In short

Today's other stories in brief

Today's other stories in brief

Calcium could reduce risk of cancer

Calcium not only builds strong bones but appears to have a vital anti-cancer role, especially in women, a study has shown. Both men and women with higher calcium intakes were found to have a reduced risk of stomach and bowel cancer. In women, calcium was associated with a lower overall likelihood of developing any kind of cancer. Researchers analysed data from almost 294,000 men and 199,000 women who took part in a US health study.

British paramedic suspended for year

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A paramedic in Britain who delayed an elderly patient’s arrival at hospital by taking a detour to pick up her glasses has been suspended for a year. Rosalind Dixon was suspended for misconduct by the Health Professions Council after a hearing in London. The hearing heard Dixon, who had been a paramedic since 2000, also gave a drug to a 16 year old against guidelines.

The council’s conduct and competence committee heard Dixon and a trainee ambulance technician were called to Rushden, Northamptonshire, in June 2005, where a 70-year-old man was suffering chest pains and a possible heart attack. The pair arrived at 4.45am but did not leave for Kettering General Hospital until 5.26am, and then detoured to Rushden ambulance station for Dixon to get her reading glasses.

Cognitive pain management

In an article in last week’s edition about chronic pain, Dr Camillus Power was quoted as saying there were only two public-sector pain centres in Ireland where treatment was available. This should have said there were only two pain centres in public-sector hospitals offering cognitive pain management programmes – Tallaght Hospital and St Vincents Hospital in Dublin. There are pain centres in all public sector hospitals. Dr Power also said he has since learned that St James’s Hospital and the Mater Hospital in Dublin, UCH Galway and Mercy Hospital Cork now offer such programmes.