'We need more support for early-onset Alzheimer's', says Kent woman
"You walk away and you think 'oh my goodness, what's going on now?' Because I didn't think about Alzheimer's at all."It was recently announced that two breakthrough Alzheimer's drugs capable of slowing down the disease were too expensive to become available on the NHS.Ms Wallis said the news annoyed her, adding, "I think that the government should start helping these people."
The NHS says early- or young-onset Alzheimer's disease impacts around one in every 13 people under the age of 65.Alzheimer's disease is most common in people over the age of 65 with the risk of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia increasing with age.It affects an estimated one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in every six people over the age of 80.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via BBC Action Line.
Dr Martyna Matuszyk, research communications officer at Alzheimer's Society, said: "It can be difficult for people to hear this diagnosis, early symptoms may not always be obvious."But she said an early diagnosis was "really important to get all the support that a person might need".
Looking to the future Ms Wallis added: "I'm a little bit nervous, I must say I'm not frightened because there's no point in being frightened. "You can only take one day as it comes. Tomorrow is another day."
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Times
32 minutes ago
- Times
Times letters: NHS to prefer homegrown doctors and nurses
Write to letters@ Sir, As a hard-working British medical student who will have benefited from six years of taxpayer-funded investment and education at UK medical school, I welcome the government's commitment to give priority to British doctors for NHS jobs (reports, Jul 1). Reform to relieve the bottleneck in access to specialty training programmes is long overdue. The plan recognises that solely pledging to increase the number of medical students is not enough to sustainably bolster our workforce. International medical graduates play a crucial role in supporting the needs of a desperately understaffed health service, but this should never come at the cost of stifling opportunities for homegrown SahUCL medical student; Warwick Sir, The suggestion of placing work coaches in GP surgeries will be met with dismay by many in primary care. Although the idea of supporting patients is to be applauded, how is space to be found for these coaches? With the rise in other supporting roles, including physiotherapists and pharmacists, over the past few years, practices are already struggling — and that is without any funding for the necessary increase in consulting space. Perhaps the only solution would be for doctors to undertake more remote working from home to free up space, reducing the number of face-to-face appointments — something that might not go down well with Jeremy SK Phipps MRCGPWothorpe, Cambs Sir, I represent the industry that supplies four out of five NHS medicines and welcome the news that the UK's two drug regulatory bodies (the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) will collaborate to improve efficiency. Crucially, their task force must enable more patients to access appropriate medicines, regardless of whether the drug is new. As a result of competition, prices typically drop by up to 90 per cent when a drug's patent expires, saving the NHS more than £18 billion last year and meaning that the UK has the lowest drug prices in Europe. About 250 medicine patents are set to expire during this parliament, which, if adopted without delay, could save the NHS an extra £3 billion a year; just a day's delay in licensing an off-patent medicine can cost the NHS millions. Meanwhile, Nice continues to focus on high-cost, patented drugs because its funding model depends on fees from evaluating them. This structure is fundamentally unsuited to the generics sector that supplies most NHS medicines. Officials across Whitehall and NHS England are working hard to realise the full benefits of off-patent medicines, but looming budget cuts now threaten these very SamuelsChief executive, Medicines UK Sir, Your news report might give the impression that overseas qualified doctors are being employed in preference to UK-trained doctors. This could not be further from the truth (bar a few exceptions). Your article rightly notes the rising number of unemployed British graduates. This is entirely the result of the increasing practice of employing physician associates to undertake jobs that should be done by resident Arun BaksiEmeritus consultant physician,Wootton Bridge, Isle of Wight Sir, I totally agree with Robin Allum's letter (Jul 1) on Martha's Rule. I am a retired consultant radiologist, also with 50 years' experience in the NHS. During that time I was, for five years, responsible for the medical training and welfare of 150 junior doctors. In 1998 I was on a government committee to advise on the application of the European working time directive to junior doctors and their training. The government did not listen to a word of our advice . Thus a young doctor could fulfil all the 48 hours allowed over a weekend shift and have no hours left in the week for essential training on ward rounds, in theatre etc. The young doctors became very disillusioned and did not work as a team, as they had previously. Continuity of care was lost and also the camaraderie involved in teamwork. That working directive changed the face of medicine. Previously doctors had a separate dining room; they could eat a sandwich together and discuss various difficult-to-diagnose patients. That has all gone. As Allum says, the medical profession should be very grateful to the Mills and James families for the pressure to apply Martha's Rule. How sad that it has become Luck FRCRAscot, Berks Sir, Michael Johnstone (letter, Jul 1) may congratulate himself on asking for a table for two in full knowledge that he will be dining alone, and thus ensuring he will not be given an inferior table. But it is dishonest. And it denies the restaurant the chance to use that table for a genuine party of two and to increase its income in these difficult times for the hospitality industry — rather like paying for one train seat and then using a second seat for your luggage and denying a paying passenger a chance to sit down. His tactic may work once but he may well find himself, deservedly, asked to move right out of the restaurant the next time he tries it NeubergerLondon NW11 Sir, Further to Michael Johnstone's letter, I always feel it adds credence to my table for two if I order two glasses of wine on arrival. The second rarely goes to WilliamsAston Rowant, Oxon Sir, If Bobby Vylan's racist diatribe had contained the n-word or the P-word, we can be sure that the BBC would — rightly — have pulled the plug ('BBC boss left Glastonbury death chants on livestream', news, Jul 1). The BBC's apology is necessary but insufficient. The key point that requires both investigation and personal (not just institutional) responsibility is why a stream of anti-Jewish invective didn't trouble a single pair of ears within the large BBC production team at Wolfson of Tredegar KCShadow attorney-general; justice minister 2020-22 Sir, In his excellent comment article ('What's Starmer's big idea? He needs to tell us', Jul 1), William Hague says that 'the prime minister could stand up after a year in office and explain the world he has now seen'. Given that the gift of the gab may be not one of Sir Keir Starmer's sterling qualities, which communication channels would Hague suggest to the prime minister, in a world in which adults spend more time on their phones than watching television and reading newspapers? A prime ministerial broadcast monthly or quarterly perhaps? It must be more difficult getting messages and ideas, sometimes complex, across in a world of soundbites on social ChapmanLondon SE1 Sir, The letter from IH Piper (Jun 26) illustrates one of the core problems in maternity care: the belief that women's health issues can be fixed with a scalpel and a bit of surgical bravado. Forced episiotomy and repair are not the silver bullets he imagines. In fact, they sit among the reasons women feel traumatised and ignored by the very system meant to care for them. Those who think the answer to maternity failings is 'cut more, stitch better' have not been listening — to clinicians, to evidence and, most importantly, to women. His throwaway line about non-qualified staff also reveals the deeper rot: the devaluation of women's health, where under-resourced services are patched up with cheap fixes and the myth that technical interventions can substitute for compassion, time and trust. We don't need 'birthing technicians'. Rather, we need to support obstetricians and midwives, whose expertise in holistic, safe and respectful care is too often sidelined or Dalton MRCOGLeeds Sir, You report that players and spectators are struggling to hear Wimbledon's AI line calls ('Players call out whispering AI judges', Jul 1). I suggest a Dalek is employed at each court to announce the calls, as their distinctive diction is easily understood. Also, and to emphasise that they have called out, the Dalek should waggle its forehead-mounted exterminator. The umpire could be issued with a sonic screwdriver to adjust the volume as RileySandhurst, Berks Sir, Your report on healthcare advice in the Middle Ages ('First catch a lizard: beauty tips from the Middle Ages', Jun 30) calls to mind the writings of the Benedictine nun Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179). She suggested recipes for healthy eating, with recommendations that 'Butter should be eaten in moderation by those who are fat lest his weak flesh becomes fatter' and 'salt is good but not to excess' (Physica, Book 2), which seem ubiquitous in guidance on modern healthy living. Hildegard also extolled the benefits of camomile, but her advice to 'drink water with the dried liver of a lion as an aid to digestion' did not seem to catch on. Her recipes for 'boiling hedgehog with wine and cinnamon recommended for a good healthy supper' and 'earthworms mashed to a paste with wine, vinegar and flour for scrofula' are less appealing. She said slugs could be used if there were no earthworms to hand (Physica, Book 7).Dr Valerie ShrimplinSt Albans Sir, Further to Joanna Williams's comment article (Jun 30; letters, Jul 1), communications to clergy from our diocesan office seem more interested in net zero, church buildings and community events than in sharing the Gospel. Nationally, the fact that many of our bishops seem content in debates to jettison Christ's teaching suggests a lack of personal conviction about the core truths of Christianity. Inevitably, this leads to decline. But those churches that unashamedly teach Scripture — however counter-cultural this is — are bucking the trend, being attended by many of all ages. This is not down to great talent on their part, but simply the truth and power of the good news about PaineVicar, St Andrew the Great, Cambridge Sir, I read with interest Lucy Cavendish's article about Mounjaro and how it affected her family (Times2, Jun 30). I lost three stone over a couple of years using Dr Michael Mosley's advice simply to eat less. I followed a normal healthy diet involving fresh ingredients such as meat, fish and vegetables and ate less each day — eg, instead of two pieces of toast for breakfast, I ate one. I ate a light lunch such as soup and a sandwich and a normal evening meal. It was very easy, and as I cooked for my family they had larger portions. I avoided puddings and ate fruit but had a piece of dark chocolate with my coffee after supper. Much easier than taking Mounjaro and I am still three stone NaylorWivenhoe, Essex Sir, Researchers in Canada report that eating cheese in the evening may disturb your sleep (Jul 1). Charles Dickens, then, was ahead of his time when, in A Christmas Carol, Scrooge encounters Marley's ghost and tells him he doubts his senses, stating: 'A little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There's more of gravy than grave of you, whatever you are!'Stephen BussSeaford, E Sussex Write to letters@
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Digital ‘one stop shop' for NHS will speed up care for patients, Government says
A new 'one stop shop' will showcase cutting-edge technologies to NHS hospitals while also slashing red tape, the Government has announced. The digital platform – MedTech Compass – aims to bring together technologies that are good for patients with an 'innovator passport' to cut the time firms spend on making repetitive data submissions to NHS trusts. The aim, set out in this week's 10-year plan for the NHS, is to get technology into the hands of NHS staff and patients quicker than before. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'For too long, Britain's leading scientific minds have been held back by needless admin that means suppliers are repeatedly asked for the same data in different formats by different trusts – this is bad for the NHS, patients and bad for business. 'These innovator passports will save time and reduce duplication, meaning our life sciences sector – a central part of our 10-Year Health Plan – can work hand-in-hand with the health service and make Britain a powerhouse for medical technology. 'Frustrated patients will no longer have to face a postcode lottery for life-saving products to be introduced in their area and companies will be able to get their technology used across the NHS more easily, creating a health service fit for the future under the Plan for Change.' Writing in The Independent, Mr Streeting said the plan would put nursing at the heart of transforming the NHS, including training them on the latest technology and help 'shift our NHS from analogue to digital'. He said plans would cut red tape to enable nurses to start working on wards quickly after finishing training, faster payment of expenses and training in communities. The passport will be introduced over the next two years and will mean technology that has been robustly assessed by one NHS organisation can easily be rolled out to others. The Department of Health said this would remove 'needless bureaucracy' and create a 'dynamic best buyer's guide', while also helping boost economic growth. In on example, special wound dressings which are already cutting infections after surgery by 38% at Barking, Havering & Redbridge University Hospitals could be adopted across the country, the Department said. Meanwhile, at Barts Health Trust in London, the use of antimicrobial protective coverings for cardiac devices have cut infections and saved more than £103,000 per year. The Department of Health also said rapid flu testing at University Hospitals Dorset has cut the time patients spend in hospital alongside antibiotic use – something that could benefit other hospitals. MedTech Compass aims to make these innovations, and the evidence underpinning them, clearer to buyers within the NHS. Dr Vin Diwakar, clinical transformation director at NHS England, said: 'We're seeing the impact improvements to technology are having on our everyday lives on everything from smartwatches to fitness trackers – and we want to make sure NHS patients can benefit from the latest medical technology and innovations as well. 'The new innovator passports will speed up the rollout of new health technology in the NHS which has been proven to be effective, so that patients can benefit from new treatments much sooner.' Chief executive of NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles, said: 'We welcome any measures which cut red tape and help trusts get proven and effective technology onto the frontline faster to boost patient care and free staff from time-consuming admin.' Professor Peter Bannister, medtech expert and fellow at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), said: 'This centralisation and simplification of adoption across the NHS will be welcomed by industry – including both large corporates and innovative UK small businesses – as well as by patients and clinicians. 'However, there must be clear evidence standards for manufacturers that recognise the diversity and health inequalities of the UK population, while the variation in digital readiness and workforce skills between different healthcare providers must also be factored in.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
UK's obesity and overweight epidemic costs £126bn a year, study suggests
The cost of the UK's epidemic of overweight and obesity has soared to £126bn a year, far higher than previous estimates, according to a study. The bill includes the costs of NHS care (£12.6bn), the years people spend in poor health because of their weight (£71.4bn) and the damage to the economy (£31bn). The calculations, by Frontier Economics for the Nesta thinktank, have prompted calls from food campaigners for ministers to take more robust action to tackle obesity, for example by extending the sugar tax from fizzy drinks to a wider range of sweet foods and beverages. Henry Dimbleby, the co-founder of the Leon restaurant chain who was commissioned by the previous Conservative government to write a report on the state of the country's food system, said: 'We've created a food system that's poisoning our population and bankrupting the state. 'This report shows that poor diet now costs the UK a shocking £126bn a year. That's not a crisis. That's a collapse.' The fact that 64% of people in Britain are overweight or obese costs the economy £31bn, Frontier found. That is enough for the government to cut income tax by 3p and is more than what is spent annually on policing in the four home nations, it added. Tim Leunig, Nesta's chief economist, said: 'Obesity has doubled since the 90s and causes a host of terrible health problems, like type 2 diabetes and cancer. 'This means obesity makes people less effective at work, forces them to take time off to manage illness or causes them to leave the workforce entirely owing to ill health.' Ministers are grappling with how to address the fact that 2.8 million people across the UK – 700,000 more than when Covid hit – are economically inactive due to illness, according to Office for National Statistics figures. In 2022, Frontier calculated the cost of obesity to be £58bn a year. It revised its estimate in 2023 to £98bn in analysis for the Tony Blair Institute. Its £126bn figure for Nesta is higher because it includes for the first time analysis of the costs of overweight as well as obesity. Kawther Hashem, the head of research at Action on Sugar, said the £126bn annual cost of obesity was staggering and should be a wake-up call. Voluntary action by the food industry to fight obesity has failed, so ministers need to impose compulsory targets on food firms, backed by financial penalties, to greatly reduce the amount of salt and sugar in their products, Hashem added. Nesta estimated the annual economic costs of being overweight and obesity to be: £71.4bn – cost of reduced quality of life and mortality. £12.6bn – financial cost of treatment for NHS. £12.1bn – from unemployment due to overweight and obesity. £10.5bn – cost of informal care. £9.7bn – lower productivity among those still working. £8.3bn – sick days due to weight-related illness. £1.2bn – cost of formal care. £700m – lost output due to weight-related early death. Katharine Jenner, the director of the Obesity Health Alliance, urged ministers to extend the sugar tax on fizzy drinks and limit the amount of sugar in baby and toddler food. Leunig said the advertising of unhealthy food should be restricted, front of pack labelling introduced and more money put into weight-loss drugs. Nesta's report said that the costs of excess weight will keep growing and could hit £150bn by 2035 without firm action to fight obesity. It states: 'Obesity-related costs are projected to keep rising over the next decade. By 2035, this report estimates the annual cost of excess weight will reach £150bn (in 2025 prices), with productivity losses alone accounting for £36.3bn a year. 'Without a meaningful policy shift to slow – let alone reverse – the growth in obesity, its impact on productivity is set to rise by 18% over the next 10 years in real terms.' Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said that more obese people in England would be able to access NHS weight management services – and weight-loss drugs – as a result of the government's 10-year plan for the NHS, which is coming out on Thursday.
