More than 1,042 attacks were recorded at the six health trusts in 2008/9, according to figures from the NHS Security Management Service.

This compared to 683 in 2006/7. The biggest increase was at the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

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RTE, citing a confidential circular sent to senior managers at Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE), said the HSE planned to cut nearly 1,000 jobs this year, the bulk of them in administration.
It was also considering a proposal to cut 700 nursing positions, RTE said.

No one from the HSE was immediately available to comment on the report. A spokesman from the Department of Health declined to comment directly on the circular, but said the government was not planning any forced job cuts.

“The government has already announced a moratorium on public sector recruitment,” he said. “There is no issue of involuntary redundancies.”

The HSE, which employs over 130,000 people and has an annual budget of 14.7 billion euros, is one of the biggest drains on Ireland’s national finances, which are buckling under the strain of a burst property bubble and the second straight year of recession.

Earlier this month, the government unveiled a five-year austerity programme of tax increases and spending cuts to tackle the worst budget deficit in Europe.

Unions representing medical staff said they would oppose any attempt to cut jobs.

Read more: Irish health sector proposes 1,700 job cuts-report

Tiga, the trade organization representing European game developers, responded by saying that the advertisement unfairly targets the game industry with propaganda, and has filed a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority. Tiga CEO Richard Wilson criticizes the campaign’s approach by saying that the ad is offensive and misrepresents the “creative individuals who work to produce high quality games for people’s entertainment”.

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Plans to enhance Pathology services
Transforming NHS pathology services will improve quality, safety and efficiency in diagnostic tests, according to a two-year review into NHS Pathology Services published today.

The Independent Review of NHS Pathology Services, which was undertaken by Lord Carter of Coles, looked at making services more responsive to patients’ needs and highlights the potential for substantial annual savings.

Pathology services are vital, and play a key role in around 70 per cent of decisions on diagnosis and treatment. This includes blood tests for diabetes, biopsies to diagnose cancer, and tests for infections, such as tuberculosis. The growing use of genetics for preventative medicine and more personalised care is likely to increase the need for pathology services.

The Independent Review concluded that there is a strong case for transforming pathology. Recommendations include:

* Developing pathology networks with a single integrated management structure;

* Improving test turnaround times;

* Rapid adoption of new technology and approaches to delivering; services;

* Enhancing IT connectivity; and

* Centralising non-urgent and specialist work in accredited core laboratories.

Responding to the Review’s findings, the Department of Health Pathology Clinical Lead Dr Ian Barnes said:

“I am very grateful to Lord Carter and his panel for this thorough and comprehensive report.

“The review has found much good work already underway. Pathology is a vital service for patients and plays a key role in around 70 per cent of decisions on diagnosis and treatment. There is room for improvement and the Review has highlighted key areas for us to take forward. We have examined the review’s recommendations in detail and now begun the process to determine how services can be enhanced.”

Lord Carter of Coles said:

“The recommendations in this report will improve quality and safety standards for the public. I am grateful to the many people – pathologists, managers and others – who guided us to our conclusions. I am pleased that the Department has accepted our recommendations and shall take a keen interest in the implementation process as it proceeds.”

Professor Peter Furness, President of the Royal College of Pathologists said: “The Royal College of Pathologists welcomes Lord Carter’s report. We particularly appreciate the recommendations in relation to quality, the development of consolidated networks, and the need for an accreditation process that covers the diagnostic process from the decision to test to the delivery and interpretation of the results. We agree with the need for modernisation and improved efficiency. We share Lord Carter’s concerns achieving this aims will not be easy, but we are committed to assist.”

An impact assessment on the review’s recommendations will report in summer 2009. This process will be informed by three Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) who will look at the practical implications of the recommendations.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence announced yesterday it would be setting out new drug approval guidelines for “less common” illnesses on 2 January.

Mental Health Advocacy

The authors identified 66 children who were diagnosed with NAFLD and had
extensive follow up data available for review. After the initial diagnosis,
four children developed type 2 diabetes and four children had increased liver
fibrosis. During follow up two children developed end-stage liver disease and
required a liver transplantation. However NAFLD recurred in the transplanted
liver in the two cases, with one case progressing to cirrhosis and requiring
re-transplantation. The study demonstrated that NAFLD in children is
associated with a significantly shorter long-term survival as compared to the
expected survival of the general population. Children with NAFLD had an almost
14-fold higher risk of dying or requiring liver transplantation than the
general population of same age and sex.

“There is currently no medication proven to be effective for NAFLD,”
development of medications that could treat NAFLD and NASH is an area of
intense research,” said Dr. Feldstein, “and it remains unclear whether there
are any clinical or laboratory features that can be used to identify the
subgroup of children with NAFLD that will develop advanced liver disease later
in life.”

“The most important recommendations for children with fatty liver are to
lose weight if they are overweight or obese, increase their physical activity,
follow a balanced diet and avoid unnecessary medications,” concluded Dr.
Feldstein.

Abstract title:

The natural history of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children: A
follow-up study up to 20 years.

AASLD is the leading medical organization for advancing the science and
practice of hepatology. Founded by physicians in 1950, AASLD’s vision is to
prevent and cure liver diseases. This year’s Liver Meeting, held in San
Francisco, California, October 31 – November 4, will bring together more than
7,000 researchers from 55 countries.

A pressroom will be available from November 1 at the annual meeting. For
copies of abstracts and press releases, or to arrange for pre-conference
research interviews contact Gregory Bologna at 703-299-9766. To pre-register,
call Ann Tracy at 703-299-9766.

Press releases and all abstracts are available online at www.aasld.org .

This release was issued through The Xpress Press News Service, merging
e-mail and satellite distribution technologies to reach business analysts and
media outlets worldwide. For more information, visit

http://www.XpressPress.com

SOURCE American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases

Although insurance companies are supposed to pay the tax they will probably also raise the rates for the patients.

- 18 Weeks commitment met five months early

- C. difficile infection rates fall

NHS staff (in England) are making excellent progress against two key priority areas – to reduce waiting times to 18 weeks and cut Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections – statistics released today show.

Department of Health statistics for August show that nationally the NHS has met its commitment to ensure that 90% of patients who require admission to hospital and 95% of patients not needing admission, start treatment within 18 weeks of referral from their GP. This means that the operational standard has been met five months ahead of the end of December 2008 deadline.

The median referral to treatment time waited by patients who were admitted for treatment has come down from 18.8 weeks in March 2007 to 8 weeks in August this year and the median referral to treatment time waited by non-admitted patients has fallen from 7.4 weeks in August last year to 4.3 weeks in August this year. The number of patients waiting longer than six weeks for a diagnostic test has decreased by 97% since April 2006.

In addition, the latest Health Protection Agency quarterly figures (from April to June 2008) on C. difficile infections published today show a big drop in the key over-65 age group in which cases have dropped by 18% on the previous quarter and 38% since the same quarter in 2007. Overall, figures show a 21% decrease on the 2007/08 average and mean that the NHS is well on its way to delivering its target.

Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson said,

“Waiting times and infection rates are key priorities for the public and that’s why the NHS is focusing its efforts in these areas. The figures published today are the result of the hard work and dedication of NHS staff and the right investment in resources.

“Twelve years ago it was common for patients to have to wait two years for an operation and in recent years, C. difficile infections were a significant challenge.

“Achieving our 18 Week commitment nationally five months early is great news for patients in England who can now expect much faster access to NHS care and it is immensely rewarding to see such a significant reduction in C. difficile following our investment in a comprehensive package of measures to drive down infections.”

18 Weeks Patient Champion Neil Betteridge said:

“When the Department of Health first announced the programme with its ambitious objectives, organisations like Arthritis Care naturally wondered whether the welcome attempt to reduce waiting times might inadvertently jeopardise other aspects of care. However, both the statistical and anecdotal evidence shows that patients are not only pleased to be waiting less time, but are telling us their overall quality of care has in their view improved. It really is ‘win-win’ and shows that putting the user experience at the heart of service delivery delivers practical benefits.”

There remain certain areas of the country and medical specialisms that have yet to achieve the 18 weeks commitment and the Department of Health will continue to work with the NHS to help all hospitals and Primary Care Trusts to achieve the target by the end of the year.

Reductions in C. difficile infections have been achieved by implementation of a package of measures including best practice clinical guidance and targeted support for those trusts who are most challenged. This is backed by substantial investment (£270 million a year by 2010/11) and the legal requirement for trusts to comply with the Hygiene Code. From April 2009 frontline staff, including the 5000 matrons we have now – more than double the number of last year – will also be able to report any concerns they have to the new regulator, the Care Quality Commission.

Care services minister shaping the future of care and support in London

People in London will today have the opportunity to shape Government policy and tell the Care Services Minister Phil Hope what they think about the future of the care and support system in England.

In 20 years time the number of people living in Greater London over the age of 65 will have risen to over 1 million, and the number of people over 85 will have risen to over 140,000.

As a result, the care system must change to meet the changing needs of society.

The engagement on the future of care and support involves members of the public, people who use services and their families joining the Care Service Minister Phil Hope to discuss their views on what kind of system they want to see in the future, as well as how it should be funded.

Phil Hope said:

“At the turn of the century there were 19 people working for every one retired. That number has now decreased to four working for every one retired. It’s vital I discuss, with the people of London, how we can create a high quality, affordable care and support system for a rapidly ageing population.

“The care and support system for the future should promote independence, choice and control for everyone. We are committed to creating a system in the future that meets the individual needs of our ageing population and their families. I urge people to get involved – the reform affects us all.”

In 20 years time a quarter of the entire adult population in England will be over 65 and the number of people over 85 will have doubled. We expect over 1.7 million more people to have care and support needs in 20 years time.

Millions of people across the country are involved with providing and using care and support. This reform is about finding a new way to help people stay active, care for family members, retain maximum dignity and respect and have the best possible quality of life.

Members of the public can contribute their views through a website http://www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk