Published47 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Aurelia FosterHealth reporter, BBC NewsThe fertility regulator has extended the closure of a London clinic, which is under investigation following the “tragic loss” of some embryos.Homerton Fertility Centre had its licence suspended in March after some frozen embryos did not survive being thawed or were “undetectable”. Hundreds of patients had their treatment delayed or put on hold. The regulator said it would not let the clinic reopen until it was certain patients could be treated safely.The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said it took the rare decision to close the clinic in Hackney on 8 March for an initial period of two months, because of the “significant concerns” following “three serious untoward incidents”.The HFEA said:In May 2023, “the correct procedure had not been followed” when freezing some embryosIn October 2023, it was reported that a higher than expected number of frozen embryos had not survived the thawing processIn December 2023, some embryos “were not found” when attempts were made to thaw themThe clinic said that while some investigations are complete, the incident in December is still being looked into.The BBC has asked to see the investigation reports.HFEA chief executive Peter Thompson has said the clinic’s licence should remain suspended until August – longer than initially expected – until all investigations are completed.”Serious incidents in fertility clinics in the UK are rare, but each one is distressing for those patients involved, which is why we take them very seriously,” he said. “The HFEA investigates what clinics do in response to incidents to make sure that everything is done to understand what went wrong and, crucially, to take steps to ensure it does not happen again.”‘Worry and distress’Since 8 March, the clinic has only been able to treat some patients who had already started cycles of IVF. Many other patients have frozen eggs or embryos in storage there and are waiting for treatment.The clinic has been banned from starting any treatment cycles, and has only been allowed to continue treatment which had already begun.Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said the incidents had highlighted “problems in some freezing processes” and that investigations are continuing.It confirmed that 32 patients had been affected, but that number was “subject to change as our investigations continue”. In March, the trust told the BBC that as many as 150 embryos may have been affected.Its chief executive Bas Sadiq said: “We want to apologise again for the worry and distress these incidents have caused our patients. “We are focused on continuing our investigations and doing everything we can to learn from and rectify the issues which have caused the loss of embryos in the fertility unit.” The trust said that since the incidents, staff now have to work in pairs, staff competencies have been checked and security has been increased.Metropolitan Police officers visited the clinic on 8 March, after concerns were raised by staff members.However, there is no police investigation at this time.The trust said all patients have received letters and offered free counselling.However, many patients the BBC has spoken to said they had received neither.Homerton Fertility Centre has been under a high level of oversight by the HFEA for several years, because of numerous incidents of “non-compliance” identified during inspections.Patients also had treatment delayed when the clinic temporarily closed in 2022, because of staff shortages.More on this storyFertility clinic licence suspended over concernsPublished9 MarchIVF clinic investigated over possible damaged eggsPublished14 FebruaryHospital’s IVF treatment halted over lack of staffPublished26 April 2022Related Internet LinksFertility Centre – Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustHFEA- UK fertility regulatorHome – Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published6 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, The Dowling familyBy Aurelia FosterHealth reporter, BBC NewsUrgent government action is needed to stop preventable asthma deaths, a leading charity has said.More than 12,000 people in the UK have died from asthma attacks since 2014, according to Asthma and Lung UK.It said the figures meant “shockingly little” had changed since a major report a decade ago which found two thirds of asthma deaths could have been avoided with better care.Ministers in England and Wales said they were trying to improve services.About 5.4 million people in the UK have asthma, a common lung condition which can cause breathing difficulties.’Higher risk’People with asthma should get an annual condition review, a written action plan and inhaler technique checks. But the charity said people with asthma were being “failed”, with seven out of 10 not receiving basic care, partly because healthcare workers were over-stretched. Asthma and Lung UK said 31% of asthmatics were “disengaged” with managing their condition, putting them at higher risk, according to its research.It also said many asthmatics should be given more information to help them to manage their condition and recognise warning signs.Using a reliever inhaler, for example, three or more times a week could be a sign of untreated inflammation in the airways, the charity said.”Asthma care is in crisis,” said Sarah MacFadyen, head of policy for Asthma and Lung UK. “People are not getting the care they need and deserve.”We don’t want to be saying the same thing in another 10 years. This is a problem we know how to fix.”Scientists find new cause of asthma lung damage’For asthma to take her life was unbelievable’Lack of asthma testing abysmal, charity says ‘Life changed in minutes’Image source, The Dowling familyBelinda and Ian Dowling, from Portsmouth, lost their son, Warren, when he died from a sudden asthma attack last year aged 10.Warren, one of seven siblings, regularly used inhalers but his condition was well managed.Ms Dowling told the BBC the severity of the attack was unexpected.”From his pumps just not working and him panicking to him not breathing and turning blue – life changed in a matter of minutes,” she said.Ms Dowling believes increased awareness of asthma is needed.She said Warren had hidden his inhaler at school at times in case “people thought he was weird”.She added: “Cancer is talked about. Asthma needs to be talked about a lot more too.”I don’t think a lot of people would even know what to do if they came across someone who was having an asthma attack.” ‘Political will needed’Asthma and Lung UK said it wanted to see national targets introduced for reducing asthma deaths.It also said patients would benefit from new technology being introduced such as an app to help people manage their condition. The National Review of Asthma Deaths, the 2014 report by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), found key risk factors for asthma deaths included people poorly managing their condition by over-using reliever inhalers or underusing preventative inhalers.It also found that a failure to follow up emergency hospital visits was a factor in needless deaths.Dr John Dean, clinical vice president at the Royal College of Physicians, said it was “unacceptable” that asthma patients were not getting the help they needed and he called for moves towards more preventative care.”This needs political will and a workforce to deliver it,” he said.”Clinical leaders are ready to lead that change.”‘National pathways’The Department of Health and Social Care said the NHS had established a ground-breaking lung health check programme which would detect and treat more lung conditions. A spokesperson said: “We’re also looking into chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma, as part of our forthcoming Major Conditions Strategy which will allow us to ensure care is better centred around the patient.” The Welsh government said that, in the past decade, it had published two national delivery plans and a quality statement for Respiratory Diseases which supported health boards and trusts to plan and improve the quality and consistency of healthcare for people with respiratory conditions across Wales. It added that data showed the number of emergency admissions for asthma in Wales had been going down since 2014-15. A spokesperson for the Scottish government said: “In March 2021 we published the first Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland which sets out our priorities and commitments for driving the prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support for people living with respiratory conditions.”These include developing best practice guidelines for children with asthma transitioning to adult services.”We are also supporting more appropriate prescribing of medicines and the development of national pathways for severe asthma care.”More on this story’For asthma to take her life was unbelievable’Published21 March 2023GPs’ lack of asthma testing is abysmal, charity saysPublished26 September 2023New cause of asthma damage revealedPublished5 AprilAsthma: ‘My son collapsed like a flick of a switch’Published9 August 2019Related Internet LinksRCPThe Scottish Government – gov.scotHome – GOV.WALESDepartment of Health and Social Care – GOV.UKAsthma + Lung UKThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published30 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Aurelia FosterHealth reporter, BBC News The first oral treatment for preventing both chronic and episodic migraines could soon be available on the NHS.Health experts said up to 170,000 people in England could benefit from taking atogepant to prevent severe head pain, which can be debilitating.It has been recommended for those who have not responded well to other medications or cannot have injections.One migraine charity described it as a positive step and said it hoped access to the drug would be “swift”.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended the drug, which comes in tablet form, after clinical trials suggested it was effective in some adults.In its final draft guidance, NICE said atogepant should be offered to people who had unsuccessfully tried three other medications which are taken by injection or infusion. Migraines are often characterised by a throbbing pain in one side of the head and can last several days. Other symptoms include dizziness, sensitivity to light, and difficulty speaking.It is not clear how many people are affected by migraines, but the NHS believes the number to be about six million across the UK, with many more women experiencing them than men.Atogepant is designed to be taken daily to prevent both chronic migraines (occurring more than 15 times a month) and episodic migraines (occurring between four and 15 times a month).At first, it will only be available from specialist doctors in secondary care settings, rather than from GPs.Rob Music, chief executive of the Migraine Trust, said it was good news as migraines could be very “debilitating”. “It is positive to see even more therapies emerging for people with migraine, as many still rely on treatments developed for other conditions.”However, the charity warned that many people had struggled to access similar new drugs, because of a lack of knowledge among doctors, and long waiting lists for specialists.”We now need to ensure access is swift, so that migraine patients can benefit from them as quickly as possible,” Mr Music said. Image source, Deborah SloanLife ‘back on track’Atogepant is a new type of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) drug, which is specifically designed to treat migraines. They work by blocking the receptor of the CGRP protein. This is found in nerves in the head and neck and is thought to cause inflammation and migraine pain. These drugs have fewer side effects than older migraine drugs, some of which were originally developed for other conditions.It follows the introduction of a similar drug, rimegepant, in England and Scotland. Deborah Sloan, from Brighton, told the BBC that rimegepant had put her life “back on track” after suffering chronic migraines for 40 years. Other treatments led to severe side effects.She said can now work again after losing two careers because of being unwell with migraines for 20 days of each month.”I was at the end of my tether,” she said. “I became so desperate, I wasn’t sure how I was going to carry on. I didn’t think I could take another migraine attack because they are so disabling.”They can last three days, constantly vomiting. You’re not able to do anything. You feel like you want to die, that’s how I felt.”However, Mrs Sloan said she had to obtain rimegepant privately at first because of a long wait for a referral to a specialist doctor who could prescribe it.Atogepant is expected to be made available on the NHS in England from next month.It is already available in Scotland to prevent and relieve migraine symptoms.More on this storyMigraine attack treatment to benefit thousandsPublished14 September 2023NHS backs new wafer to prevent migrainesPublished31 May 2023’Huge deal’ therapy cuts migraine attacksPublished30 November 2017Related Internet LinksThe NHS website – NHSNICE – The National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceHome – The Migraine TrustThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published5 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Aurelia FosterHealth reporter, BBC NewsThe “extraordinary” rise in demand for autism assessments and ADHD treatments in England has overtaken the NHS’s capacity to meet it, a think tank says.Since 2019, there has been a 400% rise in people waiting to see an autism specialist and a 51% increase in prescriptions for ADHD medication, according to the Nuffield Trust.”Pumping more money” into the current system would not help, it warned.Instead, a “radical rethink” was needed for the NHS to keep up with demand.Nuffield Trust chief executive Thea Stein said it was “frankly impossible to imagine how the system can grow fast enough to fulfil this demand”.”We’re at a really critical point as a society, where we’re actually understanding neurodiversity and the fact that it’s a much greater spectrum for the whole of society than we’ve ever had before,” she told BBC News. “It’s a really complicated issue for us to all collectively understand as a society.”Waiting timeOne out of every 100 people is on the autistic spectrum, it is estimated, while 2.6 million people in the UK haveattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) .The Nuffield Trust said 24% of patients referred for ADHD in England were having to wait one to two years for an assessment. And 172,000 adults and children are on a waiting list for an autism assessment – the highest recorded figure – according to NHS data analysed by the think tank, Between October and December 2023, the median time spent on a waiting list after an autism referral rose to over nine months, compared with four months in the same period in 2019.And in Derbyshire, the waiting time was two and half years, according to the report.The way NHS Digital collects data has changed since 2019 – but Ms Stein is confident it remains robust.The rise in demand was probably due to greater awareness of the conditions and changing social attitudes, the Nuffield Trust said.And the number of prescriptions for ADHD medication for adults has grown even faster than for children and teenagers, according to separate data.’Finding out I was autistic saved my life’Autism referral waiting times hit 100 daysMs Stein warned long waits would have a “serious effect” on children in particular, as many schools provided extra support only after a diagnosis.”We’ve certainly got to have a different approach within educational services that says you don’t need that letter in your hand,” she said.People should not have to have a diagnosis just “to get a label out of it”.And wider societal change was needed “to allow ourselves to include more people who present with more neurodiversity”.”We are going to need to think in a much more creative way than simply have a conversation that says we need more NHS resources, as that isn’t the solution,” Ms Stein added.’Taking action’The charity Child Autism said the spike since 2019 may be party due to the suspension of some services during the pandemic, causing a backlog.Its chief executive, Suzy Yardley, agreed a new “coherent UK-wide plan” was needed.”Autistic children have huge amounts to contribute, and we need an overhaul of the system to ensure this can happen”, she said.Dr James Cusack, chief executive of the charity Autistica, said: “It has been evident for some time that services need to adapt to the knowledge that there are more neurodivergent people than we used to think.”And there was a “need to focus on each person’s strengths and needs so that they get the support they need earlier”.A Department of Health and Social Care official said: “We know it’s vital to have a timely diagnosis of autism or ADHD and we are taking action to reduce assessment delays.”NHS England has published a national framework to help speed up autism assessments and is establishing a new ADHD taskforce alongside the government, to improve care for people living with the condition.”In addition, our £13m partnership with NHS England will help improve specialist support for neurodiverse children in primary schools.”More on this story’Finding out I was autistic saved my life’Published3 days agoDocumentary on neurodivergent artists is releasedPublished22 MarchSchool refusers often have autism – parents’ surveyPublished17 MarchAutism diagnosis wait times hit 300 days – NHS dataPublished15 December 2023’My autistic daughter has not been in school for 10 months’Published14 December 2023ADHD diagnosis ‘helps me to understand my brain’Published22 November 2023Related Internet LinksDepartment of Health and Social Care – GOV.UKHome – Nuffield TrustNHS EnglandThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published25 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Aurelia FosterHealth reporter, BBC NewsWomen who feel severely low and irritable before their period are much more likely to suffer depression during pregnancy or within 12 months of giving birth, a study suggests.The study was based on the data of more than 900,000 women in Sweden.Those with severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) were five times more likely to suffer perinatal depression.Those with perinatal depression were twice as likely to develop PMS or PMDD.The authors said more research was needed.’I had my womb removed at 22 because of PMDD’Prof Donghao Lu, from the Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm, said: “Previous studies are focused on the association between premenstrual disorders and postnatal depression, because of the symptom appearance in tandem with hormone withdrawal. “However, we also showed an association between premenstrual disorders and antenatal depression, suggesting that there might be a subgroup of antenatal depression that is related to hormone changes as well.”At the preconception care, patients with premenstrual disorders should be informed about the risk of perinatal depression and potential prevention strategies.”Using 2001-18 birth records, the study, conducted jointly with the University of Iceland, compared women of similar ages, health and psychiatric history.Nearly 3% of those with perinatal depression had also had premenstrual disorders before pregnancy, compared with 0.6% of the others.PMS, causing low mood, depressive feeling, irritability and poor concentration, may affect up to 30% of women. PMDD, with similar but far more severe symptoms, 5-8%perinatal depression 10-20%The conditions can be treated with hormone drugs, anti-depressants or talking therapies.Liverpool Women’s Hospital reproductive-health consultant Dr Paula Briggs, who chairs the charity Women’s Health Concern, said they were linked and “we need more acknowledgement of that”.And she hopes the study, in the journal PLOS Medicine, will raise awareness, particularly among midwives and health visitors, so women can be better supported.”The PMDD some women have has perhaps not been taken as seriously as it should have been,” Dr Briggs said.”There’s no licensed treatment – but there are ways of managing these women to reduce the difficulties that the problem presents. “And I think suicide is a risk.”Mental health information and support is available.More on this storyPain, panic attacks and having my womb removed at 22Published16 JanuaryNature saved me after postnatal depression – GouldingPublished28 December 2023Naga Munchetty told to suck it up by NHS doctorsPublished18 October 2023Period-related condition causing extreme distressPublished2 August 2023Severe period symptoms ‘leading to hysterectomies’Published20 April 2023’Lack of postnatal help makes more kids too risky’Published9 May 2022“It’s like PMS but a hundred times worse”Published8 March 2018Related Internet LinksNHS EnglandKarolinska InstitutetUniversity of IcelandThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published17 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Aurelia FosterHealth reporterA London fertility clinic has had its licence to operate suspended due to “significant concerns” about the unit.The fertility regulator said it had ordered the Homerton Fertility Centre to halt any new procedures while investigations continue.The clinic said there had been three separate incidents highlighting errors in some freezing processes.This led to the “tragic loss of a small number of embryos” either not surviving or being “undetectable”, it said.This means an embryo that has been stored in frozen liquid solution in a container cannot be found during later thawing. One recent patient from the clinic has told the BBC she is “distraught” after one of her stored embryos could not be found. Rachel, not her real name, says she found out on the day she was due to have her embryo thawed and put into her womb last month.”I’m distraught. I’m emotionally mentally drained,” she said.What is happening?The Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust says it began an investigation late in 2023 and immediately made regulators fully aware of it – a routine procedure after any adverse incidents.The regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), is now doing its own investigation alongside the trust.The Homerton has informed the patients affected and apologised for any distress caused. The clinic is permitted to continue treatment cycles which have already begun, such as those involving patients already taking medication.In a statement, it said while the investigators have not been able to find any direct cause of the errors, it had made changes in the unit to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents:All staff now work in pairs to ensure all clinical activities are checked by two healthcare professionalsCompetencies of staff within the unit have been rechecked Security in the unit has been increasedIts chief executive Louise Ashley said the clinic was writing to all its fertility patients, “apologising for the errors and for the concern this may have caused even if their eggs, embryos or sperm are unaffected. We will continue to keep them informed”. She added: “Current patients may continue to be treated at the unit despite the licence suspension by the HFEA, and our very dedicated staff are keen to support patients in whatever way they can.”The HFEA said it was rare for this type of action to be taken and that the clinic had referred itself for investigation.A spokesperson said: “We appreciate this may cause concern to patients who are undergoing treatment at the clinic, or have eggs, sperm and/or embryos stored there. We do not want to disrupt patients’ treatment if they have already started medication as part of a treatment cycle, so we have made provisions to allow them to complete their treatment if they wish to do so.”The HFEA decides which clinics should have a licence to operate and it does regular inspections.The Homerton Fertility Centre, in Hackney, east London, provides a range of fertility treatment to NHS and private patients and has been licensed since 1995. In April 2022, the clinic had to suspend fertility treatment because of staff shortages. Rachel said she had been offered another cycle of IVF treatment by the clinic, but says it takes a physical and emotional toll..”It’s impacting our relationship, it’s impacting our family life. It’s impacting our jobs. It’s impacting my husband’s job massively. It’s taking its toll everywhere,” she said.More on this storyIVF clinic investigated over possible damaged eggsPublished14 FebruaryHospital’s IVF treatment halted over lack of staffPublished26 April 2022Related Internet LinksHome – Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustHFEA- UK fertility regulatorThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published8 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, EPABy Aurelia FosterHealth reporterMore than 91,000 NHS appointments had to be rescheduled due to this week’s junior doctor strike in England.Members of British Medical Association (BMA) took industrial action for five days in their tenth strike since last March in a dispute over pay.More than 23,000 staff were absent due the strike, NHS England says.There have now been 1,000 hours of disruption to routine care due to industrial action by junior doctors and consultants, it says.More than 1.4 million operations and appointments in total have been cancelled due to strike action by health workers including doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals since December 2022.The junior doctor walkout this week affected critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma units in hospitals across England. It meant senior doctors had to be drafted across from other services to staff emergency care.The NHS’ national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “NHS staff worked incredibly hard to keep patients safe and cover striking colleagues and we are extremely grateful for their huge efforts and for the time and skill that went into the planning.”The strike was among members of the BMA, which wants a 35% pay increase – a proposal previously rejected by ministers.Junior doctors have so far taken 39 days of strike action during this dispute. Nearly half of NHS doctors are junior doctors – a group spanning recent graduates to some who have 10 years or more experience – and two-thirds are members of the BMA.NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare employers, said it was patients who “bear the brunt” of the dispute.”It is important to remember that behind every number is a patient who may be living in pain or discomfort waiting for treatment that could turn their lives around,” chief executive Matthew Taylor said.Pay dealThe union said more strikes are likely unless a deal is made with the government on pay.Junior doctors received a pay rise averaging nearly 9% this financial year – and during talks at the end of last year, the option of an extra 3% on top of that was discussed.But those talks ended in early December without a deal being reached.The BMA says it wants an offer that makes up for what it says has been 15 years of below-inflation pay rises.The union is balloting members on further strike action, with a result expected at the end of this month.Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said: “Now that this latest round of industrial action is over, I once again urge the BMA Junior Doctors’ Committee to demonstrate they have reasonable expectations so we can come back to the negotiating table to find a fair deal that works for the NHS, doctors and patients.”Junior doctors in Wales also recently held a strike, while in Northern Ireland they are planning to strike in early March.Earlier, the BMA rejected a pay offer for specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors in England – very experienced doctors who are more senior that junior doctors, but who are not consultants.More on this storyJunior doctors strike for 10th time over payPublished6 days agoJunior doctors to strike over five days, BMA saysPublished9 FebruaryThousands of appointments hit by doctor walkoutPublished27 December 2023Thousands of junior doctors begin 72-hour strikePublished21 FebruaryRelated Internet LinksBritish Medical AssociationNHS EnglandThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published8 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Aurelia FosterHealth reporterMindfulness, group and cognitive behavioural therapy could effectively treat menopause symptoms such as low mood and anxiety, analysis suggests.The University College London research, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, examined 30 studies involving 3,500 women in 14 countries, including the UK, the US and Australia.Draft NHS guidelines recommend offering CBT alongside or instead of HRT.It could “give GPs and patients more options”, the researchers said.HRT replaces the hormones oestrogen or progestogen or both.It is administered using gels, creams, pessaries, tablets or sprays.What does menopause do to the body?Talking therapies recommended for menopauseHot flushes menopause drug approved in UKBut psychosocial therapies such as group counselling, marital support and health-promotion coaching, as well as mindfulness and CBT, focus on developing behavioural patterns, coping strategies and relaxation techniques.And the UCL researchers say “empowering women” to develop positive thinking would probably have benefits beyond those of HRT, with CBT the most cost-effective as results can be achieved in a shorter timeframe.Some women showed “statistically significant improvements” in anxiety and depression following CBT and mindfulness therapies,compared with no or alternative treatments. CBT and group therapies improved sleep, memory, concentration.And the talking therapies could also improve quality of life and help women whose symptoms had made them less confident cope with other common challenges.Hot flushesUCL clinical-psychology-of-ageing professor Aimee Spector said: “There’s a clear link between these physical and psychological symptoms.”So a clear example is the link between hot flushes and anxiety. “When people have hot flushes, they tend to get very anxious about having them. “And that anxiety can often cause people to have more hot flushes.”Poor sleep can lead to depression because it reduces mood. “But then, when people have depression, one of the symptoms is poor sleep – so again, another cycle that we see.”What we then sometimes see is people leave, avoid situations, leave work, feel they are unable to cope, because they get into this vicious cycle. “So what CBT aims to do is to counter these negative cycles, by getting people to use strategies to think about different ways of looking at things.”They might do experiments that involve reducing avoidance, testing things out.”More on this storyHot-flushes menopause drug approved in UKPublished18 December 2023NHS talking therapy recommended for menopause woesPublished17 November 2023Sharp rise in HRT prescriptions after campaignPublished27 October 2023What is the menopause and what are the signs?Published23 March 2023Related Internet LinksUCL – London’s Global UniversityNICE – The National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published15 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Aurelia FosterHealth reporterThe House of Lords is being urged to throw out plans for non-doctor associate roles to be licensed by the same body as doctors. Under a planned new law, physician associates (PAs) will be regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC).The British Medical Association (BMA) believes this could lead to patients confusing the different roles, which it says could have “tragic consequences”.The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.There are about 3,200 PAs working in GP surgeries and hospitals in England, with 10,000 more planned in the next decade or so.They were introduced to help doctors with their work – examining and diagnosing patients and discussing treatments with them – although PAs are currently unregulated.Unlike doctors, they do not have to hold a medical degree, but they usually have a degree in a life science and have to undertake a two-year training course.Governments GMC to regulate physician associatesCall for physician associate clarity after misdiagnosis deathUK’s biggest GP chain replacing doctors with less-qualified medicsPhysician associates ‘not doctors’The BMA, the union representing doctors in the UK, believes that regulation by the GMC could lead to a “blurring of the lines” between PAs and doctors. In an open letter to the House of Lords ahead of a debate on Monday, the BMA’s chairman Prof Phil Banfield said: “PAs are not doctors. They do not hold a medical degree and are not medically trained, despite misleading statements made by some. “We know that patients are already confused about telling the difference between PAs and doctors, and this legislation will make this problem worse.”Keeping the GMC as the regulator exclusively of doctors would mean we retain the clear distinction between doctors and PAs.” The BMA believes PAs should instead be licensed by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which regulates other medical professionals such as paramedics and radiographers. Like the GMC, the HCPC’s function is to set standards, assure quality and investigate complaints.Under the same order, anaesthesia associates (AAs) working in the NHS would also come under the regulation of the GMC. AAs help anaesthetists, and should be supervised.An NHS spokesperson said: “Physician associates play an important role in supporting the NHS to provide high-quality care for patients, but this should always be with appropriate supervision and within the scope of their practice.”More on this storyGovernment wants to regulate NHS associate rolesPublished11 December 2023Unqualified medics given senior hospital rolesPublished21 November 2023Call for physician associate clarity after deathPublished15 July 2023GP chain swapping doctors for less qualified staffPublished13 June 2022Related Internet LinksThe BMANHS EnglandDepartment of Health and Social CareHouse of Lords – UK ParliamentThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published39 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Merope MillsBy Aurelia FosterHealth reporterHospitals in England will be offered funding from April to introduce “Martha’s rule”, the NHS has announced.The government has backed plans to roll out a system giving seriously ill patients easy access to a second opinion if their condition worsens.About two-thirds of hospitals – at least 100 – will initially be able to apply to participate in the scheme.It follows a campaign by the parents of Martha Mills, 13, who died of sepsis because her symptoms were missed.Martha’s mother, Merope, told BBC News the new system would save lives and mean her daughter had not died “in vain”.Ms Mills previously said she and her husband, Paul Laity, had been ignored when they had raised concern about Martha’s care and asked for her to be transferred to intensive care.Best of Today – Martha’s Rule: Challenging culture will make our hospitals safer – BBC SoundsFamilies’ observationsUnder the new scheme, acute hospital will receive government funding for posters and leaflets informing patients and their families they could directly ask a team of critical-care medics for a “rapid review” of treatment, NHS England said.Medics will also formally record families’ observations of a patient’s condition or behaviour. Hospital says second opinion phone line saves livesMs Mills said she was “pleased”, because patients and families had a “role to play”.”Sometimes, doctors are incredibly overstretched,” she told BBC R4’s Today programme.”And they cannot always spot the same changes in a patient that family and patients themselves can.”The new system would have saved Martha’s life, Ms Mills said.Image source, Merope MillsMartha was admitted to King’s College Hospital, south London, in 2021, after injuring her pancreas slipping on to the handlebars of her bike while cycling.She later developed sepsis – but with better care, could have survived, an inquest found.The hospital apologised for its mistakes.Ms Mills said: “We told three different consultants that we were worried about her and we were just told she would be fine and this was a normal infection she had.”And when I had my doubts, still, I had nowhere to go. There was no ripcord to pull. I just had to trust the doctors.”Patients already have the right to a second opinion if their condition deteriorates – but trusts currently operate different systems.Challenging doctors could be “difficult”, Ms Mills said. And without the new scheme, many patients and their families would not know how.NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: “NHS teams have been piloting ways to better identify and respond in these cases, over the last year, and the rollout of a national programme to give patients and families 24-7 access to a rapid clinical review will now help ensure that those experiencing acute deterioration can be identified and treated much more quickly. “While the need for escalation will hopefully only be needed in a small number of cases, I have no doubt that the introduction of Martha’s rule has the potential to save many lives in the future.”The scheme rollout would be evaluated over the next year and may be followed by further funding to include all acute hospitals, NHS England said.Proposals to adapt it for community hospitals and mental-health trusts are also being considered. More on this storySepsis death lessons still not learnt – ombudsmanPublished25 October 2023NHS to introduce Martha’s rule in hospitalsPublished14 September 2023Bereaved mother to press Barclay on Martha’s rulePublished12 September 2023Second opinion phone line saves lives – hospitalPublished5 September 2023Government to explore bringing in ‘Martha’s rule’Published4 September 2023Related Internet LinksDepartment of Health and Social CareNHS EnglandThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.