Category: Opioids
A former health minster spoke out recently over conspiracies and closing ranks in the tragic Gosport Hospital deaths scandal.
Former health minister Normal Lamb spoke about the “systematic failures” and NHS “closing ranks” over the tragedy, as well as a “conspiracy to cover this up”. He suggested that both the NHS and Whitehall had refused to face up to the reality of the tragedy which has led to potentially hundreds of premature deaths.
The evidence in the investigations has found what appear to be clear opportunities to have avoided potentially hundreds of deaths. How were these opportunities missed?
Read More “Conspiracies and closing ranks in the Gosport Hospital deaths scandal”
The Gosport Hospital deaths scandal is an absolute tragedy. The independent inquiry that families have been calling for for decades has finally taken place, and the outcome is disturbing.
According to the independent report, some 450 Gosport Hospital deaths could have been avoided and have been directly linked to dangerous opioid-use policies where patients were subjected to constant dosages of diamorphine; also known as heroine.
Dr Jane Barton, a GP who worked at Gosport Hospital for 12 years, was found to have routinely overprescribed dangerous and life-shortening opioids to patients which has led to potentially hundreds of premature deaths.
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.
Read More “Doctors concerned people addicted to prescription drugs may not be receiving enough help”
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…
Read More “NHS statistics say we are obese, sedentary and drug-reliant”
The U.S. has reportedly acknowledged the problem of quadrupling opioid-related deaths, as well as the fact they now account for the majority of fatal overdoses. It’s been declared as a national public health emergency.
Various federal institutions are to be involved in taking measures to combat the problem. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will require pharmaceutical drug companies that make prescription opioids to “provide more training to prescriber’s”.
As Britain faces its own battles with the overuse of prescription medication – including opioids – will we see similar action here?
Read More “U.S. to take steps to tackle the opioid crisis – will U.K. follow suit on medication problems?”