BBC News
BBC News - Health
What's really going on with flu this winter?
Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:06:36 GMT
We've been told we're facing an unprecedented superflu. Is it?
Why are sperm donors having hundreds of children?
Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:09:51 GMT
The European sperm market is booming, but is some donors' sperm being used to make too many babies?
Inside Health
Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT
Cystic fibrosis care, AI in cancer screening & science of run clubs.
Hospitals working to get patients home for Christmas after five-day doctor strike
Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:25:33 GMT
Health experts have warned that the impact of the strike will be felt into the new year "and beyond".
The debate about whether the NHS should use magic mushrooms to treat depression
Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:47:15 GMT
Many clinical trials to test the use of psychedelic medicines for conditions such as depression have been underway since 2022 - with surprising results
My eating disorder made me good at lying, says Victoria Beckham
Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:08:18 GMT
The former Spice Girl's new Netflix documentary has landed - under the shadow of a reported family feud.
Generation K: The disturbing rise of ketamine abuse among young people
Tue, 25 Feb 2025 06:00:36 GMT
Increasing numbers of young people are using the drug, experts say. The health impacts can be catastrophic.
Man Jailed For Selling Chemicals Online
Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:45:59 GMT
Miles Cross has been jailed for selling chemicals online to help people kill themselves
How will weight-loss drugs change our relationship with food?
Sat, 19 Oct 2024 03:10:13 GMT
The rise of these treatments has major implications for how we think about obesity, says James Gallagher.
What does an unheated room do to your body?
Sat, 19 Nov 2022 01:11:29 GMT
The BBC's health and science correspondent undergoes an experiment to find out how a cold home affects him.
NHS hours from PPE running out in Covid - Hancock
Thu, 21 Nov 2024 16:58:34 GMT
Former health secretary tells inquiry some healthcare settings did run out - "and it was awful".
Five tips to stay warm when it's cold
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:02:37 GMT
Ski Sunday's Ed Leigh and Chemmy Alcott share advice on how to keep safe and warm.
TikTok removes AI weight loss ads from fake Boots account
Tue, 23 Dec 2025 09:23:51 GMT
The adverts for prescription-only drugs showed healthcare professionals impersonating the British retailer.
Delayed action before 2020 Christmas lockdown 'inexcusable'
Fri, 21 Nov 2025 06:09:37 GMT
Baroness Hallet says ministers failed to take "decisive action" against an "entirely foreseeable" variant.
Surgeon who 'stripped naked in cubicle' struck off
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 06:09:52 GMT
The doctor was working at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth when the incidents happened.
Labour's plan for benefits throws up a bigger dilemma
Mon, 17 Mar 2025 06:06:29 GMT
The debate has sparked a wider dilemma about the broader purpose of welfare
NHS tracker - are hospital waiting times improving near you?
Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:31:25 GMT
Use our interactive tracker to see if treatment waits are getting better at your local hospital.
Hospitals warned end-of-life care crisis threatening treatment
Mon, 29 Dec 2025 14:24:27 GMT
A rising number of patients in hospitals could affect the level of treatment carried out this winter, a group of regional NHS leaders have been told.
Some schools disrupted amid rise in flu cases
Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:52:04 GMT
Flu is on the rise, but ministers say schools should only close in extreme circumstances.
Dr Alex shares five ways that running helps your brain
Fri, 02 Jan 2026 16:08:15 GMT
From protecting against ageing to helping you sleep, Dr Alex George lists the benefits of running.
Government racks up £100m bill responding to Covid inquiry
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 01:07:14 GMT
BBC analysis shows cost to taxpayer is 50% higher than thought, with inquiry's own costs at £192m.
'Getting financial help through my GP has improved my health'
Fri, 24 Oct 2025 05:16:27 GMT
How linked are financial worries and health? GPs in London are trialling a financial support scheme.
Hancock ignored call to test all NHS staff, Covid inquiry hears
Thu, 15 May 2025 18:23:21 GMT
Two Nobel prize-winning scientists worried about "asymptomatic transmission" between staff and patients.
The doctor strike has ended - what comes next?
Wed, 30 Jul 2025 06:02:02 GMT
With doctors returning to work after five-day walkout, is there an opportunity for talks to re-start?
US regulator approves pill form of Wegovy weight-loss drug
Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:29:07 GMT
Wegovy becomes first pill of its kind to be approved, shifting weight-loss drugs beyond injections.
How many of us will end up being diagnosed with ADHD?
Sun, 15 Sep 2024 00:36:40 GMT
Experts suggest that the number of people with ADHD is actually going to remain steady.
Families failed by Covid jabs tell inquiry of pain
Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:39:40 GMT
They said there was no support after the death and harm suffered by their loved ones.
Is the most expensive lip balm always the best?
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 13:38:36 GMT
Do you need to spend more to get the best for your chapped lips?
The English neighbourhood that claims to hold the secret to fixing the NHS
Mon, 07 Apr 2025 23:04:10 GMT
With public satisfaction in the NHS just 21%, one area has a plan to shake up its services that could reduce GP waiting lists, as well as unblock hospital beds - but can it really work nationwide?
Covid inquiry hears of 'generational slaughter'
Mon, 30 Jun 2025 15:55:44 GMT
Relatives of care home residents tell the Covid inquiry they will never get over how their loved ones died.
'It sounds dramatic but singing class saved my life'
Sun, 23 Nov 2025 07:16:11 GMT
Hundreds of peopling attending singing groups are being taught songs and breathing techniques.
How I proved hair loss and dizziness aren't just symptoms of 'being a mum'
Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:28:46 GMT
Iron deficiency is a relatively common problem, especially in women. Here's how to spot the symptoms.
Sleep, exercise, hydrate - do we really need to stick to recommended daily doses?
Sat, 26 Jul 2025 00:08:06 GMT
As a study casts doubt on the daily steps maxim, we take a look at some other health benchmarks we’re often told to strive for.
Is the system letting down people who were harmed by Covid vaccines?
Wed, 23 Oct 2024 05:48:59 GMT
People affected by rare blood clots say they feel they have been airbrushed out of the pandemic.
You can now book online to see your GP. But is it any easier to get an appointment?
Sat, 08 Nov 2025 01:57:44 GMT
A month since GPs in England started offering online appointment bookings, patients recount their experiences.
Ever feel the need to switch off? Your vagus nerve might hold the key
Sun, 09 Nov 2025 02:04:22 GMT
You might not have heard of it, but can training your vagus nerve give you a moment or two of peace?
Much of £11bn Covid scheme fraud 'beyond recovery', report says
Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:48:32 GMT
The response to the pandemic led to "enormous outlays of public money which exposed it to the risk of fraud and error", a report says.
What is Mpox and why are cases rising in Europe?
Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:38:13 GMT
UK health officials are encouraging gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men to be vaccinated.
Flu: How are hospitals in your area affected?
Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:11:40 GMT
Use our interactive tool to explore the latest flu numbers in your area
People fake weight to obtain skinny jabs, says GP
Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:26:04 GMT
A doctor from Chelmsford calls for more checks to stop the drugs being sold inappropriately online.
One day of planning went into Covid school closures, inquiry hears
Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:31:19 GMT
This part of the inquiry is looking at the impact the pandemic had on children and young people.
I wanted ChatGPT to help me. So why did it advise me how to kill myself?
Thu, 06 Nov 2025 17:03:17 GMT
ChatGPT wrote a woman a suicide note and another AI chatbot role-played sexual acts with children, BBC finds.
What is the UK Covid inquiry and how does it work?
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:02:05 GMT
The inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic has heard from politicians, civil servants, experts and bereaved families.
Prostate cancer screening: What you need to know
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:47:11 GMT
Everything you need to know about the decision on who should be screened for prostate cancer.
What's in the Covid inquiry report... in 68 seconds
Thu, 20 Nov 2025 22:46:50 GMT
The report looks at whether lockdowns were timely and reasonable, and what impact rule-breaking at the heart of government had on public confidence.
Caesarean sections overtake natural vaginal births for the first time
Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:35:14 GMT
Experts say there is a complex picture behind why more babies are being delivered through surgery.
Inside Health
Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT
Shingles vaccine to reduce dementia risk? Antibiotic resistant gonorrhoea & tech trousers
The teenage caffeine pouch trend troubling US 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.
Flu wave hits England's busiest A&E - hundreds of patients are arriving a day
Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:01:00 GMT
The BBC visits Leicester Royal Infirmary to witness first-hand how it's coping with an early surge in cases of winter bugs.
Wellbeing 2026: Recovery, JOMO and brain boosting supplements
Sat, 03 Jan 2026 01:19:15 GMT
Wellness is a multi-trillion pound industry which continues to grow - and this year is less about maxing out, more about recovering well.
Three NHS trusts still using fax machines, Streeting confesses
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:49:07 GMT
The health secretary had made it his personal mission to banish the fax machine from the NHS.
Doctors' union agrees to resume talks with Streeting
Wed, 30 Jul 2025 21:03:16 GMT
But the health secretary says he will not negotiate on pay, adding that the union has lost goodwill with their five-day walkout.
The myth of willpower - and why some people struggle to lose weight more than others
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:03:19 GMT
Thousands of genes that have an influence on weight, say experts - which means weight loss isn't a level playing field
Ambulance demand spikes as flu season worsens
Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:14:11 GMT
The service says calls increased by 20% in the past week, fuelled by illnesses such as the flu.
Children with cancer scammed out of millions fundraised for their treatment, BBC finds
Tue, 16 Dec 2025 01:25:32 GMT
Huge amounts appear to have been raised for seriously ill children who never received the money.
DNA pioneer James Watson dies at 97
Sat, 08 Nov 2025 07:47:13 GMT
Watson co-discover the double-helix structure of DNA, but his reputation was later damaged by his comments on race and sex.
Vitamin pills and icy swims: Can you really boost your immune system?
Sun, 09 Feb 2025 02:51:39 GMT
After being struck down by winter illness, the BBC's James Gallagher goes in search of ways to boost his immune system.
Resident doctors in Scotland to go on strike for first time
Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:51:35 GMT
Their union BMA Scotland has accused the government of reneging on a commitment to restore pay to 2008 levels.
Wellbeing support for terminally-ill islanders
Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:34:09 GMT
A hospice offers a free programme for those with life-limiting or serious progressive illnesses.
Tackling the gender gap in CPR treatment
Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:12:44 GMT
Research shows women are 27% less likely than men to receive CPR from bystanders.
Junk food TV and online advert ban comes into force
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 04:52:29 GMT
Soft drinks, chocolate, pizzas and ice creams will be targeted in the UK government's plan.
Sugar tax extended to milk-based drinks: What you need to know
Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:33:18 GMT
Milkshakes and lattes to be included in UK sugar tax scheme for the first time.
Has flu peaked? What the figures tell us
Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:23:10 GMT
NHS remains on high alert over flu, health bosses say, but there are signs infections are levelling off.
Ketamine helped me escape my negative thoughts - then it nearly killed me
Fri, 04 Jul 2025 23:08:50 GMT
Young people are taking dangerous amounts of ket because it's cheap, easily available and helps them "disconnect", experts say.
Flu jabs offered in pub in vaccination drive
Mon, 01 Dec 2025 06:28:38 GMT
Regular pop-up vaccination clinics are available at The Bevy community pub in Brighton.
Large UK-wide pandemic preparedness tests planned this year
Thu, 16 Jan 2025 16:36:01 GMT
The stress test will involve thousands of people to help the UK prepare for potential future threats.
'My endometriosis pain is excruciating but I'm still waiting for surgery'
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 22:42:25 GMT
According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 59,733 women in NI are now on waiting lists.
Online gaming escaped Australia's social media ban - but critics say it's just as addictive
Fri, 12 Dec 2025 20:45:06 GMT
Parents and experts say gaming poses many of the same risks for kids as social media, and want them included.
Covid inquiry hears impact on firms and staff
Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:50:37 GMT
Business owners describe breaking into tears as they were forced to lay off staff, while workers feared for their jobs
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.
Girls 'taught how to get a job but not about women's health'
Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:04:09 GMT
Young women say they were taught how to open a bank account in school, but not about their own health.
Healthy living tips from the Gladiators
Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:16:54 GMT
Athena, Electro, Dynamite and Giant share their top tips to stay fit and healthy.
Your nose gets colder when you're stressed. These thermal images show the change
Sun, 12 Oct 2025 23:28:34 GMT
Psychologists subjected a BBC reporter to a carefully designed thermal camera stress test.
Chickenpox vaccines for young children start across UK
Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:31:23 GMT
For the first time, children will be offered vaccination on the NHS against the common infection which, in rare cases, can be very serious.
Private flu vaccine stocks running low as cases rise
Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:03:07 GMT
Those eligible for a vaccine can access jabs from the NHS, but experts say that people have turned to pharmacies for convenience.
Inside Health
Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT
We investigate the safety of melatonin as a sleep aid, and should you eat your placenta?
Councils should not cut 'vital' physical activity - former Olympian
Thu, 23 Oct 2025 13:45:50 GMT
The Accounts Commission says the amount councils are spending on culture and leisure services is not keeping up with rising costs.
Is it a cold, 'super flu' or Covid? How to tell the difference
Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:28:03 GMT
How to identify whether you have cold, flu or Covid and how to look after yourself.
Woman planning 115km walk after two heart attacks
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 06:16:13 GMT
Cathy Read will walk across Spain to support the charity that helped her recover.
Lockdown could have been avoided - key findings from Covid inquiry
Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:01:47 GMT
The long-awaited report is published into how well or badly the government handled the Covid pandemic.
Nicotine pouch rise driven by young men - study
Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:22:30 GMT
Around 7.5% of 16 to 24-year-old-men are using the small sachets that fit under the top lip, research suggests.
I stopped paying for food and heating to spend it gambling - my period made it worse
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:12:32 GMT
Researchers are looking to see if there is a link between hormonal fluctuations and gambling addiction.
Illegal teeth-whitening industry exposed by BBC
Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:06:25 GMT
A BBC investigation finds kits on sale containing more than 500 times the legal limit of bleach.
A facelift at 28? Why young people are turning to plastic surgery
Sat, 11 Oct 2025 01:05:48 GMT
Gone are the days when facelifts were for the ageing wealthy. Now younger people are going under the knife.
Libraries to host community events over winter
Thu, 27 Nov 2025 06:46:30 GMT
The sessions in December and January aim to bring people in Wolverhampton together during the colder months.
First place in British Isles set to approve right to die
Tue, 25 Feb 2025 13:02:21 GMT
Laws in the Isle of Man to let terminally ill adults end their own lives are in the last stages of debate.
Gove apologises after Covid report alleges 'toxic' culture
Fri, 21 Nov 2025 18:42:12 GMT
The ex-senior minister apologises for mistakes in the pandemic, but defends some of the previous government's actions.
UK did 'too little, too late', leading to thousands more Covid deaths - inquiry
Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:42:03 GMT
Report on government decision-making says delays cost 23,000 lives in the first wave in England.
The private notes and secret documents that tell the inside story of the UK's Covid response
Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:12:50 GMT
The Covid inquiry is set to publish its second set of findings looking in detail at the huge political decisions that had to be made in 2020.
How does the disposable vape ban work, and how harmful is vaping?
Tue, 09 Sep 2025 11:56:48 GMT
The disposable vape ban is designed to reduce environmental damage and protect children's health.
'I have a sweating problem': What Alan Carr's Traitors admission tells us about how social taboos changed
Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:47:10 GMT
Let's talk about sweat... From contestants on The Celebrity Traitors and scores of celebrities openly discussing it, to the trend of professionals using saunas for business meetings
The junior doctors' strikes may be over. But is trouble ahead?
Fri, 02 Aug 2024 00:43:02 GMT
The end of the pay dispute sounded too good to be true. And now some are wondering if it might be.
Parents say babies failed by delayed diagnosis like Jesy Nelson's twins
Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:12:23 GMT
After Little Mix star Jesy Nelson's revelation that her twins have SMA, parents speak about their children's late diagnoses.
Boris Johnson left Inquiry in a hurry - he'll be pleased not to come back
Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:49:01 GMT
School closures seemed the only option but lockdowns probably went "too far" , former PM tells Covid Inquiry.
How to keep babies warm in cold weather and other winter tips
Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:27:11 GMT
As temperatures fall across much of the UK, the best ways to keep people and pets warm and dry.
Christmas can be a nightmare for misophonia sufferers like me
Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:24:28 GMT
Christmas is a difficult time if you suffer from a reduced tolerance to sounds, but there are ways to make it easier.
At 21, I was crushed by a stranger's joke about going bald. Then the way I looked at myself changed
Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:52:35 GMT
There are multiple ways for men to combat hair loss now, but should they have to?
How do cold weather health alerts work?
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:07:19 GMT
The weather alert service warns the public when high or low temperatures could damage their health.
Union and government to restart talks on ending doctor dispute
Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:03:52 GMT
BMA says there is window of opportunity in coming weeks to reach a settlement after 12 strikes.
'My first cervical screening was over before I knew it'
Sun, 02 Feb 2025 01:06:51 GMT
The BBC speaks to six people about their first cervical screening, and what they wish they'd known beforehand.
'Since having Covid my life has completely changed'
Thu, 02 Oct 2025 05:05:22 GMT
A teenager has told the Covid-19 inquiry she often feels "left out" after missing so much school.
Weight-loss jabs: What happens when you stop?
Sun, 21 Dec 2025 01:01:53 GMT
You may have lost the weight you wanted to lose - but now you've stopped the jabs, how easy is it to keep it off?
Inside Health
Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT
We try to figure out why drug deaths are at an all-time high - and what can be done.
Toddler finally home from hospital for Christmas
Tue, 23 Dec 2025 06:08:34 GMT
Bertie Melly was in hospital for 18 months after his premature birth in May 2024.
What is happening to flu this winter - and should you buy a vaccine?
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:12:50 GMT
Flu has come early this year with a new mutated version of the virus circulating.
People who come off slimming jabs regain weight four times faster than dieters
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:21:56 GMT
Overweight people shed large amounts on jabs but gain 0.8 kg a month on average once off them, study shows.
Assisted dying bill: What is in proposed law?
Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:30:26 GMT
The proposed law would allow some terminally ill adults to end their own lives. But there are requirements.
'Toxic' No 10 culture harmed Covid response, inquiry finds
Thu, 20 Nov 2025 22:32:49 GMT
Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings and Matt Hanock are all criticised for contributing to poor Covid decision-making.
ADHD services shutting door to new NHS patients as demand soars, BBC finds
Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:04:46 GMT
A BBC investigation finds that a host of areas in England are closing waiting lists and others are rationing care.
Knives taken to hospitals sees amnesty bins set up
Fri, 09 Jan 2026 06:27:41 GMT
In Birmingham hospitals knives are regularly found, with one produced by a patient ready for an MRI.
NHS needs better plan around weight loss jabs, warn experts
Wed, 16 Oct 2024 07:27:18 GMT
Experts call for an urgent review of obesity treatment services amid booming demand for weight loss jabs.
'A predator in your home': Mothers say chatbots encouraged their sons to kill themselves
Sat, 08 Nov 2025 13:20:52 GMT
In her first UK interview Megan Garcia speaks to Laura Kuenssberg about the death of her teenage son.
Flu on the rise again after Christmas mixing, says NHS
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:14:50 GMT
Cases up after two weeks of decline, as hospitals report rise in slips and falls because of cold snap.
Doctors strike called off as union backs latest pay deal
Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:06:49 GMT
Medics had been set to go on the first national walkout staged by NHS workers on Tuesday in a dispute over pay.
Long waits for disability benefit claims unacceptable, MPs say
Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:22:44 GMT
Some people are waiting more than a year to have their claims processed, the Public Accounts Committee says.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer and what should you check for?
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:00:12 GMT
One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
How do cold weather health alerts work?
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:07:19 GMT
The weather alert service warns the public when high or low temperatures could damage their health.
Magnesium: Can this 'miracle mineral' really help us sleep?
Fri, 24 Oct 2025 23:04:39 GMT
The global market in this supplement is worth almost £3bn - a figure set to nearly double over the next decade.
Can I Believe My Eyes?
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:00:00 GMT
Chris Tally Evans sees things - a first-person journey into Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
The Covid Inquiry Podcast
Sat, 22 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT
Baroness Hallett makes her second report into the UK's pandemic response. With Jim Reed.
Why are resident doctors striking and how much are they paid?
Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:06:44 GMT
Resident doctors in England are striking between 17 and 22 December, the 14th walkout since 2023.
OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health to review your medical records
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:14:32 GMT
The firm says its chatbot sees health and wellbeing questions from 230 million people every week.
