Surrey: Commemorative hampers for babies born on Christmas Day
This year, Frimley Health Charity's Golden Christmas Appeal raised more than £50,000 in donations from local people, which will help fund 2,700 presents for patients to open on Christmas morning and hampers for various hospital departments. Frimley Health's catering teams will serve Christmas dinners with all the festive trimmings for nearly 1,000 staff working during the day and 1,485 patients."Our teams have cared for a record number of patients this year, showing incredible commitment and professionalism. We're grateful for their dedication and hope they can enjoy some quality time with loved ones this Christmas," Mr Clarke said.
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Patients whose lives were ruined after being ‘needlessly given cancer drug for years' sue NHS trust
More than 20 patients who say their quality of life was wrecked when they were needlessly given a highly toxic cancer drug are suing the NHS trust involved. Some people were prescribed temozolomide – which should normally be used for only six months – for more than a decade during treatment by the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. They say the overprescribing left them with side-effects including secondary cancers and crippling fatigue. Earlier this year the Care Quality Commission was looking into at least 14 cases, but lawyers say more are emerging all the time. An investigation by lawyers Brabners found that, over the past two decades, numerous patients with brain and spinal tumours under the care of Professor Ian Brown were routinely exposed to prolonged and in some cases 'unnecessary' use of the chemotherapy drug, which has severe side-effects including extreme fatigue, confusion, sickness and seizures. The time periods temozolomide was given for allegedly ran contrary to medical and scientific guidelines. Standard NHS procedure is to use the drug over six months, and the drug manufacturer advises it be used for up to 12 months. One man said he was prescribed it for nearly two years longer than necessary, suffering extreme fatigue and low mood as a result. A woman in her twenties said she was misdiagnosed with cancer, receiving the drug needlessly for about eight years. Some patients are now having treatment for secondary cancers allegedly linked to overuse of temozolomide, the lawyers claim. Others claimed its prolonged use left them unable to pursue career ambitions and normal day-to-day activities because the chemotherapy was debilitating, with a long recovery time. Some reported loss of fertility or abnormal blood test results. The legal team says data shows that the trust's spending on the drug of £3.6m from 2009 to 2024 is 10 times that of other NHS oncology departments. The lawyers are now calling for an extended patient safety review and independent investigation, focusing in particular on treatment received by patients under Prof Brown dating back to 2006. The trust has been conducting an internal patient safety review, covering 2017 to 2023, when Prof Brown retired. A patient who identified only as Michael received an extra 22 cycles of temozolomide at the trust, despite his scans being stable. Prof Brown was not present during consultations, and Michael said he was always seen by a clinical nurse specialist. After suffering extreme fatigue and low mood, he learnt through news reports of mistreatment –not from the trust – that he should not have remained on treatment for so long, according to his lawyers. Another patient, identified only as Becky, says she received at least 100 cycles of the drug unnecessarily after being misdiagnosed with a brain tumour. Fiona Tinsley, head of medical negligence at Brabners, said: 'The extent of this scandal, and the physical and mental impact it has had on Prof Brown's patients cannot be underestimated.' She added: 'We believe there are many more patients out there who haven't yet come forward and some who may have sadly passed away. 'While we welcome the ongoing investigations being undertaken by the General Medical Council and Royal College of Physicians, we believe a full independent inquiry is necessary – including an extension of the trust's own review back to 2006 – not only to ensure justice for victims, but that processes are put in place to better identify and prevent such failings happening again.' A spokesperson for the trust told The Independent: 'We have comprehensively reviewed and spoken to all individuals who were receiving temozolomide (TMZ) treatment at the end of 2023 to ensure appropriate support and care plans are in place. 'A glioblastoma is an aggressive brain tumour with fewer than two per cent of patients surviving longer than 10 years. This is an extremely complex condition and all modes of treatment – surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy – carry the risk of complications and side-effects. 'National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) guidelines recognise that clinicians can exercise professional judgment appropriate to individual circumstances when offering treatment to patients. 'We have commissioned the Royal College of Physicians to conduct an independent review of a representative cohort of patients who received greater than 12 cycles of adjuvant TMZ between 2017 and 2023. 'As this process is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage." It's understood that CQC inspectors have been in touch with the trust to understand the details, and seek assurances that patients are not at risk. The regulator will be reviewing more information to judge whether it needs to be involved.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'My son hasn't had a glass of water since he was four - and I understand why'
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Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Ten benefits worth £12k pensioners can claim this month including free TV licence and council tax – are you missing out?
PENSIONERS can get access to 10 benefits and freebies that could save them a whopping £12,700 a year. They include everything from free TV licences and NHS prescriptions to benefits such as Pension Credit. Advertisement 1 Pensioners can potentially get a huge £12,700 worth of freebies and benefits Credit: Getty The Sun has put together a list all the things you could claim and how much you can save... Pension Credit - £3,900 a year This benefit is available for pensioners on lower earnings. Pension Credit becomes available whenever you are able to start claiming your pension. The amount you can get depends on how much you've earned and your income. Advertisement But the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) says the average amount given out is a huge £3,900 a year. Free TV licence - save £174.50 Everyone who watches live TV is expected to pay the licence fee annually. It currently comes to £174.50 a year. However, if you're over the age of 75 and claim Pension Credit, you won't have to pay. Advertisement You can also get a discount if you're visually impaired. How to Qualify for Free or Discounted Council Tax! Free prescriptions and eye tests - save £139.50 You won't need to be claiming Pension Credit to get free NHS prescriptions. Anyone over the age of 60 in England, Scotland or Wales can get their prescriptions for free. If you're buying your prescription regularly and using an annual prepayment certificate this can cost up to £114.50 - so you'll make a huge saving by getting your prescription for free. Advertisement Over-60s are also entitled to a free eye test every two years. This can save you £25 each time. All you need to do is book your appointment as normal and inform members of staff that you are eligible for a free test. Discounted broadband - save £142.92 People who claim Pension Credit are often eligible for cheaper broadband. Advertisement The cheapest plans available to pensioners cost just £14.99 a month, compared to the average cost of £26.90. Over a year, this means you could save a staggering £142.92. Winter Fuel Payment - up to £300 Millions of pensioners are set to get a Winter Fuel Payment worth up to £300 this year. The payment is being made to those with an income of or below £35,000 this winter. Advertisement A person needs to have reached state pension age by September 21 to be eligible for a payment. People aged up to 80 will receive a payment worth £200 while those aged 81 or over will get £300. Attendance Allowance - up to £5,741 a year Attendance Allowance is a benefit paid out to people over state pension age who need someone to help look after them. To qualify for the benefit you must have a disability or illness that requires you to be looked after, and you must have needed help for at least six months. Advertisement It's paid at two different rates depending on how much help you need. You get a lower rate of £73.90 a week, or £3,843 a year, if you need help either in the day or at night. The higher rate of £110.40 a week, or £5,741 a year, is if you need help at both day and night. The payment is not affected by how much your income is. Advertisement Council tax reduction - save £2,171 Some pensioners can claim a discount on their council tax bills. But the amount of reduction you can get will depend on factors like your age, income, savings and the benefits you receive. You can usually claim for a council tax reduction if you receive benefits like Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payments and Carer's Allowance. Plus, those that receive the Guarantee part of Pension Credit may be exempt from paying council tax entirely. Advertisement If you receive Pension Credit, but not the Guarantee part, you may still be able to reduce your bill if you're on a low income and have less that £16,000 in savings. 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If you've been a National Trust member for at least three consecutive years and you're aged 60 or over, this can get you 25% off your subscription. Advertisement It means you'll pay £72 rather than £96 a year, saving you £24. People aged 65 or over will pay £69 a year for English Heritage membership, versus £82 for most adults. That would save you £13 a year. You can also save on Interrail passes - which let you travel around Europe - by getting 10% off. Advertisement Cinemas and museums also offer cheaper tickets too. Since the amount that you save is dependent on the days out you prefer, the possibilities are endless.
