RCN - Neutral towards assisted suicide

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The Royal College of Nursing has taken the same stance as the medics' British Medical Association briefly also previously took, to neither support or oppose a change in the law over assisted suicide. The decison reached after nursing members showed no strong preference for either stance.

The law surrounding this is complicated and the subject highly contentious. Nurses will not want to compromise care and this result is probably a mix of the need to protect vulnerable adults whilst also supporting a dignified end of life experience.

However this could have a significant addition to the debate that a professional group so heavily involved in the care of terminally ill and dying patients would not have a strong and hardened view to oppose it. Indeed it could be reflective of a change in public opinion in general.

Detailed guidance will now need to be drawn up to consider the clinical frameworks and ethics of assisted suicide. In the meantime given that the recent unsuccesful attempt to change the law and the BMA now firmly against the legalisation, it not likely anything will change in the near future, something the RCN will have been all too aware of when the made this announcement I'm sure.

UK Economy continues to contract

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The UK economy contracted 0.8% between April and June, more than double the figure economists had expected.

Nobody said recovery was going to be easy and a bumpy road has always been on the cards, but you can't help wondering if politicians have been trying to put a positive spin on recovery when Labour were under unprecedented criticism? The Treasury had predicted a return to economic growth by end of year. Conversely the economy is still shrinking, with a contraction 0f 2.4 % for the 1st quarter, against a prediction of 0.3%. Quite a significant difference when you consider the sums involved.

This is worrying though because it means it will be harder for the treasury to balance its books, making the deficit greater and available funding for public spending even less.

Evidently a recovery isn't around the corner, and we need to be prepared for longer recovery, paucity of expenditure, and with tough times still ahead for sometime. In other words take nothing for granted and play a cautious game

top 10 money saving tips

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Did you know that to clear a debt of £2,200 on a card that attracts an interest rate of around 15% will take more than two years assuming a monthly repayment of £100? Given that this the average amount most people owe on credit cards, I thought it might be useful to compile some money saving ideas.

1. Set yourself a budget. Work out what must be paid per month, mortgage, utilities, petrol, shopping etc and look at what money you will have coming in. The remiandering amount is your dispsable income for pleasure or to pay off debts.

2. Pay off as much of your debt as you can - don't be tempted just to pay back the minimum amount, you'll end up paying more in the long run and get so tied in that it will become a strain when you do need to purchase additional necessary items. Look at interest free credit cards, preferrably with a 0% transfer rate and pay the maximum amount you can afford.

3. Shop around - With price comparison websites, there's plenty of opportunities to look for the most competative mortgage, insurance and utility bills around. You can't afford, nor do you want to spend more than you need. It is worth spending the time checking the small print for cheaper deals though to ensure it does cover what you need it to. But offering to pay a higher voluntary excess can significantly reduce the total cost.

4. Set yourself the don't spend week challenge - This is where you take out what money you absolutely need for the week or if you're up for it even a month, but I would recommend do it week by week as this is more managable. The aim is to obly buy absolute necessities, so no shop bought lunches, coffees, clothes, sweets and treats. Try not going out, butif you must, set yourself a budget of 2 pints in the pub and don't go over it. It's amazing how much money you find you will normally fritter away and how much more money you can save by being a bit more thoughtful.

5. Make a shopping list - we Brits dump tonnes of unused food in the bin, a huge waste. If you plan your meals and only by the necessary ingredients, this will be cheaper. Some people find shopping on line a good way to avoid temptation. Often supermarkets will offer incentives for free delivery.

6. Mobile Phones - £30 rental per month adds up to £360 per year, £50 rental £600 per year. Do you really need to pay this amount or more? Do you really need to make all those text or phone calls? If you don't you could well be better off with a pay as you go or cheaper contract with minimal minutes form as low as £15 per month in some cases.

7. Ebay -it's estimated tha everyhouse house has £400 worth of unwanted clutter, that could be easily sold to another interested buyer. Similarly you can sell your goods on Amazon and Play and gain some additional income to make life that bit easier. Another way is to consider car boot sales, where most people make in excess of £50 per day.

8. Consider a water meter -especially if you're living in a bigger house with low occupants, this could be a great way to save hundresds per year

9. Walk/cycle to work - we all need to get fitter and protect the environment you could do both by getting to work or the train station under your own steam. Even better could you trade in your car and avoid the insurance, petrol and maintenance costs? Perhaps just downsize and save on your tax and fule expenses?

10. Use the library -a free resource for papers, magazines, books and the internet. Why pay for these when you don't have to?

Forty years celebration - moon landing

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Are you a believer or one of the seemingly growing numbers who believe the moon landing was a fake?

I was born in 1969, so the moon landing was always a nice bit of vivid history to reflect upon the year Iwas born. I must say, when you look back at how basic the computer was then, it is amazing to think with all those odds that those men did actually land on the moon.

Indeed Bill Kaysing in the Daily Mirror today has stated that the chances of getting a man to the Moon and bringing him back again were something like 0.0017 per cent in other words, a virtual impossibility.

The biggest wonder for me is that we've never gone back or really learnt anything particulalrly in depth about the moon since that landing. I know there are plans afoot to go back there now - but it's not clear why and Buzz Aldridge has said that we'd be better off spending time now facing new frontiers, possibly landing on Mars.

What ever happens, it can't be denied space and the universe is full of wonder and is a big draw both upon our imagination and the theories of physics. Many a theological debate has been drawn from such matters. Me, when I saw James May's journey to the edge of space said it all when he said to the effect that; the earth is covered by just a thin paper (the atmosphere), above is a dark scary blackness, but below there is life, music and love. I know which side I want to be.
My respect to all the astronoughts old and new that are/have been willing to go there

Barbecue anyone

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The weathermen predicted that this year we would have a barbecue summer! I think it must be a ploy to get our hopes up as each summer there's a promise of great weather that doesn't really materialise.

Last night we went to a friend's barbecue. Whilst we had a great time, we all had to dress for winter, not summer. The chiminea was aglow, and there was positioning to get the greatest warmth without being overwhelmed by the smoke! You got up to refil your drink at your own peril!!

At the end of a very good night, it rained and we all had to be thankful to have had a dry evening. So what has happened to our summer weather and is this the experience of many a British barbecue??

troops at risk over helicopters

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It would seem that Gordon Brown can truly do no right, as yet another scathing attack about government policy hits the headlines. With the military loss of life stands at 184 soldiers since the Afghanistan war commenced, and with inparticular the flurry of recent deaths, this is hitting a very emotional public cord. Given that the public have not been happy with the intelligence and ultimately decision to go to war in Iraq, they now need a clear indication for why this mission is being progressed; is it the right strategy, will it keep casualties and deaths to a minimum and are our soldiers adequately equipped?

I think the public realise that there is a finite budget that can only be spread so far, but they won't tolerate a decision for this military stance if there isn't sufficient funding to ensure thay have the correct kit and support services to do the job expected of them.

Military spokesmen today have indicated that there are enough helicopters to do the job. But it remains somewhat unclear why we have taken this particular strategic ground approach through perilous minefields. My son recently had a visit from a soldier that had just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. He showed them his kit bag and referred to a number of pieces of kit that were not fit for purpose in the unrelenting heat. If there is no apparent will to act on staff feedback, review basic kit to ensure it does what it needs to do, you can't help but wonder what other shortfalls there might be in equipment provision across the services. I would hate to think our troops are travelling across risky terrain when they could more safely and quickly get to target destinations by helicopter. I hope therefore that the public, politicians and journalists alike keep the pressure up, as we can't afford to let our valiant men and women down.

swine flu

Well I just thought I'd put my 2 penneth in re this global pandemic. Wales is now hitting epidemic levels and so we can expect a speedy spread over the next 2 months or so. Given that there is always a flu pandemic approximately every 30 years, I'm relieved that this strain is just like a seasonal viral flu and nothing more.

It is hard to keep this in perspective when every death is currently being broadcast, but 10's of thousands of people die from flu every year, so keeping things in perspective this flu is currently mild. Those that die usually have underlying chronic medical problems.

The main message is don't spread it, so if you have the symptoms stay at home, keep up the fluids and take such as paracteamol and ibruprofen for sypmtom relief. Unless you're very unwell then you need to RING your GP or NHS healthline. Do not attend the GP surgery you only risk spreading to people, possibly those with underlying conditionss.

The main sympton to give rise to flu is a fever with a quick onset (> 38 degrees), which will be accompanied by at least 2 other symptoms such as: muscle aches and pains, malaise, sneezing, chesty cough. There is excellent information available on NHS websites to understand this more. Vaccines are expected to be available from October, just in time for the winter months, when we would normally expect to see flu, so this is a good thing for the UK.

Lets just hope the virus burns itself out soon!

National Nurse Uniforms

What are views in relation to the proposal to introduce national nurse uniforms across Wales, Scotland and Ireland? Generally a phased approach over the next couple of years, these uniforms in essence consist of different coloured scrub suits for the differing nurse grades. In Wales a collective letter was sent to the Health Minister Edwina Hart from a cohort of nursing staff, stating that they found them to be too baggy and indeed scruffy - not something they consider to encapsulate being a professional.

Nurses uniforms have altered quite significantly over the last thirty years from different uniforms per hospital, which were dresses, with the belt, frilly starchy cuffs and hats. Nurses then were very proud of their uniforms and it inspired people to want to become nurses because of the image it instilled. Although it has to be said whilst clearly nurses were respected and often referred to as 'Angels', there was a lot of stereotypical images about saucy nurses too! But as soldiers take great pride in their regiment, the differing uniforms per hospital also brought about great pride at being within a specific hospital setting too.

However times moved on with the advent of health and safety as well as infection control; the use of hats were stopped, belts were discouraged and there came a greater move towards wearing trousers. Broadly the more practical changes were welcomed, but with it came more various types of uniforms; some using polo shirts, some tunics and epaulettes. Whilst it is important to have practical work apparel, it is also very important that the public can recognise and identify who is who on a ward. This I would argue has become harder in latter years given the variation. The new uniforms aim to tackle this requirement, but one wonders whether there was enough nurse consultation in the design. Certainly I have not seen any options in any of the widely published nursing journals, or electronic professional mediums which would have wide distribution. I appreciate comments from nurses out of the national countries may have also been received, but it certainly would have been an option for nurses to respond too. I share the concern that these new uniforms do not appear to be the smartest, and recognise that nurses want to feel proud of their profession, but I do support the ability for the public to be able to recongise who is who and anticipate it won't be long before England follows.

So the Ashes have come to Cardiff, and it seems that the fans have spoken with lashings of praise. The Australians have in particular enjoyed the warm Welsh welcome and have spoken highly of the stadium's proximity to the city centre. Indeed the walk across Bute park and the river Taff have been deemed to be one of the prettiest routes anywhere.

Hopefully this will form part of the growing number of positive remarks and feelings that are expressed about Cardiff, keeping Wales firmly on the map. I would say that Cardiff thoroughly enjoys being the centre of great sporting events. I'm sure it will help to inspire young children to take a greater interest in cricket (although they will need to be keen to master the rules!) I'm not so clear about the threat of pay per view for cricket though, I'm just not sure it's a big enough sport to support this. However I understand cricket clubs would stand to receive greater finances which in turn would promote the sport, so I imagine they would be very much in favour of the designated way forward.