Briton With Ebola Cured After Taking New Drug

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 28 Maret 2015 | 16.12

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A British military health worker has been declared free of Ebola after being the first patient in the world treated with an experimental drug.

Corporal Anna Cross, 25, was admitted to the Royal Free Hospital on 12 March after contracting the disease.

She said she decided to allow doctors to use MIL 77, which they acquired from China, after "careful consideration".

Speaking at a news conference in London, she recalled her response when asked whether she was prepared to try the experimental drug.

"I said: 'I have Ebola, so I'd rather that than high-dose vitamin C. I'll have what drugs you think are good for me,'" she told reporters.

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Gallery: The Desperate Fight To Contain The Ebola Outbreak

A man rests outside the clinic.

A woman is comforted after medical officials remove her husband, who is suspected of having the disease.

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Officials try to prevent themselves from spreading the disease.

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A local who has just brought his brother to the centre. He had to rely on plastic bags tied around his hands to try to protect himself.

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A man thought to be infected with ebola waits for treatment.

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MIL 77 is a close relative of ZMapp, which scientists claimed healed 18 monkeys given a lethal dose of Ebola.

Doctors at the hospital acquired the drug from a company in China and Cpl Cross chose to be treated with the MIL 77 following "careful consideration," she said.

Cpl Cross thanked the medical team who looked after her and added she cried when she heard she was free of the virus.

"They are an absolutely incredible bunch of clinicians; incredibly skilled, incredibly intelligent," she said. "Thanks to them, I'm alive."

Cpl Cross had been working at a British built Ebola crisis centre in Kerry Town, southwest of the capital Freetown when she was diagnosed with the disease.

She was evacuated back to the UK by the RAF after becoming the third Briton to test positive for the virus.

"I was diagnosed by one of the military doctors out there," she said. "They did a blood test on me, then they came and told me personally. It was somebody that I knew really well, and I knew they were gutted to tell me."

Describing how she dealt with being treated as a patient after working as a nurse at the facility, Ms Cross said the experience of others in the hospital made her strong.

"I had treated a patient in the facility and the next day I was sitting with him. So it was nice, in a sense, because I felt like we were having the same experience.

"I have seen patients who got really sick and died but he was doing really well, which was encouraging for me."

Cpl Cross said her family were delighted to learn of her recovery.

"They are really thrilled. They are fighting to look after me at the moment," she said.

Although she has no plans to return to Sierra Leone, Cpl Cross intends to rejoin the military as soon as she is fit again.

"I have to do a lot of physical work, it is going to take me a long time," she said.

British nurses Pauline Cafferkey and Will Pooley also contracted the disease in Sierra Leone and both survived the disease after being treated in the UK.

The current outbreak of Ebola has killed more than 10,000 people in West Africa.

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Written By Unknown on Jumat, 27 Maret 2015 | 16.12

Every day a parent is arrested on suspicion of leaving one or more of their children at home alone, according to new research.

A study by the Press Association found 105 mothers and fathers faced criminal investigation for leaving youngsters unsupervised in the last three months of last year.

The cases involved children aged between just a few weeks old and 14 years old.

There is no law to specify at what age children can be left alone - but if they're placed at risk parents can be arrested and prosecuted for cruelty and neglect.

Figures provided by police forces in England and Wales following Freedom of Information (FoI) requests showed that 30 of those arrested were released without further action, 24 accepted a police caution and 19 were charged.

In other cases, investigations were ongoing or details of how suspects were dealt with were not available.

Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming, who has called on the Government to provide clarity over the issue, said it was difficult to comment on whether police actions covered by the FoI responses were reasonable without knowing the circumstances of individual cases but described the findings as "important research".

"Parents often get confused by what is happening," he said.

"The Government claims that the judgement as to whether it is right to leave a child home alone is made by the parents. However, in fact the judgement is made by the police and local council workers.

"Potentially, someone who leaves a baby in a car seat in a petrol station could face prosecution. Similarly, whereas an eight-year old can be sent to go swimming or to the park on their own, they are not allowed to stay at home (alone). There does need to be more clarity on this.

"This is where the state interfaces into ordinary life and people's lives can be massively disrupted merely for doing what they thought was right for their children."

Chris Cloke, head of child protection awareness at the NSPCC, said: "Children mature at different rates so it's vital we have a common sense approach that ensures flexibility for parents, as they are best-placed to know what is right for their child."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Policeman Held For Allegedly Murdering Wife

A policeman has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife at their home in Northampton.

The 49-year-old, who is a serving officer with Northamptonshire Police, was held after police arrived at a house in Wootton Hall Park at around 1pm on Thursday.

He has been taken into custody and will be questioned by detectives from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit.

A post-mortem examination is to be carried out by a Home Office pathologist in Leicester.

Det Supt Kate Meynell said: "A full and proper investigation is taking place.

"Northamptonshire Police will not be making any further comment on this investigation at this stage."

The incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as a matter of course.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

One Quarter Of Students Consider Sex Work

By Becky Johnson, North Of England Correspondent

Nearly a quarter of students in the UK have considered sex work as a way to fund their time at University.

A study carried out by academics at Swansea University has found that 5% of students have actually worked in the sex industry.

More than half of those said they did so in order to pay for basic living expenses.

In a lap dancing club in Liverpool one of the dancers who calls herself "Isobel" when at work told Sky News she began working as a stripper when she realised how much money she could earn.

She is on one of the most competitive courses at a top university and says the bar job she had previously meant working many more hours a week, which interfered with her studies.

"What I earn in a week is what I'd earn in a month in the bar job, so it just kind of made sense to me to work here rather than do that." she said.

"I think it's a no-brainer for anyone really. Rather than doing all those hours I do less than half the amount of time for a lot more money - three times as much money. It's crazy."

Other students are prepared to go further, advertising themselves as escorts on adult-only websites.

One student who works as a prostitute agreed to speak to Sky News on the condition that we did not reveal her identity.

"I think it is still very much stigmatised and that can make life very difficult for student sex workers," she said.

"It isn't something for everybody, and that's totally fine, but it was the best choice of the choices that I had available to me."

"Obviously I think there should be a better funded education system - I think there should be grants for students.

"But at the minute while we don't have any of that support or money in place this is the best option."

The debate over the cost of going to university will continue ahead of the General Election, with Labour pledging to cut tuition fees by a third to £6,000 a year.

In the three years since fees were raised to £9,000 the students union at Manchester University has been contacted by more students who are working in the sex industry.

Women's Officer Jess Lishak told Sky News: "We've definitely seen an increase in the people we see in our advice centre that are turning to sex work.

"In terms of the reasons for that, there's a huge variety and I think it's too complex to break down to just fees, just austerity, just cuts. They all play a part".

The Student Sex Work Project has found that while 56% of students who engage in sex work said they do so to pay for basic living costs, 45% said it was to avoid debt and 39% said it was to reduce debt at the end of their course.

Dr Tracey Sagar, who jointly led the research, said: "We now have firm evidence that students are engaged in the sex industry across the UK.

"The majority of these students keep their occupations secret and this is because of social stigma and fears of being judged by family and friends.

"And, we have to keep in mind that not all students engaged in the industry are safe or feel safe.

"It is vital now that universities arm themselves with knowledge to better understand student sex work issues and that university services are able to support students where support is needed."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prince Charles 'Black Spider Memos' Ruling Due

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 26 Maret 2015 | 16.12

By Rhiannon Mills, Royal Correspondent

The UK's highest appeal court is set to rule whether the government acted unlawfully by preventing the release of Prince Charles' so-called "black spider memos".

The judgement from the Supreme Court is the latest step in a fierce 10-year legal battle to establish what the Prince has written to politicians about, and whether in the process he has overstepped the mark of political neutrality.

The notes have become known as the "black spider memos" because of the Prince's sprawling handwriting.

In 2005, Guardian journalist Rob Evans submitted a Freedom of Information request to find out how many letters Prince Charles had written to MPs between September 2004 and April 2005.

He told Sky News he has been amazed at just how drawn out the process had been, as the Government has fought to keep the memos private.

"There's a lot of talk and speculation about what Prince Charles writes to the Government about and I just think actually we should get to see those letters and be able to make up our own minds, whether or not we think he should be doing that and whether or not they're important," he said.

Last year, judges at the Court of Appeal ruled the Attorney General, on behalf of the government, had "no good reason" to stop the 27 letters from being released.

But in a final attempt to prevent their publication, the government has turned to the Supreme Court to ask them to overturn that ruling.

It has been argued that any perception that Prince Charles disagreed with ministers would be seriously damaging to his role as future monarch.

Prince Charles is well known for his strong opinions on a range of topics from the environment and farming, to complementary medicine and architecture, and he has always argued his campaigning is a catalyst for change.

But there are those who believe, as heir to the throne, he goes too far, potentially straying into party-political matters.

We know he has written to politicians and prime ministers for at least the past 40 years.

Paul Richards was a special advisor to a number of Labour MPs and saw the impact his letters would have.

He said: "It was treated as though it had come down from the mountainside and treated like holy writ, taken straight into the private office of the minister, put on top of the pile for the minister's attention and then interestingly acted upon very soon afterwards in a way that no other organisation I can think of would have the same sort of interest and then action."

It is unclear what the 27 letters are about but they were written to seven government departments, including the Cabinet Office.

Catherine Mayer, author of 'Charles - The Heart of a King', has spoken to MPs, friends and staff who have all received letters from the Prince, often delivered inside three envelopes for extra security.

She believes most of the memos may be fairly mundane.

She said: "For Clarence House, they are in a no-win situation here.

"If the letters come out clearly there will be some embarrassment relating to maybe a couple of them, if they do not it will look like they have had assistance to bury something, they can't win," she said.

Even if the Supreme Court judges rule in favour of The Guardian, it is unclear when the letters would be released.

However, whatever the judgement, the letters continue to hold a wider significance, representing the uneasy balance between a Prince's privacy and the public's right to scrutinise the man preparing to be king.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pothole Repairs To Cost '12bn And Take 13 Years'

It will cost more than £12bn and will take 13 years to fix all the potholes on roads in England and Wales, a report has claimed.

Despite more being filled in, the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) claims the cash spent on repairs in the last 12 months has been "wasted".

The group's annual survey also found an increase in the amount paid in compensation to motorists in England to more than £20m.

Local authority staffing costs, to process the claims, have increased to around £18m, the report said.

Alan Mackenzie, chairman of the AIA, said: "Essentially, the money spent on filling the 2.7 million potholes reported is wasted - it is inefficient and short term in its effectiveness.

"So, while we understand that the Department for Transport is promoting permanent repairs, the point remains that money would be better spent preventing potholes forming in the first place.

"The £6bn of funding pledged between 2015 and 2021 is welcome, and hopefully will be confirmed by an incoming government.

"But the truth is that although it sounds like a big investment, it will only be enough for local authorities to tread water and it will do nothing to tackle the backlog or prevent continuing deterioration."

Peter Box, transport spokesman at the Local Government Association, said: "Councils need billions, not millions, to bring our roads up to scratch.

"Every mile of motorways and trunk roads will receive £1.4m funding over the next six years compared with £31,000 per mile for local roads.

"This makes little sense given the Government's own traffic projections predict an increase in local traffic of more than 40% by 2040."

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Well maintained local roads are vital for our transport network and it is for local councils to maintain them properly."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lloyds Share Sale Raises Another Â£500m

Another chunk of shares in Lloyds Banking Group has been sold back to private hands by the Treasury.

The disposal of the 1% holding takes the taxpayers' stake in the bank to just below 22%.

The Government has so far raised a total of £9bn from Lloyds share sales and a dividend payment since the £20bn bailout in exchange for a 40% stake at the height of the financial crisis.

The Chancellor George Osborne announced in December he planned an "orderly and measured" sell-off of up to 5% over six months, raising about £3bn.

He pledged then that no shares would be sold below the price the Labour Government paid for them, which was 73.6p.

Lloyds closed at 80.5p last night.

Mr Osborne tweeted today: "We have raised a further £500m through Lloyds share sales.

"£9bn now recovered & being used to pay down our national debt."

He had confirmed in his Budget earlier this month that the Government planned to sell a further £9bn of shares.

A Lloyds spokesman said on Thursday: "Today's announcement shows the further progress made in returning Lloyds Banking Group to full private ownership and enabling the taxpayer to get their money back.

"This reflects the hard work undertaken over the last four years to transform the group into a low-risk and customer-focused bank that is committed to helping Britain prosper."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Infected Blood Donations: Warnings Ignored

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 25 Maret 2015 | 16.12

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

A public inquiry into why thousands of people were infected by contaminated blood donations has found warnings were ignored by the NHS, Sky News has learned.

The report, by Lord Penrose, also criticises a medical team in Edinburgh for failing to inform patients they were HIV positive until several years after diagnosis.

The judge is publishing his findings today, following a public inquiry into the scandal.

It was ordered by the Scottish Government and has looked at around 480 Scottish cases.

There has been no equivalent inquiry south of the border, although campaigners hope the Scottish process will help the fight for compensation of around 7,000 victims across the UK.

Sky News understands that following publication of the Penrose inquiry report, the Scottish Government will issue an apology to those affected.

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Gallery: Hepatitis C: The Facts

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The victims are mostly haemophiliacs who were infected by HIV and hepatitis C after being given contaminated blood or blood products in the 1970s and 80s.

Haemophiliacs need an agent to help clot their blood, but 30 years ago, many were given clotting agents from infected blood.

Donations had come made from a variety of risk groups, including prisoners in American jails who had given blood for money which was was then sold on to the NHS in Britain.

Lord Penrose has established that a series of warnings were ignored by the NHS.

After Britain's first case of AIDS in Cardiff in the early 80s, a senior public official called for the Department of Health to ban US imports of the clotting agent, Factor 8, because of the risk of infection.

Haemophilia campaign groups believe that if the warnings had been heeded, a "disaster" could have been averted.

Bill Wright, Chair of Haemophilia Scotland, told Sky News: "For far too many people, there are too many unanswered questions with this whole disaster. One of the things that I think people generally feel that they want to see is the truth, whatever that is."

"Whether that is achievable remains to be seen, frankly, because far too many people have died, far too many medical records have gone missing, there are one or two key official documents that have gone missing, and some of the key expert witnesses are no longer with us either."

Lord Penrose is critical of an NHS haemophilia unit in Edinburgh for not telling patients they were infected with HIV.

One of them, Robert Mackie, became HIV positive in 1984 but wasn't informed by medical staff until 1987.

Fortunately, he did not pass the virus on to his wife, family or anyone else.

Mr Mackie told Sky News: "It's unacceptable. I could have infected my wife, I could have infected family, I could have infected friends.

"Fortunately for the world community, I was not promiscuous. The risks were horrendous."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Armed Officers Cleared Over Mark Duggan Death

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Police involved in the fatal shooting of a suspected gang member whose death sparked the worst riots in modern English history have been cleared of any wrongdoing.

The armed officers were cleared by the police watchdog - the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) - following a three-and-a-half year investigation.

But the IPCC has called for urgent improvements in the accountability of police operations.

It found a lack of audio or video material made it impossible to know with certainty exactly what happened when Mark Duggan died in Tottenham, north London, in August 2011.

All radio communications taking place during undercover firearms operations should be recorded, the IPCC recommended.

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Gallery: In Pictures: Duggan Vigil

Around 200 people gathered outside Tottenham Police Station, including Mark Duggan's mother Pam (centre)

Carole Duggan, Mark's aunt, spoke at the vigil

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She said "we have to remember Mark is not the first person to die at the hands of the police"

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The crowds gathered to protest against deaths in police custody

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The occasion was an emotional one for Mark's mother

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In addition, covert armed response vehicles should be fitted with in car data recording systems, the watchdog said.

The report was dismissed as "plainly wrong" by representatives from the Duggan family, who immediately called for a supplementary report to address a series of concerns.

Those concerns included evidence relating to the whereabouts of a weapon found in the wake of the shooting, the family said.

Violence and looting broke out across London, Birmingham, Manchester and other cities after 29-year-old Mr Duggan was shot.

The shooting happened after Metropolitan Police firearms officers brought the mini-cab in which he was travelling to a halt.

IPCC deputy chair Rachel Cerfontyne said: "This death has had huge ramifications for the Tottenham community and beyond.

"This has meant all of those directly involved, the family and police officers have had to endure a huge amount of public scrutiny.

"If implemented, my recommendations would not only shorten the investigative process, they would provide investigators with immediate, accurate and incontrovertible evidence, which would be of benefit to all."

Last year, an inquest jury found Mr Duggan's death at the hands of the armed officer was lawful, sparking outrage among his family.

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Gallery: Tottenham Explodes - August 2011

Tottenham erupted in major violence on Saturday night after a peaceful protest against the death of a 29-year-old man.

Two police patrol cars, a building and a double-decker bus were torched as rioters clashed with officers in front of Tottenham Police Station.

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Mr Duggan, believed to be a member of the Tottenham Man Dem gang, was travelling in a minicab which was subject to a "hard stop".

A "hard stop" refers to when a number of police vehicles surround a suspect vehicle, supported by specialist firearms officers.

The taxi was brought to a halt under a Metropolitan Police intelligence led operation code-named Dibri.

The operation started in January 2009 in response to rising tensions between organised criminal networks in north London.

In the days before his death, Scotland Yard had received intelligence that suggested Mr Duggan was seeking to get hold of a gun.

Officers believed he planned to pick up a gun from another man, Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, and then move on to Broadwater Farm, also in Tottenham.

Hutchinson-Foster has since been found guilty of supplying a gun to Mr Duggan.

Intelligence received justified the use of an armed surveillance operation against Mr Duggan, the IPCC found.

It was also "reasonable" for the Tactical Firearms Commander to stop the minicab to recover the firearm and detain Mr Duggan, the IPCC found.

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Gallery: Evidence At Mark Duggan Inquest

The scene of the shooting of Mark Duggan in photographs released as evidence at the inquest into his death.

A diagram explains what can be seen in the first image.

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The watchdog also found no evidence to undermine V53's claim that he saw a firearm in Mr Duggan's right hand.

Nor was there evidence to undermine V53's claim that he saw Mr Duggan's right arm beginning to move, leading him to fear for his life or that of his colleagues.

But the investigators found there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the firearms officers did - or did not - shout "armed police".

And it was not possible to determine the exact positions of V53 and Mr Duggan.

Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Patricia Gallan said: "It may be almost four years since the death of Mark Duggan but I do not underestimate the impact his death still has on his family, the community and the officers involved."

She went on: "Last year the jury at the inquest found that our officers acted lawfully when they confronted an armed criminal who they believed posed a threat to them and to the public.

"And now the IPCC, having examined all of the evidence, have produced a report which says that the operation was appropriate in the circumstances and the IPCC found no wrongdoing or misconduct for any armed officer involved in the police operation."

Ms Gallan added: "There is of course an opportunity for us to improve and the recommendations will now be carefully reviewed by both ourselves and the Association of Chief Police Officers."

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Written By Unknown on Selasa, 24 Maret 2015 | 16.12

Survival rates for cancer in the UK are trailing behind other European countries by 10 years, a charity has warned.

Macmillan Cancer Support analysed the most recent results from global research into cancer survival and found many countries were doing better in the 1990s than the UK has managed to date.

The charity's chief executive has urged political leaders to commit to tackling the "shameful" survival rates ahead of the General Election.

"This analysis exposes the harsh reality that because UK cancer survival rates are lagging so far behind the rest of Europe, people are dying needlessly," Lynda Thomas said.

"What we can see here is that better cancer survival rates are not unachievable.

"If countries like Sweden, France, Finland and Austria can achieve these rates, then the UK can and should bridge the gap."

While 14% of patients in Austria diagnosed with lung cancer between 1995 and 1999 survived, just 10% of patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2009 in the UK have done so.

Between 2005 and 2009, 19% of people with stomach cancer survived in the UK - the figure was 31% for those diagnosed in Italy between 1995 and 1999 and 30% in Austria.

Just over half (54%) of people diagnosed with colon cancer in the UK between 2005 and 2009 survived, but 59% for those diagnosed in Finland between 1995 and 1999 survived.

While 81% of people diagnosed with the most common type of the disease - breast cancer - between 2005 and 2009 in the UK survived, 84% did in Sweden and France during the earlier period, and 83% did in Italy.

National clinical director for cancer at NHS England Sean Duffy said: "We are diagnosing and treating more people than ever before in this country and as a result the NHS is helping more people than ever survive cancer.

"We have come on leaps and bounds since this 2009 data highlighted by Macmillan, but we have an ambition to save even more lives and it's time to take a fresh look at how we can do better."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Claudia Lawrence: Man Arrested For Murder

A man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Claudia Lawrence, who disappeared six years ago.

North Yorkshire Police say searches are currently being conducted which are expected to continue over a number of days.

A police spokesman said Miss Lawrence has not been found.

Her family have been told about the development and are being supported by trained officers.

Miss Lawrence's father Peter said in a statement that the development was "encouraging".

"It is encouraging to know that following all the media activity over the last three weeks from Claudia's 41st birthday to the sixth anniversary of her being missing, North Yorkshire police continue to be active in seeking answers as to what has happened to Claudia," he said.

"It is to be hoped that the matter can be resolved as soon as possible and I encourage people to continue to come forward with information to the police by phoning them on 101."

The man, who is from the York area, was arrested by police on Monday.

Sky's North of England Correspondent Gerard Tubb said the arrest is linked to the screening of CCTV by police close to Miss Lawrence's home last week.

Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, of North Yorkshire Police, said it was crucial to the case that the arrested man was not identified - including on social media.

"I urge everyone to show restraint and patience while we carry out these very important enquiries," he said.

Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen on 18 March, 2009.

She was reported missing by her father the next day when she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at York University, where she worked as a chef.

Police started reviewing the case in 2013 and have carried out a number of searches since then, including a detailed re-examination of Miss Lawrence's home in the Heworth area of York, and a fingertip search of an alleyway that leads to the rear of the house.

A man was arrested last year in connection with her disappearance and suspected murder, but the 60-year-old was later released without charge.

A 47-year-old remains on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

On the sixth anniversary of her disappearance last week, police released new CCTV footage of two people seen walking near Miss Lawrence's home on the evening she vanished.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

NHS Paid Â£3,258 For One Doctor's A&E Shift

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

An NHS hospital paid more than £3,200 for a locum doctor to cover a single 24-hour A&E shift over the Christmas and New Year crisis, a Sky News investigation has found.

So short staffed were some trusts between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day that more than half the shifts in their emergency departments were worked by locum medics, often at huge expense.

Figures obtained by Sky News show that four hospitals paid more than £2,000 for A&E consultants to work a shift, with the highest bill being the £3,258 paid by United Lincolnshire NHS Trust for a doctor to work for 24 hours.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust paid the equivalent of more than £230 an hour for one doctor.

Three hospitals paid more than £1,700 for nurses on single shifts.

At Royal Berkshire, one agency was paid £1,875 for a nurse to work 12 hours on New Year's Day, the equivalent of £156.25 an hour.

Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust paid £156 an hour for a nurse and North Bristol NHS Trust paid £144.

At Airedale NHS Foundation Trust almost three quarters - 71% - of the shifts over that period were covered by a locum doctor.

Some 58% of shifts were filled by locums at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and 52% at Royal Bolton Hospital.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust had to find agency nurses for 43% of shifts, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust used them for 32% of shifts and Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust for 25%.

The figures were obtained by a Freedom of Information request.

Some 75 out of the 140 trusts replied to questions about how their emergency departments were staffed between 24 December 2014 and 1 January.

In February this year, MPs on the Public Accounts Committee claimed senior A&E doctors were profiting from staff shortages by working for locum agencies.

Experts said that competition between hospitals to fill shifts during what was the busiest Christmas period on record meant that the prices being charged by locum agencies soared.

Dr Clifford Mann, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: "Market forces really are quite extreme currently, with the lack of permanent people to employ.

"It means hospitals are desperate to try to find people to fill these slots and are having to pay super premium rates for that to happen.

"It can be very demoralising to be working alongside somebody with much less experience, much more junior, who is earning a multiple income compared to you in terms of the pounds paid per hour."

Mick Corti, of the London Procurement Partnership which negotiates on behalf of the capital's hospitals to drive costs down, said that agencies were sometimes collecting fees of up to £100 an hour before paying the doctors and nurses themselves.

"There is almost competition on what you are able to pay and by paying more you think you can increase the supply of the agency nurse or doctor, but you are not - you are pinching that nurse or doctor from wherever else they might have worked and then they have a problem.

"You get an inflationary spiral where one trust is competing against another, and that is what the NHS needs to move away from and try to hold firm. Pay appropriate rates and stick to it."

:: Top Five Doctor Payments:

United Lincolnshire NHS Trust -- £3,257

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust -- £2,142

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust -- £2,099

Croydon Health Services -- £2,000

University Hospital South Manchester -- £1,625

:: Top Five Nurse Payments:

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust -- £1,875

Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust -- £1,798

North Bristol NHS Trust -- £1,728

West Middlesex University Hospital -- £1,462

University Hospitals of Leicester -- £1,416

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woman Killed In Dog Attack: Man Charged

Written By Unknown on Senin, 23 Maret 2015 | 16.12

A 23-year-old man charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act after the death of a woman is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates' Court today.

Police were called to a house in the Ely area of Cardiff on Friday night after a 64-year-old woman suffered serious injuries when she was attacked by a dog.

Despite attempts by officers and paramedics to save her, the woman later died at the University Hospital of Wales.

The 23-year-old has been charged with two offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

A 17-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the attack is on police bail.

Superintendent Andy Valentine, of South Wales Police, said: "This is a tragic incident, which I know will shock and upset the local community.

"The woman's family are understandably extremely distressed and are being supported by specially trained police officers.

"I would like to reassure local residents that this is an isolated incident and a thorough police investigation into what happened on Friday is being conducted.

"I would also like to thank the local community for their support and co-operation during the investigation so far."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ashya 'Saved By Therapy Denied By NHS'

Five-year-old Ashya King's life has been saved by specialist proton beam therapy, not available for him on the NHS, his parents have said.

Naghmeh and Brett King, who sparked an international manhunt last summer by removing their son from a UK hospital without medical consent for brain tumour treatment abroad, said Ashya was now cancer-free.

Mrs King described the news as "a miracle".

"If we had left Ashya with the NHS in Britain, he would not be with us today," she told the Sun newspaper.

"He was too weak and would not have survived."

Ashya was finally allowed to undergo treatment at the Proton Therapy Centre (PTC) in Prague for brain cancer after a long legal battle fought by his parents.

Mr King said his son's condition now justifies their actions in taking him from Southampton General Hospital last August, to Spain where they have a holiday home.

He said: "We have saved his life", adding that they would do the same thing again if they felt they had to.

The Kings were arrested in Spain and spent several nights in prison away from their son, before being released.

A High Court judge approved the move to take Ashya to Prague for proton therapy, which the PTC said is more effective than the radiotherapy Ashya was being offered on the NHS.

It limits the collateral damage of radiation to other vital organs, such as the heart and liver in Ashya's case.

This would lead to less severe long-term side-effects including heart and breathing problems.

The therapy was not available for him on the NHS, although the health service later agreed to fund Ashya's treatment.

The family, who have previously spoken of their apprehension over returning to the UK for fear social services would get involved, are staying in Marbella where Ashya will continue his recovery.

The Sun quoted a report from the PTC which stated that the oncology department "could speculate that Proton Therapy received could be sufficient to sterilise sites of possible future relapses of the tumour and chemotherapy could deteriorate the quality of life of Ashya".

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Jail Conditions Back To 'Time Of Strangeways'

Prison conditions are as bad as they were at the time of the Strangeways riots 25 years ago, a former lord chief justice has warned.

Lord Woolf - who led the inquiry into trouble at the Manchester jail - said the system is in crisis again and called for an investigation into the state of Britain's prisons.

Lord Woolf, previously England's most senior judge, said: "There are things that are better now than then but I fear we've allowed ourselves to go backwards and we're back where we were at the time of Strangeways.

"For a time after the riot things were much better and numbers were going down.

Unfortunately prisoners are again being kept in conditions that we should not tolerate, they're a long way from home and their families can't keep in touch with them - a whole gamut of things that need to be done and that's why I would welcome a thorough re-look at the situation and above all trying to take prisons out of politics."

Two people died, hundreds more were injured and much of Strangeways prison was destroyed during violence which lasted for 25 days in April 1990.

Lord Woolf's report into the disturbance was seen as a landmark moment in the history of Britain's prisons.

It identified dilapidated, overcrowded and insanitary conditions as the main underlying causes of trouble.

Lord Woolf made his latest intervention on BBC Inside Out North West, which will be broadcast tonight.

He said more needs to be done to stop prisoners from turning to crime again once they are released.

Last week a parliamentary report warned government cuts and reforms to the prisons system in England and Wales have made a "significant contribution" to a deterioration in safety over the last two years.

The cross-party House of Commons Justice Committee voiced "grave concern" over increases in assaults on staff and inmates, suicides, self-harm and indiscipline in prisons between 2012 and 2014.

Prisons Minister Andrew Selous said: "This Government has considerably increased the adult male prison capacity from the level inherited at the end of the last parliament.

"All prisons have safe population levels and published statistics show that crowding is at its lowest levels since 2007/08.

"Staffing levels were agreed with both prison governors and the unions at the outset, and prison officers have done an excellent job during a period when the prison population has unpredictably risen."

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Military Families 'Swept Under The Carpet'

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 22 Maret 2015 | 16.12

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

Families of soldiers killed fighting for the British military have said the sacrifice of their loved ones should be acknowledged in the General Election.

A letter sent to the leaders of the main political parties by some 60 families said they had been "swept under the carpet" and asked for five pledges in their election manifestos.

Among their requests is a commitment to hold an Afghan inquiry and to give the next Defence Minister responsibility for bereaved families as part of their portfolio.

The letter also demands a review of the Armed Forces Covenant and military wills.

"We believe this is essential in demonstrating your commitment to those who have been prepared to lay down their lives for the greater good of our country," the letter reads.

"The families left behind and to future generations prepared to make those same selfless sacrifices as their commitment to our country and its people."

Lucy Aldridge's son William was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. Rifleman Aldridge was the youngest British soldier to die in the conflict. She is one of the signatories.

"There is nobody there. There is no recognition that there is a lack of support and has been for decades. Successive governments have forgotten about us," she said.

"Because deaths in the military are so often sudden and violent, bereaved families can suffer from a very acute form of depression after the loss of their loved ones. We feel there is very little understanding of that from the authorities we turn to for help."

The group wants politicians to recognise that their situation is unique.

Julie Philips' husband Michael was the only British soldier killed in Sierra Leone.

She said: "We do need the support. It's not just about financial support. It's about having somebody there who can oversee and say right, these forces families have all been through the same thing.

"It doesn't matter if it is Iraq, Afghan, an accident, or suicide. If there was support there, then more families could come together."

Families of dead soldiers are often subject to intense media attention at the time. They have to watch the coffin return in a public repatriation which is often broadcast on television, and must attend an inquest into their death often months if not years after the event.

Many of them have created an informal forum on Facebook to share advice and support. There is no official Government or Military equivalent.

Unable to cope with her loss, Ms Aldridge attempted suicide in 2013.

"It isn't just our loved ones who serve, we serve too," she said.

"We're the ones pacing the floor when they're deployed. We're the ones concerned about getting that knock on the door, and when it does happen you hope there will be some long-term support to help you, and there just isn't.

"It feels like once a conflict is over and the publicity dies down, our loved ones are remembered on memorials but we're forgotten about and our concerns are swept under the carpet.

"We need to learn from past conflicts. I'm finding more families are coming up with the same issues and there just isn't anyone to represent us who can look at those issues and actually deal with them."

David Cameron has written to the families and promised the Conservatives will consider the suggestions for their forthcoming manifesto.

Ed Miliband has told Sky News that he will write to the families shortly.

"The whole country honours the memories of members of the Armed Forces who pay the ultimate sacrifice in defending us," he said.

"We must also honour bereaved families who must live with the grief of having lost a son or daughter, father or mother, husband or wife.

"We are very grateful for the proposals put forward by Bereaved Military Families Support UK. We will examine them in detail and respond to the specific suggestions."

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MPs 'Putting Lives At Risk Over Legal Highs'

By Poppy Trowbridge, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

Political parties are being urged to commit to a ban on the sale of so-called legal highs in their manifestos, or risk putting thousands of young people at risk ahead of the summer music festival season.

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) says MPs have been "too slow" in recognising the dangers and legislating to protect consumers from such products, despite the public's desire for a ban.

According to new research seen by Sky News, three-quarters of the public want the sale of legal highs on the high street to be banned.

Shirley Cramer, chief executive of the RSPH, said politicians have not made the issue a big enough priority and as a result have "put a lot of people at risk".

She told Sky News: "Particularly at this time of the year, with the election fast approaching, a ban on legal highs is not included in the manifestos and we believe that would really be something the public would welcome."

The RSPH says consumer protection regulations should be enforced to remove legal products which are marketed in a misleading way.

Furthermore, it says the marketing of products with brand names such as White Stuff, Go-Caine and Mary Jane normalises drug taking.

Ms Cramer added: "Disclaimers that these products are not for human consumption are merely a fig leaf and it is highly irresponsible for them to be marketed in a 'nudge-nudge, wink-wink' manner."

Around three million people attend summer music festivals each year, according to research by Festival Insights, and 23% of festival-goers have taken drugs at an event.

The RSPH believe the number of those who could be tempted to try legal highs is even greater.

There were 101 new substances recorded in 2014, and at least 60 deaths related to legal highs.

Paul Reed, general manager of The Association of Independent Festivals, told Sky News: "The problem is many people equate 'legal' with 'safe'.

"We'd welcome legal changes that would make these substances less available."

Part of the difficulty in legislating against specific legal high substances is that the formulas are often slightly tweaked and then they are put back on the market.

While the Government is developing proposals for a general ban on the sale of legal highs, no specific plan has been put in place. Yet MPs have written to festivals asking them to put their own bans in operation.

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Nine UK Medical Students 'Working In Syria'

Nine British medics are reported to have travelled from Sudan to Syria to work in hospitals in areas controlled by Islamic State.

The four men and five women crossed into Syria last week without warning their parents, according to The Observer. One of the women informed her family of the trip via Whatsapp, it is claimed.

The students had been studying in Sudan because their parents wanted them to experience a more Islamic culture, but they were born and raised in Britain.

Turkish politician Mehmet Ali Ediboglu, who is assisting the families, told the newspaper the students had travelled to Syria to "help, not to fight".

One of the girls, Lena Maumoon Abdulqadir, is said to have told her relatives: "Don't worry about us, we've reached Turkey and are on our way to volunteer helping wounded Syrian people."

But some of the students' families are concerned the group may have gone to help by working as doctors for a militant group, possibly IS.

"She was living in [Africa] a land which needs a lot of doctors everywhere. Why would she go all the way to Syria for volunteering?" Lena's father Maumoon Abdulqadir told Turkey's Birgün newspaper.

"These kids were born and raised in England, but they were sent to Sudan to study at medical school," Mr Ediboglu told The Observer.

"I've asked the families why they sent their children to study there, and as I understood it, they wanted them to experience a more Islamic culture and not to forget their roots."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing consular assistance to the families. We have informed the Turkish police to try and ascertain their whereabouts.

"The best way for the public to help is to donate to or otherwise support UK-registered charities with ongoing relief operations."

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "The UK advises against all travel to Syria and parts of Iraq.

"Anyone who does travel to these areas, even for humanitarian reasons, is putting themselves in considerable danger."

It comes as British authorities continue efforts to trace three missing schoolgirls from east London who left Britain to join Islamic State.

Earlier, IS militants posted online what they say are the names, addresses and photos of 100 American military service members, and called upon its "brothers residing in America" to kill them.

The Pentagon said after the information was published on the internet it was investigating the matter.

"I can't confirm the validity of the information, but we are looking into it," a US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

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