in brief

A Mori survey has found that nine out of 10 patients would be happy for nurses to deal with minor complaints at night, rather than seeing a doctor.GPs will be able to give up responsibility for out-of-hours care under the new GP contract, and British Medical Association GPs committee chair Dr John Chisholm said: 'The changes to out-of-hours service provision are aimed at using the skills of all healthcare professionals more effectively.'

www. mori. com

More than half the staff at west London's Harefield Hospital would be prepared to relocate to the controversial Paddington health campus, a trust survey has found.Around 54 per cent of staff said they would move, or had not decided.At Royal Brompton Hospital, the figure was 85 per cent.

The National Bereavement Partnership has launched a new helpline to give advice to bereaved family and friends.

Funded by the Department of Health, it will be operated by staff who have experienced bereavement and whose relatives'organs have been retained.

National Bereavement Helpline, 0117-955 4055.

Successful bidders for£4m of funding to support research into gene therapy were announced by the Department of Health earlier this week.

Research will include clinical trials in haemophilia, muscular dystrophy and childhood blindness, as well as research into the long-term safety of some gene therapy techniques.

www. dh. gov. uk

The Commission for Health Improvement has found that gaps still exist in systems designed to ensure that children in Wales at risk of abuse or neglect are identified and appropriate action taken. Every trust in Wales took part in the comprehensive audit of child protection arrangements.

www. chi. nhs. uk