The NHS is urging students and parents of young children to get themselves and their loved ones protected against meningitis ahead of an expected surge in cases that typically follow the start of the academic year. Gold Medal-winning Paralympian, Aaron Phipps MBE, who lost his limbs due to the potentially debilitating disease aged 15, is […]

Around 3.8 million people were in contact with NHS mental health, learning disability and autism services over the last year, up almost two fifths compared to before the pandemic. New NHS figures published today show that 3,790,826 people were in contact with services during 2023-24, compared to 2,726,721 in 2018/19. This includes more than one […]

New NHS data shows there have been 1.2 million more accident and emergency (A&E) attendances so far this year compared to the same period before the pandemic, as the NHS ramps up its preparations for winter. The huge pressure on services saw many patients waiting too long for care, with four-hour performance remaining below the […]

Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in residential special schools and colleges across England are to be offered free NHS eyesight, hearing and dental checks. Autistic children and young people and those with a learning disability are often more likely to experience eyesight, hearing and dental problems than their peers and […]

Hundreds of babies have begun to be tested for over 200 rare genetic conditions as part of a world-leading study in NHS hospitals that aims to screen up to 100,000 newborns in England. The pioneering study aims to identify conditions such as metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) in babies sooner, and could enable hundreds to benefit from […]

The rollout of COVID and flu vaccines for older adults, care home residents and those with long term health conditions kicks off today (Thursday 3 October) as the NHS drive to protect against a ‘tripledemic’ of viruses this winter continues. Those eligible have been able to book appointments since Monday 23 September and with hundreds […]

Tens of thousands of children and eligible adults living with type 1 diabetes across England are set to receive an ‘artificial pancreas’ thanks to cost-effective deals secured by the NHS with suppliers of the technology. These groundbreaking devices continually monitor the individual’s glucose levels and then automatically adjust the amount of insulin given to them […]

Around one in eight children aged between two and 10 in England are obese, an NHS survey published today found. New statistics show around one in seven children (15%) aged between two and 15 were obese in 2022 – similar to 2019 (16%). Obesity rates in 2022 were 12% among those aged between two and 10, […]

This National Patient Safety Alert has been issued by the NHS England National Patient Safety team, endorsed by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives and Royal College of Anaesthetists, instructing all relevant NHS funded maternity care providers to cease pre-preparing oxytocin infusions at ward level in all clinical areas. All […]

Millions of people in England can book flu and COVID-19 vaccinations from today (Monday, 23 September) as the NHS rolls out additional protection for those most at risk ahead of winter. Anyone eligible can book their vaccinations from 9am via the NHS website, by downloading the NHS App, or by calling 119 for free if they […]

Searches for NHS advice on laryngeal cancer saw an increase of 1277% following Jamie Theakston’s cancer diagnosis announcement – that’s one visit every 16 seconds across the two days since his Instagram post. Earlier this week, radio presenter Jamie said: “I have cancer… But cancer doesn’t have me! The prognosis is very positive and I’m hoping to […]

NHS patients with an aggressive form of blood cancer are to benefit from a life-extending daily tablet after the health service became Europe’s first to routinely commission the treatment. The new targeted treatment, quizartinib, can now be prescribed to newly-diagnosed patients with a specific type of leukaemia, boosting their chance of remission and long-term survival. […]

Parents are being urged to get their children vaccinated as new NHS figures show nearly one in six had not received both doses of the MMR vaccine by the age of five. Two doses of the vaccine give long-term protection against measles, mumps and rubella, which can cause serious illness and complications such as blindness and meningitis. The latest […]

The NHS is upgrading its 24-hour live data centres to manage demand, strengthening same day emergency care and offering more falls services for older people, as part of actions set out today to prepare for this winter. NHS chiefs have warned urgent and emergency care services are likely to come under “significant pressure” and many […]

Over 1 million parents and carers of 2 and 3-year-olds will be urged to book their children in for a flu vaccine from next week, as the NHS ramps up its preparations for winter. The NHS is sending invitations to the group from Tuesday (17 September), after the jab offer for pregnant women and school […]

The NHS has experienced the busiest summer ever for accident and emergency (A&E) departments in England, new figures reveal today with NHS staff managing 6.8 million attendances in three months. As the NHS prepares for what is expected to be a challenging winter period, today’s latest performance data shows there was record demand at A&Es […]

National running events like the London Marathon and Great North Run inspire thousands of armchair viewers to get healthy, according to new figures released by the NHS today. Visits to the NHS couch to 5K webpage are expected to rise significantly this weekend as the Great North Run takes place in Newcastle. Analysis by NHS […]

The chief executive of the NHS has signed a public pledge to people in the armed forces and their families to ensure they get the support they need from local health services. Amanda Pritchard signed the Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of NHS England at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea yesterday (Thursday 5 September 2024). […]

Today, the NHS has announced its 2024 NHS Parliamentary Awards shortlist. The shortlisted staff, who have gone above and beyond in pursuit of excellence, will now advance to the final stage of the awards. The winners in each of the ten categories will be announced at the award ceremony in Westminster on Monday, 14 October 2024. […]

NHS patients in England with a rare genetic disease that causes tumours in major organs, including the brain and spine, can now benefit from the first-ever therapy which could shrink their tumours to help them avoid high-risk surgery. In clinical trials of belzutifan, 95% of patients did not experience any growth in their tumours in […]