PJonline news feed

Map use of anti-malaria bednets

Mapping the coverage of insecticide-treated bednets could help improve malaria prevention strategies, bringing Africa closer to the target of 80 per cent coverage by 2015, a study concludes

Congo health supplies

To meet the health needs of the 2.5 million displaced and local people in the Democratic Republic of Congo the World Health Organization is undertaking a massive logistics effort to ensure continuous supply of medicines

Oxfam highlights R&D crisis

Insufficient and uncoordinated financing has hindered the development of new medicines, diagnostics and vaccines for the developing world, Oxfam has pointed out in its briefing paper, “Ending the R&D crisis in public health: promoting pro-poor medical innovation”

Venous thromboembolism risk confirmed for bevacizumab

Bevacizumab is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, a meta-analysis published shows

Change4Life

Supermarkets and gymnasiums are among more than 12,000 businesses, charities and local groups who have agreed to promote healthy living as part of Change4Life, a Government scheme designed to tackle obesity

Unscheduled care in Wales

The Wales Audit Office is calling on members of the public to share their experiences of unscheduled health and social care

UniChem announces 2008 pharmacy award winners

UniChem’s pharmacy retailer of the year (2008) award has been won by Fin McCaul, whose pharmacy — Prestwich Pharmacy in Manchester — also picked up the community pharmacy of the year award

QOFs fail to improve health

The GP contract, which ties GPs’ payment to achieving clinical indicators, is driving a wedge between doctors and patients, and is failing to bring about improvements in health, according to a report “Checking up on doctors” by the independent think-tank Civitas published in November 2008

PSNC supports system based on needs assessment to replace current control-of-entry test

Replacing the current control-of-entry test for new pharmacy contracts with a system based on pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) is supported by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee in its response to the pharmacy White Paper consultation on legislative reform in England

Acinetobacter is health problem

Multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii has been highlighted as a growing public health concern in a review published

More resistant infections

Some of the most common infections are becoming more resistant to antibiotic treatment, the second annual report (2006 to 2007) from the National Public Health Service for Wales’s antimicrobial resistance programme reveals

NICE sets up committee to collect evidence

A new independent advisory committee that will help build up a collection of reliable clinical and non-clinical evidence to be made available to NHS staff and others has been set up by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

e-Bug to help children

A new EU initiative, “e-Bug”, to teach children about the sensible use of antibiotics was demonstrated as part of the first Europeanantibiotic awareness day on 18 November 2008

Society campaign targets men

Around a third of men say they have never visited a pharmacy for advice

Pharmacists to lead Department of Health’s healthy living focus

Pharmacists will be at the front line of the Department of Health’s new focus on healthy living, said new health minister Phil Hope at the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee conference on 17 November 2008

Wound care

A new resource entitled “Best practice statement: optimising wound care” is now available

Pharmacy IT in Wales

The Welsh Pharmacy Board of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, in conjunction with Community Pharmacy Wales and the primary care informatics programme at the Welsh Assembly Government, has produced a series of fact sheets to raise awareness of developments in information technology in Wales

OIC toolkit

A resource entitled, “Opioid-induced constipation in palliative care: healthcare professionals toolkit”, is now available from Wyeth

Mental health

Information for family carers of mentally ill patients, including details of supportive family training events, is available from the website of the charity Caring4carers

Drug Tariff Updates: November 2008 prescriptions

The Department of Health and the National Assembly for Wales have agreed to allow “no cheaper stock obtainable” (NCSO) endorsements