Blood flow monitor 'could save NHS £400m a year'

The NHS could save £400m a year if a blood flow monitor was used more during surgery, the health watchdog says.  In its guidance for England, NICE says the device, which was developed in Britain and uses ultrasound, reduces complications and speeds up recovery.  It says the CardioQ-ODM cuts the length of time patients spend in hospital following major or high-risk surgery by an average of two days.
Use of the device saves £1,000 each time, the watchdog adds.  At present, fewer than three in 100 eligible patients are monitored using it, but NICE estimates if that figure was increased to 50 in 100 patients, it would save the NHS in England more than £400m a year.

Based on the same technology as a police speed gun, the monitor uses ultrasound to measure the rate of blood flow from the heart. The device, which has an ultrasound probe at its tip, is inserted into the oesophagus or gullet.  The signal is reflected by blood cells travelling down the aorta, which enables doctors to establish how much oxygen and nutrients are being sent to vital organs.

The monitor was pioneered at University College Hospital in London.

Doctors cause a third of stubborn high blood pressure

A third of hard-to-treat high blood pressure may actually be 'fake' and instead a patient's nervous response to being seen by a doctor, say experts.

They made the discovery when they continuously monitored the blood pressure of nearly 700,000 people as they went about their normal lives.

Some 37% of 8,295 patients thought to have stubborn or resistant hypertension actually had "white coat" hypertension.

The experts call for mandatory 24-hour checks, Hypertension journal reports.

The NHS advisory body NICE has recently proposed that patients suspected of having high blood pressure will get another check at home because of fears that nerves from being at a GP surgery may be leading to too many people being diagnosed.

It says so-called white coat hypertension affects a quarter of all people.

But the latest research suggests that the phenomenon may be more common and is leading some people to have aggressive medical treatment that they may not actually need.

Resistant hypertension occurs when a patient's blood pressure remains above treatment goals, despite using three different types of drugs at the same time.

It was these patients that the researchers focused on.

They asked the patients to wear a portable "ambulatory" monitoring device that takes blood pressure readings every 20 minutes day and night.

This revealed only 63% had true resistant hypertension. These tended to be patients who either smoked or had diabetes or a heart condition.

GP referral time 'variations' revealed by King's Fund

Some patients wait far longer than others for referrals to hospital, an independent inquiry into the quality of GP practices in England has found.

The report for the King's Fund think tank found this was due to variations in the performance of doctors.

It also called for doctors to be more open to comparing performance with their peers, but added the majority of services were good.

Doctors' leaders said GPs were always willing to look at ways of improving.

14th April The Shee The Muni Arts Centre Pontypridd

More Information: Full of zest, zing and zip, unlike many of their folk contemporaries this all-female sextet have a lot more going for them than astonishing musicianship and powerful vocals. Their diverse range of individual musical influences combine to produce an adventurous brew of Folk, Scots, Gaelic and Bluegrass, earning them considerable recognition with high profile performances at festivals including Cambridge and Celtic Connections, and a BBC 2 Folk Awards nomination. £14.50

More Information: Full of zest, zing and zip, unlike many of their folk contemporaries this all-female sextet have a lot more going for them than astonishing musicianship and powerful vocals. Their diverse range of individual musical influences combine to produce an adventurous brew of Folk, Scots, Gaelic and Bluegrass, earning them considerable recognition with high profile performances at festivals including Cambridge and Celtic Connections, and a BBC 2 Folk Awards nomination.

13th April Nordic Walking sessions Dare Valley Country Park

10:30pm - 12.00pm Nordic Walking sessions every Thursday at 12pm. Poles provided, comfortable footwear is advisable and possibly a rain jacket. Ticket information RCT WALKING DEVELOPMENT email: Lee.Davies2@rctcbc.gov.uk Mob: 07786523703

10th April Wedding Fayre Tonyrefail Leisure Centre

If you are organizing a wedding in Wales, then Tonyrefail Leisure Centre is the place to be on the 10th April. With a range of wedding exhibitors ranging from balloons to cakes, transport to videographers, wedding favours to catering this is the one stop shop for anybody planning a wedding. For more info contact 01443 670578. Free Entry

7th April Easter Fayre and Family Day Llantrisant Leisure Centre

This event promotes local businesses and home made products which are made in Wales. It will also be a good family fun day. We have stalls offering:- hand-made cards, arts and crafts, hand-made gifts, taster sessions, health and beauty products nail bar and make up home-made food products clairvoyant local butcher - plus we also have demonstrations from local:- street dancers ballroom and zumba dancers. - plus we also have a bouncy castle, go karts, a climbing wall, face painting and an old fashioned carousel!Cost £1.00 per adult time 11- 5 pm Contact Sarah Whitfield, telephone 07854000597 or email sarah.whitfield@sky.com

7th April Sandi Thom The Muni Arts Centre Pontypridd

20:00 In 2006 Sandi Thom’s infamous debut single ‘I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker’ topped the charts in seven countries with the ensuing album ‘Smile...It Confuses People’ shifting nearly two million copies to date worldwide. After spending the last four years touring the globe alongside her incredible live band - Spring 2011 will see Sandi Thom take to the long winding roads of the UK once again to perform at some of the UK's most loved intimate venues. book online @www.rct-arts.co.uk

31st March Little Miss Higgins Dare Valley Country Park Treorchy

This multi – award winning singer/songwriter is a pocket-sized powerhouse who captivates audiences with her gutsy and spirited songs. Accompanied by partner/guitar player Foy Taylor, she creates innovative guitar work rooted in a vintage sound with an unforgettably energized stage show reverberating with the twang of pre-rock blues and post-Carter Family country music that comes alive in her signature 'kick up your heels' style Tickets £10.50 Contact  The Park & Dare Theatre Treorchy 08000 147 111 book online @ www.rct-arts.co.uk

30th March Nordic Walking Dare Valley Country Park

10:30pm - 12.00pm Nordic Walking sessions every Thursday at 12pm. Poles provided, comfortable footwear is advisable and possibly a rain jacket. Ticket information RCT WALKING DEVELOPMENT email: Lee.Davies2@rctcbc.gov.uk Mob: 07786523703

26th march Born To Be Jovi Llantwit Fardre Sports Centre

19:00-23:30 Contact For bookings call 01443 201722 Tickets £7 Bon Jovi Tribute Band

24th March After Miss Julie The Coliseum Theatre Aberdare

7.30pm A classic story of seduction, passion and obsession by widely acclaLondon ClassicTheatre Contact The Coliseum Theatre Aberdare 08000 147 111 book online at http://www.rct-arts.co.uk


 

Social care 'facing funding gap of over £1bn'

Social care is facing a funding gap of more than £1bn by 2014 in England - a situation which would have consequences for the NHS, a leading think-tank says.

The King's Fund analysis predicted councils would struggle to protect home help and care home places as they come to terms with funding cuts.

The report said if this happened there could be more admissions to hospital and longer delays in discharging.

But the government said it did not believe there would be a funding gap.

The Department of Health has earmarked more money for social care.

By 2014 there will be an extra £1bn made available to local authorities from the NHS budget. The Department of Health allocations to councils are also rising.

However, local authorities also rely on funding from other government departments, which will be cut by 27% over the next four years, as well as the money they can raise from council tax to pay for social care.

Women's lung cancers has doubled since 1970s in over-60s

Lung cancer rates have more than doubled for women over 60 since the mid-1970s, figures show.

Cancer Research UK figures say the rate rose from 88 per 100,000 in 1975 to 190 per 100,000 in 2008, the latest year for which statistics are available.

Lung cancers in men fell, and CRUK say this is linked to smoking rates.

The proportion of male smokers peaked before 1960. But women had rising rates in the 1960s and 1970s, which would have an effect on those now over 60.

Overall, the number of women diagnosed with lung cancer has risen from around 7,800 cases in 1975 to more than 17,500 in 2008.

Figures for men went from 23,400 over-60s diagnosed in 1975, falling to 19,400 in 2008, with rates showing a similar large drop.

The charity said 5,700 women over 60 were diagnosed with lung cancer in 1975, compared with 15,100 in 2008.

Supermarkets urged to keep alcohol separate

Alcohol should be kept away from food and soft drinks in supermarkets, according to a campaign group.

Alcohol Concern wants shops in England and Wales to keep beer and wine in a separate section.

It has found that big retailers place beer and wine near the doors and the tills, as well as on food aisles.

Industry groups say encouraging people to drink with food is responsible, as most people enjoy their alcohol that way.

But Alcohol Concern says drink should not be displayed so widely, and should not be alongside bread and cheese.

Its chief executive, Don Shenker, said: "It's now common practice to sell wine next to ready-meals, pushing the idea that a relaxing meal should be accompanied by an alcoholic drink.

"Such practices help fuel a drinking culture where one in four people in England are already drinking at levels that are harming their health."

Mr Shenker says supermarkets are "saturating" their aisles with alcohol.

Some of the samples identified by the group's research were:

Asda had bottles of wine at the fish, meat and deli counters and cans of cider next to the hot chicken counter.

Morrisons had beer next to fruit and vegetables, and champagne next to the milk.

Sainsbury's had wine next to soft drinks, bottles of spirits next to fruit and boxes of beer next to cheese.

Tesco had bottles of spirits next to bread and tea, and cans of cider were found next to crisps

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The research involved a single visit to a branch of each supermarket in Cardiff on a single day in December 2010.