Michael Dugher campaigns against pharmacy cuts

Barnsley East MP Michael Dugher was joined by the shadow health minister Justin Madders to campaign against pharmacy cuts, the Barnsley Chronicle reports.

The MPs visited Lo’s Pharmacy in Grimethorpe, a pharmacy run by local businessman Steven Lo.

Having started off with only one pharmacy in 1992, Mr Lo is now the owner of pharmacies across the region.

The visit was part of Mr Dugher’s ongoing campaign against the government’s planned community pharmacy cut of £170m this year.

Patients unable to take statins will get drugs costing £4,000

A breakthrough cholesterol treatment has been approved for use in Britain for more than quarter of a million people at risk of heart attack and stroke but who are unable to take statins, The Times reports.

Two drugs found to lower cholesterol significantly will now be available on the NHS for patients crippled by rare, painful side-effects of statins or those who have a genetic condition that makes the tablet ineffective.

The new treatment will cost the NHS £4,000 a year per patient. About seven million people are thought to take statins regularly to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

New funding boosts hopes for GP surgery in Rose Hill

A new GP surgery in Rose Hill should be provided using money from a £2.4bn funding boost from the Government, the Oxford Mail reports.

NHS chiefs have announced the funding for GP surgeries in England between now and 2020.

Campaigners in Rose Hill who have been calling for the estate to get its own surgery for many years have welcomed the funding and called on the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) to ensure the money was spent in the estate.

Ed Turner, who represents the area on Oxford City Council, wrote to OCCG about the funding last month.

Welsh 'super mead' could prevent food poisoning

Scientists are working on a Welsh "super mead" which could protect drinkers from the scourge of food poisoning at the late-night takeaway, the BBC reports.

Cardiff University's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals plans to add medicinal salmonella-killing herbs to the fermented honey drink.

The tipple is based on a 16th century Welsh drink called metheglin.

"You can see this would sell very well to students," Prof Les Baillie said.

"Perhaps you could protect them from the kebab and the morning after."

More than 30 people ill after visiting petting farm in Leeds

More than 30 people have fallen ill after a disease outbreak linked to a petting farm, The Telegraph reports.

Twenty nine cases of cryptosporidiosis, which causes diarrhoea, were confirmed in people who had visited Swithens Farm in Rothwell, Leeds, since the start of March, according to Public Health England (PHE).

The agency also confirmed two cases of e.coli, which also causes diarrhoea and can lead to kidney problems in serious cases.

The farm's owner said it had put in place measures to remind visitors to wash their hands after touching or feeding animals.