Doctors call time on booze
The British Medical Association has called on the government to do more to tackle alcohol misuse in the UK. It argued the UK had one of the highest rates of alcohol consumption in Europe and called for higher taxes on alcoholic drinks, an end to irresponsible promotions, a reduction in drink drive limits, new labelling on alcoholic products and improved recommended guidelines and warnings about excessive consumption.
Cold cases found at work
Two-thirds of British workers admit to having suffered from a cold in the past three months, yet seven out of 10 have not taken a single day off because of it, a survey by mutual healthcare provider Benenden Healthcare has said. Out of those who had suffered from a cold, a quarter said they had felt ill for more than a week.
Arthritis funding for study
An occupational therapist in Nottingham has received £132,000 funding from the charitable Arthritis Research Campaign to examine more effective ways in which the NHS can help employees and employers deal with back pain. Carol Coole will be studying whether offering tailored, work-focused sessions with employees, and liaising closely with employers and job centres, will help them return to work more quickly.
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Brummy diabetes fear
The rate of diabetes in men from Birmingham is twice as high as the UK average, according to research published by the charity Diabetes UK. Nearly 15% of men over the age of 40 had diabetes in Birmingham, compared with the national average of 5.8%, a statistic chief executive Douglas Smallwood called “shocking”.
