RECENT NEWS

As demand for eye care in England continues to rise sharply, outpacing the capacity of hospital eye services and leading to delays in treatment and avoidable sight loss, The College of Optometrists is calling on local commissioners to universally commission and fund community minor and urgent eye care services across all regions in England.

A new report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has laid bare the crisis in children’s community health services. New analysis from RCPCH shows that, as of March 2025, there are over 314,000 children waiting for essential community health services. This figure represents a 5% rise from February to March and means a further 16,000 children are waiting for vital treatment.

Research by the Alliance for Heart Failure has revealed that the majority of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) in England are not delivering NT-proBNP blood tests, a crucial diagnostic for heart failure. Last September, Freedom of Information requests were sent to 213 Trusts with 146 responses received. Only six NHS Trusts responded saying they provided access to NT-proBNP testing in CDCs, with the majority reporting that either they didn’t provide access or did not hold the relevant data.

NHS Lothian and InnoScot Health have united to support the environmental ambitions behind newly designed scrubs that enable partners to provide vital skin-to-skin contact with their newborns after a caesarean section.

​Thousands of gonorrhoea cases could be prevented over the next decade thanks to the NHS’ world-first vaccination programme against the infection.

A research programme by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has identified fragments of West Nile Virus (WNV) genetic material in mosquitoes collected in Britain for the first time.

A new World Health Organization Pandemic Agreement has been adopted by the UK. The deal marks a significant step forward in stronger domestic and global prevention by improving the way countries around the world work together to detect and combat pandemic threats.

The NHS University Hospitals of the North Midlands, home to one of the UK’s leading stroke units, has announced the acute stroke team at the Royal Stoke Hospital has been recognised nationally for their exceptional work in thrombosis prevention. The team has been named winner in the category: Excellent Quality Improvement Programme that Advanced Practice in Thrombosis Prevention or Management.

A national survey reveals that while children and young people report positive experiences of being involved in decisions about their healthcare, there is a clear need for better emotional support and more effective responses to concerns raised during hospital stays.

New research has uncovered the tough decisions NHS leaders are making to balance their books and protect patient care. Researchers from The King’s Fund health and care charity spoke in detail to NHS leaders in England to understand the decisions being driven by tight finances.

Warwick SASCo has announced that the company has been acquired by Karnell Group AB (Sweden). Darby Booth, who will continue as Managing Director under the new ownership, said the investment is good news for the future growth and longevity of the business.

The Government has announced that failing Trust leaders will have annual pay rises docked under tough new measures aimed at improving NHS performance and driving progress on cutting waiting lists. Bonuses of up to 10% will also be on offer for top performers under the new ‘carrot and stick’ approach.

A Shropshire-based global leader in the manufacture of hygiene and decontamination products has made a top-level appointment aimed at maximising its international expansion potential.

Patients are set to benefit from an exciting digital transformation in Powys, as a significant step forward is taken towards safer and more efficient prescribing and medicines administration in hospitals.

The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJAH) has rolled out a new electronic patient record (EPR) system, called Apollo, which was supplied by System C.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Results Report 2024, shows progress on global health goals, even in times of growing financial uncertainties.

The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that "tens of thousands more patients are getting crucial diagnostic scans within weeks", under the Government's Plan for Change.

The return of Scotland’s Health Research and Innovation Conference is set to mark ‘a pivotal moment in accelerating a new era of progressive thinking’ for the country’s ambitions.

Circle Health Group, the UK’s largest independent hospital operator, can today announce that it has acquired Fairfield Independent Hospital, in a deal that will add the 28 -bed facility to Circle’s existing portfolio of 52 Hospitals across the UK.

TORTUS, whose Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) was described as a "game changer" by Health Secretary Wes Streeting in a recent government announcement, has confirmed a strategic partnership with X-on Health, the largest primary care telephony provider in the UK, serving over 3,500 GP surgeries.