UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour - Gracie on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 

ADHD is the most common behavioural disorder in the UK and is a group of behavioural symptoms that include not being able to pay attention or keep still and not thinking before you act. 

These symptoms carry on into adulthood for about 60% of children. People with ADHD may also have trouble getting to sleep. Symptoms are often first noticed at a early age and will become more noticeable, for example when they start school. 

I went through a phase when i was not paying attention and was naughty. My mum thought i had ADHD, so she booked me a doctors appointment. But the doctor said there was nothing to worry about and i was just going through a normal phase. 

Nobody knows the exact cause of ADHD, but it has been shown to run in families. It may be hard to get your child to sleep, get your child ready for school on time and going shopping with them in the day. ADHD can be treated by medication or therapy, but using both is often the best way to treat it. Looking after a child who has ADHD can be tricky, but remember they cannot help their behaviour. 

Gracie Timms

UK Health Radio Medical News Update

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UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour Cancer drugs under threat.

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

Cancer drugs under threat.

The government is getting ready to threaten to stop buying some expensive cancer drugs if manufacturers do not cut their prices the BBC’s programme Newsnight has learned.

The Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), set up in 2010, allowed patients in England to access drugs that would normally be deemed too expensive if subjected to the same cost-benefit evaluation process as other drugs.

But new proposals, to be revealed on Thursday, suggest that the fund needs to be reformed to make it sustainable. CDF has treated 55,000 patients so far.

Set up by Prime Minister David Cameron, the fund had the political benefit of defusing the damaging arguments that have arisen when officials have denied patients access to expensive cancer treatment on cost-benefit grounds.

But it is now breaching its budget limits, which are set to be expanded on Thursday from £200m a year to £280m. So, civil servants say, it needs to be reformed in order to make it sustainable.

Under the plans, even cancer drugs already being used in the CDF will be subjected to cost-benefit analyses - although they will still be more generous than similar processes in conventional drugs.

The intention is to bring some cancer drug prices closer into line with others. Drugs such as Kadcyla, are at the centre of the argument.

The cancer drug extends life by a little under 6 months on average, and costs £90,000 for a course and is currently available through the Cancer Drugs Fund.

But, were NHS England buying it through its normal process, it would be willing to spend no more than between £10,000 and £25,000 for a drug with that sort of effectiveness.

The intention of the changes is to help force cancer drug prices further in line with those norms.

Officials state that no patients will have any current treatment terminated. And patients with rare conditions, who have no options other than very expensive drugs, will continue to have access to them if their doctors apply for them.

In addition to reducing spending on expensive drugs, the proposals will also seek to reduce spending on drugs that are of lower effectiveness.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

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UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour - New hospital food rules introduced

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

New hospital food rules introduced

The BBC has reported that hospitals in England will be expected to provide a higher standard of food under new measures that are being announced by the health secretary.

The new standards will be enforced through legally binding NHS contracts and will focus on quality, choice and promoting a healthy diet for patients and staff.

Hospitals will also be ranked on the meals they prepare.

The Campaign for Better Hospital Food said the changes were "woefully inadequate" and would also be hard to enforce. NHS hospitals in Scotland and Wales already have nutritional standards in place.

Under the changes, hospitals will be ranked according to quality and choice of food, whether the menu is approved by a dietician, the availability of fresh fruit and food between meals, the variety of options at breakfast - which should include warm food, and the cost of the food provided.

The rankings will then be published on the NHS Choices website.

The new standards will require hospitals to provide:

• Fish twice a week
• Seasonal produce
• Tap water
• Cooked rice, potatoes and vegetables without salt
• Half of all desserts should be fruit

Patients will be assessed for malnutrition when they are admitted and there will also be a greater responsibility placed on staff to ensure patients are well fed.

The chairman of charity Age UK, Dianne Jeffrey, has been working with the Department of Health to produce the new NHS standards for England.

She acknowledged, "hospitals are not five-star restaurants," but said meals were an important part of a patient's recovery.

Ms Jeffrey said there had been reports of patients being unable to feed themselves or even reach a glass of water.

She told the BBC: "When a person is in hospital they are in a very vulnerable state.

"It's very important that the food is attractive, it's appetising, it's palatable, it's nutritious, that it meets the cultural and social needs of patients and also meets their clinical needs."

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

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UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour - New mums leaving hospital too early

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

New mums leaving hospital too early

The BBC have reported that a survey by the Royal College of Midwives suggests that a figure close to half of all women may be being discharged from hospital before they are ready after having a baby.

The report, that is entitled Postnatal Care Planning says the needs of women and babies after birth are not being met.

The report goes on to conclude that more midwives are required to ensure women get the post-natal visits they need, the RCM says. Surveys of both mothers and midwives were used to compile the report.

More than 2,000 midwives, 950 student midwives and 98 maternity support workers were surveyed to find out their views on post-natal care and sixty-five per cent of midwives surveyed said the number of post-natal visits was determined by organisational pressures rather than the needs of the mothers in their care.

This is contrary to official guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the RCM has said.

Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said this had an impact on the care women received.

"The continuing shortage of midwives particularly in post-natal care and the need to ensure cover for women in labour means that organisational needs are preventing midwives giving care based on clinical need and women are not getting the best possible post-natal care. This can have a massive impact on the health and well-being of the mother and her baby after the birth and well into the future." Cathy Warwick said.

Midwives also say that there is often not enough time to give women all the information they would like to give them about their post-natal care. In the survey, only a third of midwives and maternity support workers said they had enough time to talk to women about their post-natal care.

The report also highlights the views of nearly 500 women in the UK who were surveyed via the Netmums website in 2013. Around 40% felt that they had been discharged too quickly, a figure the RCM describes as "a real concern".

Cathy Warwick said: "We are seeing women being discharged earlier without adequate support. This leads to readmissions later on and the corresponding extra cost to the NHS.

"This is a false economy. It is not good for women and babies and it is not good for the NHS."

The report is the fourth in a five-part series from the Royal College of Midwives looking at post-natal care.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

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UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour - Ebola Update

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

Ebola Update

The BBC have reported that clinical trial data on the experimental Ebola drug ZMapp shows that it is 100% effective in studies using monkeys even on those in the later stages of the infection. Trials on the 18 monkeys infected with Ebola showed 100% survival in the animals.

The researchers who published the results of their study in the journal Nature said it was a "very important step forward".

However, the limited supplies available will not help the 20,000 people predicted to have been infected during the outbreak in West Africa.  Additionally, two out of seven people who were given the drug later died from the disease.

ZMapp has been dubbed the "secret serum" because it is still in the experimental stages of development with, currently, no public data on effectiveness.

Doctors are using it as there is no cure for Ebola otherwise.  The infection has killed more than 1,500 people since it started in Guinea.

The researchers have been investigating different combinations of antibodies, a part of the immune system that binds to viruses, as a therapy. ZMapp is the latest cocktail and contains three antibodies.

William Pooley, from the UK, has been given the ZMapp drug after he returned from Sierra Leone with the infection. Scientists say this is very significant as previous therapies worked only if they were given before symptoms even appeared.

However, scientists are always cautious when interpreting the implications for humans from animal data.  A Liberian doctor, one of three people being given the drug in the country, and a Spanish priest have both died from the infection despite having been treated with ZMapp.

The course of the infection is slower in humans than in the macaque monkeys it has been tested on.  It has been cautiously estimated that ZMapp may be effective as late as nine or even 11 days after infection.

The group wants to start clinical trials in people to truly assess the effectiveness of the drug.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

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UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour Ebola Update

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

Ebola Update

The BBC has reported that treatment has begun in north west London for a Briton who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone.

A US scientist who was working with the man has named the man as William Pooley, a 29-year-old volunteer nurse.  Mr Pooley was flown to RAF Northolt in a specially equipped military aircraft on Sunday and taken under police escort to Hampstead's Royal Free Hospital.

The British nurse had volunteered to go to West Africa to care for victims of the Ebola outbreak that has killed almost 1,500 people. This is the first confirmed case of a Briton contracting the virus during the current outbreak.  Mr Pooley was flown out of Sierra Leone's main airport in Lungi, in an RAF C-17 transport aircraft.

He will now be treated in a specialist isolation unit for patients with highly infectious disease, the only one of its kind in Europe. A special tent will ensure that medical staff can interact with the patient but will be kept safe by being separated from direct contact with him by plastic and rubber.

Mr Pooley will remain in the isolation ward at the Royal Free hospital in London. A colleague of in Mr Pooley’s in the Kenema district, Robert F Garry described him as a "remarkable young man and a natural leader".

There is currently no cure for Ebola but with treatment of the symptoms, and proper hydration, patients have a chance of survival.

Prof Jonathan Ball, a virologist at Nottingham University, said there would be immediate testing to ensure all organs were functioning adding "He really is in the best place and will have the best possible care.”

Last week, two Americans who had contracted the disease in Liberia made a recovery and were discharged from hospital after being given an experimental drug called ZMapp, in the USA.

Officials in Liberia also reported that three medical staff had shown signs of improvement after taking the drug. The US manufacturer of ZMapp has said supplies of the drug are exhausted, but the Department of Health said it was working to source any remaining doses.

The World Health Organisation has estimated that 2,615 people in West Africa have been infected with Ebola since March.

Here in the UK the Department of Health deputy chief medical officer Prof John Watson has said the risk of Ebola to the UK remains "very low".

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio Medical News Update

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UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour - Gracie on Acne

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

Acne

Acne is a common skin condition in teenagers and young adults. 

It makes spots appear on the skin, usually on the face, back and chest. There are six main types of spots caused by Acne: blackheads, whiteheads, papules, nodules, large cysts and horrible pustules.  My friend at school has acne, but its just mild. About 80% of people aged 11-30 will be affected by it. 

Acne is most common in girls aged 14-17 and boys aged 16-19. It is caused when tiny holes in the skin get blocked. Smoking, certain medications and some cosmetic products may also cause Acne. However it is less common now for cosmetic products to trigger Acne as they are now tested so they don’t cause spots. 

Teen acne is caused when the levels of a hormone, called testosterone, go up. This happens in puberty. Treatment for Acne depends on how bad it is. It can take months of treatment before the symptoms get better. If you only have a couple of blackheads or whiteheads then you can use cream that contains benzoyl peroxide.

Gracie Timms

UK Health Radio - Medical News Update

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UK Health Radio – Medical News Update on the Hour - Salmonella Outbreak Update

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update on the Hour

Salmonella Outbreak- Update

The BBC has reported that the outbreak of salmonella in England is likely to have come from a single source of eggs, according to Public Health England. 

It seems to be the same strain of salmonella that is causing outbreaks of the disease across parts of Europe. The number of reported cases has increased in the past week from 158 to 247.

Symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever although most people will recover without treatment.

Cases have been reported in:

• Hampshire - 99
• London - 30
• Cheshire and Merseyside - 39
• West Midlands - 54

Dr Paul Cleary, consultant epidemiologist at Public Health England (PHE), said: "Investigations into the recent Salmonella enteritidis outbreak are progressing, at both a national and European level.

"There is now evidence to indicate that cases in Europe with the same strains of salmonella infection were associated with consumption of eggs from a single source. This egg supply also reached distributors and food outlets in England, but at this stage we cannot conclusively demonstrate that this is the infection source in this country. We are continuing to work with the Food Standards Agency and public health organisations in Europe but, importantly, the decline in salmonella case reporting this week, alongside other elements of our investigations, reassures us that the current risk to public health is low."

The new cases are not from the past week, but have only just been reported to Public Health England.

Eggs and chickens are a common source of salmonella infections.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio Medical News Update

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UK Health Radio – Medical News Update on the Hour - Hospital Parking Charges

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update on the Hour

Hospital Parking Charges

It is something that all of us who have visited anyone in hospital or attended an appointment there have long been aggrieved about.  And now the BBC report that hospitals in England have been told to cut the cost of parking for certain groups in line with new government guidelines.

Ministers have said the relatives of people who are seriously ill or have to stay in hospital for a long time should be given free parking or reduced charges.

Concessions should also be offered to people with disabilities and NHS staff whose shift patterns mean they cannot use public transport. Last month Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told MPs costs were "just too high and that patients and families shouldn't have to deal with the added stress of unfair parking charges”

Mr Hunt said the guidelines had been drawn up to put an end to the stress of "unfair" charges.  The Department of Health guidance makes it clear that NHS trusts are responsible for the behaviour of private car parking contractors.

For the first time the government is recommending that hospitals should use "pay-on-exit" schemes so motorists pay only for the time they have used in a hospital car park and also says trusts should waive fines if a visitor or patient overstays through no fault of their own, for example because treatment has taken longer than planned, or in the case of staff, if they have to work beyond their scheduled shift.

Mr Hunt had come under pressure from Conservative backbench MPs to put an end to the "rip-off" costs.

In Scotland Hospital car parking charges were completely abolished at the beginning of 2009.

All but four hospitals in Wales have also stopped charging for parking and those that do take payment have been told to abolish charges once their contracts with private parking firms expire.

Patients with certain chronic conditions in Northern Ireland do not have to pay to park their car.

Earlier this year it emerged that parking firms paid more than £6m to the DVLA for the names and addresses of drivers in the past year, an increase of 28%, with more tickets issued on private land.

The rise came after clamping cars on private land, which can include everything from hospital and college car parks to motorway service areas, was banned in England and Wales in 2012.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio Medical News Update

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UK Health Radio – Medical News Update on the Hour Controversy Over Stroke Treatment.

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update on the Hour

Controversy Over Stroke Treatment.

The BBC has reported that the UK medicines watchdog is to review the safety of a clot-busting drug that is frequently used to treat strokes.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency believes the benefits of alteplase outweigh the risks but is now is revisiting the evidence in the light of the fact that experts say previous assessments may have been flawed. A stroke is a medical emergency - and there is one every five minutes in the UK and most strokes are caused by a clot blocking the flow of blood to the brain.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges welcomed the investigation, saying the review has "huge implications" for patient safety. Many patients are given alteplase to break down and disperse the clot - treatment known as thrombolysis.

However there is an increased risk of dangerous bleeding in the brain, although regulators have concluded this is outweighed by the benefits of improved recovery. Some experts, however, disagree.

Dr Roger Shinton, a stroke specialist, set out his concerns in a letter published in the Lancet.

He told the BBC: "My concerns about using alteplase for stroke have always been that the risks of this drug are quite considerable, particularly with bleeding into the brain. The question is, do the benefits justify that risk? And I am not myself convinced that they do. I have met with some of the regulatory bodies, and I think they understand there may have been a problem with the balance in the way that this drug was reviewed at the time, and that is why there is some movement to re-look at the whole matter.”

Dr Shinton added that many stroke specialists shared his concerns.

Responding in the Lancet, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it had recently examined the issue and concluded that the balance of benefits and risks was still favourable. But it also confirmed it was setting up an expert working group "to ensure all relevant sources of evidence have been taken into consideration". It said it expected the inquiry would report its findings early next year.

Jon Barrick, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said treatment by thrombolysis using alteplase was part of the great progress in stroke treatment.

"No treatment is without risks. The NICE [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] recommendation on the use of alteplase is based on current evidence that shows overall the benefits outweigh the risks. Eligible patients treated with thrombolysis are more likely to have a good outcome and more people are surviving stroke and leading independent lives." The manufacturers, Boehringer Ingelheim, say they stand by the safety of the drug.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio Medical News Update

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UK Heath Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour - Botox and Cancer Treatment

UK Heath Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

Botox and Cancer Treatment

Interesting news today from the BBC that suggests that Botox injections - used by those seeking a wrinkle-free face - has been found, in animal tests, to be of help in fighting cancer. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, showed that nerves were involved in the process of stomach cancers growth.

Research on mice found that using the toxin to kill nerves could lead to a halt of the growth of stomach tumours and could make them more vulnerable to chemotherapy. Cancer Research UK said it was still early days and it was unclear whether the injections could ultimately help to save lives. Botox is usually used in the fight against the signs of ageing, not cancer. In it cosmetic application, the toxin works by disrupting nerve functions that in turn relax muscles and even out wrinkles, but a growing body of work suggests that nerve involvement may also help fuel cancer growth.

When asked if this would be a cure for cancer, one of the scientists, Dr Timothy Wang, told the BBC: "If you just cut nerves is it going to cure cancer? Probably not. At least in an early phase, if you disrupt the nerve the tumour becomes much more responsive to chemotherapy, so we don't see this as a single cure, but a move that will make current and future treatments more effective."

Amanda Thomas
UK Health Radio Medical News Update
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UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour - Gracie Timms on Acne

UK Health Radio Medical News Update – On the Hour

Gracie Timms

Acne

Acne is a common skin condition in teenagers and young adults. 

It makes spots appear on the skin, usually on the face, back and chest. There are six main types of spots caused by Acne: blackheads, whiteheads, papules, nodules, large cysts and horrible pustules.  My friend at school has acne, but its just mild. About 80% of people aged 11 to -30 will be affected by it. 

Acne is most common in girls aged 14-17 and boys aged 16-19. It is caused when tiny holes in the skin get blocked. Smoking, certain medications and some cosmetic products may also cause Acne. However it is less common now for cosmetic products to trigger Acne as they are now tested so they don’t cause spots. 

Teen acne is caused when the levels of a hormone, called testosterone, go up. This happens in puberty. Treatment for Acne depends on how bad it is. It can take months of treatment before the symptoms get better. If you only have a couple of blackheads or whiteheads then you can use cream that contains benzoyl peroxide.

Gracie Timms

UK Health Radio Medical News Update

Kindly sponsored by 1-stop-health-shop.com

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update - Salmonella outbreak.

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update

Salmonella outbreak.

News today from the BBC that Public Health England is investigating an outbreak of Salmonella that, over the past few months, has affected 156 people in England.

Initial tests suggest that the cause of the illness, which is often linked to poultry or eggs, comes from a single source and the reported cases have been seen in Hampshire, London, Cheshire and the West Midlands. An infection with Salmonella can cause stomach cramps, diarrhoea, fever and vomiting.  However, most infected people will recover without treatment.

Work is on going with the Food Standards Agency, in local authorities and with other public health organisations in Europe to investigate the cause of this outbreak, Dr Paul Cleary, Public Health England told the BBC.

The strain of bacteria that is causing this outbreak of food poisoning, Salmonella Enteritidis, may also have affected people in France and Austria, the PHE said. Experts are looking at 55 cases in Hampshire, 25 in London and 33 in Cheshire.

They are also looking at 43 cases in the West Midlands, 34 of which were connected to an outbreak recorded at Birmingham’s’ Heartlands Hospital.

The hospital confirmed three of the people affected have died, but in two cases it was not related to Salmonella. The third has been referred to the coroner's court, but it is not clear on what grounds.

Dr Paul Cleary, a consultant epidemiologist leading the PHE investigation, said: "We are working with our colleagues across Public Health England, at the Food Standards Agency, in local authorities and with other public health organisations in Europe to investigate the cause of this outbreak.

"We are making good progress and hope to have more conclusive evidence shortly.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and if there is any further public health action necessary we will inform the public at large.

Public Health England's advice is to wash hands thoroughly before handling, preparing and eating food, and make sure all food is cooked properly before eating.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update

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UK Health Radio – Medical News Update Another drug refused by NICE

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update

Another drug refused by NICE

Another row over cancer treatment has been reported by the BBC in which a charity says a decision by the NHS in England to reject a drug that is used to treat men with prostate cancer is a "fiasco".   The drug, Abiraterone is already in use for patients at the end-of-life after treatment with chemotherapy as it gives then an extra few months to spend with their family.

But offering it earlier to patients suffering from prostate cancer is, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, not cost-effective.  They say that while it is true that the drug improves quality of life, it is not clear whether it has the same impact on a patient’s life expectancy.  The uncertainty is due to problems with the research data, NICE said.  They claim that the trial was wound up early although the drug's makers Janssen dispute this.

Instead, of automatically receiving the drug, prostate cancer patients will have to rely on their doctors to apply for it to the Cancer Drugs Fund - a special fund that is set aside for cancer drugs that are not available routinely on the NHS.  Some 3000 patients in the last year have applied to the fund but the fund will end in 2016.  The BBC reported that Owen Sharp who is the chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, the largest men's health charity, has said that the whole process was "a fiasco".

One patient who has been taking the drug said "I'm privileged to be on this expensive drug" and criticised NICE's inflexibility and the drug company's results-gathering process, saying: "This decision is a kick in the teeth for men with advanced prostate cancer. For many this was a vital opportunity for extra time with loved ones and a chance to delay chemotherapy and the debilitating side-effects that come with it."

The drug would normally cost £3,000 a month, but after negotiations two years ago when the ruling on its use after chemotherapy was reached, it is given to the NHS for a discounted price. At the time it was hailed as a real breakthrough for patients with aggressive prostate cancer.

NICE chief executive Sir Andrew Dillon said it was "disappointing" to have to make the decision and said he was disappointed not to be able to recommend Abiraterone for use before chemotherapy and that pharmaceutical firms had to "balance their desire to make a profit" with the reality that the NHS had to meet all its needs.

Janssen medical director Dr Peter Barnes said the firm was "very disappointed" and would appeal against the decision.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update

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