NHS Change Day is: "One day during which the collective energy, creativity and ideas of thousands of NHS staff, and those who support the NHS, in all areas of work and right across the country, will demonstrate how one simple action or new idea can make a difference and improve care for patients, their families and their carers."
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and pharmacy organisations are encouraging the public to let them know about any side-effects from medicines. The Yellow Card Scheme allows you to report these.
Two flyers introducing Medicines for Children to parents and carers and to healthcare professionals are available to download from the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health website.
We thought we’d share some key highlights of the last year for Medicines for Children.
• In December 2011 we launch our updated website – tested by parents and with a brand new logo, it hosts our expanding range of medicines leaflets plus new information and short films about how to give medicines for children, family stories and news items.
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps build healthy, strong bones.
But children’s doctors are warning that a quarter of children are affected by a vitamin D deficiency.
Research suggests that low levels of vitamin D is resulting in in higher numbers of diabetes, tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis and rickets - a bone disease uncommon in the UK since the 19th century.
The names of medicines can be difficult to pronounce or spell. There is a process for agreeing the generic name - called the international non-proprietary name - of a new medicine.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is responsible for international non-proprietary names of new medicines. The pharmaceutical company suggests up to six names for its new medicine.
Sunday 16 November is European Antibiotics Awareness Day. This event
aims to raise awareness on how to use antibiotics in a responsible way that will
help keep them effective for the future.
