Wes Streeting offers resident doctors better work perks in last-gasp bid to avoid strikes
The Health Secretary wrote to the British Medical Association yesterday urging them to call off walkouts due to start Friday.
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A quarter of a million appointments could be impacted if militant union bosses refuse to cancel their five days of industrial action.
While their eye-watering 29 per cent pay demands have been rebuffed - along with any salary increase - The Sun understands concessions have been made on working conditions.
It involves limiting the costs borne by resident doctors at work, with reports many were having to buy some their own hospital kit.
Improvements to resident doctors' training rotations and faster career progression are also on the table - but wiping parts of their student debt has been ruled out.
A source close to the dispute last night said the talks were 'finely balanced' and that negotiations would go down to the wire.
The BMA is expected to respond to Mr Streeting's latest olive branch today.
Analysis by the Policy Exchange think tank found that the five days of industrial action threatened by the BMA could reduce inpatient activity for the month of July by 4.5 per cent and outpatient activity by 8.7 per cent.
The strikes would threaten Sir Keir Starmer's target of 65 per cent of patient treatment plans being completed within 18 weeks from next Spring.
Meanwhile, the cost of paying consultants to cover resident doctor rotas could hit £87.46m.
Resident doctors are clinging to demands for a 29 per cent pay rise, with the BMA having amassed a £1m war chest ahead of Friday's action.
It comes despite the NHS staff having already received a staggering 22 per cent hike last year.
Tory Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith blasted: 'Labour has bent over backwards for the unions every chance they have got with no-strings-attached pay rises.
'It is no surprise they are now running riot. They are out of control.
'Thanks to Labour's weakness, we are now facing a summer of discontent.'
Ex-Tory Leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith added: 'The unions are Labour's paymasters at the end of the day.
'They're getting their payback by being allowed to run riot.'
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The Sun
20 minutes ago
- The Sun
I became a first aider after my brother died on camera – why parents MUST save hotel addresses before their holiday
A PARENTING professional has revealed how she trained in first aid after witnessing her brother die on camera. Kate Ball, who is now the powerhouse behind Mini First Aid, is now urging parents to get clued up on vital skills. She shared her own heartbreaking story on Giovanni Fletcher's Parenting SOS podcast. Kate's world was rocked when her brother, just 20 months her junior, passed away in a terrifying incident. After finishing their respective degrees, her brother went out to celebrate his geography finals at Portsmouth University. "He went out celebrating as students do, and he decided one they had done their celebrating to go and watch the sun come up on the beach in Portsmouth," Kate shared. "They sat on the Portsmouth beach and he ran in front of one of his friends, and one of his friends was filming him, and he ran up to the camera and he went 'I'm knackered.' And then he laid down and he died. 'He literally laid down because his heart had been put under so much pressure with this run, acceleration and everything else, and he went into cardiac arrest. 'The young people on the scene didn't know what to do and they called the emergency services. "They said he made a funny noise. One of them wrote in his memorial book, 'I'm sorry I couldn't save you'. 'We never hold any malice towards any of those young people because ultimately it wasn't their fault. It was his heart that wasn't working." But the painful question remains: "The fact that there wasn't correct CPR until the paramedics arrived means that we will never know if the outcome could've been different." What to do if your baby is drowning It was this experience that sparked Kate's mission. She said: "In my learning brain, I'm going, I'm teaching people to learn stuff all the time, all be it about chocolate at the time, how on earth can you not know how to save somebody's life and that's where Mini First Aid came from." With summer upon us, Kate is now urging parents to be extra vigilant, whether you're off on a dream holiday or just enjoying the garden. "Sometimes when you are distracted, especially because we are on our devices, and a lot of us are still trying to work while we do everything else, what we need to do is just do a little bit more," she advised. It's a "very unsexy phrase," but "we just need to do a risk assessment." Safety first She explained that this means thinking: "What could happen, what could I make safe before I do this." These could be simple things like "making sure your kids put a helmet on before you go out on scooters or on a bike," or if you're visiting someone with a pond, "you go 'Oh okay, I need to make that safe before they go and play in the garden'." Even ensuring they've got "their suncream on, that they are wearing hats, that they are wearing sunglasses, there's so many things." She continued: "If you were just able before you start your day, or the night before, to just go 'I just need to consider what I have in place' because the prevention then means that you don't even have to do the first aid if it's not going to happen. Kids are going to have bumps and scrapes, and that's where you need to make sure you've got a first aid kit with you Kate BallMini First Aid Founder 'What we see in A&E in the UK and I imagine that this will reflect similarly globally, is there are so many young children going to hospital with accidents that could've been prevented. 'We see a rise of that in the summer, particularly water related incidents like drowning. "So if you just take a moment to make sure that I've made it as safe as I can. "I know that you can't wrap your kids up in cotton wool. Kids are going to have bumps and scrapes, and that's where you need to make sure you've got a first aid kit with you." Swimming safety advice Experts have revealed some of their top advice for both adults and kids heading to the water this summer: How to stay safe at the beach Gareth Morrison, Head of Water Safety at the RNLI said: "If you find yourself being swept out to sea in a rip, try to relax and float until you are free from the rip and you can then swim to safety. "If you see someone else in danger, alert a lifeguard or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard." How to stay safe at the swimming pool Tiny Hearts Education, former paramedic and CEO Nikki Jurcutz said: "Always put your little one in bright or contrasting colours that would be easy to find in an emergency. "It only takes 20 seconds to drown, little tips like this could save a life". An Auqabliss spokesperson added: ' Swimming toys such as noodles, dive rings, floaties and beach balls can be dangerous if left in the pool. ' Children may try to grab these from the pool's edge and fall in." How to stay safe at a waterpark Ali Beckman, Puddle Ducks Technical Director, said: "Never send a child down the slide on their own, not only are they going to be entering the slide pool area independently, they then have to exit the pool and wait for an adult. "And wave pools should be avoided until your child is really confident with water going over their faces and you know they are able to regain their feet independently. ' Waterparks are often very busy places and it's easy to lose sight of a child in a split second." She also warns that "we see a huge number of incidents of it happening when you just arrive on holiday." This is because "you've all got that new moment of excitement, where you are staying. Perhaps you are checking out the bedrooms, who is going to sleep where, and that's where the kids go and explore, and that's when can happen." Royal Life Saving Society Organisations like the RLSS (Royal Life Saving Society) "who are very focused on life saving and safety around water will talk about swimming pool safety." "If you are going to a holiday place that has a pool, and you are checking out where everyone is going to sleep and the kids are walking towards the pool, because that looks cool," she said. "Again just being on almost heightened alert when you have just arrived somewhere, so that if you can prevent an incident from happening." For very young children, Kate suggests taking some safety products with you. She said: "You can pack things like door jammers to stop doors slamming, corner protectors. You can pack them and take them with you. "Sometimes you might see this beautiful holiday property that looks great and then you look at piece of furniture, and then you go 'I'd never have that at my house because it's got sharp edges'. "You can challenge them and say what have you got in the way of baby safety.' But when it comes to holidays, Kate has one major tip. "Put the address (of your hotel) in your phone, so that you've got it on the notes page of your phone, so that if you have to ring the emergency services, that you can articulate where you are." she explains. This is especially crucial "if English is not the first language spoken in that area." You can even send that information in a text. 3 She also reminds parents to not forget about researching the area on Google maps to find the local pharmacy or medical center ahead of the trip. "Google Translate is brilliant," she added. "It will tell you enough. If you speak into your phone, and you can say that to a pharmacist. Then they can help you and support you with that." When it comes to water, Kate had some sobering facts. "You can drown in less than 5cm of water. Pools have got to be covered and gated. The best pools are gated,' she explained. 'Really good hotels will have things like you have to scan your room key to get into the pool, but the key thing is supervising." Another vital tip involves swimwear colours. How to keep your kids safe in warm weather Hot weather is fabulous, a wonderful trip to the beach or enjoying time in the garden! However, when temperatures skyrocket it can become dangerous. Save The Children have compiled 10 heat safety tips for keeping children safe in a heatwave. 1. Light clothing, heavy suncream Choose lightweight, light-coloured, and breathable fabrics (such as cotton), and use lots of suncream to protect you and your child from the heat and potential sunburn. 2. Drink lots of fluids Remember to drink plenty of liquids, regardless of your activity level. Check your baby's nappy for concentrated (dark in color) urine, which can indicate dehydration. 3. Get lots of rest Try and limit activities. Make sure that children get lots of rest when they are active. NHS advises to 'try to keep out of the sun between 11am to 3pm'. 4. Keep children entertained Children may become anxious or restless from being kept indoors. Plan for indoor activities and games. 5. Reassure children Children may be stressed by the heat. Remember that children take their cues from their parents and caregivers, so try to keep calm and answer their questions openly and honestly. Also stick to regular bath and sleep times for your child. 6. House safety/cooling tips During the day, keep rooms cool by closing blinds/curtains, especially in rooms facing the sun. Using a fan to circulate air in the room is your child's school sun policy. 7. Never leave children unsupervised in parked cars Even in less threatening temperatures, vehicles can rapidly heat up to dangerous temperatures. A child left inside a car is at risk of severe heat-related illness or death, even if the windows are cracked open. 8. Stay informed Listen to local news and weather channels for health, safety and weather-related updates. 9. Know how to identify heat-related illnesses Look for signs of heat-related illnesses/conditions such as heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps, and severe sunburn. If children show these symptoms, seek medical assistance. Refer to the NHS website for a complete list, and how to remedy them. 10. Read the NHS guidance for babies The NHS advises giving your baby a cool bath before bedtime and keeping nightwear to a minimum. Your baby will sleep most comfortably at room temperature between 16C and 20C, a nursery thermometer will help you monitor the temperature of the baby's room. 3 "This is all about putting your children in a really bright colour and avoiding those bluey, greeny colours," she revealed. "When you go under the water it makes them much harder to spot. So if you are looking for a missing child around water then it's tricky." And if you do lose your child near water, as well as shouting their name, "you shout what they are wearing because that means that the people around you can help you look."
Daily Mail
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Scientists discover new form of condition suffered by 38million Americans... putting even more at risk
A possible third type of diabetes that could potentially impact nearly 2million Americans has been discovered. An international team of researchers found that a specific subset of people with type 1 diabetes — which affects about 1.8million Americans — may actually have an entirely new form of the disease that is not caused by the immune system. Type 1 diabetes affects 8.4million people globally and is caused by the immune system misfiring and destroying cells that help to control blood sugar. But now scientists in the US and UK say they have detected a new variant of the disease in people of sub-Saharan African descent that does not appear to be linked to the immune system. Their analysis of nearly 900 people with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes from three African countries revealed that only about 33 percent had the characteristic antibodies — proteins made by the immune system that attack cells used to control blood sugar — seen in type 1 diabetics. The remaining 66 percent previously diagnosed with type 1 diabetes did not test positive for these antibodies, suggesting they had a new variant of the disease. Revealing the findings, researchers said it could pave the way for new treatments for the disease to boost health and life expectancy, with type 1 diabetics dying about a decade earlier than their peers on average. More than 38.4million Americans have diabetes, with the vast majority — around 37million — having type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition where the body can't use the insulin it produces, a hormone used to control blood sugar, leading to high blood sugar levels. This differs from type 1 diabetes, which is caused by the immune system attacking islet cells that make insulin, causing blood sugar levels to spike. The disease is typically diagnosed by testing the blood for characteristic antibodies against islet cells, indicating the disease. In the study, a similar analysis was repeated on 107 Americans of sub-Saharan African background with type 1 diabetes. It found 55 percent of them tested negative for typical type 1 diabetes antibodies. Writing in the study, the team led by the UK's University of Exeter said: 'These findings support the common existence of a non-autoimmune, insulin-deficient subtype of diabetes among children and young adults with diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa. '[This] is different from classic autoimmune type 1 diabetes, and does not have features consistent with type 2 diabetes or malnutrition-associated diabetes. 'Therefore, alternative causes must be considered in this group of individuals.' Researchers are not sure what may cause this version of diabetes, but said it might be linked to malnutrition in early life, which could cause cells to become less sensitive to the hormone insulin, which helps to control blood sugar. They also suggested it may be due to certain genetic variations in sub-Saharan African populations that are not present in white groups. Of those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the US, an estimated nearly 10 percent — or 167,000 — are black. It is not clear what proportion of these can trace their roots back to Sub-Saharan Africa. For the first part of the study, participants were recruited from Cameroon, Uganda and South Africa. About half were female, all were black, and participants were diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 15 years on average. They all also had a healthy body weight. For participants from Cameroon and Uganda, blood samples were collected from patients who had visited private or public hospitals between 2019 and 2022. These were analyzed for the presence of antibodies that would indicate the presence of type 1 diabetes. To expand the dataset, the researchers also included participants from South Africa who had their blood tested for the same antibodies between 2007 and 2015. A total of 312 participants, or 35 percent, tested positive for the antibodies, while the remaining 582 tested negative. Next, the researchers extracted data from the SEARCH database, which collects data on young people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the US. They extracted information on 3,000 participants, including 2,602 from a white ethnic background and 429 from a black ethnic background. Among the 107 recorded as being from a Sub-Saharan African background by the database, 55 percent or 59 participants did not test positive for the typical antibodies. And among those from a black background, 65 participants or 15 percent tested negative for the antibodies. The researchers said a similar pattern was not detected among those from a white ethnic background. Dr Dana Dabelea, an epidemiologist at the University of Colorado and co-author of the study, said: 'The identification of this type 1 diabetes in Sub-Saharan African populations and among individuals of African ancestry in the US suggests a potential ancestral or genetic link. 'These findings highlight the need to consider alternative etiologies in this group and a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms may provide important insights for future prevention and treatment strategies.'
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Male mental health facility opens in Derby
A psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) designed to support men experiencing acute mental health crises has opened in Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said Kingfisher House - a 14-bed facility located on the Kingsway Hospital site - is the first of its kind in the facility is part of a £150m investment by the NHS designed to improve privacy, dignity and safety for Powell, the trust's chief executive, said the opening of the unit on Tuesday was a vital step towards ending inappropriate out of area placements. Kingfisher House is part of the trust's £150m Making Room for Dignity is designed to replace outdated facilities and bring the area's six main mental health hubs up to national standards. Care closer to home According to the trust, prior to the opening of Kingfisher House, those who needed the level of support offered by a PICU had to travel outside of Derbyshire to access an appropriate Powell said: "Until now, Derbyshire was one of the only regions in England without a local psychiatric intensive care unit."This meant that men in acute mental health crisis requiring intensive care had to be placed in facilities outside the county – often far from their families and support networks."This not only disrupted continuity of care but also added emotional and logistical strain on service users and their loved ones. Kingfisher House directly addresses this gap, enabling people to receive the right care, closer to home."Alongside Kingfisher House, the programme's other two new builds are the Carsington Unit, 54-bed unit at Kingsway Hospital and the Derwent Unit, a 54-bed unit at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital site, which both opened earlier this parts of the project involve Bluebell Ward at Walton Hospital in Chesterfield for older adults with acute mental health needs, which opened on 7 January 2025, the Radbourne Unit, at the Royal Derby Hospital and Audrey House, an enhanced care unit for female patients at Kingsway in Derby.
