The Health News – 31 August 2016

Overview:
•  Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said two babies — one stillborn and one miscarried — had been mixed-up by staff at Royal North Shore Hospital last year because a blanket obscured an identification tag. Both of the babies’ bodies were then cremated, despite the family of one of the children requesting a burial. The health department apologised to both of the families and offered grief counselling.

• The 3rd Brigade, based in north Queensland, has provided subjects for the Human Performance Framework program, which includes activities such as skydiving, and borrows technology and techniques from Australia’s elite sporting clubs. Using a smartphone app, senior officers can keep track of the mental and physical wellbeing of soldiers and allow them to tailor their training programs.

• An early study by the Hudson Institute of Medical Research showed women who had less of the naturally occurring acid creatine in their urine had significantly smaller babies. Dr Hayley Dickinson, head of embryology at Hudson Institute and Monash University’s Ritchie Centre, said creatine, which is often used by athletes in supplements, was both made in the body and also came from the consumption of meat.

News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the  31st of August 2016. Read by Rebecca Foster. Health News

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-30/baby’s-body-accidently-cremated-after-switch-at-sydney-hospital/7799494

The bodies of two babies have been mixed-up in a Sydney hospital, which resulted in one of the children being accidentally cremated, New South Wales health authorities have said.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the babies — one stillborn and one miscarried — had been mixed-up by staff at Royal North Shore Hospital last year because a blanket obscured an identification tag.

Both of the babies’ bodies were then cremated, despite the family of one of the children requesting a burial.

The health department apologised to both of the families and offered grief counselling.

In a statement, the Royal North Shore Hospital said they apologised at the time.

“A full investigation was undertaken and the families were fully informed of its outcome,” it said.

“A number of measures have since been put in place to avoid a similar mistake being repeated in the future.”

Ms Skinner is already weathering calls for her to resign after one baby died and another suffered suspected brain damage after they were given nitrous oxide instead of oxygen, in another Sydney hospital.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-30/army-trials-injury-prevention-program-to-create-safer-soldiers/7798272

The physical and mental wellbeing of some north Queensland soldiers will be monitored by a smartphone app as part of an Australian Army trial program seeking to protect them against future injuries.

The 3rd Brigade, based in north Queensland, has provided subjects for the Human Performance Framework program, which includes activities such as skydiving, and borrows technology and techniques from Australia’s elite sporting clubs.

Using a smartphone app, senior officers can keep track of the mental and physical wellbeing of soldiers and allow them to tailor their training programs.

Corporal Jeff Langdon, one of the personal trainers involved, said the aim was to keep soldiers injury-free.

The senior officers have not just been keeping an eye on the soldiers’ physical fitness — between 2014-2015, 813 Defence personnel were treated for mental health issues.

And there has been a rise in the number of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Padre Dan Cassidy, one of the programs leaders, said the program was designed not only to help soldiers deal with extreme physical challenges, but to give them the skills to cope with traumatic experiences too.

He said testing the soldiers within the barracks environment would better set up the soldiers for the future, in both the training and operations environments.

The Returned and Services League (RSL) said it supported the program and hoped it would lead to healthier veterans.

If successful, the Army said it planned to roll out the program across the country.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-30/study-find-creatine-levels-could-affect-baby-birth-size/7797694

The level of the nutrient creatine in a pregnant woman could affect the size of their baby, Melbourne researchers say.

An early study by the Hudson Institute of Medical Research showed women who had less of the naturally occurring acid in their urine had significantly smaller babies.

Dr Hayley Dickinson, head of embryology at Hudson Institute and Monash University’s Ritchie Centre, said more than 850 women would take part in a longitudinal study to find out more.

Dr Dickinson said creatine, which is often used by athletes in supplements, was both made in the body and also came from the consumption of meat.

During the study, the pregnant women’s blood and urine will be tested, as well as the placenta and chord blood to test the amount of creatine a fetus might be receiving.

The research will also look at what the woman eats.