16:53 Only one in five (20%) of patients who see their GP with suspected inflammatory arthritis receive a referral within a target three days, a survey has suggested.
The audit, by the British Society for Rheumatology, also found that fewer than half of the patients analysed were actually seen by a specialist with three weeks, another NICE guideline.
Despite this, most patients said they were happy with the care they received, reports the BBC.
16:04 Early research on mice has indicated that a malaria drug might help fight cancers when combined with radiotherapy.
By boosting oxygen levels in tumour cells, the drug atovaquone may make radiotherapy more effective against a range of cancer types, including lung, bowel, brain and head and neck cancer, reports the Daily Mail.
The Cancer Research UK Radiation Research Centre in Oxford has now started a human clinical trial.
‘We hope that this existing low-cost drug will mean that resistant tumours can be re-sensitised to radiotherapy. And we’re using a drug that we already know is safe,’ said lead researcher Gillies McKenna.
14:53 One of the last surviving GPs to have worked at the creation of the NHS has died at the age of 99, reports the Hull Daily Mail.
Dr Michael Whiting, who worked at his practice in North Cave and South Cave, East Yorkshire, as well as Beverley Westwood hospital, treated victims of the blitz in Hull and prisoners of war, trying to save one Russian soldier from the KGB, according to the paper.
Dr Whiting retired at the age of 67, enjoying spending time with his nine children, gardening and cycling.
His daughter Lucy said: ‘He thought the NHS was the best thing ever because people didn’t have to think about finding the money to survive.’
12:15 Former Tory health minister Dr Dan Poulter has suggested, via Twitter, that the Government has to make a decision on whether to allocate more funding to NHS or accept a decline in quality of patient care.
Real concerns emerging that the NHS is beginning to have to choose between financial discipline & patient care. More Government money needed
— Dr Dan Poulter (@drdanpoulter) July 22, 2016
11:00 GPs have experienced more racism since the Brexit vote, according to an online survey.
A survey of 118 GPs from Network Locum – an online platform and community for GP locums – has found that over 63% of GPs have experienced racism from patients or colleagues, and over 47% have noticed an increase in racism after the EU referendum.
Worryingly, some GPs said they no longer feel safe on home visits.
Some 42% of respondents to the survey were of South Asian ethnic origin and 22% were white English.
09:37 Doctors are mourning their colleague Dr Kate Granger, who died this weekend as a result of cancer.
Before she died Dr Granger, a specialist in elderly medicine, launched a high-profile campaign for doctors and nurses to be more personable to their patients, by always introducing themselves.
In addition to the #hellomynameis campaign, Dr Granger also successfully raised £250,000 in charitable donations for the Yorkshire Cancer Centre before passing away on Saturday.
Tributes have poured in on Twitter since her husband used the social media platform to announce her death – including from NHS England, the health secretary and GP leaders.
An amazing woman who has accomplished amazing things. Thinking of you all &sending my love #RIPKate#hellomynameishttps://t.co/J4WlYR8V27
— Dr Zoe Norris (@dr_zo) July 24, 2016
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