Health

Public Health Scotland reports 41.9% of women attended a cervical smear within six months of invitation in 2024-25, down from 51.9% the year before, and overall screening coverage fell to 55.3%.

Cristiano Ronaldo sent a message of support after Lindsey Vonn was discharged from hospital following a crash at the Winter Olympics; Vonn said surgeons, including Dr Tom Hackett, carried out operations that saved her leg.

The Department of Health is offering financial incentives, backed by £25 million, to encourage GPs to prescribe weight‑loss injections and refer patients to weight management services after eight months of a phased NHS rollout showed uneven access.

A baby boy, Hugo Powell, was born in December after his mother, Grace Bell, received a womb transplant from a deceased donor at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in 2024.

Actor Robert Carradine has died at 71, and his family said he took his own life after a 20-year battle with Bipolar Disorder; they described him as a "beacon of light" and expressed hope his story will help reduce stigma.

The Telegraph reports that a baby boy is the first child in the UK born to a mother who received a womb from a deceased donor.

Researchers report that a protein called cystatin C, released by cancer cells and described in a study published in Cell, reduced amyloid plaques and improved memory in mice; the findings come from animal experiments and human relevance is not yet established.

NHS England will pay a one-off £3,000 incentive under the GP contract to practices that prescribe the maximum number of eligible patients the weight‑loss drug Mounjaro; current access is limited to people with a BMI over 40 plus certain health conditions and will be widened to BMI over 35 next year.

Officials and UN agencies report a rapid rise in HIV in Fiji, with more than 1,200 diagnoses in the first half of 2025 and about one baby diagnosed each week through mother-to-child transmission.

A baby named Hugo was born after the UK's first womb transplant using a deceased donor, and the operation took place as part of a clinical trial led by transplant surgeons to evaluate the procedure.

Hugo Powell is the first child in the UK born to a mother who received a womb from a deceased donor; he was delivered in December at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital and his mother, Grace Bell, was born with MRKH.

A baby boy, Hugo Powell, is the first child in the UK born to a mother who received a womb transplant from a deceased donor; he was delivered by C-section in December at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital.

The inquiry heard that Valdo Calocane had viewed online videos of shootings and material about law and police powers; he pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility and is serving a hospital order.

Parents welcomed that reforms should avoid major disruption for children in special schools, but many said they fear children with the most complex needs may not get the support they need.

A 93-year-old former manager, Malcolm Phillips, was convicted in a trial of the facts of multiple historic sexual offences at Skircoat Lodge Care Home and his former deputy, Linda Brunning, was also found guilty. Sentencing is scheduled for April.

A new £33m healthcare unit at Rhyl's Royal Alexandra Hospital will include a minor injuries service, expanded radiology and a 14-bed reablement unit, and is due to be completed next year.

Lindsey Vonn left hospital after multiple surgeries for a complex leg fracture sustained at the Winter Olympics, and said Dr Tom Hackett performed a fasciotomy that she says prevented amputation.

An inquiry heard that mental health staff considered research on the over-representation of young Black men when they released Valdo Calocane in May 2020, after which a resident jumped from a window; Calocane later killed three people and was given an indefinite hospital order in January 2024.

Robert Aramayo won both the Bafta best actor and Rising Star awards for his role in I Swear, and people in his home city of Hull have hailed him as an inspiration.

Medical experts say disrupted routines, cabin pressure, dry air, processed salty meals and prolonged sitting can contribute to sluggishness, bloating and dehydration on long-haul flights; they report that measures such as staying hydrated, choosing lighter meals and moving periodically are commonly recommended.

A judge-led public inquiry into the June 2023 Nottingham attacks begins, with victim families calling for individual and institutional accountability. The inquiry, chaired by retired judge Deborah Taylor, will hear evidence about police, medical and prosecutorial actions.

Malawi declared a polio outbreak after poliovirus was detected in sewage samples and a child was treated; WHO airlifted emergency vaccine supplies and about 1.3 million children were vaccinated in four days.

Planning documents say East Riding council has applied to convert offices in Bridlington into a dental practice with capacity for about 1,700 appointments a week, including roughly 840 NHS slots, and two NHS contracts worth a combined £6m are expected to be awarded in March.

GP practices in England will be required to share data with the Lung Cancer Screening Programme so more current and former smokers aged 55–74 are invited for lung health checks, and officials say full roll‑out is expected to identify an additional 50,000 cancers by 2035.

The government announced £3.4bn over three years for SEND, including £1.6bn to schools and £1.8bn for specialist support, as part of wider reforms due in a Schools White Paper.

A researcher reported that chronic stress and persistently high cortisol in people with cancer may change cancer cells to be more adaptable and treatment‑resistant, and she suggested twice‑daily stress‑reduction practices such as meditation or yoga.

A Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children made her first in-person court appearance in a wheelchair; the judge scheduled a March 2 hearing and a psychiatric evaluation is set for April 10.

Shoppers report that BLAQ's Beyond Hope Rejuvenating Serum reduced redness and sensitivity for some users within two to three weeks, and the formula is described as containing retinol, niacinamide and soothing agents such as ectoin.

Australia has recently seen a rise in short-term overseas travel, and the article outlines routine and destination-specific vaccines — including measles, flu, hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies — that health providers may recommend before travel.

Bridget Phillipson said the government's SEND white paper will speed access to support so some help can begin within weeks, and that eligibility for Education, Health and Care plans will be focused on the most severe needs.