News

In brief

Official figures from the Welsh Office show that the number of nurses under 30 has fallen by a quarter over the past decade, while the number in older age groups has risen. The NHS Support Federation says it believes the fall cannot be explained simply by the change to Project 2000 education.

Health Minister Stephen Dorrell’s announcement that the Conservative election manifesto will pledge to privatise home help services has led to concerns that home care will become difficult to obtain for people in rural areas.

Up to one in three men entering prison define themselves as having a mental health problem, says new research from Bristol University. The researchers recommend more help for those with mental health problems while in prison, as well as in finding accommodation on release.

Clinicians and pressure groups are planning a challenge to a European patent on human umbilical blood cells, granted to the US company Biocyte, according to campaign group The Genetics Forum. The cells are used for bone marrow transplants, and opponents fear that Biocyte will now control their future use.

The Maternity Alliance has launched its Manifesto for maternity. It includes calls for a campaign to foster ‘realistic notions of parenthood’, greater involvement by pregnant women in their care, and clarification of maternity rights and benefits.

A Home Office research group has found that a small number of private doctors are making more than £100,000 per year by over-prescribing drugs such as methadone and amphetamines to dependent drug users, who then resell them on the street.

The US federal government has introduced a $400m scheme to pay New York hospitals not to train new doctors. The plan is a response to a ‘doctor glut’, which has resulted in too many doctors for the available patients.

It will take until 2010 to complete the incineration of existing cattle carcasses which may be infected with BSE, the Labour Party claims. Labour has released a map showing the location of 52 carcass storage sites across the UK.

Deputy leader John Prescott said: ‘No-one is far from a BSE storage site or rendering plant. Everyone is bearing the cost of the £3.5 billion beef tax.’