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Surgeons warn that delaying service reform risks worsening staff crisis and patient care

Surgeons from across the UK and Ireland have warned that failing to modernise emergency surgical services in Northern Ireland risks intensifying staff shortages and worsening patient outcomes, as political tensions delay implementation of a 2022 reform review.

6 min read

A stock image of a surgeon in blue scrubs leaning over a patient holding tools.

Shark attack survivor Leah Stewart embraces 'second chance at life' after amputation

Leah Stewart, 34, attacked by a shark at Sydney's Coogee Beach in June, has shared an emotional update two months later. After amputation and multiple surgeries, she expresses gratitude for survival and determination to embrace her recovery.

4 min read

A woman with long blonde hair, wearing a white top and red skirt lying on a cream couch, with a baby sleeping on her chest.

After two losses, mother welcomes daughter and shares message of hope

After losing two babies to placental abruption, Hayley Metcalfe welcomed her daughter Hope in February 2026. She now shares her story to encourage others facing pregnancy loss, emphasising that specialist care and support can offer genuine hope.

5 min read

Hayley and Mike with their children George and Hope. The family are sitting on a bed and are smiling at the camera.

Teenager diagnosed with endometriosis after doctors dismissed severe period pain as too young

A 14-year-old from Yorkshire was repeatedly told she was too young to have endometriosis, despite severe monthly pain requiring morphine and hospital visits. After dismissal by multiple doctors, she finally received a diagnosis and underwent surgery. Her case highlights a widespread failure to re...

7 min read

The young women has long, blonde hair falling over her right shoulder. She is wearing a blue dress with thin straps and gold hoop earrings. She has tanned skin and blue eyes and is looking straight into the camera with a closed-mouth smile.

NHS dentist access splits by region as nearly 600 practices quit

Nearly 600 NHS dental practices have withdrawn over a decade, creating a two-tier system where access depends on location and ability to pay. New 2026 reforms introduce urgent care requirements and increased payments, but dentists remain sceptical.

6 min read

Young female dentist and assistant working on female patient in chair

France's drowning deaths surge 14% as extreme heat drives people to water

France has recorded 301 drowning deaths since mid-June, a 14% rise attributed to prolonged heatwaves. The government links the surge to people seeking relief in unsupervised water, with elderly and young victims particularly affected.

4 min read

A man jumps into the water as people gather along the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, France. Photo: 29 July 2026

Learning to Embrace Her Unique Appearance: Woman With Rare Skin Condition Shares Her Journey

Laura Kelly, 28, born with congenital melanocytic naevus covering 98% of her body, shares how she is learning to embrace her appearance after years of hiding it. Meeting others with the rare condition through Caring Matters Now has transformed her confidence.

6 min read

Laura has brown eyes and is wearing a red jacket.

Fitness coach suffers stroke three weeks after giving birth

Fitness coach Becki Barratt suffered a stroke just three weeks after giving birth while breastfeeding her newborn son. Despite left-sided paralysis, she is determined to run the London Marathon in 2027 and raise awareness that strokes can happen to anyone.

5 min read

Becki Barratt is sitting on the floor in her living room next to her baby daughter Aréya, who is clapping her hands.

Lucy Davis thanks fans for support at sci-fi convention after cancer diagnosis

Lucy Davis made her first public appearance since announcing her incurable breast cancer diagnosis, appearing at a London sci-fi convention to discuss her role in Shaun of the Dead. The 53-year-old actress expressed gratitude for fan support and shared career advice.

4 min read

Lucy Davis, a fair-haired woman in a red top and with red-framed glasses worn on top of her head, is seen sitting down and smiling at the For The Love of Fantasy & Sci-Fi convention at Excel London on Saturday 22 August 2026

Baby given life-saving heart pump is 'thriving' after transplant wait begins

Macs Green, diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, is recovering well after receiving a Berlin Heart device at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital. The device takes over his heart's function while he awaits a transplant, which could take 18 months or longer.

4 min read

Macs Green is a small baby. He is lying in a hospital bed with a tube coming from his nose. He has an orange cuddly toy on his right

Thousands of sex offenders in England and Wales could access libido-suppressing drugs

The government is expanding a voluntary medication programme for sex offenders from 10 to 20 prisons, with potential national rollout by December 2028. Around 6,400 offenders could access libido-suppressing drugs and psychological support, though experts warn mandatory approaches would be ineffec...

6 min read

Walls and razor wire at a prison boundary

UK explores libido-suppressing drugs for sex offenders amid ethical concerns

The UK is expanding access to libido-suppressing drugs for sex offenders, but ethical concerns remain about whether such treatment should ever be mandatory or a condition of parole.

5 min read

Silhouette of a male prisoner looking out of the window of his cell