Tag: Health and wellbeing

Child Disability Payment opens for applications

Financial support for families of children with a disability now available nationwide

Child Disability Payment opens for new applications across the country from today. For the first time anywhere in the UK, disability benefit applicants can apply online, as well as by phone, post or face-to-face.

This is the first of three complex disability benefits to be introduced nationwide by the Scottish Government. This new payment replaces the UK Government’s Disability Living Allowance for children.

Those already receiving Disability Living Allowance for children do not need to apply. These approximately 52,000 current cases are being automatically transferred in phases from the Department for Work and Pensions to Social Security Scotland. This will be completed by spring 2023.

Child Disability Payment, which will be administered by Social Security Scotland, provides families with support for extra costs that a disabled child might have.

The national roll out to all local authority areas follows successful pilots in Dundee City, Perth & Kinross and the Western Isles.

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “I’m really pleased that Child Disability Payment is now available to eligible families all over Scotland.

“This is a significant milestone in the introduction of our new social security system. Families who find themselves in need of support will be able to access this help in a way that suits them best.

“Those who currently receive Disability Living Allowance for children from the DWP will also be transferred to Social Security Scotland. They will be told when this is happening and will find their payments transferred safely and securely within the next 18 months. Payments will be made at the same rate and there will be no break in entitlement.

“In the months and years ahead thousands of families will benefit from our simplified and much less stressful system, which will treat everyone with dignity, fairness and respect.

“Social security is a shared investment in building a fairer Scotland and we encourage those who are eligible for support to apply.”

Lothian’s Vaccination Delivery Gets Another Boost

Vaccination teams in Lothian are gearing up for the next stage of the programme which allows eligible patients to make their own appointments.

Patients from the new cohort group will be able to book their own time slot in advance and choose their venue for their lifesaving COVID-19 Booster and flu vaccine.

People aged 50 to 59, those who are 16 or over and are an unpaid carer and teenagers over 16 and are a household contact of an immunosuppressed person are being urged to log on to NHS Inform and book their COVID booster and flu jabs for the last days of November or December.

At the same time, more people aged 60-69 across Lothian will continue to receive an appointment letter for a slot within the next two weeks.

Extra staff are being recruited and capacity has been boosted across Lothian to service the next phase of the expanding programme.  

Nearly 150,000 appointments have already been made available on the national portal for people to book throughout this winter and this number will continue to rise each week.

To date, across Lothian 213,806 doses of the flu vaccination and around 173,191 COVID-19 booster vaccines have already been delivered. This is in addition to 708,605 first and 650,663 second doses of the COVID vaccine.

Pat Wynne, Nurse Director of Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian said “All of our teams are working phenomenally hard to ensure they can continue to deliver the lifesaving vaccines as quickly as possible during this next stage.

“It is no small task – the teams are administering different types of first, second, third and booster doses of the COVID vaccine and the flu vaccine at the same time as drop-in clinics and during pre-arranged appointments to people of all ages. The logistics of this vital work are complex and we are really grateful to all of them for the work they are doing.

“Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and loved ones from the viruses and will help to reduce additional pressures on the NHS this winter.

“We urge everyone who is eligible to make sure they take up their appointment. Whether they keep the slot on their letter or make their own appointment through the online portal or on the national telephone helpline, we need them to get vaccinated.

“If you are an Edinburgh resident and are able to travel, please book your appointment at Edinburgh’s mass vaccination centre at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston. This will ensure appointment slots are available at more local vaccination for those who need them.”

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that people aged 40-49 will also be eligible for a COVID-19 booster.

They will be offered the booster vaccine once the earlier agreed priority groups have had their injections to ensure the most vulnerable groups are offered protection first. They will be able to book their own appointments using the online portal.

The JCVI has also advised that young people aged 16 and 17 years old will also be eligible for a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and a timetable will shortly be confirmed.

NHS Lothian is working closely with the four health and social care partnerships which are responsible for the delivery of the programme – flu vaccination is no longer being carried out by local GP practices.

The number of available local venues is being extended, with the launch of a drop-in clinic at Ocean Terminal, and vaccination clinics are being streamlined to increase capacity as teams prepare for the next intake.

Lowland Hall, for example will boost the number of available appointments from 17,000 appointments per week to 19,000, by increasing vaccination stations from 26 to 35.

The launch of the portal comes as the remaining people in Lothian aged 70 and above and those at highest risk are being invited to step forward for appointments during the last two weeks in November.

Patients are being urged to keep their appointment once booked, but if they cannot attend they are being urged to reschedule by calling the national vaccination helpline. They can also book an appointment using the same number of access help and advice on 0800 030 8013. 

Letters: World Pancreatic Cancer Day

Dear Editor, 

Ahead of World Pancreatic Cancer Day on November 18th I’m writing to highlight the importance of learning the symptoms of this devastating disease. 

Worryingly, our new survey tells us that nearly a third of people in the UK would wait three months or more to seek help from their GP if they had potential symptoms of pancreatic cancer. That’s at least three times longer than recommended. 

The findings also show that the pandemic is actively deterring people from contacting their doctor, with 31% saying they would delay seeking help for longer than usual. Pancreatic cancer symptoms – which can include tummy and back pain, indigestion. unexplained weight loss and oily floating poo – are common to less serious health conditions and, tragically many people are diagnosed too late for lifesaving treatment.

In Scotland nearly 1,000 people are diagnosed with the disease each year. 

I would urge anyone who experiences some, or all, of these symptoms persistently for more than four weeks to contact their GP. Early diagnosis is vital to give people the very best chance of survival.  

Pancreatic Cancer UK have made a short video explaining the symptoms we all need to look out for. Please watch and share it with your loved ones.

It could help someone be diagnosed in time for lifesaving treatment. 

https://youtu.be/m_qVP2oau0c

www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/the-common-symptoms-of-pancreatic-cancer 

Our Specialist nurses are here to provide support and information to anyone affected by pancreatic cancer on our confidential support line on (Freecall: 0808 801 0707). 

Thank you,

Dianne Dobson 

Pancreatic Cancer UK Specialist Nurse  

New report reveals shocking number of deaths caused by crowding in Emergency Departments last year

A new report by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine ‘Crowding and its Consequences’ has found that at least 4,519 patients have died as a result of crowding and 12 hour stays in Emergency Departments in England in 2020-2021.

The new report investigates the extent of harm that crowding causes and applies NHSE’s own findings from the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) program which found that one in 67 patients staying in the Emergency Department for 12 hours come to excess harm.

The report also provides comprehensive analysis on a variety of data points:

  • Four-hour target
  • 12-hour waits
  • Decision-to-admit (DTA) waits and admissions
  • 12-hour DTA waits vs. 12-hour time-of-arrival waits
  • Time to initial assessment for ambulance arrivals
  • Time to treatment
  • Median total time patients spend in Emergency Departments
  • Ambulance handover delays
  • Bed availability
  • Length of hospital stays

Dr Adrian Boyle, Vice President (Policy) of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “To say this figure (4,519 excess deaths) is shocking is an understatement. Quite simply, crowding kills.

“For many years we have issued warnings about the harm that dangerous crowding causes, but now we can see the number of excess deaths that have occurred as a result. This will not surprise any member or fellow of the Royal College.

“October 2021 saw an unimaginable 7,059 12-hour stays from decision to admit, the highest number ever recorded, 40% higher than September 2021 which was the previous highest on record. The number of 12-hour stays has risen drastically for six months and is very likely to rise again in coming months.

“The picture is more bleak as Hospital Episodic Statistics show that 12-hour stays from time of arrival are 21 times higher than 12-hour DTA stays. We now know that at least one in 67 of these patients are coming to avoidable harm. It is appalling.

“The situation is unacceptable, unsustainable and unsafe for patients and staff. Political and health leaders must realise that if performance continues to fall this winter: more and more patients will come to avoidable harm in the Emergency Department; staff will face moral injury; and the urgent and emergency care system will be deep into the worst crisis it has faced.

“This potential trajectory is supported by the recent report by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives that found that as many as 160,000 patients annually, may be coming to harm as a result of delayed ambulance handovers. We continue to urge the Secretary of State to meet with us to discuss patient safety and the unprecedented pressures facing the urgent and emergency care system.

“RCEM CARES: The Next Phase outlines our system-wide plan to improve patient care. In the short-term Trusts must safely expand capacity where possible. They must maximise the use of services such as Same Day Emergency Care and Discharge to Assess. Trusts must focus on promoting flow through the hospital, ensuring patients are discharged in a timely way once their treatment is complete.

“In the long-term, the government must restore bed capacity to pre-pandemic levels, across the UK an additional 7,170 beds are required. The government must ensure that social care is resourced to support patients both when leaving hospital and once they are back in the community, this would help to reduce long hospital stays and prevent successive trips to the Emergency Department.

“Lastly, as a matter of urgency the government must publish a long-term workforce plan, this must include actions to retain existing staff who are reaching burnout as well as to recruit new staff. Across the UK there is currently a shortfall of 2,000 – 2,500 WTE Emergency Medicine consultants, as well as shortages of essential Emergency Medicine nurses and junior and supporting staff.

“This is the beginning of a long winter and an extremely challenging time for the current workforce as pressures will rise and patient safety will continue to be put at risk. These pressures may currently be facing urgent and emergency care and the ambulance services, but the solutions and actions must be system-wide and joined-up.

“It is up to the government, NHS leaders, and all of us to work together to put a stop to dangerous crowding; avoidable harm; preventable deaths; ambulance handover harm; and to ensure that we keep patients safe and deliver effective urgent and emergency care.”

Scottish hospitals roll out three-in-one winter virus tests

Hospitals in Scotland are rolling out new single tests to identify whether patients are infected with Covid-19, flu or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

The new three-in-one “multiplex tests” will be used when patients arrive showing respiratory symptoms at some emergency departments and assessment units.

They have been  introduced with £5 million of Scottish Government investment.

They  provide an advantage over “multi-target testing” which requires two or more tests to be carried out – one for Covid-19 and a second for other viruses such as flu A, flu B and RSV.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The introduction of these new tests is an important step to help protect our NHS staff and patients, as services remobilise and we learn to live with the virus.

“The results will help hospital staff assess the treatment and placement of patients which should help accelerate patient flow through the system.  It will also play a key role in avoiding healthcare associated infections and co-infection.

“It would be a mistake to think that the successful delivery of the vaccination programme means testing becomes less important.

“Testing will continue to play a vital role in our drive to bring down new cases of Covid-19 and break off future chains of transmission.”

The fastest multiplex tests will see results provided within two hours and will be  prioritised for emergency admissions to assist with patient placement and treatment.  Other laboratory-based tests may take between 90 minutes and eight hours for the results to come through.

All asymptomatic patients, staff and citizens will still be tested for SARS CoV-2 only and this will constitute the majority of testing in Scotland.

‘Devastating’: Unite Scotland reveals Scottish Ambulance Service survey findings

Unite Scotland has today revealed the details of a ‘devastating’ survey conducted of nearly 300 Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) workers. 

The survey conducted over the last month by the trade union among its SAS members reveals a ‘horrifying’ picture of the nation’s ambulance service due to years of ‘chronic underfunding’.

The survey reveals that by huge majorities SAS workers feel under-valued, fatigued; that staff morale has collapsed, with the vast majority of workers stating the nation’s ambulance service is under-resourced and under-staffed. 

Substantial majorities of SAS workers also state that they have considered leaving the ambulance service and reported that they have been abused at work in the last year.

The headline survey findings reveal the following:

  • 98.2% believe that Scottish Government’s extra investment of £20m into the SAS and support from the armed services will ‘not be enough’ during the winter months;
  • 88.2% do not feel valued by the Scottish Government and 84.6% do not feel valued by the SAS;
  • 86.7% of SAS workers felt that staff morale was either poor (30.8%) or very poor (55.9%);
  • 86.4% feel fatigued at work while 78.9% believe the SAS is under-staffed;
  • 81.5% have suffered verbal or physical abuse, or both, while working at the SAS within the last year;
  • 73.6% of respondents said they have considered leaving the SAS;
  • 70% do not get the necessary break times during shifts;
  • 53.8% stated that there were not enough ambulances at ‘station level’; and
  • 44.3% stated that the longest shift they have worked was between 12-15 hours, 30%between 15-20 hours; 17.5% between 10-12 hours while 5.7% stated it was under 10 hours and 2.5% over 20 hours. 

In a previous Daily Record Exclusive on 9 September, Unite called for a ‘major incident’ status to be declared at all hospitals with Accident and Emergency Units, where turnaround times exceed 30 minutes.  

The demand was made by Unite to protect the public who have made 999 calls in the community, amid patient safety concerns due to 6 hours service running times. 

On average, an ambulance response to a 999 call can take between 55 minutes, and 1 hour and 10 minutes, from call to completion. However, ambulances are now missing three 999 calls while located at a hospital waiting for patient handovers.  

The survey findings shed new light on this depressing situation with nearly 71% of respondents declaring that the longest 999 call they have been involved in from call to completion exceeded six hours: (16.3% – over 20 hours), (11.7% between 15-20 hours), (6.3% between 12-15 hours), (4.6% between 10-12 hours), (5.4% between 8-10 hours), and (26.4% between 6-8 hours), with the remainder being under 6 hours. 

Worryingly, 94.5% of survey respondents involved in ambulance 999 call-outs believed the clinical coding to ascertain the severity of the situation was wrong. In addition, 54.7% answered ‘yes’ to the question ‘due to longer service running times has your ‘call’ been involved in an adverse clinical event due to delays and hospital pressures?’

Unite Scotland has repeatedly warned the Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf, that the extra investment and resources for the SAS would ‘not be enough’ to deal with the crises affecting the nation’s health services, which the survey findings conclusively confirm. 

Pat Rafferty, Unite Scottish Secretary, in response to the survey findings, said: “I don’t think I have ever seen such an utterly depressing and horrifying situation with massive implications for the nation.

“The workers at the Scottish Ambulance Service are sending out their own 999 call to the Scottish Government saying that they are undervalued, stressed, and exhausted. It is now beyond breaking point.

“The levels of abuse the workers are suffering is inexcusable. The vast majority of those responding to our survey are going as far as to say they are now considering leaving the ambulance service.

“Shockingly, the survey reveals a culture of extremely long hours, partially due to chronic underfunding over many years, and the overwhelming stresses being placed on the system. This situation is directly leading to paramedics and ambulance staff being increasingly involved in adverse clinical events, and dangerously long response times.

“It is a devasting indictment of the Scottish Government’s approach to the ambulance service. Urgent action is necessary because lives are at risk alongside the fundamental issue of how we value those trying to save those lives.”

Eight-year-olds symbolise shocking EIGHT YEAR WAIT for endometriosis diagnosis in menstrual health campaign

Powerful film released by INTIMINA sees children give a voice to people that waited eight years or more for an endometriosis diagnosis

  • One in 10 women have endometriosis, but it takes an average of eight years to get a diagnosis.
  • Groundbreaking new film ‘The Wait’ sees eight-year-old children use their age to symbolise the eight-year delay and to tell the stories of British women who had the disease, yet felt like they were not being heard.
  • The film includes the story of Aisha Belsaria who suffered in pain for 15 years before she was correctly diagnosed.
  • Campaign created by INTIMINA to empower and inform people experiencing similar painful symptoms, who also feel unheard or ignored.

One in 10 women worldwide have endometriosis1, yet despite the seriousness of this disease, it takes an average of eight years just to get a diagnosis2. That’s eight long years of enduring terrible pain and the feeling of not being heard.

Today, to give a voice to those suffering from the condition, intimate wellness brand INTIMINA has released a powerful film that features eight-year-old children whose age symbolises the damning eight-year wait statistic – with each of the youngsters having been alive for as long as it takes to be diagnosed with endometriosis*.

Endometriosis is a long-term condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. 

What’s more, with this devastating disease commonly starting in adolescence (and sometimes before) any of the eight-year-olds in the film – and across the world – could develop endometriosis in the near future and face the eight year delay themselves if nothing is done to shorten the time to a diagnosis.

In the film, the children speak the actual words of real adult women who spent years of their lives waiting and fighting for an endometriosis diagnosis. While the average wait for a diagnosis is eight years, several of the women that shared their stories experienced delays of much longer.

In one instance, it took a shocking 30 years for a woman to finally be told she had endometriosis. 

The film can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6Rz9A6EyG8

Selected cases from UK-based women that faced ‘the wait’ and whose accounts are spoken by eight-year-old children in the film:

  • Katie Beales (waited nine years) “Waiting years for a diagnosis made me question my own sanity. At points, I started to believe that it was all in my head. I had so much ambition and this condition took so much away from me. The pain was so bad I couldn’t leave my bed, I would vomit and I couldn’t eat. I became a shell of myself. Endometriosis is lonely. It changed my identity.”
  • Nadine Lewis (waited 12 years): It took me five years to get my stage four diagnosis and a further seven years to be diagnosed with thoracic endometriosis. I often feel trapped inside my body which is constantly under attack. I have had countless A&E admissions, investigations and surgeries and been medically gaslighted. I had three diagnostic laparoscopies with no endometriosis removed. Endometriosis has affected my mental health, fertility, bowel and respiratory health. No one should have to go through this. It should not take this long to be taken seriously.”
  • Aisha Balesaria (waited 15 years): At 15 I had started experiencing dreadful pain during menstruation – pain which grew worse as the years went on. It was tremendously difficult waking up in pain and going to bed in pain and doing the same thing all over again the next day. The pain was so intense, it left me confined to my bed. At some points I felt I couldn’t carry on living with the excruciating pain. The pain I was experiencing was dismissed as ‘bad periods’. I felt completely helpless and hopeless. It was extremely challenging waiting for someone to believe me and over time my symptoms worsened. It would be many years later before I’d receive the correct diagnosis. I felt there was little empathy towards my suffering during the years I tried to get help, and my symptoms were downplayed nearly all of the time.”

INTIMINA created ‘The Wait’ film as part of its ongoing Seen + Heard period positivity campaign. 

Seen + Heard aims to increase the visibility of menstrual wellbeing across the world, normalise conversations about menstrual health, tackle stigma and bias and raise awareness of conditions like endometriosis – which see millions of people suffering in pain while their voices go unheard. 

The Wait follows ‘Period’: a collaboration in 2020 between INTIMINA and Pantone that saw the creation of a shade of red emblematic of a healthy menstrual flow.

Marcella Zanchi, Spokesperson for INTIMINA, commented: “We hope this film, in which the age of the eight-year-olds symbolises the eight-year wait for a diagnosis, can create much-needed conversations about endometriosis and inspire change. Because it is unacceptable that people have to wait eight years just to get help. And it’s important to remember that is only an average: some people wait many more years, even decades of their lives in pain.

Ms Zanchi continued: “Endometriosis isn’t a rare disease – it affects one in every 10 women. That’s hundreds of millions of people across the world potentially suffering for years. The fact the eight-year statistic hasn’t changed in over a decade is further proof, if it were needed, that we must end the wait for those with endometriosis.

“As a global society we have to be more aware of endometriosis, more sympathetic towards those that have it, to speak up and do everything in our collective power to close the gender health gap and to break the taboos and biases that are not just attached to endometriosis, but to menstrual wellbeing in general.”

A UK All Party Parliamentary Group Endometriosis inquiry into the disease surveyed over 10,000 people with endometriosis and found that over half (58%) visited their GP more than 10 times after presenting symptoms, but still no diagnosis was made3.



Further commenting on reasons behind the eight-year wait, INTIMINA UK Expert Gynaecologist Dr Shree Datta said: “Healthcare professionals may assume painful periods are normal, if they are unclear on its severity and whether pain relief is required. 

“What’s more, it can be especially difficult examining young teenagers for endometriosis as the findings are not specific and the disease presents differently from person-to-person.

“As such it may take longer to refer people to the correct specialist for further investigation and treatment. From a patient perspective it can also be uncomfortable taking that first step and speaking to a doctor about issues such as pain during sex – or challenging to describe the symptoms they have.”

Shree continued: “The reasons behind the delay are wide-ranging, but nevertheless every possible action needs to be taken to drive down the wait time for people suffering with endometriosis, and education and awareness is vital to make a commitment to ensure this happens.”

To help people experiencing symptoms of endometriosis get the help they need sooner, Dr Shree Datta shares her advice. More information and resources can be found here: 

https://www.intimina.com/blog/talk-about-endometriosis/

  • It can be difficult to describe all of your symptoms and diagnose endometriosis as the symptoms vary, so keep a pain and symptom diary before you see your GP. Specifically, note down when you experience symptoms in relation to your periods, whether they are getting worse and how they affect your daily activities.
  • A referral to a Gynaecologist may also help explore your symptoms further – by requesting an ultrasound, for example. With this information, discussing the risks and benefits of medication and an operation may help you to decide what’s right to you. 
  • It may be worth trying to treat your symptoms initially with simple measures such as heat, gentle exercise, pain relief or hormonal medication, before considering more invasive options such as surgery.
  • Common symptoms which suggest endometriosis include cyclical pelvic pain, pain on intercourse or pain leading up to and during your periods. You may also experience a change in bowel habits, tiredness and difficulty conceiving, so seek medical advice early. 
  • Think about your diet – there is some evidence which suggests that drinking lots of alcohol and eating lots of red meat can increase some of the symptoms of endometriosis, such as painful periods. Fish oil supplements and Vitamin B12 can help endometriosis associated pain. A healthy balanced lifestyle with regular sleep patterns may also influence your symptoms.
  • If you’re thinking about getting pregnant and you are known to have endometriosis, consult a Gynaecologist early. Start taking pregnancy supplements three months before you wish to conceive and make sure you have sex regularly when trying to conceive. Most people have no problems conceiving, but it’s worth seeking expert help early. 

For those looking to find out more about endometriosis or get support, please visit:

www.endometriosis-uk.org. 

Alex Cole-Hamilton: Getting serious about long Covid

Almost 100,000 people in Scotland have reported that they’re suffering with long Covid but it has taken until today (Tuesday 9 November) for the Scottish Parliament to debate this important issue. 

I led this debate in Parliament yesterday because no matter how much campaigners and MSPs raise the issue, the SNP Health Secretary is just not listening. 

It is shameful that it has taken an opposition party debate for the plight of long Covid sufferers to be heard in Parliament. 

The SNP/Green Government’s action plan on long Covid is totally unfit for the scale of this challenge. Many Scots would be better off moving to England where there are well-established clinics and a care pathway.  

We need to do much more to help long Covid sufferers. That is why I am calling on the SNP/Green Government to: 

  • Have specialist long Covid clinics in every health board 
  • Train more long Covid community nurses to offer in-home support 
  • Give everyone who needs it access to physiotherapy and rehab treatment 
  • Make sure long Covid sufferers are not penalised financially because they are absent from work for longer periods 

You can join me in calling for action from the Scottish Government by signing up to my plan for long Covid here: 

Sign up here!

New drug delivery could significantly improve treatment outcomes for prostate cancer

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have developed a new treatment to be used in combination with radiotherapy that could significantly improve treatment outcomes for men with locally advanced prostate cancer.

The treatment can make cancerous cells up to 30% more receptive to radiotherapy while simultaneously reducing adverse side effects that limit quality of life.  

Radiotherapy is extensively used to treat various localised cancers including prostate cancer, offering the best chance for curative intervention. However, approximately 30% of prostate cancer patients experience treatment failure leading to disease progression. 

The research team at Queen’s have developed a new nanomedicine comprised of tiny gold particles, coated in a small peptide called RALA. If these nanoparticles are present in tumour cells when treated with radiotherapy, they increase the cell killing potential of this conventional treatment, helping to reduce the risk of disease relapse. In the absence of radiation, the gold nanoparticles are not directly toxic, meaning that risk of treatment related toxicity is low. 

Various groups around the world have reported that gold nanoparticles, or other high-atomic number elements, hold the potential to sensitise tumour cells to radiation treatment, but one key challenge has been delivering these particles in sufficient levels to the right regions within the tumour cells.

Combining the gold particles with RALA increases the efficiency of nanoparticle uptake, while also enabling the gold particles to be delivered to regions within the cells which are more sensitive to the effects of radiation damage. 

The study, published in Nanobiotechnology, shows that through the new formulation, prostate cancer cells were rendered up to 30% more sensitive to the cell killing effects of the same radiotherapy used to treat patients. 

Furthermore, in experiments investigating the magnitude of effect in small 3-dimentional models of prostate tumors called tumourspheres, the combination of radiation and RALA-gold nanoparticles completely suppressed tumoursphere growth. 

Professor Helen McCarthy, from the School of Pharmacy at Queen’s University Belfast, explains: “The peptide enables the gold nanoparticles to be delivered more efficiently to the tumour cells. The gold then interacts with the radiotherapy, increasing the cell killing effect in a highly localised manner.” 

The gold particles are up to three times more visible on standard medical imaging equipment. This means that if the nanoparticles are located within the tumour, they should help to improve the accuracy of radiotherapy delivery, reducing the risk of off-target damage to neighboring normal tissue such as the bladder or bowel. 

The multi-disciplinary team have recently been awarded £376,000 from Prostate Cancer UK to evaluate the effectiveness of these implants at increasing the sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to radiotherapy. 

Dr Jonathan Coulter (top), from the School of Pharmacy at Queen’s University Belfast, explains: “Our research has shown that ultra-low concentrations of the RALA-gold nanoparticles effectively sensitise prostate tumour cells to radiotherapy. 

“Now we want to build on this work, to address the second major challenge, consistently delivering sufficient nanoparticles to the tumour throughout a patients’ radiotherapy. We are delighted that Prostate Cancer UK are supporting our proposal to develop a biodegradable implant designed to provide sustained release of the gold nanoparticles.” 

“Following insertion into the main tumour lesion, the biodegradable implant will consistently release the nanoparticles over time. This is opposed to current approaches that involve daily injections. Following consultation with a local prostate cancer patient focus groups, we learned that a one off implant would be better tolerated by patients than regular injections to the tumour.”