BBC News
BBC News - Health
Doctors back total ban on smacking children in England
Thu, 06 Mar 2025 11:15:51 GMT
Smacking is legal in some cases in England and Northern Ireland, but is banned in Scotland and Wales.
Ultra-processed foods may be linked to early death
Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:47:47 GMT
UPFs, such as crisps, biscuits, ice cream, hot dogs and fizzy drinks, are increasingly common in diets worldwide.
Doctor 'betrayed' over son's death at her hospital
Thu, 27 Mar 2025 17:31:46 GMT
Deborah Burns says she is unable to return to work at the hospital after the death of her son, William Hewes.
Living well with dementia
Wed, 30 Apr 2025 08:53:51 GMT
Why living with dementia can still mean living well.
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.
Prescription charges frozen in England
Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:53:54 GMT
The charge for a single item will remain at £9.90 in 2025-26, the government has announced.
Wellbeing strategy aims to increase life expectancy
Sun, 06 Apr 2025 12:20:04 GMT
A public consultation on the project by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council will run until 16 May.
Wrestling for wellbeing... at church
Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:09:06 GMT
Songs of Praise visits a church's wrestling club which helps its members' mental health.
'I fear I'll be dead before I get justice for my son'
Sat, 29 Mar 2025 09:56:44 GMT
Tony Summers' son Paul was diagnosed with HIV and Hepatitis C and died in 2008 aged 44.
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.
North Scotland among highest rates of Huntington's
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 07:59:26 GMT
The statistics are five times higher than the world figure, a University of Aberdeen study says.
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 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.
'I could live 30 years but plan to die': How assisted dying law is dividing Canadians
Fri, 04 Apr 2025 01:24:38 GMT
BBC News reports on assisted dying in Canada, where some say it's now easier to choose to die than get support to live
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.
Disposable vape use falling in UK ahead of ban
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 06:23:05 GMT
The number of people vaping in the UK has stalled, while disposable vape usage has fallen, a study suggests.
Are my braids doing more harm than good?
Sun, 30 Mar 2025 00:03:42 GMT
Research suggests the synthetic hair used for braiding could be bad for you - but will that stop women using it?
Inside Health
Tue, 25 Mar 2025 10:00:00 GMT
In the first of our mini-series we discuss who could get an assisted death under the rules
Plan for GPs to keep millions out of hospital
Thu, 17 Apr 2025 09:48:37 GMT
GPs will work more closely with specialists to support patients closer to home, the government says.
Premenstrual disorder hits relationships - study
Thu, 24 Apr 2025 05:10:14 GMT
PMDD sufferers expressed a lower sense of intimacy, researchers at Durham University say.
'Why I want an IVF baby to screen out gene that made me go blind'
Sun, 20 Apr 2025 00:04:43 GMT
Blind influencer Lucy Edwards on choosing IVF which will screen out the gene that made her who she is.
Morning-after pill to be made free at pharmacies in England
Sun, 30 Mar 2025 14:58:18 GMT
The government hopes the move will end the "unfair postcode lottery" some women face.
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.
New device gives female patients more dignity
Sun, 06 Apr 2025 14:17:36 GMT
A urinary bottle initially designed for men has been adapted to work for women in hospital.
Milkshakes and lattes could be covered by sugar tax
Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:09:02 GMT
The tax would be applied to manufacturers of milk-based drinks and dairy-based substitutes, under the plans.
Hancock criticises 'wholly naive' Covid inquiry
Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:14:53 GMT
The former health secretary was giving evidence about medical equipment deals during the pandemic.
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.
Mone accuses Covid inquiry of 'cover-up'
Thu, 13 Mar 2025 19:10:36 GMT
She says husband Doug Barrowman and her are targets of a "politically motivated witch hunt".
Baby deaths trust claimed £2m 'good care' payments
Wed, 26 Mar 2025 06:19:57 GMT
An NHS trust criticised over a baby's death claimed money for providing good care, the BBC can reveal.
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.
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.
WHO agrees legally binding pandemic treaty
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:40:46 GMT
The agreement is designed to ensure more cooperation between nations in the event of another pandemic.
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.
Fertility patients sold unproven add-ons, HFEA says
Wed, 26 Mar 2025 10:25:25 GMT
Despite little proof add-ons help, many IVF clinics offer them, the UK's fertility regulator warns.
First place in British Isles set to approve right to die
Tue, 25 Feb 2025 13:02:21 GMT
Laws in the Isle of Man to let terminally ill adults end their own lives are in the last stages of debate.
GPs and sports centre join forces
Wed, 26 Mar 2025 06:01:57 GMT
A group of GP practices join up with a sports centre operator to open a new healthcare service.
Labour's plan for benefits throws up a bigger dilemma
Mon, 17 Mar 2025 06:06:29 GMT
The debate has sparked a wider dilemma about the broader purpose of welfare
NHS trust admits failures led to teenager's death
Wed, 30 Apr 2025 05:21:49 GMT
Staff were tasked with giving one-to-one care to Elise Sebastian, an inquest hears.
Michael Gove denies trying to circumvent Dyson ventilator checks
Tue, 11 Mar 2025 12:29:20 GMT
Former cabinet minister says it would be ludicrous to suggest he tried to shortcut safety checks in the pandemic.
'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.
Doctors in two end-of-life cases can be named
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 13:22:54 GMT
Those involved in caring for Isaiah Haastrup and Zainab Abbasi can be named, the Supreme Court rules.
Fake £4m Xanax drug gang boss jailed
Thu, 27 Mar 2025 16:35:28 GMT
The gang, managed from Thailand, produced 11 million pills in the West Midlands to be sold online.
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
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.
'My long Covid turned out to be terminal cancer'
Mon, 07 Apr 2025 10:39:19 GMT
Olivia Knowles noticed something "wasn't quite correct" while competing in an ironman competition.
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.
Woman 'keeled over in agony' from endometriosis
Thu, 24 Apr 2025 05:19:28 GMT
Bekki Thomas is calling for more research into the condition.
Generation K: The disturbing rise of ketamine abuse among young people
Tue, 25 Feb 2025 06:00:36 GMT
Increasing numbers of young people are using the drug, experts say. The health impacts can be catastrophic.
Inside Health
Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT
James Gallagher and the panel discuss the safeguarding implications of the proposed bill
Actor Tuppence Middleton on life with OCD
Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:00:08 GMT
Tuppence explains what it's like living with obsessive, compulsive disorder.
Male workers should be able to carry out mammograms, experts say
Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:13:22 GMT
The Society of Radiographers says allowing men to do mammograms would reduce staff shortages.
What is assisted dying and how could the law change?
Wed, 26 Mar 2025 10:17:24 GMT
MPs backed a proposal to let terminally ill people in England and Wales choose to end their life.
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.
Urgent care worse than pre-pandemic, think tank says
Sun, 27 Apr 2025 23:02:21 GMT
The Health Foundation argues that the NHS was "in distress" this winter with A&E waiting times reaching a record high.
Woman contacted by stranger on DNA site - and the truth about her birth unravelled
Sat, 05 Apr 2025 00:20:36 GMT
An NHS trust has paid compensation after a woman, now in her 70s, discovered she had been swapped at birth.
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 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.
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.
Inside Health
Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT
James Gallagher and the panel consider if an assisted death can guarantee a peaceful end.
Baby slings unsafe for hands-free feeding, charities warn
Wed, 26 Mar 2025 16:12:49 GMT
Parenting charities, including the NCT, have updated their advice saying slings and carriers are unsafe for feeding.
Charity's wellness sessions take to the road
Sun, 09 Mar 2025 13:26:58 GMT
The iCan organisation's van is offering support to "hard-to-reach" people in parts of Cumbria.
'My peanut allergy nearly killed me - now I eat them every day for breakfast'
Wed, 23 Apr 2025 23:03:24 GMT
Just a few years ago, Chris Brookes-Smith could have died from eating peanuts - but taking part in a clinical trial has changed his life.
Why men are so unhealthy - and what can be done
Sun, 06 Apr 2025 00:40:30 GMT
Men are more likely to die prematurely than women - and worse at seeking care when they need it.
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.
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?
'Dancing is so important for our wellbeing'
Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:04:34 GMT
DJ Annie Mac explains why she set up club nights that don't go on all night.
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.
California man invites BBC to witness his death as MPs debate assisted dying
Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:10:48 GMT
Wayne Hawkins believes terminally ill people should be able to die when they choose, but others in the state disagree.
Michelle Mone-linked PPE firm evidence to be heard in private
Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT
Covid inquiry says hearings into the firm, led by Michelle Mone's husband, must be held in closed session.
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.
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.
What goes on inside toddlers' brains?
Thu, 10 Apr 2025 23:13:02 GMT
A unique study is tracking the development of hundreds of babies whose parents have also been studied since birth.
Why is staying connected important for people with dementia?
Wed, 30 Apr 2025 08:54:27 GMT
Visiting a friend or relative with dementia can help reinforce relationships and bring joy.
Free sauna has become a 'real community hub'
Wed, 19 Feb 2025 09:56:37 GMT
The free-to-use sauna in Margate is built in the style of a 19th Century bathing machine.
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.
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.
Woman's eyesight saved by cutting-edge test after mystery infection
Tue, 29 Apr 2025 23:06:31 GMT
After years of suffering, a cutting-edge test diagnosed Ellie Irwin with a rare bacterial infection.
Inside Health
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT
James explores the science of a sweet tooth and then gets tips on how to brush like a pro.
'I didn't know I was pregnant until I gave birth'
Sat, 12 Apr 2025 06:07:21 GMT
Bryony had no pregnancy symptoms when she went into labour at the beauty salon she worked at.
