More than 100,000 terminally ill patients denied hospice care

More than 100,000 terminally ill patients denied hospice care

One in four terminally ill people who need expert end-of-life care are not receiving it because of funding pressures, the hospice movement has told Sky News. Hospice UK said as many as 118,000 people in the UK with terminal or life-limiting conditions are not able to access palliative care from its members. Britain’s 200 hospices…

Nearly all men over 60 and women over 75 eligible for statins, analysis suggests

Nearly all men over 60 and women over 75 eligible for statins, analysis suggests

11.8 million adults in England are eligible to be offered cholesterol-lowering drugs, say researchers who examined 2014 guidance on statins set out by Nice Almost all men over 60 and women over 75 should be eligible for statins, according to a new analysis. After examining guidance on which patients should be offered statin therapy, researchers…

‘Surprise question’ sees thousands wrongly told they will die under faulty NHS system

‘Surprise question’ sees thousands wrongly told they will die under faulty NHS system

Tens of thousands of patients are being prematurely warned they could be about to die because of a defective diagnostic method used across the NHS. Experts have said families and loved ones are being needlessly worried after new research showed the tool over-predicted the chances of death more often than not. The so-called “surprise question”, encourages…

Half of Scottish nurses warn care damaged by staff shortages

Half of Scottish nurses warn care damaged by staff shortages

The SNP’s Health Minister is under growing pressure over severe staff shortages in Scotland’s NHS after half of nurses reported that patient care was “compromised” on their most recent shift. A survey by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found a third of staff reported there were not enough registered nurses available and a quarter…