UK-first screening trial for type 1 diabetes sees 20,000 children sign up so far
- The ELSA study screens children aged 3 to 13 for early signs of type 1 diabetes using a finger prick blood test, with 20,000 children already participating.
- Early detection of islet autoantibodies can help families prepare, monitor, and reduce the risk of severe complications like diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
- The study aims to connect high-risk children with new immunotherapy treatments and has introduced a ‘pre-type 1 diabetes’ SNOMED code in health records to improve care.
Hospital cyber-attack hampers GP blood services
- Doctors’ surgeries in London have continued to struggle with the impact of a cyber attack that knocked out pathology services across the area.
- Synnovis, an agency which manages labs for NHS trusts and GPs in south-east London, was the victim of a hack on 3 June. It has led to the cancellation of thousands of operations and appointments.
- Blood testing remains at a fraction of its former capacity, with only urgent and critical cases being processed.
Could genes be the answer to personalised sepsis treatment?
- Personalising sepsis treatment through genetic research can improve outcomes and reduce mortality.
- Researchers are identifying genetic markers that influence individual responses to sepsis, allowing for tailored treatments.
- This approach aims to move from a one-size-fits-all strategy to targeted therapies based on genetic profiles.
GP appointment pace unsustainable, warn general practice chiefs
- The Royal College of General Practitioners warns that the current rate of GP appointments is unsustainable, risking burnout and reduced patient care quality.
- Increasing demand and insufficient funding are straining general practices, necessitating urgent government action.
- Solutions proposed include expanding the workforce, better resource allocation, and leveraging technology to manage workloads.
Patient charities highlight NHS diagnostic improvements, urging current practice ‘not working’
- Patient charities coalition National Voices recognise NHS advancements in diagnostics but stress the need to maintain and build on these improvements.
- Recommendations include investing in new technologies, training healthcare professionals, and ensuring timely access to diagnostic services.
- National Voices highlights that statistics point to the proportion of patients waiting six weeks or more for diagnostic tests being around 21%.
UK planning laws deter investment, says Eli Lilly boss
- Dave Ricks, chief executive of the obesity drug manufacturer Eli Lilly, said he had considered building a factory in the UK in the last decade, but chose another country instead.
- He warned current planning processes were an “impediment” to building factories at speed, unlike in the US and Ireland. Countries that “could present a path” in which the time taken to set up a pharmaceutical plant was reduced from five years to two was “very attractive”.
- He urged the next government to consider how it could become “world class” in attracting investment.
