GPs in England have reported a rise in cases of scabies, and have warned the public not to ignore an itchy rash which could be caused by the highly contagious skin infestation. Scabies is caused by a parasitic mite which burrows under the skin and lays eggs, which causes intenseContinue Reading
Jjay69/Shutterstock Asbestos may have been banned from use in the UK since 1999 but the hazardous material continues to pose a serious danger to the population. Low levels of asbestos are naturally present in the air, water and soil, which usually doesn’t cause people to become ill. However, regular exposureContinue Reading
A surgeon working in Scotland has developed a way to remove brain tumours the size of apples through patients’ eyebrows in what is believed to be a world-first for the procedure. Consultant neurosurgeon Anastasios Giamouriadis of NHS Grampian has adapted an existing technique of keyhole surgery to remove tumours whichContinue Reading
An NHS trust will become the first ever to be tried for the corporate manslaughter of a mental health patient after being charged over the death of a 22-year-old woman. Alice Figueiredo died at Goodmayes hospital, run by North East London NHS Foundation Trust, in July 2015. Last year theContinue Reading
Vulnerable mental health patients are being traumatised, sexually assaulted and physically harmed in UK hospitals – and have even managed to escape, the safety watchdog has warned in its first major national investigation. The report by the Health Services Safety Investigation Branch (HSSIB), launched by former health secretary Steve BarclayContinue Reading
Cocaine is the second most-used drug in England. PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/ Shutterstock Deaths from drug use in England and Wales have risen by 11%, according to the latest annual data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In 2023, there were 5,448 fatalities (93 deaths per million people)Continue Reading
A new Alzheimer’s drug has been rejected for widespread use in the NHS in England after the health spending watchdog ruled it “does not currently demonstrate value for the NHS”. The new drug, called donanemab, has been rejected for use in England’s health services by the National Institute for HealthContinue Reading
With norovirus accounting for around 12,000 hospital admissions every year, news that a groundbreaking vaccine trial is set to begin has raised hopes that it could eventually help to relieve the “burden” the bug places on the NHS. At various points each winter, the NHS is forced to battle increasedContinue Reading
A new strain of Covid emerging in the UK is spreading as cases increase at a high rate, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said. Called XEC, the strain is a combination of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants. Figures from the UKHSA show that the admission rate for patientsContinue Reading
A study on an essential mineral abundant in Brazil nuts could help unlock the key to preventing the spread of triple negative breast cancer, according to research. The study, funded by Cancer Research UK, suggests that limiting the antioxidant effects of selenium, a popular ingredient of multivitamin supplements found inContinue Reading
