Other News In Brief

Measles Cases Almost Double

Almost twice as many confirmed cases of measles in England and Wales have been reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in the first six months of 2012 (964) compared to the same period in 2011 (497), according to latest figures published today. Overall 1,086 cases were reported in 2011, up from 380 in 2010.

Rubella has also shown an increase with 57 cases reported between January and June this year - exceeding the annual totals for each of the previous nine years. These cases have mainly been associated with travel to other European countries.

The measles cases identified so far this year have been associated with the ongoing Merseyside and Sussex outbreaks, as well as several smaller outbreaks in travelling communities across England in recent months.

The latest published data on the uptake of both doses of the MMR vaccination in England is 93 per cent for the first dose and 87 per cent for the second dose. In Wales, the uptake of the MMR vaccine is 95 per cent for the first dose and 88 per cent for the second dose. Coverage has increased dramatically since 2002 (when coverage for the first dose was below 80 per cent) and therefore some older children may not have been protected and may now be contributing to the increasing numbers of cases reported.

100th Patient Benefits From MRI Scan

An engineer from Hull has become the 100th patient to benefit from diagnosis using a powerful £1.5m MRI scanner at the University of York.

David Fisher, 56, was referred by his local chiropractor to YNi Ltd, part of the University's York Neuroimaging Centre, for a diagnostic scan after suffering a painful ankle injury.

As a marine warranty surveyor, David Fisher boards and inspects ships and offshore structures all round the world, so physical health and mobility are vital.

The speed of service, high quality images and comprehensive radiologist's report provided by YNi Ltd, he quickly received the appropriate treatment.

Olympic Boost For Employee Engagement

The majority (65%) of UK businesses said that the Olympics were less disruptive than expected, with nearly half reported no impact on their organisation and 79% of managers saying their jobs were not affected.

A post-Olympics survey of over 1,000 managers, published today (Friday 24 August) by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM), explores the impact on organisations - from working practices to staff morale - during the Games. Almost half (48%) of managers said that the Olympics had resulted in higher morale in the office.

Over a third (41%) of organisations allowed staff to watch the Olympics in the office. As a result 37% of managers reported being more productive and 67% said the workplace bonded over a shared experience.

Despite much speculation in the lead up to the Games about the potential impact on organisations, 43% of managers reported their CEO and senior management team did not communicate about working practices during the Olympics.

(CD)