On the Rounds

Published on Monday 25 August 2008 21:11

VOLUNTARY measures have failed to stop alcohol misuse and legislation is now required to halt the problem, according to the British Medical Association Scotland.

Responding to the Scottish Government's proposed strategy to tackle the problem, the BMA claimed that the drinks industry's code of conduct should be replaced by more practical measures. Dr Peter Terry, chairman of BMA Scotland, says: "The facts are simple – voluntary measures implemented by the drinks industry are not effective and do not reduce the damage of alcohol misuse in Scotland. The Scottish Government must re-evaluate its relationship with the drinks industry, which clearly has a conflict of interest and is flouting the current voluntary measures. Government must combat the devastation that alcohol misuse has on Scotland's population. We therefore need to step up, legislate and take action."

The organisation says it welcomes regulations stopping promotional activities such as "two for one" offers, and calls for drinks to be directly priced by Government in correlation to their alcohol content. It welcomes a debate on raising the age-limit to 21, and agrees with proposals to set up separate checkout lanes for alcohol sales in supermarkets.

&#149 GLASGOW University has agreed to recognise Stow College's access to medical studies course as a formal qualification for entry on to its dentistry course following an agreement between the institutions. The course is already recognised by the university as a valid qualification for courses in medicine, pharmacy, biomedical science and forensic science.

&#149 THE West of Scotland Heart and Lung Centre at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital announced last week that it had performed its first ever heart transplant. The centre, which became operational in May, carried out the procedure last month on Georgina Burt from Falkirk who was suffering from cardiomyopathy – a condition that causes the heart's muscles to become enlarged, thickened or stiff.

&#149 SHONA Robison, the minister for public health, will officially launch the fourth edition of NHS Lothian's Heart Manual at Edinburgh College of Art today. The publication, developed by former Astley Ainslie consultant Professor Robert Lewin, aims to help encourage people with coronary heart disease to self-manage their condition.

&#149 RESEARCHERS studying diabetes at Aberdeen University prompted a local bakery to create a new type of bread to help them study the diet of sufferers. Scientists at the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health wanted to use bread in a study about the benefit of oats in controlling diabetes. No commercially available loaf had a high enough oat content, so the team turned to Inverurie bakers JG Ross to come up with a suitable bread. The new product is now on sale at JG Ross and is being used to determine whether a high-oat diet can improve blood sugar control following a meal.

&#149 VOLUNTEERS at Ayrshire's Crosshouse Hospital have raised 250,000 in the past year to fund new hospital equipment. The sum was raised by running the hospital's shop, caf and ward trolley service, as well as a caf in the Ayrshire Maternity Unit. Since the volunteers succeeded the Women's Royal Voluntary Service seven years ago, they have donated a total of 1.5 million pounds.

&#149 NHS Lothian's director of nursing, Professor Heather Tierney-Moore, has been appointed as chief executive of the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, it has been announced. She will take up her new post in January and steps are now being taken to appoint her replacement.

AWARDS

THE work of the Angus Community Health Partnership's pulmonary rehabilitation service has been recognised with the presentation of an award from the Institute of Healthcare Management. The Bob Scott Brown Award is given to health professionals who demonstrate good practice in primary care and aims to encourage the sharing of that good practice.