News in brief 1

The cost of statins for reducing the risk of heart attacks should not be passed from the NHS onto the patient, says the King’s Fund.

While over-the-counter statins have the potential to save lives, they should be provided equitably and be available to all at NHS expense to patients who could benefit, says King’s Fund chief executive Niall Dickson. The government announced in May that one statin, simvastatin, should be available without prescription in a 10mg dose.

www.dh.gov.uk
www.kingsfund.org.uk

A new video showing ways for black men with mental health problems to get back to work has been released by the Mellow Campaign and the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (SCMH). It features the stories of seven men and shows how big the barriers to work can be and how they can be tackled successfully with the right support and advice. The video, called Better Must Come is available from the SCMH on 0207 827 8352, price £25 (or £15 for voluntary organisations).

www.scmh.org.uk

Care homes for older people who need nursing or residential care continue to be underfunded despite above-inflation increases in fees paid by local authorities, it is claimed.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation says that calculations carried out for them by health and community care analyst William Laing show that council fees are now close to the appropriate rate for care homes meeting the revised minimum standards for existing premises.

But Laing has said that another £1bn a year would be needed across England to pay for a fully modernised independent care home sector.