Sarah Masters

Across the UK, around 153 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day and it is the most common cancer in men. One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Most men with early prostate cancer do not show any...

A 2022 survey by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has revealed only 69% of women and other pregnant people were given the help they needed when they contacted a midwifery team during their antenatal care. This is down from 74% in 2017. Further, only...

Following my blog in July in which the NHS figures revealed there was a record high of nearly 6.5 million people in England waiting for hospital treatment, the backlog continues to grow. A new record high of over 6.84 million people are now waiting for...

On 16 th August 2022 the NHS announced the new Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) for investigating serious incidents which will replace the Serious Incident Framework (2015). Organisations will be expected to transition to...

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) made unannounced visits to hospitals run by the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust in September and October 2021 which raised concerns about staff shortages, skills training and risk management. This led to a...

Latest NHS figures show that a record high of nearly 6.5 million people in England are waiting for hospital treatment. The demand for hospital treatment has increased significantly in the past two years as a result of the backlog caused by the...

The latest provisional figures published by NHS England confirm that from 1st April 2021 – 31st March 2022 there were 407 ‘Never Events’ reported which is an increase from 364 reported in the same period in the previous year. ...

Potholes are hugely dangerous to all road users but more to so cyclists who can suffer life changing injuries. Potholes are caused when water enters tiny cracks in the road which then freezes. As the water freezes, it expands, which causes the road to...

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibre that was used mainly in the construction industry as well as other industries until 1999 when it was banned in the UK. Whilst it is now banned, you can still be exposed to asbestos as it may still remain in buildings...

Lung Cancer Awareness Month takes place every November in the UK. The aim of the campaign is to encourage people displaying the common signs of lung cancer to visit their GP. Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world and over 46,000 people are...

Bonfire Night is upon us and many are excited to see the return of some organised professional firework displays. People are urged to “think twice” before hosting their own Bonfire Night displays after NHS Digital figures show that at...

Last year in the UK it is estimated that 12,000 people died from occupational lung diseases . As such, from 4th May 2021, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) started inspecting businesses in the fabricated metal industry to ensure they are managing the...

This year will mark 20 years since the infamous Turner & Newall company went into administration, ending 130 years of asbestos production in Greater Manchester and leaving a legacy of disease and death for the workers and their families. At its...

After 14 people reportedly died on smart motorways in 2019, it has been confirmed by the Transport Committee that they are launching a new inquiry into the benefits and safety of smart motorways. MPs will also consider their impact on reducing congestion...

Government data has revealed that there were 131,200 casualties of all severities in the year ending June 2020, a decrease of 16% compared to the previous year. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and first lockdown which started in March 2020 is...

A government report reveals that in 2019, it is estimated that between 240 and 320 people were killed in accidents where at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit, with a central estimate of 280 deaths. This is an increase from 240 in 2018 and...

Tinnitus Awareness Week is taking place from 1st – 7th February 2021. This Tinnitus Week the British Tinnitus Association are campaigning to make sure that everyone with tinnitus gets the right information, from the right place, at the right time. ...

Unfortunately in the last year there were 1,037 road incidents reported that involved horses, with 38 of them happening in Greater Manchester, up from 16 in the previous year. In Cheshire there was also a rise from 30 incidents up to 46 incidents. The ...

Speed contributes to 1 in 5 fatal crashes in the UK and when it comes to road safety, it’s simple: speed matters! The annual Road Safety Week is taking place this year between 16th - 22nd November, co-ordinated by Brake , the road safety...

Government statistics have revealed that between May and June 2020, 38% of people cycled more than before the COVID-19 pandemic. With a 2nd national lockdown looming and coronavirus infection rates increasing, cycling may become a more popular mode of...

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The aim of the campaign is to encourage people displaying the common signs of lung cancer to visit their GP. Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world and around 47,000 people are diagnosed with it in the...

Sadly, the latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have revealed that there were 111 fatal injuries at work in Great Britain in 2019/20. This is however a decrease of 38 from the previous year and is the lowest annual number on record....

Unsurprisingly, the roads have been a lot quieter this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown. During the height of the lockdown, it was estimated there were c. 75% less vehicles on the road compared to pre-lockdown. This has resulted in a...

Bonfire Night will soon be upon us and this year it will look very different for many of us as most organised professional firework displays have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent years there have been around 990 injuries caused by...

At the end of October the clocks go back, sunset occurs earlier in the day and unfortunately, the number of road traffic accidents rise. In 2019, pedestrian deaths rose from 33 in September and 36 in October to 54 in November and 57 in December....

A recent report from the RAC has revealed that nearly 1 in 5 (18%) drivers aged 17 to 24 years old admit to making or receiving video calls when driving. Worryingly, just under 1 in 10 young drivers (9%) also said they play games on their phones whilst...

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) around 12.8 million days are lost due to stress at work and you may be surprised to hear that employers have a legal duty to protect employees from stress. Whoever you work for, a stress risk assessment...

The Transport Select Committee has urged the government to legalise e-scooters in the UK to cut the number of cars on the roads - a move which would also help the environment. As a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, people are being urged to avoid...

The latest Department for Transport figures reveal that in 2019 there were over 153,000 casualties of all severities in reported road traffic accidents . Whilst this is 5% lower than the previous year and is the lowest level since 1979, the number of...

Did you know that if you quit smoking for 28 days then you are 5 times more likely to stay smoke free for good? With the global COVID-19 pandemic, staying fit and healthy is at the forefront of our minds. There’s never been a better chance to quit! ...

From Monday 5th October 2020, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be targeting construction firms across Great Britain in a month long inspection initiative focussed on respiratory risks and occupational lung disease. The health and safety...

All types of personal injury claims have a limitation period. This means that there is a set period of time in which a person (a claimant) can bring a claim to court. The general rule is that you have three years from the date of your accident at...

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently published statistics which reveal that sadly 2,523 people died from mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer in 2017. The figures reveal that over the past five years the number of deaths has...

Action Mesothelioma Day is taking place on Friday 5th July 2019. Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer caused by breathing in asbestos dust. Asbestos is banned in the UK but you can still find it in schools, homes and offices. The UK has the worst...

This week (1 st – 7 th April 2019) is the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) Family Safety Week with the focus this year on pedestrian safety. Unfortunately in 2017, RoSPA have reported that 5,838 children were injured...

The Mesothelioma Stratified Therapy (MiST) trial, which is taking place in Leicester, is a world’s first trial into developing personalised treatment for those with mesothelioma. The trial opened on 29th January 2019. What is...

The number of women going for smear tests is reportedly lower than ever with over 1.2 million people not taking up their invite each year. This year marks ten years since the passing of Jade Goody who died at the age of 27 from cervical cancer....

According to Freedom of Information research by the AA, UK councils received 10,572 claims from pedestrians who had been involved in trips and slips on pavements in one year, to the end of May 2018. Only 8% of the claims were successful (859 claims) and...

All types of personal injury claims have a limitation period. This means that there is a set period of time in which a person (a claimant) can bring a claim to court. You may be aware that the general rule is that you have three years from the date of...

This year, Action on Mesothelioma day is taking place on Friday 6th July 2018. The theme of the day is to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos. What is asbestos? Asbestos is a highly heat-resistant fibrous silicate...

Stephensons is supporting the national Deaf Awareness Week 2018 and helping to educate people about the life changing condition. The aim of this week is to raise awareness for not only those affected by hearing loss, but what the symptoms and...