www.patient.co.uk has launched Health Matters, a new book containing the most frequently sought health information and advice.

After analysing Patient UK traffic over the last decade, the site's team compiled the book to give patients a fuller picture of their illnesses and provide inspiration and support.

Subjects include a range of serious problems such high blood pressure, depression and diabetes, all of which have proved the most consistently searched for subjects on the website. Dr Tim Kenny, founder of Patient UK and co-author of Health Matters, said: "The website has given us a unique insight into the health concerns of millions of people."

Health Matters is available from www.patient.co.uk and www.amazon.co.uk


Transplant study to look at faith

A leading health expert will conduct a national study to examine why people from different faiths make gifts in their everyday lives and explore the relevance to increasing organ donation.

NHS Blood and Transplant has awarded £130,000 of funding to Professor Gurch Randhawa, director of the Institute for Health Research at the University of Bedfordshire, to carry out the two year study.

Professor Randhawa is a member of the Department of Health's Organ Donation Task Force and last year headed the UK Transplant's "Can we count on you?" black and South Asian organ donor campaign with TV stars Nina Wadia from Goodness Gracious Me, Asif Khan from Dalziel and Pascoe, and comedienne Gina Yashere.


Workers want more benefits

More than half of Britons are calling for employers to take more responsibility for their health and wellbeing needs, according to a nationwide survey by BUPA.

The popularity of pensions as a workplace health benefit fell by six percent this year, while demand for private medical insurance (PMI) rose to 40 percent, halving the gap between pensions and PMI to just nine percent, and moving PMI closer to becoming the most desirable employee benefit. BUPA's survey also found that PMI, health assessments and free gym membership now top Britain's workplace health wish-list.

These findings come at a time when UK companies are under rising pressure from the Government to invest in health, with the Department of Work and Pensions' "Review of the Health of the Working Population", highlighting the need for companies to do more to support their staff.