Health
Online therapy to boost mental health for silent sufferers
A pioneering project to help people with mental health problems is launched today. The phone line and web site will allow sufferers to contact NHS mental health specialists without the need for a face-to-face meeting.
Retirement home gets residents digging with a new garden
Residents at a care home in Reigate are digging for victory again with a £10,000 garden designed to keep them young at heart. A sensory garden, meadow, fountain and back-friendly raised borders will be unveiled this Saturday at Priors Mead Retirement Home, Reigate.
The importance of good digestive health
This week is the UK’s 11th annual Gut Week (24th–30th August), which aims to raise awareness of gut disorders and the importance of good digestive health.
How to find the right contraceptive for you
With the myriad of contraceptive choices now available to modern women, finding the right one for you and your body is not always easy. Whether you’re returning to using contraception after having kids, or are keen to ensure you do not have a baby when you are not ready, it is important to choose the right one for you and your body.
Arthritis in children – Know the facts
Arthritis is often thought of as a condition that affects only older people. Yet in fact 27,000 young people under 25 live with the disease in the UK. About three quarters of children who get ongoing arthritis are girls, most often developing their symptoms between the ages of two and six.
Baby blues for new parents
Conflicting advice and peer pressure leaves new parents spending the first year feeling confused and isolated, according to a new study.
Stars come out for Reigate retirement home
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has awarded Priors Mead retirement home in Reigate with an ‘excellent three star rating’ – the highest possible in the industry.
Over 65s urged to review their medication
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is urging older people to review the medication they are taking, as new research released by the Society reveals that millions of over 65s in Britain are taking a cocktail of medicines without fully understanding what they are, or the side effects they may be suffering from.
UK teenagers turning to alcohol to relieve boredom
British teenagers are turning to alcohol to relieve boredom according to a new survey launched this week by alcohol charity Drinkaware. Nearly one in 10 young people aged 16 and 17 (8 per cent) drink at least once a week simply because they are bored*.
‘Dodgy Cigs’ roadshow visits Staffordshire
This weekend the Stop Smoking Service will show smokers in Newcastle-under-Lyme they are getting more than they bargain for if they buy ‘dodgy’ tobacco products.
Should alternative therapy practitioners be regulated?
A consultation on whether, and if so, how, practitioners of acupuncture, herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine should be regulated was launched this week by the Department of Health.
Awareness campaign launched as measles rises
Measles vaccination rates are still far lower than levels needed to protect the population. This is despite the finding of a new Department of Health survey that over 90 per cent of parents are aware it is the best way to protect their child.
NHS apprenticeships to boost jobs for young people
Health Secretary Andy Burnham has announced NHS organisations will receive a total of £25 million to create 5,000 new NHS apprenticeships by March 2010.
Driving Luton to go smoke free
Luton Borough Council and Luton Stop Smoking Services (LSSS) have joined forces to deliver a new project, which aims to keep commercial vehicles in the town smoke free and raise awareness of the health risks of smoking.
Simple measures keep older people fit and healthy
Simple measures such as good footcare, sight tests and light exercise can help older people live better, Care Service Minister Phil Hope said today as he launched the Older People’s Prevention Package.