protection Agency show that 15 to 24 year olds, particularly young women, continue to be the group...

Public backs NICE's call for clearer labelling
Over three-quarters of the public support NICE’s recommendation to introduce clear labelling to food and drink...
Achieving high standards in Healthcare Cleaning
Achieving a high standard of cleanliness is the biggest single factor in successfully reducing the indirect transmission of healthcare acquired...

NHS organisations to be named
NHS organisations will, for the first time, be named in this year’s report on the uptake of NICE-approved drugs on the NHS in England, to...
111- is the magic number
A new three-digit number - 111 - will make it easier for patients to access non-emergency NHS healthcare wherever they are, 24 hours a day

More smokers quitting than ever, but rates still too high
More smokers than ever are making use of free NHS Stop Smoking Services to help them quit smoking...
‘legal highs’ face immediate ban
Swifter action to tackle new ‘legal highs’ through temporary bans was promised by James...

Drop in teenage smokers
The number of 16- and 17-year-old smokers has dropped since it became illegal to sell cigarettes to under-18s according to new UCL research...
Bacteria can 'smell' their environment, research shows
Bacteria are well-known to be the cause of some of the most repugnant smells on earth, but now scientists have...

Mixed sex accomodation questioned by Lansley
Tens of thousands of patients are still being placed in mixed sex accommodation every year without clinical justification,...
Hospitals fail to act on safety alerts
CQC has been working closely with the Department of Health and the National Patient Safety Agency...

Ditch the pies for a healthy half-time snack
Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea are joined by Premier league newcomers Blackpool when it comes to having the healthiest...
Malaria: it’s not just for the stars
81 percent of malaria cases in UK residents are from visiting friends and family...

Cancer and Infection Control at risk across the NHS
Monitor have reviewed over 129 NHS foundation trusts and found that there are increased financial risks taking place...
NICE consults on draft guideline on food allergies in children
NICE has opened the consultation on its draft clinical guideline on the diagnosis and assessment of food...

Autism in adults diagnosed by quick, new brain scan
Scientists funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) have developed a pioneering new method of diagnosing autism...
New 'superbug' found in UK hospitals
A new superbug that is resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics has entered UK hospitals, experts have warned today...

Speaking the truth about MRSA
At June’s Reducing HCAIs 2010 conference “A Health Economy Approach to Quality Care” our Patron Edwina Currie gave a presentation on the effects...
Hospital superbugs
The number of people in Scotland who died in 2009 from Clostridium difficile has fallen by 44 per cent, according to the latest figures from the...

Public health funerals costing councils £1.56m a year
A new report published by the Local Government Association reveals councils across England and Wales spent £1.56...
Review of Dr Foster Intelligence
The future of Dr Foster Intelligence, one of the UK’s main providers of information, analysis and targeted communications to health...

Unhealthy parents put their children’s lives at risk
Parents who smoke in front of their children or feed them junk food are consigning the younger generation to a...
UK aid to combat malaria
The Government is set to put the fight against malaria at the forefront of aid efforts in Africa, International Development Secretary Andrew...

Big society boost for NHS enterprises
A scheme that puts NHS staff in the driving seat of innovative projects to transform patient care was given a boost by Care...
HIV infection up 60 per cent in over 50s
Health Protection Agency (HPA) scientists have found that HIV infections diagnosed in the...

Food Standards Agency to keep crucial safety role
Public confidence in food safety issues will be protected, as the Government confirmed its intention to retain the Food Standards Agency (FSA) with...
Pressure Ulcers: a proactive solution?
Pressure ulcers or bed sores seem to be very much a Cinderella condition. According to the Royal College of Nursing (2005), the costs of treatment in the UK...

Improving outcomes forNHS patients
Detailed proposals for how the NHS will improve healthcare outcomes for patients and judge its success have been set...
NICE's medical technologies programme issues first guidance
The first piece of guidance has been published from NICE’s new medical technologies programme, set up to help the NHS adopt efficient...

MRSA and C. difficile infections fall by a third- But work still to be done
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has today ( 16th July ) published its annual figures on MRSA (meticillin-resistant...
Study confirms vaccine could prevent more cases of cervical cancers
Scientists at the Health Protection Agency (HPA), the University of Manchester and the Manchester Royal Infirmary have found...

£4 million boost for patients to control their healthcare
A pilot scheme that offers patients more choice and control over their healthcare was given a £4 million boost today by Care Services...
MRSA vs Hospital Dust
How effective are the current maintenance and cleaning of ventilation and air-conditioning systems in combating MRSA and other HCAI in British...

Long-term survival from once-deadly cancers doubles
People diagnosed with breast, bowel and ovarian cancers and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are today twice as likely to survive for at least 10...
New therapy brings results for troubled young people
Re-offending in troubled and aggressive young people can be significantly cut using a pioneering new mental health approach known as...

Health Secretary announces redevelopment of West Cumberland Hospital
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has announced his support for providing up to £70 million in Department of Health funding for...
HPA issues new advice on radon
A new initiative to reduce concentrations of radon in UK homes has been launched by the Health Protection Agency

NHS services ‘failing to support people who self-harm’
Many people who harm themselves are failing to receive the help they need because of a ‘patchy’ provision of services across the UK...
Health Secretary sets out future of public health
In his first speech on Public Health, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today set out his vision for a new Public Health Service that will release...

Differences in the nation's health revealed
A snapshot of health for each local area comparing key statistics such as life expectancy, deprivation and early deaths from stroke and heart disease has...
NICE announces first topic for diagnostics assessment programme
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today announced the first diagnostic technology - a new x-ray...

Health Protection Agency to investigate lead poisoning among children
Scientists at the Health Protection Agency (HPA) are teaming up with the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU) to...
Charity hammers home the dangers of asbestos
Nearly half (47 per cent) of homeowners who do DIY in their properties do not realise that asbestos was used as a building material in homes as recently...

Assessing the impact of proposed new policies
The Department of Health has made a serious attempt to tackle the health of the nation. But, according to a National Audit Office report published...
Progress made in tackling youth alcohol misuse but still more to do, say inspectors
Youth offending teams (YOTs) have made good progress in identifying and addressing alcohol misuse in children and...

Improvements made at Basildon and Thurrock NHS Trust but more needed, says CQC
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) announced today (Tuesday) that it has removed two of the five conditions that it...
Design Council reaction to secretary of state for health speech
The Design Council has welcomed last weeks landmark announcement by the Secretary of State for Health, that patients will be active...

Ten years on, Wellcome Trust launches study of 10 000 human genomes in UK
On the tenth anniversary of the completion of the first draft of the human genome - a draft that took ten years to complete...
Pledge to children with life-threatening conditions
A renewed commitment to help children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions was made by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley at the...

Business models for eHealth
The final report of the 'Business Models for eHealth study' funded by the ICT for Health unit of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Information Society...
Lives can be saved if we cut the fat
Tens of thousands of lives could be saved, and millions of people spared the suffering of living with the effects of heart disease and stroke, simply by...

Scope calls for online voting to end discrimination against disabled voters
A new report by the disability charity found that 67 per cent of polling stations surveyed in May failed a basic...
Health Protection Agency warns fly fishermen of rabies risk from Daubenton’s bats
As the fly fishing season begins, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) is warning anglers not to handle any bats...

Diabetes care improves, but patients still missing out on key tests
More people with diabetes are now receiving all nine of the key tests for diabetes care recommended by NICE, but thousands are...
MEPs set out clearer and more consistent food labelling rules
Food labels should feature mandatory nutritional information and guideline daily amounts, according to draft EU legislation as adopted...

Supporting independent living through Technology
In an exclusive interview with GovToday, Jackie Marshall- Cyrus, Lead Specialist for Assisted Living at the Technology Strategy Board discusses...
Britains biggest Hospital is opened
Patients began moving into Britain’s biggest new hospital this morning as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) opened for...

20 per cent increase in kidney failure among people with diabetes
Diabetes UK is concerned to hear that between 2003 and 2009 there was a 20 per pent increase in people with diabetes needing...
Health Protection Agency welcomes publication of Griffin report
The Health Protection Agency has welcomed the report of the independent investigation into the outbreak of E.coli O157 at Godstone...

Legionnaires’ disease alert
A preliminary HPA study, published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, has found an association between not using screen wash in wiper fluid and the risk of...
Doctors should use NICE guidance to tackle health inequalities
Doctors should focus on tackling health inequalities as part of their everyday practice, a report by the Royal College of Physicians...

GP leader names his NHS savings
Parts of NHS Direct, the Choose and Book service and the current ‘consent to view’ model of the Summary Care Record should all be reviewed to save money in the...
NHS Trusts that provided care to Baby Peter have improved systems to ensure children are protected
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) today (Wednesday) published a report showing the four trusts...

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust improves cleanliness and infection control, says regulator
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has made necessary improvements to cleanliness and infection...
CQC publish response to the Secretary of State for health’s announcement
CQC’s response to the Secretary of State for health’s announcement of a public inquiry into Mid Staffordshire NHS...

Health Secretary sets out ambition for a culture of patient safety in the NHS
In his first speech since taking up the post, the Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, said he would put his heart and...
Get match fit for the World Cup
Football fans across the country can find out if they are match fit from today with the launch of a new NHS World Cup fitness...

Nurses can help tackle maternal mortality
Nursing staff will be delighted the government recognises the contribution that nursing can make to maternal mortality, says the Royal College of...
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley responds to the NICE guidance on drinking
Responding to the NICE guidance on preventing harmful drinking, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has...

Weekly Infection stats give power to patients
As part of the Government’s radical agenda for setting government data free, patients and the public will be given more up-to-date information about...
NICE calls for minimum pricing for alcohol
A minimum price for a unit of alcohol should be introduced to help tackle the rise in problem drinking in Britain, says...

Safer Care: Can you afford it?
As the NHS moves into a period of financial restraint, the temptation to cut corners, eliminate non-core activity and strip cash from services is increasingly...
Cigarette smoking ‘could increase risk of depression’
New research published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests smoking could increase the risk of...

CQC and HMIP call for improvements in healthcare for adults in the prison system
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) are calling for improvements in...
RCN: Strengthen alcohol code
The Royal College of Nursing is calling for tighter regulation on the labelling, sales and advertising of alcohol in the...

'Brain-cooling' treatment can save newborn babies deprived of oxygen from severe disability and death
A procedure which involves “cooling” newborn babies who are at risk of severe disability or...
NICE recommends gefitinib for non small cell lung cancer
In draft guidance, published recently NICE recommends gefitinib (Iressa) as an option for the first-line treatment of people with locally...

Warm every patient – it makes economic sense
How many surgical site infections (SSIs) did your hospital record last year and what costs did you incur to treat them? Conversely, how many...
Protect frontline services, says RCN
The Royal College of Nursing is calling for frontline services to be protected as Chancellor George Osborne announces that £6.2 billion of...

Minister launches seven steps to cleanliness in care homes
As part of the drive to reduce infections across all health and social care environments, the Health Minister has extended a poster...
Big improvements in hospital cleanliness and mixed-sex accommodation
A major survey of 69,000 NHS hospital inpatients points to big improvements in cleanliness and a decline in mixed-sex...

Health Secretary outlines vision for locally led NHS service changes
The NHS must make sure that patient outcomes and clinical evidence are at the heart of any changes to health services,...
The Coalition: Social Care and Disability
The Government believes that people needing care deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We understand the urgency of...

Maternity leave for self-employed
EU Member States should grant standard social protection, including at least 14 weeks' maternity leave allowance, for...
Food Dudes’ wins Gold at Chief Medical Officer's Public Health Awards 2010
Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, has announced the winners of the Chief Medical Officer’s Public Health...

Sally Davies takes up chief medical officer role
Professor Dame Sally Davies will take up the role of Chief Medical Officer following the departure of Sir Liam Donaldson at the end of...
Nurse-led interventions can help 40 per cent of alcoholics to abstain from alcohol
Regular information and advice sessions from alcohol specialist nurses could help 40 per cent of dependent...

Don't victimise Whistle-blowers
The BMA in Scotland called on the Government to ensure that doctors who raise concerns about patient safety...
Community Hospitals go green
NHS Cumbria’s Community Hospitals in North Cumbria have been recognised for their eco-friendly...

Midwives welcome new Government and call for continued investment in midwives
Midwives welcome new Government and call for continued investment in...
Lansley offically appointed as Health secretary
Andrew Lansley CBE was appointed yesterday as Secretary of State for Health. Mr Lansley is the MP for South...

Make safety concerns information public, says RCN
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) today said the public should be able to view a list of NHS workers’ concerns about patient...
Efficiency in NHS is increased by specialist nurses
Every rheumatology specialist nurse increases efficiency in the NHS by a quarter of a million pounds each year...

RCM welcome Lansley
Andrew Lansley appointment is welcomed by the Royal College...
Midwives welcome new Government and call for continued investment in midwives
Midwives welcome new Government and call for continued investment in...

New strategy and delivery plan to tackle child poverty in Wales
A major new strategy and delivery plan setting out how the Welsh Assembly Government intends to tackle child poverty in...
Four out of five children don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables
Four out of five children are eating less than the recommended five portions of fruits and vegetables a day, a cancer charity has...

Nuts could help lower cholesterol levels
Eating nuts could help lower cholesterol, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal...
Scientists discover five new genetic sites that increase breast cancer risk
Scientists have found five new regions of the genome that increase a woman’s risk of developing breast...

European Council adopts rules to prevent injuries to healthcare workers
The Council of European Union today adopted a directive aimed at achieving the safest possible working environment for...
Quality Strategy gives more time to care
Every health board in Scotland is to introduce a scheme to free up more nurses' time for direct patient...

NHS ''wasted'' £54m on food schemes
Professor Tim Lang , a leading expert in food policy and prominent government adviser, joined campaigners to...
Patients hold the key to NHS solutions
As we wait to hear who will govern the UK, the charity National Voices calls on the new government to put...

European Medicines Agency should review refusal to release reports on adverse drug reactions
The European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, has called on the European Medicines Agency...
Ostracised, outcast and shunned
Over two million women in Africa suffer from incontinence caused by obstetric fistula...

Cancer: MEPs urge more detection and prevention
With more than 3 million new cases and 1.7 million deaths each year, cancer is the second biggest cause of death in...
Visiting ban at Gloucestershire's Hospitals
Two of Gloucestershire's main hospitals have asked visitors to stay away after an outbreak of a vomiting...

Rural Affairs Minister strengthens efforts to eradicate bovine TB
The Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones has laid legislation to further strengthen the Welsh Assembly Government’s...
TV chef backs hospital food project for older people
Pioneering research from the University of Reading is being used to enhance the taste of hospital...

Environment can override children's natural urge to exercise
Children may inherit the urge to exercise, but their environment often stops them from doing so, say Cancer Research UK...
Should Heroin be made available on the NHS?
Should heroin be made available on the NHS as a treatment for drug...

majority of Europeans support public policies aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm
Alcohol consumption in the European Union is at a similar level to four years ago, a Eurobarometer survey...
Latest update on the volcanic ash plume
There is no change today to current health protection advice following latest information provided by the Met...

Food for Thought
Childhood obesity is one of the most significant long-term health problems facing us today. One in three children is overweight or obese making...
Lower GI foods could help reduce risk of heart disease in women
Initial research from scientists suggests that eating carbohydrates with high glycemic index appears...

Patients Association Manifesto Survey 2010
The Patients Association is launching a survey to present the incoming Government with a “compass” for their...
Today is an important day for all children and young people
As Parliament dissolves, quick decisions need to be made on pending Bills - But they also need to be the right...

New tobacco controls proposed
New measures to protect children and young people from the harm caused by smoking have been unveiled by the Welsh Assembly...
Putting patients in the driving seat for hospital transport
New proposals to improve non-emergency patient transport services and make them more...

Minister launches £1m Rural Health Innovation Fund
Welsh Health Minister Edwina Hart has launched the £1m Rural Health Innovation Fund to improve...
RCN welcomes children’s palliative care funding
The Royal College of Nursing welcomes the announcement of a £30 million scheme for the care of children in England...

£2 million for veterans' mental health services
£2m of new funding to help improve mental health services and access to the best possible NHS services in...
BETTER PROTECTION FOR PATIENTS HAVING ‘MOT’ SCANS
Companies advertising Computerised Tomography (CT) scans as an “MOT” for people who have no relevant symptoms...

GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW THE FUND FOR HEPATITIS C SUFFERERS
The scheme known as the Skipton Fund, which makes payments to those infected with hepatitis C...
£40M boost for end of life care
People nearing the end of their lives will benefit from better quality care, more dignity and more privacy, thanks...

Blackburn with Darwen praised
A team from Ofsted carried out a unannounced safeguarding inspection in March, and concluded there were...
Same-sex hospital wards "virtually"achieved
Around ninety-five percent of trusts are expected to publish statements today to confirm that they have virtually...

The Health Profile of England in 2009
First published in 2006, the Health Profile of England provides a collation of national and regional data to provide...
Launch of the National Care Service
In the biggest change to the welfare state since the creation of the NHS, everyone who needs care when they are old...

Changing attitudes to mental illness
Since March 1994, the Department of Health has placed a set of questions on TNS’s Face-to-Face Consumer...
£4 million investment in Scottish telecare
Plans to use technology to help increasing numbers of older people to live at home for longer are being advanced...

Grandparents as influential as professional advisers
Couples with children whose relationships are breaking up are as likely to discuss separation issues with their...
Organ transplant allocation rules made more flexible
Organ donors will in future be allowed to donate their organs to a family member or close friend in need of a...

HCAI Surveillance Priorities in England
ARHAI has produced the attached report in response to a request from the Department for advice on surveillance...
Better Health and social care workforce planning
A new organisation is being set up to help NHS and social care bodies plan their workforce...

Will you be a "Skills for care" winner ?
Nominations are now open for the Skills for Care Accolades, celebrating best practice and innovation in social care...
Second wave of NHS trusts registered with CQC
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has announced plans to give a further 211 NHS trusts a licence to provide...

A new ambition in C.difficile prevention across the NHS
A new C.difficile objective will be introduced to drive down infections even further and ensure that all NHS...
Teenagers in the dark on diseases
Older teens urged to check vaccine status due to a high number of mumps cases in 2009. Over a third (35...

Commitment to eradicate child poverty now law
The Government’s historic commitment to end the blight of child poverty has been enshrined in legislation. The Child...
First ever framework for mental well-being launched
A framework for developing well-being by adopting a broad-based public health approach to maintaining good mental...

£250m support for medical innovation
The Prime Minister and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson have announced £250 million investment in...
NHS to expand in the global market
The NHS could generate additional funding from other countries and organisations using its knowledge and...

UK Pandemic response to be reviewed
A strategic and independent review of the UK response to swine flu has been announced by the...
Health inequalities persist in coalfields
A major new report into health inequalities in ex-coalfield / industrial communities was published at the UKPHA...

Budget 2010: Health efficiency savings
The Department of Health and the NHS announced that it will deliver £4.35bn of savings, as their...
HFEA chief executive announced
Prof Lisa Jardine, Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has announced that the...

Stroke survivors in rural areas seek better services
The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) has given stroke survivors in rural areas the opportunity to comment...
Physicians state: bigger taxes needed on Tobacco
Ahead of the Chancellor’s budget on 24th March 2010 and the subsequent debates, the Royal College of...

First ‘Health and Criminal Justice tsar’ announced
Professor Louis Appleby will be the first National Clinical Director for Health and Criminal Justice. The move...
Learning disabilities health care standards launched
Two investigations into the standards of care for people with learning disabilities have...

New designs transform patients’ privacy and dignity
Revolutionary ‘bed pods’ and screening systems, modular toilets and washrooms and a redesigned patient...
Building better health services i Scotland
Capital funding of over £557 million for NHS buildings and the upgrade of equipment and IT systems in...

Online resource launched for Valuing Employment Now
A new online resource hub to help people with moderate and severe learning disabilities into...
New research on acute trauma
Up to £10 million of funding to research the affects of acute trauma, particularly for military personnel has been announced...

Early deaths from air pollution shame UK
Air pollution on UK streets is contributing to tens of thousands of early deaths each year and the Government is...
MRSA and C. difficile quarterly update
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has published a quarterly epidemiological commentary on trends of...

Action to end the wheelchair postcode lottery
People throughout the country who need wheelchairs will be helped by large-scale pilot projects in the East of England...
Most PCTs cannot account for dementia spend
More than two thirds of primary care trusts (PCTs) in England are unable to say if or how they spent money...

Time to move: the major benefit of physical activity
Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, published his 2009 Annual Report, in which he states...
New patient data has the power to transform health
One year on from the NHS becoming the first national health system in the world to routinely collect...

Local NHS to trial new ways to improve dental services
At least 30 NHS dental practices will shortly be trialling new ways to improve services for patients with improved access...
A review of public health performance and spending
This briefing estimates that £21 billion of NHS funds has been allocated in 2009/10 on the basis of health...

Call for employers to be ‘carer friendly’
Business, Government and charity leaders have backed better support for staff who balance a job with caring...
NHS to better help victims of violence
A new group has been set up to help the NHS provide improved healthcare for women and children who are victims...

Child protection reforms risk weakening safety net
An increase in rules and targets supposed to improve child protection is instead overloading stretched social work...
Health at the centre of the fight against climate change
The danger and cost of climate change to the health of Europeans is at the forefront of the debate as the fifth Ministerial...

A new iPhone app that helps people to stop smoking
To coincide with ’No Smoking Day’ on the 10 March, the Department of Health released the first official NHS ‘Quit Smoking’...
Record numbers seeking jobs in social care
Employers across the social care sector can access a huge recruitment pool as record numbers of...

Teachers to lead in preventing violence
Teachers and professionals working with children and young people will have new support and guidance to...
£8million campaign to catch cancer early
Local NHS organisations will receive £8 million to fund campaigns that improve early diagnosis of...

Are Government penalties for hospitals hindering, rather than helping, the control of C. difficile?
In recent years, C. difficile has increasingly become perceived as a major threat to...
Inactive children get help to move more
A new team of specially trained coaches are being deployed to help children become more active - setting them on the...

More focus on mental health and learning disabilities
When the National Health Service was created in 1948, the concept of social care as we know it today did not...
Autistic adults can live independent lives
The first strategy to help adults with autism in England live independently, in a society that understands...

Brits are ‘all talk-no action’ when it comes to health
When it comes to our health and wellbeing, Britain is a nation of ‘all talk and no action’ according to a...
Scotland to become an 'active nation'
A major new campaign, Active Nation , aimed at improving Scotland's health record has been...

Have bike will travel to better health
An unprecedented investment in cycling has improved the public’s health in six Cycling Demonstration...
People with dementia shunned through ignorance
One in three admit to avoiding people with dementia and over half say they don’t know how to...

Beer or peer pressure to drink more?
Over 1 in 5 blame beer pressure for drinking more, but pressure to drink could be all in the...
MRSA HCAIs: Best strategies and practices on the 'Trajectory towards Zero Tolerance'
Since the early 1990s, MRSA infections have increasingly gained public attention. Following numerous...

Hospital malnutrition deaths tip of iceberg
The end of year report from the Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board has highlighted the number of deaths in the...
Mid -Staff Hospital Trust risks being de-authorised
The Government has accepted all the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation...

Experts unite to boost dementia research
Leading voices from dementia research have met for the first time to drive up the volume, quality and...
Helping hand for care and support housing
Older people needing care and support will benefit from new and refreshed local housing strategies that promote...

New Materials Launched to Support Learners and Carers
Continued learning can have an overwhelmingly positive impact on older people’s health, confidence and...
The Healthy NHS Board: Good Governance
The NHS National Leadership Council has launched The Healthy NHS Board: Principles for Good Governance, highlighting...

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease plans
Patients, staff and stakeholders are being invited to share their views on a strategy to tackle the growing problem of Chronic...
People visiting dentists highest for ten years
Commenting on dental access data from the NHS Information Centre, Health Minister Ann Keen...

Tackling the obesity epidemic: in Scotland
Public Health Minister Shona Robison has launched a strategy aimed at tackling Scotland's 'Obesity Time...
NHS to provide more care at home
Measures to shape NHS services around individual patients were set out today by Health Secretary Andy...

New campaign to help adults lose their spare tyres
More than one million mums already making healthier choices with Change4Life. They say their families are eating...
NPSA’s response to AvMA report
The NPSA’s Director of Patient Safety, Dr Suzette Woodward, said: "Maintaining high levels of patient safety across the NHS...

Organ donors wanted:Sign up to save a life
A campaign aiming to increase the number of organ donors in Scotland has been launched...
Diabetes care continues to improve
Care for people with diabetes has continued to improve according to a new report . The sixth annual update on...

85 percent of drinks not labelled properly
The drinks industry is failing to adhere to a voluntary agreement with Government on alcohol labels and just 15 percent of...
Meat industry accused of misleading statements
World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has accused the British meat industry of misleading the public by...

Joined-up health and social care essential
Services have steadily improved overall but rising demand and pressure on finances make reform essential, says new regulator
Better dental care plans to be implemented
A new group has been set up to oversee the implementation of the Steele Review recommendations to...

Minister approves Care Trust Plus
The secretary of state for health, Andy Burnham, has announced his approval of the plan to create an NHS Care Trust...
Fairer health in the future : new goals
A major report on tackling health inequalities for the next 10 years and beyond has been welcomed by the Secretary of...

Help for thousands seriously injured at work
Thousands of people with serious industrial diseases who miss out because they cannot trace their employers’ insurance...
Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet:
This statistical report presents a range of information on obesity, physical activity and diet,...

Cancer patients call for more local services
The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) has given cancer patients in rural areas the chance to comment...
Social care at home plans are unfunded
Lead councillors from over half of England's local authorities have condemned the government's free personal care...

Blueprint for patient care quality
A blueprint for improving the quality of care patients receive from the NHS in Scotland has been announced....
David Gray: CQC response to inquest
Christine Braithwaite, head of investigation and enforcement at the CQC responds to the coroner's inquest on the...

Anthrax alert for London heroin users
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) and NHS London can confirm that a drug injecting heroin user has tested...
CBI calls for innovation in healthcare
Smarter service provision could improve patient care and save £15bn. The CBI calls for a major shift in the way healthcare...

Major trauma care in England
"Current services for people who suffer major trauma are not good enough. There is unacceptable variation...
Health improvements in children
This report assesses the local implementation of national policy from 1999 to 2009 on the health of children from...

£4.5 million injection for regenerative medicine
Over 40 British companies are to receive more than £4.5 million from the Technology Strategy Board to support...
Innovation to be at the heart of care and support services
A sensor that switches on the lights when you get out of bed, a temperature detector to stop your house getting too...

Health programme helps doctors back to work
NHS Practitioner Health Programme helps more than three in four clinicians to stay in or return to work
Co-operative effort need to beat Clostridium difficile
Clinicians, patients and the public must work together to prevent antibiotic resistant infections taking hold - while...

Hospital Infection Society votes to change name
An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Hospital Infection Society was held on 29 January 2010 to...
Implementing Stroke Strategy has improved lives
"Care for people who have had a stroke has significantly improved since we reported in 2005. The publication...

New report reveals true impact of dementia on UK
Dementia affects 820,000, costing the UK £23 billion each year – Alzheimer’s Research Trust study....
Winning the battle against Clostridium difficile
Clinicians, patients and the public must work together to prevent antibiotic resistant infections taking hold - while...

Venous thromboembolism - reducing the risk
Reducing the risk of venous thromboembolism (deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) hospital patients...
Male breast reduction nearly doubles
The economy may have been sagging but the nation still found ways to remain uplifted during 2009, according to the...

Shingles vaccine for over seventies moves a step closer
Up to four million could benefit from protection. People aged between 70 and 79 could be offered protection against...
A Smoke-free Future: more constraints promised
An ambitious new strategy will halve the number of smokers, from 21 to 10 per cent of the population by...

Young people's sexual health and Chlamydia screening
7th Report of the Committee of Public Accounts Session 2009-10 Edward Leigh MP, Chairman of the Committee...
New NHS Campaign Reveals Unseen Alcohol Damage
More than half of drinkers think only binge drinking harms their health. A new campaign backed by major health...

End of the road for tobacco displays
Moves to make smoking less attractive to children were today approved by the Scottish Parliament. MSPs voted to...
Hospital hand washing reaches 94 percent
Compliance with hand washing procedures in Scottish hospitals now stands at 94 per cent, according to the latest...

Dance to health with Diversity
Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity, are joining forces with the Department of Health to launch a Government...
Life Sciences Super Cluster Announced
The Government has plans for a new UK Life Sciences Super Cluster, supported by £1 million of Government...

Preventative mental health services must improve
We have published the results of the ‘Count me in' census 2009 - a mental-health patient ethnicity monitoring...
Ditch that car and walk to school once a week
A scheme that encourages families to ditch the car and walk their children to school at least once a week will receive an...

Scotland's largest brewer backs minimum pricing
In a statement, Mike Lees, Managing Director of Tennent Caledonian Breweries, said he believed that minimum pricing...
'unfair and unethical' access to NHS weight loss surgery
Access to NHS weight-loss surgery is ‘inconsistent, unethical and completely dependent on geographical...

Nuffield Trust correction on NHS comparisions
The think-tank which issued a report comparing the NHS in the four UK nations has now issued a statement...
NHS England best within UK for productivity
The Nuffield trust has published a fresh report which indicates that the NHS in England has more activity...

Progress on privacy and dignity in NHS hospitals
Top British designers and architects are working with the NHS to improve the experience of patients in...
Health inequalities to be everybody’s business
A new programme in thirty areas of the country will support the health service and local public sector organisations to work...

Pupils to debate organ donation
The family of a young girl who donated her organs for transplant after a brain haemorrhage attended the launch...
Children to be offered better protection against disease
Protection against scepticaemia and pneumococcal meningitis will be boosted from 7 to 13 strains...

RCM comments on CQC report on Milton Keynes
Commenting on the Care Quality Commission report into maternity services at Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation...
‘Faked pandemics, a threat to health’
“Faked pandemics: a threat to health” will be one of the major themes of the next plenary session of the Parliamentary...

Regulation of support workers
Commenting on the Nursing and Midwifery Council announcement that it is commissioning research...
Midwife numbers still playing catch-up
Commenting on the Nursing and Midwifery Council Report on Local Supervising Authorities’ annual reports, now published ...

Concerns on "False positives" in prostrate cancer
Prostate cancer screening trial raises concerns about 'false positive' results. A large European trial has cast...
Better ways sought to handle complaints
Welsh Assembly: Health Minister seeks views on regulations for better ways of handling NHS concernsDraft...

Improving dementia services in England - interim report
The Department of Health has developed an ambitious and comprehensive strategy for dementia. However, there has not...
Competition panel to rule on "NHS as preferred provider"
ACEVO takes case against " NHS as preferred supplier" to the DoH' own Co-operation and Competition Panel...

Monklands Hospital still needs to do better
Monklands Hospital has a good standard of overall cleanliness but needs to make some changes to further minimise the risk...
Update on Pandemic Flu- Friday January 08 2010
Most indicators show that flu activity is continuing to decrease across the UK. Some caution must be exercised,...

Ignorance and indifference risks spread of chlamydia
One in five people don’t realise catching chlamydia can affect a woman’s fertility, according to a new...
Scottish Prescription charges to be slashed
Prescription charges for patients throughout Scotland are set to fall from £4 to £3 from April, if Parliament approves...

Proposals to Dispense more Generic Medicines
Proposals that would allow the dispensing of generic medicines instead of branded medicines in primary care...
Infection control improved at Basildon and Thurock
CQC finds inmprovements in infection control at Basildon & Thurock University Hospital NHS Foundation...

NHS Stressline tackles New Year money blues
People who are worried about debt, housing and employment will get practical and emotional support...
Code of Practice for health and adult social care
The Code of Practice, which comes into force on 1 April 2010 for the NHS and October 2010...

Recycling for Reuse - A Call to Save Lives
Award-winning Aid to Hospitals Worldwide (A2HW) has developed a programme whereby de-commissioned but still usable hospital equipment is saved from...
Call 111 for non-emergency healthcare
A new free three-digit number – 111 - making it easier for patients to access non-emergency healthcare wherever they...

Commons Second Reading of Personal Care at Home Bill
The Local Government Association (LGA) supports the principle of helping more people to be cared for in their own homes....
NHS Marks Five Years of Progress in Kidney Care
The Department of Health has published an update on progress made in kidney care over the last five...

Scientists scoop top prize for novel detection technology
CyMap, an innovative lens-free microscope developed by Cancer Research UK and the private sector, has won first...
NHS zero tolerance approach to infections
A new MRSA objective will focus progress on trusts that need to improve the most, Health Minister Ann Keen haas...

MRSA Deaths decrease for second year running
The number of death certificates mentioning Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) decreased to 1,593 in 2007 and then decreased further to...
Hepatitis C incidence predicted to increase
According to latest figures released by the Health Protection Agency, more than 8,000 people were diagnosed with hepatitis C last year in...

New initiative to prevent ‘next global pandemic’
The Department for International Development (DFID) is today (11 December) bringing together vets, virologists, academics and other experts in...
Armed Forces personnel better off by nearly £20 million
Two years after its launch in December 2007, the Benefits and Money Advice Service, funded by The Royal British Legion (TRBL) and the RAF...

Urgent allergy alert
A new campaign to reach people affected by anaphylaxis has been launched to highlight the need for extra vigilance over the Christmas and New Year party...
OECD Health at a Glance 2009: Key findings for the United Kingdom
The OECD’s latest edition of Health at a Glance shows that all countries could do better in providing good quality health...

Swine Flu Vaccinations for under fives to start
Children between the ages of six months and five years will start to be vaccinated against swine flu in the run up to Christmas,...
Radical overhaul of support for people with mental health conditions
New specialist coordinators and dedicated advice lines for small businesses are part of a radical overhaul of support for...

New pledge to reduce work-related deaths and injuries
Five people in Wales died as a result of work-related incidents in 2008/09, and more than 1600 suffered major injuries at...
Health check for NHS Scotland
NHS Scotland chief executive Kevin Woods has published his annual report for...

Weekly pandemic flu update Thursday December 3 2009
The consultation rate for flu-like illness in England from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) scheme has decreased slightly to...
Key report on adult social care
The Care Quality Commission praised improvements in adult social care but called for a renewed effort to eliminate poor quality...

NICE consults on new Quality Standards
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has launched a consultation on its draft quality standards for the treatment of dementia and...
TB figures continue to increase
The number of people developing tuberculosis (TB) continues to increase despite earlier signs of stabilising, according to a report released by the Health...

Spotlight on Hospital Cleanliness
Regulators demand improvement at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust...
local action to improve air quality
In a Defra summit on how to improve air quality, Environment Minister Jim Fitzpatrick called on local authorities to work with the Government to co-ordinate...

Dumfries hospital inspection
Inspectors have highlighted a range of good practice, following a visit to Dumfries and Galloway Royal...
A third of HIV patients diagnosed late
A third of adults diagnosed with HIV in the UK last year were diagnosed late, according to figures released by the Health Protection...

Change4Life Campaign at the Royal College of Midwives conference
Health Secretary previews new Change4Life Campaign at the Royal College of Midwives conferenceAn extension of the...
Regulators demand improvement at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Healthcare regulators are taking action to address concerns around leadership and quality of care at...

Know Your Limits campaign warns of hidden damage from alcohol
More than 3.8 million* adults in England are misguidedly trying to burn off the booze with exercise, according to new research...
Personal Care at Home Bill introduced to Parliament
The Bill that will help individuals with the highest care needs remain independent for longer, has been introduced in Parliament by Health...

Call for health professionals to act on climate change
Health should be at the centre of our fight against climate change, Health Secretary, Andy Burnham said say at the launch of a new...
NHS urged to say sorry when things go wrong
The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has published strengthened guidelines for NHS organisations on Being open, which describe the importance of...

Frontline NHS staff to help transform patient care
Twenty innovative new projects, designed by frontline NHS staff to transform patient care were announced by Care Services Minister Phil Hope...
First express LIFT arrives.
In a step closer towards updating and building new healthcare facilities, NHS Cumbria has become the first Primary Care Trust to establish a LIFT (Local Improvement...

Improving health, supporting justice
The national delivery plan of the Health and Criminal Justice Programme BoardThis report contains the...
Admissions from A&E peak ahead of Government's four-hour wait deadline
The speed at which patients are dealt with by their local A&E department in England varies markedly according to where they...

Are cerebro spinal fluid infections on the radar screen in your Trust?
Ventricular catheters are placed for temporary fluid drainage (following severe TBI, SAH for example) and are maintained for...
Action plan on offender health is launched
A cross-government action plan to improve the health of offenders in prison and in the community, has been launched by Care Services Minister Phil...

797,067 people with diabetes in the UK are not achieving their recommended blood glucose levels.
Diabetes UK warns that 797,067 people with diabetes in the UK are not achieving their...
NHS efficiencies cutting waiting times in Scotland
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has visited an innovative project which has slashed waiting times for cancer patients.The one-stop clinic at the...

Sunbeds should be off limits to the under 18s
Sunbeds should be off limits to the under 18s and should not be used for cosmetic tanning - say scientists at the Health Protection Agency....
Summary Care Records containing key medical information to be accessible
wherever patients are treated are being rolled out across London, the Department of Health has announced . The scheme...

New performance targets for NHS Scotland
The latest NHS Scotland performance management (HEAT) targets include a commitment to ensure that 90 percent of people who need treatment for their drug...
'More for less', suggests NHS trusts are increasing productivity
The NHS is treating more patients at lower cost, says a new briefing from the Audit CommissionThe Commission's new briefing,...

The latest figures about the incidence of influenza A (H1N1) in Scotland
The latest figures about the incidence of influenza A (H1N1) in Scotland have been published by Health Protection Scotland -...
Department of Health response to BMJ press release on critical care services
Health Minister Mike O’Brien said:"This piece of research shows how far we have come in improving critical...

A new law to help protect children and young people from the harms of tobacco
A new law that will help to protect children and young people from the harms of tobacco has received Royal Assent ....
New action plan to tackle the over prescribing of antipsychotic drugs
A tough new action plan to tackle the over prescribing of antipsychotic drugs to people with dementia was today announced by...

Health Committee report on Patient Safety:
The Health Committee has published its First Special Report of Session 2008-09 on Patient Safety: Care Quality Commission, Monitor, and Professor...
New legal rights for NHS patients
Consultation launched on legal rights to waiting times and NHS Health Checks for patientsPatients will have legal rights to maximum waiting times for elective...

Hospital inspection report
NHS Forth Valley is the first health board to come under scrutiny from Scotland's newly-appointed hospital inspector...
Reducing Healthcare Associated Infection in Hospitals in England
Public Accounts Committee - Fifty-Second Report

Weekly pandemic flu media update: 5 November 2009
KEY POINTS•The consultation rate for flu-like illness in England from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) scheme decreased...
Increase of more than half in stroke calls to 999
The Department of Health’s Act F.A.S.T. campaign has led to an increase of more than half (55.5 percent) in stroke calls to 999*....

New “cycle to work” guarantee in a bid to transform the numbers cycling to work.
More than 70 major public and private sector employers are today pledging to implement a new “cycle to work”...
Emergency Services Review
The Emergency Services Review was commissioned by the strategic health authorities and has completed its work to undertake a review of recent performance and support the...

Direct payments for healthcare moved a step closer with a new consultation launched by Care Services Minister Phil Hope.
Personal health budgets are being piloted in primary care trusts until 2012...
Local authority permits partial reopening of Godstone Farm
Tandridge District Council has today permitted the partial reopening of Godstone Farm in Surrey...

Swine flu: New guidance for planners
New guidance supporting pandemic planners based on latest science and understanding of swine flu...
Direct Payments for Health : A consultation on proposals for regulations and guidance
This consultation document seeks views on the Government's proposals for piloting direct payments for health...

Seasonal Flu By Numbers
As the clocks go back to herald the start of the new season, the winter months bring with them darker days, blustery spells, and ever-lasting cold snaps – enough to...
Primary care key to NHS survival
The NHS Alliance has welcomed the views of both the Conservative and Labour parties that primary care should lead the way to a better and more efficient NHS...

Continued Innovation in Primary Care Key to Future of NHS
An innovative Primary Care sector holds the key to the success of the NHS in the difficult times ahead Health Minister Mike O’Brien said...
Hilary Benn urges England to get growing
A new Task Force will help England to grow and eat more fruit and vegetables and improve the nation’s health, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn announced...

Swine Flu vaccinations to start
More than 11 million people in England will be offered it firstNHS Hospitals will begin vaccinating frontline healthcare workers and their...
Department of Health to develop National Liver Strategy
The Department of Health today is taking forward its commitment to tackling liver disease by recruiting a new National Clinical Director to...

Chief Nursing Officer showcases England’s mandatory surveillance to world experts on infections
Disclosure of infections and mandatory surveillance championed in this country has been the key in...
Communities inspired to take control of their health
A new report showing how communities have been inspired and helped to improve the health of all their residents has been...

Review of NHS children’s services
Sir Ian Kennedy set out the areas he will consider in his review of NHS services for children, looking at how to build on recent progress and ensure lasting...
Care Quality Commission NHS ratings 2008/09 – Department of Health response
Responding to the Care Quality Commission’s NHS Ratings Health Minister Mike O’Brien...

New study to examine benefits of Personal Health Budgets
Twenty sites across England have been selected to participate in a study to identify the benefits of Personal Budgets for health and the...
Implementing the Long-Term Strategic Approach to HCAI Control
Dr Bharat Patel, Health Protection Agency Consultant Microbiologist, Regional Microbiology Network Healthcare Associated...

Hi-tech future for NHS
Patients across Scotland could soon see a consultant over webcam and have their symptoms assessed...
Nurses and Midwives will take centre stage in delivering tomorrow’s healthcare
A vision that will allow nurses and midwives to transform the quality of care was set out by the Prime...

UK to give £23m to help the developing world tackle swine flu
The UK will provide up to £23 million to help the developing world tackle the H1N1 pandemic, Development Secretary Douglas Alexander...
Weekly Swine Flu Update
This week there has been a further reduction in the rates of flu-like illness and related activity...

Weekly swine flu update
This week there has been a further reduction in the rates of flu-like illness and related activity. Weekly GP consultation rates continued to decrease over the last week in...
HCAI in the NHS in England: Where are we now and what next?
Infection spreads! and it knows no boundaries across health and social care as bacteria travel with their human hosts. Healthcare...

Nurturing Innovation in the NHS – MidTECH – NHS Innovations West Midlands
The ability of NHS organisations, teams and individuals to innovate - to adopt new ideas to meet new challenges - is...
Is the DH too focused on hygiene tactics and not enough on the two other key elements of HAI control?
The Government has spent millions of pounds and prompted major media hype about the hygiene...

Provision for effective hand hygiene needs more ‘joined-up' thinking to better fight HCAIs
While the recent emphasis on deep cleaning healthcare environments has had some considerable...
Fast tracked research to fight swine flu
Fourteen projects costing £2.25 million have been fast tracked by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) on behalf of the Department of Health...

weekly swine flu update
This week (week ending 21st August) there has been a further reduction in the rates of flu-like illness and related activity. Weekly GP consultation rates continued to...
Lansley slams Labour for failing to tackle hospital infections
Andrew Lansley has condemned Labour's failure to tackle hospital infections after official statistics revealed that there were 5,931...

The skin is home to millions of microbes
Patient's skin dwelling bacteria are the major source of infections associated with medical and surgical invasive procedures. Normally ‘harmless',...
Influenza A (H1N1) update for Scotland
The latest figures about the incidence of influenza A (H1N1) in Scotland are published...

Weekly pandemic flu update
This week there has been a further reduction in the rates of flu-like illness and related activity. Weekly GP consultation rates decreased over the last week in...
Pandemic vaccine priority for most at risk
The priority groups who will be first in line for vaccination against swine flu will include pregnant women, frontline health and social care workers,...

Keeping older people fit and healthy
Simple measures, such as good footcare, sight tests and light exercise can help older people live better, Care Service Minister, Phil Hope, said as he launched...
A new vision for mental health and well-being
The millions of people who suffer from or might face mental illness at some point in their lives will be the focus of a new strategy, Care Services,...

Latest Figures on Healthcare associated infections in Scotland
Latest figures show that 248 people in Scotland died in 2008, where Clostridium difficile was the main cause of death, while there...
Weekly swine flu update
There is a clear indication that the number of cases in England has decreased significantly in the last week. Weekly GP consultation rates decreased over the last week in...

Awareness campaign launched as measles rises
Measles vaccination rates are still far lower than levels needed to protect the population. This is despite the finding of a new Department of Health...
Weekly swine flu update - 30 July 2009
Weekly GP consultation rates show a plateau or small decrease over the last week in England. This coincides with the start of school holidays and the...

New Horizons - government consults on mental health and well-being
Urban allotments, reading groups and computer training for the over 50s are just some of the good practice initiatives featured...
Swim for Life - the search for a new Swimming Stroke
Are your kids bored of breaststroke? Fed-up of front crawl? Think they can do better than backstroke and butterfly? Secretary of State for...

Weekly swine flu update
GP consultation rates have risen sharply over the last week in England...
National Pandemic Flu Service goes online
A new self-care service which will give people with pandemic swine flu symptoms fast access to information and antivirals was launched by Health...

Weekly swine flu update
The Department of Health's weekly update on Swine Flu...
Lansley calls on Government to resolve swine flu confusion
Andrew Lansley, Conservative Shadow Health Secretary, said it is “vital” the Government acts quickly to resolve the...

ATP - Shedding a Light on Hospital Cleanliness
The heightened media and government focus on hygiene and infection rates has made it all the more important for hospitals to be able to demonstrate...
Is the Department of Health missing an opportunity to reduce Airborne HCAIs as part of the overall Deep Clean policy?
"The NHS in England is neglecting the threat from many healthcare associated...

Life Sciences Blueprint to build a strong and healthy future for Britain
A new Blueprint to put innovation at the heart of healthcare delivery was launched by Lord Drayson and Lord Darzi at...
Suicide Rates Lowest on Record
The number of suicides in England are at an all-time low, Care Services Minister, Phil Hope, announced as he published the latest annual report on suicide prevention...

Scottish C. Diff rates at record low
Rates of clostridium difficile are at their lowest since records began in Scotland - down 38 per cent on the same period last year...
New National Director for Social Care Flu Resilience Appointed
The Department of Health has appointed Roy Taylor as the new National Director for Social Care Flu Resilience, Care Services Minister,...

Health Profiles 2009 launched
Advances in the nation's health are revealed in the fourth annual set of local Health Profiles...
Consistency key to infection control in Scotland
Scotland has the right framework in place for tackling hospital infections - like MRSA and C.diff - but consistent implementation is essential to...

New Cervical Cancer campaign
There will be a new drive to ensure GPs spot cervical cancer symptoms earlier in young women and refer patients correctly, Health Minister Ann Keen has announced...
Swine Flu - Update
306 further patients under investigation in England have been confirmed through laboratory testing with swine flu - Total 3,254 laboratory confirmed UK cases identified since...

New goal to get people with learning disabilities back to work
People with a learning disability will be helped into paid jobs to close the employment gap, Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Disabled...
NHS meets target to cut C. difficile infections two years ahead of schedule
Health Secretary, Andy Burnham, congratulated NHS staff for their success in meeting the Government's target to reduce...

NHS staff get a chance to see the future at the NHS Innovation Expo
The futuristic items on display included a new resuscitation “crash” trolley, which will support the cardiac arrest...
Latest healthcare associated infection figures published by Health Protection Agency
The Health Protection Agency has published its latest quarterly figures on MRSA (meticillin-resistant...

New Health Secretary sets out vision for a people centred NHS
A new era in the National Health Service that builds on targets achieved and prioritises quality of care was set out by new Health...
Update of patient experience psa scores
The Department of Health has released figures on the patient experience PSA scores update, based on data up to and including 2008 patient surveys...

Update on Swine Flu - 339 total UK cases
61 further patients under investigation in England have now been confirmed with swine flu. Together with the 23 cases in Scotland announced by the Scottish...
Patient Infection Protection – Can Technology really replace traditional chemicals in the fight against Superbugs?
Throughout the UK, there is increasing anxiety regarding the rising incidence...

Care for Dementia in Scotland
Scotland's first dementia strategy is on the way, stepping up the drive towards better care for people living with dementia...
NHS Healthcare Science Research projects Awarded over £1 million
Ten healthcare scientists from across England have been awarded research fellowships worth a total of over £1million for projects...

Abortion statistics, England & Wales: 2008
The following National Statistics are now released by the Department of Health: Abortion Statistics, England & Wales...
Heatwave plan updated with advice for those with respiratory problems
New advice to help people with respiratory problems cope in a heatwave is now published by the Department of Health...

New reforms to give one million more people an NHS dentist - say Conservatives
Andrew Lansley, Shadow Health Secretary, has announced a series of measures to restore access to an NHS dentist to...
NHS celebrates success and progress in A&E
New figures now published show A&E departments in England have met the operational standard for 98 per cent of patients to be treated within four hours...

Putting the Patient in Control - Next Stage in Personal Healthcare Budgets Announced
Patients are a step closer to getting more say over their healthcare services as plans for a national pilot...
£10m to encourage new health innovation and education clusters
The Department of Health is inviting applications for partnerships between health, social care, education and business sectors to...

First step towards Swine Flu vaccine prototype achieved
The first step towards producing an European prototype of a swine flu vaccine has been achieved by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), Health...
Government publishes response to review and refresh of bioscience 2015
Business Secretary, Peter Mandelson, has announced a range of actions on bioscience aimed at ensuring Britain remains a world...

'Tackling Health Inequalities - 10 Years On'
Local health agencies and schools must improve the management of childhood asthma to help children lead full and healthy lives, Alan Johnson, Secretary...
National Patient Choice Survey latest results
The following statistics were released by the Department of Health: 'Report on the National Patient Choice Survey', December 2008, England...

EU working closely to monitor the new flu
EU works closely together to stem the spread of the A/H1N1 flu virus...
Government pledges £1.6m for Macmillan's National Cancer Survivorship Initiative
The Department of Health is to provide £1.6 million to Macmillan to improve services and support for those living...

New National Director for NHS Flu Resilience appointed
Ian Dalton has been appointed the new National Director for NHS Flu Resilience at the Department of Health, Health Secretary, Alan Johnson,...
Work begins to eliminate mixed sex accommodation in NHS
Building work to continue the progress made and finally eliminate mixed-sex accommodation in hospitals across England has started with over...

Swine Flu - Alan Johnson Briefing
Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johson said: "In view of very recent developments, I want to set out what the current situation is in the UK and the steps...
Meningitis cases hit record low
Cases of bacterial meningitis in children are at a record low thanks to NHS immunisation programmes, Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, has announced...

Over £220 million to boost innovation in the NHS
A £220 million fund will be made available to encourage innovation within the NHS, Health Minister, Lord Darzi, has announced, during an event at...
Tackling inequalities from the ground up
A new support team to tackle infant mortality is launched by Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo, who said it would help turn the tide on health...

New programme revolutionises DH/Third Sector working
The Department of Health has joined forces with 11 specialist organisations including Age Concern, the Men's Health Forum and the Race Equality...
Have your say in NHS Dentistry review
Dentists and their teams from across the country are being asked to share their views on how to improve access and quality of NHS dentistry at a series of...

New care regulator commends NHS progress on infection control
Trusts are urged to remain vigilant and strive for further improvement...
Drive to improve services on world autism day
People with autism will benefit from better services, with the help of a new blueprint for commissioning high quality care now published by Care...

Care Quality Commission launches
CQC will put the public and users of services first...
New pilots announced to bring health and social care together
Patients in 16 pilot sites will benefit from a trial to see how health and social care services can join together to increase quality...

New law comes into force to strengthen protection of vulnerable people
Some of the most vulnerable people in society will be better protected against abuse and poor care as a result of new...
Landmark day as patients to help put quality at the heart of the NHS and social care
Patient feedback on operations and the start of the new NHS and Social care complaints system are two of the...

New regulator for health, mental health and adult social care
The new Care Quality Commission will put the public and users of services at the heart of its work...
Preventative checks will soon be available in England
NHS healthchecks to help reduce heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and kidney disease will soon be available in England...

NHS inpatient and outpatient waiting times figures for this month
The Department of Health publishes the latest information on inpatient and outpatient waiting times...
Hand wash heave-ho for hospital bugs
The hardest hitting and most comprehensive hand washing awareness campaign ever run in Scottish hospitals is launched...

CQC will stand up for vulnerable groups
Barbara Young, Chairman of the Care Quality Commission commented on the Ombudsman's report 'Six lives: the provision of public services to people with...
Alan Johnson gives statement on Stafford Hospital, Mid Staffordshire NHS foundation trust
Speaking in the House of Commons the Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, said: "I apologise on...

Cheap alcohol is killing us and our quality of life, says Chief Medical Officer
Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, published his '2008 Annual Report', in which he called for...
Cervical screening age: experts to review evidence
A panel of experts is to carry out an evidence review to determine whether women under the age of 25 should be routinely screened for cervical...

NHS Progress in tackling waiting times for diagnostic tests
The Department of Health has released diagnostics waiting times & activity data for month ending January 2009 and quarterly census,...
Hand Hygiene – How does the NHS embrace new products to increase compliance and further reduce HCAIs?
There can be no doubt that Hand Hygiene and adherence to protocols can have a major impact on...

GP Extended Opening Hours - Monthly update
The following statistics were released today by the Department of Health: GP extended opening hours for month ending February 2009...
Commission report: the world drugs problem, ten years on
The European Commission has launched a report on the world's illicit drugs Markets since 1998. It shows that in the past decade drug...

More help given to victims of sexual violence
More funding to help improve the emergency centres that help victims of sexual assault was announced by Health Minister, Ann Keen...
Crackdown on hospital superbugs in Scotland
A superbug supremo is to be appointed to spearhead Scotland's new inspectorate, which will scrutinise hospitals' performance in dealing with infections...

Alan Johnson and James Purnell announce further action to target credit crunch stress
A package of measures to help unemployed people who are experiencing depression or anxiety to get back to work...
Safety in numbers - NPSA publishes new local patient safety incident data
NHS staff are more likely than ever to raise a patient safety concern as new data, released by the National Patient Safety...

More companies join voluntary ban on colours associated with hyperactivity
The Agency has updated its list of product ranges from food manufacturers, caterers and retailers that do not contain the...
Tackling alcohol misuse
The Scottish Government has published its framework for tackling Scotland's £2.25 billion alcohol misuse problem...

Full steam ahead for hospital cleaning
Hospital cleaning throughout Scotland is being given a helping hand delivered through steam power...
Guide launched to help services improve customer care
The Department of Health has published a guide to help health and social care staff improve the way they respond to people who are unhappy...

Making Experiences Count - Reform of the Health and Social Care complaints arrangements
From the 1st April 2009, there will be a single approach to dealing with complaints. It will give...
NHS Inpatient and Outpatient waiting times figures 31st January 2009
The Department of Health has released Inpatient and Outpatient Waiting times to 31st January 2009...

NHS cancer waiting times figures, October to December 2008
Cancer waiting times statistics - 2008/09 Quarter 3 were released by the Department of Health. The key points from the latest...
Technology the next front in battle against healthcare associated infections
The fight against Healthcare Associated Infections must continue on all fronts Health Minister, Ann Keen today told NHS...

More cash for contraception
An extra £20.5 million will help young people get better access to contraception and support for teenagers and raise the awareness of the risks of unprotected sex,...
Technology at forefront of NHS treatment - says Scottish Government
Online scanning to allow remote diagnosis for island patients and Scotland's biggest telehealth system are among a raft of...

Sure Start Children's Centres must do more for child health services
Nine out of ten parents who use Sure Start Children’s Centres are happy with the service they receive, research published...
New scheme launched to help people on sick leave back to work
People on sick leave will be helped back into work more quickly under a pilot scheme kick-started by Care Services Minister Phil Hope...

Get well soon - without antibiotics
Government launches campaign in fight against infections...
Statistical press notice: A&E Statistics - Quarterly Update
The following statistics were released today by the Department of Health: Accident and Emergency (A&E) attendances; total time spent in...

Marie Curie Chief Exec to Chair End of Life Board
The Chief Executive of Marie Curie Cancer Care, Thomas Hughes-Hallett, will head up the expert panel on end of life care, Care Services Minister...
Record levels of investment in services for disabled children
The Government has published its long term vision of a 21st Century children's health service aimed at improving the health and...

Saturated fat campaign launched to tackle UK’s biggest killer
The Food Standards Agency has launched a public health campaign to raise awareness of the health risks of eating too much saturated...
Reform of health professions' regulators
The new General Chiropractic Council, the third new council set up this year in a series of reforms to professional regulators, takes effect today...

A National Stroke Awareness Campaign launched
Think 'FAST' to identify signs of stroke - A three-year campaign to promote public awareness around stroke was launched by the Department of Health...
NHS ready for PROM date
New guidance to support collection of patient reported outcome measures from April 2009...

Landmark Strategy to Transform Dementia Services
Care for people with dementia will be transformed with the appointment of dementia advisers, better training for GPs and the establishment of...
National Patient Choice Survey latest results
The following statistics were released today by the Department of Health...

New chair and members of the Human Genetics Commission announced
Health and Science Ministers today announced the appointment of a new Chair and five new members to the Human Genetics Commission...
Financial penalties for hospitals who fail to tackle mixed sex accommodation
From next year, hospitals that treat patients in mixed sex accommodation will not be paid for their care, Health...

First steps for personal health budgets
Personal health budgets in England move a step closer with the Department of Health inviting expressions of interest for a new pilot programme...
Care Quality Commission consults on involving people who use services
The involvement of people who use health and social care services will be at the heart of the work of the new Care Quality...

Health Profile of England 2008
The following statistics were released today by the Department of Health in the'Health Profile of England 2008'...
The NHS unveils plans to slash its carbon footprint
The NHS will today pledge to become one of England's leading sustainable and low carbon organisations and to meet the Government's target of an...

First NHS constitution launched
An historic signing ceremony to mark the launch of the 'NHS Constitution for England', the first of its kind in the world, is signed by Prime Minister...
Call for views on streamlining Health and Adult Social Care Assessments
Consultation begins on how best to improve information sharing across health, social care and wider community support...

More help with long term conditions - New guidance helps commissioners to put patients in the driving seat
New guidance to help NHS and local authority commissioners ensure that people with long...
New measures for better quality, personal health care
New measures that will permit for the first time, direct payments for healthcare to patients, were published in the Health Bill today...

Clostridium difficile infection: how to deal with the problem
Guidance published giving advice on the most effective methods of prevention and control of this infection and the management of...
C. Difficile infections continue to fall
NHS on track to achieve annual reduction of 30% by 2010/11...

69% of GP Surgeries now offer extended opening hours
Over 69 per cent of GP surgeries are now offering patients extended opening hours, the Department of Health announced...
NHS inpatient and outpatient waiting times figures
The following statistics were released today by the Department of...

Patients to have a say in improving GP services
More than five million patients in England are being asked for their views on how to improve family doctor services in a new survey launched by the...
MRSA infections continue to fall
MRSA bloodstream infections in England are continuing to fall, the latest quarterly statistics from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) showed...

More help to get young people talking
Boost for services for children and young people with speech, language and communication...
More advice on healthy living
Department of Health response to Health Survey for...

£13.5million for areas with poor health
Unveiling a package of £13.5million to improve health in disadvantaged areas, Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo, today called on local councillors to...
Phil Hope launches more 'Pacesetters' to reduce health inequalities
Eighteen new projects will have access to a £5.5 million pot to come up with innovative new ways of helping people from...

Ed Balls and Alan Johnson boost child mental health services
Children's mental health services will be radically improved by a package of measures including a National Advisory Council and the...
Government welcomes progress in coordination and translation of health research for the benefit of patients
The first progress report from the Office for Strategic Co-ordination of Health...

Government welcomes taskforce report on Organ Donation
- Alan Johnson calls for 25 million people on the organ donor register by...
Tackling obesity levels a key issue at West Midlands health conference
By 2050 70% of men in the West Midlands will be officially classified as obese if there is no change to present trends....

Change4Life: The healthy living revolution starts here
We all need to be more active and eat more healthily to halt the rising tide of obesity. If we do nothing, by 2050 90 per cent of today's...
£30m healthy towns kick start Change4life
Nine towns have won the opportunity to lead the way in helping their residents live healthier lives as part of the new Change4Life movement, Health...

ERBI Medtech Awards
To promote both emerging technologies and commercial success, ERBI Medtech has announced its first regional awards, to be presented at the ERBI Winter Ball on the 29th November...
Return of The Productive Community Hospital goes Live!
The Productive Community Hospital: Releasing time to care™ is the latest innovative programme of work from the NHS Institute's Productive...

Brand new in the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement’s ‘Productives’ series - The Productive Leader, is being launched across the NHS on 31 October 2008. As with other Productives, the programme is about releasing time - in this case, time to lea
The development of the programme stemmed from senior leaders in the NHS expressing concern because their ever growing agenda did not...
New call for hand hygiene and pathogen testing products
If you have been following the progress of the Smart Solutions for HCAI project, you may also be interested to learn about another NHS...

Entries go under the microscope
A review panel of leading academics, nurses and other infection control experts is busy assessing the 250 or so entries to the Smart Solutions for HCAI...
Call for your views on shaping the future of Play England
Play England is seeking your help in the first stage of planning for its future by asking you to complete a key...

Latest figures show MRSA bloodstream infections falling
Quarterly figures for April to June 2008 published by Health Protection...
New technologies on trial to combat healthcare infections
New infection beating products are being tested and evaluated in seven ‘Showcase Hospitals’ across England in a project led by the NHS...

A glance at the UK’s obesity statistics tells a sombre story

Professor Terence StephensonPresidentRoyal College of Paediatrics and Child Health