Health & Beauty

Free NHS flu vaccination clinics available across Devon

It’s not too late to have your free NHS flu vaccination to protect yourself and your loved ones this winter.

Due to the current increase in the rates of flu and other respiratory infections, extra drop-in clinics are running for those eligible to get their free NHS...

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SW pioneers as Independent Opticians set up local forum

The Association for Independent Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (AIO) held the first of a series of local meetings for Independent optical professionals in Bath.

Both members and non-members of AIO gathered together at Restaurant Martini to establish a local forum for Independent practitioners to discuss the issues that are foremost in their minds. The group found that there was...

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SW pioneers as Independent Opticians set up local forum

opticians

Plymouth

South West

Devon

Guidelines part of debate in Parliament to improve children’s oral care

Guidelines on the care of children’s teeth from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and which included input from a dental academic from Plymouth University, have formed part of a debate in Parliament about ways to improve children’s oral care in the UK.

The debate drew upon recommendations issued by NICE at the end of 2014, which stated that nurseries and...

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A simple sign that could spell CANCER

Public Health England today (16 February 2016) launced a nationwide ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign with the aim of raising awareness of a key symptom for both bladder and kidney cancers – blood in pee.

Around 17,450 people in England are diagnosed with bladder or kidney cancer every year and around 7,600 people die annually. Blood in pee is a symptom in over half of bladder cancers and...

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Dental project aids communication for stroke survivors

A group of second-year dental therapy and hygiene students from Plymouth University are working with the Stroke Association in Plymouth and Chatterbox, to develop a communication aid to help stroke survivors when they visit the dentist.

People who have suffered a stroke can be prone to oral health problems. Loss of dexterity and feeling may mean that they cannot clean their own teeth...

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Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry

Dental student project highlights sugar and diet in children’s oral disease

The most recent survey of the health of children’s teeth in England, Wales and Northern Ireland found that a third of five-year olds and half of eight-year olds had decay in their milk teeth.

Poor oral health awareness and an unbalanced diet high in sugar content were cited as contributing factors towards these shocking statistics.

In an effort to counter this, a group of...

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Award-winning lens comes to Plymouth city centre

Essilor's revolutionary varifocal lens Varilux S Series has finally made it to Plymouth city centre!

Owner of Iconic Opticians and Dispensing Optician, Thirupuvanarajah Dinesh, explained: “With its advanced technology and knowledge of patient physiology, the S Series overcomes the limitations of standard varifocal lenses. Its lens structure maintains balance as your eyes move around,...

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Chewing sugarfree gum could save NHS £8.2m a year

The NHS could save £8.2 million a year on dental treatments – the equivalent to 364,000 dental check-ups - if all 12-year-olds across the UK chewed sugarfree gum after eating or drinking, thanks to the role it plays in helping to prevent tooth decay.

So says a study involving researchers from Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry published in the British...

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Volunteers wanted for online trial for carers of people with dementia

Alzheimer’s Society launches UK’s largest research trial of support for carers of people with dementia today

Nine in 10 carers for people with dementia experience feelings of stress or anxiety several times a week – and a further 80% find it difficult to talk about the emotional impact of caring, finds an Alzheimer’s Society survey.

Alzheimer’s Society and Oxford Health NHS...

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Epilepsy self-monitoring app available free

The epilepsy self-monitoring app EpSMon is now available to download for free in the UK.

The app was launched in July last year to help to help ‘fill the information gap’ left by NHS funding cuts for GP epilepsy monitoring. Initiated by bereaved families of people who had died from sudden death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and created by a team of partners based at Plymouth University, Cornwall...

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Health reality check for middle aged men

There may be a discrepancy between how much men value their health and what they do to look after it, according to new research from Public Health England:

Three quarters (74%) of men in England aged 40 to 60 place their health in the top three most important things in their life

Only a third (35%) feel confident that they know all the risk factors for heart disease

Six...

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