Latest News

Have your say - join our Patient Group

Health News from the BBC and the NHS

BBC Health

End-of-life care not 'culturally competent'
A study hopes to boost the small number of black and Asian people using end-of-life care services.
Deadly Ebola outbreak 'not global threat'
But World Health Organization says it is an emergency in the Democratic Republic of Congo and needs more funding.
Listeria outbreak: Health secretary orders NHS food review
It comes as two more patients die in an outbreak linked to hospital sandwiches and salads.
Tattoo parlours pose infection risk, warn health experts
With one in five adults now having a tattoo, more should be done to protect the public, a report says.
Abortions high 'shows need for contraception access'
There were more than 200,000 abortions in England and Wales last year - the highest ever recorded.
Sussex Partnership NHS Trust fined for failing Lewes Prison inmate
Teenager Jamie Osborne took his own life on the hospital wing of Lewes Prison in 2016.
The worst places for cancer care waits revealed
Nearly three-quarters of services are failing the 62-day target. But which service has the worst record?
GP 'ghost patients' to be investigated by NHS fraud squad
Investigators will try to find out whether GPs have been claiming fees for non-existent patients.
What personalised medicine could mean for your health
Technology is making it possible to tailor treatments to ever smaller groups of patients.
Contaminated blood: What caused the NHS scandal?
The infection of up to 30,000 people with contaminated blood is one of the biggest NHS scandals.

NHS Choices Behind the Headlines

NHS Choices
Health A-Z
Symptoms, conditions, medicines, treatments and guides
Find conditions...
Cancer treatment response may be affected by gut bacteria
"Gut bacteria 'boost' cancer therapy," BBC News reports. The news comes from research into whether people...
Could a blood test in middle age predict dementia risk?
"Tissue inflammation blood test points to dementia risk," is the headline in The Times. Researchers in...
Acid reflux drugs linked to increased stomach cancer risk
"A drug commonly used to treat acid reflux is linked to a more than doubled risk of developing stomach...
Nutrient drink for Alzheimer's has disappointing result in trial
A new study investigating the effects of a nutrient drink for Alzheimer's disease has led to very different...
Marriage may help lower dementia risk
"Marriage and having close friends may help protect against dementia, according to Loughborough University...
Afternoon open heart surgery 'leads to fewer complications'
"Afternoon heart surgery has lower risk of complications, study suggests," says The Guardian. Researchers...
Report calls for better mental health support in the workplace
"Up to 300,000 people with long-term mental health problems have to leave their jobs each year, a report...
Blood-thinning drugs may reduce dementia risk in people with irregular heartbeats
"Common blood thinning drugs halve the risk of dementia for patients who have an irregular heartbeat,"...
New genetic variants associated with breast cancer identified
"Do you have one of the 180 breast cancer genes? One in five women has a variant that raises her risk...