Monthly Archives: July 2013

Health warnings as Met Office steps up heatwave alert

July 18, 2013   Carers, Older care

 

Heatwave: But experts are warning people to be aware of the risks

10:39am Thursday 18th July 2013 in News By Tarik Al Rasheed

Heatwave: But experts are warning people to be aware of the risks A HEATWAVE warning for the West Midlands has been issued by forecasters after temperatures soared beyond 30C.

The Met Office has put out a “level three” alert which is triggered when conditions deemed dangerous to health are reached.

A level three alert is triggered when conditions deemed dangerous to health are reached

The A&E department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital is already experiencing huge numbers of heat-related attendances while experts at Public Health England are warning that the scorching temperatures could potentially be deadly if proper precautions are not taken.

A level three alert is issued when “threshold” temperatures have been hit on consecutive days and the night in between.

These vary from region to region, but in the West Midlands the daytime is 30C and the night-time is 15C.

The current weather warning is just one step below the highest level four alert – classified as a national emergency – where the scorching temperatures continue for so long their impact could extend beyond the health and social care sectors, potentially even impacting on infrastructure such as transport and power.

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Patients to inspect hospitals

July 18, 2013   Carers, hospital, Older care

‘I want a small army’: Hospitals chief inspector urges patients and ex-doctors to join battle to weed out poor care

  • Squads with doctors and nurses to probe care at all NHS trusts
  • 9 of 11 failing trusts were  passed as safe by Care Quality Commission
  • Chief inspector Sir Mike Richards: ‘I will not tolerate poor or mediocre care’
  • By Sophie Borland and Matt Chorley

PUBLISHED: 23:43, 17 July 2013 | UPDATED: 08:52, 18 July 2013

The CQC’s new chief inspector of hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, admitted today the previous CQC inspections had been flawed. He said: ‘We wouldn’t be changing it if it wasn’t.’

Patients, ex-doctors and carers are to be recruited to join a ‘small army’ of hospital inspectors to root-out poor care.

They will form 15-strong squads with doctors and nurses which will carry out thorough investigations of all NHS trusts over the next two years.

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MS hope from 'off-the-shelf' drugs

July 17, 2013   Carers, Multiple Sclerosis
17 July 2013 Last updated at 07:44

MS hope from ‘off-the-shelf’ drugs

By Helen Briggs BBC News

 MS can cause problems with walking and balance

Existing drugs for motor neurone disease, asthma and heart disease are being tested as possible treatments for advanced multiple sclerosis (MS).

About 500 people with late-stage MS are to enrol in clinical trials in England and Scotland to see if three common drugs can slow disease progression.

Research suggests the medicines may protect the brain from further damage.

There is currently no treatment for secondary progressive MS, a form of the disease marked by increased disability.

About 100,000 people are living with MS in the UK. Symptoms include problems with walking, balance, speech, vision and extreme fatigue.

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