'A&E nightmare robbed our son of a chance': Parents say NHS needs radical change
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Daily Mail
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BREAKING NEWS Australian man dies after catching a horrific virus spread by bats: NSW Health issues urgent warning
A man who contracted a rare virus after he was bitten by a bat has died. The man aged in his 50s, from northern NSW was rushed to hospital in a critical condition with bat lyssavirus. It was the first confirmed case of the virus in NSW, and the fourth case in Australia, according to authorities. He has since died in hospital, NSW Health confirmed on Thursday. 'While it is extremely rare to see a case of Australian bat lyssavirus, there is no effective treatment for it,' 'NSW Health reminds the community to avoid touching or handling bats, as any bat in Australia could carry lyssavirus. Infected bats can transmit the virus to humans when its saliva enters the body via a bat bite or scratch. 'It is crucial that anyone bitten or scratched by a bat seek urgent medical assessment.'
Times
2 hours ago
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Revolutionary MND drug should be given to all who need it
I know all too well the devastating impact of motor neurone disease (MND), a fatal disease that kills a third of people within a year of diagnosis, and more than half within two years. My son Rob inspired the nation through the courage he showed in sharing his story of having MND. In doing so, he helped to raise millions of pounds for research to help us towards a cure. Sadly, an effective treatment for this horrific disease didn't come in time for Rob. And a year on from his death, the same is still true for the vast majority of people with MND. But for the one in every 50 whose disease is caused by a particular genetic change, there is now a treatment that works. It's called tofersen, and it dramatically slows, even pauses, the progression of MND. It means that people taking it can now dare to dream and hope for many years of life. Tofersen has already been approved in the US and the EU, and in the UK is part of the way through the NHS approval process. While we wait for a decision, the company behind it, Biogen, is giving it for free to people who need it. This is a lifeline. People with MND simply don't have time to wait. The good news is that most people who could benefit from tofersen are now getting it. But shockingly, a small number — the MND Association estimates there are about 12 — have been told that their local NHS won't give it to them, even though the drug is free. The reason? They say they don't have the staff and bed space needed to administer it once a month. The MND Association has asked the government to intervene. But the government says it is down to individual NHS bodies, and so it can't get involved. This means that if you happen to be in an area where the local NHS will give you the drug, you get to live. If you don't, your condition will continue to deteriorate. There's nothing I would not have done to save my son, so for some people to know there's a treatment at long last — a free one — but not to be able to access it is just unbearable to think about. Not only is this tragic, but it's grossly unfair. It goes against the NHS Constitution's commitment to put the needs of patients before organisational boundaries. I was deeply touched by Keir Starmer calling those who carry on the fight for a cure for MND in Rob's memory as 'the best of our country'. He's right. They are. But when I think about the best of our country, I think about compassion and a sense of fairness. I'm asking the prime minister to act today to stop other families going through what I've gone through. He can tell the NHS to give everyone who could benefit from tofersen equal access to it. He should do so. Sign the Motor Neurone Disease Association's petition at
Telegraph
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Pharmacists may be handed power to prescribe weight loss jabs on NHS
Pharmacists could be given powers to prescribe weight loss drugs on the NHS under new plans to tackle Britain's obesity crisis. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, is looking at expanding the list of medics who are able to hand out the jab beyond GPs. The proposals will form part of a 10-year plan to boost the nation's health, which will be unveiled by Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday. Under the plans, the role of pharmacies in treating more minor conditions will be ramped up to make them a 'major player on NHS front line'. They will be given extra powers to help more patients who are suffering from issues like obesity, asthma, high blood pressure and diabetes. Mr Streeting said: 'I'm determined to get the care you need as close as possible to your home and, as pillars of our communities, pharmacies will play a vital role. 'The nation's high streets will join the front line of NHS care, as pharmacists get far more power to prescribe and manage a range of health conditions. Our Plan for Change will give patients greater choice and access to the right care, so your healthcare fits around your life – not the other way round.' Officials confirmed that, as part of the plans, they are exploring giving high street pharmacists the power to prescribe Wegovy and Mounjaro over the counter. Currently these drugs can only be given out on the NHS by a GP or a hospital clinician. This month, the health service announced that it would start prescribing Mounjaro, a weight-loss drug, for free to severe obesity sufferers. Around 250,000 people with a BMI of 40 or over and at least four conditions relating to obesity, including high blood pressure or heart disease, will benefit. Britons can also buy Mounjaro and Wegovy from licensed online pharmacies, which have prescribing powers, but it typically costs around £200 a month. Weight loss drugs designed as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes, has exploded in popularity recently after being adopted by celebrities and politicians. However, some former users have warned people against taking the jabs because of the side-effects, which can include nausea and vomiting. Under the new plans, pharmacists will also be encouraged to help obesity sufferers by offering them dietary counselling and lifestyle advice. Treating obesity costs the NHS around £11 billion a year and rising, which Mr Streeting has warned risks making the health service 'unsustainable'. Rates have doubled since the 1990s, including amongst the young, with more than one in five children now obese by the time they leave primary school. £215 million is wasted every year The Health Secretary is leading a push to divert patients with less serious conditions away from GP surgeries and hospitals to alleviate pressure on the NHS. High street pharmacies will have their role in delivering vaccination programmes and screening for risk of cardiovascular disease expanded. National Pharmacy Association research, released on Sunday, found that six million hours of A&E time could be saved every year by redirecting people. It said 325,000 people attended a hospital in 2023-24 with a sore throat or cold, 18,000 with insect bites and 196,000 with urinary tract infections. The NPA has estimated that £215 million is wasted every year treating patients in A&E when they could have attended a pharmacy instead. Ministers also plan to roll out the introduction of medicine-dispensing robots in high streets to free up pharmacists to spend more time with patients. Such robots are used in Singapore, which Mr Streeting visited last year on a fact-finding mission about the use of technology in health services.
