NHS GP's say they are misdiagnosing patients because consultation times are too short. A survey of family doctors found more than one in three said they had failed to properly diagnose cases because they did not have enough time to fully assess them. Typically, the time slot to see a patient is around 10 minutes.
Having a friendly doctor could halve the risk of a diabetic dying within the next 10 years, research suggests. Patients who feel their GP is empathetic may be more inclined to take their doctors' advice and adhere to their medication, researchers at Cambridge University claim.
A significant increase in mumps cases and continuing outbreaks of measles in England have led to calls for people to ensure they are immunised. Public Health England said even one person missing their vaccinations was "too many". There were 795 cases of mumps in the first three months of 2019, compared with 1,031 in the whole of 2018. Most mumps cases are linked to teenagers mixing when they go to university
The BBC Panorama programme discussed the issue of Private GP shortages in England. The NHS is seeing the first sustained fall in GP numbers in the UK in 50 years. The number of GPs per 100,000 people has fallen from nearly 65 in 2014 to 60 last year, analysis by the Nuffield Trust for the BBC shows. The last time numbers fell like this was in the late 1960s, and it comes at a time when the population is ageing and demands on GPs are rising
Further evidence that taking anti-HIV drugs stops gay men passing on the virus to sexual partners has been called a "powerful message" which should be more widely known. A study found no cases of HIV transmission over eight years. This was due to treatment reducing the virus to very low levels in the body.
Soldiers are to be issued blood-clotting injectors to save lives on the battlefield. The new autoinjector will allow soldiers to self-administer life saving drugs at the push of a button. The government plans for the technology, once proven by soldiers, to be used by all first responders in Britain, in a bid to reduce deaths from rapid blood loss such as after knife attacks.
An NHS scheme that has enabled GP practises to free up more time for doctors to see their patients is to be extended following a successful pilot. SameDayDoctor private GP clinics offer telephone and email consultations as well as face-to-face full clinical examinations and consultations.
Unhealthy diet causes one in seven deaths in Britain every year, a Lancet study suggests. The research found lack of fruit and fibre is taking the heaviest toll, fuelling conditions such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The study by the University of Washington identified lack of wholegrain, nuts and fruits as the worst elements of the British diet.
The flu vaccine is so far proving more effective in children than in adults in the UK, mid-season figures suggest. The nasal spray flu vaccine is 87% effective in children aged two to 17 against the main circulating flu strain, influenza A(H1N1)pmd09, Public Health England data indicates. Meanwhile, the flu vaccine is 39% effective against the same strain in adults aged 18 to 64.
