RECENT NEWS

People with low levels of iron in the blood have a higher risk of dangerous blood clots, according to research published in the journal Thorax.

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has received a boost to its training budget with an award of £40,000 from the Charles Wolfson Trust, which gives grants to registered charities in the fields of medicine, education and welfare.

Ward sisters/charge nurses need to be a given a more prominent leadership role in hospitals if standards of acute nursing care are to be improved, according to a new paper from the University of Birmingham’s leading health policy unit, the Health Services Management Centre.

A report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) has identified missed opportunities to tackle alcohol abuse through existing sexual health services.

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has launched a pocketbook guide entitled AfPP in your Pocket, which provides a concentrated snap shot of perioperative practice.

More than 100,000 cancers – equivalent to one third of all those diagnosed in the UK each year – are being caused by smoking, unhealthy diets, alcohol and excess weight, according to figures from Cancer Research UK.

The findings of a recent Royal College of Nursing (RCN) study show that verbal abuse, intimidation and attacks are still very real threats faced by community based nurses on a regular basis.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has warned that a ‘perfect storm’ could be created by the bumper sporting calendar and extra bank holidays, severely affecting blood donation levels in 2012.

The Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC) network which runs UK clinical studies of the newest cancer treatments, has been awarded a second wave of £35 m funding for the next five years.

The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has issued a Rapid Response Report aimed at ensuring that effective controls are in place to minimise the risk of mismatching spinal, epidural or regional devices with incompatible connectors.

Researchers in the US have found that faults in a gene called HOXB13 seem to be more common in men with an inherited form of prostate cancer, and among those who develop the disease at a younger age.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) together with the Group A streptococcal (GAS) Working Group has produced new guidelines for the investigation, control and prevention of GAS infection in acute healthcare settings, including maternity units.

Plans to improve the identification of potential organ donors and consent rates in order to address the shortage of organs for transplant have been set out in new guidance from NICE.

A new scheme to reward individuals and teams who are championing infection prevention in hospitals has been launched by Kimberly-Clark Health Care in the UK.

Surgeons can learn their skills more quickly if they are taught how to control their eye movements, according to research led by the University of Exeter.

The risk of TB diagnosis is significantly increased in women during the first six months after pregnancy, according to a new UK-wide study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

A major clinical trial, funded by the British Heart Foundation, has shown that a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan offers a better tool for diagnosing suspected coronary heart disease (CHD) than the most commonly used alternative.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has raised concerns that consultant physicians are increasingly working above and beyond their contracted hours. In a statement, the College reported that the NHS is relying on this good will to deliver the services that patients need.

Step Communications, the publishers of The Clinical Services Journal are delighted to announce the re-launch of www.clinicalservicesjournal.com

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has issued a warning that the NHS “is heading for crisis point”, with 56,058 NHS positions being axed across the UK.