Nearly 5million people in England are waiting for hospital treatment — the highest number ever recorded. Despite the second Covid wave having been almost entirely squashed, the NHS is still struggling to recover from the impact of the virus on normal care. Some 4.95million people were waiting to start routine treatment in March, the most … Read more
Patients should be remotely screened before being directed to the most appropriate health service for their problem, new NHS guidance says. Doctors are being told the system of ‘total triage’ must be embedded into general practice, despite the Royal College of GPs’ reservations. The method was brought in during the pandemic and sees a person checked … Read more
A new test developed by researchers at UC Santa Cruz looks for both the coronavirus and the flu, with an accuracy level comparable to gold-standard COVID tests. The test uses a fluorescent probe to search for antigens – proteins on the surface of a virus molecule – which may belong to either disease. Since COVID … Read more
Giving ecstasy to people with post-traumatic stress disorder before counselling can relieve them of their symptoms within weeks, a study has suggested. Two-thirds of patients prescribed the illegal party drug alongside therapy no longer qualified for a PTSD diagnosis two months after treatment finished. For comparison, 32 per cent who were given a placebo and … Read more
GPs call for face-to-face consultations to remain an option for patients amid fears symptoms could be missed during remote appointments A report says face-to-face appointments with GPs must not stop altogether Royal College of General Practitioners says symptoms could be missed by Zoom Matt Hancock is in favour of making online appointments permanent after Covid … Read more
In a world first, scientists are using the controversial CRISPR technology to edit genes while the DNA is still inside a person’s body. Typically, the tool – used to treat conditions like sickle cell disease – removes cells from the body, edits out the mutated parts and then reinserts them, along with instructions to create … Read more
More than 150 bodies of suspected coronavirus patients have been dumped into the River Ganges amid fears that relatives could not bury or cremate them in latest shocking scene laying India’s crisis bare. The health ministry recorded another 366,161 infections and 3,754 deaths on Monday – both figures are almost certainly undercounts as the country looks … Read more
More than 150 bodies of suspected coronavirus patients have been dumped into the River Ganges amid fears that relatives could not bury or cremate them in latest shocking scene laying India’s crisis bare. The health ministry recorded another 366,161 infections and 3,754 deaths on Monday – both figures are almost certainly undercounts as the country looks … Read more
Boris Johnson vows to help reduce the NHS backlog of 4.7m patients whose treatment has been delayed by the pandemic PM will put NHS at centre of this week’s Queen’s Speech by introducing legislation to help repair damage caused by Covid pandemic State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday will also see publication of Bills to … Read more
Thousands of bowel disease patients could soon be spared regular hospital visits and long waits for treatment – thanks to new test that would allow GPs or even a practice nurse, for the first time, to monitor the disease. Currently, sufferers of ulcerative colitis, an incurable inflammatory condition that affects the colon, must visit an … Read more