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BBC News - Health

How to check whether you have bowel cancer

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:32:57 GMT

What are the main symptoms and causes of bowel cancer, and how can you reduce your risk of getting it?

Stay at home advice questioned and rules too tough - key findings from Covid report

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:00:23 GMT

An NHS close to collapse, patients failed and NHS staff put at risk - what you need to know.

What are the symptoms of meningitis and how is it spread?

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:22:02 GMT

Two people have died following an "unpredecented" outbreak of meningitis in Kent.

What NHS challenges does the election winner face?

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:13:24 GMT

There are currently 687,958 people waiting for any type of NHS treatment in Wales.

Mother and baby mental health unit to go ahead

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 17:28:10 GMT

Mike Nesbitt says Northern Ireland's first regional mother and baby unit in should open within the next three years.

Sophie Raworth: 'I hope I can still run in my 80s'

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:13:41 GMT

Sophie Raworth talks about the need for exercise as we get older.

Hundreds contact BBC about mystery skin condition 'hell' - but doctors can't agree it exists

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 23:41:47 GMT

Some think it's a severe case of eczema. Others say it's a condition called TSW. But doctors are stuck in a dilemma.

Could weight-loss jabs be behind rising gallbladder removals?

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:03:39 GMT

Last year, there was a 15% annual increase in the operations and surgeons want more research.

The struggle to get hold of medication in England is set to get worse

Fri, 01 May 2026 11:33:26 GMT

People living with conditions include heart problems, stroke risks, eye infections and bipolar are unable to get hold of the drugs they rely on.

What death doulas can teach us about dying

Sat, 02 May 2026 23:10:38 GMT

Death doulas or soul midwives have increased in popularity in recent years. What do they do?

Hospitals coping well with doctors' strike so far - NHS boss

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:56:27 GMT

Resident doctors in England – the new name for junior doctors – are taking part in their 15th walkout in a long-running pay dispute.

Hantavirus: WHO chief says public health risk is low

Thu, 07 May 2026 14:46:56 GMT

The origin of the outbreak is still unknown, with the World Health Organisation saying investigations are "still under way".

Why did resident doctors go on strike and how much are they paid?

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:04:33 GMT

Resident doctors in England have returned to work after the 15th walkout in a long-running dispute.

Inside Health

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

James Gallagher is joined by experts to answer key questions on the meningitis outbreak.

Cruise passengers tell of life on board stranded ship after hantavirus outbreak

Wed, 06 May 2026 11:52:42 GMT

While passengers onboard the MV Hondius say the situation is calm, they face days at sea as officials warn the disease may have spread.

Rollout of Covid vaccines extraordinary feat - inquiry report

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:39:07 GMT

Covid vaccines saved hundreds of thousands of lives, but a small minority harmed need better support, says report.

Women can wait years for an endometriosis diagnosis. New tech could change that

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:08:59 GMT

A new scan technique could spot areas of endometriosis missed by conventional scans, scientists say.

What to do if you think someone has heat exhaustion or heatstroke

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:59:20 GMT

Know the signs and what to do if someone is unwell in hot weather.

Doctors' strikes can have surprising benefits - but are they sustainable?

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 23:06:45 GMT

Some hospital trusts tell the BBC previous action has seen shorter waits, faster decisions and calmer corridors.

Hantavirus strain that spreads between humans found in cruise ship passengers

Wed, 06 May 2026 10:32:59 GMT

South Africa's health ministry said the Andes strain of the virus was found in two confirmed cases linked to the outbreak.

What is hantavirus and how does it spread?

Thu, 07 May 2026 04:16:41 GMT

The Andes strain of the virus, which can rarely be passed from person to person, has been confirmed in some passengers.

Vaccines a huge success, but public trust must be earned - key findings from Covid report

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:02:12 GMT

Immunisation saved hundreds of thousands of UK lives, but vaccine hesitancy remains an issue.

Hantavirus-hit cruise ship on way to Canary Islands after three evacuated

Thu, 07 May 2026 09:40:24 GMT

A British man is among three evacuees sent to the Netherlands after displaying symptoms while aboard the MV Hondius.

Martha's Rule helplines get more than 1,700 calls from worried NHS staff

Fri, 01 May 2026 10:54:52 GMT

The scheme encourages staff and families to seek an urgent second opinion if they fear a patient's condition is worsening.

Mums' choir leader 'baffled' by park fee structure

Wed, 06 May 2026 05:24:27 GMT

A postnatal choir leader says professional dog walkers pay less to use the city's parks.

Why did resident doctors go on strike and how much are they paid?

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:04:33 GMT

Resident doctors in England have returned to work after the 15th walkout in a long-running dispute.

Claimants in Johnson & Johnson talcum powder case rise to 7,000

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:11:20 GMT

The case, which opened in the High Court on Wednesday, originally involved 3,000 claimants and is set to become the largest product liability case in UK history.

Researchers look into island's health benefits

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:11:23 GMT

The team aims to find out what it is about the Isle of Wight that makes people feel better.

Wellbeing garden opens to combat isolation

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:07:31 GMT

The outdoor area at Yarm Wellness will officially open to the public on Saturday.

Inside Health

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT

James Gallagher finds out how a hot flush feels - and delves into a new treatment.

'Month of worry' over doctor strike surgery delay

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:32:52 GMT

The strike further delays Tom Lawson's gastric bypass surgery after a more than three-year wait.

Women can wait years for an endometriosis diagnosis. New tech could change that

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:08:59 GMT

A new scan technique could spot areas of endometriosis missed by conventional scans, scientists say.

Inside Health

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

James Gallagher examines the outbreak of bacterial meningitis in Kent.

Calls for Reformer Pilates regulation amid boom

Mon, 04 May 2026 06:15:44 GMT

Reformer Pilates businesses in the UK rose nearly ten-fold between 2024 and 2025.

Hantavirus may have spread between passengers on cruise ship, WHO says

Tue, 05 May 2026 16:38:50 GMT

Two cases of the virus, which rarely spreads between humans, have been confirmed on the ship, and three people have died.

Caffeine pouch craze: A teenage trend troubling some experts

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 00:06:06 GMT

Some social media influencers are pushing products to young gym-goers and students, health experts warn.

Hantavirus survivor says sickness was like 'hell on earth'

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:57:43 GMT

Two survivors who caught the hantavirus years earlier told the BBC they both felt lucky to be alive.

Inside Health

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

James visits Hackney, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

When does snoring become a problem?

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:40:33 GMT

When should we worry that our snoring might be the sign of a larger problem?

What is the UK Covid inquiry and how does it work?

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:20:11 GMT

The fourth report from the inquiry into the pandemic said the vaccine roll-out was an "extraordinary feat".

Hantavirus: Your questions answered

Thu, 07 May 2026 18:03:38 GMT

Lucy Woodham answers your questions on the outbreak of hantavirus on board a cruise ship

What is vegan collagen?

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:22:54 GMT

What's the latest on Collagen?

How worried should we be about hantavirus?

Thu, 07 May 2026 15:01:07 GMT

Some passengers potentially exposed to hantavirus have already taken flights to numerous countries.

'Amazing' moment for communities given right to buy for the first time

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:00:41 GMT

Ministers say the new law in England gives power to local people who want to help others.

Bird flu vaccine trial against potential pandemic strain begins

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:00:08 GMT

The jab targets the H5N1 flu strain which has caused devastating infections in bird populations worldwide, but has yet to spread between humans.

Should you really trust health advice from an AI chatbot?

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 23:04:43 GMT

Abi has had very mixed results when asking a chatbot for guidance about her health issues.

Anaemia and the new dementia link

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:33:00 GMT

Anaemia and the new dementia link

'Doctors strikes' and 'paw prints in space'

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:12:09 GMT

A round-up of stories from local newspapers and the BBC from the past week in the West of England.

NHS cancer jab could save patients hours in hospital

Sun, 03 May 2026 23:10:56 GMT

Thousands of patients will be offered a new injectable form of an immunotherapy drug that takes minutes.

'I paid for a private hysterectomy'

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 06:09:21 GMT

Rachel Moore spent years in debilitating chronic pain due to the womb disease, adenomyosis.

What is chickenpox and who can get an NHS vaccine?

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:31:12 GMT

The standard NHS childhood vaccination programme will include chickenpox from 2 January 2026.