RECENT NEWS

The quality and safety of care delivered to patients by independent healthcare providers continues to hit record highs, according to a new report. As part of its latest annual audit of patient safety and quality in the independent sector, the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) found that 94% of its members are now rated good or outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

In the 2026 King’s Speech, the government outlined plans to introduce legislation to reform how the NHS is led and managed in the form of an NHS Modernisation Bill. The Health Bill is supporting two main overarching aims: "improving patient safety and experience through a new single patient record (SPR)"; and "putting power and resources in the hands of NHS organisations providing direct patient care by abolishing NHS England and stripping back national bureaucracy."

A new blood test that could help detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier has been approved for use in the UK. Roche is working closely with two early-adopter sites in the UK and Ireland to enable rapid patient access.

To support WHO member countries in their efforts to implement new policy recommendations for TB diagnostic testing, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop TB Partnership have published the TB near point-of-care and swab-based testing toolkit (NPOC/swab toolkit).

CFS patients in the UK are set to benefit from a world-first genomics study into the condition, also known as ME, which affects hundreds of thousands of people nationwide, the government has announced.

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) has launched a new video-on-demand interpreting service, giving patients and staff faster access to professional interpreters and helping to ensure everyone can fully understand their care.

Every day, nurses and laboratory staff across UK hospitals are exposed to Formalin and Formaldehyde with potentially significant harmful health effects ranging from asthma to cancer, despite clear regulatory guidelines on protection requirements from closed-system solutions.

Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s Electronic Patient Record teams have been named Digital Transformation Runners‑Up 2026 at the South East Digital Skills Development Network (SEDSDN) Awards.

​HCA Healthcare UK’s London Bridge Hospital has completed a first‑of‑its‑kind combined lung procedure in UK private healthcare, integrating robotic navigational bronchoscopy using the Ion Endoluminal System (Ion) followed by a robotic lung resection using a Da Vinci Xi robot under a single anaesthetic.

The MiS Technology Day Surgery Seminars are dedicated, non‑for‑profit educational events designed to bring together healthcare professionals from public and private hospitals. They offer a unique platform to explore the latest innovations, best practices and emerging technologies in medical device reprocessing.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has launched a public consultation on proposed changes to its education standards. These proposed changes are based on engagement with the NMC’s partners and stakeholders about what they want to see in the updated education and training standards.

Changes in gut microbiota after bariatric surgery are strongly linked to altered metabolic health and sustained improvement in type 2 diabetes, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Gothenburg.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has announced the appointment of Jason Bonander as its new Chief Digital and Technology Officer (CDTO).

NIHR has announced a new global health funding opportunity to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), this programme will support research that tests effective solutions and integrates them into routine services, including late-stage clinical trials.

The NIHR has funded a new study that suggests a simple finger prick blood test combined with online brain testing, all done at home, could help identify people at risk of developing dementia.

Epigenetics company VolitionRx has announced a technical milestone with the successful detection of nucleosomes in capillary blood from critically ill sepsis patients using its lateral flow prototype.

New research presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2026 shows that after decades of decline, stroke incidence is rising again, driven by higher rates in some ethnic minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

A Hiroshima University study of more than 31,000 patients found that pneumonia occurred more often after breathing tubes were removed than during ventilation, with most cases developing within a 1-2 week window after surgery.

A new report from Public Policy Projects (PPP) urges a rethink of patient flow management across the NHS, advocating for whole-system approaches that leverage digital intelligence to tackle persistent bottlenecks and deliver better care outcomes.

A new targeted treatment for a rare and aggressive form of bile duct cancer has been recommended by NICE for routine use on the NHS in England, giving people more time with better quality of life.