Latest news with #NHS
Sky News
an hour ago
- Health
- Sky News
Sunburn isn't just red skin - here's what's happening underneath the burn
The government is warning that the NHS will be under even more pressure this weekend as temperatures soar, so looking after yourself in the sunshine is crucial. But how much do you know about the science behind sunburn… and how to prevent it? What is sunburn? While we all know what sunburned skin looks like - red and sore - it might not be so clear what is happening underneath the skin. "Essentially, it's inflammation," said Dr Rachel Abbott, a consultant dermatologist who specialises in skin cancer for the Cardiff and Vale University health board. Ultraviolet radiation is carcinogenic and when it is allowed to penetrate the skin, it triggers an inflammatory reaction, said Dr Abbott. Histamines - chemicals produced by the body's immune system - and prostaglandins - compounds that help the body deal with injuries and illness - are released as your body begins reacting to the damage. 0:54 Although the inflamed, red, itchy skin will fade, those carcinogens will do permanent damage to your DNA, according to Dr Abbott. "The redness and pain can be managed symptomatically, but that DNA damage is permanent," she said. "We've all got DNA repair mechanisms in our bodies. But this is why we're seeing such a massive increase in skin cancer, because [as we get older], the battle between the DNA damage and the skin cells becomes more than the immune system can cope with." Since the early 1990s, the number of skin cancer cases in Britain has more than doubled and last year, the number of cases was predicted to hit an all-time high of 20,800, according to Cancer Research UK. The cancer charity partially attributed the rise in cases to older groups of people knowing "less about the dangers of tanning in their youth", who "may have taken advantage of the cheap package holiday boom from the 1960s". This would lead to increased sun exposure and more damaged DNA, increasing the risk of skin cancer further down the line. The 'most effective' protection (and it isn't suncream) There is currently no conclusive treatment to deal with the DNA damage caused by sunburn - although Dr Abbott said there is "exciting" work being done in that area. Instead, the way to stop yourself from sustaining long-term damage is to protect yourself from UV rays. "A lot of people associate temperature with the heat of the sun, whereas actually it's the UV index that's the critical thing. And that usually peaks around midday," said Dr Abbott. 1:19 Contrary to what some may think (or hope), suncream should be a last resort. Shade "is the most effective thing", she said, but if you have to be out in the sunshine, "obviously we recommend hats, clothing and then sunscreen". "It is a last resort for those areas that you can't cover up with clothing and hats, and sunglasses." The cancer care charity Macmillan recommends a suncream with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 50, or at least 30, and to reapply it regularly. "There is no such thing as a safe suntan," advises the charity. It also recommends using around six to eight teaspoons of suncream for an adult - one teaspoon for each limb, one for your chest, one for your back and one for your head and neck.
South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- Health
- South Wales Argus
Senedd hears allied health professionals ‘undervalued'
Mabon ap Gwynfor said allied health professionals (AHPs) – more than a dozen professions from paramedics to radiographers – make up around a quarter of the NHS workforce. But Plaid Cymru's shadow health secretary told the Senedd that allied health professionals are 'constantly undervalued' and receive 'far too little attention'. Mr ap Gwynfor called on the Welsh Government to develop a long-term workforce strategy as he led a debate on a motion backed by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. He said: 'Wales invests in training the next generation of AHPs, yet shockingly, many of them are unable to secure employment…. These are highly skilled, motivated individuals trained at public expense but often left underemployed or forced to leave Wales for work.' Senedd members warned of the 'postcode lottery', with Mr ap Gwynfor saying: 'Too often, your ability to access life-changing support depends on where you live, not what you need.' The Society of Radiographers has warned of a chronic shortage of radiographers across the NHS, with an average department vacancy rate of 15 per cent. Wales also has fewer speech and language therapists per head than anywhere else in the UK and trains only 55 a year. The Conservatives' Mark Isherwood said: 'To make matters worse, the youth justice board for England and Wales reports that 71 per cent of sentenced children have speech, language or communication difficulties, showing just how important these services are.' Labour's John Griffiths echoed concerns about the barriers many patients face when accessing health care, including limited provision and long waiting times in some areas. Jeremy Miles, Wales' health secretary, agreed about the need to invest to nurture and develop the workforce, describing AHPs as the 'heartbeat of the health service'. He told Senedd members there are more allied health professionals working in the NHS in Wales than ever before, with a 12 per cent increase in the past three years. Mr Miles drew attention to an extra £5m the Welsh Government made available to health boards every year from April 2023 to create more AHP posts. 'More than 100 additional full-time equivalent AHPs and support workers have been employed as a direct result of that additional investment,' he said. The Senedd voted 31-0, with 16 abstentions, in favour of the motion following the debate
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Health
- Leader Live
NHS keeps public away as patients seen as ‘inconvenience', new boss says
In his first interview since his appointment as chief executive of NHSE, Sir Jim Mackey told the newspaper the health service has retained too many 'fossilised' ways of working, some of which have barely moved on since its creation in 1948. His statement comes as he prepares to implement a 10-year health plan to be published by the Government next week. Sir Jim, who was knighted in 2019 for services to healthcare, told The Telegraph: 'We've made it really hard, and we've probably all been on the end of it. 'You've got a relative in hospital, so you're ringing a number on a ward that no-one ever answers. 'The ward clerk only works nine to five or they're busy doing other stuff; the GP practice scramble every morning. 'It feels like we've built mechanisms to keep the public away because it's an inconvenience.' Sir Jim warned the disconnect between NHS services and the public could result in the loss of the public health service altogether. 'The big worry is, if we don't grab that, and we don't deal with it with pace, we'll lose the population,' he told the Telegraph. 'If we lose the population, we've lost the NHS. 'For me, it's straightforward. The two things are completely dependent on each other.' The Government's 10-year health plan will aim at improving NHS services through relocating patient care from hospitals to community-based health centres, a greater use of digital tools, and preventive care. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on Wednesday the plan will also aim to 'address one of the starkest health inequalities', which he claims is the unequal access to information and choice when it comes to healthcare. Sir Jim told the Telegraph: 'We've got to somehow re-orientate it; think about how do we find people who need us, how do we stop thinking 'it's going to be a pain in the arse if you turn up because I'm quite busy' and instead think about how do we find out what you need and get it sorted.' Sir Jim added his concerns are driven by his own traumatic experience of NHS services, when his father died in a hospital locally known for its poor standards of care. He told the paper: 'My dad died in a hospital where the local folklore was terrible about the hospital, but the hospital was deaf to it and didn't know what was actually being said. 'I wasn't long into the NHS, it was a long time ago now, and I felt really powerless. 'I found out too late that the clinical community knew the guy who looked after him wasn't as good as I would have wanted him to be. 'I'll carry that for the rest of my life.' In an effort to take pressure off hospitals and cut down waiting lists, the Government previously announced that 85 new mental health emergency departments will be built across England. The 85 units will be funded by £120 million secured in the Spending Review, the Department of Health and Social Care said. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they will be staffed by specialist nurses and doctors. Patients who need help will be able to walk in, or will be able to be referred by their GP. Under the new plans, mental health patients will also be able to self-refer for talking therapies using the NHS App The new measures could also pave the way for AI-driven virtual support, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. Mr Streeting also unveiled plans to divert more than £2 billion in NHS spending to working class communities.
Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Health
- Powys County Times
NHS keeps public away as patients seen as ‘inconvenience', new boss says
The NHS has built 'mechanisms to keep the public away' as patients are seen as an 'inconvenience', the new head of NHS England has told The Telegraph. In his first interview since his appointment as chief executive of NHSE, Sir Jim Mackey told the newspaper the health service has retained too many 'fossilised' ways of working, some of which have barely moved on since its creation in 1948. His statement comes as he prepares to implement a 10-year health plan to be published by the Government next week. Sir Jim, who was knighted in 2019 for services to healthcare, told The Telegraph: 'We've made it really hard, and we've probably all been on the end of it. 'You've got a relative in hospital, so you're ringing a number on a ward that no-one ever answers. 'The ward clerk only works nine to five or they're busy doing other stuff; the GP practice scramble every morning. 'It feels like we've built mechanisms to keep the public away because it's an inconvenience.' Sir Jim warned the disconnect between NHS services and the public could result in the loss of the public health service altogether. 'The big worry is, if we don't grab that, and we don't deal with it with pace, we'll lose the population,' he told the Telegraph. 'If we lose the population, we've lost the NHS. 'For me, it's straightforward. The two things are completely dependent on each other.' The Government's 10-year health plan will aim at improving NHS services through relocating patient care from hospitals to community-based health centres, a greater use of digital tools, and preventive care. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on Wednesday the plan will also aim to 'address one of the starkest health inequalities', which he claims is the unequal access to information and choice when it comes to healthcare. Sir Jim told the Telegraph: 'We've got to somehow re-orientate it; think about how do we find people who need us, how do we stop thinking 'it's going to be a pain in the arse if you turn up because I'm quite busy' and instead think about how do we find out what you need and get it sorted.' Sir Jim added his concerns are driven by his own traumatic experience of NHS services, when his father died in a hospital locally known for its poor standards of care. He told the paper: 'My dad died in a hospital where the local folklore was terrible about the hospital, but the hospital was deaf to it and didn't know what was actually being said. 'I wasn't long into the NHS, it was a long time ago now, and I felt really powerless. 'I found out too late that the clinical community knew the guy who looked after him wasn't as good as I would have wanted him to be. 'I'll carry that for the rest of my life.' In an effort to take pressure off hospitals and cut down waiting lists, the Government previously announced that 85 new mental health emergency departments will be built across England. The 85 units will be funded by £120 million secured in the Spending Review, the Department of Health and Social Care said. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they will be staffed by specialist nurses and doctors. Patients who need help will be able to walk in, or will be able to be referred by their GP. Under the new plans, mental health patients will also be able to self-refer for talking therapies using the NHS App The new measures could also pave the way for AI-driven virtual support, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.
Western Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Health
- Western Telegraph
Brain-eating parasite in salad bag as food poisoning rises
Research has highlighted potentially-deadly contamination fears, following 3,320 salad samples between October 2021 and September 2022 and found that over 4 per cent of the leaves were contaminated with toxoplasma gondii oocysts. The contamination has now been reported across 10 European countries including the UK, the study, published in the journal Eurosurveillance found. The research says: "The parasite Toxoplasma gondii can cause severe disease in humans. People can acquire the parasite by eating raw or undercooked infected meat or unwashed fruits or vegetables contaminated with the parasite. "We wanted to investigate T. gondii in commercial ready-to eat (RTE) salads in European countries to estimate the importance of these food products as sources of T. gondii." This bacteria can be passed on by digesting cat faeces, which can contaminate food and water, making salad that is washed or watered with dirty water a prime place for bacteria. Other research reported this week showed that the bacteria "can seriously disrupt the brain function of intermediate hosts, potentially including humans". Research by the National Institute of Health has previously said that half of the UK population show signs of past infection by the age of 50, and once acquired, parasites remain in human tissues for life. It can then cause a problem later in life for people who have a weakened immune system, which can happen during treatment for cancer or while taking immunosuppressant drugs. According to the Food Standards Agency, you should always "wash fruit and vegetables with water before you eat them to make sure that they are clean. You should wash them under a running tap, or in a bowl of fresh water, making sure to rub their skin under the water." Recommended reading: Symptoms of toxoplasmosis According to the NHS website, toxoplasmosis does not usually cause any symptoms and most people do not know they've had it. Some people may have flu-like symptoms such as: high temperature headache sore throat aching body swollen glands feeling tired feeling sick or being sick Some people may have more serious symptoms including: confusion blurred vision slurred speech unsteady walking The NHS adds that toxoplasmosis is not usually serious and normally gets better on its own. But it can cause serious problems if you: get it while you're pregnant have a weakened immune system – for example, if you have HIV or are having chemotherapy have more severe symptoms such as confusion, blurred vision or slurred speech If you have a weakened immune system toxoplasmosis may cause problems with your eyes, brain, heart or lungs.
