Almost one in four people in the UK suffers from hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and the numbers are rising. This common chronic condition is an inflammation of the inside part of the nose caused by pollen (allergen) produced by plants in susceptible individuals. Symptomatology includes: sneezing and coughing; a runny or blocked nose; itchy, red…
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During summer direct sun exposure increases; boosting vitamin D levels, improving bone health and even mood. Melanin production is also stimulated by the sun; this hormone makes the skin darker in people who acquire a tan. Overexposure to ultraviolet rays could have very damaging long-lasting consequences, like: premature ageing of the skin or skin cancer;…
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Smoking is still the largest cause of preventable death in England. It costs communities an estimated £12.6 billion annually with an additional annual cost of £2.5 billion to the National Health Service (NHS)(1). Public Health England is aiming for a “smoke-free society by 2030 with adult prevalence of five per cent or less”(2). Patients with…
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On 24 September, champion Lead Pharmacist Dorna Ghashghaei took to the ring to fight it out to raise money for the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. Charity Boxing Nights is a fantastic white-collar boxing event that allows people with no experience to partake in an intensive training regime culminating in…
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It is generally accepted that the management of symptoms in palliative care must involve appropriate polypharmacy. We are comfortable with using more than one medicine to help with one symptom provided the mechanisms of action are different and complementary – for example morphine plus gabapentin for pain with neuropathic characteristics. At the same time, we…
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In September 2019, the charity Hospices of Hope invited interested supporters on an insight visit to Serbia to see the new hospice building and meet the staff and patients. I have a family connection with Belgrade as my father was a Serbian pharmacist and our family supports the charity with the intention of trying to do something specific to help this particular site. There hasn’t been such an opportunity so far but this visit seemed a great chance to find out more in person…
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Articles in medical and pharmacy journals this month are asking us to adopt safer and more rational approaches to prescribing opioids. One comes from experts in chronic pain, notably Cathy Stannard, consultant in complex pain and Clinical Lead for the Pain Transformation Programme at NHS Gloucestershire CCG (1), and her…
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Childrens Hospice Week (CHW) is currently the only awareness and fundraising week for children with serious conditions, of its kind. These children’s hospices greatly need support and Childrens Hospice Week will go a long way to help with funding, but will also help share stories or strength and bravery to…
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Who was Dame Cicely Saunders? Dame Cicely Saunders was born in 1918, in Barnet. She was heavily invested in the care of people and during her life was a nurse, a medical social worker and also a physician. She began her work with the terminally ill in 1948, where she…
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