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British Medical Association calls on Health Secretary to deliver tough action to protect the nation's health

The British Medical Association today (4 November 2004) calls on Health Secretary John Reid to deliver tough action to protect the nation's health, as he finalises the White Paper on Public Health for England.

4 Nov 2004

NHS chooses Microsoft over Open Source

The NHS has reached a landmark agreement with Microsoft on the renewal of the licensing of its desktop products in line with the OGC's framework agreement with Microsoft.

4 Nov 2004

Help for NHS staff bringing healthcare to the world's poor

NHS staff from England who are planning health projects in the world's poorest communities are being supported by a new Department of Health fund, now opening its second wave (3 November 2004).

3 Nov 2004

Academics urge British Government to consider wider options in public health white paper

The government's forthcoming public health white paper should consider other options aside from imposing personal obligations on individual citizens to take responsibility for their own health, if it is to succeed in improving the health of the nation, according to a leading health think tank.

2 Nov 2004

FDA allows health claims for olive oil

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the availability of a qualified health claim for monounsaturated fat from olive oil and reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

1 Nov 2004

McGuinty Government introduces changes to eye care services

The McGuinty government is making changes to the way OHIP insures routine eye exams, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today.

1 Nov 2004

BMA warns of serious threat to health safeguards from EU proposals

The British Medical Association has warned of a serious threat to health safeguards for patients, and the deregulation of the national health service, from new EU proposals.

1 Nov 2004

UK A & E departments face new staffing crisis as doctors leave to become GPs

Excluding trainees, around half of the doctors working in A&E in the UK are employed in staff grade and associate specialist (SAS) positions - which are distinct from consultant posts.

1 Nov 2004

Public health facing calamity, say medics

The warning from public health leaders comes as ministers prepare to unveil the biggest public health strategy to date, targeting smoking, obesity and sexual health.

29 Oct 2004

Will email consultations improve patient care?

Making email communication part of routine medical practice may have unforseen consequences for the NHS, warns a doctor in a letter to this week's BMJ.

29 Oct 2004

Drug report raises hospital monitoring issues

The impact of increasing amphetamine use challenged the existing organisation of health care services and demonstrated a clear need for the monitoring of emergency department presentations at Queensland’s hospitals.

26 Oct 2004

British Government report declares NHS accident and emergency, the envy of the world

With 96 per cent of patients being seen and treated quickly in NHS A&E departments, this country's emergency departments are becoming the envy of the world, according to a British Government Report.

26 Oct 2004

Initiatives put more doctors in rural Alberta

Two initiatives will improve access to health services for Albertans living in smaller communities by attracting more medical students to rural family medicine and putting more family physician residents into rural practice.

25 Oct 2004

Australian Medical Association slams pharmacy guild

Australian Medical Association President, Dr Bill Glasson, today branded moves by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia to have pharmacists usurp some of the core public health functions of community GPs as mischievous, irresponsible and a poor prescription for Australian patients.

25 Oct 2004

First public healthcare and HIV/AIDS programme in Kibera, Kenya

On October 21, in collaboration with the Kenyan Ministry of Health, the international humanitarian organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) opened a health centre providing public healthcare, including treatment for HIV/AIDS, for the residents of Kibera slum in Nairobi.

22 Oct 2004

206 million patient visits will have been made to physician assistants (PAs) in 2004

Approximately 206 million patient visits will have been made to physician assistants (PAs) in 2004, according to the newly released report by the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA).

21 Oct 2004

BMA response to physician-assisted suicide survey

Commenting on the survey on physician-assisted suicide commissioned by the Voluntary Euthanasia Society (VES), Chairman of the BMA Ethics Committee, Dr Michael Wilks, made the following statement:

21 Oct 2004

Launch of an internet-based HIV/AIDS training resource database

A major barrier to access to care for HIV/AIDS patients in resource limited settings -- the lack of trained healthcare providers -- is now eased with the launch of an internet-based clinical training resource database.

19 Oct 2004

Cost cutting measures and patent expirations to propel the European generics and biogenerics market

The upcoming spate of patent expirations bodes well for the European generics market. The growing loss of patent protection on blockbuster brands over the next few years, coupled with the rising need to contain spiralling healthcare costs, is set to provide a fillip to market expansion.

19 Oct 2004