Top stories
GMC to reduce probes into ‘one-off’ clinical incidents
Vulnerable GP practices no longer have to match bailout cash from NHS England
17:14 Farmers and sports people are being targeted in a new NHS campaign aimed at getting people to protect themselves against the sun and avoid skin cancer.
Farmers Weekly reports on NHS England’s new ‘Cover up, mate’ campaign, which it says is in response to ‘a massive increase in the number of people suffering from malignant melanoma – with men who work outside identified as the most susceptible’.
15:40 Inhaling steam is useless for clearing a blocked nose, new research has found.
The Southampton University study had almost 900 sinusitis sufferers try alternative remedies – either steam inhaling, nasal irrigation using a saltwater solution, or a combination of the two – over a period of time.
Six months later, only those using nasal irrigation showed any real improvement and were less reliant on medication, reports the Daily Mail.
13:43 At least 151 people in Britain have been infected in the latest outbreak of E coli – two of whom have died. Public Health England said it was likely linked to imported mixed salad leaves and urged people to wash any salad thoroughly with water before eating.
PHE also said people should wash their hands before eating to prevent catching the bacteria, which can cause bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever, reports the Guardian.
12:29 The BMA has re-entered negotiations with the Government over a new consultants contract, according to a BMA news bulletin. The talks about a new framework for hospital doctors first started in 2013, launched by the Government to fit around its seven-day NHS plans, but have been on hold during the protracted junior doctor contract stand-off.
BMA consultants committee chair Keith Brent said: ‘As you know, the BMA did not initiate these talks about a variation to the contract, but we have been open to explore what might be on offer.
‘Whatever the Government seeks to introduce, we need to be in a position to influence what constitutes a safe and fair contract.’
11:48 Cuts to local government funding is putting councils’ work to fight childhood obesity at risk, reports the BBC.
It comes as England’s total public health budget is due to shrink from £3.38bn in 2016/17 to £3.13bn in 2020/21.
Izzi Seccombe, community wellbeing lead at the Local Government Association, said: ‘We would like assurances from the government’s new administration that the long-awaited childhood obesity strategy is still on track and that it includes tough measures that will help to reverse the rise in costs and children becoming obese.
‘Today’s obese children will be tomorrow’s obese adults, and with this comes a range of costly and debilitating major health conditions.’
10:14 We start off the week by reporting on new GMC pilots into reducing the need for a fitness-to-practice investigation. In an exclusive briefing with Pulse last week, GMC chief exceutive Niall Dickson said the new measures – including not launching full investigations for ‘one-off’ incidents – had the potential to cut investigation times in half.
