Health News
Pregnancy smoking test suggested
All pregnant women should be tested for smoking so that they can be given quitting advice if necessary, a health watchdog says. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
‘Touch’ affects decision making
The feel of objects around us affects decision making, say US researchers. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Brain ‘helps control cholesterol’
The amount of cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream is partly regulated by the brain, a study in mice suggests. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Brain scan ‘lie detector’ warning
Measures are needed to stop brain scans being misused by courts, insurers and employers, experts are warning. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
‘NHS lynchpins’
Are GPs up to the challenge posed by new government? This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Italian saint died of blood clot in the heart, say researchers
Researchers have used X-ray techniques to uncover the cause of death of a 700-year-old saint. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Restless legs
How one sufferer hasn’t slept well in 46 years This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Farm parents launch legal action
Lawyers representing victims of last year’s E. coli outbreak at a Surrey farm are preparing to launch a group legal action. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Facing it
The campaign aiming to help hirsute women This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Knighthood for alcohol campaigner
The head of the Royal College of Physicians, who has campaigned for measures to tackle alcohol misuse, has been knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Illicit alcohol seized in raids
Hundreds of bottles of counterfeit alcohol are seized by Trading Standards ahead of the World Cup. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Scots ‘universally unhealthy’
Unhealthy living to varying degrees is almost universal in Scotland, a study of lifestyle data suggests. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Genetic study sheds light on complex ties of Jewish heritage
Scientists shed light on Jewish heritage with an in-depth genetic study from communities across the world. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Laser pointers ‘pose eye danger’
Hand-held laser pointers can lead to permanent retinal damage if shone into the eyes, doctors warn. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
‘Slowest’ ambulance 999 response
The slowest ambulance response times to emergency calls last year were in Wales, according to figures. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
One in four people skip their lunch break, according to a survey
One in four people in the UK often works all day without taking a break, with staff shortages a key cause, a survey suggests. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Cancer drug hope for eye disorder
A cheap drug used to treat bowel cancer should also be prescribed to prevent sight loss, say UK researchers. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Meat-eating link to early periods
Girls who eat a lot of meat during childhood tend to start their periods earlier, a UK study suggests. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
SNP alcohol plans clear key vote
Government plans to tackle Scotland’s alcohol problems pass their first parliamentary hurdle. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Scrap NHS Direct, GPs suggest
Consideration should be given to scrapping NHS Direct as part of a scaling back of health spending, GPs say. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Is the sex symbol image damaging nursing?
In this week’s Scrubbing Up nurse and lawyer couple Sandy and Harry Summers say stereotypes of nurses are damaging the profession. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Smoke ban ‘cutting heart attacks’
There were 1,200 fewer hospital admissions for heart attacks in England in the year after the smoking ban was introduced, a study suggests. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
NHS car parks ‘named and shamed’
A consumer watchdog names the ‘best and worst’ NHS hospital car parks in England. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Fat or fertile?
How to tell if a standing commuter is pregnant This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Many more genes linked to autism
The largest genetic study into autism identifies many more new genes involved in the disorder. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Birth impact on learning problems
Babies born slightly early or two weeks late have a marginally raised risk of learning difficulties, a study suggests. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Public inquiry into Stafford care
There will be a full public inquiry into the scandal-hit Stafford Hospital, the government has announced. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Grandparent childcare ‘ignored’
The UK lags behind other European countries by failing to recognise the role grandparents play in childcare, a study claims. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Woman jailed over methadone dummy
An Edinburgh woman who put methadone on a baby’s dummy to stop him crying is jailed for three years. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Hospitals face readmission fines
Hospitals will face cash penalties for readmitting patients within 30 days, under new government plans. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Female force
Annie Lennox campaigns for women worldwide This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Report due on murder charge nurse
The findings of an independent inquiry started after a hospital nurse was accused of murder will be published later. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Safe support
‘Heed HIV’ football fans heading to South Africa told This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Gout drug ‘works for heart too’
A drug commonly used to treat gout can also relieve angina, experts find. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
‘Poor hygiene’ at C.diff hospital
A public inquiry into Scotland’s worst outbreak of Clostridium difficile is told of poor hygiene standards at the hospital involved. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Mother’s fight
Actress tells how child ‘helped inspire cancer battle’ This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
‘Right to live’ group targets MPs
A disability rights group is urging MPs to sign a charter against relaxing the laws on assisted dying This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Coffee’s boost ‘is an illusion’
People who drink coffee develop a tolerance to its stimulatory effects, researchers discover. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Asthma risk ‘linked to burgers’
Eating three or more burgers a week is linked to a higher risk of asthma and wheezing, research suggests. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Man ‘banned’ from using the NHS
A homeless man who became an expert at faking illness so he could stay in hospital is given a criminal ASBO. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Warning over giving babies honey
Parents are being warned not to feed honey to babies after three cases of botulism in the past year. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Parents in child alcohol warning
Parents are being warned that children under 15 should not drink alcohol, in new guidance from the chief medical officer for Wales. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Robot surgery
Doctors use a robot to assist with knee surgery This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Sextuplet babies still ‘critical’
The five surviving sextuplets born at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford remain in a “critical” condition. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
NHS to lose nearly 4,000 ‘posts’
The NHS in Scotland is forecasting it could lose the equivalent of almost 4,000 full time staff over the next year. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Cancer fund cash ‘will run out’
The government will need more money to meet promises made for its fund for cancer drugs, according to a BBC investigation. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Is the ‘male menopause’ a myth?
The “male menopause” is a myth, according to a review of evidence. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Gene test hope for cancer therapy
NHS patients are to be offered personalised cancer treatment under a pilot scheme to carry out genetic tests on tumours. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Low-dose HRT patches are ’safer’
Hormone replacement therapy may be safer when given as low-dose patches than as pills, a study suggests This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »
Flu experts ‘link’ to drug firms
Key scientists behind World Health Organization advice on stockpiling of pandemic flu drugs had financial ties with companies which stood to profit, an investigation has found. This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. »