RECENT NEWS

An NIHR-supported study has found that an existing diabetes drug can be used to optimise the lining of the womb and reduce the risk of miscarriage in women who have already experienced pregnancy loss.

All too often, retained swabs are leaving women at risk of infection after childbirth and more action is required to tackle the occurrence of this 'never event'. The safety risk has been highlighted by a new report by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB).

Nearly one in six deaths from prostate cancer could be prevented if targeted screening was introduced for men at a higher genetic risk of the disease, according to a new UCL-led computer modelling study.

Scientists from ETH Zurich and the National University of Singapore have applied for a patent for a new blood-repellant material that also promotes blood-clotting and has an antimicrobial effect. The breakthrough could improve wound care and reduce the risk of infection, the researchers claim.

Biological Engineers at the University of Bath have developed a test that could help medics quickly diagnose urinary tract infections (UTIs), using a normal smartphone camera.

The government has announced it will provide £40 million to transform slow login times, one of the main technology frustrations facing NHS staff.

A 'Living Transplant Initiative' aimed at Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities has had another successful year of engagement. NHS Blood and Transplant's latest annual report shows that more people, in more towns and cities, were engaged with the Initiative’s work than ever before.

Half of heart patients in the UK are missing out on vital recovery care that could prevent them dying prematurely, according to a new report from the British Heart Foundation.

The NHS in England is providing a new form of DNA test capable of rapidly diagnosing rare diseases for critically ill babies and children, as part of its Long Term Plan to use world leading technologies to improve care for the sickest infants.

More than 90% of doctors said they hadn’t recently conducted any outpatient consultations by video but 70% thought that at least some could be carried out in this way, according to a survey conducted by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).

A leading medical technology company is working with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to provide a bespoke ophthalmic “hub” in an innovative project. Over the next two years, Vanguard Healthcare Solutions will provide two laminar flow theatres which will create the basis for an eye-surgery hub at Royal Preston Hospital.

The latest mid-year figures published by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) reveal the number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates on its register is at an all-time high of 706,252. However, the Royal College of Nursing warns that the increase could be "short term" unless there is increased investment and greater efforts to attract more students into the profession.

Cancer patients who receive high-tech proton therapy experience similar cure rates and fewer serious side effects compared with those who undergo traditional X-ray radiation therapy, according to a study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

A blood test can help identify rare mutations in advanced breast cancer, which may enable patients to access effective treatments more quickly in the future, Cancer Research UK scientists have found.

The Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) has published new information about health outcomes and risk of infections for privately funded patient healthcare in the UK.

Nursing students will benefit from guaranteed, additional support of at least £5,000 a year to help with living costs. The funding will be given to all new and continuing degree-level nursing, midwifery and many allied health students from September 2020. It is expected to benefit more than 35,000 students every year.

Doctors are making deliberate choices to manage their careers and wellbeing which must be considered by the new Government, the General Medical Council (GMC) argues in a new report. 'The state of medical education and practice 2019' (SoMEP) report highlights changing approaches to work-life balance and career development which impact on UK health services’ ability to plan for patient demand.

The Association for Perioperative Practice has launched a nationwide survey in a bid to understand the challenges faced by those working within operating theatres, following worldwide claims that healthcare workers are experiencing severe burnout.

The first UKAS accreditations for Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering have been awarded to The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The transfer of patients is potentially hazardous if poorly executed and new guidelines aim to reduce risks and improve outcomes.