BBC News

BBC News - Health

NHS hours from PPE running out in Covid - Hancock

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 16:58:34 GMT

Former health secretary tells inquiry some healthcare settings did run out - "and it was awful".

How the UK planned for the wrong pandemic

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 17:28:01 GMT

Over-confidence, wasted opportunities and muddled-thinking left UK sleep-walking into Covid.

'Pregnancy is a risk I'm willing to take': Why some women are ditching the pill

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 17:05:52 GMT

Some women are opting for fertility tracking apps to avoid mood swings and weight gain on "hormonal" contraception.

Chris Hoy says men should talk about health issues more

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 09:51:18 GMT

Six-time Olympic cycling champion Chris Hoy calls for more openness on health matters

Covid inquiry told top NHS doctor was terrified

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 17:34:34 GMT

Sir Stephen Powis says points-based tool was drawn up should need to prioritise patients have arisen.

How many of us will end up being diagnosed with ADHD?

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 00:36:40 GMT

Experts suggest that the number of people with ADHD is actually going to remain steady.

Is the system letting down people who were harmed by Covid vaccines?

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 05:48:59 GMT

People affected by rare blood clots say they feel they have been airbrushed out of the pandemic.

We were not treated as parents, Covid inquiry told

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:11:38 GMT

Mum of premature twins says rigid restrictions on birthing wards during Covid were traumatic.

Covid inquiry told Treasury blocked NHS bed request

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 18:06:48 GMT

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard says the decision, in July 2020, was very disappointing.

How close were hospitals to collapse in Covid?

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:06:04 GMT

The Covid inquiry restarts its live hearings this week, after senior staff in the NHS revealed just how close some hospitals were to collapse

Rise of vaccine distrust - why more of us are questioning jabs

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:01:55 GMT

Confidence in all types of vaccination has taken a hit. The question is why, and what can be done about it?

'My first cervical screening was over before I knew it'

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 01:06:51 GMT

The BBC speaks to six people about their first cervical screening, and what they wish they'd known beforehand.

What is assisted dying and how could the law change?

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 11:40:08 GMT

MPs backed a proposal to let terminally ill people in England and Wales choose to end their life.

Puberty blockers: Can a drug trial solve one of medicine's most controversial debates?

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:43:50 GMT

The government has pledged to determine the evidence - and establish whether the benefits outweigh any potential harms of prescribing puberty blockers to children questioning their gender

Paris: Grassroots to Glory

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 05:01:00 GMT

The Paralympic Rowing Cox will compete a year after getting the all clear from cancer.

Starmer denies breaking Covid rules with voice coach

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 23:17:50 GMT

Leonie Miller was invited to coach the then-opposition leader on his response to Johnson's Brexit deal.

Paris: Grassroots to Glory

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 09:43:25 GMT

The Rugby 7s player has struggled with body image in the past, but says sport has helped

Obesity label is medically flawed, says global report

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 14:01:40 GMT

There is a risk too many people are being diagnosed as obese, with weight-loss drugs in high demand.

Covid inquiry: The UK pandemic in numbers

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 12:18:18 GMT

Explore the data on how the coronavirus pandemic unfolded in the UK.

Are weight-loss injections the answer to obesity?

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 00:52:45 GMT

The appeal is clear - but should we be turning to appetite-suppressing injections?

‘I grieve for the person I was before' - Covid inquiry to begin new phase

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 01:13:17 GMT

The Covid inquiry opens its next set of hearings on Monday, looking at the impact on healthcare and the NHS.

Covid ambulance crews faced 'crucial PPE delays'

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:39:04 GMT

Crews say they faced crucial delays trying to save dying patients because of the time it took to put on equipment.

Assisted dying bill: What is in proposed law?

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:30:26 GMT

The proposed law would allow some terminally ill adults to end their own lives. But there are requirements.

Why we might never know the truth about ultra-processed foods

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 23:33:23 GMT

Experts can’t agree how exactly they affect us and it’s not clear that science will give us an answer.

How do weight loss drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy work?

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 10:20:45 GMT

NHS experts report unprecedented demand for the new generation of obesity treatments.

'Life-changing' tablet for dust mite allergies

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 06:15:10 GMT

The National Institute for Healthcare and Care Excellence backs a tablet for dust mite allergies.

Families failed by Covid jabs tell inquiry of pain

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:39:40 GMT

They said there was no support after the death and harm suffered by their loved ones.

Celebrity butt-lift injector who left women with sepsis exposed by BBC

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 06:03:06 GMT

Ricky Sawyer gave out medication illegally and some of his clients needed emergency hospital treatment.

Can health secretary name NHS trusts performing well?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 09:09:11 GMT

Victoria Atkins is challenged to name some health trusts meeting their targets to cut waiting lists.

Top supermarkets running 'prohibited' tobacco ads

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 00:51:57 GMT

Trading Standards says adverts for heated tobacco products are banned, but some supermarkets disagree.

'No dignity in this', say staff on stretched A&E

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 19:35:27 GMT

While the number of patients with flu are declining, a cold snap has again placed nurses under extreme stress.

Blow for Reeves as AstraZeneca ditches £450m investment

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 17:09:45 GMT

The drugs giant blames "protracted" talks with the government as well as differences over funding.

Corruption review finds 'red flags' in more than 130 Covid contracts

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:04:10 GMT

An anti-corruption charity finds significant concerns in £15.3bn worth of contracts awarded during the pandemic.

Weight-loss jab checks to be tightened by pharmacies

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 00:38:06 GMT

Online pharmacies will no longer be allowed to use customer pictures or questionnaires as evidence.

Child mental health crisis: Better resilience is the solution, say experts

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 02:50:13 GMT

The surge in mental health referrals among young people has prompted debate among experts about the cause - and the most effective solution

Nurses bore the brunt of Covid, ex-chief nurse says

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 15:58:13 GMT

Dame Ruth May tells the Covid inquiry nurses struggled with low staffing levels and difficulties accessing protective equipment.

How Dame Deborah James helped save a mum's life

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 09:06:52 GMT

A mother-of-three shared her story with Dame Deborah's mother Heather on BBC Breakfast.

Warning tax rises could force care homes to close

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:50:35 GMT

Social care providers say the sector is in "unprecedented danger" without more funding.

NHS needs better plan around weight loss jabs, warn experts

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 07:27:18 GMT

Experts call for an urgent review of obesity treatment services amid booming demand for weight loss jabs.

Treat eating disorders as an emergency, MPs urge

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:55:46 GMT

The alarming rise in disorders such as anorexia and bulimia is now an emergency, a cross-party group says.

NHS to offer 'groundbreaking' sickle cell gene therapy

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 01:21:20 GMT

The gene therapy Casgevy, which will now be offered to some patients in England, could help people live disease-free, experts say.

Large UK-wide pandemic preparedness tests planned this year

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 16:36:01 GMT

The stress test will involve thousands of people to help the UK prepare for potential future threats.

Weight-loss drugs may boost health in many ways

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:01:04 GMT

New weight-loss drugs have broad health benefits but also come with risks, researchers warn.

How will weight-loss drugs change our relationship with food?

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 03:10:13 GMT

The rise of these treatments has major implications for how we think about obesity, says James Gallagher.

High-grade masks evidence weak, Covid inquiry told

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 11:39:28 GMT

UKHSA's Prof Susan Hopkins said respirator masks may have worked no better than thin surgical masks.

Covid was like a daily terror attack, doctor tells inquiry

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:06:37 GMT

Covid inquiry hears harrowing testimony from ex-adviser in emergency preparedness at NHS England.

Hair loss drug finasteride 'biggest mistake of my life'

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:57:21 GMT

Some online sites prescribe a potentially risky hair loss drug without consistent safety checks, BBC finds.

Ointment appeal for disabled teen on 'last tube'

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 10:36:43 GMT

George Rabbett-Smith's mum criticises online sellers for inflating the discontinued product's price.

Letby did not murder babies, medical experts claim

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 13:38:49 GMT

Former nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to murder seven others.

Killer evaded medication over needle fear, report says

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 07:00:53 GMT

Valdo Calocane was given a hospital order for killing Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar in 2023.

Vaping clinic for children begins seeing patients

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 14:08:07 GMT

The service in Alder Hey Childrens' Hospital aims to get 11 to 16-year-olds "nicotine free".

How does the Covid inquiry work?

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:58:17 GMT

The inquiry has heard from politicians, civil servants, public health experts and bereaved families.

Covid inquiry told of trust do-not-resuscitate rule

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 16:54:11 GMT

Patients' families were “horrified but not surprised” when told the blanket policy had been in place.

How are the vaping rules changing?

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:06:32 GMT

Marketing rules will be stricter, nicotine vapes will be taxed and disposable vapes will be banned.

Major breast cancer screening AI trial to begin

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 01:55:03 GMT

Almost 700,000 women to be recruited to study as government fires starting gun on cancer strategy.

The junior doctors' strikes may be over. But is trouble ahead?

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 00:43:02 GMT

The end of the pay dispute sounded too good to be true. And now some are wondering if it might be.

Covid inquiry rejects clinicians’ anonymity plea

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:11:07 GMT

The UK Health Security Agency argued naming the junior officials could put them at risk of abuse.

'I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 23:36:30 GMT

People living with alopecia could have access to treatment on the NHS in Scotland for the first time.