News:

Announcements

Marie Curie is asking everyone to paint the UK yellow this March by making a donation and wearing a daffodil pin for the Great Daffodil Appeal.

01 Mar - 31 Mar
Prostate Cancer Awareness

We want men, the general public, and health professionals, to be more aware of prostate cancer. Our awareness month helps raise vital funds for much needed support and information for men who have been diagnosed and their families.

01 Jan - 31 Mar
Ovarian Cancer Awareness

Ovarian Cancer Action will be raising awareness in a variety of communities throughout March to ensure we are doing everything we can to inform women about the disease and its symptoms

BBC Health

Call to halt NHS medical database

Doctors leaders urge ministers to halt the development of a medical records database for patients in England.

Social care deal 'dead in water'

Attempts to reach a cross-party deal on funding social care appear to be dead in the water ahead of a key summit.

MP writes to police over hospital

An MP writes to police to ask if there is a basis for a criminal inquiry into activities at Stafford Hospital.

'Problem kids' risk future pain

Children with behavioural problems are twice as likely to suffer chronic pain as adults than others, say researchers.

Illegal cord blood sample warning

Parents, hospitals and private firms are being warned over risky and illegal collections of umbilical cord blood

'London bomb stress' recognised

Psychologists say they have treated hundreds of survivors of the 2005 London bombings for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Patients 'get care in cupboards'

Patients are being treated in mop cupboards, storerooms and kitchens due to wards being full, a survey suggests.

Pharmacy probe over pill refusal

A high street chemist is investigating after a religious employee refused a customer in Sheffield the contraceptive pill.

UK gives SA millions of condoms

The UK donates £1m ($1.5m) to South Africa to buy 42m condoms, as the nation builds up to the football World Cup.

'No proof' IVF aided by acupuncture

There is no evidence acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine boost the chance of IVF success, fertility experts warn.

Yahoo Health

Hoped-for drop in childbirth deaths not happening (AP)

This Oct. 2007 family photo provided by Clare Johnson shows Linda Coale holding her son Benjamin in Crownsville, Md. Eleven days after her son Benjamin's birth by C-section, Linda Coale awoke in the middle of the night in pain, one leg badly swollen. Just as her doctor returned her phone call asking what to do, she dropped dead from a blood clot. (AP Photo/Family Photo)

AP - Eleven days after her son Benjamin's birth by C-section, Linda Coale awoke in the middle of the night in pain, one leg badly swollen. Just as her doctor returned her phone call asking what to do, she dropped dead from a blood clot.

Researchers: AIDS virus can hide in bone marrow (AP)

AP - The virus that causes AIDS can hide in the bone marrow, avoiding drugs and later awakening to cause illness, according to new research that could point the way toward better treatments for the disease.

WHO: over 85M African kids get polio vaccination (AP)

A child is given an oral polio vaccine in Angola camp, southern Khartoum in 2007. A campaign to immunize over 85 million children under five against polio will kick off March 6 in west and central Africa in a bid to halt a year-long epidemic, health bodies said in a joint communique.(AFP/File/Isam al-Haj)

AP - The World Health Organization says more than 85 million children under 5 in west and central Africa will be vaccinated against polio.

Gene test claims to show what diet works best (AP)

AP - Diet not working? Blame your genes. That's the pitch behind a new test that claims to show whether people will do better on a low-fat or a low-carb weight loss plan.

Appetite may be partly linked to germs in the gut (AP)

AP - Germs in the gut may help drive appetite, says new research into the link between obesity and bacteria.

Senators: Lift ban on gays donating blood (AP)

AP - The time has come to change a policy that imposes a lifetime ban on donating blood for any man who has had gay sex since 1977, 18 senators said Thursday.

Obese Colon Cancer Survivors Face Poorer Prognosis (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Colon cancer survivors who are moderately or severely obese face tougher survival odds following treatment compared with their normal-weight peers, a new study reveals.

As You Age, Better Health Means Better Sex (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Better health translates into better sex lives, with healthy people more likely to engage in sex (and good sex at that) and to express an interest in sex, new research finds.

Clinical Trials Update: March 9, 2010 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Kids Who Get Flu Shots Protect the Unvaccinated (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Children who get a flu shot help prevent flu from spreading in their communities, Canadian researchers say.

WHO Swine Flu

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 90

As of 28 February 2010, worldwide more than 213 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 16455 deaths.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 89

As of 21 February 2010, worldwide more than 213 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 16226 deaths.

Director-General statement following the seventh meeting of the Emergency Committee

The Emergency Committee held its seventh meeting by teleconference on 23 February 2010. The Director-General sought the Committee's views on the determination of the pandemic status.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 88

As of 14 February 2010, worldwide more than 212 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 15921 deaths.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 87

As of 7 February 2010, worldwide more than 212 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 15292 deaths.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 86

As of 31 January 2010, worldwide more than 211 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 15174 deaths.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 85

As of 24 January 2010, worldwide more than 209 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 14711 deaths.

Statement of the World Health Organization on allegations of conflict of interest and 'fake' pandemic

22 January 2010 -- Providing independent advice to Member States is a very important function of the World Health Organization (WHO). We take this work seriously and guard against the influence of any improper interests. The WHO influenza pandemic policies and response have not been improperly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 84

As of 17 January 2010, worldwide more than 209 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 14142 deaths.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 83

As of 10 January 2010, worldwide more than 208 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 13554 deaths.

Welcome to Beacon Surgery Online

Beacon Surgery Beacon doctors' surgery in Crowborough provides the highest quality healthcare to patients in the area. Our doctors, nurses and all our other staff are dedicated to offering a professional service and this surgery website will help us to keep all our patients up to date with news and information about our practice.

Dr Matthew Mackintosh started this practice in 1864. He died in 1900 when his horse fell on him whilst he was on a visit. He was succeeded by his son. Dr William Adam took over the practice in 1932 and was later joined by Dr John Elliott, Dr Colin Ruck and Dr Tom Price.

Dr Chris Sampson joined on Dr Adam's retirement in 1978 and Dr Maurice O'Connell on Dr Elliott's retirement in 1983. The practice then moved to its present purpose-built surgery in 1992 and was formally opened by The Marquess of Abergavenny on 29th February 1992. Dr Viv Ankrett joined the practice in the same year followed by Dr Justin Morris on Dr Ruck's retirement in 1994. In 2004 Dr Pace joined following Dr Price's retirement.

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