Northampton General Hospital submits plan for extension to include second MRI suite and more beds

Northampton General Hospital submits plan for extension to include second MRI suite and more beds Plans for a three-story extension to part of Northampton General Hospital to allow a second MRI scanner to be installed has been submitted to the borough council. Northants Herald and Post

Wellingborough Council to continue using controversial weedkiller despite global cancer risk concerns

Wellingborough Council to continue using controversial weedkiller despite global cancer risk concerns Wellingborough Council is set to continue using a controversial weedkiller despite it being branded a cancer risk by global health bosses. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Understanding the whole person: What are the common concepts for recovery and desistance across the fields of mental health, substance misuse and criminology?

Understanding the whole person: What are the common concepts for recovery and desistance across the fields of mental health, substance misuse and criminology? This review finds that people facing complex needs and disadvantaged lives will see many common steps across their recovery journeys. Revolving Doors

PHE confirms flu is now circulating

PHE confirms flu is now circulating Latest figures indicate flu is now circulating in the community, with increases seen for several indicators in particular influenza confirmed hospitalisations amongst younger adults.

Based on this advice, the Department of Health (DH) is issuing guidance on the use of antiviral drugs in primary care for the management of people presenting with flu-like illness in England who are at higher risk of developing complications from flu.

Virus surveillance from the UK and elsewhere in Europe shows the strain A(H1N1)pdm09 is now the main seasonal flu virus.

The viruses characterised so far this season are well-matched to the vaccine strain. Public Health England

New alcohol guidelines show increased risk of cancer

New alcohol guidelines show increased risk of cancer New guidelines for alcohol consumption, produced by the UK Chief Medical Officers, warn that drinking any level of alcohol increases the risk of a range of cancers. This is supported by a new review from the Committee on Carcinogenicity (CoC) on alcohol and cancer risk .

This review also found that the benefits of alcohol for heart health only apply for women aged 55 and over. The greatest benefit is seen when these women limit their intake to around 5 units a week, the equivalent of around 2 standard glasses of wine. The group concluded that there is no justification for drinking for health reasons.

These issues prompted changes to alcohol guidelines for men. Men should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol each week, the same level as for women. This equals 6 pints of average strength beer a week, which would mean a low risk of illnesses such as liver disease or cancer. The previous guidelines were 21 units for men and 14 units for women per week.

The guidelines for pregnant women have also been updated to clarify that no level of alcohol is safe to drink in pregnancy. The previous advice for pregnant women to limit themselves to no more than 1 to 2 units of alcohol once or twice per week has been removed to provide greater clarity as a precaution. Department of Health

See also

• Guidance: Consumption of alcoholic beverages and risk of cancer Department of Health
• Alcohol limits cut to reduce risks BBC News
• The truth about alcohol BBC News
• VIDEO: Do you drink more than you think? BBC News
• Alcohol guidelines shake-up set to rubbish Red Wine's health benefits The Daily Mail
• The new drinking guidelines are hyperbolic and puritan The Daily Telegraph
• Health chiefs attacked over 'nanny state' alcohol guide The Daily Telegraph
• Three pints of beer a night considered for 'binge drink' limit The Daily Telegraph
• Cancer risk 'increased' by drinking more than one glass of wine or pint of beer per day, experts warn The Independent
• Red wine is not good for you after all, chief medical officer says The Independent

CQC appoints first National Guardian for the freedom to speak up in the NHS

CQC appoints first National Guardian for the freedom to speak up in the NHS The CQC has the appointment of Dame Eileen Sills, the Chief Nurse at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, as the first National Guardian for speaking up safely in the NHS. Care Quality Commission 

Contracted-out health and disability assessments

Contracted-out health and disability assessments The Department for Work and Pensions has strengthened its oversight and management of contracted-out health and disability assessments, but it has not yet achieved value for money according to a new report.

The Department uses health and disability assessments to help decide if people are eligible for benefits or to help those on long-term sick leave back into work. Between April 2015 and March 2018, the Department expects to carry out around 7 million assessments which it estimates will cost a total of £1.6 billion.

Today’s report found that the cost of providing assessments is rising and providers are still struggling to meet expected performance standards. National Audit Office

Tipping the scales: why preventing obesity makes economic sense

Tipping the scales: why preventing obesity makes economic sense This report, written with Cancer Research UK, finds that rising rates of obesity and overweight could lead to 700,000 new cancer cases in the UK, as well as millions of new cases of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke. This would cost the NHS an additional £2.5 billion a year by 2035 over and above what is already spent on obesity related disease. However, the study shows that small changes can have dramatic impacts - for example, a one per cent reduction in the number of overweight or obese people every year could prevent more than 64,000 cancer cases over the next 20 years and save the NHS £300 million in 2035 alone. UK Health Forum

Exclusive: Officials set to announce seven-day GP service roll out within weeks

Exclusive: Officials set to announce seven-day GP service roll out within weeks The government and NHS England are preparing to announce the latest stage in the roll-out of seven-day GP services across England, GP Online can reveal.

BMA faces threat of legal action after official calls for other unions to join junior doctors' strike

BMA faces threat of legal action after official calls for other unions to join junior doctors' strike Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis calls for 'activists and trade unionists' across country to 'turn up on the days of action'. The Independent

See also:

• British Medical Association accused of issuing a 'call to arms' ahead of strikes The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Hunt accused of politicising Paris attacks in doctors dispute The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt’s war on junior doctors leaves them little choice | Letters The Guardian
• Junior doctors: Whitehall edited letter from 'independent' medic to build 'hard-edged' case against strike The Independent
• Sir Bruce Keogh: The respected doctor exploited for political gains The Independent

Dementia charity warned to take action over data protection failings

Dementia charity warned to take action over data protection failings An investigation found that Alzheimer's Society used their personal email addresses to share information about people who used the charity. The Daily Telegraph