June 09
‘Pathway To Recovery' For People with Mental Health Problems In Wales
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Painkiller Ban Has Reduced Suicides
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NHS Must Reduce Child Care Errors
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WelshArtNow Launches Third Issue
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More Premature Babies Surviving
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Burnham is New Health Secretary
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‘PATHWAY TO RECOVERY’ FOR PEOPLE
WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN WALES
A new Welsh organisation will launch a project this week to help drug and alcohol misusers who suffer from mental health problems begin their journey on the road to recovery. At 10am on Thursday June 18, the Helping Groups to Grow organisation will launch the ‘Pathways to Recovery’ project at The National Botanic Garden of Wales. The Pathways to Recovery project was awarded £679,000 under the Big Lottery Fund’s £15 million Mental Health Matters programme, which aims to promote the rehabilitation and independence of people with serious mental health problems in Wales and support those at greatest risk of suicide. To download the press release and read more about this story just
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Painkiller Ban Has Reduced Suicides
Co-proxamol is linked to fatal overdoses The controversial withdrawal of a common painkiller has dramatically cut suicides, say researchers. A gradual phase-out of co-proxamol led to 350 fewer suicides and accidental deaths in England and Wales, a study in the British Medical Journal reports. In 2007 Regulators removed the drug's licence iafter fears about the risk of overdose but the move proved unpopular with some patients and doctors. Arthritis Care says 'some patients now struggle to control their pain'.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency announced the withdrawal in 2005. There is no robust evidence that co-proxamol offers any advantage over paracetamol or ibuprofen at normal doses
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NHS Must Reduce Child Care Errors
The NHS has been told to improve care being given to children. The NHS must reduce the number of errors made while treating children, a safety watchdog says. The National Patient Safety Agency data showed that last year there were over 70 deaths and 20,000 cases of harm in which a lapse in care contributed. The agency said the figures for the under 18s were too high and standards needed to improve. Mistakes made with medication was the most common error after being cited in 16% of cases. The NPSA said a major part of the problem was the lack of availability of medicines in child doses. The majority of patient safety incidents involving children were reported to have resulted in no harm or low harm. Dr Kevin Cleary, of the National Patient Safety Agency said 'nurses often had to cut, crush and dissolve adult tablets and then make a difficult calculation of the dose needed by the child according to its weight'. In response, the watchdog has produced a good practice guide explaining what NHS trusts can do to tackle the problem. A Department of Health spokesman said: "We welcome this review and look forward to giving it detailed consideration."
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WelshArtNow Launches Third Issue
Issue 3 of the online Welsh art mag, WelshArtNow has now been published. It brings news of a major new gallery in Wales called off the 'Off the Wall'. It reviews Locws 2009 an exhibition of public art works taking place in Swansea. Fran one of Swansea's best, produces a portrait of Welsh hero Owain Glyndwr. Ir also bring news of a major new art book by Wales' most eminent art historian Peter Lord.
visit www.welshartnow.org
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More Premature Babies Surviving
It has been found that Intervention can improve survival odds Survival chances have greatly improved for premature babies, even those born extremely early, work reveals. About 70% of babies born alive between 22 and 26 weeks gestation in Sweden now survive past the age of one, largely thanks to medical intervention. However, the study from the Journal of the American Medical Association does not answer the bigger ethical question over intervention. As over half of the babies that survive experience serious health problems. 'Getting the balance right is really difficult and we need to keep this under constant review' said Professor Neil Marlow, Expert in Neonatal Medicine.
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Burnham is New Health Secretary
Andy Burnham has been named as the new health secretary. He replaces Alan Johnson, who has moved to the role of home secretary in Gordon Brown's cabinet reshuffle. Mr Burnham moves from his post as culture secretary. Earlier this year he was heckled when he attended the Hillsborough memorial service. Doctors' leaders said his biggest challenge would be to stop the "destabilising influence of spreading commercialisation" in the NHS. In the next 12 months, the new health secretary will face some very serious challenges as the NHS prepares for a major squeeze in its funding.
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