This week NHS online services, diabetes, and Ian Paterson have dominated the news.
Health Secretary announces new online services in the NHS
At the 2017 Health and Care Innovation Expo, Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary announced that new online services in the NHS will be in place by the end of next year. Key breakthroughs raised were an app or online access to 111 and that patients will also be able to access their own GP record through an app, which will allow them to opt in or out of their data being shared. Read more on Digital Health.
AstraZeneca has had a successful clinical trial results for type 1 diabetes drug
AstraZeneca has revealed positive trial date that helps to lower weight and insulin dosing for type 1 diabetes sufferers. The drug, Farxiga, is already approved in the US for type 2 diabetes sufferers, however, is not yet approved for type 1. Read more on The Telegraph.
Ian Paterson’s victims are to receive £27m from Spire
Spire Healthcare has announced that it would settle all the current outstanding claims against it in regard to disgraced surgeon Ian Paterson. This covers 750 patients, and “will provide a mechanism for dealing with any new claims brought before 30 October 2018”. Mr Paterson’s insurers and the Heart of England Foundation Trust will contribute a further £9.8m. Read more on the HSJ (£).
New research shows that HRT does not shorten lives
New research from Boston has shown that hormone replacement pills will not shorten patient’s lifespans, in the longest follow-up research to date. The results support current advice, that when used short-term, HRT reduces hot flushes and other symptoms of the menopause. The research followed 27,000 women, 7,500 of which died (27% in both the hormone and placebo groups), most deaths occurred after the women stopped taking the hormones. Read more on The Guardian.
Belfast scientists design new flexible organic battery
Scientists from Queen’s University Belfast, have designed a new flexible organic battery that could revolutionise medical implants such as pacemakers. The battery is decomposable, non-flammable and has no leakage issues, which is set to last three times as long as their traditional counterparts. Read more on the BBC.
Quote of the week – Mari Hopley
“Most NHS staff are too frightened to speak out, and it’s not without trepidation that I do so, but my profession is in crisis and I owe it to the next generation of nurses to voice my concerns. Until the pay cap is lifted, the NHS will continue to haemorrhage nurses and the recruitment crisis will intensify.
Despite that, I’m proud to be a nurse and of my nursing colleagues who, no matter what this government throws at us, will always go the extra mile for our patients.” – Read more on The Guardian