Tag: health

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Scotland’s pharmacy scheme ‘the model for England’ – to hear about Scotland watch BBC UK

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for England’s Pharmacy First BBC Breakfast this morning telling us the Scottish Government has long put in place a better model for pharmacies, repeatedly covered here but never in the MSM operating in Scotland. What’s it all about? In the Chemist and Druggist of April 10th 2024 Pharmacists in hospital, and in community pharmacies in Scotland, already routinely alter prescriptions for the benefit of patients. https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/CD138095/One-slight-alteration-could-avert-a-crisis-as-medicine-shortages-deepen In the same journal in August that year: Scotland’s model for pharmacy offers lessons for England’s future As pharmacies in Scotland receive renewed government backing, Steve Anderson takes a look at the future of English pharmacy … Continue reading Scotland’s pharmacy scheme ‘the model for England’ – to hear about Scotland watch BBC UK

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‘The Trump administration’s reckless attack on radiation protection will have long-term consequences for public safety’ – Starmer and Sarwar plan to stupidly follow him

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From the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist, yesterday: Worldwide, regulations limiting doses from the radiation emitted by nuclear fissions and decays are based on the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model. This hypothesis posits that, irrespective of whether ionizing radiation comes in a pulse or over years, the additional risk of developing cancer as a result is proportional to the cumulative amount of energy deposited per gram of tissue, with weighting risk factors for radiation type, sex, age, and specific organs. Since 1975, the US nuclear industry has been required to limit exposures to workers and the public to “as low as reasonably achievable” … Continue reading ‘The Trump administration’s reckless attack on radiation protection will have long-term consequences for public safety’ – Starmer and Sarwar plan to stupidly follow him

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434 ‘UK’ nurses and midwives who should have been banned and have worked for last 12 years are almost certainly not in Scotland – here’s how I know

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In the Guardian today: Nurses and midwives who should have been banned from treating patients have practised over the last 12 years because of “potentially dangerous” failings by a medical regulator. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has admitted that its “completely and utterly unacceptable” mistakes meant it failed to protect the public from about 15 professionals whom it should have banned from ever working in healthcare in the UK because they had broken the law. The nurses and midwives told the NMC about their criminal convictions when they applied to join or stay on the regulator’s register, which they need to … Continue reading 434 ‘UK’ nurses and midwives who should have been banned and have worked for last 12 years are almost certainly not in Scotland – here’s how I know

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Scotland’s IVF service – target-busting for 11 years saving lives and reducing NHS costs as NHS England prices people out of becoming parents

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From IVF waiting times in Scotland Quarter ending 31 March 2026 published today: During the quarter ending 31 March 2026, 373 patients were screened. The 90% standard was met, with all patients attending a screening appointment within 52 weeks of referral. Source: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ivf-waiting-times-in-scotland/ivf-waiting-times-in-scotland-quarter-ending-31-march-2026/ In November 2019, I could write: The four IVF centres in Scotland screened 370 eligible patients, compared with 290 in the previous quarter. In all four centres, 100% of patients were screened for IVF treatment within 365 days. The 90% standard continues to be met [beaten] since it was first measured in March 2015. Click to access … Continue reading Scotland’s IVF service – target-busting for 11 years saving lives and reducing NHS costs as NHS England prices people out of becoming parents

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NHS England has 23% fewer beds and too high occupancy and we know how that turns out in a pandemic

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From Acute hospital activity and NHS beds information (quarterly) Quarter ending 31 December 2025 published today: There were on average 13,550 available staffed beds per day for all acute specialties in the quarter ending 31 December 2025 – a 0.1% decrease compared to the same quarter in the previous year. An available staffed bed is a bed which is resourced for inpatient or day case care. Of these, 9,604 (71%) were for medical specialties and 3,946 (29%) were for surgical specialties. These percentages are unchanged from the same quarter in 2024. For all acute specialties in the quarter ending 31 … Continue reading NHS England has 23% fewer beds and too high occupancy and we know how that turns out in a pandemic

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NHS Scotland – only half the diagnostic scans outsourcing and building capability rather than just relying on private sector

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In the Guardian today: The NHS [England] is paying private firms record sums to analyse diagnostic scans because hospitals are too busy and understaffed to do the work themselves, research has revealed. The amount being spent on outsourced the interpretation of CT and MRI scans is “spiralling out of control” and reflects a short-sighted failure to train enough doctors, ministers are being told. Scans are vital for diagnosing diseases such as cancer and for monitoring patients’ responses to treatment, so they need to be done quickly. Many hospitals, however, rely on non-NHS health companies reading some scans to ensure they get the … Continue reading NHS Scotland – only half the diagnostic scans outsourcing and building capability rather than just relying on private sector

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Drug deaths in England being seriously under-counted

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Opioid deaths in England 50% higher than recorded In September 2025 (most recent data for this purpose) , BBC UK reported: More than 13,000 heroin and opioid deaths have been missed off official statistics in England and Wales, raising concerns about the impact on the government’s approach to tackling addiction. Research from King’s College London, shared exclusively with BBC News, found that there were 39,232 opioid-related deaths between 2011 and 2022, more than 50% higher than previously known. The error has been blamed on the government’s official statistics body not having access to correct data and it is understood ministers are … Continue reading Drug deaths in England being seriously under-counted

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BBC Scotland’s report on one ‘senior’ doctor’s call for more obesity drug roll-out is ill-informed and one-sided contrary to their royal charter

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jabs to patients with obesity. The latest figures say one in three Scots are obese. Dr Mark Strachan is president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and says more people need access to what he calls the ‘astonishing drug.’ NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde says it’s looking into the prescribing of weight loss jabs (sic) Mounjaro and Wegovy. BBC Scotland‘s insert in BBC Breakfast this morning has the above. How strong is the evidence for Dr Strachan’s view which I note has not appeared widely in news media today? A ‘senior’ doctor you might think better qualified to … Continue reading BBC Scotland’s report on one ‘senior’ doctor’s call for more obesity drug roll-out is ill-informed and one-sided contrary to their royal charter

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Shocking latest US research finds 80 000 unnecessary breast and other cancers near nuclear power stations to further condemn Scottish Labour’s energy strategy

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From A national analysis of the impact of proximity to nuclear power plants on lung, breast and colon cancer mortalities in the U.S., 2000–2020 in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology [5.5 impact factor- which is good to strong for a science journal] published yesterday: Results Proximity to nuclear power plants was associated with elevated mortality from breast, colon, and lung cancers. From 2000 to 2020, an estimated 39,767 female deaths (95% CI: 9312–69,381), representing 2.01% (95% CI: 0.47–3.50%), and 38,124 male deaths (95% CI: 16,106–59,600), representing 2.33% (95% CI: 0.98–3.64%), were attributable to this proximity. Lung cancer … Continue reading Shocking latest US research finds 80 000 unnecessary breast and other cancers near nuclear power stations to further condemn Scottish Labour’s energy strategy

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NHS Highland director reveals child poverty in her previous Wales responsibility is predicted to be a shocking nearly 60% higher

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are living in poverty. BBC Scotland’s wee insert in BBC Breakfast this morning is announcing the above and, on their website: Public health director Jennifer Davies said that of its 12,834 under-fives, almost 22% lived in relative poverty. In a new report, Davies said the “sheer geographic scale” of the area – which covers the Highlands and Argyll and Bute – posed challenges in reaching health services for some families. She said they could benefit from greater availability of housing, improved transport links and investment in play spaces. Davies said support for families should also be strengthened to maximise access … Continue reading NHS Highland director reveals child poverty in her previous Wales responsibility is predicted to be a shocking nearly 60% higher