Courier Health

Hospitals ready to act if hand gel alcohol problems arise

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:08:00 +0100

Health chiefs in Tayside and Fife are ready to remove hand gel dispensers from hospital wards following fears they could be targeted by desperate alcoholics.

'A new lease of life' — organ donation ceremony celebrates those who give the ultimate gift

Mon, 14 May 2012 08:22:00 +0100

A double kidney transplant recipient has told how he almost died before his life was transformed with his second transplant.

'I like to celebrate getting through each day' — brain tumour sufferer finding support from new Dundee group

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:45:00 +0100

It is hard to imagine waking up in excruciating pain every day — but that is the reality for Dundee woman Judith Leeland.

Experts warn Scotland's skin cancer problem will just get worse

Tue, 08 May 2012 12:57:00 +0100

Cases of skin cancer in Tayside could increase by 72% in the next 15 years, according to experts.

NHS Tayside says tablets can take the pain away

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:12:00 +0100

NHS Tayside is using a new form of tablet to help distract sick kids from pain — iPad computers.

Fife nurse struck off for breaching medical record access rules

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:10:00 +0100

A Fife nurse who accessed the medical records of a builder with whom she was involved in a legal wrangle has been struck off.

'My hero' — patient praises Ninewells Hospital consultant who restored her hearing

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:48:00 +0100

A Cardenden woman who was almost deaf has praised the ''hero'' Ninewells Hospital consultant who restored her hearing.

NHS Tayside reports record Organ Donor Register sign-ups

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:06:00 +0100

The number of people in Tayside offering to donate their potentially life-saving organs to help those requiring liver, kidney or heart transplants has reached a record high.

Nursing and Midwifery Council imposes 18-month bans on two Tayside nurses

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:49:00 +0100

Two Tayside nurses have been suspended for 18 months, in cases heard by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Ninewells Hospital staff launch laundry petition

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:22:00 +0100

Ninewells Hospital staff have launched a petition against a plan to force them to wash their uniforms at home.

Report claims high-flying pupils being put off nursing by poor public image of profession

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:56:00 +0100

Gifted school pupils are being put off a career in nursing because of its poor public image, it has been claimed.

After a seventh flu death at Orchar Nursing Home, expert says worst may be over

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:31:00 +0100

The flu outbreak has claimed a seventh life at Orchar Nursing Home in Broughty Ferry, but one of Scotland's leading bacteriologists has said the worst of the crisis may be over.

A sixth Orchar Nursing Home flu sufferer dies, with another 21 ill

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:13:00 +0100

A sixth person has died after contracting influenza at a crisis-hit Broughty Ferry care home and another 21 residents have caught the potentially fatal infection.

'Have faith in yourself' — Message from Dunfermline woman who defied medical opinion

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:19:00 +0100

A Fife woman who suffered a potentially debilitating brain haemorrhage has said she never gave up on her road to recovery.

Flu likely to blame for deaths at Orchar Nursing Home, says NHS Tayside

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:29:00 +0100

Flu is the likely cause of the deaths of five elderly residents at a Broughty Ferry nursing home, NHS Tayside said last night.

NHS Fife apologises to widow for husband's sub-standard cancer care

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:30:00 +0100

NHS Fife has apologised to the wife of a cancer victim for failing to care for him properly.

'It's absolute snobbery' — union says Ashludie Hospital staff being treated 'abysmally' during patient transfer

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:17:00 +0100

The union which represents domestics and porters at Ashludie Hospital has hit out at their ''abysmal'' treatment by NHS Tayside.

Ashludie Hospital worker fears staff face being 'thrown to the lions'

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:45:00 +0100

Ashludie Hospital could shut this summer as plans are under way to move its final patients.

Tayside Deaf Forum planning protest outside Kings Cross Hospital

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:21:00 +0000

Members of Tayside's deaf community will take to the streets this afternoon after claiming that their needs are being ignored by the local health authority.

Big fall in number of women having flu vaccine during pregnancy

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:14:00 +0000

The number of pregnant women who received the seasonal flu vaccine this winter has plummeted, causing concern among health chiefs.

Father going to ombudsman for answers after Ninewells treatment complaint

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:23:00 +0000

A Dundee man whose son was initially denied an X-ray, despite having a fractured skull that led to a blood clot and swelling on his brain, is to report NHS Tayside to the ombudsman.

NHS Fife apologises for poor accident and emergency performance

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:43:00 +0000

NHS Fife has apologised for keeping patients waiting too long for emergency treatment.

NHS Tayside denies weekend ward claims

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:57:00 +0000

NHS Tayside has denied claims that elderly patients are being sent home from Tayside hospitals because of a shortage of staff cover at weekends, although it did admit that the level of activity scales down on Saturdays and Sundays.

'The only way she could beat it was to die' — MSP's plea to help anorexia sufferers on anniversary of daughter's death

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:49:00 +0000

An MSP has fought back tears as he pleaded for extra help for sufferers of the disease that killed his daughter.

Fifth Ninewells Hospital ward introduces restrictions due to norovirus

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:02:00 +0000

A fifth ward at Ninewells Hospital has been closed to new admissions after an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.

Patients in chronic pain forced to travel 500 miles for treatment

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:51:00 +0000

Tayside and Fife patients being sent 500 miles for chronic pain treatment has been branded ''utterly unacceptable''.

'They're being run ragged' — praise for staff's efforts to cope with winter vomiting bug cases at Ninewells Hospital

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:44:00 +0000

A huge increase in the number of cases of the winter vomiting bug at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee has resulted in four wards being closed to new admissions.

Winter vomiting bug closes a third Ninewells Hospital ward to new admissions

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:48:00 +0000

A third ward has closed to new admissions at Ninewells Hospital following a suspected outbreak of the winter vomiting bug, also known as the norovirus.

Winter vomiting bug affecting two Ninewells Hospital wards

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:20:00 +0000

For the second time in as many days Ninewells Hospital has closed one of its wards to new admissions after several cases of vomiting and diarrhoea.

NHS Tayside ordered to apologise to widow of man who died weeks after being told he did not have cancer

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:31:00 +0000

A Tayside man was wrongly told he did not have cancer only a few weeks before the disease killed him.

Victoria Hospital fighting new norovirus outbreak

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:17:00 +0000

A prolonged bout of the winter vomiting bug has closed another ward at a Fife hospital, just days after two others were declared open.

Tayside Council on Alcohol chief gives full support to Scottish Government's minimum pricing plans

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:56:00 +0000

A leading expert on alcohol abuse in Tayside has backed the intentions of Scotland's health minister to tackle the nation's relationship with the bottle.

Ninewells dominates in Tayside hospital crime figures

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:21:00 +0000

Police dealt with more than 100 incidents of assault, theft and vandalism in hospitals around Tayside last year.

UNICEF award for Ninewells Hospital's maternity care

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:42:00 +0000

Ninewells Hospital has been awarded the prestigious UNICEF Baby Friendly Award for the standard of care given to women during and after pregnancy.

'There is always hope' — survivor Mary's positive message for lymphoma sufferers

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:35:00 +0000

A Dundee lymphoma survivor has told fellow sufferers that no matter how low they feel, there is always hope.

Year's suspension for Ninewells Hospital nurse who stole drugs

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:32:00 +0000

A nurse who stole drugs from an operating theatre at Ninewells Hospital has been suspended from the profession for a year.

Healthcare Environment Inspectorate sees Ninewells Hospital making hygiene progress

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Ninewells Hospital has gone some way towards cleaning up its act after two critical reports on the level of hygiene.

Perthshire GP fears industrial action if threat to doctors' pensions is not lifted

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:36:00 +0000

A prominent Tayside GP does not think doctors should pay more towards their pensions and work to the age of 68, and he hopes the Scottish Government will step in to avoid the issue leading to industrial action.

Ombudsman clears NHS Tayside after patient's adverse reaction to prescribed medicine

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:23:00 +0000

An HIV-positive man suffered serious mental problems after taking medicine prescribed by NHS Tayside.

Catholic Church says abortion target is one that should be missed

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:14:00 +0000

The Roman Catholic Church is happy that Tayside is not meeting its Scottish Government target on the number of abortions carried out at up to nine weeks.

Health boards struggling to meet budgets as end of financial year approaches

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:08:00 +0000

The health boards in Tayside and Fife have overspent by almost £4.5m, it has been revealed.

Visit to Specsavers proved to be a potential lifesaver

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:42:00 +0000

An Angus man has paid tribute to his optician, who saved his life by diagnosing an early stroke.

Cancer patient fearing worst after operation is repeatedly postponed

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:02:00 +0000

A Dundee cancer patient has spoken of her extreme anxiety at the postponement for up to eight weeks of vital surgery because of a shortage of intensive care beds at Ninewells Hospital.

Health tourism on the rise as Scots look to beat queues and big bills

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:37:00 +0000

Dozens of people from Tayside and Fife are set to fly abroad for cut-price dental work in the coming years, it has been claimed.

'Christmas hangover' sexual health warning for party-goers

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:30:00 +0000

NHS Tayside has warned party-goers not to risk their sexual health during the festive season.

Tayside elderly hospital readmissions highest in Scotland

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:03:00 +0000

Older people in Tayside are more likely to be readmitted to hospital within a month of being discharged than anywhere else in Scotland, according to latest figures.

Drug 'major step forward' for hepatitis C sufferers

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:59:00 +0000

A new drug which doubles the chances of a cure and halves the treatment time for hepatitis C patients has been hailed by a liver disease expert as "a major step forward" for sufferers.

Accidents and genuine emergencies only appeal

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:56:55 +0000

An A&E consultant at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and Perth Royal Infirmary has appealed to members of the public not to attend at A&E unless it is a genuine emergency.

Fitness fanatic's fundraising just keeps on going

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:18:00 +0000

Monifieth mother Fiona Edwards has now raised £25,000 selling her homemade tablet.

Icy blast fills up A&E waiting rooms

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:08:00 +0000

Staff at Ninewells Hospital A&E department have been dealing with a spate of falls due to icy pavements.

Ninewells Hospital cancer ward closed to admissions during bug outbreak

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:16:00 +0000

Ninewells Hospital's only dedicated ward for cancer patients has been closed to new admissions due to sickness and diarrhoea.

SNP accused of allowing nursing numbers to 'haemorrhage'

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:31:00 +0000

Scottish hospitals have lost more than 1,800 nurses in the past year.

'We are getting absolutely pummelled' — NHS Tayside worker describes pressure amid recruitment freeze

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:54:00 +0000

An NHS Tayside employee says staff are struggling to do more than one job as positions go unfilled in a bid to slash the budget.

NHS still trying to measure how public sector strike will affect patients

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:04:00 +0000

More than 500 NHS Tayside patients will be told later this week of cancellations and disruptions to their appointments due to strike action next Wednesday.

BMA's call to ban smoking in cars wins support from NHS Fife

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:54:00 +0000

NHS FIFE has backed calls by the British Medical Association to ban people from smoking in their cars.

Dundee University research supports safety of swine flu vaccine

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:17:00 +0000

Dundee University researchers have provided more evidence that the vaccine used during the swine flu pandemic was safe.

Ombudsman rules NHS Tayside failed to adhere to Adults with Incapacity Act

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:56:00 +0000

NHS Tayside has been told to review the way it looks after patients who cannot consent to treatment.

NHS Tayside looking for non-executive board members

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:40:00 +0000

People who are passionate about the NHS are being invited to apply to join the board of NHS Tayside.

Nurses asked to do some sole searching to stamp out ward noise

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:46:00 +0000

NHS Tayside is encouraging staff to consider the hush factor when choosing footwear for work.

'Get it checked' — Brechin dad backs the Mouth Cancer Action Month message

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:08:00 +0000

A Brechin father of two is backing the bid to raise awareness of mouth cancer across Tayside and Fife.

Critics warn asking nurses to wash uniforms at home will increase hygiene problems

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:03:00 +0000

All nursing staff at Ninewells Hospital could be asked to wash their uniforms at home — despite staff fears over hygiene.

NHS Tayside sending staff on £350-a-head laughter courses

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:27:00 +0000

NHS Tayside are having a laugh as part of a £166,000 bid to promote staff health and wellbeing.

Stroke sufferer supporting FAST awareness campaign

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:52:00 +0000

A Dundee woman who had the fright of her life on Halloween is backing NHS Tayside's stroke awareness campaign.

City's new cancer research base to be named in tribute to fundraiser Jacqui Wood

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:17:00 +0000

The woman who was the public face of the Ninewells Cancer Campaign for two decades is to be given a fitting memorial.

NHS Tayside says it has no reports of adverse reactions to Preflucel flu vaccination

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:56:00 +0100

Only a handful of people in Tayside have been given a flu vaccine that has been recalled amid fears of side effects.

Professor defends electroconvulsive therapy against Hollywood's portrayal

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 07:53:00 +0100

A top Tayside psychiatrist says a treatment stigmatised by Hollywood saves lives.

Welfare Reform Bill debate only adding to cancer sufferers' stress

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:01:00 +0100

A Dundee cancer sufferer is taking a keen interest in the House of Lords debate surrounding the Welfare Reform Bill, which she understands could lead to her losing nearly £100 a week in benefits.

Ombudsman upholds widow's cancer treatment complaints

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:11:00 +0100

NHS Tayside has been told to tighten its procedures after a complaint from the widow of a cancer victim.

Ombudsman orders NHS Tayside to apologise to mother whose baby died at nine days

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:58:00 +0100

NHS Tayside has been ordered to apologise to a woman whose brain-damaged baby died nine days after being born.

Scottish Government accused of paying 'film star salaries' to senior NHS staff, while nursing faces cuts

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:07:00 +0100

New figures have revealed almost 150 employees at NHS Fife receive ''film star salaries'' of over £100,000 a year.

NHS Tayside pay costs rise by nearly £11m

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:36:00 +0100

NHS Tayside's director of public health, Dr Drew Walker, was the organisation's highest paid executive last year.

MSP presses need for Scottish adoption of skin cancer drug Ipilimumab

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 10:56:00 +0100

The plight of a Dundee mother-of-two suffering from an inoperable form of skin cancer was raised at the Scottish Parliament this week.

'Absolutely disgusting' — Vinci Park hikes Ninewells Hospital car park charges for second time in 11 months

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:32:00 +0100

News of more car park charge increases at Ninewells Hospital have been branded as "absolutely disgusting".

Dentist says new rules to cut subsidies for braces are a 'serious mistake'

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:36:00 +0100

A Dundee dentist has described as a ''serious mistake'' new rules that could see parents pay up to £2,000 for orthodontic treatment for their children.

Health secretary demanding answers after Courier reveals addict's toll on out-of-hours service

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:24:00 +0100

The Scottish Government is demanding an explanation as to why a Tayside drug addict has been treated 1,000 times by out-of-hours doctors over the past three years.

'A horrendous misuse of precious resources' — answers demanded on drug addict's 1000 out-of-hours treatments

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:01:00 +0100

Claims that emergency out-of-hours doctors have treated a Perthshire drug addict 1000 times must be investigated at government level, according to local MSPs.

Ninewells Hospital HIV specialist estimates 'worrying' numbers of undiagnosed cases

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:03:00 +0100

Almost 400 HIV-positive patients attended clinics in Tayside and Fife last year.

Panel decides nurse who swore in presence of dying patient is fit to work

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:29:00 +0100

An Angus nurse who swore in front of a dying patient is to be allowed to continue working.

NHS Tayside orders 'precautionary' hepatitis B checks for 36 Ninewells Hospital patients

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:20:00 +0100

Dozens of patients who received treatment in a ward at Ninewells Hospital earlier this year are to be tested for hepatitis B.

Cancer patient comes to the defence of 'first class' Ninewells Hospital

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:52:00 +0100

An 87-year-old Angus cancer patient has praised the "first class service" at Ninewells Hospital.

Suspected case of flesh-eating bug at Ninewells Hospital

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:16:00 +0100

A suspected case of the flesh-eating bug necrotising fasciitis is being investigated at Ninewells Hospital.

Scotland now has 500 fewer nursing posts than in March

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:41:00 +0100

Nearly 500 nursing posts have been lost in Scotland since the end of March, official workforce figures have shown.

Camperdown Park Big Fun Run giving family chance to say thanks for allergy support

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:34:00 +0100

When her daughter started to scream in pain after being introduced to chocolate, Kathryn Emslie realised something was far wrong.

Ombudsman upholds decision not to send GP on out-of-hours call during severe weather

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:11:00 +0100

Winter weather stopped a GP visiting a Tayside patient suffering from painful kidney stones, an inquiry has heard.

Parents find hope in Help Me Communicate charity

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:23:00 +0100

A Broughty Ferry couple hope their daughter will soon be able to communicate again after three years.

Sheriff's fatal accident inquiry report says families have to be warned of epilepsy risks

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:16:00 +0100

Two teenage girls could have been saved if their families were told their epilepsy was a potential killer, a Dundee sheriff has ruled.

Campaigners say Vale of Leven C. diff inquiry must result in national action

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:29:00 +0100

A leading lawyer says the results of an inquiry into a C. diff outbreak at the Vale of Leven Hospital must be applied across Scotland.

Return to fitness is a big weight off Diane's mind

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 12:48:00 +0100

A Kirriemuir woman has discovered clothes shopping after losing nearly seven stones.

Assurances offered after survey raises concerns about August trainee doctor changeover

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:05:00 +0100

Patients have been assured safety in Scottish hospitals "is not" being jeopardised by the August influx of trainee doctors.

Improvements to Ninewells Hospital phototherapy treatment centre service

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:05:00 +0100

Patients with skin conditions can now go to the improved phototherapy treatment centre in Ninewells Hospital.

Sheriff questions inquiry into swine flu victim Bill Anderson's death

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:48:00 +0100

A sheriff has questioned why taxpayers' money was spent on a fatal accident inquiry into a Fife swine flu death.

Angus smokers to receive quit4u cash to kick the habit

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:50:00 +0100

Smokers in Angus are to be given cash bribes to give up their habit, as the controversial quit4u scheme is extended beyond Dundee.

NHS Tayside develops virtual clinic to monitor prostate cancer survivors

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:02:00 +0100

NHS Tayside has developed an online service to monitor the health of prostate cancer survivors.

Pioneering project could improve health and wellbeing in Tayside

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:38:00 +0100

Efforts to improve health and wellbeing in Tayside could benefit from a project pioneered in Cornwall.

World Hepatitis Day brings warning of undiagnosed cases

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:49:00 +0100

More than 2000 people in Tayside are thought to be carrying the hepatitis C virus without knowing it, health chiefs have warned.

Maggie's Cancer Care course provides support and advice

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0100

A programme to support people newly diagnosed with cancer through the traumatic first few months has been launched at Fife's Maggie's centre.

Report praises ambulance hygiene standards but recommends greater infection control

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:18:00 +0100

Scotland's ambulances do not have adequate measures in place to prevent the spread of infection, a new report has warned.

Complaint against NHS Tayside dismissed by ombudsman

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 07:53:00 +0100

A woman who complained about her treatment by NHS Tayside has had her case dismissed by the Scottish public services ombudsman.

Parents warned of 'reality gap' between their concerns and issues facing youngsters

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:37:00 +0100

More pre- and young teenagers have seen sexually explicit texts than have taken up smoking, a new survey states.

Construction workers run much greater risk of getting skin cancer, according to researchers

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:01:00 +0100

Construction workers are nine times more likely to get skin cancer than other workers, latest research shows.

Tayside's skin cancer cases up for sixth year in a row

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:55:00 +0100

Skin cancer rates in Tayside have increased for a sixth consecutive year, prompting a leading Dundee-based scientist to express concern.

Legacy means Stracathro Hospital can offer new hope to cancer patients

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:53:00 +0100

Stracathro Hospital is to provide pioneering treatment for cancer patients thanks to a massive legacy from a Brechin businesswoman.

Official warning for former deaf association social worker

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:45:00 +0100

A former social worker with the Tayside Deaf Association has been given an official warning for misconduct.

A handy hygiene message to help minimise spread of bugs

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:35:00 +0100

Something as simple as washing your hands could save you from illness, an NHS Tayside specialist has said.

Dundee University researchers' phenazepam misuse warning published in British Medical Journal

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:24:00 +0100

Researchers from Dundee University have warned that a drug intended to treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy and anxiety is increasingly being used as a recreational drug.

Councillor makes damning assessment of Fife's elected health board

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:14:00 +0100

A flagship project that saw members elected to a Scottish health board has been called a shambles.

National watchdog calls for 'radical change' in care of vulnerable adults

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:46:00 +0100

A national care regulator has called for a "radical change in culture" to protect vulnerable adults.

Ninewells Hospital doctor to face GMC Fitness to Practise Panel

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:21:00 +0100

A Polish doctor who has been working at Ninewells Hospital is due to go before his professional body next week to consider his fitness to practise.

Alcohol Focus Scotland says it's time for society to shun excessive drinking

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:31:00 +0100

The social acceptability of excessive drinking must be challenged to prevent the harmful effects it has on individuals and communities, a leading charity says.

Surprise inspection finds minor blips at Stracathro Hospital

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:34:00 +0100

Hospital inspectors found a trolley of dirty linen stored in an open corridor when they visited Stracathro Hospital by Brechin.

Campaigners' determination finally reveals the almost £1 million paid to firm that oversaw Stracathro Hospital deal

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:48:00 +0100

Hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money was diverted from patient care at Stracathro Hospital, health campaigners have discovered.

Born social — new film explores babies' ability to communicate

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:21:00 +0100

A film about babies and their ability to communicate from birth, produced by a Dundee University psychology lecturer and a Fife-based independent film maker, will be premiered at Dundee Contemporary Arts on Saturday.

Number of organ donors on the increase — but more always needed

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:14:00 +0100

Almost half the population of Tayside has joined the Organ Donor Register.

Up to 60,000 Scots patients receiving 'high-risk' medication

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:30:00 +0100

Around 60,000 patients in Scotland are being prescribed drugs with a high risk of side-effects, according to new research from Dundee University.

Nursing and Midwifery Council sanction for nurse with 'numeracy difficulties'

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:56:00 +0100

A nurse with "numeracy difficulties" who made errors giving drugs to patients at Ninewells Hospital has been sanctioned by her professional body.

NHS Tayside has bare midriffs problem covered

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:18:00 +0100

NHS Tayside revealed it is a step ahead of boards in England when it comes to banning clothing that shows bare midriffs and too much cleavage.

NHS Fife reports case of flesh-eating bug necrotising fasciitis

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:54:00 +0100

NHS Fife has notified Health Protection Scotland of a patient with the flesh-eating bug.

'Let's get it into perspective' — NHS Tayside chief responds to Ninewells Hospital reports

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:12:00 +0100

NHS Tayside chief executive Gerry Marr insists Ninewells is a clean hospital, after a damning report into its hygiene procedures.

Professor Hugh Pennington says Ninewells Hospital report shows need for hygiene 'hit teams'

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:09:00 +0100

A world-leading infection control expert has demanded tough sanctions for dirty hospitals following the latest damning report into Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

Barrie is the pest controller who dices with death every day

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:41:00 +0100

A Dundee man risks death every day he shows up for work.

Sturgeon 'disappointed' after Ninewells Hospital criticised in follow-up hygiene report

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:44:00 +0100

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon has told NHS Tayside bosses they must clean up their act after two reports in six months criticised some areas of hygiene at Ninewells Hospital.

Tayside self-harm figures set to fall for third year in a row

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 07:14:00 +0100

The number of people self-harming in Tayside is on track to drop for a third consecutive year.

GSK and Dundee University join forces to tackle rare skin condition

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 07:47:00 +0100

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Dundee University have entered into an agreement to combine the pharmaceutical company's expertise in discovering and developing new medicines with a researcher's expertise in rare and debilitating skin disorders.

Too many women still can't spot symptoms of breast cancer

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:44:00 +0100

Scottish women are still dangerously unaware of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, a major charity has warned.

'Tiny superhero' Joel is living proof of the vital need for blood donors

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:05:00 +0100

Dundee parents Kerry and Adam Larmour have encouraged more people to give others the chance of life after their baby son received a critical blood transfusion and Kerry also needed a vital donation.

Scottish Huntington's Association says 'vital' work with families is threatened by funding pressures

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:23:00 +0100

Services that provide a lifeline for families afflicted by a crippling neurological condition are under threat due to lack of funding.

Cancer expert plays down mobile phone link with brain tumours

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:33:00 +0100

A cancer expert from a Fife charity has played down claims that using a mobile phone may increase the risk of brain tumours.

Panorama row firm Castlebeck has two units in Dundee

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:05:00 +0100

The private care company at the centre of abuse allegations following an expose by BBC's Panorama programme has two establishments in Dundee.

NHS struggling to convince smokers to quit

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:14:00 +0100

NHS Tayside recorded the joint-lowest proportion of successful attempts at quitting smoking in Scotland last year.

Damning report says Ninewells Hospital dementia patient's treatment may have infringed her human rights

Fri, 27 May 2011 10:18:00 +0100

An 80-year-old woman with dementia died in Ninewells Hospital after receiving care that was "woefully inadequate, wholly inappropriate and utterly unacceptable," NHS Tayside has admitted.

NHS Tayside reports E. Coli 0157 case

Thu, 26 May 2011 17:10:00 +0100

A patient in Tayside is being treated for the life-threatening infectious disease E. coli 0157.

East coast's 'fair-skinned Celts' among most susceptible to skin cancer

Wed, 25 May 2011 14:01:00 +0100

A Dundee scientist involved in skin cancer research says Tayside is a "hot spot" for skin cancer, along with the south coast of England and the Scottish Borders.

BMA figure demands action on national medicine shortage

Tue, 24 May 2011 18:14:00 +0100

A national doctors' leader based in Perthshire has called on politicians to get round the table to discuss ways to tackle the shortage of vital medicines.

Fife Alcohol and Drug Partnership profiles 'typical' drug overdose victim

Tue, 24 May 2011 17:05:00 +0100

A total of 135 people have died since the start of 2005 in Fife because of drugs — and agencies working to stop the deaths recognise it is 135 too many.

Myelodysplastic syndrome research benefits from large Tayside and Fife donor banks

Sat, 21 May 2011 12:01:00 +0100

Around 1200 cancer doctors and other specialists from around the world meeting in Edinburgh heard about a study into a rare blood disorder involving Tayside patients.

Scotland's National Trust properties serve gluten-free menus to mark Coeliac awareness week

Fri, 20 May 2011 18:27:00 +0100

One of Scotland's top young chefs was joined by culinary colleagues on a trip to Kellie Castle in Fife.

Fourfold gonorrhoea surge triggers Tayside STI campaign

Tue, 17 May 2011 16:33:00 +0100

A fourfold spike in numbers of young people in Tayside with gonorrhoea has prompted NHS Tayside to launch an awareness campaign.

Cost of deep cleaning of Ninewells Hospital wards could hit £1 million

Fri, 13 May 2011 18:05:00 +0100

Discovery of a potentially serious bug that caused no symptoms in most patients prompted health bosses to spend almost £300,000 in three wards at Ninewells Hospital.

Yoga fanatic Finlay stretches limits of recovery

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:39:00 +0100

A Dundee man who only five years ago relied on a wheelchair and crutches to get around has gone on to enjoy a complete change in fortunes, fuelled by his passion for yoga.

Family find way to turn pain of loss into force for good

Tue, 10 May 2011 14:42:00 +0100

A Dundee woman was misdiagnosed and then died from a rare form of cancer after a tumour the size of a water melon grew on her leg.

SNP urged to seize new chance to introduce minimum alcohol pricing

Mon, 09 May 2011 13:28:00 +0100

A leading expert on alcohol abuse in Tayside has urged the new Scottish Government to introduce minimum pricing on drink just months after a previous attempt to do so was rejected.

Abertay lecturer Dr Kevin Smith calls homeopathy 'ethically unacceptable'

Mon, 09 May 2011 09:32:00 +0100

An Abertay University academic has branded homeopathy "ethically unacceptable" and called for it to be rejected by healthcare professionals.

Fat-to-fit football scheme to run for a second year

Fri, 06 May 2011 13:54:00 +0100

A sense of team spirit is helping football fans in Dundee fight the flab. Over 350 overweight supporters took part in a programme set up between Scotland's top teams and organisations, including Dundee University, in 2010.

'Mum's the Word' on International Day of the Midwife

Thu, 05 May 2011 10:36:00 +0100

Happy healthy babies are the best reason of all to celebrate International Day of the Midwife today.

Winter vomiting bug has a spring in its step

Wed, 04 May 2011 12:57:00 +0100

The winter vomiting bug is once again proving to be no respecter of seasons, causing the closure of yet another hospital ward to new patients.

Ninewells Hospital specialist argues thyroid/fracture research should be a priority

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:46:00 +0100

Older people taking drugs for thyroid problems could be at greater risk of broken bones, according to new research.

'Lend-a-hand' schemes part of proposals to reduce Dundee care placements

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:02:00 +0100

A private care homes leader has signed up to a plan that will cut care home placements in Dundee.

Woman's 'weight problem' turned out to be 21lb football-sized ovarian cyst

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:56:00 +0100

A West Fife woman has revealed her shock at finding out she had a 21lb ovarian cyst — the size of a football.

Swimming sessions offered to overweight mums-to-be

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 13:13:00 +0100

Overweight mums-to-be are being offered exclusive sessions in a Dundee swimming pool with a specially trained midwife.

New study hopes to tackle cancer outcome inequalities

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:56:00 +0100

People from affluent and deprived communities in Dundee are to be invited to take part in a cancer study in a bid to even up the chances of survival.

NHS advises egg rations for Easter

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 07:45:00 +0100

Doting grannies and aunties are being asked to consider giving children an alternative to an Easter egg this weekend.

Family's joy as tiny tot Bobbie Adam goes home

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 06:20:00 +0100

A tiny baby girl has left Ninewells Hospital in Dundee to spend her first Easter at home.

Better monitoring at centre of NHS Tayside's five-year mental health plan

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:40:00 +0100

NHS Tayside has approved a five-year strategy aimed at improving mental health services across the region.

Tenovus Tayside's key role in generating research funding

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 09:51:00 +0100

A renowned diabetes expert, Dundee University's Professor Andrew Morris, credits Tenovus Tayside with giving his research career an early boost.

Heartstart training courses set for Pitlochry

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 18:50:00 +0100

An organisation that helps ordinary people save lives is to hold classes in Pitlochry for the first time next week.

Cornhill Macmillan Centre's first year in focus

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 12:30:00 +0100

The £3.75 million Cornhill Macmillan Centre in Perth has been hailed as a success following its first full year in operation.

'Third world' conditions in Tayside linked to 'heating or eating' quandary

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:12:00 +0100

Rocketing cases of malnutrition in Tayside must be tackled, a leading charity has warned.

Tayside sees 14 gastric band surgeries in 2011

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:56:00 +0100

Drastic surgery has been performed on 14 extremely obese patients in Dundee's Ninewells Hospital this year in a bid to reduce their weight.

Study reveals link between alcohol consumption and cancer

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:17:00 +0100

A new study that has revealed alcohol caused 10% of all cancers in men should be a wake-up call about the full dangers of drink, NHS Tayside's deputy director of public health has said.

St Andrews scientists receive flu research funding boost

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:32:00 +0100

A new £1.6 million grant could pave the way for boffins at St Andrews University to develop revolutionary new drugs to help treat or even prevent one of the world's most common ailments.

NHS advice is for people to stock up on medication

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:00:00 +0100

People taking medication are being advised to stock up so they don't run out when GP surgeries close for Easter.

Lung cancer patient pleads for access to CyberKnife treatment

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:36:00 +0100

A Fife man with advanced lung cancer has been denied funding for pioneering treatment that he believes could save his life.

New treatment helps 'frozen' baby Freya make miraculous recovery

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:50:00 +0100

A Dundee baby whose brain was starved of oxygen for seven minutes after birth is making a miraculous recovery — after doctors "froze" her for three days.

Scientist claims Japanese radiation poses no threat to UK public health

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:09:00 +0100

A simple dental X-ray emits more radiation than has been detected in Scotland from the Fukushima nuclear disaster, a leading Dundee scientist has confirmed.

Patients at risk as doctors face 'inadequate' training

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:05:00 +0100

Patients will be put at risk because staff shortages at hospitals will lead to a "generation of inadequately trained doctors," the country's leading medical associations have warned.

Tuberculosis test slashes time for patient diagnoses

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:52:00 +0000

A test newly available at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital has slashed waiting times for diagnosis of tuberculosis from several weeks to just two hours.

Australian stomach cancer research furthered by AICR funding

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 09:11:00 +0000

Scientists in Australia researching a "forgotten cancer" hope to make major breakthroughs following a £200,000 grant from a Fife-based charity.

New chief Gerry Marr looking to NHS Tayside's future

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:08:00 +0000

As the new chief executive of NHS Tayside, Gerry Marr bears ultimate responsibility for the health of the region's 400,000 souls. He comes into the job at a time when the service is being asked to find £25 million in savings.

Liam Henvey's family back to say thanks to Ninewells Hospital neonatal unit staff

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:13:00 +0000

A grateful father and uncle have taken steps to raise cash for the neonatal unit that saved the life of Alyth baby Liam Henvey.

Butchers staff take on the Race For Life challenge

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:33:00 +0000

A life cut short has inspired staff from butchers' shops across Dundee to sign up for the Race For Life.

AICR funding may help American institute to prostate cancer breakthrough

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:28:00 +0000

Funding from a Fife cancer charity could lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of one of Britain's biggest killers.

Volunteer effort aids Scottish Dementia Clinical Research Network

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:56:00 +0000

A national effort to drive forward research into the causes and treatment of dementia has received massive support from sufferers and their carers.

Donors still needed while blood industry is born

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:15:00 +0000

Scots have been urged to continue giving blood — despite Dundee University researchers taking part in a revolutionary project that could lead to the industrial manufacture of blood for transfusions.

Community nurses going electric

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:48:00 +0000

Community nurses in Dundee and Perth will plug into cheap fuel within weeks.

Arbroath woman tells heartbreaking story to raise awareness of endometriosis

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:29:00 +0000

An Arbroath woman who will never have children due to a debilitating health condition has told how her life has been shattered by the illness.

Bob Spink sings the praises of Ninewells Hospital treatment

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 19:42:00 +0000

A tribute to the skill and care of prostate cancer experts was delivered by an Angus councillor this week as he made a donation to support the effort to establish a new facility for those facing the disease.

Dundee University scientists report possible peanut allergy breakthrough

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:51:00 +0000

Scientists at Dundee University have helped uncover a genetic defect that can triple the risk of a child developing a life-threatening peanut allergy.

Scottish GPs reject health check at 40 as 'waste of money'

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Scottish family doctors have condemned a multi-million pound Scottish Government campaign to target everybody turning 40 for a health check.

NHS Tayside catching up on backlog of weather-affected appointments

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:04:00 +0000

Hundreds of Tayside patients have been kept waiting longer for treatment than the guaranteed maximum, due to the impact of exceptionally bad weather.

Four more cases of superbug VRE at Ninewells

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:11:00 +0000

A further four patients at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee have tested positive for the potentially serious antibiotic-resistant bug VRE — bringing the total to 26.

Dundee to play key role in groundbreaking breast tissue bank

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:33:00 +0000

A national charity investing £10 million creating a national tissue bank that will advance breast cancer research has chosen Dundee as a key location for the development.

Women who decline breast screening could help shape programme

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:11:00 +0000

Four hundred Dundee women who failed to respond to a breast screening invitation are being given the chance to make screening more attractive.

Optician highlights increased risk to smokers' sight

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:09:00 +0000

An Angus optician has warned that smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to lose their sight in later life.

Dundee University research points to steroids as way of treating chronic rhinosinusitis

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 14:14:00 +0000

A combination of oral and nasal steroids can significantly improve the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis — a common and often debilitating form of sinusitis — and help avoid surgery, according to new research carried out at Dundee University.

Ninewells Hospital claims antibiotic-resistant virus outbreak is under control

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:00:00 +0000

A potentially serious bug that has affected 22 patients at Ninewells Hospital in recent weeks appears to be under control.

Rates of norovirus infection in NHS Tayside more than doubles

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 10:03:00 +0000

NHS Tayside had the second-highest rate of the winter vomiting bug in Scotland last year.

Ninewells patients test positive for antibiotic-resistant infection

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 09:43:00 +0000

Eleven patients being treated in Dundee's Ninewells Hospital have tested positive for an antibiotic-resistant infection that has prompted deep cleaning of two surgical wards.

Oliver treated with new laser bought with £47,000 charity donation to Ninewells Hospital

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:17:00 +0000

A three-year-old Dundee boy is one of the first children to benefit from a new laser at Ninewells Hospital, purchased with the help of a £47,000 local charity donation.

Steep drop in Fife delayed discharges welcomed

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 20:53:00 +0000

A fall in the number of people stuck in Fife hospitals in the past month has been welcomed as health and social care partners insisted lessons will be learned from the recent bed blocking crisis.

Tayside hard-of-hearing face longest consultation delays in Scotland

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:17:00 +0000

Patients in Tayside are being forced to wait far longer to see a hearing specialist than those in any other part of Scotland, figures have revealed.

Equipment worth nearly £130,000 stolen from Tayside and Fife NHS sites in a year

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 09:45:00 +0000

Almost £130,000 worth of equipment went missing from medical facilities in Tayside and Fife in the space of a year, it has emerged.

Stroke victim Fred Plumb full of praise for care on road to recovery

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:11:00 +0000

Cupar resident Fred Plumb spent weeks in hospital and could not eat or drink for over a year after having a stroke while on holiday.

Life Begins At 40 health checks offered in Tayside and Fife

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:28:00 +0000

Every person in Tayside and Fife celebrating their 40th birthday will get an extra envelope in the post. Along with the cards from friends and family will be an invitation from NHS 24 to participate in a new service offering health checks.

Diabetes cases soaring — but treatment improving

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:51:00 +0000

Rocketing numbers of diabetic patients in Tayside are getting improved care, health bosses have been told.

State-of-the-art dementia therapy units a first for Tayside

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:11:00 +0000

Dementia patients in Perth and Kinross will be some of the first in Scotland to benefit from an innovative new therapy.

Sea sponges could hold key to new cancer-beating drugs

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:59:00 +0000

Researchers funded by a flagship Fife charity believe chemicals found in sea sponges could be "tweaked" to create a new generation of anti-cancer drugs.

Flesh-eating bug took 'shark bite' from Arbroath gran's arm

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:35:00 +0000

An Arbroath grandmother has told how a terrifying flesh-eating bug has left her arm looking like she was attacked by a shark.

NHS Tayside reprimanded over patient's death at Carseview

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:23:00 +0000

NHS Tayside has been criticised for staff failing to keep a close enough watch on a patient who died in Carseview psychiatric unit in Dundee after a bag of heroin inside him burst.

New mother praises Ninewells Hospital clinic's sensitivity on weighty issue

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:49:00 +0000

A Broughty Ferry mother has lost over four stones since giving birth to her first child 16 weeks ago.

NHS efficiency savings will be reinvested in front-line services

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:24:00 +0000

More than £300 million will be ploughed back into front-line services through efficiency savings over the next year, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said on Tuesday, and NHS Tayside said it is committed to getting the best value for every pound spent.

NHS Tayside director admits absences due to substance abuse might be higher than reported

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Hangovers are being hidden in NHS Tayside statistics because they don't give an accurate picture of the workforce's battle with the booze, it has been suggested.

Support and advice for overweight mums-to-be

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:31:00 +0000

Pregnant women with a weight problem are turning to a new NHS Tayside service that helps them improve their diet and take gentle exercise.

Low uptake among NHS Tayside staff of 'flawed' national survey

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 06:50:00 +0000

Fewer than one in five NHS Tayside workers completed a national staff survey, health bosses have been told.

Personal and professional pleas for more funding to beat dementia

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:02:00 +0000

A Dundee woman whose mother was diagnosed with dementia aged just 56 has appealed for more funding to research the debilitating condition.

Ninewells consultant Ghulam Nabi seeks to raise £500,000 for cancer information centre

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:58:00 +0000

A Ninewells Hospital surgeon wants to create a better environment in which patients can learn about their cancer diagnosis.

Flesh-eating bug victim in Dundee's Ninewells Hospital

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 08:19:00 +0000

A woman with the flesh eating bug necrotising fasciitis is being treated in Dundee's Ninewells Hospital.

The long and short of infection control ruling on doctors' shirts

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 07:33:00 +0000

Infection control rules that ban doctors from wearing long-sleeved shirts are doing nothing to reduce the spread of bugs in hospitals.

Changes to NHS Tayside physiotherapy services help cut waiting times

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:03:00 +0000

Changes to the way physiotherapy services are being delivered in Tayside are helping to cut waiting times for treatment, the head of the service has claimed.

New research discovers wide variance in cancer outcomes

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 10:18:00 +0000

Far more people died within 30 days of a diagnosis of bowel cancer in Scotland than did after a diagnosis of breast cancer, new research has shown.

Edzell firm PharmEcosse to test insulin's scar reduction properties

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:48:00 +0000

An Edzell company believes just one dose of insulin could reduce or prevent unsightly scarring after surgery.

93 'fit' patients die awaiting hospital release in Fife

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:25:00 +0000

Over 90 Fife patients passed fit to leave hospital died before they were able to do so last year, shocking new figures have revealed.

Pioneering work to support deaf and blind people

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:46:00 +0000

Two leading Scottish charities are joining forces in a pioneering new project to support people with sensory loss across Tayside.

World Cancer Day brings plea for 'global attack' on disease

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:31:00 +0000

An eminent Fife expert will today use the backdrop of World Cancer Day to call for a "global attack" on the killer disease.

Older mums are at greater risk of breast cancer

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:42:00 +0000

Women who have their children later in life could be putting themselves at increased risk of cancer.

Sasha Munns' struggle to find work provokes anger at Holyrood

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 06:43:00 +0000

The plight of a Dundee nursing graduate struggling to find a job has provoked outrage at Holyrood.

£150,000 of charity money given to Health Buddies pupil sex education scheme

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:18:00 +0000

Tayside health bosses have agreed to spend £150,000 of charitable donations on a Dundee schools scheme that uses older pupils to teach younger ones about sex.

NHS Tayside seeks to end subsidising Sunday pharmacies

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:25:00 +0000

NHS Tayside wants to stop funding some pharmacists to open on Sundays and public holidays in urban areas and instead rely on voluntary opening on these days.

CoSLA criticises Scottish Government's plans to integrate health and social care

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:08:00 +0000

The Scottish Government's plans to integrate health and social care services have been described as "incompetent."

Renal clinics will reduce costly visits

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:18:00 +0000

Clinics for children with renal problems have been set up in Fife, meaning youngsters no longer have to travel to Glasgow or Edinburgh to see a consultant.

Family given red carpet treatment as Professor Roland Wolf collects OBE

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:49:00 +0000

Professor Roland Wolf's 92-year-old mother was given a front-row seat at Buckingham Palace when her Dundee-based cancer researcher son was presented with his OBE.

NHS Tayside pays out more than £700,000 in clinical negligence compensation

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:04:00 +0000

NHS Tayside was forced to pay out almost £500,000 in compensation last year as a result of clinical negligence.

Ninewells seeks to jump the queue to replace nurses uniforms lost in fire

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:03:00 +0000

Nurses who lost their uniforms in the fire at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, last year, could wait 10 months for replacements.

Dundee University research shows patients are being examined without consent

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:16:00 +0000

Unconscious patients are being intimately examined by medical students without appropriate consent, new research from Dundee University suggests.

Swine flu jab reminder for mothers-to-be

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:01:00 +0000

Around 800 pregnant women across Tayside are putting themselves at risk from flu by failing to get vaccinated.

NHS Tayside's iPhone app puts medicinal 'bible' in doctors' pockets

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 07:12:00 +0000

Doctors across Tayside can now download an application to their mobile phone that helps them prescribe appropriate drugs.

Mothers-to-be given new Down's syndrome test

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:49:00 +0000

Expectant mothers in Tayside are being offered an earlier test for Down's syndrome as a new programme of pregnancy screening rolls out across the region.

Royal Victoria Hospital ward closed by winter vomiting bug

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 14:43:00 +0000

Another Dundee hospital ward has been closed to new patients after several cases of vomiting and diarrhoea thought to be caused by the winter vomiting bug norovirus.

Doctors' leader urges ministers not to be blinded by new technology

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:09:00 +0000

A national doctors' leader based in Tayside said the telephone is "under-used" in surgeries and clinics.

Youngsters found to be consuming up to 100 units of alcohol a week

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:12:00 +0000

A new support service for west Fifers has found some youngsters are drinking up to 100 units of alcohol a week — nearly five times the recommended weekly limit for an adult male.

New system seeks to reduce number of missed hospital appointments

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:54:00 +0000

NHS Fife is hoping new procedures for managing appointments will help the health service cut down on the number missed in the coming year.

Modern speech therapy a far cry from The King's Speech

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 11:17:00 +0000

A specialist in stammering at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee has no fears that the latest blockbuster film, The King's Speech, will swamp her with extra work.

Bed-blocking crisis to be solved this month — Robison

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Fife's bed-blocking crisis will be solved by the end of next month, MSPs have been told.

Fife Council and NHS Fife agree to ease bed-blocking crisis

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:01:00 +0000

NHS Fife has agreed to make up a shortfall in funding to try and ease the region's bed-blocking crisis — but will now have to look at ways to pay for it.

Conservatives plan cancer drugs fund for Scotland

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 06:14:00 +0000

Money generated by prescription charges would be used to fund new cancer drugs under proposals unveiled by the Tories.

Carers ask to help ease Fife hospital beds crisis

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:18:00 +0000

Home carers in Fife have urged social work managers to maximise their potential to help deal with the region's bed-blocking crisis.

Tayside businesses urged to develop plan to combat flu

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:02:00 +0000

The regional chairman of one of Scotland's major business organisations has warned that local businesses must have a plan to combat significant staff shortages.

Victoria Hospital ward 13 reopens as NHS struggles

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:28:00 +0000

A Fife hospital ward that was closed only last year was re-opened to help the health service deal with the pressures it is facing.

Medical director praises hospital staff

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 19:07:00 +0000

A prominent Fife doctor has paid tribute to staff who have been working flat out in Fife's hospitals in recent weeks — and again highlighted the impact delayed discharges are having on the health system.

South East Scotland Deanery supports single site A&E in Fife

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:31:00 +0000

A move towards a single accident and emergency site in Fife sooner rather than later has been supported by the South East Scotland Deanery.

Fife Council urged to honour cash to fight health crisis

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:41:00 +0000

fife Council's leader of the opposition has repeated his call for the local authority to make good its offer of £250,000 to help tackle the bed blocking crisis within the region's hospitals.

'Lessons learned' by NHS Tayside from the big freeze

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:47:00 +0000

NHS Tayside chiefs have pledged to draw up new "contingency plans" to deal with extreme temperatures after the health board was accused of a "dereliction of duty" during the recent cold snap.

Expert urges more Taysiders to come forward for flu jab

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 10:38:00 +0000

One of Tayside's leading health experts has urged people to get vaccinated against flu.

United front on Fife's bed-blocking crisis

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 09:30:00 +0000

Leaders of Fife's health board and council seemed to bury the hatchet on Friday night by displaying a united front on tackling the region's bed blocking crisis.

Sturgeon must 'get involved' to rectify NHS Fife bed-blocking crisis

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:39:00 +0000

Scotland's health secretary must "knock heads together" to solve NHS Fife's bed-blocking crisis, opposition politicians have said.

NHS Tayside's bid for biomass boilers

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:20:00 +0000

NHS Tayside wants to install biomass heating plants at Perth Royal Infirmary (PRI) and Stracathro Hospital by Brechin in a bid to reduce its carbon emissions.

Double amputee sees Ninewells Hospital parking ticket waived

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:02:00 +0000

A double amputee from Fife has had a hospital parking penalty notice waived, after The Courier.

Elderly patients 'trapped' in hospital due to Fife care failure

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:02:00 +0000

A total of 19 elderly patients are trapped in Ninewells Hospital because of the failure of Fife Council to provide alternative care packages.

MRSA cases in Scotland fall to a record low

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:10:00 +0000

Cases of superbug MRSA have fallen to a record low, according to NHS figures.

Council blamed as NHS Fife being run ragged

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:16:00 +0000

Fife's health service is being pushed to breaking point because Fife Council is "failing in its responsibility" to get people out of hospital.

Autism strategy fails to impress parent group

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:03:00 +0000

A proposed national strategy on autism will do little to help those affected by the condition, a group of Dundee parents has warned.

Nicola Sturgeon confirms no penalty for missing NHS time targets

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:31:00 +0000

NHS Tayside will not be penalised financially for missing waiting time targets due to bad weather cancellations.

Fund announced to support first-time Dundee mothers

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:59:00 +0000

Too young to vote, nevertheless 13-month-old Niomi Brand has the power to capture the heart of Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon.

Woman describes sense of helplessness in lead-up to partner's tragic death

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 09:39:00 +0000

A heartbroken Dundee woman has told of how she watched in despair as her partner's mental health deteriorated until he took his own life last week.

Ninewells nurses accused of 'callous' treatment of 92-year-old

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 07:58:00 +0000

'Callous nurses' at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee left a 92-year-old woman with dementia and arthritis to eat her roast dinner with her fingers rather than take time to cut up her food for her, it has been claimed.

A blast from the past hidden in the files

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:30:00 +0000

Performing a pre-spring clean of old computer files, Courier health reporter Marjory Inglis finds one that takes her back to the future.

Ninewells Hospital doctor John Winter heading for new life Down Under

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:11:00 +0000

A Dundee doctor is swapping the chance of retirement for a new life establishing respiratory services in Tasmania.

Gyms welcome new members keen to beat the bulge

Sat, 08 Jan 2011 10:57:00 +0000

Fitness centres are feeling the benefit as people full of good intentions sign up to battle the post-festive bulge.

Thousands seen by NHS Tayside's out-of-hours service

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:20:00 +0000

Over 5500 patients were dealt with by NHS Tayside's out-of-hours service during Christmas and the New Year.

Scottish Labour backs advice centres for cancer patients

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:10:00 +0000

Scottish Labour have pledged £4 million to ensure the survival of a network of axe-threatened financial advice centres for cancer patients, including one in Dundee.

Six more flu deaths bring Scotland's winter total to 10

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 12:06:00 +0000

Six more people with flu have died in the last week, bringing the total flu deaths across Scotland this winter to 10.

Health authorities issue advice to limit spread of flu

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:50:00 +0000

As thousands of pupils return to school this week, parents are being advised what to do to try to prevent the spread of flu.

Busy New Year for Tayside's out-of-hours services

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:03:00 +0000

Tayside's out-of-hours staff -- who take over when GP surgeries close -- saw almost 30% more patients over the Ne'erday weekend than they did on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Missed hospital appointments cost NHS Tayside over £3.6m in 2010

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:25:00 +0000

More than £3.6 million of NHS money was wasted last year because people in Tayside did not turn up for hospital appointments.

A&E staff deal with result of revellers' over-indulgence

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:21:00 +0000

First foots at Ninewells Hospital got a little too much in to the spirit of the New Year.

Revival chairman's plea for more organ donors

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 17:11:00 +0000

The chairman of a Tayside charity that promotes organ donation throughout east and central Scotland has urged people to consider offering the gift of life.

More help needed for grieving relatives

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 10:36:00 +0000

Better training is needed to ensure that NHS staff are able to help bereaved families, health chiefs from Tayside and Fife have said.

Dundee University researcher wins diabetes funding

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 11:50:00 +0000

Blood samples donated by thousands of people in Tayside have helped Dundee University researchers to uncover new genetic evidence about how a key diabetes drug works.

Two more die in Scotland after contracting swine flu

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 12:15:00 +0000

Two people have died after contracting swine flu in Scotland over the last week.

NHS Tayside's out-of-hours service has busiest day ever

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:15:00 +0000

Tayside's out-of-hours medical service experienced its busiest ever day during the festive shutdown.

Huge increase in NHS Tayside's obesity drug costs

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:22:00 +0000

NHS Tayside is now spending 19 times what it did in 1999 on anti-obesity drugs, new figures have revealed.

'Bursting with pride' over Georgia Conway's progress through chemotherapy

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:27:00 +0000

A Dundee mother says she is "bursting with pride" after watching her four-year-old daughter undergo the last stage of two and a half years of exhausting leukaemia treatment this Christmas.

Tayside chief says NHS car perk 'abolished long ago'

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:21:00 +0000

Managers are not driving Maseratis under a car scheme funded by taxpayers, a Tayside health chief has insisted.

Those with problems urged not to suffer in silence during festive season

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:56:00 +0000

Angus Choose Life Team is urging anyone who may be struggling with loneliness or depression over the festive season to talk about their problems.

NHS services can do little for vomiting bug over holiday period

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 07:31:00 +0000

People of all ages are having a miserable time coping with a vomiting bug that is running rife in Tayside.

Health chief's plea — emergencies only

Sat, 25 Dec 2010 07:05:00 +0000

Tayside residents have been urged not to attend accident and emergency departments unless they have a genuine emergency.

A call for caution over Christmas excess

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:40:00 +0000

One child in Tayside gained a stone over a two-week period during last Christmas and New Year, twice the average weight gain for an adult, according to NHS Tayside's children's obesity service.

Panto beamed to Scottish children's hospitals

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:35:00 +0000

Poorly children around Scotland still managed to enjoy all the fun of the panto season — oh, yes they did! — thanks to a ground-breaking Fife initiative.

NHS Fife behind with cancer treatment waiting targets

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:44:00 +0000

NHS Fife is lagging behind other health boards in its progress towards new cancer waiting targets.

Fife councillors 'like Dick Turpin' over NHS bed-blocking

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:21:00 +0000

Fife councillors have been accused of using "low-life politics" to "extort" money from NHS Fife.

Flu still at 'normal' levels, claims NHS Fife

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:33:00 +0000

Health officials have said flu cases in Fife are still at "normal seasonal levels," despite concerns nationally over a sharp increase.

Worrying figures on dental decay in poorest children

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 08:31:00 +0000

Children from the poorest families in Scotland are almost twice as likely to suffer tooth decay as those from the wealthiest, a survey has found.

New Leuchars pharmacy blamed for GP's emigration

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:50:00 +0000

A GP has blamed the controversial opening of a pharmacy in Leuchars for his decision to leave the village.

Warning over the serious consequences of festive fun

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:20:00 +0000

With the festive party season in full swing, NHS Tayside has urged party-goers to remember the safe sex message.

Letter-writing push for organ donor campaign

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 18:39:00 +0000

If you're feeling challenged by your Christmas card list, spare a thought for Dundee man Mohammed Razak.

Remarkable recovery of '6ft 3in baby' Jordan Phillips

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:49:00 +0000

A 21-year-old Dundee man who was "a 6ft 3in baby" who couldn't do anything for himself months after a horrific car crash nearly killed him is now planning to get back in the driving seat and restart his motoring apprenticeship in the new year.

Child obesity target 'hides true scale' of Tayside problem

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:20:00 +0000

A Tayside health chief has admitted that hundreds of fat children targeted for lifestyle change did not reveal the true scale of the obesity problem locally.

Weather forced cancellation of 8000 NHS Tayside appointments

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:29:00 +0000

NHS Tayside will have to reschedule almost 8000 operations, procedures and clinic appointments cancelled during a single week of bad weather.

Health staff prepare to tackle heatwave

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:21:00 +0000

While the rest of the country was preparing for a second onslaught of severe winter weather, NHS Tayside was planning for a heatwave.

NHS Tayside counting the cost of Arctic weather

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:07:00 +0000

Health chiefs in Tayside are still totting up the financial cost of snowfall and bad weather on their business.

NHS Fife increases nursing numbers, against national drop

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:33:00 +0000

NHS Fife has bucked the trend across Scotland — showing a rise in the number of nursing and midwifery staff it employs.

NHS nurse Jenny Bowes celebrates four decades of care

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:00:00 +0000

A dedicated Tayside nurse has been congratulated after completing her fourth decade with the NHS.

Gerry Marr named as new NHS Tayside chief executive

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:37:00 +0000

Gerry Marr has been named chief executive of NHS Tayside, taking over from Professor Tony Wells, who is stepping down after nine years.

Praise for Perthshire health staff in face of adversity

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 22:02:00 +0000

A Fife nurse braved a 10-hour journey to get to work at Perth's Murray Royal Hospital during the big freeze.

Breakthrough for firm's Ambulight PDT cancer treatment

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:35:00 +0000

A Dundee design is set to bring pain relief to millions of skin cancer sufferers after the firm behind the innovation secured distribution to several European countries.

Hearty Lives Dundee dishes out advice over festive indulgence

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 13:55:00 +0000

A big bowl of Christmas pudding with lashings of cream is a potential heart attack on a plate.

Ninewells team helping Malawi's first A&E unit

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:20:00 +0000

A team from Ninewells Hospital is helping to create Malawi's first accident and emergency unit at a Blantyre hospital.

Cancer patient's plea for more use of NHS scanners

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:01:00 +0000

A Perthshire cancer patient has called for NHS scanners to be used day and night to improve survival rates and make best use of expensive equipment.

Donors battle weather to answer plea for blood

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:14:00 +0000

A 73-year-old blood donor has trudged through the snow from his home in Invergowrie to make his 93rd donation at Ninewells Hospital.

More studies needed to back up aspirin cancer findings

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

A Dundee academic whose research has helped lead to the discovery that simple aspirin might prevent cancer has warned more studies must be done before people begin taking the drug on a daily basis.

Cancer patient praises Ninewells and Maggie's nursing staff

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:47:00 +0000

A Dundee cancer patient has paid tribute to staff at Ninewells Hospital and the Maggie's Centre for keeping services going during the horrendous weather conditions.

Appeal to blood donors to attend at Ninewells

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 07:04:00 +0000

An appeal is going out to blood donors to attend an extra session at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after sessions elsewhere have been cancelled due to the severe weather.

NHS Tayside praises staff's efforts in the snow

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:28:00 +0000

NHS Tayside have praised the efforts of its staff for maintaining services during the severe weather — outside and inside hospitals.

Public's role in curbing Fife norovirus cases

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 11:45:00 +0000

Fife health chiefs have insisted that the public have a major role to play in helping the region's hospitals deal with cases of the winter vomiting bug this year.

Electronic letters to save NHS Tayside £250,000

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:20:00 +0000

NHS Tayside expects to save £250,000 a year by sending letters electronically between hospital clinics and family doctor practices following the introduction of a new computer system.

Ninewells Hospital colleagues hail reluctant hero nurse Stephen Berry

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:13:00 +0000

A Ninewells Hospital nurse has battled through the snow, walking four hours a day to put in his shift caring for seriously ill patients.

NHS boards record mixed A&E waiting time results

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:44:00 +0000

NHS Tayside achieved the four-hour accident and emergency waiting time target for 18 months in a row, while NHS Fife fell below the mark every month bar September 2009.

Health staff praised for dedication amid travel chaos

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:30:00 +0000

NHS Tayside cancelled all planned in-patient and out-patient services today for the third day running, but emergency patients are still being seen.

Snow closes Ninewells Hospital car park as charge rises

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 06:37:00 +0000

A car park at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital has been closed and others are operating on reduced capacity due to snow piling up there.

Flying doctor Joanne Irons given Australian bravery award

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:17:00 +0000

A former Dundee High School pupil who put herself in the line of fire by treating a policeman with several gunshot wounds has been recognised for her bravery.

Kidney transplant patient's letter will mark poignant day

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 06:50:00 +0000

A Dundee kidney transplant patient is planning to mark a poignant anniversary next month by writing to the bereaved mother whose dead son gave him the gift of life.

Fixed penalty fine for sale of tobacco to under-18s

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:12:00 +0000

Anyone who tries to buy tobacco for an underage smoker will be hit with a £200 spot fine from April 1.

Susann Schweiger makes breakthrough in battling Alzheimer's disease

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:47:00 +0000

A Dundee professor's brainwave while cycling to work has led to a potentially exciting breakthrough in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Overseas visitors owe NHS Tayside £30,000-plus

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:25:00 +0000

It has emerged over £30,000 is owed in unpaid bills to NHS Tayside by overseas patients, and The Courier can reveal that the biggest unpaid bill is £18,890.

Dundee Stroke Recovery Club backs stem cell research

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 14:30:00 +0000

The chairwoman of Dundee Stroke Recovery Club has given her backing to ground-breaking stem cell research that could lead to more effective treatment for stroke patients.

Young snappers have mental health in focus

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 12:51:00 +0000

Three Dunfermline High pupils have placed the subject of mental health to the fore.

Cancer drugs carried on hospital link bus

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:57:00 +0000

Vital chemotherapy drugs for cancer patients are transported between Dundee's Ninewells Hospital and Perth Royal Infirmary on the hospital link bus.

Scottish Government freezes bonuses for consultants

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Bonus payments for NHS consultants will no longer be offered to new staff, the Scottish Government has said.

Recovering alcoholics speak of torment — and help from Jericho House

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:07:00 +0000

Two recovering alcoholics from Dundee have spoken of their torment as their lives disintegrated through endless booze binges.

UNICEF award for Arbroath's maternity unit

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 17:32:00 +0000

Arbroath Infirmary's community maternity unit has been awarded UNICEF's Baby Friendly Award which is the internationally-recognised award for breastfeeding.

Ninewells Hospital cancer centre named for pioneering campaigner

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 06:41:00 +0000

A cancer campaigner made a plea in absentia as a new research centre at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee was named after her co-campaigner and fund-raising friend.

"Miracle" woman Caroline Stewart was given 2% chance of survival

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 08:32:00 +0000

A Dundee child healthcare assistant given just a 2% chance of survival after collapsing with a brain aneurysm at work has paid tribute to the medical staff who nursed her back to health.

90,000 UK diabetics forced to switch insulin medication

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 07:37:00 +0000

Over 1200 diabetic patients in Tayside and Fife are having to switch vital medication after a drug firm announced their current medication is being withdrawn.

Cancer Research UK seeking children of courage

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:15:00 +0000

A national cancer charity is looking for children of courage battling the disease in a bid to give them special recognition.

Tayside nurses in no rush for new uniforms

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:28:00 +0000

Claims that NHS Grampian nurses are purposely damaging their uniforms to get new style tunic replacements do not appear to be echoed in Tayside.

Kinloch Rannoch goes to Holyrood

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 06:52:00 +0000

A fight for out-of-hours GP cover in a Highland Perthshire village is vital for securing the future of health services across the country, the Scottish Parliament heard.

NHS Tayside's "phenomenal" performance on waiting times

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 14:36:00 +0000

NHS Tayside has recorded one of its best-ever performances on waiting times.

Students speak out about mouth cancer

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:03:00 +0000

Dundee University dental students will be highlighting the dangers of mouth cancer next week.

Men and women still sharing hospital wards

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:50:00 +0000

Male and female patients are still being mixed on wards in Tayside hospitals, against local and national policy.

Up In Smoke shows true cost of tobacco

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:15:00 +0000

Cigarette breaks are costing Scotland millions of pounds — and not just in the lost productivity of smokers sneaking out for a puff.

NHS praised by family of patient Betty Wilson

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 19:26:00 +0000

The daughter of a senior citizen who collapsed during an 80th birthday party has praised NHS Tayside for their "marvellous" care.

Ninewells Hospital parking charges to rise

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:35:00 +0000

Patients and visitors turning up at Ninewells Hospital are to need extra change in their wallets and purses.

Deals to sell off NHS Tayside land near completion

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 07:03:00 +0000

Deals to sell off more than £1 million worth of unused land belonging to NHS Tayside could be concluded this week.

Stracathro Hospital mental health centre takes shape

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 15:35:00 +0000

Work is well under way on the construction of a £20 million mental health centre at Stracathro Hospital, by Brechin, creating the prospect of a major redevelopment in the Montrose area.

Tayside Medical History Museum exhibition poses questions

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:53:00 +0000

For Or Against? — the latest exhibition by Tayside Medical History Museum — has opened at Ninewells Hospital.

Each organ donor can benefit nine people

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:11:00 +0000

Each deceased organ donor can potentially transform the lives of up to nine seriously ill people, an intensive care specialist at Ninewells Hospital has said.

Expect more £50,000-plus managers, says health boss

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:19:00 +0000

NHS Tayside's rocketing numbers of highly-paid managers could go even higher next year, a health boss has admitted.

Friends of Stracathro to make joint appeal

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:49:00 +0000

A major public fund-raising campaign to buy the latest technology for Stracathro Hospital is to be launched.

Life-saving blood donors hear inspiring tale at Ninewells

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 07:35:00 +0000

A blood transfusion medicine specialist based at Ninewells Hospital told how 41 people saved the life of a mother and baby.

Importance of lung cancer check-ups underlined by Macmillan specialist

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:38:00 +0000

A specialist nurse is urging women to have lung cancer symptoms checked out as early as possible as cases of the disease in Tayside rocket.

David Nutt's alcohol study backed by Scottish groups

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 08:37:00 +0000

Drugs and alcohol charities have thrown their weight behind a controversial new study which claims alcohol is more harmful than heroin.

'Bed blocking' in Fife hospitals prompts calls for investigation

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:19:00 +0000

Two Fife councillors have called for an investigation after revelations that bed blocking in the region's hospitals is the worst in Scotland.

Rocketing cost of high-earning non-clinical staff revealed

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:43:00 +0100

The pay bill for NHS Tayside's senior managers and other high-earning "non-clinical" staff has almost trebled in three years — shooting up beyond £14 million. Fife's bill has also escalated, although the region has far fewer high-earning employees than Tayside.

Enzyme study into cancer hinges on humble fly

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:02:00 +0100

Small and with a life cycle of just two weeks, fruit flies are seen by many as pests and a problem.

Dundee University project aims to help treat drug users more effectively

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:14:00 +0100

Around 2200 people in Tayside are in treatment for drug problems but it's difficult to know if it's doing them any good.

Reduction in cases of ill health caused by Scottish workplaces

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:21:00 +0100

Fewer people in Scotland are dying, being seriously injured or made ill through their work, according to figures released by the Health and Safety Executive.

NHS rules blamed for limits on how porters can move patients

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:40:00 +0100

NHS Tayside has confirmed hospital porters are not allowed to move patients directly because of health and safety rules.

Breastfeeding rates failing to match Scottish Government targets

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 20:55:00 +0100

A bid to improve Scotland's breastfeeding rates is falling short of target, new figures have revealed.

Failure to attend clinics costs NHS boards £2.6m

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:42:00 +0100

Patients who failed to keep clinic appointments with a hospital consultant cost the health authorities in Tayside and Fife over £2.6m last year.

Dr Finlay-style practices a thing of the past, says Blairgowrie GP

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:18:00 +0100

Dr Andrew Buist, a GP at Ardblair Surgery and deputy chairman of the British Medical Association's Scottish GP committee, has said there is no going back to Dr Finlay-style general practice.

Anger at lack of help from porter at Ninewells Hospital

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 07:41:00 +0100

A 92-year-old woman fell to the ground outside Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after a porter refused to leave the building to help transfer the patient from a car to a wheelchair.

Pitkerro NHS unit incidents see two suspended

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:43:00 +0100

Two nurses were suspended and three other staff members disciplined following recent incidents at an NHS unit hosted within a private Dundee nursing home.

Praise for work of Macmillan Day Care unit

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:31:00 +0100

Patients have praised the care they receive at a Dundee centre that is being given a national award.

Pitkerro Intermediate Care Unit gets elderly patients home

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:20:00 +0100

A unit set up in a Dundee nursing home to help elderly people get out of hospital and back to their own homes earlier, is proving successful.

Ninewells Hospital fire costs 'Doomsday scenario' fear

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:04:00 +0100

NHS Tayside is still waiting to hear if it will get help to pay for the cost of the major fire at Ninewells Hospital last month.

NHS Tayside tests new staff sickness management scheme in Angus

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:41:00 +0100

A new sickness management scheme that means NHS staff in Angus are phoned every day they are off ill could be rolled out across Tayside.

NHS Tayside dental patient care reviewed after complaint

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:56:00 +0100

NHS Tayside is reviewing the way it cares for dental patients after a man complained he ended up in hospital for nine days through complications from a tooth extraction.

Salmonella bug hits west Fife nursery toddlers

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:47:00 +0100

Health chiefs have confirmed that four toddlers at a west Fife nursery have been struck down by the salmonella bug.

Women can expect to live longer

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 08:16:00 +0100

Women in Tayside and Fife can expect to live well into their 80s, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Call for tougher action on smoking

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:58:00 +0100

Tax on cigarettes will be hiked by an extra 5% every year, if the anti-smoking charity ASH Scotland gets its way.

Consumers advised to eat less red meat

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 06:04:00 +0100

New research linking red meat consumption to cancer should make meat eaters reduce their intake, a Dundee expert has warned.

GP helps to develop Fife health website

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 14:06:00 +0100

An Inverkeithing GP has helped to develop a website for people living with long-term illnesses.

C. diff outbreak ward at Ninewells Hospital closes

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 09:56:00 +0100

The ward at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee where five elderly patients died during a superbug outbreak last year has closed, NHS Tayside confirmed on Friday.

Suicide victim father Malcolm Nichol's outrage at plight of bipolar woman

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:19:00 +0100

The father of a Dundee suicide victim has lambasted the "outrageous" conduct of NHS Tayside after hearing that a young mother overdosed on drugs three times after being turned away from a city psychiatric unit.

NHS Tayside saves money and posts

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:30:00 +0100

NHS Tayside is on track to deliver its £30 million savings target this year and hundreds of posts have been safeguarded in the process.

Woman denied Carseview psychiatric unit place despite three suicide attempts

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 11:06:00 +0100

A Dundee mother who tried to commit suicide three times in one week could not get access to a psychiatric unit in the city because all the beds were full, her husband has claimed.

Ninewells doctor outlines reservist medics' vital role in Camp Bastion

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:41:00 +0100

A Ninewells Hospital doctor has revealed the battle to save lives in the busiest accident and emergency department in the world.

Pressure for savings forces health boards to consider closer working

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:01:00 +0100

Health chiefs are to step up their look at how resources could be shared with neighbouring health boards as the need to save cash becomes ever more pressing.

Ninewells Hospital leading advances in keyhole surgery

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:37:00 +0100

A patient in Ninewells Hospital has become the first person in Scotland to benefit from a pioneering new use of keyhole surgery.

Half of nurses unhappy with standard of care — RCN Scotland

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:04:00 +0100

Just over half of Scotland's nurses feel they are being prevented from giving patients the dignified care they need, the nurses' trade union has claimed.

Pregnant women 'smoking bribe' cost NHS Tayside over £60,000

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 09:59:00 +0100

More than £60,000 of public money has been spent on a controversial scheme to bribe pregnant women in Tayside to stop smoking.

Ninewells Hospital palliative care unit fears

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:15:00 +0100

The specialist palliative care unit at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee that cares for patients with advanced serious illness has reopened, but there are fears of further closures.

Mother knows best

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 12:06:00 +0100

After looking at the benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby Nora McElhone spoke to three mothers about their choice to breastfeed and the journey on which it took them.

A winning formula for baby

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 09:30:00 +0100

Celebrity mums are never far from the headlines and their differing attitudes to feeding their babies are no exception. For ordinary mums who just want what is best for their children, the messages can be confusing. In a two-part special Nora McElhone spoke to NHS Tayside's breastfeeding support team to find out why breastfeeding is so important for mother and baby.

Taking advice from MI5 over Ninewells' new mail room

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:40:00 +0100

Ninewells Hospital bosses are taking advice from MI5 before building a new mail room to cope with the flood of letters and packets coming into and leaving the site.

Jobs found for elderly care Ninewells Hospital staff

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:04:00 +0100

Over 70 Ninewells Hospital nurses and healthcare assistants, caring for elderly patients, who were in limbo over the summer, have now been offered alternative jobs.

Arbroath paramedic Tristan Crumpton struck off at hearing

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0100

An Arbroath paramedic facing allegations over 13 missing doses of a morphine drug has been struck off after a disciplinary hearing in Edinburgh.

Steep fall in superbug infections in Tayside wards

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:37:00 +0100

The number of cases of superbug clostridium difficile has more than halved in Tayside's hospitals in the last year.

Committee seeks assurances over future NHS savings

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:59:00 +0100

A Holyrood committee has welcomed a pay freeze on senior staff salaries in the NHS.

Moyness Care Home council clients ban to remain

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:50:00 +0100

Dundee City Council's ban on sending new clients to Moyness Care Home in Broughty Ferry will stay in force until the Care Commission produces a more favourable report on conditions there, it has been confirmed.

Work begins on St Andrews University research complex

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:26:00 +0100

Scotland's education secretary has helped lay the foundations for a £15 million new research centre in St Andrews.

Moyness Care Home given poorest mark

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 11:35:00 +0100

A Broughty Ferry nursing home has been given the lowest mark possible in an official inspection report by Scotland's care watchdog.

More Tayside and Fife adults registered with a dentist

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 10:21:00 +0100

The number of adults registered with a dentist in Tayside and Fife has risen over the last decade — with more dramatic results north of the Tay than south.

NHS Tayside's top earners revealed

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 10:01:31 +0100

NHS Tayside's director of public health, Dr Drew Walker, was the health authority's highest paid executive last year with a salary of over £180,000.

Room for optimism in the fight against flab

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:34:00 +0100

The number of overweight people in Scotland has dropped for the first time since the mid-1990s, a new study of the nation's health has found.

'Sickness' closes Ninewells Hospital's palliative care unit

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 08:44:00 +0100

A specialist palliative care unit at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee catering for cancer patients and those with other advanced serious illnesses has closed its beds.

Diabetes bioresource aims to make breakthrough

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:19:00 +0100

Around 3000 insulin-dependent adults in Tayside and Fife will be asked to participate in a type 1 diabetes "bioresource" to help understand its causes and develop treatments.

Watchdog finds Broughty Ferry home staff left pensioner 'dishevelled'

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 07:26:00 +0100

Staff at a Broughty Ferry nursing home regularly left an elderly resident in a "dishevelled" state and failed to properly monitor his physical well-being, Scotland's care watchdog has found.

Eye care scheme to go Scotland-wide

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:49:25 +0100

A successful Fife pilot of new IT links between high street opticians and hospitals to improve services for patients is to be rolled out across Scotland.

No plans to buy more beds for obese patients

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:29:00 +0100

NHS Tayside has no plans to invest in more specialist beds for overweight patients.

Health chiefs won't raid charity pot after Ninewells blaze

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:06:00 +0100

NHS Tayside will not be raiding charity funds to replace 12,000 nurses' uniforms destroyed in the fire at Ninewells Hospital, a senior manager has stressed.

Transplant hopeful urges Scots to give 'the gift of life'

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 08:17:00 +0100

A Glenrothes woman who was forced to cancel her wedding as she awaits a liver transplant has urged more people to become organ donors.

Audiology waiting times in Tayside 'a scandal'

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:23:00 +0100

Patients in Tayside face Scotland's longest wait to see a hearing specialist, new figures have revealed.

NHS Tayside committed to working with communities

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:29:00 +0100

The chairman of NHS Tayside has stressed that partnership with communities is the "way forward" to improve the quality of life of people in the region.

Dundee team to play vital part in heart medication research

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:36:00 +0100

Researchers in Dundee are to play a key role in an investigation examining how to tailor treatment for heart failure to each individual patient.

Exercise may control facial ageing, say researchers

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 12:19:00 +0100

Exercise is not only one of the best ways to live a long and healthy life but it also helps people look young, according to new research from St Andrews University.

How an Angus RAF pilot dealt with MS diagnosis

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:59:00 +0100

A former Montrose Academy pupil who became an RAF combat helicopter pilot has spoken positively of the impact multiple sclerosis has had on his life.

Life expectancy disparity highlighted

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:02:00 +0100

Men born in Dundee will live nearly five years less than those born in neighbouring Perth and Kinross.

Red tape forces closure of Kirkcaldy HIV support service

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:12:00 +0100

An increasing amount of red tape is said to have forced the closure of a Fife organisation dedicated to helping people with HIV and AIDS.

Change for the better, say NHS Tayside chiefs

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 12:52:00 +0100

A proud pensioner is looking for a bit of support to cope with the major change necessary to be as fit as possible for the challenges ahead.

Cancer research bursary honours teacher's dying wish

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:17:00 +0100

The family of a former Forfar Academy teacher are fulfilling her wish that they should continue to support cancer research after her death.

Sexual health warning for over-50s

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:15:00 +0100

People over the age of 50 who have unprotected sex are being warned they could be at risk of sexually-transmitted infections.

Falkland man gives wife a kidney

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 17:29:00 +0100

A Fife couple have gone one step further than giving each other their hearts — Gordon Honeyman has given wife Helen a kidney.

Heart disease and stroke project welcomes 2500th volunteer

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:22:00 +0100

A Dundee University-led research project trying to prevent two of Scotland's biggest natural killers has recruited its 2500th volunteer.

Actor Billy Boyd backs suicide prevention campaign

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:29:00 +0100

Scottish actor Billy Boyd — who played the hobbit Pippin in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and also starred in Stone of Destiny — has visited Carnoustie to support a campaign to reduce the number of Scots taking their own lives.

Tackling the 'obesogenic environment'

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:54:00 +0100

Fat people now have somebody else to blame for their expanding waistlines — it could be the men and women who pay their wages.

Research suggests ME may be caused by virus

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:06:00 +0100

Scientists at Dundee University have found new evidence ME could be caused by a virus after a study of children with the condition has shown up abnormalities in blood cells involved in inflammation.

Reminder in Perth that help is at hand for the hopeless

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:41:00 +0100

"Help is always there" was the message for the people of Perth and Kinross as Suicide Prevention Week began.

Work begins at Ninewells Hospital unit's expansion

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:16:00 +0100

Work has begun on the Ninewells Hospital site of the first stage in a major expansion of the assisted conception unit.

Spot fines of £50 for 12 Ninewells Hospital smokers

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:51:00 +0100

Twelve smokers have been issued with £50 spot fines at Ninewells Hospital in the first month of a pilot scheme to crack down on offenders.

Welcome for Ninewells Hospital stillbirths unit

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:49:00 +0100

Mothers of stillborn babies welcomed the formal opening of the bereavement suite at Ninewells Hospital by broadcaster Sally Magnusson.

Tayside hospital drugs records to be kept longer

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:01:00 +0100

Records of drugs transported on a public service bus between Tayside hospitals will now be retained for six months, it has emerged.

Medical association appoints deputy chairman from Ninewells Hospital

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:24:00 +0100

A Ninewells Hospital consultant anaesthetist, Dr Nikki Thompson, has been elected deputy chairman of the British Medical Association's Scottish Consultants' Committee.

Alcohol addiction specialist hails 45p pricing move

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:31:00 +0100

A Tayside alcohol addiction specialist last night gave "a hearty welcome" to the proposal to set the minimum price for alcohol at 45p per unit.

Ward closure fears acknowledged by NHS chief

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:44:00 +0100

Older people are becoming "frightened" by ward closures and a move to more community care, a Tayside health chief has admitted.

Around 600 hits for Shona Robison's live NHS grilling

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:21:00 +0100

Soap opera it was not but NHS Tayside's first foray into live broadcasting attracted a large audience on Tuesday.

NHS Tayside shows a slight silver lining at review

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:46:00 +0100

During its annual review, NHS Tayside announced that is has managed to save 300 posts which were due to be axed this year to save cash.

Shona Robison gives assurances on suicide prevention

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:52:00 +0100

After a number of young people in Tayside appear to have taken their own lives, Scottish health minister Shona Robison said that what can be done to address the issue is being done.

New scheme to cut hassle of repeat prescriptions

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:13:00 +0100

A new scheme for patients with chronic conditions will give them medicine for up to 48 weeks without needing to seek repeat prescriptions from their GP.

Online broadcast of NHS Tayside annual review

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:35:00 +0100

One of the most important dates in NHS Tayside's calendar comes around again today when local health bosses face their national peers in a public grilling of their performance — and this time anyone with a decent internet connection can drop in.

NHS Tayside annual review to be seen live online

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:04:00 +0100

For the first time, NHS Tayside’s annual review can be viewed live by anyone with access to the internet.

Tayside fares badly with GP appointment times

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:07:00 +0100

Around a quarter of patients in Tayside are unable to make advance appointments with their family doctors, Tayside Health Board has been told.

High-level team will investigate recent cluster of suicides

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:04:00 +0100

The recent spate of suicides in Tayside has led to the setting up of a high-level team to look into the tragedies, Tayside Health Board heard on Thursday.

Young parents tell of fears for baby

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:29:00 +0100

A Dundee couple have told of the terrifying moment they thought their baby boy had died in their car as they were rushing him to Ninewells Hospital.

Perth and Blairgowrie smokers to be paid to quit

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 12:59:00 +0100

A controversial scheme in which smokers are paid public cash to quit their habit could be introduced to deprived areas of Perth and Blairgowrie.

"No closure" for mother from Kirsty McQueen inquiry

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 07:12:00 +0100

The mother of a young Kelty woman who died after taking an epileptic fit has told The Courier that she feels there is no closure despite a fatal accident inquiry into the death and said she still waits for her daughter to come through her front door.

Confidence that health board will meet £30 million savings target

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:27:00 +0100

NHS Tayside's chief operating officer is confident the board will achieve £30 million savings this year — despite concerns the target could not be achieved.

Naloxone programme aims to reduce drug overdose deaths

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:43:00 +0100

Heroin users in Tayside are to be provided with a new life-saving drug designed to give them extra time to get medical treatment if they overdose.

Ombudsman finds Ninewells Hospital failed in treatment of stroke patient

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:41:00 +0100

Staff at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee failed to treat an 86-year-old stroke victim properly, a report by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman has found.

Nurse fined £50 for lunch-time smoke

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 07:26:00 +0100

A trauma nurse is one of four people to have been given a £50 fine in a crackdown on smoking outside Ninewells Hospital and is to be disciplined by NHS Tayside for her actions.

Ageing NHS Tayside workforce raises concerns

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:29:00 +0100

Only a third of NHS Tayside's staff are aged under 40 and over-60s outnumber teenagers by 10 to one, health chiefs have been told.

Latest figures on Tayside drug deaths paint a shocking picture

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:54:00 +0100

New figures reveal that Tayside has the second highest rate of drug-related deaths in Scotland.

One A&E site proposed for Fife

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:50:23 +0100

Fife accident and emergency services could be consolidated on one site prior to the new wing at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy opening.

Former matron slams Fife NHS hospital plans

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 06:25:00 +0100

A former matron who spent 38 years in the health service feels there is a "misuse" of money by NHS Fife and has slammed what she sees as their plan to downgrade services at the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline.

A&E report reignites Kinloch Rannoch row over GP care

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:52:00 +0100

An Audit Scotland report into attendance levels at accident and emergency departments has re-ignited the row over the lack of out-of-hours GP care in Kinloch Rannoch.

Nicola Sturgeon to face the public over NHS Fife A&E closures

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:04:00 +0100

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon will face the wrath of the public next week when she chairs NHS Fife's annual review in Kirkcaldy, The Courier can reveal.

NHS Fife criticised over pensioner's Queen Margaret Hospital death

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:07:00 +0100

A sheriff has listed a catalogue of faults found within NHS Fife in his findings into the death of a Fife pensioner who fell at Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline, in late 2005 and died three days later.

Muslim leader's warning over dangerous Zam Zam water

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:58:00 +0100

Members of the Muslim community have been warned of the dangers of drinking bottled water being marketed as Zam Zam as it poses potentially severe health risks.

Ninewells anti-smoking officers kick butt

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:05:00 +0100

One person has been given a spot fine at Ninewells Hospital after dropping a cigarette butt.

National solution needed for Scottish A&E problems

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:50:00 +0100

Fixing the staffing problems that caused a crisis in Fife accident and emergency services will require a national solution, a new report by the country's public spending watchdog has claimed.

Hospital readmission rates increasing

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:07:00 +0100

Almost 7000 patients were back in Tayside hospitals last year within 28 days of being sent home from an earlier stay.

NHS dentists paid to treat dead patients

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:56:00 +0100

The Scottish Government has said it does not know how much money has been paid to dentists for the care of NHS patients who should have been removed from their register.

More children suffering food allergies

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 06:52:00 +0100

The number of children in Tayside with genuine food allergies has risen steadily over the last eight years, according to a Ninewells Hospital specialist.

Superbugs link to cleaning cuts denied

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:43:26 +0100

NHS FIFE and the Scottish Government have rejected claims that patients are at risk of contracting hospital superbugs because of cleaners losing their jobs.

Victoria Hospital cleanliness standards praised

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:01:00 +0100

Cleanliness standards at Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital have been praised in a report by the independent Healthcare Environment Inspectorate.

Ninewells Hospital anti-smoking team begin patrols

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:54:00 +0100

Enforcement officers have begun patrolling outside Ninewells Hospital in a new campaign against smoking in the precincts.

Fife Council's Labour leader demands NHS staffing priorities

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:54:00 +0100

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon must intervene to ensure the crisis which has engulfed A&E services in Fife hospitals won't happen again — that is the message from Fife Council Labour leader Alex Rowley.

Local NHS boards' hospitality spending come under scrutiny

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:19:00 +0100

Health bosses in Tayside and Fife have come under pressure to slash the hundreds of thousands of pounds they spend on hospitality and invest in frontline nurses.

Evidence of staff abuse at Perth Royal Infirmary

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:47:00 +0100

The Courier can lift the lid on the verbal and physical abuse meted out to hard working staff at one of Tayside's largest hospitals.

Number of superbug related deaths falling in Tayside and Fife

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:12:00 +0100

Superbug infections are playing a part in fewer deaths in Tayside and Fife, according to statistics released by the health boards for those areas.

Hospital users tell The Courier about their good experiences

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:21:00 +0100

Courier readers are continuing to sing the praises of frontline NHS staff.

Scotland's life expectancy figures make gloomy reading

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 15:17:00 +0100

Scotland has lower life expectancy rates than anywhere else in western Europe.

Victoria Hospital's A&E problem solved

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:28:00 +0100

Closures of the accident and emergency department at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, appear to be at an end after a leading health board figure gave assurances to a Fife MSP.

Flu vaccine criticised as St Cyrus dogs fall ill

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:32:00 +0100

The owner of the biggest dog boarding kennels in the Mearns has rubbished a vaccine used to prevent the canine version of flu after an outbreak that has seen treated animals suffer serious symptoms.

Scotland has highest suicide rate in the UK

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 07:43:00 +0100

Nearly 750 people in Scotland took their own lives last year, making the country’s suicide rate higher than any other part of the UK.

Former patients full of praise for NHS staff

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:41:00 +0100

Former patients of hospitals in Tayside have been coming forward to sing the praises of the health service.

Middle-tier NHS bureaucracy 'adds to ills'

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:44:00 +0100

Promoting clinicians to unnecessary management roles is leaving the NHS front-line understaffed, a consultant at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee has claimed.

NHS management and politicians take rap

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:55:00 +0100

Frontline healthcare staff are constantly "badgered" by managers, leaving them with less time to concentrate on caring for patients — one of the responses our campaign has received from our readers. Here we give some of the comments of those readers another platform — we think they're worth listening to.

Kirkcaldy MSP seeks answers on hospital staffing levels

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:50:00 +0100

Kirkcaldy MSP Marilyn Livingstone has written to health secretary Nicola Sturgeon asking her to explain why junior doctor training posts are being cut when health boards are struggling to recruit staff.

HPV vaccine adverse reaction expected

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:59:00 +0100

A vaccine given to thousands of teenage girls in Tayside and Fife to prevent cervical cancer is linked with over 1000 adverse reactions across Scotland.

Strange phobias in hypnotherapist's sights

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:46:00 +0100

A Dunfermline hypnotherapist is on the lookout for people with unusual phobias.

Enforcement move over smoking ban

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:40:00 +0100

Enforcement officers with powers to issue spot fines to smokers are being brought in to help clear the air at Ninewells Hospital.

Silent campaign for retention of health services

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:21:00 +0100

An outspoken campaigner for Fife health services staged a silent protest against accident and emergency closures in Kirkcaldy.

Half-hour ambulance wait prompts crusade

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:52:00 +0100

A Blairgowrie man's half-hour wait for an ambulance after he suffered a heart attack has prompted him to launch a campaign to improve the emergency service provided for Perthshire.

Hospitals smoking ban defended in spite of flaws

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:41:00 +0100

The ban on smoking at every NHS Tayside site continues to be flouted — more than four years after it was first introduced.

Lack of care at Ninewells angers son

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:14:00 +0100

An 85-year-old woman with pneumonia lay bare legged in Ninewells Hospital complaining of being cold because staff were unable to supply pyjamas or a blanket.

Patients devastated by infertility treatment lottery

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:46:00 +0100

Fife Tayside and Forth Valley health boards have all been criticised in a new report on infertility for their “extremely devastating” practice of returning patients to the end of the waiting list following a failed cycle of treatment.

NHS Fife management blamed for crisis

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 12:38:54 +0100

Senior management at NHS Fife are to blame for the shortage of junior doctors that has hit hospital services in Kirkcaldy, a leading health campaigner has claimed.

Patient Alasdair McLeay 'doesn't feel safe' at Ninewells Hospital

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 06:41:00 +0100

A seriously ill former Dundee fireman, who lost more than two stone in 13 days, has said that he did not feel safe in Ninewells Hospital.

NHS provides 'the very best of care'

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:29:00 +0100

Amid all the criticism aimed at NHS Fife, many patients leave hospital with nothing but praise for the dedicated professionals who have looked after them during their stay.

£9000 ambulance bill to cover Victoria Hospital A&E closure

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:17:00 +0100

NHS Fife paid £9000 a week for additional ambulances while the accident and emergency unit at Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital was closed overnight.

Former Perth consultant tells of NHS 'climate of fear'

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:35:00 +0100

A respected former senior consultant from Perth Royal Infirmary has lifted the lid on the low morale and climate of fear which is threatening to rip apart the NHS.

Professor hits out over 'fat, not obese' call

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:17:00 +0100

A war of words has broken out over the most appropriate term for Britain's bulging population.

Tayside shows up well in screening figures

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:23:00 +0100

Tayside is beating the national average for the proportion of women undergoing routine screening for breast cancer.

Taking the pulse of the NHS

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:09:00 +0100

Everyone in Britain has a stake in the NHS. If you are under 63, it has been there since you were born and it will probably be there after you have gone.

Overnight Kirkcaldy A&E closures 'to stay until new wing opens'

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:16:00 +0100

Overnight closures of Kirkcaldy’s accident and emergency unit are likely to continue until the Victoria Hospital’s new wing opens in 2012, health bosses have admitted to The Courier.

Kirkcaldy A&E shut overnight once again

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:29:00 +0100

Fife's health chiefs have been called incompetent after they announced that overnight closures of Kirkcaldy’s accident and emergency unit are to continue for a second week.

NHS Fife defends 'important' media staff spending

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:01:00 +0100

NHS Fife has defended its expenditure on press officers after it was revealed the health board spent £210,000 on communications staff last year.

NHS Tayside ban use of temporary nurses

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:48:00 +0100

NHS Tayside management have banned the use of temporary nurses, leaving gaps on the wards when staff are off sick or on holiday, it has been claimed.

Ninewells Hospital shake-up leaves staff in limbo

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:20:00 +0100

Over 70 staff at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee have been told they are on the move -- but they don't know where to.

Ninewells Hospital sensitive to sorrows of stillbirth

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:29:00 +0100

Those going through the agony of stillbirth now have a sympathetic and secluded area of Ninewells Hospital to have their baby and grieve in private.

NHS Fife reports encouraging C. diff figures

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:36:00 +0100

NHS Fife has one of the lowest rates of hospital-acquired C. difficile infection in Scotland, new figures reveal.

Suicidal people in Tayside directed to their GPs

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:06:00 +0100

NHS Tayside, the organisation facing criticism from a grieving father about a lack of help for his suicidal son, is directing the distressed to their GPs.

Kirkcaldy enters third weekend without Victoria Hospital A&E

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 09:31:00 +0100

NHS Fife's ongoing shortage of locum doctors has meant that medical services at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy have been hit for the third weekend in a row.

Asthma sufferer tells of hurdles faced

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:11:00 +0100

A woman who has suffered from severe asthma since she was a child has said reception staff at GP surgeries are among those in society who do not appreciate the seriousness of the condition.

Scotland Patients Association claims GPs' reputations are at risk

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:58:00 +0100

Further high-profile incidents in the wake of last week's complaints against two GP surgeries in Tayside will risk undermining the regard the region's doctors are held in by their patients, it has been claimed.

Author Tracy Warren sets up dyslexia website

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 07:57:00 +0100

A Fife author who was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 22 has set up a website aimed at inspiring children who also suffer from the condition.

Life-saving legacy of 1980s Cavitron Appeal

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:58:00 +0100

A "sophisticated vacuum cleaner for brain tumours" that continues to save lives at Ninewells Hospital is the legacy of a public appeal almost 30 years ago.

Vital message during National Transplant Week

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:41:00 +0100

If you were dying and only an organ donation could save you, the fact only one in four people bother to register would be the most important and depressing statistic in your life. As National Transplant Week begins, Jack McKeown looks at the easiest way we can save people's lives.

A special kind of heart: images from the Walled Garden

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:50:00 +0100

When artists talk about tackling difficult subjects, they generally mean something technically tricky, such as group scenes; something political like climate change; or a horrifying but dramatic theme like war.

Sunbed addict Kyran Hunter's cancer warning

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:00:00 +0100

A young Arbroath woman has issued a warning to sunbed addicts after her quest for a perfect and permanent tan left her needing repeated operations to remove cancerous moles.

Nick Nairn opens Dunfermline autism base

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:35:00 +0100

Chef Nick Nairn has officially opened a Dunfermline resource base for adults with autism.

Muireann McLaughlin parents backing window blind safety campaign

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:51:00 +0100

The devastated family of a toddler who died after becoming tangled in a looped blind cord will today back a major new safety campaign.

Diabetes patients gain new lease of life

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:54:00 +0100

NHS Tayside is leading the way in the introduction of specialist equipment, which gives "a new lease of life" to patients with diabetes.

Peter Houston discusses skin cancer scare

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:43:00 +0100

Dundee United manager Peter Houston has spoken about his recent skin cancer scare — and revealed it was his daughter's "pestering" that persuaded him to have a check-up.

Cosmetic surgery on the NHS — for some

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:49:00 +0100

Patients in Tayside and Fife seeking cosmetic surgery to alter their appearance because they are traumatised by the way they look are to get a new specialist service.

Living with eye condition blepharitis

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:45:00 +0100

A Fife family is hoping to raise awareness of an irritating eye condition as part of National Eye Health Week.

Alcohol putting Tayside's hospitals under increased strain

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:49:00 +0100

Alcohol-related admissions to Tayside hospitals have risen to a five-year high, bucking the national trend.

NHS Tayside apprentice programme continues

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:58:00 +0100

NHS Tayside will take on apprentices this summer, despite budget pressures and cuts elsewhere in the workforce.

NHS Tayside urging vigilance against cervical cancer

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:53:00 +0100

Tayside women and girls are being reminded about the importance of protecting themselves from cervical cancer, the disease which led to the death of Jade Goody last year.

Bodybuilder John McCutcheon still going strong at 76

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 10:11:00 +0100

While most of his contemporaries are enjoying a quiet retirement, veteran Perth bodybuilder John McCutcheon is training hard at the gym to retain his enviable physique.

Bereaved Glenrothes man George Johnston urges greater tumour awareness

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:01:00 +0100

A Glenrothes man whose wife passed away from a brain tumour last week has urged others to be aware of the condition.

Tayside and Fife to lose 200 NHS nurse and midwife jobs

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:50:00 +0100

Almost 200 nursing and midwifery jobs will be axed in Tayside and Fife as part of massive job losses across the health service in Scotland this year.

Rannoch man takes GP fight to Court of Session

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:47:00 +0100

A Kinloch Rannoch man has lodged a petition with the Court of Session in Edinburgh in a bid to restore out-of-hours GP cover to the remote Perthshire village.

One million Scots are at risk from deep vein thrombosis

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 11:46:26 +0100

A medical charity is claiming that Scottish health boards are leaving over one million people at risk of fatal deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Ex-addict's tale of redemption reignites methadone debate

Thu, 27 May 2010 15:57:00 +0100

A former drug-user from Fife has reignited the debate over methadone use by insisting it played a pivotal role in changing her life for the better.

Ninewells ward to stop caring for elderly

Tue, 25 May 2010 12:22:00 +0100

Ward 31 at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee will stop caring for elderly people, NHS Tayside has confirmed.

'Delight' as NHS assault numbers drop

Mon, 24 May 2010 15:13:00 +0100

New figures show a substantial reduction in assaults on health service workers across Tayside and Fife.

'Show your hand' challenge over NHS Tayside job losses

Thu, 20 May 2010 21:53:00 +0100

A leading patients' campaign group is urging NHS Tayside managers to "show your hand" over plans to cut 500 jobs in the next year.

Overnight closure to continue at Kirkcaldy A & E

Wed, 19 May 2010 11:02:00 +0100

The accident and emergency department at Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital is to close overnight for the rest of the week.

NHS Tayside to lose 500 jobs over the next year

Wed, 19 May 2010 09:28:00 +0100

Hundreds of Tayside health jobs will disappear far quicker than was first thought, a health boss has confirmed.

Kirkcaldy emergency unit shut overnight

Tue, 18 May 2010 12:39:00 +0100

Kirkcaldy was left without an accident and emergency department overnight because there were not enough doctors to staff the unit at Victoria Hospital.

Heart scare cyclist on the road again after 'fantastic' Ninewells care

Wed, 12 May 2010 10:16:00 +0100

A Fife man who lost his father to a heart attack was back on his bike just three weeks after life-saving medics prevented him from suffering the same fate.

Controversial anti-smoking scheme may go national

Mon, 10 May 2010 13:06:18 +0100

A controversial scheme to help pregnant women stop smoking could be rolled out across Scotland after a successful trial in Tayside.

Loss of 21 healthcare assistant posts confirmed for Royal Victoria

Thu, 06 May 2010 20:38:00 +0100

More than 21 healthcare assistant jobs are to go in elderly wards at Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) in Dundee, NHS Tayside have confirmed.

Rannoch 'SOS' claims to have gone unheard

Tue, 04 May 2010 08:54:00 +0100

Statistics obtained from the Centre for Rural Health using freedom of information legislation reveal huge dissatisfaction over the lack of out-of-hours GP cover in an isolated Perthshire community.

Fife's infection rate fails to meet ministerial target

Mon, 03 May 2010 18:24:00 +0100

Targets set for the reduction of a strain of healthcare association infection have been missed by NHS Fife.

Service sees rise in Tayside pre-school obesity

Mon, 03 May 2010 13:41:00 +0100

One in five of Tayside’s children are obese by the time they start primary school, according to the region’s childhood obesity lead.

Breast screenings outside Dundee supermarket defended

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:27:00 +0100

NHS Tayside has defended its decision to hold breast screening appointments in a mobile unit in the car park of a Dundee supermarket, after one concerned patient contacted The Courier.

£5m to tackle harmful drinking

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:05:00 +0100

More than £5 million of Scottish Government cash will be given to health boards in Tayside and Fife this year to help tackle harmful drinking habits.

Father of CJD victim to give keynote speech

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:55:00 +0100

A bereaved father who has become a catalyst in health research since the death of his younger son from a rare and devastating brain disease will speak in Tayside this week.

Daughter slams Fife board's 'one-sided' response

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:24:00 +0100

The daughter of an elderly Fife patient has slammed NHS Fife's response over moving her mother out of a Dunfermline hospital, which she fears could lead to her death.

Edzell diabetes programme acclaimed

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 08:52:00 +0100

An Angus community patient education programme has won an award at the Scottish Diabetes Conference.

Voting first for Fife's health board elections

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:12:00 +0100

Fife students were the first to hear how they can now directly help shape the future of health services in the region.

Terms for obesity thought 'rude' by many

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:10:00 +0100

Doctors are being given a hard time by overweight patients offended when the subject of their weight is broached, a Dundee University researcher has said.

Dundee women win some and lose some

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:40:00 +0100

Women who completed a 12-week weight-loss challenge in Dundee gathered at Spice restaurant in the west end to celebrate their achievements.

Unaware of illness for 16 years

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:49:00 +0100

A Dundee woman last night told how she brought up three children and lived for 16 years unaware she was infected with hepatitis C.

Perthshire village getting 'third world' care

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 06:22:00 +0100

Residents of a remote Perthshire community are being subjected to "third world" levels of medical care, according to a lobby.

Warning against C. diff complacency

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:08:00 +0100

Scottish health minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned against complacency after Tayside and Fife recorded a significant decrease in the number of people with the potentially fatal Clostridium difficile infection.

Air and water are cancer threats, says Nobel laureate

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 12:10:00 +0100

Claims that only limited protection against cancer comes with the recommended ‘Five a Day' of fruit and vegetables have just been backed by a Nobel laureate.

C. diff cases fall but threat remains: Sturgeon

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 18:19:00 +0100

Outbreak team discusses Perth C. diff

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:35:00 +0100

NHS Tayside's outbreak control team met yesterday to discuss the superbug clostridium difficile (C. diff) infections at Perth Royal Infirmary.

Health chiefs deny Kirkcaldy ward closure is decided

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:45:00 +0100

Health chiefs in Fife have categorically denied that a decision to close a ward at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy has been taken amid continued speculation about the move.

Nurses sharing doctors' roles

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:56:00 +0100

Specially-trained nurses at Ninewells Hospital are now doing the same job as junior doctors, caring for high risk babies in the neonatal unit.

Sleeping sickness breakthrough in Dundee

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:06:48 +0100

Scientists in Dundee have made a major breakthrough in identifying new treatments for a disease that kills more than 30,000 Africans each year.

Glenrothes street top of booze ill-health list

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 06:58:00 +0100

A street in Glenrothes town centre has been identified as Fife's hot spot for alcohol-related hospital admissions.

Perceived solvent abuse increase in Fife

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:31:00 +0100

A leading Fife charity believes that more of the region's young people are experimenting with solvents, and that education is central to improving public awareness of solvent abuse.

Royal Victoria Hospital ward closure

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:01:32 +0100

NHS Tayside is to close a ward for elderly people at Royal Victoria Hospital in Dundee on a phased basis over the next five months, with the loss of 20 beds.

Kirkcaldy hospital ward closure fears

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:03:00 +0100

Ward 13 at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy could be set to close, prompting concerns that patients could be left waiting for treatment.

Tayside alcohol advertising crackdown call

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:33:00 +0100

Tayside Council on Alcohol (TCA) has backed calls to limit the amount of advertising and promotion around alcohol in a bid to change Scotland's cultural attitudes to binge drinking.

BMA presses value of research time

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:46:00 +0000

The work of Tayside and Fife doctors has been highlighted by the British Medical Association (BMA) amid calls for consultants to be given adequate time to research and develop pioneering techniques.

Angus GPs call for inquiry

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:39:00 +0000

Angus GPs have called for an independent investigation following what they claim has been three years' waste of time and money by local health chiefs exploring service redesign options that were never going to happen.

Kidney patients supported by buddies

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:07:28 +0000

NHS Tayside is appealing for kidney transplant patients or people who have experience of dialysis treatment to volunteer to help others facing the same experiences.