Nottingham's two biggest hospitals are to merge, despite the contradictory comments by health secretary Patricia Hewitt who said on Saturday that no decision had been made.

Officials now confirm that the plans were approved last week.

The merger of the Queen's Medical Centre and the Nottingham City hospitals will create a trust with a combined budget of £500m. known as Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust., which will come into being on 1 April. [How appropriate .. Ed]

17/01/2006

Brunel University's survey of 857 doctors (of 2,000 selected at random) found that fewer 1% of deaths were by euthanasia in 2004 and only 2.6% of doctors want to see the law changed.

In 2004 in the UK, 0.16% (936) were by voluntary euthanasia and 0.33% (1,930) through the doctor ending a patient's life without consent from the patients (also known as involuntary euthanasia) the survey revealed.

• A third of deaths were put down to alleviating symptoms which may have the effect of shortening life
• Just under a third were from with-holding treatment because it is deemed in the best interests of the patients.

Both practices are legal in the UK.

It is the first time such a comprehensive study into medical practice has been undertaken in the UK and shows euthanasia rates are lower than in many other countries.

18/01/2006