Fourteen NHS trusts are to have their maternity services examined over what has been described as “failures in the system”, the government has said. The inquiries are part of a rapid review of maternity care in England that was announced in June. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said bereaved families had shown “extraordinary courage” in coming […]

A room has been opened at a hospital to offer women experiencing miscarriage a calm and private space. Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust ward sister Kelly Colledge said the room “acknowledges the significance of early losses”. It included a private outdoor space and a dedicated shower room. The project was funded by the Spencer Ward

BBC When life gets busy and stress levels rise, it’s not uncommon to find yourself walking into a room and forgetting why you went there, losing your train of thought mid-sentence or struggling to stay focused on simple tasks. Especially after the weekend, it can be hard to get back into work or study mode.

Branwen JeffreysEducation Editor and Erica Witherington BBC When lockdown started, college student Sam was living with his mum because his parents were separated. Then his dad died unexpectedly, leaving him feeling that “something had been stolen” from him. His experience is one of many being highlighted as the Covid-19 public inquiry prepares to look at

Neve Gordon-Farleigh and Robby WestEast of England Robby West/BBC Emma Simmonds went to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to seek help from the gynaecology department for fertility struggles A woman says she has lost “complete faith” and will never go back to a hospital that left her feeling “dismissed” after she had a miscarriage. Emma Simmonds,

Getty Images Doctors say the NHS is struggling to meet demand in England as new data shows the waiting list for routine treatment increasing for the second month in a row. An estimated 7.4m planned procedures were waiting to be carried out in July, up 34,000 on the previous month and the highest level since

Philippa RoxbyHealth reporter and Jim ReedHealth reporter Getty Images Advances in radiotherapy and other forms of cancer treatment are driving up survival rates of the disease Senior cancer doctors are warning that excessive red tape means some patients in England are struggling to access the latest cancer treatments. The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) says

Megha MohanBBC World Service gender and identity correspondent Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Melinda French Gates has pledged a total of $1bn for women’s care Billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates has said women’s health is chronically underfunded, as she committed $50m to researching the issue. This is part of her pledge to invest $1bn in the field

Smitha MundasadHealth reporter Getty Images Both NHS and private fertility clinics must stop offering unproven treatments that don’t help people have children, new official guidelines say. The draft guidance advises against several popular fertility “add-ons”, including so-called endometrial scratches. These add-ons can “give false hope and put people through unnecessary procedures at an already difficult

A third of children under five are living in UK homes where this is not enough access to healthy and nutritious food, according to anti-poverty charity Trussell Trust. Surveys by the charity found more than 14 million people in the UK faced the prospect of going hungry last year due to the lack of money.