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Published18 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Jim ReedHealth reporterThe NHS in England could be facing one of its most difficult starts to the year since it was founded in 1948, one of its most senior executives has said.Medical director Sir Stephen Powis warned that a six-day strike planned by junior doctors from Wednesday will have a significant impact on routine care.Hospitals are also having to deal with rising rates of flu, Covid and other winter infections, he added.The doctors’ union, the BMA, said patient safety remains a top priority.If it goes ahead as planned, the latest strike will see the longest continuous stretch of industrial action in the history of the NHS.Junior doctors make up around half of all medical staff working in hospitals.British Medical Association members will walk out for 144 hours in a row from 07:00 GMT on 3 January until 07:00 on 9 January across all of England.”Six consecutive days of industrial action comes at one of our busiest periods,” said Sir Stephen. “The action will not only have an enormous impact on planned care, but comes on top of a host of seasonal pressures such as Covid, flu, and staff absences due to sickness – all of which is impacting on how patients flow through hospitals.”He said there is no doubt that the NHS would be starting 2024 “on the back foot” with the knock-on effects of the strike likely to be felt for weeks as services recover. Patients are being urged to continue to call 999 and use A&E in life threatening emergencies, with cover provided by more senior consultant doctors on strike days.But some services will have to close. Cheltenham hospital, for example, is directing anyone needing emergency treatment to Gloucestershire Royal, which is run by the same NHS trust. The strike is also likely to have a significant impact on routine care – from outpatient appointments to elective surgery such as hip replacements and some cancer operations. The most recent action by junior doctors, a shorter three-day walkout before Christmas, saw 88,000 NHS appointments cancelled across England.’Stand-off’ between government and junior doctorsAn organisation representing large NHS trusts said on Monday that any hopes the strikes could be called off appeared to be fading. Matthew Taylor, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, told the BBC that industrial action would leave the health service “skating on very thin ice”. “Unfortunately it feels like there is a stand-off which is the government is refusing to enter negotiations unless the junior doctors call off the strike action, and the junior doctors are refusing to call off strike action unless the government commits to investing more money – and that is a pity,” he said.The BMA has been pushing for junior doctors to get a 35% pay rise, which it says would restore their earnings after inflation to 2008 levels, but the government says this is unaffordable.Dr Rob Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairs of the BMA’s junior doctors committee, said: “It’s incredibly disappointing that we’ve had to call this strike – no doctor ever wants to have to take industrial action.”We would still, at this late hour, encourage the government to put forward a credible offer so that we can stop this strike and get back to doing what we really want to do – care for patients.”The union said patient safety was its top priority at all times and it had plans in place with NHS trusts to constantly review staffing levels and bring striking doctors back to work in an emergency. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “We urge the BMA junior doctors committee to call off their strikes and come back to the negotiating table so we can find a fair and reasonable solution, and so we can all get back to focusing on patients and their care.”We know how distressing it is for patients who have had appointments and procedures cancelled, and we have provided £800m to ensure patients continue to receive the highest quality care this winter and ease pressure on hospitals impacted by industrial action.”More on this storyThousands of appointments hit by doctor walkoutPublished27 December 2023How double pay rise for senior doctors is backfiring on governmentPublished9 December 2023

Published11 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, No 10 Downing StreetAlmost three million people were seen for an urgent cancer check over the last 12 months, according to new analysis from NHS England.The number being tested has increased by more than a quarter compared with the same period before the pandemic. The government says catching the disease early is crucial to improving survival rates.But cancer charities say other targets are being missed and many patients are waiting far too long for treatment.New cervical cancer infection screening launchedBlood in pee cancer warnings to appear in urinalsWoman’s ovarian cancer death was avoidableThe new analysis shows a record 2,980,258 people in England received an urgent cancer check between November 2022 and October 2023. The number being tested was up by around 5% on the previous year and 26% on the same period in 2018-2019 before Covid.An increase in urgent referrals from GPs has been linked to a number of factors including:A rise in cancer rates as the UK population gets olderMore people putting off care during the pandemic who are now coming forwardA wider increase in awareness attributed to publicity campaigns and high-profile cancer casesImage source, NHS EnglandThe NHS has been sending mobile trucks to shopping centres and supermarket car parks to check the lung health of people in the community, while new cancer awareness messages have been displayed in places like pub toilets and on underwear packaging. More than nine in ten people who are sent for an urgent referral by their GP will receive an all-clear with only around 6% going on to be diagnosed with the disease.Dame Cally Palmer, national cancer director for NHS England, said: “We know there is more to do, but we have been throwing everything we have at catching cancers earlier because we know it’s the best way to save lives – and we are seeing progress with more people than ever before being diagnosed at stage one and two.” Treatment backlogThe figures show that while a record number of people were tested in England in October, more than 78,500 – or 29% – had to wait longer than the four-week target to then find out if they then had cancer.NHS services across all four nations of the UK have been consistently missing targets for treating the disease.In England in October 2023, 63.1% of patients with a confirmed diagnosis started treatment within two months, well under the 85% target and below the 64% recorded in October 2022. Minesh Patel, head of policy at Macmillan Cancer Support said: “Despite best efforts from NHS staff, the lack of support from the UK governments has left cancer services under immense strain and people living with cancer paying the price. “Politicians, what are you waiting for? We need to see greater funding and support for the cancer workforce, both now and in the future.”Health minister Andrew Stephenson said survival rates across all types of cancer had been improving but the health service needed to go “further and faster”. “The UK government is growing the cancer workforce, has carried out over five million additional tests in its 141 community diagnostic centres since June 2021, and is introducing a new law to stop those who turned 14 in 2023 or younger from ever being legally sold tobacco,” he added.More on this storyPatient saw eight GPs before cancer spottedPublished30 November 2023Thousands dying needlessly of cancer, says charityPublished28 November 2023

Esto es lo que hay que saber para sortear el fin de la época de fiestas. Los expertos recomiendan vacunarse.Ahora que la temporada de fiestas llega a su fin y los casos de covid empiezan a aumentar, una variante llamada JN.1 se ha convertido en la más común del virus en todo Estados Unidos.Ya para mediados de diciembre, la JN.1, que surgió de la variante BA.2.86 y se detectó por primera vez en Estados Unidos en septiembre, representaba el 44 por ciento de los casos de COVID-19 a nivel nacional, lo cual fue un aumento comparado con el 7 por ciento de finales de noviembre, según los datos de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por su sigla en inglés).En cierta medida, este salto era de esperarse. “Las variantes tardan en propagarse”, comentó William Schaffner, especialista en enfermedades infecciosas en el Centro Médico de la Universidad Vanderbilt. “Luego, se aceleran, se propagan con rapidez y, justo cuando están en eso, después de varios meses, aparece una nueva variante”.Según un informe de los CDC publicado el 22 de diciembre, el impulso de la variante JN.1 este mes da a entender que quizá esta se contagia con más facilidad o es más hábil para evadir nuestros sistemas inmunitarios que otras variantes en circulación. La agencia declaró que la COVID-19 sigue siendo “una amenaza grave para la salud pública”, sobre todo para quienes siempre han corrido mayor riesgo de enfermarse a un nivel grave, como los adultos mayores, los bebés, las personas con sistemas inmunitarios debilitados o padecimientos de salud crónicos, así como las embarazadas.Hasta donde saben los expertos, la JN.1 no parece causar enfermedad grave en la mayoría de las personas, aunque hasta un caso leve puede hacerte sentir “bastante mal durante tres o cuatro días”, señaló Schaffner. Los síntomas de una infección por JN.1 son similares a los que causaban las variantes anteriores de covid, pues incluyen tos, fiebre, dolor de cuerpo y fatiga.Para protegerte contra la infección y enfermedad grave, los expertos siguen recomendando el uso de mascarillas, mejorar la ventilación en interiores siempre que sea posible, quedarse en casa si se está enfermo y pomerse la vacuna más reciente contra la covid.Las investigaciones preliminares muestran que las vacunas actualizadas contra la COVID-19 lanzadas en septiembre producen anticuerpos efectivos contra la JN.1, que tiene una relación, aunque lejana, con la variante XBB.1.5, para la cual fueron diseñadas las vacunas. La gente tal vez no acumule tantos anticuerpos contra la JN.1 como para la XBB.1.5, pero, de todos modos, los niveles deberían reducir el riesgo.“Entre quienes se contagiaron o se pusieron una dosis de refuerzo recientemente, la protección cruzada contra la JN.1 debería ser bastante decente, según muestran nuestros estudios de laboratorio”, indicó David Ho, virólogo de la Universidad de Columbia que dirigió la investigación sobre la JN.1 y las vacunas contra la covid, la cual se publicó como un artículo en versión preliminar a principios de diciembre. Las pruebas rápidas también siguen siendo una herramienta valiosa, y los CDC afirman que las pruebas que ya están en el mercado funcionan bien para detectar la variante JN.1.Hay indicios de que los casos de COVID-19 van en aumento una vez más. La semana del 10 de diciembre, hubo poco menos de 26.000 hospitalizaciones relacionadas con el coronavirus, un incremento del 10 por ciento de las casi 23.000 de la semana previa. Pero las cifras de hospitalizaciones por covid siguen siendo mucho menores que durante el auge de la primera ola de ómicron en enero de 2022 y, hasta ahora, solo son la mitad de lo que fueron durante el pico de la ‘tripledemia’ del invierno pasado, cuando surgieron casos de COVID-19, influenza y VRS al mismo tiempo.Es demasiado pronto para saber si la JN.1 es responsable del aumento de las hospitalizaciones o si los casos están repuntando en parte debido al aumento de los viajes y las grandes reuniones por Acción de Gracias y las vacaciones de invierno.“Cuando las personas se reúnen en lugares cerrados, celebran fiestas, viajan y cosas por el estilo, en esas circunstancias todos los virus respiratorios, incluida la JN.1, tienen posibilidades de propagarse”, explicó Schaffner. Añadió que, por lo general, la covid también presenta cierta estacionalidad; en los países del hemisferio norte suele producirse una pausa en los casos en otoño, antes de que las infecciones y las hospitalizaciones vuelvan a aumentar en invierno.Según Schaffner, lo más probable es que la JN.1 siga siendo la versión dominante del coronavirus hasta la primavera. Schaffner y otros expertos señalaron que, aunque las vacunas ofrecen protección contra esta y otras variantes, su aceptación sigue siendo baja: solo el 18 por ciento de los adultos han recibido las últimas vacunas. Los expertos señalaron que todo el mundo debería considerar la posibilidad de vacunarse, especialmente los mayores de 65 años, las personas inmunodeprimidas, las que padecen afecciones que las exponen a un mayor riesgo de enfermedad grave o las que viajan para visitar a seres queridos que pueden ser vulnerables.“Vacúnate como regalo de Año Nuevo si aún no lo has hecho”, dijo Schaffner.

Published1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, PA MediaBy Ian YoungsEntertainment & arts reporterActress Emilia Clarke has said the MBEs awarded to both her and her mother in the New Year Honours are “amazing” for raising awareness about brain injuries.The Game of Thrones star suffered two brain haemorrhages in her 20s, then set up a charity in 2019 with mum Jenny.They have now been appointed MBEs for services to people with brain injuries.”I can say for both of us that the MBE is for the cause and the charity, and for that it’s wicked. For that it’s amazing,” Emilia told BBC News.”And who doesn’t want to go to the palace? I’ve asked if I can take my dog, but apparently you can’t.”The pair are believed to be the first mother and daughter to receive the same award in the same honours list.Image source, Getty ImagesEmilia, 37, said it was “a miracle” that she was here to talk about the haemorrhages she suffered in 2011 and 2013.The first happened when she was at the gym just after she had finished filming season one of Game of Thrones, and left her fighting for my life.But she discovered there was “inadequate” support and rehabilitation after leaving hospital.”In hospital, every day you’re told you’re going to die. Every day you’re watched like a hawk, especially in a brain ward. You’re woken up every two hours. It’s this high-stakes scenario. And then three weeks to a month later, you’re let out.”She was so afraid of being discharged that she “found a reason” to go back to hospital the next day, she said. New Year Honours 2024: Michael Eavis and Jilly Cooper on list”I was fine, but I was so terrified to suddenly be at home, and I was at home with a loving family. That’s not [the same for] everyone, and the fear that you’re left with…”I had this incredible nurse, but I was one of 400 patients that she had. She couldn’t give me more than half an hour every three weeks. This is a day-to-day experience of living after a brain injury.”Then when I had my second brain haemorrhage, I was like, I’ve got to do something big. Looking at the fact that I’ve survived two of these with no repercussions – I’m here for a reason, let me do something about it.”That was when we started circling around the idea of creating a charity.”‘People feel ashamed’The pair set up SameYou, with Jenny – who has also previously had brain surgery to remove an aneurysm – as chief executive.”We realised that very few people had access to long enough rehabilitation or early enough rehabilitation,” Jenny said.”You are expected to get better after a certain period, and that, sadly, is not the reality for the majority of people. Even if you have a very mild brain injury, it’s a really major trauma.”Support for brain conditions is a long way behind that for some diseases, and “brain injury and recovery need to be taken much more seriously” – including by the government, she said.SameYou has funded projects like a trial of pioneering online neurorehabilitation called NROL, in Lancashire, as well as work with University College London and the Royal College of Nursing Foundation.Image source, PA MediaEmilia, who is also known for films including Terminator Genisys, Me Before You and Solo: A Star Wars Story, said she was proud of raising awareness after initially keeping her experiences out of the public eye.”I kept my story a secret. I didn’t want to tell anyone. I didn’t want it to be a celebrity sob story,” she said.”The single most important thing that we’ve done is at least build the first brick of a foundation of a platform to talk about this, because it’s a shameful thing – people feel ashamed when they’ve got it.”You can’t comprehend it… and you can’t explain to someone what the intricacies of it are.”The second thing we’re most proud of is NROL, which is our online rehabilitation that we began in Covid, and now we’re trying to get the funds to roll out for it to be more accessible, because the feedback and the results have been phenomenal.”Emilia said she has “no major repercussions” from her haemorrhages, but does feel some effects, including fatigue.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.”I work through it and it’s fine. It’s unquantifiable and undiagnosable but the fatigue is a real thing,” she said.”And I’m inclined to say that anxiety is more prevalent within me since the brain haemorrhage, but what else happened when I got a brain haemorrhage was I started Game of Thrones, so anxiety was going to happen any which way.”There are times when someone will say: ‘Do you remember that party you went to you when you were 19?’, and I’ll go, ‘I have no recollection of that whatsoever’. Maybe that’s a bit that’s gone in my brain. I have those conversations in my head daily.”But in the grand scheme of things, what I went through and the fact that I’m here talking to you is nothing short of a miracle.”That can happen, but it’s not the norm for people with brain injury, so I feel it’s my duty to be able to use my vaguely working brain to talk about it.”The actress also paid tribute to her mother in light of the news about their MBEs.”The most important thing is that my mum got it,” she said. “The fact that it’s us together is very sweet and lovely, but the reason why the charity really exists is because of all the work that my mum does.”Jenny said: “The great honour that we’ve both been awarded, I don’t see it at all for us, because we’re just starting off on this journey to try and raise awareness, but [it is for] the tens of thousands of people that have written to us and the millions of people around the world that don’t have a voice.”More on this storyNew Year Honours for Michael Eavis and Jilly CooperPublished9 hours agoEmilia Clarke on her struggles after brain injury. Video, 00:01:20Emilia Clarke on her struggles after brain injuryPublished6 July 20191:20Game of Thrones star’s surgery ordealPublished21 March 2019

The NewsMike DeWine, the Republican governor of Ohio, vetoed a bill on Friday that would have barred transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries, a rare rejection in what has been a concerted effort by the Republican Party to mobilize cultural conservatives around transgender issues for the 2024 primaries.Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto is a rare move for Republicans.Carolyn Kaster/Associated PressBackgroundLawmakers passed the measure earlier in December. Those in favor of the bill argued that parents are pressured by doctors to sign off on transition care treatments for their children. The bill’s sponsor, Representative Gary Click, said parents are “being manipulated by the physicians.’’In addition to banning transition care for minors, the bill says medical professionals who provide the care could lose their licenses and be sued. It also prohibits transgender girls and women from playing on high school and college sports teams that correspond with their gender identity.On Friday, Mr. DeWine said that if the bill were to become law, “Ohio would be saying that the state, that the government, knows better what is medically best for a child than the two people who love that child the most, the parents.”The governor reached his decision after visiting hospitals and meeting with families “both positively and negatively affected” by gender-affirming care last week, a spokesperson said.Why It Matters: A landmark year for transgender restrictions.The Ohio bill came at the tail end of a year that has seen a record number of new laws passed to regulate the lives of transgender youth.Before this year, only three states had passed restrictions on gender transition medical care for minors, according to a New York Times analysis. The count now stands at more than 20. Several dozen laws, including ones on how gender can be discussed in classrooms, what bathrooms transgender students can use and whether they can participate in school sports, have been enacted this year.The testimony in Ohio echoed the themes voiced in other statehouses. Supporters of transition care bans have argued that the treatments in minors are relatively new, and the long-term effects are not well studied.This summer, the American Academy of Pediatrics commissioned a systematic review of medical research on the treatments, while still taking the position that they can be essential. Transgender adolescents have high rates of depression, suicidal thoughts and self-harm, and some evidence suggests that puberty blockers and hormones, in the short-term, could improve their mental health.“The most harrowing part of my job is informing parents that their child died, especially when their death was from a preventable suicide,’’ Dr. Steve Davis, chief executive of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, told Ohio senators at a hearing on the bill. “You trust us on every other condition. Please, trust us on this one.’’What’s Next: Lawmakers could override the veto.For now, minors in Ohio can continue to receive gender transition treatments. But the Ohio legislature, where Republicans hold a supermajority, could override Mr. DeWine’s veto. If it does, only those who have already been receiving treatments will be able to continue them.About 100,000 transgender minors live in the 23 states that have laws restricting gender-affirming care, according to the Williams Institute at U.C.L.A. Law School. Federal judges have blocked enforcement of the laws in some states and let them go into effect in others. Many families, fearing the abrupt cutoff of a child’s treatment, have moved across state lines.Last month, transgender youth and their families in Tennessee asked the Supreme Court to block the state’s ban on transition care for minors. If the court agrees to hear the case, it would have consequences for state bans across the country, legal experts said.Anna Betts

A groundbreaking study led by Professor Sebyung Kang and Professor Sung Ho Park in the Department of Biological Sciences at UNIST has unveiled a remarkable breakthrough in cancer treatment. The research team has successfully developed unprecedented “NK cell-engaging nanodrones” capable of selectively targeting and eliminating cancer cells, offering a potential solution for intractable types of cancers.
The innate lymphoid cells known as natural killer (NK) cells play a vital role in the body’s immune response against cancer. Numerous efforts have been made to harness the power of NK cells to develop effective cancer therapies. Now, the research team has designed and fabricated exceptional NK cell-engaging nanodrones, referred to as NKeNDs, using AaLS protein cage nanoparticles.
These groundbreaking NKeNDs simultaneously display cancer-targeting ligands, such as HER2Afb or EGFRAfb, and NK cell-recruiting ligands, aCD16Nb, on the surface of the AaLS through the SpyCatcher/SpyTag protein ligation system. The dual ligand-displaying NKeNDs, named HER2 @NKeND and EGFR@NKeND, have demonstrated the ability to selectively bind to HER2-overexpressing SK-OV-3 cells and EGFR-overexpressing MDA-MB-468 cells, respectively, as well as human NK cells.
The physical engagement of human NK cells with the target cancer cells mediated by the NKeNDs activates the NK cells, enabling them to effectively eliminate the target cancer cells in vitro. Remarkably, in SK-OV-3 tumor-bearing mice, the administration of HER2 @NKeNDs along with human PBMCs facilitates the infiltration of activated human NK cells into the tumor sites. As a result, tumor growth is significantly suppressed without causing noticeable side effects.
This groundbreaking study showcases a novel approach to developing cancer-specific NK cell engagers by utilizing protein cage nanoparticles and recombinant cancer cell binders. It offers tremendous potential for the selective treatment of previously intractable types of cancers.
Professor Kang Se-byung expressed his excitement about the study, stating, “This research presents new possibilities for immune treatment through NK cell delivery nanodrones, overcoming challenges such as the movement and survival of NK cells. We aim to provide new opportunities for customized treatments that selectively address various types of cancer through further research, including cancer-specific immune cell induction.”
The study, published in the journal Nano Today on December 2, was conducted with the generous support of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), the University Key Research Institute (C5: Center for Cell to Cell Communication in the Cancer), and the SRC Cellular Responses to Metabolic Stress Research Center (CRMSRC).

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Published6 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingBy Michelle RobertsDigital health editorA person in Scotland has died from E. coli, following an outbreak of the bacterial infection in the UK linked to cheese. Health experts warned a few days ago that some products in the Mrs Kirkham’s range might be contaminated and should be recalled as a precaution.It is not clear yet whether the death was caused by food. Officials say investigations are continuing into any common links between cases and the recalled cheeses.The UKHSA said one person from Scotland with the infection has now died but has not provided details such as their age or sex, or whether they had other underlying health conditions. It says there have been 30 confirmed cases of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) reported across England and Scotland since late July. These were people aged between seven and 81, and some needed hospital care. Symptoms of STEC infection can vary in severity, ranging from mild diarrhoea to severe abdominal cramps, vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. In up to 15% of cases, infection can lead to the development of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) – a serious and life-threatening condition predominantly affecting the kidneys, which can result in death. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and UKHSA warned the public not to eat four cheeses:Mrs Kirkham’s Mild & Creamy LancashireMrs Kirkham’s Tasty LancashireMrs Kirkham’s Mature LancashireMrs Kirkham’s Smoked LancashireSTEC infection can be spread by many different routes – not just contaminated food. You can catch if from direct contact with an infected animal or close contact with an infected person.Amy Douglas, incident director for gastrointestinal infections and food safety division at UKHSA, said people should take any necessary precautions. “If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you can take steps to avoid passing it on to family and friends over the festive period.”Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will help stop infections from spreading. Don’t prepare food for others if you have symptoms or for 48 hours after symptoms stop.”Many of us will be travelling for Christmas, but if you are unwell you should avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to avoid passing on the infection in these settings,” she added.”Do not return to work or school once term restarts until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped.”More on this storyE.coli cases may be linked to recalled cheese – HSAPublished20 hours agoRelated Internet LinksUKHSAThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Image source, GooglePA MediaNews agencyAlex McIntyreBBC News, West MidlandsPublished52 minutes agoA care home has been put in special measures because of serious safeguarding concerns including one patient being left lying in urine-soaked sheets.Scholars Mews Care Home, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, was criticised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for a “significant deterioration” in the standard of care. It follows an unannounced inspection in October after concerns were raised over safeguarding and staffing levels.Avery Healthcare, which runs the home, said it had taken immediate action to address the findings.The inspection of Scholars Mews, which provides residential and dementia care services, took place when 43 residents were living at the site.The subsequent report said patients were not always treated with respect and compassion.It highlighted a culture where staff “encouraged people to stay in their bedrooms” and said the safeguarding measures in place were ineffective. ‘Spoken to disrespectfully’Amanda Lyndon, the CQC’s deputy director of operations in the Midlands, said a staff member had carried out personal care with someone who was lying in urine-soaked sheets.She said one patient’s care plan instructed staff to be “firm” with them by showing them their soiled clothing if they had been incontinent. “We found very serious concerns regarding safeguarding procedures, safe staffing and the management of risks to people’s health and well-being,” Ms Lyndon said.”Staff didn’t have the right skills to support people safely and we heard people being spoken to disrespectfully. “People’s needs were not being met, which the provider must address urgently.”She added some staff had tried their best to provide compassionate care and highlight their concerns but were let down by poor leadership.The CQC said Scholars Mews had taken some immediate actions in response to its findings.These included making a safeguarding referral to the police and local authority as well as giving staff “safeguarding-themed supervision” to ensure they understood expectations.A spokesperson for Avery Healthcare said the firm was dedicated to delivering high quality care and services to its residents.They added: “We take the findings in the report extremely seriously and have taken immediate actions to address the concerns raised.”We have a new leadership team in place at Scholars Mews, supporting our staff team, and are working with CQC to ensure we consistently meet the regulatory requirements.”Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook,

Published1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.By Garry Owen and Peter ShuttleworthBBC NewsIt’s the Russell T Davies flagship BBC festive drama about the little-known Viagra trial that is hoped to get men talking about erectile dysfunction.Men Up is inspired by the “brave” men that tested the pill that became Viagra at a time when opening up on impotence issues was even more taboo than today.Doctors and Men Up’s cast hope the show can help end the stigma.Experts say impotence awareness needs a champion like how Davina McCall has helped women with the menopause.Erectile dysfunction can affect about half of men over 40, according to the NHS.But men are warned the condition might be a sign of more deep-rooted health problems so should “use their penis as a health barometer” and see a doctor as soon as possible.”As men, we’re not particularly great at talking about our feelings or issues of this kind,” said Men Up and Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon.”There’s a lot of emphasis on men’s mental health and it’s really important this story is being told now.”Image source, BBC/Quay Street Productions/Tom JacksonMen Up is a feature-length BBC drama about five ordinary guys who take part in a new impotence drug trial.”It was extremely brave of these men to open themselves up for a trial like this,” said Dunkirk actor Aneurin Barnard, who plays pioneering consultant Dr Dylan Pearce in Men Up.Six ways to cope with erection problemsThe industrial town that paved the way for ViagraCould your diet really impact erectile dysfunction?”Especially in society at this point in time where men held their cards very close to their chest and any mention of sexual dysfunction or impotence was a no-no.”But they were all seeking to find something they’d lost – that’s the powerful thing.”It’s about normal people trying to gain back their manhood, their confidence as it was like having their mojo taken away from you – and that caused huge problems within their relationships.”Even though erectile dysfunction is a common condition among older men, patients are reluctant to talk about their problems – even with medical experts – and that can risk the health further.Image source, BBC / Quay Street Productions / Tom JacksonSo with half over 40 likely to have erectile dysfunction at some stage, doctors have joined Men Up’s star-studded cast and urged men to open up for the benefit of their health – and their relationships.”It’s very hard for men to realise it isn’t about being less of a man if you have erectile dysfunction,” said leading men’s health expert Dr Jeff Foster.”There could be real medical reasons as 90% of cases have a biological cause, like diabetes, heart disease or low testosterone. That completely dismisses the idea it’s just in your head.”It isn’t just a case of buying a Viagra and it’ll be fine, that deals with the symptom and not the cause. “Men need to think of their penis like a barometer of your health and if it’s not working, you need to see a doctor and say I’ve got a medical problem.”Image source, Dr Jeff FosterDr Foster runs a specialist sexual dysfunction clinic in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and, on average, his 1,000 erectile dysfunction patients took three years to see him.”Erectile dysfunction and issues around sexual function in men are an enormously stigmatised in the UK,” added Dr Foster, a member of the British Society of Sexual Medicine.”If you had most medical conditions, you probably wouldn’t wait three years before you go to see a doctor. If you leave it, relationships suffer and the risk of underlying more serious medical conditions gets worse.”TV presenter Davina McCall has campaigned to increase awareness of the menopause and its affect on women and now there are calls for an equivalent male champion for erectile dysfunction to help end the stigma.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.”Like what Davina McCall has done for women and the menopause, I can’t tell you how much I wish we had a super-famous man to do that for erectile dysfunction and normalise it because it’s a very normal condition,” said andrology specialist Dr Janine David.Dr Foster agrees, adding: “It’ll take a brave bloke to say ‘I’ve got a erectile dysfunction’ but it won’t take much for one or two others who are gutsy enough to say ‘yeah, I’ve had this problem too’ and for attitudes to start to change. “This Men Up drama is really good because even if it doesn’t change a population’s attitude, it will get men thinking – and maybe a couple will go and see their doctor if something is not quite right.”Five ordinary Welshmen face up to their secrets and lies when they embark on one of the world’s first medical trials for the drug that would become Viagra.Catch Men Up on BBC iPlayer and on BBC One on Friday at 21:00 GMT.Dr David set up and became medical director of Men’s Health Wales to help improve the health of patients in an area she feels is “often overlooked”.”Men with erectile dysfunction and diabetes must have a testosterone blood test to rule out it being low because half will have low testosterone,” said Dr David, secretary of the British Society for Sexual Medicine.”Testosterone deficiency needs to be checked as it can make men feel depressed, which can cause erectile dysfunction which can, in turn, make them more depressed so its a vicious cycle.Image source, Dr Janine David”Erections will not improve without testosterone replacement but also having low testosterone and diabetes doubles your mortality rate so that check is really important.”It is hoped the drama can help transform the “sniggering behind closed doors” taboo attitude to men who cannot get an erection.”Men’s mental health and opening up is the heart of Men Up,” said Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Gangs of London star Mark Lewis Jones, who plays macho Eddie O’Connor in the drama.”We’ve made a bit of progress but we’ve still a long way to go – and I count myself within that as well as I find it difficult to talk about feelings and identifying them. “We hope people take away from it that these men’s lives changed as a result of an experience they shared.”How does Viagra work?Buying Viagra: What you should knowMy erection issues left me feeling suicidalMen Up is based on a medical trial in Swansea in 1994 for the pill then known as Sildenafil UK-92,480 by pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and included men with diabetes and heart disease, where erectile dysfunction is a common side effect.After the study at Morriston Hospital, Viagra went on to become one of the most controversial, profitable and well-known drugs in history that has been used by millions of men across the world.Image source, BBC / Quay Street Productions / Tom Jackson”The story of the men is utterly heart-breaking, it’s such a terrible time in their lives and affects their relationships, their mood and their whole family,” said Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page, who plays nurse Moira Davies.Phaldut Sharma, who plays married accountant Pete Shah, said Men Up’s humour was a “wonderful” and important part for men to engagement in such a serious subject.”It uses a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down using the comedy to address the issue. Getting men to laugh is probably a good way into it,” said the former EastEnders actor.What causes erectile dysfunction?Most men occasionally fail to get or keep an erection and this is usually caused by stress, tiredness, drinking too much alcohol or a side effect of some medicine – and is nothing to worry about. If erectile dysfunction happens often, it may be caused by a condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, diabetes, depression or anxiety or hormone problems.Healthy lifestyle changes, losing weight if you’re overweight, eating a healthy diet, exercising daily, stopping smoking and reducing stress can sometimes help with erectile dysfunction.Source: NHSMore on this storyThe Welsh town that paved the way for ViagraPublished8 DecemberViagra may be useful against Alzheimer’s dementiaPublished6 December 2021Viagra can be sold over the counterPublished28 November 2017