Category Archives: England

Record number of people waiting for NHS diagnostic tests in England

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One in five of the 1.92m patients on list wait longer than six weeks for tests such as CT and MRI scans, analysis shows

A record number of people are waiting for a diagnostic test on the NHS, triggering fears that delays in accessing CT and MRI scans could endanger patients’ health.

A total of 1.92 million patients in England are waiting to have a test to diagnose their illness such as by an ultrasound scan, assessment of their hearing, bone scan or various tests for cancer.

The diagnostic waiting list has grown by 500,000 since 2022.

It is 83% higher than before the Covid pandemic.

On current trends the waiting list will hit 2 million in March 2027.

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Delivery pain for UK dad as baby magazine arrives 19 years late

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Paul Edwards ordered the publication before the birth of his son in 2007, but experienced pregnant pause before receiving it this week

When Paul Edwards ordered a parenting magazine in 2007, he was hoping that it would provide helpful advice and offers to help him navigate the stresses and challenges of bringing up children.

However the magazine never arrived – until now. The copy of Mother & Baby was delivered on Friday – 19 years after he ordered it – with his children now studying at university.

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Fisher with a mission: first woman to chair Grayling Society wants to protect ‘lady of the stream’

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Marnie Lovejoy hopes to inspire other women to fish, protect England’s rivers and lift up the ‘beautiful’ grayling

With its iridescent pink scales and elegant dorsal fin, the grayling is known to anglers as the “lady of the stream”, yet the society fighting for its protection has never been led by a woman, until now.

Angling, and fly-fishing in particular, has always been a very male-dominated sport. The fly-fisher’s club in Mayfair, London, where anglers meet to lunch on dover sole and drink fine wine, did not allow women to cross the threshold even as guests until 2024.

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Six more charged after Southampton riots over Henry Nowak murder

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Total number charged rises to 11 after protests that broke out following sentencing of man for murder of 18-year-old

Six more people have been charged with violent disorder in Southampton after riots broke out following the sentencing of a man for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.

It brings the total number of people charged after disorder in the city to 11. Kevin Reeves, 31, of Portswood Road, Southampton; Andrew Riddett, 38, of Seacombe Green, Southampton; Harry Varney, 34, of Briarswood, Southampton; Taylor Grundy, 22, of Pavillion Way, Gosport; and Dillon Crawford, 29, of Wilton Avenue, Southampton, were charged with violent disorder, Hampshire constabulary said.

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Essex woman jailed for life for poisoning baby son with cocktail of drugs

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Emma Barnett killed her one-year-old after a court ruling he be taken away from her

A mother who poisoned her one-year-old son with a lethal cocktail of prescription medications added to milk in a baby bottle has been jailed for life for his murder.

Emma Barnett, 36, killed her son Oakley before he could be taken into care after a family court hearing ordered that he be removed from her.

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Former student arrested after man shot with crossbow at University of Surrey

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Saudi national, 21, held on suspicion of attempted murder over incident at Manor Park student village in Guildford

A former University of Surrey student has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was shot with a crossbow in Guildford.

The victim, who is in his 50s and a member of the university’s campus safety team, was seriously injured in the incident and is being treated at Royal Surrey County hospital close to the scene of the shooting.

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Hospitals in England ranking highly for empathy ‘have better patient outcomes’

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Research suggests NHS trusts with higher empathy ratings also benefit financially and have improved staff wellbeing

Patients and staff fare better at hospitals that rank highly on empathy, research suggests, with institutions also benefiting financially by spending less on agency staff, locums and consultants.

The finding comes from the first study to rate NHS trusts in England according to an empathy score that is drawn from information on the organisation’s culture, leadership behaviour and practitioner empathy, among other factors.

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Life-prolonging drug for advanced ovarian cancer gets go-ahead in England

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Elahere is first new drug for chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer to be approved by NHS for 20 years

Hundreds of women with hard-to-treat ovarian cancer can now be offered a new life-prolonging treatment, after NHS England approved its introduction. It is the first new drug for resistant ovarian cancer to be approved for more than 20 years.

Ovarian is the 18th most common type of cancer globally, affecting more than 300,000 women a year. More than three-quarters of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, making it harder to treat.

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GPs in England too ‘overloaded’ to help older people at risk of falling, say MPs

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NHS bosses giving evidence to public accounts committee admit current position is unacceptable

GPs in England are so “overloaded” that they cannot help older people who are at risk of falling in what NHS bosses accept is an unacceptable failure of care, the House of Commons’ public accounts committee has said.

Pressure on GPs’ time has intensified as a result of the government’s decision to give patients online access to their services, according to a report by the influential cross-party group of MPs.

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Ex-Police Federation boss confident he will be exonerated of corruption claims

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Exclusive: Mukund Krisha says he will fight allegations and is proud of his record at the staff association

The former head of the Police Federation of England and Wales who was arrested on suspicion of corruption has told the Guardian he is confident he will be “entirely exonerated” and is “proud” of his record at the organisation.

Mukund Krishna, who was the chief executive of the staff association, is facing claims of financial wrongdoing and had his contract terminated on Sunday.

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Water-related deaths in UK heatwave hit 15 after girl dies in North Yorkshire

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Girl, 13, pulled from River Wharfe on Sunday and boy, 11, remains missing from River Don as hot spell comes to an end

A 13-year-old girl has died after going into a river and a boy is missing as the water-related death toll reached at least 15 at the end of the UK heatwave.

The girl was pulled from the River Wharfe in Burnsall, near Skipton, North Yorkshire, on Sunday evening. She was airlifted to hospital where she was pronounced dead, North Yorkshire police said.

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Family pays tribute to girl, 15, who died after swimming at Merseyside beach

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Chiedza Nyanjowa, who wanted to be a nurse, died in hospital after getting into difficulties in the sea

A 15-year-old girl, who died after getting into difficulties in the sea off the coast of Merseyside, wanted to be a nurse so she could “give back”, her family said in a tribute.

Chiedza Nyanjowa, from Cheshire, was taken to Alder Hey children’s hospital after swimming at Formby beach on bank holiday Monday, Merseyside police said.

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‘Happy either way’: Arsenal fans find zen attitude to Champions League final

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Supporters filling north London pubs said they were already gratified by Premier League win

The streets of Holloway, usually bustling with families and trolly-dragging shoppers, were uncharacteristically quiet on Saturday afternoon. But shortly after the clock struck 5pm, loud roars echoed through the north London high street, located a short walk away from the Emirates stadium, as Arsenal walked on to the pitch for the Champions League final.

While the team, still basking in the glory of their Premier League win last week, were in Budapest for their final showdown against Paris Saint-Germain, Gunners – or Gooners, as they are colloquially known – came out to support the team on their home turf.

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Dartford warbler stages a comeback 60 years after almost vanishing

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Survey shows 44% increase on RSPB reserves of bird that almost became extinct in England in the 60s

More than half a century after the Dartford warbler almost vanished from the English countryside, the charismatic heathland bird appears to be staging a comeback.

A survey has revealed the highest number of Dartford warblers ever recorded on reserves run by the bird conservation charity RSPB, with 264 pairs counted in 2025, a 44% increase in five years.

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Burnham steps back from past calls to end immigration benefits restriction

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Labour’s Makerfield byelection candidate understood to have changed stance on no recourse to public funds policy

Andy Burnham has rolled back from his previous calls for ministers to scrap a restriction on immigrants claiming benefits as the Makerfield byelection places greater scrutiny on his policy positions.

As Greater Manchester mayor, Burnham has called several times for an end to the rule known as no recourse to public funds (NRPF), which since 1999 has prevented new arrivals getting access to benefits or public housing before they are granted settled status.

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Student loans inquiry responses show ‘massive scale of frustration and upset’

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More than 52,000 people respond to Commons committee’s call for evidence amid criticism of loan terms

Thousands of graduates have told an official inquiry their horror stories and bad experiences relating to student loans, underlining what the chair of an MPs’ committee called massive levels of “frustration and upset”.

Amid an ongoing row over the ballooning cost of degree course debts, more than 52,000 people responded to a call for evidence by the Commons Treasury select committee as part of its inquiry into student loans and the taxation of graduates.

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‘I’m going to get his ass’: YouTuber beats all-time cheese-rolling champion

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Tom Kopke, from Germany, out-tumbled local hero Chris Anderson to win his third roll on hot day in Gloucestershire

It was billed as the great cheese-off; a helter-skelter, bone-jarring downhill race between the all-time champ and a young upstart.

After the hype and hyperbole, youth won out, as the 24-year-old German YouTuber Tom Kopke beat 38-year-old local hero Chris Anderson at the annual cheese-rolling event in the English West Country.

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Extra EU border checks suspended at Dover as travellers face delays in heat

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Wait times of more than two hours reported at terminal for cross-Channel ferry to France

French police have temporarily suspended extra EU border checks at the port of Dover as thousands of holidaymakers face long delays in the hot weather.

Waiting times of more than two hours were reported at the terminal in Kent for the cross-Channel ferry to France.

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Health alerts for bank holiday weekend as record May heat forecast in UK

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Temperatures expected to reach as high as 33C in southern England or Midlands on Monday

Amber heat health alerts have been issued for the bank holiday weekend as record-breaking May temperatures as high as 33C (91F) are expected in parts of the UK.

The alerts – which indicate a possible risk to life as well as potential damage to properties, significant travel delays and power cuts – were announced for the East Midlands, West Midlands, the east of England, London and the south-east, and will be in effect from 2pm on Friday until 5pm on Wednesday.

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Jury discharged at trial of men accused of murdering child abuser Ian Watkins

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Judge says it is ‘disappointing’ there will have to be retrial of prisoners accused over Lostprophets singer’s death

The jury in the trial of two prisoners accused of murdering the paedophile Lostprophets frontman, Ian Watkins, has been discharged for legal reasons.

The disgraced singer was stabbed to death in his cell at high-security HMP Wakefield by Rico Gedel, 25. Watkins was serving a 29-year sentence for child sexual offences.

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