BBC News
BBC News - Health
Union and government to restart talks on ending doctor dispute
Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:03:52 GMT
BMA says there is window of opportunity in coming weeks to reach a settlement after 12 strikes.
The doctor strike has ended - what comes next?
Wed, 30 Jul 2025 06:02:02 GMT
With doctors returning to work after five-day walkout, is there an opportunity for talks to re-start?
Hundreds of GPs tell BBC they have never refused a fit note for mental health concerns
Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:21:42 GMT
The number of fit notes issued has been rising, with more than 11.2m approved in England last year.
Woman with rare blood feels 'honoured' to donate
Fri, 13 Mar 2026 06:22:13 GMT
A woman whose blood is so rare that it is frozen for up to three decades feels "very special".
Firm assessing Covid vaccine harm replaced after costs spiral to £48m
Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:55:44 GMT
The figure paid to Crawford & Company Adjusters is eight times the original estimate for the work.
AI toys for children misread emotions and respond inappropriately, researchers warn
Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:10:53 GMT
In first study of its kind, Cambridge researchers found AI toys could misread some children's emotions.
'I have four months left to preserve my fertility'
Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:40:15 GMT
Iona Hall is freezing her eggs after surgery for endometriosis left her reserves "critically low".
Dentists return £900m for not seeing NHS patients
Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:12:08 GMT
Sum represents £1 out of every £7 they have been given by NHS as dentists opt to chase private work.
NHS England pauses new prescriptions of cross-sex hormones for under-18s
Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:39:36 GMT
The health service said young people who already receive the drugs will continue to do so.
'My son can now enjoy life': Children with severe form of epilepsy helped by new drug
Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:06:19 GMT
Families say the groundbreaking medicine is transforming the lives of children with Dravet syndrome.
Inside Health
Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:00:00 GMT
The new wave of ME research that could bring clarity to this perplexing condition.
One-off £2,000 grant gives care leavers head start, study finds
Mon, 16 Mar 2026 01:13:30 GMT
Participants were less likely to become homeless or spend time in hospital or prison, researchers say.
Fears of two-tier health system as more turn to private care, says watchdog
Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:35:08 GMT
The patient watchdog warns of two-tier service as polling shows numbers paying for care is on the rise.
Doctors' union agrees to resume talks with Streeting
Wed, 30 Jul 2025 21:03:16 GMT
But the health secretary says he will not negotiate on pay, adding that the union has lost goodwill with their five-day walkout.
Pregnant women's brains shed grey matter to prime them for motherhood, study suggests
Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:05:45 GMT
It is time to move beyond the “baby brain” cliche, say scientists who scanned dozens of women’s brains.
Charity hopes new HQ can bring people together
Fri, 06 Mar 2026 06:12:24 GMT
Health Connections is to renovate six floors of its new base as spaces for people to come together.
NHS tracker - are hospital waiting times improving near you?
Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:02:58 GMT
Use our interactive tracker to see if treatment waits are getting better at your local hospital.
Women with endometriosis face 'systemic misogyny'
Mon, 16 Mar 2026 06:17:12 GMT
Women share their experiences of living with endometriosis so the condition can be better understood.
Taking collagen keeps skin more elastic but won't stop wrinkles, say scientists
Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:11 GMT
The new review brings together the strongest evidence to date on collagen supplementation, say experts.
Sunbed ads spreading harmful misinformation to young people
Wed, 11 Feb 2026 06:05:19 GMT
Hundreds of TikTok, Instagram and Facebook ads made misleading claims about health benefits, BBC finds.
Covid inquiry chair defends £200m cost and four-year process on final day
Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:04:55 GMT
Baroness Heather Hallett said completing the hearings in under four years was an achievement but critics have questioned its cost.
Could weight-loss jabs be behind rising gallbladder removals?
Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:03:39 GMT
Last year, there was a 15% annual increase in the operations and surgeons want more research.
Couple to re-start trek around Britain's coastline
Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:26:52 GMT
After having to halt their first attempt due to an injury, the couple are ready to set off again.
Why are fewer people donating their organs?
Mon, 09 Feb 2026 06:21:27 GMT
The number waiting for an organ is at a record high as loved ones increasingly block donations.
Prostate cancer screening: What you need to know
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:47:11 GMT
Everything you need to know about the decision on who should be screened for prostate cancer.
Inside Health
Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT
James visits Hackney, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.
The teenage caffeine pouch trend troubling US experts
Fri, 01 Aug 2025 00:06:06 GMT
Some social media influencers are pushing products to young gym-goers and students, health experts warn.
'I'm still haunted that he died alone': The last voices of the Covid inquiry
Fri, 06 Mar 2026 04:52:33 GMT
Bereaved families have the final say as the Covid inquiry completes three years of public hearings.
What are the signs of meningitis, and how does it spread?
Mon, 16 Mar 2026 17:09:03 GMT
BBC Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes explains the signs to look out for.
GPs told to guarantee same-day appointments for urgent cases
Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:05:58 GMT
New contract will require patients in England to be given immediate appointment if needed.
Woman found out she had terminal brain cancer after suitcase fell on her head
Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:53:09 GMT
Lauren Macpherson was travelling home from a festival in London when her life changed forever.
What are the symptoms of meningitis and is there a vaccine?
Mon, 16 Mar 2026 17:58:38 GMT
Two people have died following an outbreak of meningitis, including one student at the University of Kent.
First British baby born using transplanted womb from dead donor
Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:39:50 GMT
Grace Bell, who was born without a viable womb, says her little boy is "simply a miracle".
'My hotel bill is £12,000': British holidaymakers stranded by Iran war
Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:56:07 GMT
Flights are restricted due to the conflict leaving people stuck running up bills for rooms and food.
Mother given wrong antibiotics died from sepsis
Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:11:12 GMT
Bank cashier Aleisha Rochester died two weeks after undergoing a routine procedure to remove an abscess.
Sleep, exercise, hydrate - do we really need to stick to recommended daily doses?
Sat, 26 Jul 2025 00:08:06 GMT
As a study casts doubt on the daily steps maxim, we take a look at some other health benchmarks we’re often told to strive for.
What does 'quiet resilience' look like?
Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:10:03 GMT
Kimberley Wilson talks to psychologist and therapist Dr Sula Windgassen on how to build "quiet" or "flexible" resilience.
Alternative to HRT for menopausal hot flushes now on NHS
Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:54:56 GMT
The non-hormonal daily pill could benefit 500,000 women for whom HRT is not suitable.
Furlough not perfect but prevented mass unemployment, Sunak says
Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:06:00 GMT
The former PM, who was chancellor during the crisis, says there was no "playbook" of how to respond to the pandemic.
Sculpting jaws, giving scores: Inside the world of looksmaxxing
Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:01:21 GMT
Growing numbers of young men are going to great lengths to achieve what they see as the perfect face.
'It was like buying groceries' - Woman calls for tighter weight-loss jabs checks
Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:05:01 GMT
Emma Dyer says she collapsed on her bathroom floor and began vomiting blood after buying jabs online.
Uni student among two dead in Kent meningitis outbreak
Sun, 15 Mar 2026 21:50:56 GMT
Eleven people in the Canterbury area are also seriously ill in hospital, the BBC understands.
Mental health chat encouraged at coffee mornings
Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:48:39 GMT
Three coffee mornings are being held in Wolverhampton as part of a national mental health event.
Why are resident doctors striking and how much are they paid?
Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:06:44 GMT
Resident doctors in England are striking between 17 and 22 December, the 14th walkout since 2023.
How to check whether you have bowel cancer
Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:49:43 GMT
What are the main symptoms and causes of bowel cancer, and how can you reduce your risk of getting it?
What is the UK Covid inquiry and how does it work?
Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:32:48 GMT
The inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic has published two reports with eight more to follow.
Sperm swim more quickly in summer, study finds
Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:18:08 GMT
Understanding the seasonal patterns of sperm could improve fertility treatments, by optimising the timing of treatment, the reasearchers say.
Relying on drugs to stop obesity would be 'societal failure', says Chris Whitty
Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:00:32 GMT
England's top doctor says the drugs should be for a minority and more effort is needed to prevent obesity in the first place.
'I'm in constant pain after vaginal mesh surgery'
Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:12 GMT
Susan McLarnon travelled to Downing Street later to call for "urgent action" to be taken on redress for those harmed by pelvic mesh implants.
What is chickenpox and who can get an NHS vaccine?
Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:31:12 GMT
The standard NHS childhood vaccination programme will include chickenpox from 2 January 2026.
'My daughter died in her sleep, with no warning'
Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:35:42 GMT
Jo-Ann Burns says her daughter Nicola wasn't told about Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy.
GPs tell BBC they've NEVER refused sick note for mental health
Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:15:40 GMT
BBC News sent a questionnaire to more than 5,000 GPs in England.
Inside Health
Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT
James investigates penis fillers, where hyaluronic acid is injected to increase girth.
The family donating kidneys to their siblings
Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:40:47 GMT
"When people say to you, 'what have you done in your life?' I can say I've saved someone's life."
How I proved hair loss and dizziness aren't just symptoms of 'being a mum'
Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:28:46 GMT
Iron deficiency is a relatively common problem, especially in women. Here's how to spot the symptoms.
Maternity inquiry chair named in government U-turn
Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:51:37 GMT
Donna Ockenden is appointed to lead the maternity services inquiry at Leeds hospitals.
Proton beam hope for asbestos cancer patients
Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:04:41 GMT
Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer linked to asbestos, but a trial hopes to prolong patient lives.
BBC investigation finds 50,000 people waited over 24 hours in A&E corridor care
Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:27:59 GMT
Known as "corridor care", patients are lining up on trolleys or sitting on chairs due to a lack of beds.
Police probe breast cancer treatment allegations
Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:22:14 GMT
The inquiry is being held over concerns of poor care at the County Durham and Darlington trust.
Alternative to HRT for menopausal hot flushes now on NHS
Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:54:56 GMT
The non-hormonal daily pill could benefit 500,000 women for whom HRT is not suitable.
Inside Health
Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:00:00 GMT
James Gallagher is joined by a panel to explore the side effects of weight loss drugs.
Endometriosis study aims for safer diagnosis
Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:18:24 GMT
Researchers in Worcestershire are using electrodes as a non-invasive diagnosis tool.
