An award winning Scottish Dental group has completed the purchase of Eyemouth Dental Practice, with a range of specialised services to be introduced.
Infinityblu Dental Care and Implant Clinic was founded by a Scottish Young Dentist of the Year, Chris Barrowman, in Pitlochry in 2007.
Since then the growing company has added a further 10 regional practices nationwide, with over £10m invested and over 150 staff employed in its team.
The £775 000 purchase of Eyemouth Dental Practice Ltd adds to Infinityblu’s existing Scottish Borders practices in Duns, Peebles, and Galashiels, making it 12 practices overall.
It is understood that the group intends to expand further, with city locations also being considered.
The acquisition will see all existing staff retained, with dental services expanded by visiting Dentists from across existing Infinityblu practices.
Investment will be made to property and equipment over the next 6-12 months.
Digital intra oral scanning and CBCT imaging systems will be introduced in the short term, followed by a program of refurbishment.
The reputable practice will continue to run, for the time being, as Eyemouth Dental Practice ahead of a full rebrand to Infinityblu by the end of this summer.
“I am incredibly excited for the future at Eyemouth,” said Infinityblu founder Chris Barrowman, who will expand the range of in-house services to include implants, full arch implants, Orthodontics, Oral surgery and Endodontics.
“To purchase a practice which already shares a similar vision and ethos is amazing and, by adding a fourth Borders practice, it gives the team the extended support to become part of our community.”
In the Borders region specialised dental services can often be referred to Edinburgh, necessitating a 100 mile round trip for patients.
However, the need for long distance travel will be eliminated with Infinityblu offering a broader range of specialised and complex services in-house.
The new practice will cater for existing and new patients as well as patients referred to Infinityblu by other Borders-based dentists.
“This practice is already well established and has a great reputation. The faces which patients are used to seeing will remain here and, as we grow the services, there will be the opportunity for recruitment in the area,” said Chris Barrowman.
He added: “The goal is to offer a wide range of services in Eyemouth, which will significantly reduce wait and travel time for patients. It will also reduce the need for patients to see several dentists to achieve the results they want.”
Infinityblu has practices in Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Crieff, Auchterarder, Auchtermuchty, Alyth, Callander and Killin as well as its Borders locations.
The group cares for over 60,000 patients and performs hundreds of dental implants every year, from single implants through to full arch implants.
Written by Alexandr Morozov, founder of the Laboratory of digital products Geerafe.
When ChatGPT became the fastest growing web-app in the history of digital entrepreneurship, it made one thing very clear — we’re entering the age of artificial intelligence. But this technology has applications that reach far beyond smart chatbots — such as healthcare Machine Learning.
Right now, we’re seeing a huge surge in the use of AI and ML (Machine Learning) technologies in healthcare and medicine. In fact, the worldwide market for AI in healthcare is expected to grow at a yearly rate of 37.5%, starting from a value of USD 15.4 billion in 2022.
We wouldn’t be seeing this kind of growth if it weren’t for the tangible benefits AI brings to patients and healthcare providers.
In this article, we’re going to talk about six major advantages of using AI in healthcare and what they mean for both patients and those giving care.
1. Improved Diagnostic and Medical Trial Accuracy
Machine Learning models can accurately analyze large datasets, including medical images, lab results, and electronic health records, spotting patterns that might escape the human eye.
For example, clinical trials sometimes fail because a group that responds well to medication is overlooked during evaluation. AI can help find these outliers, no matter how much data it needs to process.
This same ability to handle a lot of information gives AI the potential to boost the diagnostic accuracy for common conditions such as heart diseases, and rare genetic disorders.
2. Predictive Analytics for Early Intervention
AI can enable early intervention by analyzing patient data and identifying individuals at high risk of developing certain diseases. Predictive systems like this are already deployed today with great success.
For example, Google’s DeepMind helps detect eye diseases by analyzing retinal scans, which enables early treatment and potentially saves vision.
Predictive systems utilize machine learning algorithms, trained on extensive health data. That’s why they can detect abnormalities even if the symptoms are easy to overlook.
3. Optimization of Administrative Tasks
Behind every healthcare facility there is a complex system of appointments, billings, and logistics.
These administrative tasks can often bog down medical staff, diverting their focus from patient care. This is where AI can step in.
For instance, this technology can automate appointments and predict optimal time slots based on historical data and real-time availability. This will streamline the scheduling process and free up valuable time for hospital personnel.
4. Remote Monitoring and Telemedicine
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of remote care. As a result, telemedicine adoption has skyrocketed in many parts of the world. In the Asia-Pacific region, for example, adoption rates nearly doubled between 2019 and 2021.
As telemedicine continues to become more popular, doctors need to adapt to this new way of working. For the telehealth physicians, who understandably can’t physically poke and probe a patient, the ability to make accurate, data-driven decisions is key. AI is very effective when it comes to analyzing large datasets, and it is only natural that in telehealth many healthcare providers use it for data analysis and diagnostic assistance. And, according to a study by MIT, 75% of respondents said artificial intelligence helped them provide better care.
5. Efficient Workload Management
Working in a medical facility is highly demanding. Physicians and nurses, who put in lengthy hours engaged in physically taxing tasks, find themselves particularly prone to fatigue. This, in turn, can potentially compromise their judgment in critical situations.
AI can be used to keep tabs on work hours and suggest rest periods to prevent overworking. A system like this can solve the fatigue problem in an industry where schedules aren’t yet regulated.
6. Personalized Treatment Plans
Personalized medicine, or precision medicine as it is also known, sorts patients into groups. It looks at each person’s unique traits, especially differences in their genomes.
In simple terms, doctors can use this approach to guess how each patient might react to a certain disease, and then recommend treatments just for them. This is a really promising area in medicine, especially when dealing with tricky genetic conditions. But, the cost issue often slows down progress.
That’s where artificial intelligence can make a big difference. It can make it cheaper to analyze important data, like a patient’s medical history and genomic information. If we use this technology right, precision medicine could become a go-to way to treat patients.
But it’s not all smooth sailing
Even with all the good things AI can do for healthcare, it’s not an easy road to get everyone using it — we’ve got quite a few challenges to face before we can outstaff hospital work to robots. Here are some of the biggest hurdles:
Not all patients are ready to embrace AI
One of the most significant challenges is the public’s perception of AI in healthcare. A survey showed that 60% of Americans would be uncomfortable with their healthcare provider relying heavily on AI.
This unease comes from a few places, like not really understanding what AI is, and worries about privacy and keeping their data safe.
We don’t know how LLMs work
Another big issue is that we don’t really know how Large Language Models (LLMs) work. Using these systems without fully understanding how they make their decisions can be risky and bring up some serious ethical questions.
For instance, LLMs like the technology behind ChatGPT use predictive algorithms to try to guess the best answer. The thing is, we don’t really know how they come up with those guesses. What’s more, we don’t have a good way to study it.
If we looked at an LLM’s code while it’s working, all we’d see is arrays of numbers flipping around — kind of like that scrolling code from The Matrix movies. The weird part is that even the people who made the program can’t make sense of that data.
So, this brings up a tough question: can we really trust a tool we don’t fully understand, especially in something as critical as healthcare? And what happens if an AI makes a mistake that costs a life?
Wrapping up
To wrap things up, even though AI’s part in healthcare is still changing, there’s no denying it has huge potential. Yes, there are challenges, but the benefits it brings — like making diagnoses more accurate, customizing treatment plans, and managing work better — are just too big to ignore.
As we continue to navigate the future of healthcare, AI will undoubtedly play a pivotal role, changing the way we diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases.
MedTech marketing is a huge industry for those in the medical invention field.
MedTech companies are always developing new products to change the game and improve how people deal with their healthcare needs. However, while this boom in the industry is great for improving the state of healthcare, it also creates a vast amount of competition between companies.
Successfully launching a new product, therefore, requires a smart marketing strategy. To stand out in the industry, MedTech companies will conduct a range of vital ‘MedTech Marketing Insights’ to stand out from opponents.
This article will explore marketing insights and how they can help MedTech brands thrive under challenging industry conditions.
What Are MedTech Marketing Insights?
MedTech marketing insights are the data, information and knowledge companies gather to understand their target audiences and competitors better.
Knowing your audience is key to good marketing, as you can target your campaign to specific demographics most likely to buy your product. Whether this is hospital buyers, doctors, or individual patient users – insights can help you find the best way to reach them, the information they want to hear about your product and how to make it stand out in the marketplace.
A MedTech research and marketing agency usually conducts marketing insight research, as they have much better access to a range of reports, patient feedback and more.
Target Audience Insights
MedTech marketing insights are the data, information, and knowledge companies gather to better understand their target audiences and competitors.
Knowing your audience is key to good marketing, as you can target your campaign to specific demographics most likely to buy your product. Whether these are hospital buyers, doctors, or individual patient users – insights can help you find the best way to reach them, the information they want to hear about your product, and how to make it stand out in the marketplace.
A MedTech research and marketing agency usually conducts marketing insight research, as they have much better access to a range of reports, patient feedback, and more.
Competitive Insights
The MedTech industry is highly competitive, regularly introducing new products and services. It is important to stay up-to-date on competitors’ latest innovations and trends, assessing how their products and services compare to your own.
This can help companies pinpoint areas to develop marketing strategies that emphasise their unique value propositions or ‘unique selling points’ (USPs).
Regulatory Insights
MedTech companies must also comply with various regulatory requirements to bring their products and services to the medical market.
MedTech organisations can adapt their marketing strategies to ensure compliance and avoid potential legal issues by staying informed about regulation changes.
For example, new regulations may be implemented to ensure machines of a certain kind come with extra warnings or labels to ensure user safety. Being aware of this allows developers and manufacturers to ensure their product is complete with this, allowing for a much smoother launch to the marketplace.
How MedTech Marketing Insights Are Gathered
Though it’s all well and good to utilise marketing insights, it’s also important that you use the correct channels to gather accurate information. Some of the ways MedTech companies choose to do this include the following:
Market research- Gathering data through interviews, surveys and focus groups to better understand customer needs and preferences.
Data analysis: MedTech companies can analyse data from various sources to gain information about customer and market trends. This can be anything from sales statistics to social media analytics.
Industry events – attending conferences and other industry events can provide valuable insights into the latest innovations and trends in the MedTech industry. Not only is this a great way to network and find potential investors, but it’s also an important way to stay aware of competitors’ actions and industry trends.
Regulatory updates – subscriptions to industry news sources and publications will help MedTech professionals stay updated with regulatory changes.
These things will be critical to ensuring a successful MedTech marketing campaign.
The key is to stay updated and maintain relevant sources of information as they come. Collaborating with a marketing agency can be useful here, as professional analytic companies will have better access to immediate industry updates.
In Conclusion,
MedTech marketing insights are important in generating successful marketing strategies for MedTech products and services. They help brands to connect with their target audiences, differentiate their products and services from the competition, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
By gathering important data about their target audiences, regulatory restrictions, and competitors, MedTech companies can develop a strategic plan for success and better forecast sales and future product variations.
Stem cells in medicine have been used since the end of the 20th century, when they were first applied to treat blood cancer. Over time, scientists discovered more and more new types of stem cells (SCs), and now they are used not only for cancer treatment but also for treating many other diseases. If tissues or organs are destroyed by a pathological process, they can be partially or completely restored with the help of stem cells. You are welcome to use the Booking Health website to have your stem cell therapy in Germany. More and more German hospitals are using cell therapy, as it shows excellent results and does not cause any severe complications.
What diseases can be treated with stem cells?
Stem cells can treat a wide variety of pathologies, depending on their origin, including:
Degenerative diseases
Autoimmune diseases
Traumatic diseases
Ischemic diseases
The principle of action of stem cells is based on the stimulation of tissue regeneration. It does not matter how they were damaged: due to an acute injury, a prolonged microtrauma, degenerative or autoimmune processes, a lack of blood supply, etc. It doesn’t matter if it happened gradually or all at once. In any case, stem cells will partially restore organs, tissues, and their functions.
Stem cells can be used to treat the following conditions:
Musculoskeletal pathologies, such as arthrosis, ligament sprains and tears, a delayed union of bone fractures, false joints, and rotator cuff syndrome
Neurological pathologies: stem cell therapy can be used as part of a combination cerebral palsy treatment, for sclerosis treatment, Alzheimer’s disease treatment, Parkinson’s disease treatment, or as joint therapy for autism or stroke
Eye diseases that are accompanied by damage to the retina and optic nerve
Cardiovascular pathologies, such as myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, and heart failure
Complications of diabetes mellitus
Internal organ damage with impaired function, regardless of the cause of the pathology: kidney failure, liver failure, pancreatic insufficiency, or pulmonary fibrosis
How is stem cell therapy conducted?
Stem cell treatment at clinics in Germany is different, depending on what doctors are treating, at what stage of the disease, and whether progress is being made from treatment. In any case, the therapy includes harvesting stem cells and their injection.
Stem cells can be collected from the patient himself or from a donor. Donor stem cells are effective but less safe, so they are used only in extreme cases, for example, for treating acute leukemia or lymphoma with bone marrow involvement. The treatment of most diseases involves the use of the patient’s own stem cells, which can be harvested from various tissues. These may be:
Peripheral blood
Bone marrow
Adipose tissue
For most diseases, stem cells are taken from the blood or bone marrow. Adipose tissue is also a good source of stem cells, but they are only suitable for the restoration of connective tissue, such as bones, cartilage, and joints, so they are mainly used in orthopedics.
The injection of stem cells can be one of the following:
Systemic, that is, made intravenously
Local, that is, made in the eye, in the cerebrospinal fluid, in the joint, etc.
Regional, that is, made into the artery supplying the organ
Stem cells work well even for diseases that cannot be treated otherwise. You can seek medical attention at one of the German clinics to take advantage of the possibilities of modern regenerative medicine. Please visit theBooking Health website, where you can find out the cost of stem cell therapy in Germany, compare prices at different hospitals, and choose the most suitable medical care program. The specialists at the Booking Health company will help you make the right choice and organize your trip. We will book hotel and airline tickets for you, translate your medical documents, meet you at the airport in Germany, and take you to the hospital by car. We will also support you at all stages of treatment.
As NHS Resolution’s annual report suggests, claims have surpassed last year’s cost of £2.2 billion, amounting to £2.4 billion. During 2021-2022, there were 15, 078 claims against the NHS – that means 40 claims daily. Moreover, 86.7% of the claims are successful, with the cost of medical negligence taking nearly 7% of the yearly budget. Obstetrics is the costliest area, accounting for 62% of the yearly claims, followed by emergency medicine and orthopaedic surgery, with 1,233 and 1,203 claims, respectively.
Understanding medical negligence
Patients trust doctors with their health and lives, but unfortunately, medical professionals can also make mistakes, which can sometimes have devastating consequences. That’s known as medical negligence and occurs when a healthcare provider fails to fulfil their duty of care. In some circumstances, this can lead to claims. In order to determine whether you’re legally entitled to compensation, it’s vital to understand some crucial aspects regarding medical negligence.
Personal injury claims define negligence as a failure to be reasonably prudent and exhibit caution during work; however, the standard of care looks different for healthcare workers because expectations are higher. When a healthcare provider doesn’t behave according to the accepted medical standard, that’s considered a medical negligence case. Here’s a list of the most common medical negligence examples:
Misdiagnosis – for instance, this happens when someone is diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome instead of ovarian cancer;
The mental and physical effects of medical negligence
Medical negligence can be truly damaging to patients. For example, someone who is misdiagnosed may undergo unnecessary treatment. Whether the effects are short-term or long-term, victims experience physical and psychological suffering. They end up resenting their clinician for dealing with a preventable injury and feeling a sense of injustice about what happened. This can make it challenging for them to adjust to their new life. Often, medical negligence victims and their families blame themselves for the unfortunate situation, making it much harder to accept things as they are and gradually move on.
Medical negligence can affect the body in different ways, causing:
Mental impairments;
Loss of limbs;
Disfigurement;
Chronic pain.
Regarding the mental effects, victims of medical negligence can experience a wide range of emotions besides anger and frustration, including:
Some patients can even develop PTSD due to such a traumatic experience. Consequently, they may have flashbacks related to the injury, avoid places that remind them of the distressing event, and become easily irritable if they are forced to have any interactions with hospital staff.
Legal considerations of medical negligence
According to Medical Negligence Claims Care experts, victims of medical negligence may be able to recover compensation for the harm they suffered. Any healthcare provider can be held liable for violating the standard of care, including nurses, dentists, and chiropractors. You may even be able to file a claim against the hospital itself. Even if the facility isn’t negligent, under the law, they must take responsibility for their employees’ actions. You can prove medical negligence by showing:
The healthcare provider had a duty they didn’t fulfil;
You’ve experienced harm due to medical negligence;
You suffered damages that require compensation, whether lost wages or higher medical bills.
Depending on the situation, you may need a legal professional’s help to determine the standard of care and why your doctor failed to fulfil it. With a medical malpractice attorney by your side, obtaining evidence like medical records and proving your case will be easier. However, in some instances, there’s no need for further evidence of negligence, as the error is evident. Suppose a surgical instrument was left inside your body; that’s obviously a medical negligence case, as no competent surgeon would ever do that.
Medical negligence compensation may involve payment for:
Medical bills that result from medical negligence;
Pain;
Wrongful death damages.
Some states have laws that restrict the total compensation you can get for non-economic damages like emotional distress. Whatever your situation is, it’s always best to seek help from a qualified medical malpractice attorney. They can assist you in understanding how much compensation you can receive for your losses and help you negotiate a settlement or file a case against the medical professional that caused you harm.
Is there a way to decrease the impact of medical negligence?
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce claims and costs related to medical negligence, and that’s by investing in better policies and having the right practices in place. Improving the quality of care costs significantly less than pay-outs, and it’s worth doing it to avoid multiple adverse effects, such as the loss of trust in the healthcare system.
Adopting the latest technology can also bring new opportunities and work as a solution to the current issues within the system. For instance, tech advancements allow doctors to give more accurate diagnoses, which can decrease the incidence of medical mistakes. Due to task automation, the process of getting care is more efficient, as prescription refills happen faster.
All in all, technology helps doctors considerably, allowing them to provide better care for patients.
Negligence compensation claim costs can only be reduced if the Government addresses the root causes of the harm, which is, in fact, avoidable. The key is to invest in staff and adopt patient safety measures, as that would eliminate a lot of claims.
Our takeaway
Medical negligence cases have increased considerably in the five years, leading to costs that could otherwise be used to provide better patient care.
Unfortunately, medical negligence cases happen frequently, so more needs to be done to prevent them. That means investing in a healthcare system that’s better equipped to treat patients effectively.
No one should ever deal with the devastating consequences of medical negligence, as it can significantly alter someone’s quality of life. Hence, medical professionals should strive to keep their patients safe at all times and avoid causing physical and mental damage.
As our NHS is under strain and healthcare information is more accessible than ever before, the online drugs market is thriving. A quick search reveals a whole host of independent pharmacies and private medical services offering next day delivery and all using words like ‘simple’, ‘easy’ and ‘100% discreet’.
These days access to NHS healthcare is not always easy or straightforward. However, in a world of online GPs and online pharmacies, the NHS is no longer the only option and many of these websites offer safe and reliable access to healthcare and medication for minor conditions or regular medication, delivered to your door.
The problem for patients using online services is knowing which providers are safe. For example, a search for buy diazepam UK brings up hundreds of results. Not all of these will even be based in the UK – and absolutely anyone can build a website these days.
It is therefore advisable to follow safety precautions when ordering meds online. Here are some things to consider:
1. Check The Platform
Before ordering from any oniine pharmacy service, check who owns it, what their qualifications are, where they are based and exactly what services they provide. Beware any platform that doesn’t offer this information.
Genuine providers usually provide plenty of information and won’t allow you to just order prescription meds without a consultation. This consultation is often quick and may take place online via questions on a form, or via an online video or telephone call. Reputable online providers offer an ideal way to obtain repeat medication if you run out and can’t get a timely appointment with your regular GP.
In fact, some GP services are now available as an almost entirely online service and NHS patients can register with them instead of an offline GP – and if a patient needs a referral to a consultant, even this can be done online, offering very fast access to professional advice, and they can also offer fast referrals to other online services such as counselling for a low cost.
Also, you will find most high street pharmacy chains also offer online services, as well as a host of legitimate pharmacy providers run by qualified chemists.
The only downside of this new healthcare market is anyone can claim to be anything online, so look for established platforms with good patient reviews and fast response times.
2. Customer Service and Responsiveness
If you are considering placing an order, when engaging with an online provider, assess how professional their website is and how responsive they are to any questions you may have.
If you don’t feel their answers to your questions are appropriate or tailored to your situation, then go elsewhere – there are plenty of providers to choose from and when it comes to health, you deserve to deal with a provider you trust.
3. Steer clear of medication websites that issue prescription only meds without a prescription
There are strict rules about the supply of medicines and these are in place for a reason – to protect patients and ensure that any medicines provided are safe, manufactured to exact standards and fit for purpose.
When buying prescription-only medicine online, legitimate pharmacists will either ask for a prescription from a GP or if it’s for a minor condition they will assess your symptoms in an online consultation.
You can also see an online GP, and they can send your prescription direct to the online or offline pharmacist of your choice, sometimes even within the hour, but steer clear of any online meds supplier that will send prescription meds with no prescription or consultation at all. You should never try to self-diagnose.
If you can’t just order any medicine you like, it’s probably a legitimate provider.
If you can only find a website on the dark web, and they have no reviews or don’t seem transparent, give them a very wide berth and order elsewhere – you can’t mess with your health.
Conclusion
In a time of crisis, when our traditional services are stretched to the limit and access to non-urgent healthcare is challenging, the new online healthcare market is filling a gap for non-urgent treatment and helping relieve some of the burden on the NHS.
Even if the NHS resolves some of the challenges, legitimate online healthcare will continue to offer a complementary service and offers more choice for patients.
However for urgent, serious or life-threatening conditions, it goes without saying that your first port of call should be your GP, ambulance service or NHS Direct.
Doctor says High Court ruling has major implications for other GPs, as his patients call for MPs to investigate
NHS England urged by patients to reinstate ‘unlawfully dismissed’ GP
MPs urged to raise issue in parliament
BMA applying to intervene as ‘interested party’ in GP’s legal appeal
An award-winning GP and his patients have today urged NHS England to urgently reinstate him in a long-running saga over patient data which has placed two popular practices under a cloud.
Local patients’ groups are due to meet Labour MP John McDonnell today (Nov 14th) to request that the issues are raised urgently in parliament. They are also seeking an urgent meeting with constituency MP – former prime minister Boris Johnson.
A High Court judge stated last month that Dr Sashi Shashikanth’s contracts were unlawfully terminated – for a GP, the equivalent of being sacked – in a complex dispute which now raises major concerns for other GPs across England.
The popular GP, who operates two practices with more than 8,000 patients in West London, is now seeking permission to appeal the court judgment, because despite being unlawfully dismissed, the judge also ruled the case was not applicable for Judicial Review.
The court ruling raises major concerns for other GPs who seek to dispute decisions made by NHS England in future.
The long and bitter saga was sparked by Dr Shashikanth’s refusal, supported by legal advice and the wishes of his patients, to give full access to confidential patients’ data to the local Primary Care Network (PCN), part of a larger private enterprise. The GP’s practices were the only local surgeries which chose not to join the PCN but offered to deliver services themselves.
As a result, his contracts were terminated by Hillingdon’s now defunct Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which also lodged a series of unfounded complaints about the GP to a range of key bodies including the General Medical Council (GMC), NHS England’s GP performance management department, and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), each of which rejected the complaints. Both Dr Shashikanth’s teaching and training practices have ‘Good’ CQC ratings.
Dr Shashikanth said:“This whole saga is totally unnecessary. At a time when GP workload is on the increase, our time, energy and resources are being diverted into fighting an unnecessary legal battle and unfounded complaints, where we should be concentrating on delivering services to our patients.
“I’m seeking to have my termination notices urgently rescinded by NHS England. I have also taken legal advice and I’m seeking permission to appeal the judge’s decision not to allow a Judicial Review. It’s time for this affair to be resolved, quickly, particularly because we’ve been treated differently to other similar practices in England.”
Dr Kieran Sharrock, deputy chair of the BMA GP Committee England said:“When a court has found a judgment to be incorrect there has to be a legal route to challenge the judgment. If procedural process gets in the way of justice, the BMA believes this has to be corrected.”
The doctor has also sought the help of Rob Hurd, CEO ofNWL ICS, the body which inherited the mess when it replaced all of West London’s CCGs. Mr Hurd has been asked to help resolve the saga quickly, so that attention can be focused locally on looking after patients, especially at a time of severe GP shortages.
John Rogers, 78, a prostate cancer patient, who leads one of the localpatient groups, said: “Dr Shashikanth has been treated terribly at a time when the NHS is crying out for good doctors.
“Patients at both his surgeries decided they did not want confidential records shared, and our GP and his practices are being discriminated against as a result.
“It’s ludicrous – and a scandalous waste of Dr Shashikanth’s money and taxpayers’ money fighting this in court. NHS England should do the right thing and reinstate our doctor now especially since the judge said he’d been treated unlawfully.”
Heart transplant patient, Dennis Ball, 77, has been treated by Dr Shashikanth for nearly 20 years. He said: “I think he has been treated harshly, unfairly, and has been punished because his patients decided they did not want their data shared. I think there’s discrimination and politics at the heart of this whole sorry affair.
“Dr Shashikanth must be given his full status back and should be able to practise how he and his patients wish.”
HOLLYOAKS actress Kelly Condron has, for the first time, shared the story of her son’s hospital treatment, in the hopes it encourages families to sign up to a Manchester charity event.
Kelly is backing Manchester Foundation Trust Charity’s Lantern Walk, which will see participants do a sponsored walk around Heaton Park at dusk on Saturday 12th November to fundraise for hospitals across Greater Manchester. This year the event is kindly sponsored by Manchester-based business Happy Linen Company.
Kelly and her family were participants in last year’s event and know all too well what lifesaving and life-changing work the hospitals do. Her son George has been a long-term patient of Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital – one of ten local NHS hospitals the event will help support.
“Ever since George’s treatment at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital we’ve done whatever we can to raise money for them,” said Kelly.
“The Lantern Walk last year was absolutely brilliant. It truly is magical seeing all the lanterns twinkling in the dark at the end of the walk. And Heaton Park is such a beautiful place to walk around.
“It’s a really accessible and family-friendly event too. I’d encourage anyone to take part.”
George Condron, aged 11, has been diagnosed with Barrett’s oesophagus, having suffered from reflux since he was a baby. The condition, which is more common in older people, can cause indigestion and heartburn. Some sufferers have difficulty swallowing food. A less common side effect is having reflux – where food comes back up from the stomach into the food pipe.
Unfortunately, George’s symptoms are bad acid reflux and this has caused damage to his oesophagus. Procedures to help widen and stretch it have been performed by surgeons at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Kelly, 39, explained: “He’s had about 10 procedures at the hospital to stretch his oesophagus and help with his swallowing. His first operation was about five or six years ago, so we’re semi-regulars now. We’ve spent quite a lot of time in the children’s hospital.
“He’s been through so much with his Barrett’s oesaphagus and he’s been in and out of hospital a lot. But we do feel very grateful that we get to take him home after relatively short stays. Some families don’t get to do that. It’s those families I often think of and want to help.
“Entering the hospital can be scary at first, but when you get to know the teams and speak to other parents, it becomes normality. The medical experts and the Play Team are so good with George – they got to know him and what he needed to make him less nervous. Honestly, I can’t thank them enough for everything they have done. They feel like extended family now.”
Kelly, George, his little sister Matilda, seven, and dad Adam, 43, have all joined in fundraising to support Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital since George’s diagnosis.
Kelly, who plays Zara Morgan in Hollyoaks, said: “We’ve done the Charity’s dressing up days and cake sales with James Brindley School. Whatever we can do to say a ‘thank you’ to everyone involved in George’s care.”
This year’s Lantern Walk will see hundreds of parents, children and families do a sponsored walk taking in Heaton Hall, The Temple and the beautiful Heaton Park gardens. Participants can choose from one of two accessible routes – either a 2km or 5km course.
Viv Williamson, Manchester Foundation Trust Charity’s Senior Events Manager, said: “We know there are many children like George out there who have had a scary time in hospital made more comfortable, and even a joyful experience, thanks to our brilliant NHS staff at our hospitals.
“It will be such a special moment when we see everyone at Heaton Park to celebrate these wonderful hospitals and raise some much-needed money to fund treatment, research and care projects for hospital services across Greater Manchester.”
This year’s event is kindly sponsored by children’s bedding and homeware brand, Happy Linen Company. The company produces a range of affordable bedding and matching homeware accessories designed to inspire little ones’ imaginations.
Amar Gangani, Managing Director at Happy Linen Company said: “This is such a special event and we’re proud to support the charity as sponsors of the Lantern Walk.
“We can’t wait to see all the families taking part and meet some of the amazing supporters whose lives have been touched by the hospitals in the Manchester Foundation Trust Charity family. We’ll look forward to seeing you all there!”
Registration is just £4 for adults and children aged four and over. Walkers can pre-register for a free fundraising guide, packed full of hints and tips.
All money raised from the event will ensure Manchester Foundation Trust Charity can fund treatment, research and care projects throughout its family of ten NHS hospitals, clinical services and local care organisations. The hospitals in this family are: North Manchester General Hospital; Manchester Royal Infirmary; Wythenshawe Hospital; Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital; Manchester Royal Eye Hospital; Saint Mary’s Hospital; University Dental Hospital of Manchester; Withington Community Hospital; Trafford General Hospital and Altrincham Hospital.
Teachers, prison staff and healthcare professionals in Ghana are to be educated on how high-quality physical healthcare can significantly help patients who suffer from serious mental illnesses.
The training is to be provided by Northampton charity St Andrew’s Healthcare in a bid to empower and enrich people’s lives in the African country.
Martin O’Dowd, Head of Physical Health from the psychiatric hospital on Billing Road is travelling to the African country in October to help promote and educate the link between physical and mental healthcare.
He will be carrying out the work to promote the psychiatric hospital’s charitable purpose while helping to support the Besstel Foundation, an organisation that aims to enhance awareness of mental illness in Ghana and other parts of Africa.
St Andrew’s Healthcare has also donated four cages of clinical equipment, such as examination couches, thermometers, blood pressure machines and pulse oximeters.
Martin said: “I am thrilled and honoured to have been asked to take part in this important initiative. Providing a high standard of physical healthcare is an important part of our patients’ treatment plans at St Andrew’s Healthcare as the benefits directly address the increased mortality gap faced by many.
“I’m passionate about addressing the health inequalities faced by people with mental illness, cognitive impairment and learning disabilities as they are a very vulnerable group and have such a small voice in society. To be able to extend this work to a country like Ghana, that is trying to give a platform to mental healthcare even when they face such difficulties in providing more basic care to their population, seems like a great thing to be part of.”
Martin’s role is part of an annual project that the Besstel Foundation rolls out, which oversees mental health professionals from the UK travel to Ghana to share their expertise there.
The consultants deliver a programme of teaching, learning and professional development to support staff in mental health institutions.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 13 per cent of the 30m people in Ghana suffer from a mental disorder. Of which, three per cent have a severe mental disorder and the other 10 per cent have a moderate to mild mental disorder.
St Andrew’s Healthcare’s CEO Dr Vivienne McVey, said: “As a charity, we are always looking ways to help, enrich and improve people’s lives by promoting wellbeing, giving hope and enabling recovery. We’re excited and inspired by this opportunity and we hope Martin’s work will encourage and empower the Ghanaian citizens to make meaningful change.
“During its period of sustained growth, Ghana has made significant strides in improving conditions for its people, but like many other places, mental health education is not a priority. We want to change that, and hope that Martin’s training sessions will form part of some long-term solutions which will help tackle the increasing burden of mental health.”
CEO of the Besstel Foundation, Stella Agyeman, said: “Mental health is seldom discussed in Ghanaian culture because it makes people uncomfortable. There is widespread stigma, discrimination and a basic lack of understanding, which is why the work we carry out is so vital.
“We would like to thank St Andrew’s Healthcare and Martin for the support and resources they have pledged and we’re thrilled that we’re able to further support the people of Ghana with physical healthcare training.”
Softcat plc, a leading IT infrastructure solutions and services provider, has been awarded a contract to be the new device partner for Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The £4 million contract will support the opening and operation of Liverpool’s new 640-bed Royal Liverpool University Hospital which is due to open in September 2022.
Softcat will provide end-user devices, peripherals, pre-staging, deployment, engineering, and recycling services.
During this time, Softcat will work as an extension of the Trust’s Digital Services delivery team, joining an ecosystem of partners to deliver modern health-specific solutions, enabling them to meet current demands and challenges and provide a seamless experience for end-users.
The services that Softcat is set to provide are built to be agile, flexible and scalable, and form part of the company’s wider strategy to support digital transformation initiatives within the public health sector.
Softcat is an approved supplier on over 50 UK&I government frameworks, enabling healthcare organisations to obtain the technology they need at the most competitive price, whilst maintaining contractual compliance.
The device contract was awarded to Softcat following a further competition via the Health Trust Europe (HTE) ICT Solutions Framework (ComIT 2 – Complete IT); a framework that offers a broad scope of ICT, including hardware, software and professional services, to support NHS and wider public sector organisations with their procurement requirements in a proficient and cost-effective way.
Adam Rice, Public Sector Director at Softcat, said:
“Softcat plc is delighted to be working with the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to support the organisation in achieving true digital transformation. The contract builds on over 10 years’ experience in helping our healthcare and NHS customers deliver a safer, efficient environment for their staff and patients.
“NHS Trusts are being challenged by the need to transform the way they deliver care, while continuing to manage unprecedented demand. By helping Trusts harness the power of technology, we enable them to meet the challenge head on and improve outcomes, and patient and employee experiences.”
Dr Jason Bincalar, Chief Information Officer at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust added:
“Softcat is a valued strategic partner who bring to the table significant IT experience and great capability.”
“Providing the best patient and staff experience at the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital was the driving force for the partnership with Softcat. The Trust needed an innovative way to equip the new hospital without compromising the high-quality service that our Digital team provides at our existing hospital sites. Sharing this challenge with Softcat and leveraging their full technology life cycle service has proved to be best approach.”
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