Nursing times
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A vaccine to protect against pneumococcal infection is now offered to all UK infants as part of the primary immunisation schedule. This, together with modifications to the schedule for Haemophilus influenzae type b and meningococcal C vaccines, represents the latest changes to the routine childhood immunisation programme, which came into effect on 4 September. Helen Bedford and Laura Lane outline why the pneumococcal vaccine has been introduced and the other changes to the immunisation schedule.
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Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death, accounting for nearly 30,000 deaths in England and Wales in 2002 (DoH, 2005). On February 23 this year new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer were published by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2005). The guidelines offer best practice advice on the care of adults who are suspected of having, or are diagnosed with, lung cancer (Box 1). There are implications for lung cancer clinical nurse specialists in several sections of the guidance, some highlighted as a 'key priority' for implementation.
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Palliative care services provided by the primary sector have changed considerably over recent years and patients and carers want choice over end-of-life care. In response to this need, the Macmillan Gold Standards Framework has been introduced and funded by the NHS as its chosen end-of-life programme. Clinical experience suggests the framework provides a better quality of care, improves staff morale and patient satisfaction, and reduces hospital and hospice occupancy.
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National Clinical published Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK. In 2000 there were 38,410 new cases, accounting for 14 per cent of all cancers diagnosed (Cancer Research UK, 2004). While the incidence of lung cancer is less than that for breast cancer, lung cancer deaths account for more than one-fifth of all cancer deaths. In 2002 this amounted to 33,600 lung cancer deaths, or 22 per cent of all cancer deaths (Cancer Research UK, 2004).