Category: Health

Poor Treatment of Elderly Patients

May. 23 Health no comments

Unfortunately the poor treatment of elderly patients in NHS hospitals is something that happens far too regularly. The Daily Mail has found that 10% of NHS hospitals and 15% of care homes fail to treat elderly patients with adequate dignity, respect and care. The Care Quality Commission has found that many doctors and nurses view patients as tasks to be completed, rather than people.

Sir David Nicholson, chairman of the new NHS Commissioning Board, has said that hospitals are ‘very bad places’ for millions of older people. He has said that many elderly patients, especially those with dementia, would be better off being treated in their homes. Robert Francis QC, who chaired the inquiry into the Stafford Hospital scandal, has recently stated that a culture of poor patient care is akin to cancer – it won’t stop spreading until someone stops it.

Poor staffing levels have been identified as one reason for low standards of patient care. Others have also blamed poor management and a lack of kindness and compassion as reasons for poor levels of care and treatment. David Cameron has duly made improving NHS patient care one of his main priorities in 2013. The Prime Minister has said that he wants ‘every hospital to give every patient the best possible care’. NHS hospital staff should indeed look beyond a patient’s age and treat all patients with the same standards of care and respect.

If you or a loved one has received substandard treatment at the hands of medical professionals then you may be able to claim medical negligence compensation. No win no fee solicitors at Bolt Burdon Kemp have particular expertise successfully claiming compensation in cases concerning elderly person negligence. They have experience acting in cases involving pressure sores and ulcers, slips, trips and falls in hospitals, weight loss and malnutrition and delayed diagnosis cases.

If you have received substandard treatment in a medical setting then it is only right that you are able to obtain justice. Moreover, by alerting the healthcare provider to the problem you may be able to prevent substandard treatment or low levels of care from occurring again in the future. Compensation can also cover the costs of rehabilitation, any loss of earnings and any financial losses which have accrued as a result of the injury or mistake.

Ex-national Director for heart disease criticized Leeds

Apr. 22 Health no comments

UK Government’s ex-national director for heart disease says he would not want his daughter treated at Leeds General Infirmary’s child cardiac unit. Operation for the heart has been suspended when the hospital had an incomplete data for the hospital having a mortality rate that is twice the national average.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has comparable rates to other centers and should have no further concerns. The heart surgery for children has been closed for 11 days after NHS England’s medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh, suspended procedures for what he called a “constellation” of reasons.

Sir Roger leaked the mortality rate – director of the National Institute of Clinical Outcomes Research, which focused the mortality figures across the NHS – the night before last month’s suspension. They were then dispatched by the response team to immediately assess the safety concerns of the suspension. NHS England said that they have received some assurances about the quality of surgery and staff that were involved in the operations. Consultant cardiologist at Leeds General Infirmary, Dr John Thomson, said Sir Roger’s assessment was not fair.

 

What could be Causing that Chronic Cough

Mar. 22 Health no comments

Spring has finally come after the bitterly cold winter we have all endured, though it still feels freezing and there are lots of colds and coughs abound.  It is important however to realise the difference between an ordinary and what could be a chronic cough.  A chronic cough can be something that develops slowly and that you gradually become accustomed to, to the point that you don’t even think about it anymore. Coughing becomes such a habit that you don’t consider it as being unusual. It might only be when someone else points it out to you that you might think to investigate the causes behind a persistent cough.

However, if you do have a cough that you have been simply living with or trying to ignore, it is a good idea to find out the possible cause. Not only may it lead to treatment of the cough so that you no longer have to put up with it, but chronic coughs can be merely a symptom of a more serious condition that requires medication.

A cough is considered to be persistent when it lasts for longer than eight weeks. Potential reasons behind the cough include:

COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is an umbrella term for a range of lung conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Generally it affects people older than 45 and who are smokers or ex-smokers. The airways are inflamed or swollen and, in compensation, the lungs produce an excess of mucus. This in turn causes the cough, as the body tries to expel the excess fluid from the lungs.

Asthma and allergies. Again the problem with suffering from asthma is that the airways become inflamed. Asthma sufferers have bouts of coughing where they feel unable to get their breath. The coughing bouts can be accompanied by wheezing and a tight feeling in the chest. Many asthma sufferers are diagnosed as children, but it can be diagnosed at any time in life. Asthma can be set off by the cold weather, exercise or a reaction to an allergen like pet hair or pollutant like cigarette smoke.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is caused by a weak oesophageal sphincter allowing stomach acid to re-enter the oesophagus. A chronic cough, heartburn, chest pain and wheezing are all symptoms of GERD.

If you have a persistent cough, it may be that you have one of the conditions mentioned above. You can get advice on persistent cough from mucusmanagement.org.uk, but if you wish to investigate fully the reasons behind your cough, make sure you seek medical advice.

Horsmeat Scandal reaches School and Hospital

Feb. 18 Health no comments

The United Kingdom and Europe is facing broader problems because of the on going horsemeat scandal. The Food Standards Agency and other concerned parties in and out of the government have joined hand in hand to probably stop the problem that did not just affect the food businesses as well as the schools and hospitals. It is somehow alarming for some that the issue already widen its scope before it can even stop. The FSA has started checking all the meat produced by food suppliers. A lot of meat was tested and they will be posting the results soon for the concerned public to be aware.

It was reported that horsemeat was found in cottage pies that is usually sold to student in Lancashire schools and also the burgers distributed in the hospitals of Northern Ireland. After the said report, the authorities has advised these affected school and hospital to pull out the contaminated products and for precautionary measure include all beef products served in the said location. There were about a number of forty-seven pies ready to be delivered in the Lancashire school but automatically taken after it contained horse DNA. The local government of Lancashire also alarmed with the situation has acted promptly.

The crisis was growing said some local authorities. They are also monitoring the suppliers of the contaminated meat and would want to question them about it. Locals were angered and dismayed because the said scandal was causing a lot of problems and the retailers should give valid reasons why some of the affected meat products contained the horse DNA instead of what it should contain base on its labels.

FSA’s Investigation on the Horsemeat Scandal

Feb. 11 Health Comments Off

The horsemeat scandal has been viral. A lot of meat sellers including, the supermarket giant TESCO, have pulled out their meat products for possible tests. The Food Standard Agency has ordered that a number of processed meats should undergo a series of tests for possible contamination of horsemeat.

The food and farming minister and the environment secretary have the full support of FSA’s ongoing investigation. They were set to hold a meeting involving all the heads of the meat suppliers and retailers in London for the emergency on meat contamination.The horsemeat scandal has taken its toll and if not handled well, it could probably be a propagating problem. Likewise, other food businesses were also asked to examine further their meat products and test it for possible contamination. Not all of the suppliers were cooperative enough to the concerned agencies that were on a thorough study on the meat scandal. Some of them have already complained to the departmental authorities that they were already in too much pressure because of the scandal.

Even the schools were asked to test the meat products that were provided by their suppliers. Moreover, the hospitals are part of the institutions to put their meat on check for it is what is best to do in order to prevent contaminate food served to the patients. There were some baby food manufacturers who also complied with the emergency test.
News that came out recently about the beef lasagna that was pulled out by TESCO was found out to contain a hundred percent horsemeat DNA. The UK authorities are working hard for the said issue to be solved as soon as possible.

UK to Introduce ‘DNA Mapping’

Dec. 10 Health no comments


Prime Minister David Cameron has unveiled plans to introduce DNA-mapping – in which 100,000 patients with cancer or rare diseases will have their details held on a national database – with a view to keeping everyone’s DNA on record ‘in the near future’. The move will raise great concerns among many people, and MP’s, who are against such a database on the grounds of possible abuse. However, Mr Cameron believes it is a necessary move to help the NHS deal with problems; he said:

“By unlocking the power of DNA data, the NHS will lead the global race for better tests, better drugs and above all better care. We are turning an important scientific breakthrough into a potentially life-saving reality for NHS patients across the country. If we get this right, we could transform how we diagnose and treat our most complex diseases not only here but across the world, while enabling our best scientists to discover the next wonder drug or breakthrough technology.”

Controversy is likely thanks to the sensitive nature of the information involved. The latest reports into the system state that mapping the human genome will allow for personalised treatments, and there are plans for 100,000 patients to enter the database over the next five years.

Personalised Medicine ‘For All’

The prospect of personalised medicine for everybody, thanks to the DNA mapping project, is very real, according to Sir John Bell, who as well as being a professor of Medical Sciences at Oxford is also an advisor to the government on the subject of genetics. He explained:

“The price of genome sequencing has been falling off a cliff. It has fallen by 100,000-fold in 10 years. We are headed for £100 a genome. That will happen in the very near future. Genetics is a key component of all common diseases. There is a possibility that this will help in a whole variety of ways including the use of new drugs.”

The concerns from some consumer groups are that the information held could be sold, and it could lead to private medicine firms charging people for medicine in the event they become ill. The project is, therefore, bound to meet with resistance from human rights groups. However, it is easy to see where the benefits will be, and with personalise medicine a very real prospect those suffering from complex and rare illnesses may be willing to take advantage of the situation.

Latest Scientific Research Provides New Ways to Beat Insomnia

Nov. 27 Health no comments

A poor night’s sleep can make anyone unhappy, and according to the Great British Sleep Survey, it’s a problem that 51 percent of us struggle with. Recent evidence shows that lack of sleep can cause low energy levels, mood swings, concentration problems, and decreased productivity. It can also affect people on a deeper health level, increasing the risk of health conditions like diabetes and strokes.

Medication for insomnia has been on the rise in Britain, with 15.3 million prescriptions for sleeping pills dispensed in the last year alone. But new research has discovered that there are some things individuals who suffer from insomnia can do to make sleep come more easily.

Darkness is an important factor when it comes to getting a good sleep. Some research has also indicated that light from devices like laptops and smartphones should be avoided for at least a couple hours before sleep. A comfortable environment is necessary. Keep your sleeping area dark, quiet, clean, and well-ventilated.

Any stimulation close to bedtime can alter one’s ability to sleep. Avoiding things like caffeine, alcohol, heavy meals, and strenuous exercise right before bed can aid restfulness. Individuals should think about what they’re putting into their body and set limits for late-night activities.

Research also indicates that a nap isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s much better to set a sleep schedule and stick to it. Even if individuals have trouble sleeping one night and want to take a nap during the day, it’s best to avoid the nap and hold out until bedtime.

Many people have problems sleeping simply because they’re thinking too much about their inability to sleep. The study indicates that individuals shouldn’t go to bed unless they’re sleepy, and they shouldn’t let themselves get discouraged if they are unable to fall asleep right away. Trying to relax before bed, and avoiding anxiety and worry will clear one’s mind and help prevent insomnia.

Advice on dealing with insomnia is available here.