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09/07/2008 - MS guidelines 'are being missed' (BBC)
The NHS in England is failing to meet national guidelines issued five years ago to improve the diagnosis and care of people with multiple sclerosis.
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09/07/2008 - Doctors to debate NHS 'top-ups' (BBC)
Doctors at the British Medical Association are to discuss the issue of co-payments at their Edinburgh conference.
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09/07/2008 - EMIS extends online patient record access (eHealthInsider)
GP IT system supplier EMIS is extending its online patient record access service to all of its practices.
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09/07/2008 - The new sexual revolution (The Independent)
When the actress Sophia Loren asked her grandmother Luisa when she lost interest in sex, the 80-year-old is said to have replied: "I don't know, dear, you will have to ask someone older than me."
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08/07/2008 - Test to pick out viable embryos (BBC)
A new test to assess the viability of IVF embryos could boost pregancy rates by 15%, say the developers.
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08/07/2008 - Quality care (BBC)
Does the Scottish NHS trump the English version?
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08/07/2008 - Doctor hits out at "unhygienic" TV cookery shows (BBC)
TV chefs are setting a bad example by failing to following basic hygiene standards, public health chiefs say.
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08/07/2008 - MPs' bid to change abortion laws (BBC)
A cross-party group of MPs will attempt next week to end the need for a second doctor to give their approval for an abortion.
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08/07/2008 - Private firms face Scots GP block (BBC)
Ministers in Scotland plan to close what a "legal loophole" in the GP contract that allows private firms to run surgeries.
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08/07/2008 - IVF twins risk 'over-estimated' (BBC)
A US doctor sparks controversy by saying couples having IVF are being "misled" about the risks of twin pregnancies.
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08/07/2008 - Blood pressure 'link to dementia' (BBC)
Controlling blood pressure from middle-age onwards may cut the chances of developing dementia, say researchers.
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08/07/2008 - Out-of-hours unscheduled care hasn't suffered, in spite of what a vocal minority might think (The Scotsman)
RECENT correspondence in this newspaper and elsewhere has highlighted some of the significant challenges that delivering healthcare in remote and rural communities present to
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08/07/2008 - Doctors' chief says England must follow Scots lead on NHS funding (The Scotsman)
ENGLAND must follow Scotland in the way it funds health services, by shunning the private sector and not forcing competition into the NHS, the leader of the UK's doctors s
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08/07/2008 - The pursuit of happiness: it's good to talk... or is it? (The Independent)
A couple of decades ago the advice to those who were depressed and out of work was to get "on yer bike". Today it is as likely to be to get on the couch.
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08/07/2008 - A big fat lie - the nutrition expert who says diets actually cause weight gain (The Independent)
The weight-loss industry is swelling as quickly as our waistlines at the moment, which seems something of a paradox. If body conscious consumers are so happy to buy dieting products, why are we facing an obesity crisis? The truth is, no calorie-controlled diet works. If they did, dieting professionals could kiss goodbye to repeat business. Even worse: restricting what you eat will make you fat. Worse still: yo-yo dieting can cause depression, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Frequent dieters are 60 per cent more likely to die from heart disease than people who don't starve themselves.
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07/07/2008 - New IVF technique (NHS Choices)
'Science thinks big for better IVF' is the headline in The Times. A new technique called intra-cytoplasmic morphologically-selected sperm injection (IMSI) can double the chances of a successful pregnancy, the newspaper says. IMSI involves 'examining sperm under a high-magnification microscope, about five times more powerful than standard laboratory equipment, to select those with a shape and size that indicates good genetic quality', the newspaper explains. The best-looking sperm are then injected into eggs. The newspaper story is based on a trial which showed an overall pregnancy rate in the IMSI group of 39.2% compared to 26.5% in the conventional care group. This new technique appears promising and may offer the hope of improving the rates of pregnancy for some infertile couples. Reports of the long-term outcomes from this study, including the healthy baby rate, will be needed, as well as an assessment of the cost and reproducibility of the technique in other countries. The researchers report that IMSI is about twice as expensive as conventional treatment, and requires special equipment and training. Where did the story come from? Dr Monica Antinori and colleagues from the International Associated Research Institute for Human Reproduction in Rome carried out this research. The authors report no financial or commercial conflicts of interest. It was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal: Reproductive BioMedicine Online. What kind of scientific study was this? This was a randomised controlled trial in which the researchers enrolled 446 couples who met four criteria, between January 2006 and June 2007. The women had to be 35 years or younger, and have an undetected female factor to their infertility. The couple had to have been trying for a baby for at least three years, and the men had to have been diagnosed at least twice by semen examination for the condition known as severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). This condition is the most common cause of male sub-fertility, and it includes three abnormalities: a low sperm count, poor sperm movement and abnormal sperm shape.In this study, the researchers randomised the participants so that they were unaware of the groups to which they were assigned. 219 were assigned to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) ' the traditional treatment ' and 227 to the new intra-cytoplasmic morphologically-selected sperm injection (IMSI) treatment. Following randomisation, three sub-groups were identified, which would allow for analysis according to the number of previous failed attempts using ICSI, providing a measure of severity for the condition. The three sub-groups were divided according to those couples with no previous failed IVF attempts, those with one previous failed attempt and those with two or more failed attempts. Eggs were harvested from the participating women using standard methods of ovarian stimulation and induction of ovulation. Three of the recovered eggs were transferred to culture media to be used for IVF. For those randomised to IMSI, the researchers divided the fresh sperm into droplets of about 4 microlitres in size, and examined them using a high-powered microscope. They placed the best, healthy looking sperm into a selection droplet under microscopic control. Then, using a very narrow tube, they selected only two of the best sperm from this droplet for each of the three eggs to be inseminated. It took anywhere from two to three and a half hours for the researchers to find the best-quality sperm under the microscope. Standard ICSI techniques were used to inject the sperm into the eggs that had been retrieved from the woman, and a maximum of three eggs were placed back in the uterus' ' the maximum allowed by Italian law. The researchers recorded the number of eggs that successfully implanted, the number of miscarriages and the number of successful pregnancies. What were the results of the study? The women were on average 32 years of age and each had the same average number of embryos implanted (2.4 per patient). The researchers say that by comparing the two randomised groups, 'IMSI pregnancy and implantation rates appear to be significantly higher than those for ICSI'. The pregnancy rate for IMSI was 39.2% versus 26.5%, and the implantation rate for IMSI was 17.3% versus 11.3%. Both these differences were statistically significant. The researchers also compared the pre-determined subgroups and found that the pregnancy rate was statistically different between IMSI and ICSI in the couples that had been through two or more unsuccessful IVF attempts before, compared with those who had been through one (12.9% versus 29.9%, P=0.017). There was no statistical difference in pregnancy or miscarriage rates in the other subgroups. However, the researchers comment that the clinical outcome was still clearly in favour of the IMSI method. What interpretations did the researchers draw from these results? The researchers conclude that, to the best of their knowledge, 'this paper is so far the only prospective randomised study showing that IMSI is significantly more beneficial than ICSI on all patients with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, regardless of the number of previous IVF failures'. They add that 'in the near future'¦ IMSI could be recommended as a routine IVF technique to solve complicated male infertility cases from their first attempt.'What does the NHS Knowledge Service make of this study? This study has been carefully designed, with all patients analysed and followed up according to a well-defined, pre-determined protocol. There are a few features to the study that deserve comment: Other measures of infertility can be important to infertile couples such as the number of babies that proceed to normal delivery. Because the study is still ongoing, the researchers are only able to report that up to the publication of the trial, the IMSI procedure has resulted in 27 deliveries of a total of 35 healthy babies, 47 ongoing pregnancies and 15 miscarriages. As for the ICSI group, 25 healthy babies were born, 14 miscarriages occurred and 20 pregnancies are still ongoing. The significance of these differences is not reported. The number of twin pregnancies is also an outcome of interest to clinicians and women. The researchers report that there were eight twin pregnancies among the 97 successful implantations in the IMSI group and only one among the 59 successful ICSI implantations. The researchers do not comment on any statistical significance or attempt to explain the reasons for this difference. This new technique appears promising and may offer the hope of improving the rates of pregnancy for selected infertile couples. Reports of the long-term outcomes from this study, including the healthy baby rate, will be needed, as well as an assessment of the cost and reproducibility of the technique in other countries.
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07/07/2008 - Tell donor children early in life (BBC)
Children conceived using sperm donors should be told of their origins at an early age, research suggests.
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07/07/2008 - Diabetes forcing many amputations (BBC)
Around 100 people a week in the UK have a limb amputated as a result of diabetes, a charity has claimed.
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07/07/2008 - Doctors 'under attack' - BMA head (BBC)
The leader of the British Medical Association says doctors in England feel under attack from the government.
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07/07/2008 - Mental health fears over khat use (BBC)
There are fears that the stimulant khat is contributing to mental health problems within the UK's east African communities.
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07/07/2008 - Ruth Rendell speaks out against female genital mutilation (Telegraph)
The novelist is campaigning to stop up to 20,000 girls in Britain being mutilated each year, reports Victoria Lambert.
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07/07/2008 - Beauty of the beetroot (Telegraph)
Scientists have discovered that beetroot has a remarkable effect on lowering blood pressure. Maria Fitzpatrick tries a medically approved new juice.
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07/07/2008 - 10 Minute nutrition (Telegraph)
Nutritional therapist Julia FitzGerald offers easy tips for healthier living. This week: how to treat insomnia.
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07/07/2008 - Superbug hazard as medics 'stopped from cleaning ambulances' (The Scotsman)
PATIENTS are being exposed to potentially lethal superbugs because ambulances aren't being cleaned properly, it was claimed today.
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07/07/2008 - Men face a ticking clock on fatherhood from age 40, study claims (The Scotsman)
MEN have a biological clock which starts to tick when they turn 40, a new study suggests.
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07/07/2008 - Talking therapy plans under fire (BBC)
A government drive to increase the number of cognitive behavioural therapists is flawed, a group of experts warn.
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07/07/2008 - 'Miscarriage rate rises with age of father' (The Independent)
Women with older partners may be at higher risk of suffering miscarriages irrespective of their own age, according to a study that has linked the increased chance of a failed pregnancy with men over the age of 40.
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07/07/2008 - Half of Britons believe NHS will cease to be free at point of use (The Independent)
Half the public believe they will have to pay directly towards their NHS treatment within a decade, a survey by the British Medical Association reveals.
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07/07/2008 - Doctors fume at glamorisation of smoking in films (The Independent)
Film stars who smoke on screen should attract the attention of the censor in the same way as they would if they were engaged in extreme sex or violence, doctors say.
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06/07/2008 - Concerns over foreign transplants (BBC)
A London hospital is referred to healthcare watchdogs over the number of liver transplants carried out on foreign patients.
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06/07/2008 - Male biological clock 'ticks too' (BBC)
Scientists say there's more evidence that men, like women, have biological clocks affecting when they can have children.
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06/07/2008 - BMA urges tougher tobacco rules (BBC)
The British Medical Association's annual conference hears calls for a range of tough measures to rid the UK of smoking.
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06/07/2008 - Polyclinics 'not a threat' to GPs (BBC)
GP surgeries will not be forced to close when polyclinics open, the health minister has said.
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06/07/2008 - BMA chief against private drugs (BBC)
The head of the British Medical Association says top-up care should continue to be banned.
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06/07/2008 - Sly smokers spark more pub inspections (The Scotsman)
PLANS to scale down smoking inspectors are to be scrapped after new research suggested many pub customers are lighting up during lock-ins.
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06/07/2008 - Scots mother rolls out her canine therapy to help autistic children (The Scotsman)
A MOTHER who helped her autistic son communicate by using their family dog has launched a scheme to help other Scottish children with the condition.
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06/07/2008 - MP bids to outlaw abortions for club foot or cleft palate (The Scotsman)
ABORTIONS carried out because babies have a club foot or cleft palate could be banned under plans to be put before MPs later this month.
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06/07/2008 - Confusion over law halts Scots organ transplants (The Scotsman)
SCORES of desperately ill Scots have been denied organ transplants because of mistakes by medical staff and confusion over the law, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.
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06/07/2008 - Donor children 'emotionally well' (BBC)
Children from assisted conception do as well emotionally as those conceived naturally, research suggests.
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06/07/2008 - A chair to aid breastfeeding in public (BBC)
Student Nicola Hart hopes her new chair will make the cafe experience less daunting for breastfeeding mothers.
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06/07/2008 - GPs 'bullied' into longer surgery hours (The Independent)
Doctors will this week accuse ministers of "bullying" them into seeing patients at weekends and in the evenings, as government figures reveal they are far behind targets for offering treatment outside office hours.
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05/07/2008 - Prevention is cure (BBC)
How the NHS could do more to stop people getting ill
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05/07/2008 - Doctors' chief says Scottish hospitals need 1,000 more consultants (The Scotsman)
AROUND 1,000 more consultants are needed in Scotland to improve outcomes for patients, the leader of the country's doctors has told The Scotsman.
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05/07/2008 - Gender 'impacts on transplants' (BBC)
Women who get a replacement kidney from a male donor are more likely to reject the new organ, scientists suggest.
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04/07/2008 - Red wine and quality of life (NHS Choices)
'Red wine drug could make elderly more vigorous but not live longer,' is the headline in The Daily Telegraph. A research study has found that an extract of red wine did not appear...
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04/07/2008 - Four-way split (BBC)
Why the UK now has different NHS systems
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04/07/2008 - Call for prescription charge end (BBC)
Three quarters of people in the UK want to see prescription charges scrapped in England, a BBC poll suggests.
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04/07/2008 - Health boards 'risk being swallowed up' (The Scotsman)
PLANS to "twin" Scotland's three island health boards with mainland authorities could be the start of the "slippery slope towards centralisation", opponent
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04/07/2008 - Sporting 'heart screening' call (BBC)
Screening sportsmen for signs of hidden heart conditions could save lives, a study has concluded.
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04/07/2008 - 'Deadliest' malaria rising in UK (BBC)
More cases of the most dangerous type of malaria are being brought back to the UK from trips, official figures show.
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04/07/2008 - Relax in style: 10 ways to beat stress (The Independent)
Alternative therapies - what's behind the names?: Aromatherapy; Acupuncture; Hot stone massage therapy; Reflexology; Flotation; Reiki; Qigong; Meditation; Swedish/Thai massage; Shiatsu - And what do ...
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03/07/2008 - US 'pregnant man' has baby girl (BBC)
An American man who was born female but underwent gender realignment surgery, gives birth, US media report.
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03/07/2008 - 'Mental risk' of Facebook teens (BBC)
Children growing up with social networking websites may have a "dangerous" view of the world, says an expert.
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03/07/2008 - Dementia more common in women (NHS Choices)
'Study shows women'dementia link,' is the headline on the Channel 4 News website today. Women are 'much more likely than men to be suffering from dementia when they reach...
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03/07/2008 - Do 'snack packs' make people eat more? (NHS Choices)
A study has found that 'diet-sized snack portions encourage people to eat more," The Daily Telegraph reported. The newspaper said that researchers had warned that smaller sized packets...
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03/07/2008 - Changing times (BBC)
How care has been transformed by the NHS
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03/07/2008 - Support for organ opt-out scheme (BBC)
Nearly half of people in Wales asked in a survey want their organs taken automatically after their death to save a life.
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03/07/2008 - Doctors shocked by own water baby (BBC)
Two doctors who live near a maternity hospital are caught out by their baby's home delivery in the bath.
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03/07/2008 - Wasted: The millions spent trying to boost Scottish healthcare (The Scotsman)
A LUCRATIVE new contract for Scottish GPs that gave them a 38 per cent pay rise over three years has failed to reduce health inequalities or improve access for patients.
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03/07/2008 - Superbug levels in OAPs at record high (The Scotsman)
A report published by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) showed 1,861 patients aged over 65 in Scotland became infected with C difficile between January and March this year - a 16 per cent increase from 1,608 in the last quarter of 2007. Three quarters are thought to have contracted the infection while in hospital.
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03/07/2008 - Inside Health: Medical dilemma over patients willing to pay (The Scotsman)
The UK does not allow patients to pay privately for drugs that are not available on the NHS and continue to receive other aspects of their care paid for by the NHS. The English Health Secretary has launched a review, whereas, the Scottish Government has yet to say how it intends to tackle the issue.
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03/07/2008 - Oldest women hit hard by dementia (BBC)
Almost half of all women in their 90s are suffering from dementia, research conducted in California suggests.
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03/07/2008 - Minister says GPs blocking choice (BBC)
A health minister says GPs operate "gentlemen's agreements" to block movement of patients between practices.
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03/07/2008 - Cold sore virus secret revealed (BBC)
The secret of how the cold sore virus persists for a lifetime in the body may have been cracked by US scientists.
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02/07/2008 - How 'snack-size' makes you bigger (BBC)
Buying mini-versions of fattening snacks is not the way to keep weight off, Dutch scientists claim.
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02/07/2008 - Study shows how broccoli fights cancer (Reuters UK)
LONDON (Reuters) - Just a few more portions of broccoli each week may protect men from prostate cancer, British researchers reported...
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02/07/2008 - Sex and the Saga generation send STI rates soaring (Times Online)
Viagra-fuelled over-45s having risky sex with people they meet through the internet are being blamed for a surge in sexually transmitted diseases among the middle-aged.
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02/07/2008 - Coffee and multiple sclerosis (NHS Choices)
'Drinking several cups of coffee a day could halt the development of multiple sclerosis,' reads a story in The Daily Telegraph yesterday. The study looked at 'mice that...
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02/07/2008 - Mediterranean diet 'cuts cancer risk' (NHS Choices)
A study has found that 'eating a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables, and fish can substantially cut the risk of developing cancer', The Daily Telegraph reported. It said that the study...
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02/07/2008 - Panic alarms for victims of domestic violence (The Scotsman)
VICTIMS of domestic abuse are being issued with panic alarms as new figures show that nearly 30 people report attacks to the police every day in the Lothians.
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02/07/2008 - NHS dentistry reforms 'failing' (BBC)
Changes designed to improve NHS dental services have not been successful, a House of Commons committee report suggests.
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02/07/2008 - Miracle diet from the Med (The Independent)
Adopting elements of a Mediterranean-style diet, which is high in fruit and vegetables and low on red meat and dairy produce, can reduce the risk of cancer by almost a quarter, according to a major st...
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02/07/2008 - Majority of youngsters struck with leukaemia will survive (The Scotsman)
ALMOST three-quarters of children diagnosed with leukaemia will be cured of the disease, research suggested yesterday.
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02/07/2008 - EU plans cross-border healthcare (BBC)
More patients across Europe may seek treatment abroad if new EU healthcare proposals are adopted.
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02/07/2008 - Child food 'poor' at attractions (BBC)
UK theme parks, museums and other holiday sites are serving up child meals loaded with sugar, salt and fat, a survey finds.
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02/07/2008 - Cancers linked to lifestyle still on rise ' especially in Scotland (The Scotsman)
CANCERS linked to lifestyle are rising across much of Europe, with Scotland seeing some of the highest rates of the disease, research suggested yesterday.
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01/07/2008 - Pick your own surgeon – a new future for the NHS (The Independent)
Patients will be able to choose which surgeon they want to carry out their operation under changes to the NHS designed improve quality of treatment.
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01/07/2008 - Mother's junk food 'harms child' (BBC)
The offspring of rats fed fatty, processed food had high levels of fat in their bloodstream and around major organs even after adolescence. Does this suggest eating a poor diet when pregnant or breastfeeding may cause long-lasting health damage to the child?
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01/07/2008 - Mental hospitals going smoke-free (BBC)
A new rule in mental health units in England means smoking will not be allowed in hospital buildings or grounds.
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01/07/2008 - 'Good' cholesterol dementia risk (BBC)
Too little of one type of cholesterol has been linked by research to memory loss and Alzheimer's disease.
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01/07/2008 - 'Good' cholesterol and memory loss (NHS Choices)
'Poor diet may increase risk of dementia,' The Daily Telegraph reports today. Low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in the blood ' 'good cholesterol' ' were 'associated with a...
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01/07/2008 - Genes for Crohn's identified (NHS Choices)
The number of genes linked to the bowel condition Crohn's disease has been trebled by research that provides promising targets for better therapies,' The Times reported. The newspaper...
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01/07/2008 - Exercise still important for children (NHS Choices)
'Exercise 'doesn't prevent childhood obesity'', read the headline in The Daily Telegraph. The newspaper reported that a study in 300 children found that less than 50% of boys and only about...
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01/07/2008 - Could sex save your life? (The Independent)
Boosting self-esteem was one of the 237 reasons people have sex, according to a study conducted last year by researchers from the University of Texas and published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. This is no surprise to Julia Cole, author of How to Have Great Sex for the Rest of Your Life. She is convinced that a healthy sex life with a loving partner does wonders for the way you feel about yourself. "After a bout of sex the body releases endorphins, which are known as 'happy chemicals' because they improve mood," she says. "Purely from a physical point of view it's similar to enjoying a good workout or going swimming – but if you're having sex with someone you love it also makes you feel cared for and promotes self-esteem."
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01/07/2008 - Child strokes going 'undiagnosed' (BBC)
Up to five children a day in Britain are suffering from undiagnosed strokes and their consequences, according to new research.
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01/07/2008 - Caffeine 'could help prevent MS' (BBC)
Mice given the equivalent of six to eight cups of coffee a day were less likely to develop a disease similar to multiple sclerosis, a study found [more research required].
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30/06/2008 - Finger on the Pulse (Telegraph)
Max Pemberton on dealing with patients addicted to drugs
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30/06/2008 - Warning: The credit crunch is bad for your mental health (The Scotsman)
RISING numbers of Scots are seeking help for depression and anxiety brought on by the global credit crunch, experts have said.
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30/06/2008 - Smoking ban has saved 40,000 lives (The Independent)
The nationwide smoking ban has triggered the biggest fall in smoking ever seen in England, a report says today.
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30/06/2008 - Sex diseases 'double in over-45s' (BBC)
Sexually-transmitted infections double in under a decade in older people, research suggests.
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30/06/2008 - Rapid test for drug resistant TB (BBC)
An international initiative aims to speed diagnosis and care of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in developing countries.
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30/06/2008 - NHS overhaul plans to be laid out (BBC)
Health minister Lord Darzi is set to announce his plans for the next 10 years of the NHS in England.
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30/06/2008 - Infections 'the biggest NHS fear' (BBC)
Picking up an infection is the concern about hospital care most often voiced by the public, a BBC poll shows.
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30/06/2008 - Call to rethink child BMI testing (BBC)
Using a child's body mass index (BMI) as a measure of the success of exercise targets may be misleading, say experts.
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29/06/2008 - US issues health warning over mercury fillings (The Independent)
Amalgam dental fillings - which contain the highly toxic metal mercury - pose a health risk, the world's top medical regulatory agency has conceded.
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29/06/2008 - NHS drug approval to 'speed up' (BBC)
The government is to set out plans to speed up the approval of drugs for use in the NHS.
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29/06/2008 - Knife revolution (BBC)
Surgeons pick their top medical innovations
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29/06/2008 - Hospital clean-up branded a failure (The Independent)
Gordon Brown's "deep clean" policy to rid hospitals of lethal superbugs was branded an expensive failure after it was revealed that most health trusts had failed to carry out the procedure properly.
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29/06/2008 - Cancer cure trials move from mice to men (The Independent)
In a major breakthrough in the search for a cure for cancer, the first human trials are to begin using a technique that has already been shown to destroy the disease in mice. The trials are the culmination of years of research prompted by the discovery of a cancer-proof mouse by researchers almost a decade ago.
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29/06/2008 - Baby set to be born free of breast cancer (The Scotsman)
A WOMAN is pregnant with the UK's first baby guaranteed to be free from hereditary breast cancer, it was reported last night.
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28/06/2008 - The birth of the NHS (The Independent)
On 5 July 1948, Sylvia Beckingham was admitted to hospital in Manchester to be treated for a liver condition. Sylvia, 13, was the first patient to be treated on the NHS [Contains interesting comparative statistics about the NHS].
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28/06/2008 - Still a threat (BBC)
The risk from a new deadly flu has not gone away
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28/06/2008 - Patients with new livers to get tooth care (The Scotsman)
LIVER transplant patients will receive special dental care after their operations under a scheme to be launched by NHS Lothian.
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28/06/2008 - No protection? It's a skin for trouble (Telegraph)
Lucy Atkins on the need for sunscreens - chemical or 'organic'.
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28/06/2008 - 'My aim is to get a boyfriend' (BBC)
Jess Lee is undergoing a series of operations to correct facial disfigurement caused by a rare condition called Apert Syndrome.
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28/06/2008 - Midwives: Law on breastfeeding must be widened (The Independent)
Midwives and maternity groups are urging the Government to extend a new law to give mothers the legal right to breastfeed babies more than six months old in public.
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28/06/2008 - High Court challenge to make NHS provide 'blind cure' drug (Mirror)
A woman yesterday won permission to mount a High Court challenge against the NHS for refusing to give her drugs that may save her sight [Age related macular degeneration] .
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28/06/2008 - Hearing loss link to stroke risk (BBC)
Taiwanese researchers compared adults with sudden hearing loss with matched 'control' patients over a 5 year period and observed a higher risk of the hearing loss patients subsequently suffering a stroke [More research required to prove link].
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28/06/2008 - Exclusive: The baby docs said was dead after ultrasound blunder (Mirror)
'Stillborn' child carried for a month before re-test Mum still felt pregnant and medics found out blunder
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28/06/2008 - Exclusive: 234,060 stop smoking after the ban (Mirror)
Record numbers have given up smoking because of the ban on lighting up in pubs, clubs and restaurants.
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28/06/2008 - Brits double the amount of fat they eat at the weekend (Mirror)
Today is Faturday... when we Brits double our fat consumption by bingeing on fry-ups.
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27/06/2008 - 'One egg' IVF strategy launched (BBC)
Fertility experts have called for a dramatic cut in the number of twins being born after IVF treatment.
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27/06/2008 - Nurses' clinics to compete with GPs' surgeries (The Independent)
Nurses are to run their own "companies" inside the NHS to compete with traditional family doctor surgeries and provide more services to patients.
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27/06/2008 - NHS IT mess hits cancer patients (BBC)
Cancer patients at a top London hospital have had urgent appointments postponed because of problems with the new NHS computer system.
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27/06/2008 - NHS blocks cancer drug in price row (The Independent)
Britain's NHS drugs watchdog has for the first time terminated an assessment of a powerful new cancer medicine because of a row about its price with the manufacturer.
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27/06/2008 - Drug watchdog 'set for new money' (BBC)
The chairman of the NHS drug watchdog has signalled his organisation is about to get a significant amount of government money to expand its work.
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27/06/2008 - Babies test positive for MRSA bug (BBC)
Five babies in a special care unit in a Scottish hospital test positive for the superbug MRSA, health officials say.
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27/06/2008 - Antenatal blues 'hit development' (BBC)
Women who are depressed during pregnancy can have babies who develop more slowly than their peers, a UK study suggests.
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26/06/2008 - Why men and women differ in their attitudes over one night stands (BBC)
Many women are left unhappy in the aftermath of casual sexual encounters, a survey has revealed.
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26/06/2008 - 'Sofa rash' under investigation (BBC)
The Health and Safety Executive is looking into claims that people have been burned by fungicide inside leather sofas.
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26/06/2008 - Smoke without fire: Will the 'e-fag' ever catch on? (The Independent)
[A journalist tests an electronic cigarette] "It consists of a microchip and a harmless liquid that, when the user inhales, turns into a virtually odourless vapour resembling smoke and then provides the hit of nicotine," insists its manufacturer.
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26/06/2008 - QRisk2 helps to predict risk of heart attacks (eHealthInsider)
Researchers have used anonymised GP records to develop a new method for assessing whether people are at risk from cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which they claim will improve national diagnosis rates and better identify those at risk among black and minority ethnic groups.
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26/06/2008 - Mediterranean diet can reduce asthma risk (Mirror)
Portuguese researchers reporting in Allergy Magazine, have concluded that adherence to the Mediterranean diet and fresh fruit intake are associated with improved asthma control.
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26/06/2008 - High fat level found in takeaways (BBC)
Campaigners call for better labels on takeaway food after revealing huge levels of fat, salt and sugar in some dishes.
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26/06/2008 - Health tragedy (BBC)
How corruption is giving babies HIV in Central Asia
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26/06/2008 - Genetic test will identify those most at risk of breast cancer (The Independent)
The chances of getting breast cancer vary more than sixfold among women because of their genetic inheritance but the breast screening programme fails to target those at highest risk, scientists have found. Researchers at the University of Cambridge say it may soon be possible to offer women a genetic test based on the seven common gene sites that determine cancer risk and to focus prevention efforts accordingly.
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26/06/2008 - Further '£2.65m to extend GP surgery hours (The Scotsman)
FAMILY doctors were yesterday handed an extra '£2.65 million in the Scottish Government's latest efforts to encourage more to open their surgeries in the evenings and at
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26/06/2008 - Dementia care charging 'unfair' (BBC)
Dementia patients are being unfairly treated by being forced to pay for their care, according to campaigners.
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26/06/2008 - Call to ditch alcohol 'crusade' (The Scotsman)
THE Scottish Government yesterday faced claims that it was in "crusade mode" over alcohol abuse.
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26/06/2008 - Brain's adventure centre located (BBC)
Scientists say thay have located a region of the brain that encourages adventurous behaviour.
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26/06/2008 - Aids epidemic a 'global disaster' (BBC)
The Aids epidemic is so severe that it should be classified as a disaster, the Red Cross and Red Crescent warns.
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25/06/2008 - Variations in heart attack care (BBC)
Availability of the gold standard treatment for heart attack varies across England and Wales, a report says.
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25/06/2008 - Tourist dies of 'food poisoning' (BBC)
A British tourist dies of suspected salmonella poisoning at a luxury hotel at Lake Garda, northern Italy.
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25/06/2008 - Sickness bug found in tap water (BBC)
Residents in 108,000 homes in Northamptonshire are told to boil water after the cryptosporidium bug is found.
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25/06/2008 - Screening to save men from 'hidden killer' (The Scotsman)
[Aortic Aneurysm screening in Scotland] A SCREENING programme which could save at least three men a week from a "hidden killer" was announced yesterday by the Scottish Government.
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25/06/2008 - NHS chiefs hail improvement as child vaccination targets hit (The Scotsman)
HEALTH chiefs are hitting Scottish Government targets on vaccinating children against diseases such as Polio and Diphtheria
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25/06/2008 - MPs call for tighter biosecurity (BBC)
British laboratories handling dangerous diseases have been neglected, an MPs' report has warned.
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25/06/2008 - Military 'should have preferential NHS treatment' (The Independent)
Military families should get preferential access to public services such as the NHS, schools and dentistry under proposals backed by the head of Britain's armed forces.
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25/06/2008 - Gene fuels deadly prostate cancer (BBC)
A faulty gene closely associated with breast cancer is also responsible for a particularly dangerous form of prostate cancer, research shows.
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25/06/2008 - Controversial diet drug approved (BBC)
An obesity drug has been approved for NHS use, despite links to an increased risk of depression and suicide.
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25/06/2008 - A surgical revolution: checklist that could prevent thousands of deaths (The Independent)
An aircraft-style safety test is to be implemented in all British hospitals to reduce the risks of surgery, using a simple checklist that has been proved to save thousands of lives.
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24/06/2008 - Vitamin D and death risk (NHS Choices)
A 'behind the headlines' assessment of the recent news story that people with higher levels of the sunshine vitamin D dramatically slash their risk of dying early
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24/06/2008 - Tories promise NHS targets revamp (BBC)
A system of NHS targets based on survival rates could help save 100,000 lives a year, the Tories are expected to say.
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24/06/2008 - Superbug fatalities rise to 18 (The Scotsman)
ANOTHER patient in the outbreak of Clostridium difficile has died, bringing the total number of fatalities to 18.
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24/06/2008 - How to have a healthy holiday (The Independent)
Mosquitoes
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24/06/2008 - Data from 1m emergency calls lost in the post (The Scotsman)
DETAILS of almost one million calls to the ambulance service in Scotland, including names, addresses and phone numbers, have been lost.
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24/06/2008 - Crowded wards 'add to patient infection risks' (The Independent)
Overcrowding of wards and staff shortages are contributing to a worldwide boom in hospital infections that are putting patients at risk, researchers say.
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24/06/2008 - Cats 'spark eczema in vulnerable' (BBC)
Being exposed to cat allergens early in life may spark eczema - if you carry a key gene fault, say scientists.
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24/06/2008 - Call for health inequalities push (BBC)
Ministers urge local authorities to target problem areas after producing a detailed breakdown of public health measures.
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24/06/2008 - Ambulance service's final warning (BBC)
The Welsh ambulance service is given six months to improve in the wake of "unacceptable" response times.
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24/06/2008 - 10% of our children are obese (Mirror)
Almost one in 10 children is obese, figures reveal.
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23/06/2008 - Web access to contraceptive pill (BBC)
A UK-based online medical service has been launched offering the contraceptive pill without the need to visit a doctor.
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23/06/2008 - Trench foot (BBC)
Forget the Great War - I got it at Glastonbury
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23/06/2008 - Singer Winehouse 'has emphysema' (BBC)
Singer Amy Winehouse has damaged her lungs by smoking crack cocaine and cigarettes, her father has said.
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23/06/2008 - Parents 'ignorant' on five-a-day (BBC)
One in three parents say their children know more about healthy eating campaigns than they do, according to a poll.
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23/06/2008 - Nurse uniform to fight infection (BBC)
New standardised uniforms for nurses are proposed across Wales' hospitals to help tackle infection.
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23/06/2008 - Hospital rise for child diabetes (BBC)
The number of children who needed to be admitted to hospital as an emergency with complications of diabetes has risen sharply.
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23/06/2008 - Ex-minister backs assisted death (BBC)
Former health minister, Lord Warner, backs calls for assisted death for terminally-ill patients to be legalised.
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23/06/2008 - Central NHS cancer research database launched (eHealthInsider)
A new '£4m NHS National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN), which will bring together around 22m NHS cancer records to create the largest patient-based cancer research resource in the world is to be created by the Department of Health and several cancer charities.
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23/06/2008 - Bainbridge warns of need for telecare (eHealthInsider)
Health and social care services have five years to develop the telehealth and telecare services they will need to cope with an ageing population, Dr Mike Bainbridge, NHS Connecting for Health's clinical archit