Have you missed out on the health news this week? Catch up now. In other news, we’ve heard the weather is set to turn this weekend so have your umbrellas at the ready!
NHS plans to text patients results
The NHS could be planning to text you your results, in a ‘safety net’ approach to ensure you find out about a diagnosis if your results go missing or are not followed up.
This comes after the death of a 76-year-old woman with lung cancer whose abnormal scan results were missed, but critics such as Age UK have labelled this as “insensitive” and warn it could lead to “disastrous delays” for older people who “aren’t as tech-savvy”.
Millions of us at risk of skin cancer, as rates increase by 45%
New research has revealed that cases of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, has risen by more than half for men and 35% for women. Cancer Research UK suggests the rise of package holidays and a surge of cheap flights has been more people going abroad and putting their skin at risk of strong sun.
Alcohol-related hospital admissions on the rise
The number of alcohol-related hospital admissions has risen each year by more than 100,000 since 2014/15. A letter from the British Medical Association (BMA) and Royal Colleges argues that there has been more focus from the government on tackling obesity and smoking.
They also suggest that the reason for the increase is that alcohol is so readily available and affordable.
Child mental health unit referrals increase nearly 50%
According to new research from the BBC, referrals to child mental health units from UK primary schools for pupils aged 11 and under have risen by nearly 50% in three years. The government have stated they are aiming to do more to tackle child mental health, as head teachers say securing mental health support for pupils can be a real challenge.