Devon pharmacy pilot mole scanning

A pharmacy in Exmouth is the first in Devon to offer a mole scanning service and the need for it has never been more vital, the Exeter Express & Echo has reported.

Skin cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the UK, and accounts for one third of all new cancers. Devon has the fourth highest malignant melanoma incidence rates in England.

The independent pharmacy has won three national awards this year and is owned by Martyn and Jackie Lewis.

It is one of 25 of Alphega pharmacies around the UK to carry out the pilot.

CCGs apply in droves for diabetes programme

More than three-quarters (168) of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), in partnership with 132 local authorities, have submitted 66 joint Expressions of Interest to become part of the first phase of roll-out of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.

The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, run collaboratively by NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK, was launched in March 2015, initially in seven ‘demonstrator’ sites which have been trialling different models of finding people known to be at high risk and helping them change their lifestyles.

Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England’s national clinical director for obesity and diabetes, said: “We are very pleased at the amount of interest we have had from commissioners to become wave one sites for national roll-out.”

Calls made for more effective use of healthcare data

Senior executives from the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies have called for more effective use of healthcare data.

The topic was under discussion at an event for the future of healthcare intelligence and the introduction of Wilmington Healthcare.

Wilmington Healthcare is a new proposition and forms an umbrella for Wilmington plc companies Binley’s, NHiS and OnMedica.

Richard Adams, director of Wilmington plc’s Insight Division, said: “Healthcare in the UK stands at a crossroads in respect of the use of technology to improve patient care and to reduce cost within the NHS.

“The missing link currently is the effective use of data due to information being stashed in silos or unduly kept under lock and key due to a lack of understanding of the benefits it can deliver.”

Almost half a million deaths blamed on contaminated food

At least 600 million people, or 1 in 10 worldwide, fall ill from contaminated food each year and 420,000 die, many of them young children, Reuters have reported.

Giving its first global estimates of preventable food borne diseases, a World Health Organisation report called on governments and industry to improve inspections and control of the food chain from the fields and farmyard to the factory and the plate.

Food borne diseases - caused by bacteria such as salmonella, viruses, parasites, toxins and chemicals - mostly cause temporary symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.

But they can also cause longer-term illnesses including cancer, kidney or liver failure, brain disorders, epilepsy and arthritis, the United Nations agency said.

Healthcare professionals can support victims of slavery

Healthcare professionals can help tackle modern slavery and support victims, the Department of Health has said.

Victoms who present in healthcare settings may have little or no engagement with any other services.

NHS professionals therefore have an important role to play in identifying and caring for trafficked people and in referring them for further support and by being able to support them to report to the appropriate authorities.