Health news 15th September 2011

[Northerner]

Ban on NHS rationing of cancer scans to save cash
Health trusts will be banned from telling GPs to ration the number of patients they send for cancer scans. Last week the Daily Mail revealed how dozens of Primary Care Trusts were trying to save money by ordering doctors to refer fewer patients for hospital tests commonly used to spot tumours. Experts warned that the cost-saving measures increased the risk of patients being diagnosed too late and dying unnecessarily.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...th-Secretary-cracks-blanket-restrictions.html

Scores of hospitals 'will go bust by 2013'

Up to 40 hospitals will fail by 2013 unless there is radical reform of their working practices, a report says today. Britain could face a ?5bn bill to rescue the hospital trusts unless the NHS adopts more innovative and "factory-style" working, the think-tank Reform has claimed.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...f-hospitals-will-go-bust-by-2013-2354785.html

Midwife shortages in England 'risking lives'

Parts of England are facing big midwife shortages, putting mothers and babies at risk, midwives have said. The Royal College of Midwives says a 22% rise in births over 20 years has led to shortfalls across England, but some areas are worse than others - it highlights the East Midlands and East. The RCM wants 4,700 more midwives and says the prime minister has backed away from a pledge to raise numbers. The Department of Health said record numbers of midwives were being trained.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14859228

Chocolate gives you a workout

Chocoholics who shun the gym can celebrate ? a little bit of dark chocolate can improve health in much the same way as exercise. Scientists found that a compound in the chocolate can mimic the effects of exercise, stimulating the same muscle response in terms of being able to exercise for longer.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/271347/Chocolate-gives-you-a-workout

End of the sell-by date

Sell-by dates are to be scrapped to curb food waste. From today, manufacturers will no longer be allowed to mislead customers into thinking their food is off. An estimated five million tons of perfectly good produce ? worth ?12billion ? is binned every year. The annual cost to a typical family is put at a staggering ?680.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Simpler-labels-stop-tons-food-ending-bin.html

 

[Steff]

Shocking numbers on the last headline 😱

 

[StephenM]

In my humble view it is not sell by dates that waste food but the various promotions tha cause people to buy more than they need. Why not halve the price rather than do a BOGOF. With fruit you often get things like one punnet ?2-99, two ?3-50.. These often result in waste as the food spoils (not all of us have freezers) or over-eating (which is maybe worse)! Its just the supermarkets ripping off the elderly and smaller family groups!

 

[Northerner]

In my humble view it is not sell by dates that waste food but the various promotions tha cause people to buy more than they need. Why not halve the price rather than do a BOGOF. With fruit you often get things like one punnet ?2-99, two ?3-50.. These often result in waste as the food spoils (not all of us have freezers) or over-eating (which is maybe worse)! Its just the supermarkets ripping off the elderly and smaller family groups!

Totally agree with you Stephen. As a single person BOGOF offers are almost always inappropriate for me unless for non-perishable items. Fruit is probably the biggest culprit in this respect, as you say, and unfortunately our local fruit and veg shop closed down so I only have local availablity of supermarket offers.