A reader of Metric Views from the USA raises the issue of measurement units in medical practice generally, or ‘cultural metrication’ as he terms it.
Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
‘Cultural metrication’ and the NHS
Friday, March 19th, 2010Joules on the menu, please
Thursday, March 11th, 2010The very worthy proposal of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that menus should state energy values is undermined by its failure to use proper measurement units. UKMA has responded by advocating joules rather than so-called “calories” (whatever they may be).
Minister agrees it is time to clear up “very British mess”
Friday, February 26th, 2010In response to UKMA’s patron, Lord Howe, the junior Health Minister, Baroness Thornton said she “absolutely agreed” that it is “time for all of us, in all parties,…. to work together to clear up this long-standing and very British mess.” She added “This is a matter that will solve itself over time but it is our job in government to move as fast as we can towards people recognising and feeling comfortable using metric calculations.”
Tory spokesman supports centilitres of alcohol
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010In a commendable outbreak of common sense, Conservative health spokesman, Andrew Lansley has proposed that, in order to clarify the amount of alcohol being consumed, bottles and cans should be labelled with the quantity of pure alcohol in centilitres rather than in so called “units”. But will this lead to a wider realisation that draught beer should also be measured in litres?
NHS risking patients’ lives with imperial scales
Thursday, December 17th, 2009Six months after an official report warned of systemic negligence in medical weighing practice within the NHS, the Department of Health has failed to issue the necessary safety alert to hospital trusts to ensure that the report’s recommendations are implemented.
Virgin London Marathon 2010
Thursday, November 19th, 2009Martin Vlietstra, a frequent contributor to MetricViews, passes on some misgivings about on the 2010 London Marathon.
BIS sticks with pints of beer (but only on draught)
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009As expected the Business Department has refused to permit sales of draught beer and cider in convenient metric measures – but its reasoning is bizarre.
A 21st Century Approach to UK Peaks
Friday, May 22nd, 2009Dual unit weighing scales can be harmful to health – official
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008In a damning report on the state of medical weighing equipment and procedures in hospitals across the country, LACORS, the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services, has highlighted the dangers of using weighing equipment that can display units other than the standard metric units which are used for calculating medication and radiotherapy dosages, diagnosing illnesses and monitoring treatment.
End Britain’s Great Imperial Rip-Off
Saturday, November 1st, 2008In these uncertain times, the spending power of the pound in our pockets seems to be decreasing by the day, making it high time, in my view, to end the Great Imperial Rip-Off, and save British consumers from the cost of maintaining imperial weights and measures. (Article contributed by Tony)