NHS and council organisations in Devon added their voice to the ‘Stop TB in my Lifetime’ TB campaign, to mark World TB Day (24 March).
And as part of its work with local partners across Devon, the public health team, which will shortly become part of Devon County Council, has been working with partners in Teignbridge District Council to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of tuberculosis, otherwise known as TB, and help spread the message that the disease is treatable.
John Wales, a 62-year-old married father of five who lives in Newton Abbot, was diagnosed with TB in...
In just over two weeks, the way in which public health in Devon is delivered and organised will change significantly, as responsibility for the health of Devon’s communities is handed back to the local authority for the first time in 39 years.
The move comes as part of a number of changes to the management of the health service, introduced by the government in its bid to ‘liberate the NHS’.
From 1 April, Devon County Council will be required to deliver services that improve the health of Devon’s population, prevent ill health and reduce current inequalities that exist from...
New research shows that drinking beetroot juice can significantly improve performance in team sports involving bouts of high intensity exercise.
Trials by the University of Exeter Sport and Health Sciences department have found a direct link between the high nitrate content of beetroot and the chemical processes needed to get muscles working at their most efficient during intermittent bursts of activity.
During the tests, sportsmen were either given beetroot juice with a full complement of nitrates, or juice which had had the nitrate removed. Those who had taken the nitrate...
Exeter’s Riverside Leisure Centre is joining forces with Devon’s public health team to celebrate national No Smoking Day tomorrow (Wednesday, 13 March).
The celebration event will also offer free badminton and circuits, for people to have a taster of what’s on offer at their local leisure centres, many of which are offering special promotions to help smokers ditch the cigarettes for good and get into exercise. Smoking cessation advisors will also be on hand to offer advice and support to anyone thinking of quitting.
People who book their first appointment with the Devon’s...
The Centre for Energy and the Environment (CEE) based at the University of Exeter has been awarded £25,000 by the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Hospital Trust to research the prioritisation of sustainability measures at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust (RD&E).
Commenting on the award Tony Norton, Head of the Centre, said “The RD&E has recognised the Centre’s expertise in energy and the built environment and the track record of success we have in working with other public sector partners in the region. This project has links to other research we are doing in...
Did you know that quitting smoking is the most important thing you can do for your baby?
If you are pregnant and smoke yourself, or live with someone who smokes around you, your baby is exposed to a number of dangerous chemicals.
Your baby may receive a restriction in the amount of oxygen it needs, causing its heart to have to beat harder. Smoking can cause a greater risk of miscarriage and still birth and a lower birth weight.
After they are born, your baby is more at risk of ear infections and asthma. Plus they are more likely to become a smoker themselves....
Early access to hip replacement is cost-effective and provides significant benefits for patients' quality of life, a study has shown.
Ruben Mujica-Mota, from the University of Exeter, carried out research comparing early access and delayed hip replacement surgery in Italy on behalf of the European Health Technology Institute for Socio-Economic Research (EHTI).
His findings, which are now published in the journal Value in Health, demonstrate both the cost-effectiveness of early hip replacement, as well as the benefits for patients.
A campaign to help make up a shortfall in new blood donors by recruiting 100,000 New Donors in 100 Days has been hailed a great success after the target was smashed two weeks early.
People came forward in their thousands to support the campaign run by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) which was launched following a dramatic decline in the number of younger donors signing up in 2012.
A total of 2,519 (with 382 in Exeter) from Devon showed their heart in the run up to Valentine’s Day joining the 119,907 that signed up across England and North Wales. The new sign ups will help...
A GP‘s innovative measures to support patients with diabetes has been recognised by a prize set up in memory of one of the pioneers of health education in Devon.
Dr Alice Harney received the MacLeod Post Graduate Prize at the University of Exeter Medical School, after she designed a care plan card which allows nurses and GPs to easily review the needs of the patient. The cards have been adopted at College Surgery in Cullompton, Mid Devon, where Dr Harney has also set up a diabetes support group.
Dr Harney received £300 because judges deemed her achievement to be an...
It's a bit of a cliche, but nobody said this was going to be easy! This week I've had my first real setback: straining my soleus (the muscle from your calf to your achilles). This, coupled with a busy weekend involving a fair amount of eating and drinking exactly what I shouldn't be, has made me feel like I've really fallen off the wagon.
All that being said, I have still managed to fit in 2 1/2 training sessions! The first this week was another circuits and resistance session. After warming up and stretching, I started with a circuit of 5 exercises; doing each for 45 seconds. The...
