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86% of theatre practitioners witnessed bullying within the perioperative environment 39% of theatre practitioners asked to do things outside of their role scope 86% of theatre practitioners concerned about patient safety due to bullying in the workplace Poor mental health amongst nurses and the effect it has on patient care is one of the most talked-about issues in healthcare, but a recent survey carried out by the Association for Perioperative Practice has highlighted that these issues could extend far beyond nurses and in fact appear to be prevalent in an area where patient safety is equally as vital; the operating…

  The Real Iron Man The science of prosthetics is a dark art. Driven in its development by an unholy combination of sci-fi-like human imagination and the horrors of war, it has long held a shuddery kind of fascination for onlookers. Surprisingly, though, it’s now poised to emerge from the shadows and become a catalyst not for patching up the injured but for actually exceeding all natural human abilities. As Andy Miah, director of the Creative Futures Institute, said in a recent article in The Week, ‘The human enhancement market will reveal the truth about our biological conditions — we…

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is deeply concerned that Department for Transport (DfT) figures released today show an increase in the number of fatal collisions involving cyclists and children, despite an overall reduction in the number of road deaths following a year of lockdowns. The DfT published the Reported Road Casualties Great Britain 2020 which shows that last year 1,460 people were killed on our roads, which is a fall of 17 per cent compared with the figure in 2019. In 2020, there were a total of 115,584 reported road casualties of all severities, which was…

The UK government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, has awarded a promising technology start-up funding to ensure that people can enjoy at least 5 extra healthy, independent years of life by 2035, while reducing health inequalities. Appt Health plans to take on this Grand Challenge mission by working with care providers to increase the uptake of screening programmes in the UK, while ensuring their methods are accessible to all. Currently, England has 11 screening programmes delivered by primary care providers. These range from bowel and cervical cancer screening to heart health risk factor identification programmes. As it stands, screening rates are…

After the inaugural World of Microbiome: Pregnancy, Birth & Infancy Conference in 2019 –the 1st international event focused on the impact of microbiome on maternal, fetal and early infancy health, this year the series is expanding by adding the World of Microbiome: Digestive & Metabolic Health. The World of Microbiome is a new platform dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and practice in the emerging field of microbiome. The series have a program designed to interpret recent research and analyze real-world case-studies. It provides a unique opportunity for scientists, clinical researchers, start-ups and established industry companies to form new collaborations and…

Steven Hale By Steven Hale, audiologist Tinnitus is an invisible hearing condition that for people who have it severely can render them helpless and desperate. It’s a phantom sensation of noise that originates within the body and is only heard by the individual who has it. One in seven in the UK experience tinnitus to varying degrees, but for people with acute tinnitus, they can’t relax, have a conversation, or continue to be socially active or hold a job. In the past, tinnitus sufferers only sought treatment when the sound was really bothersome and were basically told to live with…

Corporate interests rather than patient care is driving reform in today’s NHS and will divert money away from YOU. And the media are failing to tell you this. This film is radical. With over a dozen NHS insiders as my witnesses, I tell the alarming story of how the health service as we know it has been quietly abolished. Almost without our noticing, it’s been replaced by a system modelled on the US in which care is delivered by profit-maximising companies that charge patients for treatment which is anyway to be restricted and reduced. One medical reporter the filmmaker knows…

Northern Ireland start-up, Connected Care Solutions, founded by local entrepreneur Deepak Samson, is set to make a big impact on the ageing population with Ethel, the elderly care smart hub, which is now being used by the Shetland Islands Council, under the EU-funded RemoAge project. Ethel is an innovative touchscreen tablet that allows families and carers to stay in touch with their elderly loved one, via use of an ‘always-on’, large touchscreen tablet. The tablet has a simple to use interface, specifically designed for those unfamiliar with technology that allows an older person to contact a pre-set list of contacts…

HPC Registered The Health Professions Council (HPC) has been set up in the UK to help protect the general public when seeking advice and treatment from a health professional. The HPC, as it is also known, is a regulator of health professionals. They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards for training, skills, behaviour and health in the area of medicine or health care the health professional practices in. The HPC regulates fifteen health professions: arts therapists, biomedical scientists, chiropodists / podiatrists, clinical scientists, dietitians, hearing aid dispensers, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, paramedics, physiotherapists, practitioner…

SFJ AWARDS HAS BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST TO DEVELOP A NEW LEVEL 5 QUALIFICATION IN INVESTIGATING SERIOUS INCIDENTS IN HEALTHCARE Awarding organisation, SFJ Awards has released a new qualification that recognises the knowledge and skills required for healthcare professionals to conduct effective investigations in their workplace. The development of the Level 5 Investigating Serious Incidents in Healthcare Qualification was led by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. It comes after the 2016 national review by the Care Quality Commission found that the NHS is missing opportunities to learn from patient deaths and that specialised training and support…

Iconic rock frontman Robert Smith has donated a piece of original artwork to Heart Research UK’s anonymous heART project, raising money for vital medical research. The Cure singer is one of a host of celebrities and world-renowned artists who have donated artwork to the project, which is all being auctioned live on eBay until 9pm on the 15th November. The legendary frontman’s piece for last years auction, titled  ‘I could have held on to your heart…’, featured lyrics from a beloved song by The Cure, and fetched over £5000. Other musical contributors include Liam Howlett from the Prodigy and Natalie Appleton…

Midwifery Nursing is a challenging but hugely rewarding profession, and whether you’re planning to work for the NHS or a private healthcare, you’re guaranteed a career that’s always filled with variation, opportunities and new people. Depending on your background and prior experience, there are several different routes into a nursing role - this article will help you decide which is best for you. To become a nurse in the NHS, you need to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council: this also means that you will need a degree in nursing. Nursing degrees come in four branches: adult, children,…