31/03/2014

Other News In Brief

Man Killed Walking On M61 Motorway Named

Gary Wood from Blackburn in Lancashire, has been named by police as the 30-year-old man who was killed after being hit by a car as he was walking on the M61 motorway.

The man died in a collision with a Skoda Octavia car travelling south between Rivington North Services and Junction 6 at around 11.20pm on Saturday.

He was last seen by his friends hours before the accident during a concert in the O2 Apollo in Manchester.

Sir Elton John To Marry David Furnish

Sir Elton John is to marry his long-term partner David Furnish.

The pair have been in a civil partnership since 2005.

The singer told Las Vegas Review-Journal the ceremony would take place in an English registry office on May and confirmed to NBC's Today show: "We'll do it very quietly. But we will do it and it will be a joyous occasion."

Sir Elton John continued: "I'm very proud of Britain and the laws that we've seen come into existence since we've been together."

Bowel Cancer Screening Techniques Reaps Benefits

New figures released today, 31 March 2014, from Public Health England (PHE) show that nearly 37% (36.6%) of bowel scope screening centres in England are operational, clearly exceeding the 30% roll out target, set by the Department of Health in their 'Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer' document (2011).

Bowel scope screening, also known as flexible sigmoidoscopy, is a one-off test offered to men and women at the age of 55. This type of screening examines the lower part of the bowel – the part where most bowel cancers are found. The aim is to find any small growths called polyps which may develop into bowel cancer if left untreated.

Bowel scope screening prevents cancer, and is a complementary screening procedure to the current faecal occult blood (FOB) home test kit, which is offered to men and women between the ages of 60 to 74. The FOB test checks for the presence of blood in a stool sample, which could be an early sign of bowel cancer. Both screening procedures are offered as part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, which is managed by PHE.

Professor Julietta Patnick, PHE Director of the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes, said: "This positive news clearly demonstrates how hard screening centres have worked to ensure that they are able to offer bowel scope screening to eligible men and women. The phased roll out approach has proved to be successful as it ensures that centres are fully equipped to carry out this procedure."

(CVS/CD)

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24 July 2007
Cancer test kit 'could lead to 20,000 fewer deaths'
Deaths from bowel cancer could be dramatically reduced if people use a self-testing kit being sent to people in their sixties throughout the country, a cancer charity has predicted.
30 October 2012
Breast Cancer Screening Leads To 'Over Diagnoses'
Women are to be nformed over breast cancer screening issues in the UK after a review highlights the potential harms of being tested. The review panel, led by Prof Michael Marmot, from University College London, found screening had "contributed to reducing deaths" but also "resulted in some overdiagnosis".
27 October 2004
Bowel cancer screening scheme ready for April roll out
A national screening programme for bowel cancer will be rolled out across the country from April 2006, Health Secretary John Reid announced today. It will be the first cancer-screening programme in England for both men and women and one of the first of its kind in Europe. The move fulfils a commitment made in the NHS plan in 2000.
02 August 2005
Bowel cancer home test kit scheme announced
The government has announced plans to offer home testing kits for bowel cancer to people in their sixties in England. Under the new scheme, a £37.5 million national bowel cancer screening programme will be phased in from April 2006, giving men and women in their sixties the opportunity to be screened for the disease every two years.
04 November 2004
Cancer treatment is 'top priority' for government
The Prime Minister has described cancer care as a "top priority" for the NHS and the government in a new Downing Street film. In a film released today on the Downing Street website, Mr Blair reiterated his administration's commitment to cutting the disease, claiming that investment into cancer services had reached £570 million last year.