RECENT NEWS

The health and social care system remains fragmented and under severe strain as it prepares for a major shift from hospital to community care, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has warned in its annual State of Care report.

A fifth (19%) of all UK cancer doctors are forecast to retire within 5 years. But this rises to over a quarter (27%) for cancer doctors who specialise in treating breast tumours – the highest of any cancer site (part of the body where the cancer first started to grow) – putting patient care at risk for one of the most common cancers.

Sir Julian Hartley is stepping down as Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) with immediate effect. Dr Arun Chopra, Chief Inspector of Mental Health, is planned to assume the role of Interim Chief Executive until a permanent successor is appointed.

A new international study led by University of Galway has found that entering menopause at an earlier age is associated with an increased risk of dementia. The research also showed that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause appears to be associated with a reduced risk of dementia.

The largest artificial intelligence (AI) trial of its kind globally in healthcare, involving more than 30,000 NHS workers, has shown how new technology could generate unprecedented time savings for NHS staff and lead to better care for patients, in a major productivity drive.

InnoScot Health’s next free webinar will champion a vital initiative that is supporting the entrepreneurial activity of more and more NHS Scotland clinicians while laying the foundations for an increasingly innovation-driven health service.

CPI has unveiled the latest reports from its MedTech Accelerator: Rapid Regulatory Support (MARRS) fund programme. Building on previous research, the reports show how stronger collaboration across industry, government, academia, and the NHS can unlock the potential of key UK MedTech sectors and accelerate innovation for the benefit of patients.

One in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections causing common infections in people worldwide in 2023 were resistant to antibiotic treatments, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report.

Chandra Mohan, an international expert and pioneer in lupus research at the University of Houston, ireports that urine samples can indicate lupus nephritis in a non-invasive manner, without the need for repeat and painful renal biopsies.

Clocking up at least 4000 daily steps on just 1 or 2 days per week is linked to a lower risk of death and cardiovascular disease among older women, finds research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

​Around 1,000 people at risk of HIV will be offered a new long-acting injection on the NHS if they cannot have pills to protect them from the virus.

A clinical trial of a new electronic eye implant has seen remarkable results. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed 84% of participants were able to read letters, numbers and words using prosthetic vision through an eye that had previously lost its sight due to the untreatable progressive eye condition, geographic atrophy with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has announced that all paying AfPP members will now automatically receive digital access to the Standards & Recommendations for Safe Perioperative Practice as part of their membership.

Intuitive, a global technology leader in minimally invasive care and the pioneer of robotic-assisted surgery, has opened its new UK & Ireland headquarters which includes the UK’s largest da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) training centre.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) is urging agency nurses to get involved in an independent review to ensure nurses working on temporary assignments, so essential to patient care in NHS, can speak up without fear, and that their views are listened to, respected and acted upon more in the health service.

The Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre has welcomed the first people to donate their stem cells for lifesaving transplants and medical research. Creating 1,300 new donation slots a year, the centre will help more people across the UK donate their cells to patients in need, giving them more time with their loved ones.

Healthcare skills experts Skills for Health have launched an innovative new eLearning course to support compliance with the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, more commonly known as Martyn’s Law. The AI-powered Threat Awareness course provides a scenario-led, interactive user experience that is tailored specifically to healthcare settings, including hospitals and clinics.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has successfully gone live with System C’s CareFlow Electronic Patient Record (EPR), a significant step forward in its landmark digital transformation programme.

Wassenburg Medical UK has announced its exclusive partnership for the full UV Smart range of UV-C disinfection systems, designed for the high-level disinfection of ENT scopes and ultrasound probes. This strengthened collaboration follows the recent transfer of the UV Smart D60 from Pentax to Wassenburg, completing the UK portfolio of innovative, chemical-free disinfection technology.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has published a full write-up of the findings from its national next generation campaign survey of resident doctors, revealing deep concerns about the quality and experience of postgraduate medical training in the UK. The RCP survey results paint a stark picture of training being delivered in an environment of rota gaps, relentless service pressures and widespread burnout.