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People who have the HPV vaccine may need only one smear test to prevent cervical cancer in their lifetime, according to a leading scientist. Women and people with a cervix are currently invited for screening every three to…

Black, Asian and mixed-heritage people are much less likely to develop cancer than white people, in England, an analysis suggests. But there are exceptions - prostate and blood cancer are two to three times more common in…

Regulations requiring care workers to be vaccinated against Covid are being lifted from 15 March in England. The government says things have changed since the policy was made in preparation for a tough autumn and winter.…

If you woke up this morning, looked at the news, and felt increasingly worried about the war in Ukraine, you are not alone. After a two-year pandemic, it's a lot to absorb, and experts agree that feeling overwhelmed is normal.…

Beauty practitioners offering Botox-style injections or dermal fillers could be required to have a licence, as part of government plans to protect patients in England. It is hoped this will ensure consistent standards in an…

Colombia's constitutional court has decriminalised abortions within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. Under the new rules, no one will be prosecuted for having an abortion within that time frame. Since 2006,…

"It feels really light on my head! I hope this inspires people to give money and donate their hair." Poppy's recent haircut was a long time coming. In fact, she spent more than half her life growing her hair - all…

There is "clear evidence" there were personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages across the health sector during the Covid-19 pandemic, the NI Audit Office has found. PPE stocks remained "very low" until June 2020, a report…

Vital oxygen supplies to treat patients sick with Covid and other critical illnesses, including war injuries, are running dangerously low in Ukraine. The World Health Organization says lorries have been unable to carry…

More coronavirus restrictions in Scotland have been dropped, almost two years since its first case of Covid-19 was confirmed. Secondary school pupils will no longer have to wear face coverings in the classroom - but they…

Greater control is needed over the "free-for-all" of expensive IVF add-ons, according to one Welsh MP. Alex Davies-Jones wants increased regulations due to "vulnerable people being preyed upon". The expensive…

A new pregnancy screening tool cuts the risk of baby loss among women from black, Asian and ethnic minority background to the same level as white women, research suggests. The app calculates a woman's individual risk of…

More people die in the UK from serious lung disease than anywhere else in Western Europe, new analysis suggests. New charity Asthma and Lung UK (ALUK) found that 500,000 people died from pneumonia, asthma and other…

The legal restrictions that ruled our lives for two long years are gone in England and on their way out across the UK. We've moved from being "under the thumb" of Covid to "living with" the virus. However, the pandemic is…

Not getting enough sleep can lead to a vicious circle of over-eating and further sleep deprivation, but it may be possible to create a virtuous circle - where healthy eating actually improves your sleep. Tania Whalen finds it…

"We don't know the long-term side effects of Covid vaccines." That's a claim that's still common to see shared online. But a year is actually considered "long term" when it comes to vaccine safety. This week marks…

Around 4.7 million Covid vaccine doses - 4% of the total - ended up as wastage in England by the end of October 2021, a government report reveals. AstraZeneca shots made up 1.9m. The National Audit Office (NAO),…

A hair salon in Sheffield has created a specialised room to help autistic children get their hair cut in a less challenging environment. Kathy Chisholm added toys and sensory equipment to the salon after she realised the difficulties…

Hundreds of people identified as contacts following a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in a Carmarthenshire village are yet to attend a screening, health officials have said. Public Health Wales (PHW) said 31 cases of active TB had…

A six-month extension has been applied to a temporary policy that allows women to take medical abortion pills at home. The measure was initially introduced when Covid hit, so that women would not have to visit a clinic and,…

New data from a scientific "accident" has suggested that life may actually flash before our eyes as we die. A team of scientists set out to measure the brainwaves of an 87-year-old patient who had developed epilepsy. But…

Scotland's NHS faces major staff recruitment and retention challenges as it emerges from the Covid pandemic, according to a spending watchdog. Audit Scotland said the health service remains on an emergency footing as patient…

People in Wales could receive Covid boosters and flu jabs at the same time this autumn, Welsh government has said. Health boards have been asked to look into co-administering the jabs, which the deputy chief medical officer…

Sickle cell patients have begun receiving the first new treatment for the blood disorder in over 20 years. The inherited condition can cause severe pain and organ failure, often requiring hospital admissions. Crizanlizumab…

All remaining legal Covid restrictions have been removed in England, nearly two years after the first rules were introduced. It means people are no longer legally required to self-isolate if they test positive for Covid -…

Next month, a report will be published into one of the biggest scandals in the history of the NHS, the failures of maternity care at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. The BBC's Michael Buchanan who helped uncover the…

A taskforce has been set up to tackle disparities in maternity care experienced by women belonging to ethnic minorities and those living in deprived areas. Black women are 40% more likely to miscarry than white, studies…

Despite a backlog of routine operations, NHS hospitals are being advised to delay elective surgical procedures by at least seven weeks if a patient has just had Omicron. UK experts say it is a precaution since the first…

An extra blood test on suspected heart-attack patients could determine if they are at high risk of dying in the next three years, researchers say. The test, for the C-reactive protein (CRP), helps detect inflammation and is…

The government has announced the end of all legal Covid restrictions in England, and Scotland has taken similar steps. Here are some of your questions on the changes: Questions and answers Testing and…