Free cookery classes and fitness classes on the NHS...

In a bid to tackle the country's obesity crisis, the NHS have revealed they are going to start offering Brits free cookery classes and exercise classes. A radical new programme to help prevent the rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes, which is closely linked to obesity, it is set to be trailed in Birmingham, Bradford, Durham, Herefordshire, Kent, Manchester and London, and analysed, before it is introduced nationally.

NHS staff, including doctors and nurses, are being included in the scheme, with the head of health service stating that the NHS need to 'practice what they preach' and slim down themselves, before tackling the rest of the country's waistlines.

GPs will start to offer tests for pre-diabetes to those overweight patients, as well as free cookery lessons, exercise classes and online coaching to encourage weight loss. The trial scheme at Britain's largest hospital will be where thousands of staff are offered free Slimming World classes, and those who are classed as obese could be offered help from psychologists and specialist dieticians.

Preventing obesity can cut diabetes and save lives, and so rather than dealing with the effects of obesity and diabetes, it makes sense to spend time and money educating people on healthy living and ways of slimming down.

Around 2.5 million people in England suffer from type 2 diabetes, and that number is set to rise if nothing is done to educate people on how to live a healthier lifestyle.

If the programme goes well, it will be rolled out into other cities across the UK; watch this space!

Could we lose our A & E?

Although we might not all visit A & E regularly (we hope!), it's reassuring to know it's there if and when we need it. However, recent reports are saying that Milton Keynes and Bedford A&Es could be shut down in order to try and save money under a services review. This would leave those in the area of these services (around 500,000 people) having to travel an extra 20 miles to get to the nearest accident and emergency centres- in either Northampton, Kettering or Luton.

The fact that the centre has 'emergency' in its name would imply the serious need for it to be near to a high percentage of the public, and while there are no plans decided yet, these are the fears which the review has raised. Having to travel 20 miles instead of maybe one or two could potentially mean the difference between life and death for some of the more serious health issues and accidents, and for those without transport access will be even more difficult and expensive.

In cases where people are taken further afield in order to receive more specialist care, it makes sense, but to demand all emergency patients to travel further will surely put more pressure on these specialist services. It seems the NHS want to try and save money and improve GP and community services to help prevent people from having to go to hospital in the first place, but if these improvements come at the cost of cutting other important services, is it really worth it?

Final decisions will be made in 2015, let's keep our fingers crossed to keep emergency healthcare local!

International Nurses Day

Today is international nurses day, an opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and many hours which nurses put in to taking care of the health of people across the world.

Celebrated on the 12th may each year (the birth day of Florence Nightingale, the founder of professional nursing) the day is an opportunity not only for nurses to be recognised for their hard work, but for them to take a stand and share what nursing means to them, and allow them to be proud of what they do.

Florence Nightingale, also known as the lady with the lamp, became famous whilst serving as a nurse during the Crimean war. She later opened her own nursing school at St. Thomas' hospital, London, which was the first secular nursing school in the world. Her achievements helped to bring nursing to where it is today, and the significance of her role is why the day of her birth has been chosen as the day to remember and celebrate the work of nurses across the world.

Nurses are encouraged to share their experiences with their local communities, some going in to schools and doing talks, all to raise awareness of the job they do and to be able to share what they love about it. Equally, it gives those in the community the opportunity to understand a little better what it is nurses do on a daily basis, and to show their thanks and support.

Why not show your support by thanking a local nurse for all their hard work today?!