Is out-of-date medical equipment costing lives?

Concerns have been raised that out-of-date medical equipment may be costing lives as the issue of funding in the NHS continues to plague the UK.

According to data gleaned from a recent Freedom of Information request, it’s thought that there are potentially hundreds of x-ray machines being used past their use-by date, as well as hundreds of ultrasound machines that need replacing, and dozens of MRI machines and CT scanners still being used as well.

There are concerns that the vital equipment that’s needed to diagnosis and treat potentially life-threatening conditions is going to cost lives because of aging machinery.

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NHS deficit 2018 doubled

The NHS deficit 2018 is reportedly double the planned deficit, which is more grim news for the struggling health services.

The combined deficit was planned to be at £460m, but it has ended up being £960m instead; almost double the deficit that was accounted for.

There remains a massive gap between the services we’re demanding and the affordability in place to provide those services. The hardworking NHS staff we rely on to provide us care when we need it simply do not have the resources to properly help us, and we find ourselves warning the government again that they must resolve the NHS funding crisis to avoid harm to patients.

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Patients puts off as GPs being paid to prescribe statins

Patients are being put off amidst concerns over GPs being paid to prescribe statins. The potentially life-saving medication that can lower cholesterol to avoid heart attacks and strokes is often scrutinised by patients over financial incentives GPs reportedly receive for handing them out.

There’s apparently a widely-held belief among Brits that the statins they’re given aren’t needed because of GPs being paid to prescribe statins.

Is this just a case of mistrust over GPs being paid to prescribe statins, or should patients be worried about what they’re GPs are telling them to do?

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Calls for inquiry into rising death rates in England and Wales

There are calls for an inquiry into rising death rates in England and Wales. According to recent research, there has been an additional 20,000 deaths at the start of 2018 that have gone without explanation.

In the midst of what many are still calling an NHS crisis over funding and staffing issues, the news of rising death rates doesn’t bode well.

The authors of the research are asking for an urgent investigation to explain why there has been a rise in death rates at the start of this year. According to the research, there doesn’t appear to be an obvious explanation for the deaths.

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The line between due diligence and medical negligence is thin

It’s fair to say that the line between due diligence and potential medical negligence is thin. We all know that the NHS is stretched, and services like GPs and A&E Departments must remain efficient and well-funded.

It’s therefore understandable that NHS campaigns nowadays sometimes try and persuade people to only use NHS services where it’s absolutely necessary. In days gone by, doctors may have frowned upon patients Googling their symptoms and jumping to irrational conclusions, but in today’s increasingly digital age, patients are actually encouraged to look online before they use NHS time.

But, the line between this is worryingly thin.
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UK Cancer care criticised as survival rates fall short

The UK has reportedly failed to adequately improve on cancer survival rates, according to a global study. Potentially thousands of people are dying as a result of inadequate care when compared to other wealthy countries who are said to be improving at a better rate, leaving Britain behind.

Although survival rates have improved, the UK is falling behind when compared to similar nations.

With patients in Britain said to still be dying earlier when compared with other countries, it seems like we have cause for concern.
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Doctors concerned people addicted to prescription drugs may not be receiving enough help

America is currently suffering with what is widely reported as an “opioid crisis” off the back of what some have alleged is a simple case of over-prescribing medications to patients for an array of ailments that can be treatable by other means. In the UK, there are concerns that doctors are relying on prescription drugs too much to treat people with ailments or issues they could use alternative help for, and the upshot is patients getting addicted to such medication.

Whether it’s a case that the dangers of such medications need to be better explained or better controlled, or where it’s down to the need to prescribe less medication – or both – doctors are worried that the lack of help for patients hooked on drugs is putting lives at risk.
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Should good standards of cancer care be made law?

Missed diagnosis claims, and claims where patients are misdiagnosed, are unfortunately common. One of the biggest problems with such incidents is where the misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis is for something as serious as cancer, where the window of opportunity for cancer care or treatment to start can be very slim.

Unfortunately, in many cancer misdiagnosis or missed cancer diagnosis cases, it’s too late for the victim by the time the error is recognised.

Because of this, some say that good quality cancer care should be introduced as law in the UK. But, will it help?
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NHS pushing patient waiting times to three months may see rise in incidents, lawyers warn

New waiting times for routine operations in some parts of the country could see patients having to wait up to a minimum of three months before their procedure takes place.

Hip operations and cardiac procedures are among those that fall within the new lengthier patient waiting times, which could lead to complications arising as patients have to wait longer for treatment.

Patient waiting times average is around seven and a half weeks, but new measures introduced in Lincolnshire mean patients may be waiting almost twice as long in efforts to cut costs as lawyers warn that the new measures may see incidents increase.
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The dangers of the NHS diverting people away to private services

The principle of only seeing your doctor if you need to, and only going to hospital or dialling 999 in an emergency, is sensible.

As many ambulances often advertise: you wouldn’t call the fire department to blow out a candle, would you?

The idea is that you should try and help yourself before using the NHS; but what about the dangers of diverting patients for self-care or private care? What are we risking here?
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NHS statistics say we are obese, sedentary and drug-reliant

According to the latest report from our National Health Service, we are statistically obese; spend way too much time sat down; and take far too many prescribed drugs.

So, just to reiterate, many of us overeat, barely do enough exercise, unless it’s walking towards the fridge and back which then creates health problems that leads to us apparently swallowing prescribed pills like they’re mints and thus contributing towards the nation’s growing drug-dependency problem.

Much like the reported opioid crisis in America, the U.K. may not be far behind a similar drugs crisis either…
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Calls for people to stop using – or reduce the use of – antibiotics

The ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ campaign is urging patients not to ask their GP or doctor for antibiotics in a bid to tackle the reported growing resistance to the medicine.

When we have an infection, antibiotic treatments can help to kill the bacteria. However, around 5,000 people reportedly die each year in England because antibiotics don’t work for some infections because they’ve grown a resistance to the medicine.

The campaign was launched by Public Health England in recognition that overuse of antibiotics – and other factors – has helped infections strengthen their resistance to the medicines.
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