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Millions of UK patients forced to go private amid record NHS waiting lists

Millions of patients are being forced to pay for private healthcare amid record NHS waiting lists and are having to cut spending, raid savings or get into debt to fund it, new research reveals.

One in 10 (10%) adults in the UK have turned to the private sector or independent healthcare in just the last 12 months, according to a survey commissioned by charity Engage Britain. Of those, almost two-thirds (63%) did so because they faced long delays or could not access treatment on the NHS.

The latest NHS England figures show the number of people in England waiting for routine hospital treatments has jumped to a record 6.8 million. Of those who have gone private, almost half (46%) were forced to reduce their spending in other areas, plunder savings they had been keeping for another purpose, or get into financial debt to pay for it.

Miriam Levin, health and care programme director at Engage Britain, said: “While the NHS still unites many of us with a feeling of pride, it’s clear more and more people feel forced to turn to private treatment.

“As people suffer through months of pain and discomfort after postponed appointments, or waste time and energy chasing up referrals, millions are feeling desperate enough to use savings or get into debt to help us get well again.”

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Source: The Guardian, 11 September 2022

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Millions of seniors could lose access to telehealth without deal in Congress

Millions of American seniors could lose access to telehealth appointments with their doctors if Congress fails to fund them amid a looming government shutdown, while thousands more who have been receiving high-level, acute care at home face being sent back to the hospital or discharged.

While most Medicare reimbursements to doctors and hospitals will continue in the event the government shuts down Wednesday, payments for video health care visits — which gained in popularity during the pandemic and must be separately authorised for an extension by Congress — face elimination.

Without getting paid or receiving some assurance they would be compensated retroactively, doctors and hospitals say they will be unable to provide services. Particularly for elderly people with limited mobility or transportation hurdles, telehealth has become a vital service improving their access to care, advocates say.

Losing these benefits will “exacerbate all types of problems in our health care system,” said Kyle Zebley, executive director of ATA Action, the advocacy arm of the American Telemedicine Association. “It’s going to diminish capacity at a point in time when we don’t have enough.”

More than 6.7 million seniors received care through a telehealth service visit last year, according to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which is a quarter of eligible Medicare beneficiaries. During the pandemic, the number was even higher, with 14.8 million eligible Medicare beneficiaries receiving telehealth services in 2020.

The funding cliff for the telehealth and home-hospital care programs is separate from shutdown negotiations, but both programmes are caught up waiting for congressional action. Some providers have been warning patients for months that their appointments may no longer be reimbursed, while others are remaining hopeful that Congress will come through with a last-minute funding plan. The biggest impact would be in urban and suburban areas, according to medical groups, while patients in rural areas that were eligible before the pandemic would continue to receive coverage.

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Source: Washington Post, 30 September 2025

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Millions of pounds to treat young people with eating disorders diverted elsewhere

Just 10% of money allocated to help treat young people with eating disorders reached the NHS frontline, a new analysis has revealed.

The latest data on NHS mental health spending comes amid concern the pandemic has exacerbated eating disorders in young people, sparking a rise in demand.

A report commissioned by MPs compiled by the eating disorder charity Beat, using NHS data, shows local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), who purchase NHS services on behalf of NHS England, spent just £1.1m of the £11m they were given for community eating disorder services in 2019-20.

The money was set aside by NHS England to try and tackle increasing referrals and to ensure young people could get treatment. 

Wera Hobhouse MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders, and which commissioned the work said: “Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses, and we know that early intervention and access to specialist treatment saves lives."

“NHS England has continued to allocate extra funding to clinical commissioning groups for children and young people’s community eating disorder services, but this report shows that much more needs to be done to ensure this money reaches the frontline services, particularly now as they face unprecedented numbers of referrals.”

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Source: The Independent, 11 May 2021

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Millions of people ‘could be denied weight-loss jabs due to flawed NHS guidance’

Millions of people could be denied access to treatments such as weight-loss jabs because of flawed NHS guidance, a major think tank has warned.

King’s Fund senior analyst Danielle Jefferies said Body Mass Index (BMI) measures, which are used to determine obesity levels, are primarily based on research for white European or American people.

That means they do not account for the inherited ethnic differences of people from Black, Asian, brown, dual heritage or indigenous ethnicities – differences that can mean some groups are more likely to develop some health conditions.

The 2021 census for England and Wales showed 1.3 million people listed themselves as “other” for their ethnic group, while 1.7 million people listed themselves in “mixed or multiple” categories.

Ms Jefferies said that meant the current BMI thresholds “potentially do not fully work for up to 3 million people in the UK”, meaning they could miss out on treatments because they have a lower BMI than is required for some treatments.

The warning comes as the NHS prepares to roll out access to weight-loss jab Mounjaro, to 250,000 patients a year over the next 12 years.

Access to Mounjaro is based on strict measures, including the stipulation that a person has a BMI of over 40. Other NHS treatments, such as IVF, bariatric surgery, and joint replacement surgery, are also managed based on a person’s BMI.

Currently, BMI guidelines for people from black, Asian and Middle Eastern backgrounds are lowered to account for health risks that occur at a lower BMI than for white people. But it is not clear if the same is not done for those in these mixed heritage groups.

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Source: The Independent, 18 August 2025

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Millions of patients given access to GP records under new rules

Millions of patients will be handed the power to view their own medical records and test results online after the NHS overruled opposition from the doctors’ union.

From 1 November every GP surgery in England will be contractually obliged to give all patients over the age of 16 access to their health information on their phones.

It means patients will no longer have to ring up their surgery or book a GP appointment to get details of blood test results, medications and repeat prescriptions, but instead they can access them by logging in to the NHS app.

The British Medical Association (BMA) had threatened to go to court over the plans, arguing that granting people access to their records would add to GP workloads and could put patients at risk.

However, Jacob Lant, the chief executive of the charity umbrella group National Voices, said: “Ensuring everyone has access to their own medical records through the NHS app is an important step in building a more equal partnership between patients and clinicians.

“It gives people much easier access to the information they need to prepare for appointments, and having quick access to test results can help patients manage their conditions better. Using technology in this way has the potential to help millions, and free up capacity of staff to help those who are less able to make use of digital services.”

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Source: The Times, 31 October 2023

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Millions of patients 'avoiding calls to GP' during COVID-19 pandemic

Four in ten people are not seeking help from their GP because they are afraid to be a burden on the NHS during the pandemic, polling by NHS England reveals.

The findings – from a survey of 1,000 people – are the latest in a wave of evidence that fewer people are seeking care for illnesses other than those related to coronavirus during the pandemic.

GP online reported on 20 April that data collected by the RCGP showed a 25% reduction in routine clinical activity in general practice, and figures from Public Health England (PHE) and the British Heart Foundation show that A&E attendances overall and patients going to hospital for heart attacks are down 50%.

Warnings that patients' reluctance to come forward could put them at risk come as leading charities warned that suspension of some routine GP services during the pandemic could also lead to a 'future crisis' if control of conditions such as asthma and COPD deteriorate.

Professor Carrie MacEwen, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said: 'We are very concerned that patients may not be accessing the NHS for care because they either don’t want to be a burden or because they are fearful about catching the virus.

'Everyone should know that the NHS is still open for business and it is vitally important that if people have serious conditions or concerns they seek help. This campaign is an important step in ensuring that people are encouraged to get the care they need when they need it.'

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Source: GP online, 25 April 2020

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Millions of over-50s in the UK fear they can't access healthcare

Millions of people over the age of 50 in the UK have concerns about struggling to access healthcare, according to new analysis by Age UK.

It comes as one elderly and disabled patient admitted he cannot afford to wait on hold to his GP practice for an appointment for long due to rising phone bill costs.

A new report by Age UK – It’s a Struggle to be Seen – analysed the results of a representative poll, conducted for the charity by Kantar, of 2,621 UK adults over 50, as well as its own online survey which attracted more than 17,000 responses.

The report claims less than half (48%) of people over 50 are confident their medical issue would be solved by NHS services.

Some 49% – which Age UK equates to 12.6 million people – were concerned about their ability to access their GP, while 42% were worried about access to hospital appointments.

The same proportion expressed concerns about access to emergency departments, the charity said.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “Sadly, for some older people, healthcare delayed means healthcare denied, because they do not have time on their side.

“Our new analysis highlights just how many are being subjected to distress and, in some cases, enduring pain, because of their difficulties in accessing the GP services that they need.”

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Source: Medscape. 17 June 2024

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Millions of over-50s have undiagnosed sight and hearing problems, UK study suggests

Millions of people aged 50 or over in the UK have undiagnosed sight or hearing problems, according to research, prompting calls for that age group to have checkups more regularly.

Doctors involved in the research said the findings were “deeply concerning” and warned that those affected were at risk of falls, mental ill-health and of leading socially restricted lives.

One in four people aged 50 and over – 6.7 million people – cannot see clearly out of one or both eyes, according to a pilot stage of the UK national eye health and hearing study.

And three in four older Britons – 20.3 million people – suffer from some form of hearing loss in one or both ears, according to the study, the first of its kind.

The research uncovered “widespread hidden sensory loss”, the sight and hearing experts involved in the study said, with many of those affected unaware of their condition.

Rupert Bourne, a professor of ophthalmology at Anglia Ruskin University and the study’s principal investigator, said: “These figures are deeply concerning. They show that sensory health is being overlooked, even among high-risk groups. We are missing critical opportunities to prevent avoidable sight and hearing loss.”

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Source: The Guardian, 10 October 2025

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Millions of children with rare diseases set to benefit from faster diagnosis and better treatments

A new initiative promises faster diagnoses and improved treatments for children living with rare diseases across the UK.

The KidsRare platform will provide researchers with access to data from various hospitals on young patients with rare conditions.

It is being developed by Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) and LifeArc, in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital Alliance (CHA).

Organising this information is hoped to lead to more breakthroughs in diagnosing and treating rare conditions, which are estimated to affect over three million people nationwide.

Dr Sam Barrell, chief executive of LifeArc, said: “Thousands of children are diagnosed every year with a rare disease, and the vast majority currently have little hope of a treatment, let alone a cure.

“Key to changing this stark reality is harnessing the comprehensive data we have in our amazing NHS hospitals to turbocharge research and position the UK as a global leader in rare disease research and care.

“We need to act today to transform the system for the millions of people living with a rare disease.”

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Source: The Independent, 12 February 2026

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Millions of children at risk from measles as vaccination programmes stopped during pandemic

The number of measles infections around the world could surge in the wake of coronavirus as countries are forced to suspend vaccination programmes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it fears more than 117 million children could miss out on being vaccinated against measles, which killed 140,000 people in 2018.

Officials worry that 37 countries where the deadly virus is a major threat could delay immunisation programmes, with 24 countries already suspending their efforts as attention is focused on containing and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

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Source: The Independent, 14 April 2020

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Millions of children at risk as vaccine uptake stalls

Progress in vaccinating children against a variety of life-threatening diseases has stalled in the past two decades - and even gone backwards in some countries - a new global study suggests.

The situation has been made worse by the Covid pandemic, leaving millions of children unprotected from diseases such as measles, tuberculosis and polio.

The researchers are calling for a concerted effort to provide better and more equal access to vaccines.

Child health experts warn that cuts to international aid budgets that fund vaccination programmes, combined with vaccine scepticism, are creating a "perfect storm".

The global childhood vaccination programme has been a huge success.

Since 1974, more than four billion children have been vaccinated, preventing an estimated 150 million deaths worldwide.

In nearly half a century until 2023, researchers say vaccine coverage doubled.

But since 2010 progress has stagnated, to the extent that there are now wide variations in vaccine coverage around the world.

A study, published in the medical journal The Lancet, external, says measles vaccinations have declined in nearly 100 countries.

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Source: BBC News, 25 June 2025

 

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Millions of breast cancer patients could safely avoid chemotherapy, study suggests

Millions of people with breast cancer could safely avoid chemotherapy as scientists have developed a DNA test that can distinguish between patients who are likely to benefit from the treatment and those who are not, according to trial results.

The international study found that more than two-thirds of its participants could be spared the side of effects of chemotherapy and treated with hormone therapy alone.

Chemotherapy can cause fatigue, nausea, hair loss, a weakened immune system and fertility issues.

The study, led by University College London (UCL), involved more than 4,000 newly diagnosed patients over the age of 40 in the UK, Norway, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand.

The primary treatment for breast cancer is usually surgery to remove tumours. Chemotherapy is often recommended afterwards to diminish the risk of return.

It is also regularly offered to people with early-stage breast cancer that has spread to the nearby lymph nodes.

Clinicians are concerned the treatment provides little benefit to those with the most common type of breast cancer, UCL said.

The university said more than 5,000 NHS patients a year could avoid chemotherapy as a result of the trial.

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Source: BBC News, 30 May 2026

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Millions more to have robotic surgery in NHS plan to cut waiting lists

Millions more people will have robotic surgery over the next decade under NHS plans to slash the huge waiting list for hospital treatment.

The move will mean a significant expansion in how often surgeons use robots when treating people for cancer, hysterectomies and joint replacements, as well as in medical emergencies.

The number of patients undergoing robot-assisted surgery is due to rise from 70,000 to 500,000 a year by 2035, the head of the NHS in England will announce on Wednesday.

“The NHS has pledged to return to shorter elective waiting times by 2029 and we are using every tool at our disposal to ensure patients get the best possible treatment.

“Expanding the use of new and exciting tech such as robotic surgery will play a huge part in this,” said Sir Jim Mackey, NHS England’s chief executive.

“Not only does it speed up the number of procedures the NHS can do, but it also means better outcomes, a faster recovery and shorter hospital stays for patients.”

By 2035, nine out of 10 keyhole surgery operations, in which the surgeon makes only small incisions into the patient’s body, will involve a robot, up from just one in five today. It will have become so common by then that it will be “the default” for many procedures, Mackey will say.

Evidence shows that a robot, either controlled remotely by a surgeon at a console using a 3D camera or when it has been pre-programmed, can be more precise than when a surgeon undertakes the same task and often helps the patient to recover faster and get home from hospital sooner. When surgeons control the robot, they guide the surgical instruments – which in keyhole surgery can be as tiny as 5mm – to undertake the work needed.

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Source: The Guardian, 11 June 2025

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Millions in the U.S. take this drug. Tariffs might complicate their care

Thousands of miles from a manufacturing plant in China, where the key active ingredient in heparin is sourced, Wanda Crowell receives a daily infusion of the drug in her bed at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Doctors give Crowell the inexpensive, essential anticoagulant every day, to prevent life-threatening blood clots from forming in her central line, a plastic tube inserted in her chest that delivers the nutrients she needs to live. A two-time cancer survivor, the 66-year-old has not been able to eat solid food since 2021. She also needs heparin to treat a history of blood clots.

For Crowell, there is no suitable alternative. While other patients may have options, she cannot take oral medications.

“If Wanda’s line is clotted off and we can’t get another line in, she would not get her nutrition,” said Peggy Kraus, a pharmacist on Crowell’s care team. “The drug is essential for her survival.”

The main focus of President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again tariff campaign has been high-profile industries such as steel, automobiles and consumer electronics. But on Tuesday, Trump warned that another target will soon be the wide variety of medications whose active pharmaceutical ingredients are largely made in China and India.

No one knows how big a tariff is coming or what its effect on generic drugs like heparin may be. But along the supply chain that ends at Crowell’s bedside, many are worried.

Health experts warn that the impact could be felt quickly. Tariffs could disrupt pharmaceutical supply chains, drive up costs for generic drugs and place additional strain on an already burdened healthcare system.

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Source: Washington Post, 13 April 2025

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Millions in poor health due to lack of rehab after illness, warns UK report

Millions of people in the UK are suffering poor health because they miss out on vital rehabilitation after strokes, heart attacks and cancer, which in turn is also heaping further pressure on the NHS, a damning report warns.

Physiotherapists say some groups of patients are particularly badly affected. Without access to these services, many patients desperately trying to recover from illness became “stuck in a downward spiral”, they said, with some developing other health conditions as a result.

The new report by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) says millions of people in marginalised communities, including those from ethnic minorities, are not only more likely to live shorter lives, but also spend a greater proportion of their lives struggling with health difficulties.

Vital services that could tackle those inequities are either unavailable or poorly equipped to meet their needs, the report warns, adding that “some communities face particular barriers”.

Prof Karen Middleton, the chief executive of the CSP, said: “Rehabilitation services have been under-resourced for decades and were not designed coherently in the first place. This has exacerbated poor health outcomes, particularly for people from marginalised groups.

“It’s not only the individual who suffers. Without adequate access to rehabilitation, health conditions worsen to the point where more and more pressure is eventually piled on struggling local health systems and other public services.

“We desperately need a modernised recovery and rehabilitation service that adequately supports patients following a health crisis and prevents other conditions developing.”

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Source: The Guardian, 21 September 2022

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Millions in England face ‘second pandemic’ of mental health issues

Millions of patients in England face dangerously long waits for mental health care unless ministers urgently draw up a recovery plan to tackle a “second pandemic” of depression, anxiety, psychosis and eating disorders, NHS leaders and doctors have warned.

The Covid crisis has sparked a dramatic rise in the numbers of people experiencing mental health problems, with 1.6 million waiting for specialised treatment and another 8 million who cannot get on the waiting list but would benefit from support, the heads of the NHS Confederation and the Royal College of Psychiatrists have told the Guardian.

In some parts of the country, specialist mental health services are so overwhelmed they are “bouncing back” even the most serious cases of patients at risk of suicide, self-harm and starvation to the GPs that referred them, prompting warnings from doctors that some patients will likely die as a result.

“We are moving towards a new phase of needing to ‘live with’ coronavirus but for a worrying number of people, the virus is leaving a growing legacy of poor mental health that services are not equipped to deal with adequately at present,” said Matthew Taylor, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents the whole of the healthcare system in England.

“With projections showing that 10 million people in England, including 1.5 million children and teenagers, will need new or additional support for their mental health over the next three to five years it is no wonder that health leaders have dubbed this the second pandemic. A national crisis of this scale deserves targeted and sustained attention from the government in the same way we have seen with the elective care backlog.”

One family doctor in Hertfordshire, Dr David Turner, said he was so concerned about the situation that he had chosen to speak out publicly for the first time in his 25-year career. “I and many other GPs feel the issue has become critical and it is only a matter of time before a child dies,” he told the Guardian.

Turner said access to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) was “never great pre-Covid” but was now “appalling”. The double whammy of a spike in demand and underinvestment in CAMHS was putting patients at risk, he added.

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Source: The Guardian, 21 February 2022

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Millions in compensation could be owed to women with mesh implants

Mesh implants returned to the national spotlight as Sling the Mesh campaigners appeared on Good Morning Britain to highlight the devastating impact of surgical mesh procedures—and the urgent need for compensation and systemic reform.

Campaign founder Kath Sansom was joined by Sharron Mahoney – who suffered severe autoimmune complications and chronic pain following rectopexy mesh surgery. Remarkably, Sharron’s symptoms began to clear within days of mesh removal -powerfully underscoring the direct link between these devices and the serious harm they can cause.

Sharron’s story highlights the critical work of researchers such as Nicholas Farr from Sheffield University who recently published this study showing the plastic particles of surgical mesh can trigger autoimmune diseases – even after removal.

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Millions exploited by ‘menopause gold rush’ amid lack of reliable information, say UK experts

Millions of women are being exploited by a “menopause gold rush” as companies, celebrities and influencers take advantage of a “dearth” of reliable information on the issue, experts have said.

Healthcare companies and content creators saw menopause as a “lucrative market” and were trying to profit from gaps in public knowledge, women’s health academics at UCL said.

Researchers called for the rollout of a national education programme after finding a significant number of women do not feel well-informed about menopause.

Writing in medical journal Post Reproductive Health, they said: “There has been a rapid expansion in unregulated private companies and individuals providing menopause information and support for profit; this has been termed the ‘menopause gold rush’.

“This fragmented landscape of menopause support and education leaves people vulnerable to financial exploitation, may propagate misinformation and is likely to amplify existing menopause-related health inequities.”

One woman who took part in the UK study told researchers: “Everything I know about the menopause I learnt on Instagram from other women.” Only one in five – 22% – of 1,500 women surveyed by the UCL team felt well-informed about menopause.

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Source: The Guardian, 20 October 2025

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Military to be called in to help Scottish ambulance crews

The Scottish government has asked the MoD for military assistance for the country's ambulance service.

Nicola Sturgeon said health services were dealing with the most challenging combination of circumstances in their history due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opposition politicians have highlighted a series of serious ambulance delays, including one where a man died after a 40-hour wait. They said this should not be happening in Scotland in 2021.

Ms Sturgeon said her government was looking at a range of plans to deal with the significant challenges facing the health services, with the detail of a request for military assistance being considered.

Investigations are ongoing into several cases reported in the media on Thursday, including one where a Glasgow pensioner died after a 40-hour wait for an ambulance.

The Herald newspaper reported that the family of 65-year-old Gerard Brown were told that he could have survived had help arrived sooner.

Mr Brown's GP - who is said to have repeatedly warned 999 call handlers that the patient's status was critical - was quoted as describing the crisis engulfing the Scottish Ambulance Service as being like "third world medicine".

The Scottish Ambulance Service is investigating the circumstances of the case, and said it will be "in contact with Mr Brown's family directly to apologise for the delay".

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Source: BBC News, 16 September 2021

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Military appalled by planning fiasco over NHS protective kit

Military personnel have criticised the NHS for its “appalling” handling of distributing personal protective equipment. The armed forces are helping with the distribution of equipment and staff have been seconded to help planning across seven hubs.

A senior army source lambasted the health service for its logistics for PPE, alleging that masks, aprons, gloves and other items were being assigned to hospitals without regard to relative need, leading to oversupply in some areas and shortages in others.

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Source: The Times, 22 April 2020

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Milestone 1 million Yellow Card report for suspected side effects in #MedSafetyWeek

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received its one millionth Yellow Card. The Yellow Card scheme is the UK’s system for reporting suspected side effects to medicines and adverse events with medical devices. This major milestone coincides with the launch of the 5th annual #MedSafetyWeek (2-8 November), which highlights the value of the Yellow Card scheme to the nation’s health, and the importance of reporting suspected side effects from medicines.

The MHRA has seen an increased rate of Yellow Card reports and would like to continue to encourage more reporting this #MedSafetyWeek.

MedSafetyWeek is a global campaign, with over 70 countries participating, worldwide. This year, the theme is ‘every report counts’. The MHRA will be calling upon patients and carers, as well as healthcare professionals and their organisations to report suspected side effects from medicines.

Reporting helps to identify new side effects, as well as unexpected and serious safety problems. It also adds to existing information about known effects. By reporting, patients and the public can help the safe use of medicines for everyone. 

Read press release

Source: GOV.UK, 2 November 2020

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Milburn: Hold CEOs accountable on cyber security

Trust chief executives should face stronger “personal consequences” if their organisation’s cyber security fails, according to a senior government figure.

Alan Milburn, who is the Department of Health and Social Care’s lead non-executive director, today endorsed a report that said there was “insufficient accountability or personal consequences for senior executives who fail to fulfil their responsibilities to ensure a minimum level of cyber security and resilience”.

King’s College London published the report on “building NHS resilience to ransomware”, calling for a new “cyber leadership framework” for the NHS.

The report acknowledges that resources for cyber security in the NHS are meagre, unevenly distributed and not centrally tracked. But it says that, despite this, cultural changes could make it more resilient.

It recommends more centralised and consistent standards – to be enforced by regulators – and adding a cyber security rating to existing NHS England provider league table rankings.

In a foreword to the report, Mr Milburn argues: “We need to reduce the risk, especially as we press forward with better leveraging patient data and AI.

“I very much welcome… the focus on how governance and cultural fixes can reduce the risk – rather than simply throwing more resources at the problem. There are few, if any, areas where achieving clarity of accountability and consistency matters more than in cyber security and resilience.”

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Source: HSJ, 31 March 2026

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Mike Richards to leave CQC

The chair of the Care Quality Commission is stepping down, just as the struggling regulator seeks a new chief executive.

Sir Mike Richards has been in the role for less than a year but in an announcement this lunchtime said the CQC’s turnaround “will demand a longer-term commitment as chair than I am able to make”.

The CQC was just about to go out to advert for a new CEO, following the resignation of Sir Julian Hartley last year.

Today Sir Mike said: “There is an urgent need to appoint a permanent CEO [and] after careful consideration, I believe it would be best for this appointment to be led by a new chair who can commit to providing long‑term continuity.”

Sir Mike was appointed to help recover the CQC, along with Sir Julian, after far-reaching leadership and operational failures were outlined in external reviews in 2024.

He was a chief inspector at the CQC about a decade ago and is widely respected for a range of senior national clinical leadership roles. Since 2022 he has been chair of the UK National Screening Committee and, as a former oncologist, has led work in recent years on improving diagnostics. 

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Source: HSJ, 6 February 2026

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Migrant women are charged up to £14 000 for maternity care in England, report finds

Women including refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented migrants are being charged as much as £14,000 to give birth on the NHS in England, a report by Doctors of the World (DOTW) has found.

The report, which examined inequalities in maternity care among migrant pregnant women and babies, gathered the experiences of 257 pregnant women accessing DOTW’s services from 2017 to 2021. It found that over a third (38%) who accessed its services had been charged for healthcare, often inappropriately. The women were charged £296 to £14 000, and half of them were billed over £7000.

The report said that inequalities in access to antenatal care experienced by migrant women were likely to lead to poorer outcomes for their pregnancy and the health of their children.

The evidence highlights the need for urgent action to address the inequalities experienced by migrant pregnant women and their babies. There is a pressing need for immigration status to be considered as part of the ethnic and racial health inequalities agenda and for independent action to be taken to review the impact of NHS charging policy.

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Source: BMJ, 20 June 2022

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Mifepristone: US Supreme Court delays abortion pill access decision

The US Supreme Court has extended until Friday a temporary block on limits to access of a popular abortion pill.

A Texas judge suspended approval of abortion drug mifepristone on 7 April, questioning its safety.

Parts of that decision were upheld on appeal, prompting the Biden administration to make an emergency request to the Supreme Court.

It's the most significant such case since the Supreme Court last year ended the nationwide right to abortion.

The pill - used in more than half of abortions in the US - was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more than two decades ago. 

Critics say that by overriding the FDA's approval, the court in Texas has usurped the federal health agency's remit to regulate food, medicine, and medical devices. Legal experts warn the ruling opens the door for challenges to other approved medicines in the US and could also stifle development of future drugs.

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Source: BBC News, 20 April 2023

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