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Mark Hughes

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  1. Mark Hughes
    More than 20 patients who say their quality of life was wrecked when they were needlessly given a highly toxic cancer drug are suing the NHS trust involved.
    Some people were prescribed temozolomide – which should normally be used for only six months – for more than a decade during treatment by the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
    They say the overprescribing left them with side-effects including secondary cancers and crippling fatigue.
    Earlier this year the Care Quality Commission was looking into at least 14 cases, but lawyers say more are emerging all the time. An investigation by lawyers Brabners found that, over the past two decades, numerous patients with brain and spinal tumours under the care of Professor Ian Brown were routinely exposed to prolonged and in some cases “unnecessary” use of the chemotherapy drug, which has severe side-effects including extreme fatigue, confusion, sickness and seizures.
    Read full article.
    Source: The Independent, 6 August 2025
  2. Mark Hughes
    Nearly one in five doctors is considering quitting in the UK, new figures show, while one in eight is thinking about leaving the country to work abroad.
    The General Medical Council (GMC), which commissioned the research, is warning that plans to cut hospital waiting lists will be at risk unless more is done to retain them.
    The main reason doctors gave for considering moving abroad was they are "treated better" in other countries, while the second most common reason was better pay.
    Some 43% said they had researched career opportunities in other countries, while 15% reported taking "hard steps" towards moving abroad, like applying for roles or contacting recruiters.
    Read full story.
    Source: Sky News, 7 August 2025
  3. Mark Hughes
    New measures to crack down on cowboy cosmetic procedures that have left people maimed, injured and in need of urgent NHS care will be introduced by the UK Government.  
    Only qualified healthcare professionals will be able to perform the highest risk procedures – such as non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts. 
    Other lower risk cosmetic treatments - including Botox, lip fillers and facial dermal fillers - will also come under stricter oversight through a new local authority licensing system. Practitioners will be required to meet rigorous safety, training, and insurance standards before they can legally operate.  Once regulations are introduced, practitioners who break the rules on the highest risk procedures will be subject to CQC enforcement and financial penalties.
    The planned crackdown follows a series of incidents where people have had high-risk treatments from people with little or no medical training, leading to dangerous complications, permanent scarring and even death. These new rules will seek to protect people from unqualified, rogue operators and reduce the cost to the NHS of fixing botched procedures.  This follows growing alarm over unqualified individuals performing invasive treatments in unsafe environments—including homes, hotels, and pop-up clinics. Many of these procedures are marketed as non-surgical but, in reality, are invasive and carry serious risks.  
    The new regulations will be subject to public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny before they are introduced.  
    Read the full press release.
    Source: Department of Health and Social Care, 7 August 2025
  4. Mark Hughes
    Thousands of cancer patients in England are to benefit from a DNA blood test that saves lives by fast-tracking them on to personalised treatments.
    In a world-first, the NHS will offer patients with lung and breast cancer – two of the most common forms of the disease – a liquid biopsy that detects tiny fragments of tumour DNA.
    Rapid results from the groundbreaking test mean patients can immediately be offered drugs and treatments specifically tailored to the genetic profile of their disease, significantly increasing their survival chances and paving the way for a new era of precision medicine.
    Read full article
    Source: The Guardian, 29 May 2025
  5. Mark Hughes
    Mental health patients and nursing staff are being failed by a system “buckling under the weight of demand and decades of underinvestment”, nursing leaders have warned.
    Their comments came in response to the publication of the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB)'s final report in its series of investigations focusing on mental health inpatient services in England.
    The report warned that staffing and resource constraints in inpatient and community mental health settings were impacting the ability to provide safe and therapeutic care to patients.
    Read full article
    Source: Nursing Times, 29 May 2025
  6. Mark Hughes
    Doctors trust a parent’s gut instinct that their child is becoming severely ill, research has shown, finding that it is a better indicator of health than medical tests.
    The study analysed data from almost 190,000 A&E visits by children in Melbourne, Australia, where the parents were routinely asked: “Are you worried your child is getting worse?”
    Parents’ intuition was “significantly” linked to the likelihood of admission to an intensive care unit (ICU), with children four times more likely to need ICU care if their parents had voiced concerns.
    Read full article (Paywalled)
    Source: The Times, 29 May 2025
  7. Mark Hughes
    Two external reviews are being commissioned into maternity and neonatal care at the trust with the highest perinatal mortality rates.
    Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust has claimed its extended perinatal mortality rate – which measures stillbirths and neonatal deaths – is within the expected range, considering it takes many high-risk pregnancies, including some where babies are not expected to survive, as a specialist centre.
    However, a report to its board meeting today reveals it is commissioning an external review of the issue. The review would examine mortality data.
    Read full article (Paywalled)
    Source: Health Service Journal, 29 May 2025 
  8. Mark Hughes
    The US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has threatened to ban government scientists from publishing in the world’s leading medical journals, which he branded “corrupt”, and to instead create alternative publications run by the state.
    Kennedy outlined plans to launch government-run journals that would become “the preeminent journals” because National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding would anoint researchers “as a good, legitimate scientist”.
    The three publications Kennedy targeted are among the most influential medical journals globally, established in the 19th century and now central to disseminating peer-reviewed medical research worldwide. The Lancet and Jama each report more than 30m annual website visits, while the New England Journal of Medicine claims more than 1 million weekly readers.
    Read full article
    Source: The Guardian, 28 May 2025
  9. Mark Hughes
    A hospital doctor has admitted professional misconduct over an incident in which a patient with meningitis suffered a fatal lack of oxygen to the brain following a dispute with nursing staff over whether a breathing tube had become dislodged.
    Ilankathir Sathivel appeared before a medical inquiry to face a series of allegations over his treatment of a patient in February 2019 while working as a registrar anaesthetist at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown in Dublin.
    The hearing before the Medical Council’s fitness-to-practise committee was told Dr Sathivel was making a number of admissions in relation to the care he provided to the 59-year-old male, identified only as Patient A, who had been admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit after being diagnosed with bacterial meningitis.
    The committee was informed that Dr Sathivel accepted that his failure to have regard for the stated view of a clinical nurse manager, Rosanne Kenny, that Patient’s A endotracheal tube had become dislodged about 3.58am on February 24, 2019 constituted professional misconduct.
    Read full story
    Source: The Irish Independent, 29 May 2025
  10. Mark Hughes
    The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, has urged doctors to vote against industrial action as the British Medical Association (BMA) ballots resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, for strike action that could last for six months.
    Resident doctors say their pay has declined by 23% in real terms since 2008. If they choose to go on strike, walkouts could begin in July and potentially last until January 2026.
    The government accepted salary recommendations from pay review bodies earlier this month, resulting in an average 5.4% rise for resident doctors.
    Read full story
    Source: The Guardian, 29 May 2025
  11. Mark Hughes
    An IT system that prevents 999 call-handling services from being overwhelmed is set to be withdrawn by NHS England in an effort to save money.
    NHS England has confirmed it will not renew the contract for the Intelligent Routing Platform (IRP), and that the service will cease to be available within three months.
    NHS England now proposes that individual ambulance trusts will be responsible for tackling delays in answering calls, as was the case before the pandemic. HSJ understands that ambulance leaders are very concerned by the decision and the speed with which it is to be implemented. 
    Read full story
    Source: Health Service Journal (Paywalled), 14 April 2025
  12. Mark Hughes
    The US reached a grim milestone Friday surpassing 700 confirmed measles cases in 2025, according to figures posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Thirty-two percent of cases occurred in patients under 5 while 38% were reported in those between 5 and 19, according to the agency.
    As of Friday, the CDC reported 79 hospitalisations, including 45 patients who were under 5.  Most measles cases, 97%, occurred in unvaccinated patients or whose vaccination status is unknown.
    Read full story
    Source: USA Today News, 14 April 2025
  13. Mark Hughes
    A wave of “mental health A&Es” could be built alongside or close to existing emergency departments, HSJ has learnt.
    The aim would be to free up pressure on acute emergency departments, as well as providing a better experience for patients with mental health needs, who often wait for appropriate care for many hours.
    Some similar facilities are already operating, such as Essex Partnership Trust’s mental health urgent care department and Central and North West London Foundation Trust’s crisis assessment service.
    Read full story
    Source: Health Service Journal (Paywalled), 15 April 2025
  14. Mark Hughes
    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has urged patients and doctors to check that their Ozempic prescriptions are legitimate after the agency seized several hundred units of fake versions of the diabetes drug in the US.
    Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and the weight loss drug Wegovy, told the FDA on April 3 that counterfeit 1-milligram injections were being distributed outside its authorised supply chain in the US, the agency said in a news release. That means it likely entered the market through unofficial means, like unauthorised distributors or resellers.
    The agency said it’s aware of six adverse event reports linked to the lot — however, none of them appear to be associated with the counterfeit product. The agency and Novo Nordisk are testing the fake products to identify whether they’re safe. Genuine Ozempic can come with side effects, including stomach problems, so it's not clear whether the adverse events were caused by typical use.
    Read full story
    Source: NBC News, 14 April 2025
  15. Mark Hughes
    Cancer care in the UK is at a “critical breaking point,” several experts have warned, calling for radical action to tackle deepening financial pressures.
    The group says that a National Cancer Director with a dedicated office should be introduced to take a data-driven approach to improving cancer care systems in the UK. Writing for The Lancet Oncology, the group of authors criticises the previous Conservative government for “14 years of gross mismanagement.” Responding, Labour says it is determined to drive down waiting times for cancer patients, pointing to its upcoming National Cancer Plan to improve the current care system.
    The comment article highlights several policy recommendations which the authors state will improve survival and quality of life for people with cancer. The authors warn that the “greatest risk lies in reactive, short-term, ill-informed decision-making” by the Government, which they state could further reduce UK cancer survival rates, deepen health inequalities and escalate inefficiencies.
    Read full story
    Source: The Independent, 15 April 2025
  16. Mark Hughes
    Hospitals in England are being offered unlimited bonus payments to remove people they decide do not need treatment from their waiting lists amid warnings that thousands of patients most in need are still facing unacceptable delays.
    The waiting list for hospital treatment fell for the sixth month in a row in February, according to data published on Thursday.
    In an attempt to cut waiting lists and free up consultants to see those most in need, NHS trusts have this week been ordered to “validate” their entire waiting list. This will involve reviewing every patient and removing anyone who could be treated elsewhere or does not need an appointment with a specialist. Those whose symptoms have eased or who have already used private healthcare to undergo surgery, for example, will also be removed.
    Hospitals will receive an “incentive payment” for each patient they remove, and a payment cap of 5% of a trust’s waiting list is being scrapped, according to documents seen by the Guardian. It means there is no limit to the payments NHS trusts could receive for taking patients off their lists.
    Read full story
    Source: The Guardian, 10 April 2025
  17. Mark Hughes
    More than a quarter of women in England are living with a serious reproductive health issue, according to the largest survey of its kind, and experts say “systemic, operational, structural and cultural issues” prevent women from accessing care.
    The survey of 60,000 women across England in 2023, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and analysed by academics at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, found that 28% of respondents were living with a reproductive morbidity, such as pelvic organ prolapse, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, or cervical, uterine, ovarian or breast cancer.
    Almost a fifth (19%) of women reported experiencing severe period pain in the last year, and 40% of respondents reported heavy menstrual bleeding. More than 30% of participants aged 16-24 reported severe period pain.
    Read full story
    Source: The Guardian, 10 April 2025
  18. Mark Hughes
    National leaders are targeting October 2026 for the abolition of NHS England and consolidation of its functions into the Department of Health and Social Care, according to Health Service Journal.
    The timeframe is not yet confirmed, and will depend on ministers securing space in the King’s Speech and parliamentary time to progress a health bill. There is also an acceptance that completing the process in 18 months will be challenging.
    Read full story (paywalled)
    Source: Health Service Journal, 11 April 2025
  19. Mark Hughes
    A new type of drug for one of the most common kinds of advanced breast cancer is now available on the NHS in England.
    Some 3,000 women a year could benefit from capivasertib after a clinical trial showed it can slow progression of the disease, and shrink tumours in a quarter of people. In trials, in 708 women, when combined with hormone therapy, the drug doubled the time the cancer took to grow, from 3.6 months to 7.3 months. It also shrank tumours in 23% of patients.
    The drug has been given the green light for NHS funding by England's drug assessment body. It's one of a range of treatment options available to people whose cancer has spread and is no longer curable.
    Read full story
    Source: BBC News, 11 April 2025
  20. Mark Hughes
    People from across the UK have shared their heartbreaking experiences of living with endometriosis - as they say the NHS is “failing” them.
    Living with the inflammatory condition is an uphill battle, from getting a diagnosis to navigating daily life and even accessing healthcare. For Endometriosis Awareness Month, National World launched the campaign Endo the Battle to amplify the voices of those living with endometriosis across the UK and highlight the challenges patients face.
    This campaign surveyed members of the public to share their stories with endometriosis. They received almost 400 responses, highlighting delays in getting a diagnosis, the crippling costs of paying for private care and knowledge gaps within the healthcare sector.
    Read full story
    Source: The Scotsman, 11 April 2025
  21. Mark Hughes
    Within his first 48 hours back in office, Donald Trump has signed several executive orders repealing directives expanding healthcare access and options for lower-income and middle-class Americans.
    Those people whose coverage is now deemed at risk are the roughly 24 million Americans who have purchased their health insurance via the Affordable Care Act (ACA) this year. The ACA, also known as Obamacare, helped to expand Medicaid benefits and provides affordable health insurance to millions of people.
    Trump’s actions this week will affect all aspects of the ACA, including eligibility requirements, federal subsidies and enrolment deadlines, which determine when Americans can apply for insurance, without repealing the act, which would take action from the US Congress. But the actions are expected to create more barriers and result in healthcare coverage becoming less accessible.
    Additionally, Trump repealed executive orders aimed at reducing the cost of prescription drugs for people on the government health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid that chiefly serve older and lower-income Americans.
    Read full article.
    Source: The Guardian, 22 January 2025
  22. Mark Hughes
    At least two patients have suffered long-term or permanent damage to their health as a result of the cyber attack on NHS pathology provider Synnovis, latest figures have revealed. 
    The ransomware attack on the 4 June 2024, caused widespread disruption to NHS services in London, with 10,152 acute outpatient appointments and 1,710 elective procedures postponed at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
    Initial figures released by NHS South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) in November 2024, recorded five cases of moderate harm and 114 cases of low harm as a result of the attack, but did not report any cases of serious harm. However, NHS data obtained by Bloomberg News revealed that healthcare professionals across at least four London boroughs recorded two cases of severe harm, 11 cases of moderate harm, and more than 120 cases of low harm as a direct consequence of the cyber attack.
    Responding to the latest figures, Helen Hughes, Chief Executive at Patient Safety Learning, told Digital Health News: “This latest update highlights the significant risks to patient safety posed by cyber attacks. These events not only disrupt care and treatment but can result in serious avoidable patient harm."
    “When cyber attacks occur, healthcare providers need to be vigilant of risks to the safety of vulnerable patients from delays to care and treatment."
    “They should also have robust plans to recover services, prioritising patient safety, and must ensure that there are appropriate escalation routes to minimise future harm.”
    Read full story.
    Source: Digital Health, 23 January 2025
  23. Mark Hughes
    At least two trusts whose hospitals rely on high-risk concrete will not open replacements until after 2030, despite theoretically being prioritised by government.
    The government previously said replacement of the seven “RAAC” or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete hospitals would “proceed at pace due to the substantive safety risks” and “exempted” them from its review of the new hospitals programme.
    It comes after they were given new construction start dates in the New Hospital Programme.
    Read full article (paywalled).
    Source: HSJ, 23 January 2025
  24. Mark Hughes
    Men with a diagnosis of ADHD die seven years sooner, on average, than similar people without, while for women the life expectancy gap is almost nine years, the first study of its kind has revealed.
    Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can cause difficulties in concentration and problems with impulsiveness, although people with ADHD do not necessarily experience both. While estimates vary, studies suggest 3-4% of adults worldwide have ADHD.
    Now researchers have revealed people diagnosed with the disorder tend to have shorter lives. The new study used primary care data from more than 9 million adults across the UK, from 2000 to 2019, to explore whether ADHD was indeed associated with a shorter life. The results reveal that men with a diagnosis of ADHD had a life expectancy 6.8 years shorter on average than those without, while females with a diagnosis of ADHD had a life expectancy 8.6 years shorter on average than those without.
    Read full article.
    Source: The Guardian, 23 January 2025
  25. Mark Hughes
    The number of people hospitalised with a winter vomiting bug has surged to a five-year January high amid an ongoing crisis with hospitals across the country struggling to manage high volumes of patients.
    Norovirus cases in hospitals are 80 per cent higher than the same period last year, according to new figures from the NHS. Last week there were 784 patients a day in hospital with norovirus, up from 650 cases a day the week prior.
    NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care Professor Julian Redhead warned this surge in Norovirus was adding pressure to hospitals.
    Read full article.
    Source: The Independent, 23 January 2025

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