Hospital deficits are skewing NHS priorities

Mar 01, 2016 16:16 pm UTC| Health

NHS hospitals in England are forecasting a 2.3 billion deficit by the end of the financial year. This is a big increase from 115m in 2013-14 and 822m in 2014-15. Hospitals are calling for debt relief and bailouts. These...

Why a new vaginal ring could be a game-changer in HIV prevention

Mar 01, 2016 15:45 pm UTC| Health

The results of the two studies showing that a vaginal ring can help reduce the risk HIV infection among women is being hailed as an important HIV prevention breakthrough. Launched four years ago, the two clinical...

Poor nutrition can put children at higher risk of mental illness

Mar 01, 2016 15:16 pm UTC| Health

One in six children aged eight to 14 years in Australia report going to school or bed hungry, according to a new report by the Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP). These children are up to three times more likely...

Do over-the-counter weight-loss supplements work?

Mar 01, 2016 15:08 pm UTC| Health

The list of over-the-counter dietary and weight loss supplements is exhaustive, with the majority based on scant supporting evidence from studies conducted in humans to support their claims. Weight-loss products make up...

If you want more organs for transplant, stop asking the family's opinion

Mar 01, 2016 15:02 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health Law

Organ donation has been a hot political topic in the UK of late. Wales introduced a new rule last December that presumed that people gave permission to donate organs in the event of their death (barring a family veto),...

Why we should measure our own blood pressure

Feb 29, 2016 12:38 pm UTC| Health

My heavily pregnant wife went to see her GP last week for a routine check-up. During her appointment, the doctor measured her blood pressure and got a high reading. My wife was surprised by this and insisted that she felt...

NHS bed cuts are failing millions of mental health patients

Feb 29, 2016 12:34 pm UTC| Health

It is difficult to imagine a time when you would need your family and friends more than when you are really ill. So its probably not the best time to be separated and sent hundreds of miles away from everyone you know to a...