Health

How dangerous is vaping and will the new Parliament ban smoking for young people?

Cigarettes contain tobacco, tar and a host of cancer-causing toxic chemicals and are the largest preventable cause of illness and death in the UK, external.About half of all lifelong smokers will die early, losing on average about 10 years of life. That is why people who smoke are urged to stop, with nicotine vapes the most effective quit tool - better than nicotine patches or gum., externalRecent research also suggests
Health

Melanoma skin cancer at all-time high in UK

A cancer charity is warning people to do more to protect themselves from the sun as the number of melanoma skin-cancer cases in the UK continues to rise.Cancer Research UK predicts there will be a record 20,800 cases diagnosed this year – up from a yearly average of 19,300 between 2020 and 2022.Its analysis shows rates rose by almost a third between 2009 and 2019 - from 21 to 28
Health

What is the infected blood scandal and will victims get compensation?

The total cost of compensation is expected to run into billions.The government has published a document setting out the amounts that individuals can expect to get, external.A person infected with HIV, for example, can expect to receive compensation of between £2.2m and £2.6m. These are average ranges rather than upper and lower limits.Those with a chronic hepatitis C infection, defined as lasting more than six months, could expect to receive
Health

Infected blood victims could get £2m compensation

Announcing the details in the House of Commons, paymaster general John Glen repeated the apology made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday, saying the victims had suffered "unimaginable pain".He said the publication of the public inquiry's report was a "day of great humility for everyone".He hopes the compensation package will be welcomed: "The infected blood community know their cries for justice have been heard."Des Collins, of Collins Solicitors, which
Health

‘Blood compensation comes too late for my husband’

21 May 2024By Ian Aikman, BBC NewsHeather EvansPerry Evans, one of the first victims to give evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry, died five weeks ago - too soon to see the damning report into the scandal. His wife, Heather Evans, sat next to a picture of Perry as she listened to inquiry chair Sir Brian Langstaff read the key points from his findings on Monday.The 59-year-old said it was "overwhelming" to
Health

Victims ‘vindicated’ after being ‘gaslit’

20 May 2024By Zahra Fatima & Vicky Wong, BBC NewsBBCVictims of the scandal said they had been "gaslit for generations"Infected blood victims say they feel "vindicated" as a long-awaited report revealed how authorities covered up the scandal and repeatedly exposed victims to unacceptable risks.Sue Wathen, who has no idea when she was infected with hepatitis C after her blood records "disappeared", said the scandal was "an abuse by people who were supposedly
Health

I lost my mum, dad and baby sister to HIV in infected blood scandal

Sam says his dad didn't know he had been infected with HIV for many years.Gary unwittingly passed the virus on to his wife Lesley. She later gave birth to a daughter, Abbey, who was born HIV+ and died at just four months old.Lesley did become pregnant again and in 1992 Sam arrived, this time testing negative for HIV.But just two years later, Lesley died of an Aids-related illness, followed just
Health

Five surprisingly simple ways to optimise your diet

Five surprisingly simple ways to optimise your dietOU ACADEMIC ADVISER, SIMON REA, SENIOR LECTURER IN SPORT AND FITNESS SIMON REA When it comes to what you eat, there’s no shortage of advice. TikTok is overflowing with it… the low-carb diet, raw food, cabbage soup, cucumber bagel diet. And on and on. If you’re confused, it’s no wonder. So here’s… TITLE CARD: Five simple tips (you can trust) for healthy eating
Health

Infected blood scandal: Children were used as ‘guinea pigs’ in clinical trials

Luke O'Shea-Phillips, 42, has mild haemophilia - a blood clotting disorder that means he bruises and bleeds more easily than most. He caught the potentially lethal viral infection hepatitis C while being treated at the Middlesex Hospital, in central London, which was administered because of a small cut to his mouth, aged three, in 1985.Documents seen by the BBC suggest he was deliberately given the blood product - which his
Health

Can health secretary name NHS trusts performing well?

Victoria Atkins was challenged to name some health trusts meeting their targets to cut waiting lists.But the health secretary said she was wanted to be "even handed" and declined to name any individual trusts hitting the expected standard for treating 80% of people in casualty within four hours.BBC Breakfast’s Naga Munchetty pressed her to back up her claims on which areas of England were performing well, adding that viewers across