Nhs

Samantha Niblett highlighted government’s multi-billion-pound deals with Microsoft and ‘getting locked in’ Microsoft has “ripped off the NHS”, it was alleged in parliament on Wednesday, as MPs called on ministers to divert more of the government’s multibillion-pound computing budget away from US technology companies and towards British alternatives. The Seattle-based firm’s UK government contracts include … Read more

Nearly two-thirds of ‘prevention of future deaths’ reports by coroners are not acted upon, say researchers at King’s College London The advice given by coroners in England and Wales to help prevent maternal deaths is not being acted upon, research suggests. Academics at King’s College London looked at prevention of future deaths (PFD) reports issued … Read more

Public accounts committee finds Labour’s progress ‘appears to have stalled’ despite billions of pounds in investment The NHS has failed to cut waiting times as promised in its recovery plan despite billions of pounds in investment, the public accounts committee (PAC) has warned. The influential parliamentary committee’s verdict raises serious doubts over whether Labour can … Read more

Exclusive: Move could cause huge disruption and present ministers with major new headache Hospital consultants are gearing up to join resident doctors in striking over pay in a move that could cause huge disruption for the NHS and present ministers with a major new headache. In addition, resident doctors – who will tomorrow embark on … Read more

Nuffield Health to close London hospital after anticipated demand for private care fails to materialise An NHS trust is taking over a state-of-the-art hospital from a leading private healthcare group after it failed to attract enough paying patients to use it. Barts Health trust in London will turn Nuffield Health’s facility into a dedicated NHS … Read more

Exclusive: Health secretary and NHS England chief warn of winter pressures and rising levels of abuse An “ugly” racism reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s has become worryingly commonplace again in modern Britain and NHS staff are bearing the brunt of it, Wes Streeting has warned. Incidents of verbal and physical abuse based on people’s … Read more

Experts welcome the addition but urge the health service to improve awareness of checks in the first place NHS health checks are to include questions about the menopause for the first time, ministers have announced, with millions of women in England expected to benefit. Adults aged from 40 to 74 who do not have a … Read more

Katie Mitchell had procedure at 15 after being diagnosed with Eisenmenger syndrome, a rare congenital disease At the age of 15, medics feared Katie Mitchell was coming to the end of her life after suffering irreversible lung damage and heart failure from a rare congenital disease. But she defied the odds thanks to a heart … Read more

Union accuses hospital group of ‘institutional racism’ as cleaners and porters get lower pay than colleagues Hundreds of NHS hospital workers have voted for strike action after claims that they have lost more than £36m in pay and pension contributions over the last four years. More than 330 low-paid workers, mainly cleaners, caterers and porters, … Read more