RECENT NEWS

A new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, reveals that an obese woman in her first pregnancy has a particularly high risk of delivery of a low birthweight baby, of pre-eclampsia and of premature birth.

An increase in meningococcal group B infections (MenB) was recorded by the Health Protection Agency between late December 2008 and early January of this year for England, although the annual number of cases for 2008 remains similar to previous years.

As the birth-rate in the UK continues to rise, new recruitment data reveals demand for midwives has increased by almost 20% over the last year. This comes at a time when midwifery is no longer among the professions included on the Government’s recently published list of jobs open to immigrants from outside the European Union.

The consulting firm BearingPoint has published research suggesting that without urgent action the Government’s 18-week referral to treatment target could prove unsustainable.

A new technique developed by Glasgow doctors could save the NHS millions of pounds and could help reduce needless hospital admissions all over the world. The new Glasgow Blatchford Scale (GBS) is a clinical scoring system to determine the severity of internal bleeding. In the UK, more than 51,000 people attend hospital with symptoms of internal bleeding each year and are usually admitted before doctors can determine the severity of their condition and treat them.

Reporting on the state of healthcare in England and Wales, the Healthcare Commission has applauded improvements in the NHS and said that access to services have been improved by driving down waiting times.

The Healthcare Commission has announced substantial improvements in infection control at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust since its investigation in 2007, which identified serious failings.

A survey of senior orthopaedic surgeons undertaken by the British Orthopaedic Association has stated that elderly patients face early death and permanent disability because of delays in treating emergency hip fractures, and has identified NHS elective targets as one of the main reasons.

MedMat, which provides clinicians with a sterile area for procedures such as wound changing, has been named a winner in the NHS Smart Solutions programme aimed at identifying innovative technologies with the potential to fight healthcare-associated infections (HAIs.)

Full Support Healthcare has been awarded the Business of the Year Award 2008, in recognition of its financial performance, employment generation and contribution to the community.

Patients at the Bristol Eye Hospital, run by the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, are the first in the West Country to benefit from a new sutureless eye surgery technique.

The third annual health check of the NHS by the Healthcare Commission has shown a dramatic fall in the percentage of organisations who meet core standards on decontamination of reusable medical devices. Last year 84.8% of organisations reached satisfactory standards of instrument decontamination - this year saw a 7% drop to only 77.3%.

Medica, a teleradiology company, has signed up seven more NHS acute Trusts as healthcare organisations seek to improve their services in the face of continuing high demand for speedy diagnostics. CEO Simon Rasalingham said that demand for high quality and cost-effective outsourced services continues to be very high as Trusts prepare to meet the Government’s diagnosis-to-treatment targets.

A new study will determine if giving statins and/or ACE inhibitors to adolescents with Type 1 diabetes could reduce their risk of developing diabetes-related complications in later life.

Matrix Cleaning Systems has been awarded a contract by NHS Supply Chain. Under the agreement the company will supply quality steam cleaning systems for use in NHS healthcare facilities.

The Royal College of Nurses (RCN) has issued a warning that the current financial climate is having an enormous effect on nurses. The warning follows the release of figures by the RCN which show a significant increase in the number of nurses contacting the RCN’s welfare service for debt advice.

undreds of healthy unborn babies are being miscarried or stillborn every year in the UK because of the Government-led approach to testing for Down’s syndrome, according to a new study published in Down’s Syndrome Research and Practice.

Honey may reduce healing times in patients suffering mild to moderate burn wounds. A systematic review by Cochrane researchers concluded that honey might be useful as an alternative to traditional wound dressings in treating burns.

The Health Protection Agency has published its latest quarterly report on MRSA bloodstream infections. The latest figures from the Agency’s mandatory surveillance of MRSA bloodstream infections show that there were 836 cases reported in England during the April to June quarter of 2008. This represents a 14% decrease on the previous quarter (January to March 2008) when 969 reports were received and a 36% reduction in the corresponding quarter of 2007 (April to June) when 1,306 reports were received.

Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, has announced the publication of a risk assessment for venous thromboembolism, recommended for all patients admitted to hospital in England. Venous thromboembolism in hospitalised patients is responsible for around 25,000 deaths in England each year.