Not just is it fair, but is it ethical, financially justifiable and does it work?
The majority of NICE’s independent Citizens Council voted in favour of offering incentive schemes to patients to help them achieve healthier lifestyles in certain circumstances.
In the good old days, A&E units were stuffed full of children with saucepans stuck on their heads or peas up their noses. Nowadays it seems that if children aren’t injuring themselves on their personal trampolines it’s because they are nursing aches and pains from over-zealous video gaming.
Oh no. I missed National Chip Week. I found out yesterday from a friend who was mourning its passing. And Keith Chegwin was the patron saint.
My pain at missing a week of chip-based events was tempered by my anger at having a so-called friend who had failed to share the news.
We’ve all heard of flotation tanks and flower remedies, and some GPs were paid handsomely for running laughter clinics as health promotion under the 1990 contract.
But how about drumming as a means of improving health and well-being? Well, if you’re in Folkestone next month, why not pop in to the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for a relaxing session of drum therapy. I know I would.
‘Change4Life’ is what the government is calling its latest campaign to persuade us all to eat more healthily and do more exercise.
It isn’t simply a series of adverts, however, as public health minister Dawn Primarolo was keen to stress at the launch of the initiative. Taking a leaf out of Marks and Spencer’s guide to seductive description, she said: ‘This is not just an ad campaign launch. January sees the launch of the whole change for life movement.’
The recession might be curtailing our lifestyles in many ways but it seems that sexual activity is on the rise.
We heard last week how the BPAS was dishing out free emergency contraception for the festive season. And now I read that sales of condoms climbed to a new peak in the six months to September this year.
It’s enough of a struggle to consume five portions of fruit and veg a day (especially now I’ve learnt that potatoes are not admissible), so how could I possibly fit in another five things a day to keep me healthy?
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