Pass notes, No 2,836: Gonorrhea

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria that causes gonorrhea. Photograph: Dr David M Phillips Age: At least 5,500 years old. Appearance: A yellowish discharge from the penis, anus or vagina. Also known as: Hot piss, the slime, the drip . . . I feel quite sick and we’ve barely started. Tell me something to take my mind off it.... [Read More...]

STDs in England: Breakdown by region, gender and ethnicity

Detail from a 2006 NHS safer sex poster. New statistics from the Health Protection Agency show cases of STIs have reached record levels. Photograph: NHS/PA New figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) today reveal a record level in diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK. According to the HPA, young people... [Read More...]

NHS spends millions on websites that fail patients, says government report

Patients struggle to locate the NHS on a Google search and only half of its 2,873 active websites include an email address. Photograph: Graeme Robertson The NHS spends up to £86m a year on thousands of websites that are difficult to find, badly designed and irrelevant to patient needs, according to a leaked government report. The... [Read More...]

Graham Heale obituary

Graham Heale was president of the British Chiropractic Association for three years. Graham Heale, who has died in a motorcycle accident aged 57, was one of the most highly qualified and well-respected chiropractors in Britain. He had a strong vision about the regulation, training and education within the profession. Graham was the... [Read More...]