EXCLUSIVE Nurse issues urgent Mounjaro warning: Common mistake puts patients at risk of deadly organ damage
Dubbed the 'king kong' of weight loss injections, Mounjaro can now be prescribed by GPs free of charge under NHS guidelines in a bid to tackle the ongoing obesity crisis.
But the injections often come with side effects ranging from severe dehydration, nausea and even pancreatitis––which health professionals say could be avoided with a simple blood test.
Ms Rachel Joy, the chief clinical officer at SheMed, a private healthcare provider, said: 'The safest way for people to use these jabs is through mandatory metabolic blood screening.'
She continued: 'These blood tests help identify any underlying health issues that need to be managed before a patient starts the programme, or if the treatment is entirely unsuitable.'
Blood tests can test for liver function, thyroid problems, uncontrolled pre-diabetes and high blood cholesterol, such as triglycerides.
This is a type of fat that circulates in the blood. These lipids come from foods, including butter, oil and other fats.
Whilst a certain level of these fats is essential for good health, high levels can raise the risk of heart disease.
Whilst studies show that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, currently there is little evidence that Mounjaro works in the same way.
Ms Joy warned: 'If someone has really high triglycerides, they may be at higher risk of pancreatitis.'
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, a gland located behind the stomach which is used in digestion and blood sugar regulation.
While there is a high survival rate for this condition, a severe complication can trigger organ failure—which can be fatal.
In some cases of severe acute pancreatitis, the pancreas can lose its blood supply and turn necrotic, which can cause deadly sepsis (a blood infection), which can in turn make other major organs fail.
Severe acute pancreatitis can also trigger a systemic inflammatory response which causes other organs—like the lungs and kidneys—to fail.
Ms Joy continued: 'People who have uncontrolled diabetes are also at an increased risk of becoming severely dehydrated which can be really serious.
'Without a blood test, this could be missed,' she added.
Officials are now examining whether those affected had a genetic trait that leaves them at greater risk of side-effects from the likes of Mounjaro, which Ms Joy said could also be flagged by a simple blood test.
'Sometimes these things are subtle, but can have a massive impact.
'We should be putting these patients at the centre and treating obesity like any other clinical health condition.'
She is now urging healthcare officials to reconsider rolling out these jabs without strict guidelines in place, which could put users at severe risk of organ damage as GPs struggle under time-constraints.
As such, SheMed have made blood tests a mandatory part of their programme before prescribing the revolutionary jab.
Last month, the UK medicines regulator launched a probe into the safety of fat jabs after hundreds of users developed pancreatitis, leaving ten dead.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it has received more than 560 reports of people developing an inflamed pancreas after taking so-called 'GLP-1' injections since they were first launched.
The MHRA is now calling for users who are admitted to hospital with pancreatitis to report the side effect to authorities using the regulator's Yellow Card scheme.
Healthcare workers can also submit a report on patients' behalf.
This involves providing further information and submitting a saliva sample which will be used to explore whether some people are at a higher risk of acute pancreatitis when taking these medicines due to their genetic makeup.
Researchers hope this will ultimately enable doctors to use rapid genetic screening tests before prescribing drugs to make the process safer.
Side effects continue to be a significant burden on the NHS and studies have shown they account for one in six hospital admissions.
The main symptom of pancreatitis is severe pain in the stomach that radiates to the back and does not go away. Anyone who experiences this should seek immediate medical help.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA's chief safety officer, said: 'Evidence shows that almost a third of side effects to medicines could be prevented with the introduction of genetic testing.'
It is predicted that adverse drug reactions could cost the NHS more than £2.2 billion a year in hospital stays alone she added.
These blockbuster jabs have also been credited with lowering blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes, but Ms Joy warned they are not a silver bullet and can come with a number of serious side effects.
Recent estimates suggest that about 1.5 million people in the UK are taking weight loss jabs, many of which are bought privately due to NHS rationing.
Most side effects linked to the jabs are gastrointestinal including nausea, constipation and diarrhoea.
However Ms Joy warned that Mounjaro can also cause severe dehydration, especially in people with diabetes.
It typically causes headaches and dizziness but if not treated quickly can even lead to seizures, kidney failure or prove fatal.
There have been further reactions and deaths linked to other side-effects following the use of GLP-1 medicines.
The MHRA stresses that it has not been established that the jabs caused the illnesses, but that the patients themselves have reported them as side effects.
Professor Matt Brown, chief scientific officer of Genomics England, said: 'GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic and Wegovy have been making headlines, but like all medicines there can be a risk of serious side effects.
'We believe there is real potential to minimise these with many adverse reactions having a genetic cause.
'This next step in our partnership with the MHRA will generate data and evidence for safer and more effective treatment through more personalised approaches to prescription, supporting a shift towards an increasingly prevention-focused healthcare system.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
15 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Kate Middleton opens up about her 'really difficult' cancer recovery as she meets with hospital patients and says 'you're not able to function normally'
The Princess of Wales spoke today of the pressure of putting on a 'brave face' through cancer treatment and recovery, where 'everybody expects you to be better - but that's not the case at all'. Kate, 43, who is continuing a slow and measured return to public life while in remission from cancer, said there was an expectation that patients 'crack on, get back to normal'. But, she said, the 'very scary, very daunting experience' did not end with the conclusion of treatment, with patients needing to take time to find their 'new normal'. She also revealed that she had tried acupuncture - a traditional Chinese medicine in which practitioners insert thin needles into specific parts of the body to promote healing and relieve pain - as part of her own recovery process. The deeply personal words from the Princess came as she met fellow patients at a cancer wellbeing centre at Colchester Hospital, helping to plant roses in a garden designed to help visitors find peace. The Princess, who in January announced she was in remission from a undisclosed form of cancer, recently cancelled an appearance at Royal Ascot, with aides stressing that she had always made clear her return to public life would be staggered. Describing a cancer diagnosis as 'life changing' and the treatment and recovery a 'rollercoaster', the Princess spoke of the importance of a holistic 'mind, body and spirit' approach. She repeatedly emphasised the importance of patients and their families being able to find support through their illness, saying it was too often difficult to reach. Kate, 43, looked stunning in a smart Blazé Milano beige blazer with pinstripes, retailing at around £1,000, and matching Ralph Lauren shirt as she visited the RHS's Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital today. She added the Auree Bali birthstone necklace, with a gem marking her birth month of January. The royal added tailored brown trousers and a black belt - while giving a more casual effect with rolled up sleeves and white Veja Esplar leather trainers - and adding her engagement ring and Cartier watch. Speaking to patients and volunteers inside the centre, she said: 'There is a whole phase when you finish your treatment, everybody expects you to be better - go! But that's not the case at all.' She said: 'You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment. Treatment's done, then it's like "I can crack on, get back to normal" but actually the phase afterwards is really difficult. 'You're not necessarily under the clinical team any longer but you're not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to. 'And actually someone to help talk you through that, show you and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment I think is really valuable.' She added: 'You have to find your new normal and that takes time.' The centre provides therapy, community groups and holistic treatments including reflexology. The Princess of Wales planting a rose during a visit to the RHS's Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital in Essex The princess, speaking to therapist Amanda Green during a walkabout in heavy rain afterwards, disclosed that she had not yet tried reflexology but had undergone acupuncture as part of her own health journey. The visit offered the princess's most personal and extensive insight into her own experience to date, seeing her reference her own ill health several times while offering empathy to other patients and families. 'It's life-changing for anyone,' she said. 'Through first diagnosis or post treatment and things like that, it is a life-changing experience both for the patient but also for the families as well. 'And actually it sometimes goes unrecognised, you don't necessarily, particularly when it's the first time [of diagnosis], appreciate how much impact it is going to have. 'You have to find your new normal and that takes time… and it's a rollercoaster, it's not one smooth plane, which you expect it to be. But the reality is it's not, you go through hard times. 'And to have a place like this to have the support network, through creativity and singing or gardening whatever it might be is so valuable and it's great this community has it. 'It would be great if lots of communities had this kind of support.' Speaking to patients, including those whose cancer has returned and one who had lost his husband to cancer, Catherine asked how the centre had helped them. 'That first-time diagnosis is a very scary journey,' she said, referring to the benefits of having an on-site hospital support network where many volunteers have had cancer themselves and survived. Many newly diagnosed patients at Colchester Hospital now visit the centre immediately for counselling and advice. 'To feel a sense of hope and positivity [from speaking to people who have already been through it] is such a positive thing in what is otherwise a very scary and daunting experience,' the princess said. She added, 'Science has told us that the mind, body and spirit experience is so important,' asking if the clinical team at the hospital had given any feedback about how the wellness centre had affected patients. After around an hour at the centre, she moved into the RHS's Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital where she helped plant roses named after her. Getting her hands dirty and asking if she could do a bit more work, the princess dug alongside television garden designer Adam Frost and told him she was feeling 'good' and was pleased to be able to work outside. In the pouring rain, as the engagement overran by about half an hour, she told hospital staff and patients who had waited outside to see her: 'I'm just washing my hands - I'll be back.' She then undertook a walkabout, posing for selfies and group photographs in between asking people about their day. Kensington Palace said she was there to 'celebrate the incredible healing power of nature and raise awareness of the important role that spending time in nature plays in bringing us joy and supporting our mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing'. Her visit coincides with the donation of 50 'Catherine's Rose' plants, named for The Princess by the RHS with funds from sales going to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, to Colchester Hospital. Kate even had the opportunity to plant the 'Catherine Rose' herself, alongside staff who volunteer in the garden. The coral-pink floribunda has a rich perfume with hints of Turkish Delight and mango, the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) said in its announcement in May. Now, 500 'Catherine's Rose' plants will be donated to wellbeing and community gardens across the UK this summer, including Maggie's gardens for people affected by cancer, East Anglia's Children's Hospices and Horatio's Gardens for those living with spinal injuries. The Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital, which opened in July 2024, is a relaxing and restorative space for NHS staff, patients and visitors. The garden is a vital hub for the community, offering activities for those working in or visiting the hospital and was created in partnership with the RHS, Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals Charity and NHS Charities Together, the latter of which is a joint patronage of The Prince and Princess of Wales. The Wellbeing Garden at Colchester, and the transformative impact it has on patients and NHS workers, forms part of the research for the RHS' Blueprint for Wellbeing Gardens, which will launch in Spring next year. Kate herself has been making a slow and measured return to duties after revealing she is in remission from cancer. This has included a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital back in January, where she underwent her treatment, as well as important events in the royal calendar, such as Trooping The Colour and the Order Of The Garter ceremony. The Princess arrived at Colchester Hospital with little fanfare, walking through the public garden as one mother told her little girl "that's a real life Princess, there!". The hospital changed the programme slightly, inviting her inside the wellbeing centre in the hopes that the rain would ease off before the Princess joined the gardening. The garden has been designed alongside a small lake, with ducks and ducklings walking among the visitors and a planting scheme including lavender, roses, salvia, allium and grasses. How acupuncture can help with the side effects of cancer Acupuncture can help with the side effects of cancer and its treatment, according to the charity Cancer Research. The 2,000-year-old traditional Chinese medicine, which involves putting fine needles into the body at particular points by a trained practitioner, is traditionally believed to to help energy - known as Qi - flow through the body. Modern practitioners believe it works by stimulating nerves and releasing natural morphine-like substances, as well as serotonin. Acupuncture, which is nowadays available in most hospitals, hospices and clinics, is believed to help with symptoms including fatigue, dry mouth, breathless and hot flushes due to anti-cancer treatments. People also say it helps with relaxation and a general sense of wellbeing, and say they see recuts after three to six sessions. The needles do not normally cause pain and are left in place for 10 to 30 minutes. Most studies, the charity says, shows that acupuncture is better than no treatment at all, even though more scientific research needs to be done on its benefits. When she did make it outside, however, she appeared unperturbed by the rain, and stood chatting with staff and members of the public so long that she was soaked. Meeting staff inside, the Princess - who was incredibly chatty and confident in discussing her personal experiences - praised the continuity of care the hospital provided and the network of volunteers which saw former patients returning to help others. "It must make a difference to people coming in here, in knowing there are people who have been through it too," she said. "Even through the hard times and loss, there is a sense of hope and community through a space like this." "From personal experience," the Princess added, holistic support during recovery "was that lifeline you need post treatment, when you're not receiving continuous care." The centre includes support groups as well as massage, reflexology, a family practitioner, advice on wig fittings, and a "cancer choir". "It's looking at treatment and recovery as complemented," the Princess said. "Looking at it from a mind, body and spirit perspective really matters. It's great, well done." Hearing from a group of patients who credited the centre with supporting them, the Princess added: "What seems to be really fantastic is that there is a real personal approach: what helps one person - acupuncture or something - might not help another. Others might want different support and to talk to someone." "Having gone through it myself", she added, she could now better understand the challenges of finding support. "Some people don't have access and don't necessarily know how this system can help them," she said. "Joining the dots for patients and there might be fantastic community work going on, if it's bitty and there isn't one place and one body bringing these support networks together, it's hard to reach out, particularly when you're vulnerable. "I can see it has such a transformative effect." Hearing about the centre's choir, the Princess added: "Having these creative avenues is really fantastic." The Princess carried a mug of tea around with her as she spoke to patients and volunteers, joking that "as a parent you know you'll keep losing your cup of tea" otherwise. "It's not just the patients, it's the family too," she said. "It's not just the cancer care, treatment, healing, it's about the whole person - mind, body and spirit. "We know now that all those three dimensions matter to the recovery journey." Repeatedly returning to her message of how even when people think you are better you are often not behind the scenes, it was abundantly clear that Catherine had been keen to make a point that her recovery, like so many others, was not necessarily 'straightforward' and the public should bear with her. The Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital, which opened in July 2024, is intended to be a "relaxing and restorative space for NHS staff, patients and visitors" and hosts activities for those in or visiting the hospital . The garden is taking part in research for the RHS' Blueprint for Wellbeing Gardens, which will launch in spring next year. Her visit today is the first time she's been seen in public since pulling out of Royal Ascot unexpectedly last month. Kate had been expected to attend the Berkshire racing festival with her husband Prince William - and was even announced in the official carriage procession - before Kensington Palace confirmed she would not be attending after all. MailOnline understood at the time that the Princess was 'disappointed' not to be in attendance 'but she has to find the right balance as she fully returns to public facing engagements'. Racegoers had been hoping to see the Princess after the Prince of Wales was named as one of the figures awarding race prizes during the second day of the meet. Ascot officials had confirmed at 12pm that the Princess was due to be in the second carriage in the royal procession with William, in a published carriage list. But less than half an hour later, Kensington Palace confirmed just before 12.30pm that Kate would not be attending - and a revised carriage list was published by Ascot. Royal aides insisted the original list had issued in 'error', according to the Daily Mail's Rebecca English. A message on social media, signed 'C', said: 'I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year' 'On some levels I actually think this is a good reminder that she was really seriously ill last year and underwent a significant period of chemo. As anyone who has been through that experience will tell you, you can feel very unwell for a long time afterwards. It can take years [to recover],' one source said. 'She wants to find the right balance and work with a greater degree of flexibility than before. 'This is a woman who plays a very important role in the monarchy [as Princess of Wales and future Queen], but in order for her to do it, both now and in the future, she needs to get this right,' they said. The Princess returned to work last Wednesday as she privately received Melinda Gates - the former wife of Microsoft Founder Bill - at Windsor Castle, marking her return to official duties. But today marks her first interacting with the public since her surprise absence at the racing festival. As her visit today emphasises, Kate has shared how she turned to nature in the midst of her cancer battle for solace and support. In May, she reaffirmed her commitment to nature as she launched a new video revealing how she embraced the 'healing power of nature' during her cancer treatment. The series began with 'Spring', a three-minute film narrated by Catherine and including footage of her and Prince William on the Isle of Mull earlier this month. The other three short films will be released across the course of the year, with Summer, Autumn and Winter editions in due course. Previously referring to how she sought comfort and strength from being outdoors with her family during her cancer battle last year, Kate said: 'Over the past year, nature has been my sanctuary. 'The natural world's capacity to inspire us, to nurture us and help us heal and grow is boundless and has been understood for generations. 'It is through nature, that we can fully understand the true interconnectedness of all things, the importance of balance and the importance of renewal and resilience. Connecting to nature helps us to experience a deeper sense of ourselves, the world around us, and each other.' She added: 'Spring is a season of rebirth, of hope and new beginnings. From the dark days of winter, the outside world quietly awakens with new life, and there comes a sense of optimism, anticipation, and positive, hopeful change. 'Just as nature revives and renews so too can we. Let us reconnect to nature and celebrate a new dawn within our hearts. 'It is often from the smallest of seeds that the greatest change can happen, and in this ever-growing complex world, we need to hold on to what connects us all. 'Spring is here, so let's make the most of it together.' The Royal Ascot carriage list was published at 12pm with Kate included (left), then a revised version was issued just after 12.30pm (right) when it was announced she would not attend The Princess released a personal message celebrating the life-changing work children's hospices do following her Ascot absence The Princess of Wales during her last visit to Royal Ascot which was on June 23, 2023 The Princess of Wales had been receiving chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer since late February last year with the King beginning his cancer care earlier that month following his diagnosis after treatment for an enlarged prostate. Announcing in September her treatment had ended, Kate described in an emotional video message how the previous nine months had been 'incredibly tough for us as a family' and 'doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus'. William later said in a separate interview how 2024 had been 'brutal'. In January, following her visit to Royal Marsden, the princess said it was 'a relief' to be in remission and that she will 'remain focused' on recovery. Signing her note 'C', she said: 'There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.'
Telegraph
40 minutes ago
- Telegraph
A fundamental flaw in Labour's 10-year plan for the health service
SIR – Labour has published its 10-year plan for the NHS ( July 3), with changes focusing on community care, prevention and digitalisation. What is not clear, however, is where all the funding will be found to make these changes happen. Peter Williman Chatteris, Cambridgeshire SIR – Sir Keir Starmer has announced a 10-year plan for the NHS, knowing full well that neither he nor his party will be in power long enough to see it through, let alone take responsibility for any failures. If he is pinning his political hopes on this, he is taking us for fools. In any case, he will probably water it down – or U-turn on controversial proposals. Jonathan Mann Gunnislake, Cornwall SIR – I thought the NHS was unsavable, but I have to say I am impressed with the enthusiasm and ideas that Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, is bringing. Success, however, will depend on NHS staff buying into the plans. They've been messed around by politicians for years and morale is low – but they will suffer even more if these reforms fail. Let's hope they give it their best shot. Kevin Liles Southampton SIR – If Labour wants to provide a 'neighbourhood' NHS, it should start by reopening all the cottage hospitals that were closed down. David Carter Worcester SIR – I am old enough to remember when the two Dr O'Keefe brothers in Eltham held two surgeries a day without an appointment system, went on their rounds, and would come out in the middle of the night in an emergency. Everyone was seen eventually, and the doctors knew all about patients and their families. My local surgery in south-east London, a bigger practice, used to offer appointments with your named doctor, as well as having a GP who saw all-comers in the order they arrived. Now you can't book an appointment via the receptionist, even if you go to the surgery. Instead you are directed to a website; you describe your symptoms, then wait to be contacted. I wish Sir Jim Mackey, the new head of NHS England, the best of luck in attempting to restore a system in which patients do not feel like an inconvenience. Frances Braithwaite London SE6 SIR – Recent letters (July 2) have discussed the standard of NHS food. After a triple bypass, my husband's first hospital meal was ham crumble. Anything higher in salt and saturated fat is hard to imagine. Sandra Hancock Exeter, Devon Tearful Chancellor SIR – I have been a Conservative Party member for more than 40 years. I don't agree with the Labour Government's policies on a number of issues. However, I was shocked at the photographs (July 3) of the Chancellor in tears and looking exhausted. The Prime Minister and his backbenchers should be ashamed. This lady has a very difficult job, and she seems to be undermined from every quarter. It is Sir Keir Starmer who should stand down for being incompetent. Ian Palmer Newbury, Berkshire SIR – One would have to be very insensitive to be unmoved by the pictures of the Chancellor crying in the House of Commons. However, my sympathy for Rachel Reeves is in direct proportion to the sympathy she evinces for farmers, for example, who are facing wipeout from inheritance-tax burdens, or small and medium-sized businesses hit by her National Insurance rises. Andrew Newcombe Combe Down, Somerset SIR – Sir Keir Starmer says the Chancellor is doing an 'excellent job'. I dread to think what he would consider to be a bad job. Tim Pope Weybridge, Surrey SIR – With the Prime Minister losing his authority, the Chancellor's fiscal policy crumbling, gilts rising and the pound sinking, I caught myself muttering: 'Come back Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt – all is forgiven'. Mark Venmore-Rowland Saxmundham, Suffolk Ofcom's role SIR – It is wrong to suggest that Ofcom takes a position in gender debates, or that we do not respect the Supreme Court's judgment on the legal definition of sex under the Equality Act ('Ofcom has just demonstrated its contempt for women, the truth and the law', Comment, June 30). We considered the Supreme Court ruling very carefully, including its clear statement that it is not the role of the court 'to adjudicate on the arguments in the public domain on the meaning of gender or sex'. This is not Ofcom's role either. We never instruct broadcasters how to cover any issue, which is an editorial matter for them. We only assess content after it is transmitted, on the facts and context of the case. Last year we assessed almost 10,000 pieces of content on television and radio. Each time – as required by law – we took full account of freedom of expression, broadcasters' editorial discretion, and viewers' and listeners' rights to receive a range of information and ideas. In the final analysis, only 33 breached our rules. For the record, none related to discussions about the meaning of gender or sex. Wallet essentials SIR – John Barnett (Letters, June 30) mentions the eclectic contents of his wallet. He reminded me of Mr Thompson, the geography master at Dartford Grammar School in the 1960s, who urged us boys always to carry a length of string, a penknife and four pennies (for an urgent call home from a phone box). I never had need of any of them. Bob Clough-Parker Chester Ill-informed activists SIR – I was moved by Sharone Lifschitz's article on the BBC ('Israelis like me deserve better than corporation's simplistic reporting', July 2). Those who joined in with Bob Vylan's offensive chanting at Glastonbury – and probably felt it appropriate as a result of ill-informed media coverage (much of it from the BBC), disinformation or ignorance of Middle Eastern conflicts – should be made to read it. I remember when Ms Lifschitz's mother, Yocheved, was released by Hamas after 16 days in captivity; she was so dignified, offering to shake the hands of her captors and saying how kind they had been to her. Oded, Ms Lifschitz's father, died in captivity. Once again, this family has shown wisdom, humility and dignity, which self-righteous activists and politicians could learn from. Liz Martin Eyam, Derbyshire SIR – That Tim Davie, the director-general of the BBC, is still in post following the broadcast of Bob Vylan's anti-Semitic Glastonbury set tells us all we need to know about the BBC: it is full of people who think they are right most of the time and, when they are not, that they are never actually wrong. Jonathan Baldwin Nantwich, Cheshire Number plate crime SIR – John Archibald (Letters, July 3) writes that the police told his friend that displaying cloned number plates is not a crime. Whoever said this should be retrained. Displaying forged plates is an offence under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. The maximum penalty is two years' imprisonment. James B Sinclair St Helier, Jersey Fruity filling SIR – When I lived in South West Africa (now Namibia) as a child, we ate fig sandwiches, and avocado sandwiches with sugar sprinkled liberally (Letters, July 2). Very tasty indeed. J Green Little Kingshill, Buckinghamshire SIR – The best sandwich is tuna in olive oil, with plenty of Marmite, between thick brown bread – preferably a triple-decker. It's highly nourishing, and guaranteed to bring about a refreshing 40 winks after lunch. Richard Willcox Southampton The fragile economics of rural bus services SIR – Charles Moore (Notebook, July 1) touched on a thorny issue in his comments about the problems with rural bus services. However, in espousing smaller vehicles, I think he overlooked a couple of points. First, if an operator requires full-size buses for 'peak' operations (such as school runs), it is more economical to also use them for off-peak services, rather than purchasing additional, smaller vehicles. Secondly, the principal element in the cost of operating a bus is the driver's wages. These vary very little with the size of the vehicle being driven. David Dunbar Willersey, Gloucestershire SIR – In the 1990s, when I lived in a small hamlet on a major road just outside Bath, there was a weekly bus that stopped. However, it didn't return until the following week. Rob Dorrell Combe Down, Somerset SIR – Some years ago, I lived in the Powys village of Bettws Cedewain – population 400 – which had one bus a week to Newtown, about four miles away. It left the village at 10am and returned from Newtown at 2pm. There was, however, an alternative: enterprising villagers could cadge a daily lift to and from Newtown, but they had to fit in the back of the red Post Office delivery van. The village also had a small shop, but it closed due to lack of business. When explaining the situation to me, the very polite husband-and-wife owners revealed that their total sales that afternoon had amounted to one lemon. David S Ainsworth Denton, Lancashire Losing top predators has upset nature's balance SIR – Here in our suburban garden in Kent, we see daily the disaster caused by the historical hounding to destruction of top predators such as wolves, lynx and eagles (Letters, July 3). It has led to an explosion of mesopredators, such as badgers, foxes, corvids (crows, magpies and jays), kites and buzzards. Every spring, small birds rear their young, only for them to be gobbled up by the insatiable corvids. Our ground-nesting bees, which we were delighted to find in the shrubbery, were dug up and eaten by the local badgers, as were the hedgehogs. Meanwhile, the rise in domestic cat numbers has added to the loss of shrews, voles, wood mice, newts, toads and slow worms. I have refused to switch on Springwatch since Chris Packham failed to condemn a piece of film showing badgers swimming to gravel islands at RSPB Minsmere to eat 'protected' avocet eggs and fledglings. Letters to the Editor We accept letters by email and post. Please include name, address, work and home telephone numbers. ADDRESS: 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT EMAIL: dtletters@ FOLLOW: Telegraph Letters @LettersDesk
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
The Doctor in your pocket will see you now! But will ministers really be able to deliver the all-singing, all-dancing NHS app they are promising patients by 2028?
Britons will carry a 'doctor in their pocket' at all times under plans to revolutionise the NHS unveiled yesterday. The NHS App will use AI and become the 'digital front door' of the health service under the proposals designed to ease pressure on hospitals and GPs. For the first time, it is claimed, patients will be able to book, move and cancel appointments through the app and receive personalised medical advice. According to the Government's 10 Year Health Plan, published yesterday, the changes will help put an end to the '8am scramble' for a GP appointment and ensure everyone who needs a same-day consultation is able to get one. The app, Health Secretary Wes Streeting promised, will undergo a major overhaul by 2028 to use patients' medical records and artificial intelligence to provide instant answers to users' questions and direct them to the best place for care. It will mean patients can get more done without needing to speak to a real person, freeing-up appointments and phone lines for those who need them most. Meanwhile, doctors will be able to conduct remote video consultations through the app, saving some patients the need to travel. Patient groups last night welcomed the 'truly exciting' potential of the changes, but warned the move to a more digital service risked excluding the elderly. Mr Streeting said: 'The NHS App will become a doctor in your pocket, bringing our health service into the 21st century. 'Patients who can afford to pay for private healthcare can currently get instant advice, remote consultations with a doctor, and choose where and when their appointments will be. 'Our reforms will bring those services to every patient, regardless of their ability to pay. 'The 10 Year Health Plan will make using the NHS as easy and convenient as doing your banking or shopping online.' Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, which campaigns for elderly Britons, said: 'The 10 Year Plan sounds like some distant utopia and there is a risk it will be put on a shelf and gather dust, along with others that have come before it. Elderly people will be sceptical about whether the plan will be delivered and concerned that greater reliance on the app could exclude them from accessing timely care. For some, the doctor in their pocket will be padlocked.' Thea Stein, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust health think-tank, said the plan contained 'little detail on how the ailing health service is to deliver these changes'. And Mr Streeting was warned that his plans would fail unless he fixed the ailing social care system, which got only a passing reference in the 143-page plan. According to the Government's 10 Year Health Plan, published yesterday, the changes will help put an end to the '8am scramble' for a GP appointment and ensure everyone who needs a same-day consultation is able to get one The Department of Health and Social Care said letting patients book an appointment digitally rather than using the existing 'convoluted process' will save the NHS £200million over three years. They will be able to link the app to wearable technology, such as exercise trackers and blood pressure monitors, with the data uploaded to their medical records. The AI will monitor this data and alert users to potentially concerning changes so they can seek care before they become serious. Poorer patients with some medical conditions will be given these gadgets for free. The digital transformation will be underpinned by a new Single Patient Record, which will bring together all of a patient's medical notes for the first time. This will mean they do not have to repeat their medical history to each clinician they see. Under the plan, the NHS will axe two-thirds of outpatient appointments – which currently cost a total of £14billion a year. These will be replaced by automated information, digital advice, direct input from specialists and patient-initiated follow-ups via the NHS App. The NHS will also embrace AI for staff, with automatic scribes taking notes for doctors and producing the first drafts of care plans. Mr Streeting last night told the Mail: 'For staff, this means less admin, fewer missed appointments, and – best of all – more time with the people that need face-to-face care the most. For the NHS, it's a smarter system that can deliver more and save millions of pounds.' Patients who are unable to get an answer from the AI bot will be able to leave a question for a specialist to answer. The app will also offer users access to their full medical records and test results and allow them to book vaccinations and self-refer for talking therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry and audiology. Announcing the 10 Year Health Plan at an event in east London, Keir Starmer said: 'For far too long, the NHS has been stuck in the past, reliant on letters, lengthy phone queues and even fax machines.' The Prime Minister added: 'Our 10 Year Health Plan will bring [the NHS] into the digital age by opening up fairer and more convenient access to healthcare.' The PM and Mr Streeting unveiled 'three big shifts' in the way the NHS operates. It will aim to move from an analogue to digital service; cut demand for treatment by preventing ill health in the first place; and shift care from hospitals to the community. Caroline Abrahams of Age UK said: 'The potential of the NHS App … is truly exciting, but we must also ensure that no one is left behind.' Public libraries will run lessons on the app. Patients not comfortable using it will still be able to access care in the usual way. Rachel Power of the Patients Association, said: 'We welcome the ambition to expand the NHS App… but with nearly one in four facing barriers to digital access, we must ensure innovation doesn't come at the cost of inclusion.'
