Categories: News
Date: Aug 23, 2010
Title: CURRENT NHS NEWS
The main health news items from the last week.
Non-emergency telephone number 111 being trialled
Legal high drugs to be banned immediately
Ketamine is 'magic drug' for depression
Legalise heroin and cocaine to cut crime and improve health, top doctor says
Doctors face £10,000 cut in NHS bonus squeeze
Non-emergency telephone number 111 being trialled
The north east is to pilot a new non-emergency telephone number 111. The number will provide advice and information about local NHS services. Further trials are to follow later in the year in Nottingham, Lincolnshire and Luton.
Legal high drugs to be banned immediately
A change to Home Office rules will allow ministers to ban 'legal high' drugs immediately, The temporary ban will operate while the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs considers the dangers of a new drug and decides whether a permanent ban would be appropriate. An amendment to the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act is expected by the end of the year.
Ketamine is 'magic drug' for depression
Ketamine, the animal tranquiliser more recently used as a party drug, has been found to be a swift and effective treatment for depression with one dose effective for 10 days. Anti addiction campaigners have voiced concerns.
Legalise heroin and cocaine to cut crime and improve health, top doctor says
Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, the outgoing president of the Royal College of Physicians, has suggested that the legalisation of drug possession would not increase the number of addicts and would save vast amounts of public money. He says that 'prohibition is not a success'.
Doctors face £10,000 cut in NHS bonus squeeze
The NHS bonus system which rewards NHS consultants and cost £230 million last year is to be made 'fairer' by the Doctors and Dentists Review Body. Health secretary Andrew Lansley is to announce that the body will reduce the sums paid to doctors and allow other workers to be eligible for bonuses.