Welcome to our latest update on medical news, where we bring you a mix of informative and quirky stories from the healthcare world.
Doctor Struck Off for Misconduct
In a shocking incident, a doctor at a Hampshire hospital has been struck off for urinating in a hospital sink and making an inappropriate comment to a patient, suggesting she needed a brain scan to see if she had a brain.
Accurate Blood Pressure Readings
Researchers at a Baltimore hospital have discovered that the most accurate way to position your arm during a blood pressure reading is to support it on a desk. When the arm is unsupported or placed on the lap, the blood vessels are at a greater vertical distance from the heart, leading to higher pressure readings due to gravity. This finding highlights the importance of proper technique to avoid misdiagnosis of hypertension.
Benefits of Short Bursts of Walking
A study from the University of Milan reveals that walking in short bursts throughout the day expends more energy than sustained walking over the same distance. The frequent starting and stopping triggers metabolic processes that result in greater weight loss, according to the researchers.
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2024-25 is scheduled for its second reading in parliament on 29th November 2024. This bill aims to address the rights and care of terminally ill patients, sparking significant debate and interest.
GPs and National Insurance Contributions
A Treasury minister has stated that changes to the employment allowance would enable GP surgeries to offset their NI bill, however doubt has been cast on the accuracy of that statement, on the basis that businesses who do most of their work in the public sector are not eligible.
General Practitioners (GPs) are urging the government to exempt them from the recent increases in National Insurance Contributions. While the NHS and public sector are shielded from these increases starting April 2025, GP practices, often run as small businesses, will face the financial burden.
The Royal College of GPs has written to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, requesting additional funding to prevent redundancies and potential closures of GP surgeries.
Concerns Over Llanelli Minor Injuries Unit
Campaigners in Llanelli are worried that lives could be at risk due to the town’s minor injuries unit reducing its hours. Previously open 24 hours a day, the unit now operates from 8pm to 8am as of 1 November, raising concerns about access to urgent care.
GSK Settles Zantac Claims
UK pharmaceutical giant GSK has announced a settlement of up to $2.2billion (roughly £1.72billion) to resolve thousands of claims in US courts. The claims allege that the now-discontinued version of the heartburn medication Zantac caused cancer, marking a significant development in pharmaceutical litigation.
Concerns About the Role of NHS Physicians
Wes Streeting has confirmed that there are “legitimate concerns”“ about how physicians, who are not fully qualified, are being deployed across the country in GP surgeries and hospitals to replace doctors. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has called for a review as it is worried about patient safety. The widower of a woman who died after a drip was wrongly left in her abdomen for 21 hours has condemned the increased use of physicians in the NHS.
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