Positive thinking

By Rob Minto The global superbug crisis is a complicated, long-term problem. The video below explains how it starts, spreads and its impact. But there are many other - sometimes surprising - aspects to this crisis. There is one key way in which superbugs start. Whether it is in animals or humans, the initial point is where antibiotics kill off drug-susceptible bacteria, leaving drug-resistant bacteria to multiply. These bacteria contain drug-resistant genes. It is the spread of bacteria among both animal and human populations that then creates superbugs.  These superbugs don't respond to our available antibiotics. The end result is that many standard procedures - from caesarean sections to chemotherapy - may become too risky to undertake. It is projected that millions of people may die of what were once treatable infections. The Global Superbug Crisis explained 1) Humans aren't the biggest problem Although overuse of antibiotics in the human population...

Children's services in "perilous state", children's charity warns More than half of councils in England are planning to slash costs by cutting spending on services for children. These measures include closing children’s centres, reducing support for disabled children and cutting child protection teams. Analysis of council financing by the Bureau reveals a local government crisis as the costs of supporting vulnerable children pushes almost all councils over budget. This has prompted cuts to services. Across all, nine out of ten councils will spend more money than they bring in by the end of March this year - with one overspending by £14m. The Bureau has scrutinised hundreds of financial forecasts published by local authorities and analysed their historical spending records during a four-month investigation.  In budget plans for the coming year published by 101 councils responsible for children’s services, the Bureau found 57 planning to make cu...