Victoria Macdonald , Health and Social Care Editor

Pregabalin is a prescription drug used to treat epilepsy, chronic pain and anxiety. It’s regarded by the authorities as an effective treatment, but it can also cause dependency, addiction, and puts people at higher risk of overdosing on other substances – the reasons why it became more tightly regulated in 2019. Yet figures obtained by…

How concerned should we be about the rise in cases of Strep A?

Scientists have welcomed clinical trials of a new drug which could help to slow cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease. The trials show that the drug – called lecanemab – had some impact in patients with early stages of the disease, which affects some 30 million people around the world. Experts say although it’s…

Up to 100,000 nursing staff across England, Wales and Northern Ireland will take part in their biggest ever nationwide strikes over two days next month – as the Royal College of Nursing gave details of where the industrial action will take place.

The country has seen its highest Covid figures since the start of the pandemic.

There is still too little known about long Covid and particularly how it affects children.

So how have today’s announcements been received?

Waiting in A&E, waiting for routine hospital treatment and waiting for cancer care. 

What scale of disruption can patients expect when nurses go on strike this winter?

The public inquiry into the Covid pandemic has asked to see Whatsapp messages sent by Boris Johnson when he was prime minister, along with details of communications by other senior officials. The second preliminary hearing, which opened today, is aiming to find out if there were any “plainly wrongful decision making and significant errors of…

Up to 45 babies would have survived if an NHS Trust had given them better care – according to an independent inquiry. 

Before winter has even arrived the NHS in England is already coming under increased pressure with waiting lists at an all time high and critical incidents being declared at trusts across the country.

The economic chaos and rising prices are being felt in the health sector too,  where inflation is hitting medicine manufacturers.

‘You’ll never get over what we’ve been through, and we could all probably say we’re a different person to what we would have been.’  

Alongside fears over energy supplies this winter, mortgage rates are continuing to rise.