Latest news with #RoyalCollegeOfPhysicians
The Independent
13-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Experts call for end to ‘postcode lottery' in certain cancer services
There is a 'postcode lottery' in cancer services that focus on improving patients' quality of life and providing urgent care for people with the disease, experts have warned. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP), the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), the UK Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (UKASCC) and the Association for Palliative Medicine (APM) have called for urgent investment in supportive and acute oncology. These services must be 'essential components of modern cancer care' and not 'optional extras', as more people live with the disease for longer, they said. Supportive oncology manages the physical and psychological impact of cancer on patients and can include advice on nutrition and mental health support. Meanwhile, acute oncology brings together experts from oncology, emergency care and end-of-life care to swiftly treat patients presenting with an emergency caused either by their cancer or as a complication from its treatment. An RCR report said that while there are 'some excellent supportive oncology services developing', implementation is patchy, with a 'postcode lottery' for care. The colleges have called for the NHS and governments across the UK to embed both services in the national cancer plan, while expanding clinical fellowships in supportive oncology and backing cancer centres to develop programmes with dedicated funding. Consultant clinical oncologist Dr Tom Roques, vice president for clinical oncology at the RCR, said investing in these services will take pressure off hospitals. It comes as the Government's 10-year health plan pledged to move more care from hospitals into the community by 2035. Dr Roques said: 'More people are living with cancer for longer, with complexities that affect their physical, emotional and social wellbeing. 'Supportive oncology services can improve patients' quality and length of life and prevent avoidable hospital admissions. 'As the NHS moves towards more neighbourhood-based care, investing in supportive oncology services will help patients get holistic care closer to home, and relieve pressure on hospitals.' Dr Hilary Williams, incoming RCP clinical vice president and a consultant medical oncologist, said: 'Supportive and acute oncology must be seen as essential components of modern cancer care – not optional extras. 'As the number of people living with cancer grows and their treatment becomes more complex, we must invest in workforce, training, and integrated care pathways that support patients in hospital, in the community and at home.' An NHS spokesperson said: 'The NHS's roll-out of personalised care ensures people with cancer have all their needs assessed holistically, but we know that needs can change over time and experience of cancer services can vary, and we have more to do to ensure every person with cancer gets the support they need when they need it. 'That is why the 10-year health plan sets out some of the ways we will transform care to be fit for the future and the national cancer plan coming later this year will build on that for people living with and beyond cancer.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Through our 10-year health plan we are transforming the NHS to improve services and outcomes across the board – including for cancer. 'We are investing an extra £1.5 billion in new surgical hubs and AI scanners to help catch more cancers faster and are opening new community diagnostic centres 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, to increase community care and support our national cancer plan.'
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Weight loss jabs not enough to tackle obesity, leading medics warn
Weight loss injections will not be enough to make 'lasting progress' in tackling the obesity epidemic, leading medical experts have warned. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) called on the government to ensure equitable access to weight management services across the country and stressed the importance of wraparound support to prevent individuals from regaining weight after initial loss. The RCP also called for action to tackle the nation's 'broken food system' to help people make healthier choices, including reducing 'aggressive' marketing and advertising of unhealthy food. 'Medication alone will not be enough to make meaningful and lasting progress on tackling obesity,' the College said in a new position statement, adding that the government must also tackle the 'social and environmental drivers of obesity'. 'Policies should reduce aggressive marketing and advertising of foods high in fat, salt, and sugar, while increasing the availability and affordability of healthy foods from an early age. 'We must tackle our broken food system and ensure it is easier for all to choose to eat healthily.' Last week the Government pledged to 'launch a moonshot to end the obesity epidemic' in its 10 Year Plan for Health. Now the College has urged ministers to set out details and timelines of how it will deliver this commitment. It comes as the College released a poll of members and fellows, showing that four in five (80 per cent) of almost 19,000 doctors in the UK, surveyed by the RCP, said that the number of patients they see with obesity has increased over the last five years. The RCP warned that treatment for other illnesses is less effective as a result of obesity. Dr Kath McCullough, special adviser on obesity for the RCP, said: 'The narrative that obesity is about personal responsibility or that new medications will solve the problem is misleading. 'Obesity is a chronic illness shaped by a range of factors and influences – and it's on the rise. 'We are seeing daily how obesity causes and makes it harder to treat conditions, from diabetes and arthritis to heart disease and cancer. ' The NHS 10 Year Plan rightly sets out a suite of measures that can be used in the fight against obesity, but the armoury is far from complete. 'Weight loss drugs can be part of the solution for some patients, but our efforts must focus on preventing people developing obesity and overweight in the first place. 'We welcome the measures Government announced last week – they have great potential. We look forward to seeing the detail on how we will translate that ambition into reality.' RCP president Dr Mumtaz Patel said: 'Doctors are telling us loud and clear about the scale and impacts of obesity. It is undermining treatment, driving up complications and placing additional pressure on an already overwhelmed NHS. 'In less affluent communities, we're watching obesity fuel a vicious cycle – people are getting sicker, their care becomes harder to deliver and the system just can't catch up. 'We welcome steps the Government is taking. No few individual measures will be enough. It is a complex problem that requires multifaceted solutions. 'We need bold, joined-up preventative action that tackles the genetic, social, economic and commercial factors that drive obesity.' Around 29 per cent of adults in the UK are obese, and an estimated 1.5 million are taking weight loss jabs in the UK.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Southampton lung expert warns indoor air pollution is being overlooked
A leading respiratory expert has warned the dangers of indoor air pollution are being respiratory physician Dr Thom Daniels, from University Hospital Southampton (UHS), says the "invisible threat" may pose an even bigger risk to health than outdoor can trigger short-term respiratory symptoms and make existing conditions such as asthma warning comes as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) publishes a new report linking air pollution to 30,000 deaths a year in the UK. "We know so much more about outdoor air pollution because it's so much easier to study," says Dr Daniels. "One monitor allows you to know about the air quality for thousands of people. But every single house is different and we spend 90% of our time indoors and until we understand better about indoor air quality, we'll be missing the majority of our air exposure." Particulates and harmful gases come from daily activities within the home such as cooking or using wood burning and other household cleaning products can also add to the problem. People with chronic lung conditions are advised to limit their use where possible."Burning your cooking on your hob really produces a lot of the very small material, particulate matter," continues Dr Daniels."Dust is unavoidable, there's always going to be dust. Cleaning products produce chemicals in the air."And another area that is really important is wood burning stoves. Everyone loves a wood burning stove - it's so lovely - but it really does produce a lot of indoor air pollution as well as outdoor." To understand how indoor air quality can be affected by everyday household tasks, I've borrowed an air monitor from Dr app tells me the air outside is good quality scoring 97 out of a possible 100. The higher the number the less measurable pollution is start with my indoor reading is about the same but it does not take long for things to go a piece of salmon, I light a fragranced candle to disguise the smell. A bit of vacuuming and spraying down the kitchen counter are also on the chores but surely the air quality starts to fall. Without burning the food it is down to 49 out of 100 - telling me the air quality is house just smells of cooking. I've never before thought of it as poor air quality. How low can you go? Curious to see what the monitor would show I decide to put two slices of bread into the toaster and crank it long whisps of smoke begin to fill the kitchen and the air quality is not long before the smoke alarm sounds and the smell of burned toast fills the entire indoor air monitor now reads zero, warning of severe pollution and telling me patients and members of sensitive groups may have to take emergency action. While poor air quality in the home is linked to household activities, which are usually short term, there is concern spikes in indoor air pollution could still be harmful."We do know that these spikes can induce changes in our bodies - so inflammation in the airways, in the cells of our airways and damage to the integrity of those airways to prevent other things getting in," warns Dr there is action you can take to reduce the levels of indoor pollution in your recommend always using an extractor fan when cooking and using the rear of the hob so that fumes go up the wall into the fan rather than towards the only dry, untreated wood at a high temperature will also help reduce emissions from wood the meantime, Dr Daniels is calling for more research into indoor air pollution to understand the problem we are all living with. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
13-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Adverts for assisted dying to be debated by MPs as divisive bill returns to Parliament
A ban on advertising assisted dying is to be debated as the controversial Bill returns to Parliament. The regulation of substances to be used by a terminally ill person to bring about their death is also due to be discussed by MPs in the Commons on Friday. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is undergoing a second day of report stage, with various amendments likely to be debated and possibly voted on. Its third reading – where a vote is taken on the overall Bill – could take place next Friday. The Bill passed second reading stage by a majority of 55 during a historic vote in November, which saw MPs support the principle of assisted dying. Some MPs who voted in favour last year could reportedly withdraw their support amid concerns around safeguards and how much scrutiny the proposed legislation has received, while others might switch to supporting a Bill that backers argue has been strengthened over time. Opinion in the medical community has been divided, with the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) expressing concern, but some MPs who are doctors are among the Bill's strongest supporters. Seven RCPsych members, including a former president and vice president, have written to MPs to distance themselves from their college's concern, instead describing the current Bill as 'workable, safe and compassionate' with a 'clear and transparent legal framework'. Meanwhile, the Children's Commissioner for England has repeated her call for children's voices to be heard in the conversation. Dame Rachel de Souza said: 'Children's views have at best been side-lined, at worst written off entirely simply because they would not fall within the scope of the current scope of legislation. 'They have spoken passionately about their worries that this Bill could be extended further. We need only to look to other models, such as Canada, where proposals for assisted death to be expanded to 'mature minors' – children – are a live issue, to understand the source of their concern. 'This Bill has raised the level of debate on important and challenging subjects in England – but children have raised very real concerns with me about their opportunity to shape this legislation, which could impact them as they reach adulthood, or impact them in indirect ways through the deaths of loved ones.' Demonstrators are once again expected to gather outside Parliament to make their views known on the Bill. Disability campaigner George Fielding, representing campaign group Not Dead Yet UK, argued the Bill 'risks state-sanctioned suicide'. He added: 'It risks making people feel like a burden while ignoring the social, economic and systemic pressures that deny people the treatment and dignity they need to live. 'This is not choice. This is coercion, masquerading as compassion.' But Claire Macdonald, director of My Death, My Decision, which is in favour of assisted dying, said the public mood is clear that change is needed. She said: 'We hope MPs strike the careful balance between creating a law that is strong and safe, with a system that works for dying people, giving them choice and compassion at the end of life. 'What is clear is that no-one should be forced to suffer, and the British public wants politicians to change the law on assisted dying.' In a letter to MPs this week, Labour's Kim Leadbeater, the parliamentarian behind the Bill, said supporters and opponents appear in agreement that 'if we are to pass this legislation it should be the best and safest Bill possible'. She added: 'I'm confident it can and will be.' Among the amendments to the Bill expected to be discussed on Friday are a ban on advertising an assisted dying service were the law to change, with Ms Leadbeater previously saying it 'would feel inappropriate for this to be something which was advertised'. But Bill opponent Labour MP Paul Waugh warned of 'unspecified exceptions, which could make the ban itself worthless', adding that he had put forward a tighter amendment to 'strengthen the Bill on this issue and to better protect the vulnerable'. Ms Leadbeater said other possible amendments include ensuring 'any approved substance used for assisted dying is subject to robust regulation and scrutiny', which she said is 'essential for clinical safety, public confidence and ethical integrity'. Earlier this week, a group of charities wrote to MPs to express 'serious concerns' about what they described as an 'anorexia loophole', arguing people with eating disorders could end up qualifying for assisted dying because of the physical consequences of their illness. However, an amendment preventing a person meeting the requirements for an assisted death 'solely as a result of voluntarily stopping eating or drinking' – tabled by Labour's Naz Shah – was accepted by Ms Leadbeater without a vote last month. Ms Leadbeater said this, combined with existing safeguards in the Bill, would rule out people with anorexia falling into its scope. As it stands, the proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. MPs are entitled to have a free vote on the Bill and any amendments, meaning they vote according to their conscience rather than along party lines.
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Police launch probe into 11 heart operation deaths at NHS hospital
Police have launched an investigation into the deaths of several patients who underwent heart operations at Castle Hill Hospital, an NHS facility near Hull. The inquiry follows a BBC report alleging that some patients suffered avoidable harm. The report also raises concerns that death certificates may have failed to disclose that surgery contributed to the deaths. Humberside Police confirmed to the PA news agency that the investigation is in its early stages. No arrests have been made. Documents seen by the BBC highlight concerns regarding the care of 11 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation, a procedure known as Tavi. It usually takes between one and two hours and is performed on older patients. Tavi is used to replace damaged valves in the heart in people with aortic stenosis, which causes the aortic valve to narrow. It is less invasive than open heart surgery and involves guiding a new valve to the heart through a thin, flexible tube known as a catheter through a blood vessel in the groin or shoulder. Concerns about Castle Hill Hospital's Tavi mortality rate led to a number of reviews, none of which were made public, according to the BBC. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) was asked to assess the whole cardiology department in 2020, including two of the Tavi deaths. The report was completed in 2021 and led to a second review by consultants IQ4U. This recommended a third review of all 11 deaths, which was carried out by the RCP and completed last year, reports suggest. Some 10 deaths happened between October 2019 and March 2022 while one took place in May 2023. The final review highlighted poor clinical decision-making in one male patient, which included the incorrect positioning of the Tavi valve. His death certificate also failed to include an accurate description of what had happened, it was reported. There were also criticisms of death certificates issued to two other patients, claiming crucial details were missing. A spokesperson for NHS Humber Health Care Partnership said the hospital's Tavi service 'retains the confidence of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the regional Integrated Care Board (ICB), the Royal College of Physicians, and the trust'. They added that the three separate external reviews have 'shown that mortality rates associated with Tavi are similar to national mortality rates over a four-year period'. 'The Royal College report concluded that the Tavi service is essential for the Humber and North Yorkshire region and needs to be expanded,' they added. 'It stated however that the design of the service should be reviewed and invested in. The report offered a number of actions for improvement and we have delivered against all of those since it was shared with us. 'A key improvement has been the dramatic reduction in the length of time patients wait to have their Tavi procedure, which was shown in the Royal College report to have been too long, like many other T I services across England.' The spokesperson said: 'We would never discuss an individual patient case in the public domain but we understand families may have questions and we are happy to answer those directly. 'We have previously written to families who have lost a loved one following Tavi treatment with an invitation to meet and discuss the specific circumstances of their case, and we would reiterate that offer.'
