Patient information leaflets about cancer trials are too complicated, finds study

via Patient information leaflets about cancer trials are too complicated, finds study | BMJ.

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People approached to take part in cancer trials find patient information leaflets about the trials too long and difficult to understand, warns a study, which is informing new guidance on consent procedures.

 

Care of older people in hospitals is unacceptable, says think tank

via Care of older people in hospitals is unacceptable, says think tank | BMJ.

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Older people’s care often breaks down in hospitals, and these failures in continuity of care are “unacceptable,” says the King’s Fund.

Healthier Ageing | BMJ

Healthier ageing | BMJ.

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Summary points

• Ageing affects people in different ways, with a wide variation in age related physical and mental functioning

• Healthier ageing is achievable through modifying some lifestyle factors—such as stopping smoking, being more physically active, and eating a balanced diet

• For healthier ageing, eat mainly nutrient dense foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals and low in fats and sugar

• Balancing energy intake and expenditure is important for maintaining healthy weight

• Preventing chronic diseases may promote healthier ageing through better physical and mental health

Effect of the human papillomavirus (HPV) quadrivalent vaccine in a subgroup of women with cervical and vulvar disease: retrospective pooled analysis of trial data | BMJ

Effect of the human papillomavirus (HPV) quadrivalent vaccine in a subgroup of women with cervical and vulvar disease: retrospective pooled analysis of trial data | BMJ.

This article is available freely via Open Access. Please click on the above link to view it fully.

 

Abstract

Objectives To determine the effect of human papillomavirus (HPV) quadrivalent vaccine on the risk of developing subsequent disease after an excisional procedure for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or diagnosis of genital warts, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, or vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia.

Dementia patients ‘illegally locked up’

Dementia patients ‘illegally locked up’ – Health News – NHS Choices.

NHS Choices examines the science behind the newspaper headlines.

What does the CQC conclude?

The CQC says that tackling the problem is a high priority and it plans to ask councils, healthcare trusts and other organisations to contribute to a pilot study that is being developed to improve the collection of information.

Cynthia Bower, CQC chief executive said: “The safeguards are vital to ensure that a person’s best interests are carefully considered, their needs fully understood, their wishes taken into account and their human rights properly respected.”

Links to the headlines

Dementia patients locked in rooms to make them, easier to manage. The Daily Telegraph, March 27 2012

Locked up and sedated: Huge rise in number of dementia patients being ‘restrained’ by hospital staff and carers. Daily Mail, March 27 2012

Further reading

<!– heading

end heading –>Care Quality Commission: The operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in England, 2010/11 (PDF, 392kb). Published March 27 2012

 

Evaluation of the bowel cancer awareness pilot in the south west and east of England: 31 January to 18 March 2011

Evaluation of the bowel cancer awareness pilot in the south west and east of England: 31 January to 18 March 2011 : Department of Health – Publications.

This report, commissioned by the Department of Health, provides an independent evaluation of the two regional pilots aimed at raising public awareness and promoting earlier diagnosis of bowel cancer. It brings together information from a wide range of sources including:

·         A campaign-specific survey of public awareness of the key symptoms of bowel cancer and of the acceptability of such campaigns.

 

·         A bespoke study of attendance at GP practices before and during the campaign to assess changes in the public’s behaviour resulting from the campaign and any effect on GP workload.

 

·         Analysis of urgent referrals to secondary care for suspected colorectal cancer both in the two pilot regions and elsewhere.

 

·         Analysis of the impact on lower gastrointestinal endoscopy activity.

 

·         Analysis of the impact of the campaign on the uptake of bowel cancer screening.

 

·         Analysis of numbers of cancers diagnosed and (where available) stage at diagnosis, through cancer registries.

 

NHS reform risk register reveals list of serious concerns

via NHS reform risk register reveals list of serious concerns | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

A version of the Department of Health’s risk register for the NHS reforms has been published on the internet, having apparently been leaked.

This story has also been covered by the BBC. This story can be viewed by clicking here

 

Alcohol strategy

via Alcohol strategy | Home Office.

Alcohol Strategy

The alcohol strategy sets out proposals to crackdown on our ‘binge drinking’ culture, cut the alcohol fuelled violence and disorder that blights too many of our communities, and slash the number of people drinking to damaging levels.

The strategy includes commitments to:

• introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol
• consult on a ban on the sale of multi-buy alcohol discounting
• introduce stronger powers for local areas to control the density of licensed premises including making the impact on health a consideration for this
• pilot innovative sobriety schemes to challenge alcohol-related offending

 

Ambulance responses ‘vary’ in elderly fall cases

via Ambulance responses ‘vary’ in elderly fall cases | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

There are wide differences in how UK ambulance services respond to 999 calls from elderly people who have fallen, research suggests.

 

Increase in patient liberty restrictions – CQC

via Increase in patient liberty restrictions – CQC | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

There has been a rise in the number of approvals for measures that allow hospital and care home staff to deprive people of their liberty

 

English nurses more confident in managers than European peers

via English nurses more confident in managers than European peers | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

Despite a high degree of scepticism, nurses in England appear to have more confidence in their managers than their counterparts in other countries, researchers have revealed.

 

UK ethnicity data collection for healthcare statistics: The South Asian perspective

BMC Public Health | Abstract | UK ethnicity data collection for healthcare statistics: The South Asian perspective.

This article is available freely via Open Access. Please click on the above link to view it fully.

 

Abstract (provisional)

 

Background

 

Ethnicity data collection has been proven to be important in health care but despite government initiatives remains incomplete and mostly un-validated in the UK. Accurate self-reported ethnicity data would enable experts to assess inequalities in health and access to services and help to ensure resources are targeted appropriately. The aim of this paper is to explore the reasons for the observed gap in ethnicity data by examining the perceptions and experiences of healthy South Asian volunteers. South Asians are the largest ethnic minority group accounting for 50% of all ethnic minorities in the UK 2001 census.