Daily digest August 17 2015

Trust launches review after attacks on staff

The UK’s largest mental health trust is conducting a serious incident review following separate attacks on staff, which left a hostel worker dead and two nurses injured.

The review by West London Mental Health NHS Trust relates partly to the death of care worker Jenny Foote last month. Michael Meanza, who has paranoid schizophrenia, has been charged with her murder. It is also linked to a separate incident being investigated by police, involving another patient and injuries to two other members of staff.

A trust spokesperson said: ‘We can confirm that a multi-agency serious untoward incident review has been commissioned and it will be chaired independently. West London Mental Health Trust is the lead agency for the review.'

Read more on The Independent website

Diabetes care threatens to bankrupt NHS, charity warns

The NHS could be overwhelmed by the demand for diabetes care, following a 60% rise in the number of diagnoses in England and Wales over the past decade, the charity Diabetes UK has warned.

An extra 1.2 million adults now have the condition compared with 2005, and the total now stands at more than 3.3 million.

Diabetes UK charity Barbara Young said: ‘We need to see more people with diabetes receive the eight care processes recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. It is unacceptable that a third of people living with the condition do not currently get these, putting them at increased risk of developing complications, such as amputations, heart attack or stroke.’

Read more on The Guardian website

MP calls for ban on anti-malaria drug

An MP is calling for the government to stop issuing the anti-malaria drug mefloquine to Britsh military personnel.

Conservative Johnny Mercer, a former army officer and Afghanistan veteran, says he has received dozens of letters from military personnel who have experienced problems with sleeping and reasoning after taking the drug.

Soldiers serving in some overseas countries take the anti-malarial tablet every week.

Mr Mercer said: ‘I have had a letter about once or twice a week from not only constituents but people all over the UK who have suffered or know someone who has suffered as a result of taking the tablets. I think we need to halt putting this drug out there until a proper study has been done.’

Roche, which makes the drug, said that the benefits ‘outweigh the risks’.

Read more on the BBC News website