HOWZAT

Hospitals ‘must share the pain of cuts’

The outgoing chief of the Audit Commission believes that savings could be made in the NHS and schools

Blood clot risk lasts up to a year after surgery

Patients may need to be medicated longer after study finds risk of fatal blood clot is far higher than previously thought

David Beckham hopes to inspire asthmatics

The England midfielder has spoken for the first time about his battle with asthma, saying he hopes the revelation will help others

Sommerset home to elixir of life

Men living in the village of Montecute can expect 25 more years of life. Why? The locals say it's the vegetables

The case for uncapped pay in the NHS

The skills and experience that are needed to lead large organisations in the health service are considerable and scarce

Hair straightener dangers in Glasgow campaign

The health authority has found a sharp increase in injuries to young children, caused when they touch a used device on its own

The case against uncapped pay in the NHS

In the private sector wages depend on market demand, which is why big salaries In the public sphere are hard to stomach

NHS chiefs to get taste of own medicine

Both Labour and the Tories have threatened pay freezes for top-earners in the public sector next year

80 NHS chiefs paid more than Prime Minister

From banks to the quangocracy, public sector executives’ salaries are soaring, says pressure group

One in 10 hospital prescriptions 'is wrong'

Hospital doctors rely on pharmacists and nurses to spot mistakes caused by confusing prescription charts, report finds

Thousands live in squalid care homes

Damning report says more than 100,000 frail and eldery people live in care homes that fail to meet the most basic standards

Ten-minute GP appointment 'should double'

British Medical Association says complex medical needs in an ageing population mean that more time is needed for assessment

Secret of old age may lie in protein balance

New research with fruit flies showed that balancing the amino acids in the diet extended lifespans without affecting fertility

More young women seek help for cocaine habit

A sharp rise in addiction rates among women is linked to exposure to drugs in their teens or early twenties

Watchdog challenged over care of elderly

Southwark Council wants an urgent parliamentary review of the regulator which dropped it to the bottom of the rankings

Get tough on worst care homes

Hundreds of thousands of older people are not getting the care they need. There should be radical reform after the election

Rise in doulas undermines NHS staff

Doulas should not intervene in medical decisions by doctors or midwives, experts say

Cancer postcode lottery 'is killing thousands'

Charities and MPs condemn variations in survival rates caused by late diagnosis and unequal access to treatment

£6bn Aids project 'not reaching most in need'

International Development Committee says that sex workers and drug-users are not benefiting from healthcare strategy