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Ulster Hospital: People urged to avoid ED unless life-threatening

Ulster Hospital: People urged to avoid ED unless life-threatening

BBC Newsa day ago
The South Eastern Health Trust has urged people not to attend its emergency department (ED) at the Ulster Hospital "unless it is a life-threatening emergency".In a social media post, the trust said it was due to a water leak in the ED waiting room.It added that it was "working hard to resolve the problem"."We apologise for any inconvenience," the trust added, in a statement.
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Half of black women in UK who raise concerns during labour did not receive suitable help, study finds
Half of black women in UK who raise concerns during labour did not receive suitable help, study finds

The Guardian

time10 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Half of black women in UK who raise concerns during labour did not receive suitable help, study finds

Almost half of pregnant black women raised concerns to healthcare professionals during labour, with half saying that their concerns were also not properly addressed, according to the largest report of its kind. Black women in the UK are up to four times more likely to die during childbirth compared with their white counterparts, and are also more likely to experience serious birth complications and perinatal mental health illnesses. Five X More, an organisation dedicated to improving black maternal health outcomes, confirmed these findings through a study of the maternity experiences of more than 1,000 black and mixed-race people who were pregnant between July 2021 and March 2025. The report found that more than half (54%) of respondents experienced challenges with healthcare professionals, and that just under a quarter (23%) of black women did not receive pain relief when they requested it. And of these women, 40% said they were given no explanation as to why that was the case. Furthermore, 45% of respondents raised concerns during their labour and of these, under half (49%) said their concerns were not properly addressed. Tinuke Awe and Clotilde Abe, the co-founders of Five X More, said that the report shows that the maternity system is failing black women, and that it is also a 'call to action' to address these disparities. 'Black women deserve better care and communication. The statistics around black women dying in and around pregnancy and having adverse outcomes have been around for decades now. Black women deserve to be treated with dignity at every stage of their maternity journey and the burden cannot keep falling on them to make the system work,' they said. 'While we're still seeing the same issues we raised years ago, such as systemic failings, being ignored in pain, and poor understanding of conditions affecting black women, new themes are also emerging like the emotional toll of self-advocacy and the impact of not having consistent or trusted care.' The research also found that only six in 10 respondents rated their antenatal care as good or high quality, while almost a third (28%) reported experiencing discrimination, and only a fifth had been informed on how to make a complaint. One respondent who, after having had an emergency C-section, said she had to constantly call the nurses to give her pain relief, said: 'I was in excruciating pain and also was sick for 13 hours and received more support from other mothers and their partners on their ward than from the midwives … I was treated really poorly.' The health and social care committee is in the middle of an inquiry into black maternal health and, earlier this month, the health secretary announced the launch of a national maternity investigation. Paulette Hamilton, the MP for Birmingham Erdington and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on black health, said the findings were 'deeply troubling', but 'sadly not surprising'. 'Black women continue to face systemic inequalities in maternity care, from discrimination and unmet pain relief to dismissed concerns. These shocking figures expose a healthcare system that too often fails black mothers and puts lives at risk,' Hamilton said. 'We urgently need better training, greater accountability and culturally competent care. No woman should ever feel unheard or unsafe when bringing life into the world.' The Department of Health and Social Care said: 'These findings are unacceptable. No woman should go unheard, dismissed or discriminated against while going through maternity care. 'Ending these inexcusable inequalities will be a key area of focus in the upcoming national maternity and neonatal investigation, which will help deliver safe and compassionate maternity care for all women, no matter who they are.'.

Medics and charities back survivors' plea for ban on sunbeds
Medics and charities back survivors' plea for ban on sunbeds

Sunday Post

time13 minutes ago

  • Sunday Post

Medics and charities back survivors' plea for ban on sunbeds

Get a weekly round-up of stories from The Sunday Post: Thank you for signing up to our Sunday Post newsletter. Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up Doctors, cancer patients and charities are calling for a ban on sunbeds because of their link to potentially fatal skin cancer. They are appealing to the Scottish and UK Governments to follow Australia, Brazil, and now Ireland, in moving to outlaw them in a bid to tackle ­rising numbers of patients with ­malignant melanoma. The medics and medical charities cite the burden skin cancer places on patients and the NHS. The plea for a ban follows recent moves by the Irish government to investigate ways of banning commercial sunbeds. The country's health authorities say they are swayed by the fair Celtic complexion being more susceptible to skin cancer from UV rays, and the growing health costs of treating patients with the malignancy. © Shutterstock / RomanRuzicka Cancer Research UK say cases of the most serious skin cancer, malignant melanoma, have soared by a third in the past decade across all age groups including young adults. The cancer is triggered by UV radiation damage to the DNA in skin cells. Last year a UK-wide survey by charity Melanoma Focus found that 28% of adults say they use sunbeds. In Scotland, based on a small sample, the figure was 24%. One of the most alarming findings of the survey was that across the UK, 43% of 18 to 25-year-olds use sunbeds. The charity also found that 34% of UK 16 and 17-year-olds are using sunbeds, despite a legal ban for under-18s. The charity says that around 100 deaths a year are linked to sunbed use across the UK. In hospital dermatology ­cancer clinics, Scottish skin specialists report regularly seeing patients with stage four melanomas, many of whom say they have used sunbeds. Some of the patients are still in their 20s, said speciality ­dermatologist Dr Amy Perkins of Forth Valley Health Board. 'I see them at clinic shocked and distressed by the diagnosis of a serious cancer and the surgery and treatment to have to undergo to survive,' she said. 'They struggle to accept that what they thought was essentially cosmetic treatment has increased their risk of melanoma.' Cancer Research reports that people who start using sunbeds before the age of 35 are 87% more likely to develop melanoma. 'People who had ever used a sunbed were 20% more likely to subsequently develop melanoma, compared to people who had never used one,' it adds. Dr John Ferguson, from St Andrews, works as a consultant dermatologist at Guy's & St Thomas' hospital in London. He points to the British Photodermatology Group (BPG) call for a complete ban on commercial sunbeds in the UK to reduce skin cancer and eye disease. Sunbeds also increase the risk of eye cancers, especially in those starting sunbed use before 20, research reports. Dr Ferguson, a BPG committee member, said: 'The evidence linking sunbed use to melanoma is considerable and presents a heavy toll on patients and health care cost. 'Telling a patient they have stage four melanoma is one of the most difficult tasks I have as a dermatologist. 'It is time we banned sunbeds because of the considerable risk to skin cancer.' Its statement calling for a ban says: 'Early sunbed use is associated with the highest increase in skin cancer risk. 'Sunbed use is addictive and associated with smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and other unhealthy behaviours.' Some 16 years have passed since the World Health Organisation's cancer research arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified ultraviolet light emitted from tanning beds as carcinogenic. Charity SKCIN has joined the call for a ban, denouncing current sunbed regulation which limits use to over-18s. 'Sunbed regulations are outdated, ineffective and not being adhered to – with an alarming percentage of under-18s regularly using them,' it says. 'Underage usage is ­rapidly increasing and fuelled by tanning trends and misinformation, influencing millions of children on social media daily. 'With melanoma rising faster than any other cancer in Britain and one of the biggest lethal malignancies in the 15-34 age group.' So what would the savings be to the NHS in skin cancer treatment? Manchester University scientists say that even at a conservative estimate, a ban along with a public information campaign, would prevent over 200 deaths among 18-year-olds in England alone. More importantly, over 1,000 young people would be spared melanoma and 200 lives would be saved. Gilly Perkins, general manager of The Sunbed Association, said: 'It is chronic over-exposure to the UV light that may increase the risk of skin cancers, mainly non-melanoma skin cancers. For melanoma, intermittent sun exposure and sunburn increase the risk. A sunbed session taken in a professional salon is a controlled, regular dose of UV without burning.' She added: 'UV exposure carries risk if abused – whether from a sunbed, beach holiday, or a garden lounger. But professional tanning salons operate under strict safety regulations designed to minimise those risks. We promote moderation, non-burning exposure, staff training, customer screening and education.' She argued UV exposure benefits cardiovascular health, and modern sunbeds are safer than older ones. 'For many sunbed users, it's not about ignoring risk – it's about managing it.' The Scottish Government said: 'We continue to monitor the effect of sunbed use and advise anyone using them to consider the risks of doing so.' 'I want to see them banned in Scotland. No one deserves to live like this' © Andrew Cawley Claire Gibson, 40, from Edinburgh, has endured years of cancer surgery and scans for a melanoma skin cancer after occasionally using sunbeds as a teenager. Areas of tissue have been removed from her right arm in doctors' latest attempt to save her. She is adamant that she wants to see the government ban commercial sunbeds to spare others the trauma, treatment and continual worry of cancer. The management and systems accountant at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: 'I wish I had never gone near a sunbed but like many teenagers, I thought I would look better with a tan. 'It is now my dearest wish to see them banned in Scotland and the rest of the UK because no one deserves to live like this. 'It is deeply concerning to know that melanoma is now among the most common cancers in teenagers and young adults.' She is waiting for her latest biopsy results after yet more surgery to remove tissue from a suspicious mole on her right arm. 'My treatment to date has been a wide local incision (removal) to remove any surrounding cells and a sentinel lymph node biopsy to check that the melanoma has not extended further. 'Fortunately, it has not.' She says that she is dismayed when she sees high-street sunbed salons promoting sunbeds as healthy. 'My heart sinks when their adverts describe them as having 'health benefits'. 'I pass one on the way to work and wonder how they can possibly proclaim this when I and others have had malignant melanoma. 'I am trying to survive and hugely grateful for the vigilance of my doctors. 'I want everyone to know that melanoma is a real and serious consequence of using sunbeds. 'People who start using sunbeds before 35 have a 75% increased risk of that serious cancer.' Melanoma victim: No tan is worth dying for It was the death of a young journalist at the age of 26 from melanoma which sparked a national campaign for a ban on sunbeds in Australia. Clare Oliver's slogan, 'No Tan Is Worth Dying For', drove legislation through the Australian Parliament in 2016. She campaigned tirelessly, even on her deathbed in 2007, as she forced the Australian government to ban sunbeds and prevent them from killing anyone else. In her last days, Clare wept as she said: 'Don't follow the fad for a tan – look at me and choose life. I don't want to die at 26.' Her wish to see sunbeds banned was supported by leading Australian and global cancer scientist Professor Craig Sinclair. He says banning sunbeds would reduce deaths and costs to the NHS. 'If Scotland banned sunbeds, it would undoubtedly save lives and significantly reduce health care costs caused by skin cancer,' he said. 'Sunbeds, like tobacco, when used as directed significantly increases the risk of skin cancer.' He also dismissed the argument that sunbed shops would go out of business. 'The Australian experience of banning sunbeds more than a decade ago showed sunbed operators quickly reorientated their businesses to other cosmetic services and consumers moved to safer forms of skin treatments such as fake tanning and spray tans.' Scots GP Dr Michael Mrozinski, now working in the Australian bush, says he has treated skin cancer patients who used sunbeds before the ban. 'I worked in a skin cancer clinic in Melbourne for four years and sun damage from people who tan from the sun and used sunbeds is considerable,' he said. 'A sunbed is just a more concentrated form of UV and I hate having to give a skin cancer diagnosis to people as many don't realise how serious it is.'

My partner saved my life with a kiss – he spotted sign of silent killer after our smooch
My partner saved my life with a kiss – he spotted sign of silent killer after our smooch

The Sun

time40 minutes ago

  • The Sun

My partner saved my life with a kiss – he spotted sign of silent killer after our smooch

A MUM said she was saved from dying from suspected sepsis during childbirth by her partner spotting something was wrong as he kissed her. Kerri-Louise Gilchrist, 33, said Hugh Marshall, 35, noticed she was cold and her lips were blue. 3 3 3 The mum of two said he told medics at Worcester Hospital: 'That's a sign of sepsis.' Kerri was put on an IV drip before the birth of Layla last August. She later lost five pints of blood and required two transfusions. Kerri, from Great Malvern, Worcs, said: 'The nurses didn't notice anything until my partner said to them, you're not actually looking at your patient, her palms and lips are blue - that's a sign of sepsis. 'I'd been like that for a couple of hours at that point. 'Within two minutes of him saying that, I had 11 people in the room. 'You have somebody that's going to stand your ground for you. 'I was in no fit state to argue for myself, I couldn't care for myself. 'I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Hugh.' Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: 'We are sorry if Kerri is unhappy with the care she received.' The signs and symptoms of sepsis to look out for, according to The UK Sepsis Trust What are the symptoms of sepsis? SEPSIS is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that happens when your immune system overreacts and starts to damage your body's own tissues and organs. Symptoms of sepsis in an adult include: Acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis Difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast Symptoms in a child include: Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis Difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast A weak, high-pitched cry that's not like their normal cry Not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities Being sleepier than normal or having difficulty waking They may not have all these symptoms. If you think you or someone else has symptoms of sepsis, call 999 or go to A&E. Source: NHS

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