16:35 Former GP and Tory MP Dr Sarah Wollaston has tried to set the record straight after rumours circulated on social media today questioning her reasons for switching side to the Remain camp in the EU debate:
To be clear, 1.I have not asked for or been offered any Govt post 2.I have not deleted any of my EU tweets 3. I am not auditioning for 007
— Sarah Wollaston MP (@sarahwollaston) June 9, 2016
14:20 GPC deputy chair Dr Richard Vautrey has tweeted an updated version of the BMA’s ‘Urgent Prescription for General Practice’ heatmap – which illustrates the ‘current workload’ among areas across the country.
The heatmap is split up into parliamentary constituencies and shows the impact that ‘workload and patient demand’ is having on general practice, following feedback from the respective areas.
Each constituency is then given a heatmap status in relation to workload which can be: low, manageable, usually manageable, often unmanageable, or unmanageable.
We’ve updated our #gpincrisis heatmaps with news from SE Cambridgeshire https://t.co/rjBdAEcRhI@tasteofthemedpic.twitter.com/SraNrinQUC
— The BMA (@TheBMA) June 9, 2016
12:35 A new mobile phone has been developed that claims to predict an imminent threat of a heart attack.
The app, which is currently being considered by the NHS, analyses tone of voice and features a ‘iStethoscope’ that lets patients detect chest infections, The Times reports.
Clinical trials of the app found that it was able to accurately predict when it was necessary for admission to hospital for people with congestive cardiac failure – days before they were taken ill.
11:15 Most anti-depressants do not work on children and teenagers – and prescribing them could potentially cause more harm than good, a new report in the Lancet has warned.
A review of a clinical trial found that from an array of anti-depressant drugs, only fluoxetine was better than placebo at scaling back the symptoms of young people with severe depression.
However, despite fluoxetine being the only NICE-recommended antidepressant for young people, clinicians have previously said that other drugs are being prescribed, the Telegraph reports.
But the scientists who carried out the review from Oxford University said the effectiveness and safety of antidepressants taken by children and teenagers remained unclear. The researchers said that this could be attributed to the poor design and selective reporting of trials, which were mostly funded by drug companies.
9:35 With just two weeks to go until the referendum, former GP and prominent Tory MP Dr Sarah Wollaston, has revealed that she is defecting from the Leave campaign, and will instead vote to remain in the EU.
Dr Wollaston, who is also chair of the health select committee, told the BBC that she no longer felt comfortable being part of the Leave campaign and that her sudden change of heart hinged on the future of the NHS.
She went on to add that their would be a ‘Brexit penalty’ for the NHS, because leaving the EU would damage Britain’s economy.
Dr Wollaston added: ‘The consensus now is there would be a huge economic shock if we voted to leave. Undoubtedly, the thing that’s most going to influence the financial health of the NHS is the background economy.’
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