RECENT NEWS

New NICE indicators will help GPs and CCGs improve the identification and management of atrial fibrillation (AF) – a common heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat and increases the risk of stroke.

The Department of Health is still some way from implementing a plan to put the NHS’ finances in England on a sustainable footing, according to three reports issued by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir Amyas Morse, who leads the National Audit Office (NAO).

An anti-malaria drug could help radiotherapy destroy tumours according to a Cancer Research UK-funded study published in Nature Communications

The General Medical Council (GMC) has published the latest results of its annual surveys into medical education and training across the UK.

Leaders from a multitude of scientific disciplines are set to showcase unpublished data, new technological advances and translational case studies to highlight the strengths of proton therapy and address the challenges surrounding its optimisation and practical implementation.

Even though dense breast tissue is a risk factor for breast cancer, very low mammographic breast density is associated with a worse prognosis in breast cancer patients.

Speaking at the NHS Confederation Conference, NHS England chief executive, Simon Stevens announced that the NHS will provide a national reimbursement route for new innovations, to accelerate uptake of new medtech devices and apps for patients with diabetes, heart conditions, asthma, sleep disorders and obesity, as well as other key areas of health provision.

The thirteenth report from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) has revealed that 25 stroke services scored an overall ‘A’ score for the quality of care they provide for patients, demonstrating that a world class service is achievable.

The ‘Living Longer, Living Well’ report from the Richmond Group concludes that without significant national action 250,000 people will die from preventable conditions by 2025, and even more people will have the quality of their lives drastically reduced.

Patients at Barnet Hospital are now able to have small lung tumours diagnosed and cells destroyed in a single hospital visit without surgery, after Royal Free Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was awarded the £100,000 Cancer Challenge Prize for its innovative 30-minute lung biopsy service.

A new bowel cancer home testing kit will be rolled out across England. The Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) tests for hidden blood in stool samples, which can be an early sign of bowel cancer.

Newly published results from the NHS Adult Inpatient Survey 2015 show that small but vital improvements have been made in key areas such as communication, involvement, and personal care.

The Universities of Nottingham, Oxford and Warwick are leading ‘blue sky’ research into artificially-intelligent medical devices that will improve treatment for cancer and intensive care patients and those with chronic wounds.

Lung experts are calling for greater investment in specialist ‘lung teams’ to help ‘significantly reduce’ the high number of patients with chronic lung disease being admitted to hospital during the winter.

Scientists at the University of Brighton are working with a team in South Korea on research that could lead to the development of new antibiotics.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has undertaken the first investigation into incidents of bullying and undermining among obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) consultants in the UK.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, one of the largest acute hospital trusts in England, has selected Harland Simon to supply a STANLEY Healthcare real time location tracking system (RTLS) to improve the management of mobile medical devices.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been named as one of 16 centres across the country to deliver specialist stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy – a minimally invasive technique used to treat patients with brain tumours, epilepsy and pain disorders.

New research has revealed that frontline NHS hospitals are losing an estimated £290 million a year due to staff being absent from work with muscle and joint injuries – with lack of access to physiotherapy services a key factor.

Cancer Research UK scientists have used imaging techniques as a new way to identify patients who could benefit from certain breast cancer treatments, according to a study published in ONCOTARGET.