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Archive for October 2011
Genetically Modified Mozzies
From the BBC: Oxitec, a company spun off from Oxford University, uses a genetic engineering approach. Offspring of their GM male [mosquitoes] live through the larval stage but die as pupae, before reaching adulthood. In the latest study, the research group – which includes scientists from Imperial College London and the Liverpool School of Tropical … Continue reading
UK health – by the numbers
From The Telegraph: • 78.4: Average life expectancy, in years, for English males in the period 2008 to 2010 • 82.4: Average life expectancy for females born in England during the same period • 15: Amount, in per cent, by which the suicide mortality rate has dropped since the period 1999 to 2001 Areas to … Continue reading
University Applications fall by almost a tenth
From the Press Association, via Yahoo News: The number of applicants has fallen from 76,612 students at this stage for 2011 to 69,724 for 2012. Ucas published the data following an October 15 deadline for applications to medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses at Oxford and Cambridge, but also included the number of students who have … Continue reading
OK to take that call
From the BBC: The risk mobiles present has been much debated over the past 20 years as use of the phones has soared. The latest study led by the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Denmark looked at more than 350,000 people with mobile phones over an 18-year period. Researchers concluded users were at no greater … Continue reading
Fees to be cut at some universities
From the BBC: The Office for Fair Access (Offa) said 28 universities had expressed an interest in cutting their average fee to £7,500 or less. Eight have already taken steps to do so. There are about 130 universities and other higher education institutions in England. It means that young people hoping to apply for university … Continue reading
Patenting Cells
From the BBC: The ruling [by Europe's highest court] concerned a method invented by a German professor, Oliver Bruestle, for converting human embryonic stem cells into nerve cells. The court’s decision had been seen as critical for research into the use of stem cells as treatments for a range of diseases. The European Court of … Continue reading
No time to talk
From The Telegraph: The survey revealed that 76 per cent of nurses did not have enough time to talk to or comfort patients and 40 per cent of staff were too busy to carry out necessary checks such as taking their temperature. Thirty-nine per cent admitted they did not have enough time to record details … Continue reading
Driving up Standards – More Money or More Competition?
From the Press Association, via Yahoo News: Thousands of people may be dying unnecessarily in an NHS that “is too centralised, overly-managed by politicians and is too insulated from competition”, a lobby group has said. Analysis of mortality figures by the TaxPayers’ Alliance suggests almost 12,000 extra deaths occurred in the UK in 2008 than … Continue reading
NHS Bill clears crucial Lords vote
From the BBC: The government’s controversial NHS bill for England has cleared a crucial hurdle after peers rejected a proposal to send it for further scrutiny… Peers have also rejected an amendment to block the bill altogether. [Opponent of the Bill] Lord Owen argued a special select committee was the only way of looking at … Continue reading
Cuts vs Savings
From the BBC: Compared with other departments, health did well in the coalition’s spending review. The government promised to increase funding in England in real terms, year on year, throughout this parliament. But a lot of chief executives are pessimistic. They feel they are grappling with a spending squeeze, facing unpopular decisions involving cuts and … Continue reading
