NICE advises staged withdrawal of antidepressants
NICE has published draft guidance advising that adult patients with depression who want to stop taking antidepressants should have their dose reduced in stages to avoid severe withdrawal symptoms.
Direct access opened to dental therapists and hygienists
DENTAL therapists and hygienists can now provide direct access to NHS care, NHS England has said.
NHS England sees small drop in hospital waiting lists
THE total number of people waiting for consultant-led NHS hospital treatment has fallen for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 7.19 million on the list in November 2022 compared to 7.21 million in October.
Declining patient satisfaction in maternity care
A SURVEY of women giving birth in 2022 found that fewer reported being provided appropriate advice and support from midwives or hospitals at the start of their labour compared to figures from 2017.
Life-threatening emergencies prioritised on strike days
NHS England has confirmed that on strike days ambulance services will prioritise clinically urgent cases.
Over a quarter of adults obese in England
AROUND a quarter of adults in England were classed as obese in 2021, according to the latest Health Survey for England published by NHS Digital.
Survey reveals junior doctors struggling with cost of living
NEARLY half of junior doctors (45.3 per cent) now report struggling to afford rent or mortgage and 50.8 per cent have had difficulty paying to heat and light their homes in the past year, according to a survey conducted by the BMA.
GMC to offer personalised contact when starting investigations
DOCTORS being investigated by the General Medical Council (GMC) will first be contacted by phone in order to offer a more "compassionate approach and reduce the impact of investigations".
Group Strep A advice issued by medical royal colleges
ADVICE for worried parents and healthcare professionals on the higher than usual cases of Group Strep A, including scarlet fever, has been issued by three medical royal colleges.
Nearly half of global population neglecting oral healthcare
AN estimated 3.5 billion people suffer from oral diseases worldwide, with three out of four affected living in low and middle-income countries, says the World Health Organization (WHO).