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Urgent care clinics are pushing pain pills that do little to treat conditions, new study finds

Urgent care clinics are reportedly pushing pills that do little to treat patients’ medical conditions.

Researchers said that a substantial number of antibiotic, glucocorticoid, and opioid prescriptions were filled despite being deemed inappropriate given the patients' diagnoses — potentially resulting in harm.

Antibiotics are commonly used to treat infections, glucocorticoids are steroids that can treat arthritis and asthma, and opioids are prescribed to treat pain. America’s opioid epidemic, which has led to thousands of deaths, has been tied to an increase in painkiller prescriptions.

"Previous studies had shown that patients continue to receive antibiotics for diagnoses where they may not be indicated, such as for a viral respiratory infection, especially in urgent care settings,” Dr. Shirley Cohen-Mekelburg, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in a statement. “Our findings reveal that this trend of inappropriate prescribing includes other classes of drugs — including glucocorticoids — and a variety of conditions.”

The reason for these findings, they suggest, is tied to the knowledge of clinic doctors, demand from patients, and a lack of an information system to support the clinicians’ decisions.

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Source: The Independent, 23 July 2025

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UK-first scheme aims to cut cardiac arrest deaths

People calling 999 in the East of England to report a cardiac arrest will be the first in the UK to be offered live video support from advanced paramedics.

During the call, staff in the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) control room will coach them on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) via a video streaming platform.

It follows a successful trial in Denmark , externalthat improved the bystanders' hand position and the speed and depth of compressions.

Resuscitation Council UK, external said when resuscitation was attempted following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, fewer than one in 10 people survived to hospital discharge and EEAST hopes the pilot will improve survival rates.

Liam Sagi, an advanced paramedic, said survival had not "really changed in 40 years".

Starting resuscitation immediately could quadruple the chances of survival, external, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Mr Sagi said the public needed to know what to do.

"We know that less than half of the public have learnt CPR and for every minute that goes by without getting CPR, your chances of survival drop by 10%," he said.

Bystanders do not need to download an app. During the 999 calls, paramedics send a text message to them via the GoodSAM video platform.

The caller clicks on a link within that message to initiate the video while they are still on the phone. The caller and paramedic can see each other in the two-way video call.

EEAST said this allowed the paramedic to assess the situation visually and provide guidance on CPR technique until the ambulance service arrived.

The video stream will also be used to coach bystanders on how to use defibrillators correctly.

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Source: BBC News, 23 July 2025

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Many DIY health tests could give false results, studies find

Many DIY health tests available on the high street are unfit for purpose and need better regulation, according to two new studies.

Self-tests for high cholesterol, vitamin deficiency, fertility and prostate problems are widely available in supermarkets and pharmacies, with the industry predicted to be worth £655m by 2030.

But researchers at the University of Birmingham have found that many tests could give users false results and were not always appropriate or safe.

The scientists reviewed 30 DIY health tests costing £1.89-£39.99, covering 19 different health conditions. These included vitamin D deficiency, blood sugar levels, thyroid function, prostate health, HIV, menopause and bowel cancer.

The two linked studies, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), rated 60% of the tests as “high risk” over concerns about the testing equipment, sampling process, or instructions and interpretation of the results. Only eight stated who the tests were suitable for, while fewer than half provided any information about accuracy. And of these, much of the evidence to back these claims was not publicly available or was of low quality.

Dr Clare Davenport, an associate clinical professor at the University of Birmingham and co-lead author of the studies said: “The wide range of off-the-shelf tests now available to the public are not endorsed by the NHS and evidence for their benefit is lacking.

"This is in contrast to well-established self-tests, such as pregnancy tests.

“We are worried that consumers concerned about their health and tempted by the convenience of buying a test over the counter may be harmed if they use these tests in the wrong way.”

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Source: The Guardian, 23 July 2025

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Government accused of 'sitting on' delayed report into learning disabled deaths

The Health Secretary is under mounting pressure to release a long-delayed report into the deaths of learning disabled and autistic people in England.

The Department of Health and Social Care is being accused of “dragging their feet” and “sitting on” the findings by Parliamentarians and disability campaigners, who describe the delay as “appalling”.

The Learning from Lives and Deaths report, known as LeDeR, is an annual investigation into the deaths of every adult with a learning disability and autism with the aim of preventing future deaths.

The unpublished report relates to deaths in 2023 and was due to be released last year.

ITV News has learnt the report was submitted by King's College and handed to NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care last December.

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Scriven, who has spoken to ITV News about the death of his nephew, who was learning disabled and autistic, has submitted two urgent questions to the government seeking an explanation for the delay.

He is yet to receive a response.

“The LeDeR report has experienced an unacceptable delay in its release,” he told ITV News.

“The extended wait for the LeDeR report's publication raises important questions. It suggests either that the report contains findings which are challenging for the Government and healthcare system or that the preventable deaths of people with learning disabilities are not being given the priority they deserve by those at the top of Government.

“Like many, I am keen to see this report made public. I am calling for the immediate publication of the LeDeR report and would welcome an explanation from Wes Streeting regarding the ongoing delays.“

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Source: ITV News, 16 July 2025

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New AI tool could speed up skin cancer diagnoses in remote parts of world

A researcher at a Scottish university has developed AI tools that could give people in remote areas of the world access to fast and potentially life-saving skin cancer diagnoses.

Tess Watt , the PhD student at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh who led the project to develop the technology, said it is intended to enable early detection of skin conditions anywhere in the world, and without the need for direct access to dermatologists.

The technology also works without internet access.

The system involves a patient taking a photograph of their skin complaint using a small camera attached to a Raspberry Pi device - a cheap, energy-efficient handheld computer that is capable of storing vast amounts of information.

The photograph is analysed in real-time using the latest state-of-the-art image classification, comparing it to an enormous dataset of thousands of images stored on the device to reach a diagnosis.

The findings are then shared with a local GP service to begin a suitable treatment plan.

The project is understood to be the first of its kind to combine AI medical diagnosis with the aim of serving remote communities.

Ms Watt explained: "Healthcare from home is a really important topic at the moment, especially as GP wait times continue to grow.

"If we can empower people to monitor skin conditions from their own homes using AI, we can dramatically reduce delays in diagnosis."

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Source: The Scotsman, 21 July 2025

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RFK Jr orders changes for organ donation network as report finds dozens were not dead when harvested

Amid reports that organ donors may be at risk for having their body parts harvested while still alive and kicking, the Trump administration has launched a sweeping reformation of the U.S. organ transplant system.

The move, announced by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., comes on the heels of an investigation by the department’s Health Resources and Services Administration that revealed “disturbing” practices by a major organ procurement organization.

“Our findings show that hospitals allowed the organ procurement process to begin when patients showed signs of life, and this is horrifying,” Kennedy said in a statement.

“The organ procurement organizations that coordinate access to transplants will be held accountable. The entire system must be fixed to ensure that every potential donor’s life is treated with the sanctity it deserves.”

The administration directed the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network – which links organ donation and transplantation professionals throughout the country – to reopen a case involving potentially preventable harm to a neurologically injured patient by the federally funded organ procurement organization serving Kentucky, southwest Ohio and part of West Virginia. The department did not name the organization.

The New York Times recently reported that the federal inquiry had begun last fall after 36-year-old Kentuckian Anthony Thomas Hoover II’s organs were pursued even as he shook his head and drew up his knees to his chest. Hoover’s sister, Donna Rohrer, had previously told NPR that she felt “betrayed by the fact that the people that were telling us he was brain dead and then he wakes up.”

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Source: The Independent, 21 July 2025

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1,000+ additional deaths, 100K hospitalised annually due to Medicaid cuts in the US

Recent Medicaid policy changes will result in 1,484 additional deaths and nearly 100,000 preventable hospitalizations per year, according to a study published 16 July JAMA Health Forum. 

Two weeks before President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, another study projected 16,642 premature deaths annually among adults, based on the House of Representatives’ version of the bill. 

The Congressional Budget Office projects the sweeping policy bill will reduce Medicaid spending by around $900 billion, decrease enrollment by 10.3 million and result in 7.6 million uninsured individuals by 2034. Using the CBO’s projection and a higher-effect scenario, researchers from University of California San Francisco and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill quantified estimates on health outcomes and health system viability. 

By 2034, the study predicts: 

  • Approximately 1,484 excess deaths, 94,802 preventable hospitalizations, 1.6 million people delaying care due to cost and 1.9 million cases of medication nonadherence.
  • One hundred and one rural hospitals will be at high risk of closure. Federally qualified health centers could lose 5 million Medicaid patients and gain 1.9 million uninsured patients annually, creating an 18.7% reduction in revenue reduction ($3.3 billion). 
  • In the higher-coverage loss scenario, 14.4 million people losing Medicaid coverage would annually result in 2,284 excess deaths, 145,946 preventable hospitalizations, 2.5 million people delaying care and 2.9 million cases of medication nonadherence. 

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Source: Becker's Clinical Leadership, 17 July 2025

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Mental health care ‘being rationed’ over failure to cut spiralling waiting list, top doctor warns

Mental health care is being rationed because the government is failing to tackle the spiralling waiting list, the UK’s top psychiatrist has warned, with 48,000 people facing delays of more than two years for treatment to start.

Nearly 1.7 million people were waiting for community care, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist appointment, for treatments including everything from severe depression to serious personality disorders at the end of December 2024.

That is up from 1.3 million in March 2024 and is in addition to the 7.4 million people on the countrywide NHS waiting list, which only counts patients with physical health problems.

Dr Lade Smith, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said the figures proved that mental health care was being downgraded in favour of other services.

She said: “It’s very clear that there has been a prioritisation of services; mental health care is not one of those services. As far as I’m concerned, it’s been rationed for years. It’s not been prioritised, full stop. I say that because we’ve got 1.7 million people who were waiting for mental health services.

“They are not being prioritised and so there is rationing of mental health care, full stop.”

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Source: The Independent, 23 July 2025

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NHS defends plan to not cancel non-urgent care if resident doctors strike

The NHS has hit out at the doctors’ trade union for alleging that it is putting patient safety at risk by not cancelling planned treatment during a forthcoming strike.

NHS Providers, a membership organisation for NHS Trusts, says it is in fact the British Medical Association (BMA) putting patient safety at risk by staging a strike.

Up to 50,000 resident doctors in England, formerly known as junior doctors, are expected to join the industrial action from 7am on Friday 25 July to 7am on Wednesday 30 July. They are demanding a 29% pay rise.

Days before the strikes are due to start, the BMA, the trade union for doctors, has criticised changes to the way the health service is preparing.

During previous strikes, urgent and emergency services have been staffed by senior hospital doctors, including consultants, and pre-planned work was largely postponed. But the BMA said hospital leaders had been told to continue with scheduled non-urgent care during the forthcoming dispute.

In a letter to the NHS chief executive, Sir Jim Mackey, the BMA council chair, Dr Tom Dolphin, and the deputy council chair, Dr Emma Runswick, said: “Your decision to instruct hospitals to run non-urgent planned care stretches safe staffing far too thinly, and risks not only patient safety in urgent and emergency situations, but in planned care, too.

“Consultants cannot safely provide elective care and cover for residents at the same time. We therefore strongly urge you to reconsider your instructions to hospitals, which should be preparing now to postpone non-urgent planned activity in order to provide a safe urgent and emergency service in keeping with the levels of staff available.”

But NHS Providers, which represents NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services that treat patients and service users in the NHS, hit back at these allegations.

Daniel Elkeles, the chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “The NHS, not the BMA, is putting patient’s interests first. Given that some patients will be caused undoubted harm if the short-notice strike goes ahead, NHS trusts are doing the responsible thing by not cancelling people’s care whilst talks to avert the strike are ongoing.

“Now is a time for cool heads in the BMA because it’s not too late to avoid a damaging, costly strike. NHS trust leaders hope for a breakthrough from talks between government and the union.

“If the strike goes ahead then NHS trusts will do everything they can to avoid any harm to patients and are planning for as many patients as possible to be cared for.”

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Source: The Guardian, 22 July 2025

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Major HRT supplier sanctioned after whistleblowers raise concerns over patient safety

A major UK supplier of menopause drug HRT has been sanctioned after whistleblowers claimed patients were being put at risk, it has emerged.

A group of employees from Theramex, which supplies HRT treatments to millions of patients in the UK, wrote a letter to the pharmaceutical regulator Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry over allegations the company was not following regulatory standards and may “jeopardise” patient safety.

The whistleblowers claimed some products featured inaccurate prescribing information and failed to highlight common side effects. They claimed they had been forced to contact the regulator after their attempts to raise issues internally were brushed off.

The company has now admitted it breached regulatory codes, amounting to “bringing discredit upon, and reducing confidence in the pharmaceutical industry”, according to an interim case report from the ABPI. It also failed to maintain high standards and provide accurate and up-to-date prescribing information, the report said.

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Source: The Independent, 21 July 2025

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'Substantial changes' on infected blood payouts

The government has said it is making "substantial changes" to the compensation scheme for thousands of victims of the infected blood scandal.

The announcement was made in Parliament two weeks after a heavily critical report into the payment scheme by the chair of the public inquiry into the disaster.

The new rules mean estates of affected people who have already died will be able to claim compensation and those with a chronic hepatitis C infection will receive higher amounts.

Victims' groups "cautiously welcomed" the announcement but said it was disappointing that some changes were still subject to further consultation.

It is thought 30,000 people were infected with HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C in the 1970s, 80s and early 90s after being given contaminated blood products.

The inquiry's main report into the scandal, published last year, found that too little was done to stop contaminated blood products being imported from abroad, and that elements of the scandal had been covered up.

Earlier this month the inquiry's chair, Sir Brian Langstaff, published a follow-up report after receiving "email after email" expressing concerns about the way the compensation scheme had been managed.

He criticised the speed that payments had been made and said victims had been "harmed further" by the way they had been treated.

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Source: BBC News, 22 July 2025

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Health bosses won't be rewarded for failure under new regulations

NHS managers who commit serious misconduct will not be able to take up other senior NHS roles, under plans to boost patient safety.

The new proposals set out by the Department of Health and Social Care will mean any leader who silences whistleblowers or behaves unacceptably will be banned from returning to a health service position.

They set out the first steps to meet the government’s commitment to introduce professional standards for, and regulation of, NHS managers, with legislation set to be put forward to Parliament next year.

Tens of thousands of clinical and non-clinical managers work in the NHS but there is currently no regulatory framework specifically for managers, like there is for doctors and nurses.

Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said:

I’m determined to create a culture of honesty and openness in the NHS where whistleblowers are protected, and that demands tough enforcement. If you silence whistleblowers, you will never work in the NHS again. We’ve got to create the conditions where staff are free to come forward and sound the alarm when things go wrong. Protecting the reputation of the NHS should never be put before protecting patient safety.

I promised no more rewards for failure in the NHS, and these measures will deliver on it. Most NHS leaders are doing a fantastic job, but we need to stop the revolving door that allows managers sacked for misconduct or incompetence to be quietly moved to another well-paid role in another part of the NHS.

The reforms we are making through our Plan for Change will slam the door in the face of unsuitable managers, while providing the training, support and development to help NHS leaders thrive and lead the NHS into a brighter future.

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Source: Department of Health and Social Care, 21 July 2025

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Mackey ‘risking safety’ with tough line on strikes, says BMA

NHS England’s instruction not to cancel planned care during the upcoming resident doctors strike risks harming patient safety, the British Medical Association has warned.

In a letter to NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey, the union argued the approach was “not only causing frustration and confusion to hospital leaders, but will put patients at risk”.

But Sir Jim has told HSJ that trusts, along with NHSE, should decide what was cancelled, rather than the British Medical Association.

Sir Jim said: “I do not accept it is necessary or acceptable to take this approach. If a diagnostic or outpatient clinic, or an elective procedure, has been booked, it should go ahead unless the BMA can present a credible argument as to why it was clinically necessary, but now is not.”

The letter, from BMA council chair Tom Dolphin and deputy Emma Runswick, said: “Your decision to instruct hospitals to run non-urgent planned care stretches safe staffing far too thinly, and risks not only patient safety in urgent and emergency situations, but in planned care, too.

“It also appears designed to lead to far more late, same-day cancellations for patients. Consultants cannot safely provide elective care and cover for residents at the same time.

“We are aware that many hospital leaders are equally worried about this new change in policy from NHSE, which is starkly different from how services were planned during industrial action under the previous government, and different from all the agreements we have reached with NHSE since 2015.”

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Source: HSJ, 21 July 2025

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‘Difficult’ state of NHS maternity care is due to Tory inaction, inquiry head says

One of the UK’s most senior midwives has said inaction by the previous government over maternity care failures has led to the “difficult” situation in wards across England and a rise in reports of birth trauma.

Donna Ockenden, who is leading the biggest inquiry in NHS history into maternity failures in Nottingham, said the Conservatives had been given a “blueprint” for how to improve maternity services but that it had not been implemented.

“I think the current government has inherited a really, really difficult picture around perinatal care, birth care and increasing reports of birth trauma. If only the previous government had done what it said it would do, that inheritance would have been very different,” she said.

Ockenden is leading a review into maternity services at the Nottingham university hospitals NHS trust, the largest inquiry into a single service in the history of the NHS, with 2,406 affected families taking part. The findings will be published in June 2026.

She expressed frustration over the slow pace of change after her report on the Shrewsbury and Telford maternity scandal, which found that 300 babies had died or been left brain-damaged as a result of inadequate care.

“We published [that report] in March 2022 and there were 22 immediately essential actions, as well as hundreds of actions for the NHS trust,” she said. “But with the chaos that followed in the year before the general election, things got lost and we are not as far ahead with those immediately essential actions as we should be.”

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Source: The Guardian, 21 July 2025

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ME care reforms promised after woman’s tragic death

The government has pledged to overhaul care for hundreds of thousands of people living with chronic fatigue syndrome, acknowledging that many "struggle" to access appropriate support.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) stated its intention to publish a new plan, asserting it is "committed to changing attitudes and transforming care" for individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

The pledge comes in the wake of Maeve Boothby-O’Neill’s death at just 27.

She had suffered with ME for a decade before dying at her home in Exeter in October 2021 from severe malnutrition.

Her inquest revealed she had been admitted to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital three times in the year of her death for malnutrition treatment.

Deborah Archer, now an area coroner for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, concluded Miss Boothby-O’Neill had died from natural causes “because of severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)”.

Last year she wrote to the Government to highlight a lack of specialist beds, “extremely limited” training for doctors and lack of available funding for research and treatment of the condition.

On Tuesday, the Government said that it has created a plan which “outlines clear steps to improve care for patients, by investing in research and offering access to care in the community”.

But Action for ME said that the plan “does not go far enough”.

Sonya Chowdhury, chief executive of the charity, said: “We appreciate the time DHSC has put into the delivery plan and their engagement with us and the ME community throughout.

“However, the plan simply does not go far enough. We are at the stage now where we need more than rhetoric, we need to take a strategic approach if we want a different outcome. What is proposed in the plan will not offer this.

“We must have a funded, dedicated research hub to leverage our world-leading life sciences sector to unlock treatments and ultimately cures for ME.

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Source: The Independent, 22 July 2025

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Coroner warning over incompatible NHS systems

A coroner has warned NHS bosses that delays to the availability of mental health assessments between different teams due to outdated IT systems could lead to future deaths.

Prof Paul Marks, senior coroner for Hull and East Riding, issued a prevention of future deaths report following an inquest into the death of John Kirkman, who took his own life.

Prof Marks said healthcare teams could encounter problems accessing "vital" information about patients as a result of incompatible computer programmes and this could lead to delays in care.

A spokesperson for NHS England expressed their "deepest sympathies" to Mr Kirkman's family and said the organisation would "carefully consider" the report.

The report, sent to the chief executive of NHS England, said the organisation should take action, "possibly by reviewing the compatibility of IT systems".

The document said Mr Kirkman, who was 36, had a long history of paranoid schizophrenia and took his own life on 27 December 2023.

During the inquest, the coroner said the evidence revealed matters that caused him concern.

Prof Marks said that if a mental health screening assessment was carried out in one part of the country, the results and conclusions may not be immediately available elsewhere when a further assessment is carried out, due to the use of different IT systems.

"Absence of vital background information could result in an incorrect prioritisation for onward referral, as it did in this case," he said.

The lack of availability of clinical information and data may "adversely influence subsequent assessments", he said.

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Source: BBC News, 19 July 2025

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Breast cancer breakthrough as new test could revolutionise treatment

A new test for breast cancer patients has been developed which can predict whether or not their cancer is likely to return just two weeks after they start treatment.

Experts said thousands of breast cancer patients could be spared unnecessary treatment as a result.

The new test has been devised by scientists to detect the likelihood of cancer reoccurring in patients with a type of breast cancer known as oestrogen receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive – which accounts for around 200,000 cases of cancer each year around the globe.

Writing in the journal eBioMedicine, experts said the test means that some patients will be able to “de-escalate” their treatment while it could also help identify those who need “more intensive therapeutic strategies”.

The test, which was developed by scientists at The Institute for Cancer Research, London, correctly identifies the 6% of patients at highest risk of relapse.

Dr Simon Vincent, chief scientific officer at Breast Cancer Now, which part-funded the study, said: “These findings add to the growing evidence that genomic testing can play a powerful role in helping to predict the risk of a woman’s breast cancer coming back, particularly in people with ER-positive, HER2-positive breast cancer.

“There’s potential for women to benefit hugely from this research in the future, with it ensuring they avoid undergoing unnecessary treatment and leading to more personalised treatment plans, so that women receive the most effective therapy for their specific type of breast cancer.”

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Source: The Independent, 19 July 2025

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Premature babies to be immunised against winter virus

Thousands of premature babies in the UK can now be protected against a common winter virus which can cause a dangerous lung infection, and sometimes kill.

The injection will provide them "with a protective bubble" against RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) in time for the colder months, NHS medics said.

Most babies are protected via vaccination late in pregnancy, but babies born before 32 weeks are more vulnerable to life-threatening infections from the virus.

From late September, 9,000 babies and young children at risk across the UK will be offered a dose of the drug nirsevimab through the NHS.

RSV usually causes coughs and colds, but can make some children very ill with breathing problems, pneumonia and a lung infection called bronchiolitis.

According to NHS England, premature babies are three times more likely to go to hospital with RSV and are 10 times more likely to need intensive care compared with full-term babies.

Every year around 30,000 children in the UK aged under five need hospital care because of the virus, and around 30 don't survive.

The drug offers six months' protection in a single dose, and is more than 80% effective.

Neo-natal clinics will deliver the injection to premature babies. Families of vulnerable infants with heart or lung conditions or weakened immune systems will be advised by their medical teams how to get the jab before this winter.

"It will offer a long-lasting defence, helping to avoid unnecessary hospitalisations and serious illness, giving babies the best possible start in life and shielding them from harm," said Dr Claire Fuller, co-national medical director for NHS England.

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Source: BBC News, 19 July 2025

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Patients lost sight due to poor care, trust admits

Multiple glaucoma patients have suffered significant harm, including loss of sight, after treatment guidelines were not followed by more than one member of staff over a number of years at the same trust, HSJ has learned.

George Eliot Hospital Trust has admitted that a locum consultant followed “incorrect processes” when treating patients, which led to “significant harm” to eight people.

Fresh concerns have also been raised about a separate optometrist treating glaucoma patients at GEH, and possible harm caused again because of processes not being followed. However, the trust does not yet know how many patients were harmed as a result of this case.

The developments have prompted the Royal College of Ophthalmologists’ review service to plan a visit to the trust next month, the trust confirmed.

Trust board papers from May revealed its quality assurance committee was made aware of concerns last year where patients were discharged without National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance having been followed. It discovered some patients returned with “permanent visual damage”, which led to a review of notes regarding one locum consultant. The individual no longer works at the organisation.

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Source: HSJ, 21 July 2025

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Half of black women in UK who raise concerns during labour did not receive suitable help, study finds

Almost half of pregnant black women raised concerns to healthcare professionals during labour, with half saying that their concerns were also not properly addressed, according to the largest report of its kind.

Black women in the UK are up to four times more likely to die during childbirth compared with their white counterparts, and are also more likely to experience serious birth complications and perinatal mental health illnesses.

Five X More, an organisation dedicated to improving black maternal health outcomes, confirmed these findings through a study of the maternity experiences of more than 1,000 black and mixed-race people who were pregnant between July 2021 and March 2025.

The report found that more than half (54%) of respondents experienced challenges with healthcare professionals, and that just under a quarter (23%) of black women did not receive pain relief when they requested it. And of these women, 40% said they were given no explanation as to why that was the case.

Furthermore, 45% of respondents raised concerns during their labour and of these, under half (49%) said their concerns were not properly addressed.

Tinuke Awe and Clotilde Abe, the co-founders of Five X More, said that the report shows that the maternity system is failing black women, and that it is also a “call to action” to address these disparities.

“Black women deserve better care and communication. The statistics around black women dying in and around pregnancy and having adverse outcomes have been around for decades now. Black women deserve to be treated with dignity at every stage of their maternity journey and the burden cannot keep falling on them to make the system work,” they said.

“While we’re still seeing the same issues we raised years ago, such as systemic failings, being ignored in pain, and poor understanding of conditions affecting black women, new themes are also emerging like the emotional toll of self-advocacy and the impact of not having consistent or trusted care.”

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Source: The Guardian, 21 July 2025

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Superbugs could kill millions more and cost $2tn a year by 2050, models show

Superbugs could cause millions more people to die worldwide and cost the global economy just under $2tn a year by 2050, modelling shows.

A UK government-funded study shows that without concerted action, increased rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could lead to global annual GDP losses of $1.7tn over the next quarter of a century.

The research, by the Center for Global Development thinktank, found the US, UK and EU economies would be among the hardest hit, prompting accusations that recent swingeing aid cuts are self-defeating.

On Thursday, the UK government announced it was axing funding for the Fleming fund, which combats AMR in low- and middle-income countries, as part of wider aid cuts. The Trump administration has confirmed $9bn in cuts to its foreign aid budget, while a number of European countries have also reduced spending on overseas aid.

Anthony McDonnell, the lead author of the research and a policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, said: “When we conducted our research on the economic impacts of antimicrobial resistance, it was anticipated that resistance rates would continue to follow historical trends.

“However, the sudden cuts to Official Development Assistance by the US, which has cut its aid spend by roughly 80%; the UK, which has announced aid cuts from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income; and substantial reductions by France, Germany, and others, could drive up resistance rates in line with the most pessimistic scenario in our research.

“Even countries that have been successful in keeping AMR rates under control cannot afford to be complacent. Unless AMR programmes are protected from aid cuts, resistance rates across the world will likely increase at a rate in line with the worst-affected countries.

“This would result in millions more people dying worldwide, including across G7 nations. Investing in treatment for bacterial infections now will save lives and deliver billions in long-term economic returns.”

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Source: The Guardian, 20 July 2025

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More than 30 poisoned after suspected fake Botox

Thirty-eight cases of botulism poisoning have been recorded in England in the last six weeks after the suspected use of unlicensed Botox-like products in cosmetic procedures, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

Botulism is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, a key ingredient in the injection.

Cases have been recorded in the East, East Midlands and the North East regions.

The UKHSA urged those seeking treatments to obtain proof that their Botox practitioner was qualified and that their products were licensed.

According to the UKHSA, the evidence so far suggests clinics involved in the cases have used unlicensed Botox-like products.

In the most recent cases, recorded in East England and the East Midlands, patients had difficulty swallowing, slurred speech and breathing difficulties requiring respiratory support.

Other symptoms of botulism can include droopy eyelids, double vision and weak facial muscles.

Dr Gauri Godbole, of UKHSA, said botulism related to aesthetic procedures was rare but could be serious. She added that symptoms could take up to four weeks to develop and urged anyone who suspected they were suffering to contact the NHS 111 service.

Botox can only be prescribed after a consultation between you and a healthcare professional, such as a doctor or nurse.

While the person signing the prescription doesn't have to give the injection, they should ensure the person injecting is qualified to do so.

Dr Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said: "Buying botulinum toxin in any other circumstances significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not licensed for use in the UK.

"This means that there are no safeguards to ensure products meet the MHRA's standards for quality and safety."

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Source: BBC News, 18 July 2025

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Trust reviewing 9,000 patients lost from waiting list

A trust has launched an independent investigation examining nearly 9,000 patients who were “lost to first appointment or follow up”, with some waiting up to five years, HSJ can reveal.

The 8,849 patients were meant to be seen by an ear, nose and throat service that is run by Medway Foundation Trust but also operates out of the Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford.

The majority of the patients involved come from the areas served by the Darent Valley Hospital rather than the Medway towns and Swale, which are served by Medway Maritime Hospital. They include patients from North Kent and the London boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley.

HSJ understands that 4,279 patients have not had a first appointment after being referred into the ENT services, and 4,570 were left waiting for a follow-up appointment. Around 20% of the patients involved are children and the remainder adults, with a small number having waited as long as five years for an appointment.

Medway FT has now tried to contact all patients as part of a validation process and is sending duty of candour letters to them.

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Source: HSJ, 18 July 2025

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UK health service AI tool generated a set of false diagnoses for one patient that led to him being wrongly invited to a diabetes screening appointment

AI use in healthcare has the potential to save time, money, and lives. But when technology that is known to occasionally lie is introduced into patient care, it also raises serious risks.

One London-based patient recently experienced just how serious those risks can be after receiving a letter inviting him to a diabetic eye screening—a standard annual check-up for people with diabetes in the UK. The problem: He had never been diagnosed with diabetes or shown any signs of the condition.

After opening the appointment letter late one evening, the patient, a healthy man in his mid-20’s, told Fortune he had briefly worried that he had been unknowingly diagnosed with the condition, before concluding the letter must just be an admin error. The next day, at a pre-scheduled routine blood test, a nurse questioned the diagnosis and, when the patient confirmed he wasn’t diabetic, the pair reviewed his medical history.

“He showed me the notes on the system, and they were AI-generated summaries. It was at that point I realized something weird was going on,” the patient, who asked for anonymity to discuss private health information, told Fortune.

After requesting and reviewing his medical records in full, the patient noticed the entry that had introduced the diabetes diagnosis was listed as a summary that had been “generated by Annie AI.” The record appeared around the same time he had attended the hospital for a severe case of tonsillitis. However, the record in question made no mention of tonsillitis. Instead, it said he had presented with chest pain and shortness of breath, attributed to a “likely angina due to coronary artery disease.” In reality, he had none of those symptoms.

A representative for the NHS, Dr. Matthew Noble, told Fortune the GP practice responsible for the oversight employs a “limited use of supervised AI” and the error was a “one-off case of human error.” He said that a medical summariser had initially spotted the mistake in the patient’s record but had been distracted and “inadvertently saved the original version rather than the updated version [they] had been working on.”

However, the fictitious AI-generated record appears to have had downstream consequences, with the patient’s invitation to attend a diabetic eye screening appointment presumedly based on the erroneous summary. 

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Source: Fortune, 20 July 2025

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NHS facing ‘absolutely shocking’ £27bn bill for maternity failings in England

The NHS is facing an “absolutely shocking” £27bn bill for maternity failings in England, the Guardian can reveal, after a series of hospital scandals triggered a record level of legal claims.

Hundreds of babies and women have died or suffered life-altering conditions as a result of botched care in NHS trusts across the country in recent years, prompting the government to launch a “rapid” national inquiry.

Analysis of NHS figures shows the potential bill for maternity negligence in England since 2019 has reached £27.4bn – far more than the health service’s roughly £18bn budget for newborns in that time.

The number of families taking legal action against the NHS for obstetrics errors rose to a record of nearly 1,400 a year in 2023, double the number in 2007, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.

Labour MP Paulette Hamilton, the acting chair of the Commons health and social care select committee, said the figures were “absolutely shocking” and represented a “devastatingly high number of deaths and injuries of mothers and babies”.

She added: “The words ‘eye-watering’ come nowhere near to describing the enormous financial cost of these cases to the NHS, arising from failings within its own provision of care.”

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Source: The Guardian, 20 July 2025

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