What's New

Researchers from the University of South Wales (USW) have said that recovering heroin users need quicker access to prescription drugs to stop self-medication.

Public Health England (PHE) has published interim guidance for primary care clinicians on what to do if they suspect a patient is infected with the Wuhan novel coronavirus (WN-CoV).

The Government has confirmed that parental bereavement leave will come into law on 6 April 2020.

Following suggestions that the Government is considering changing rules relating to the tax-free allowance for pensions, the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned that this would not stop medical staff from reducing shifts.

Under a "pharmacy first" scheme launched last October, NHS 111 has offered over 100,000 patients same-day referrals to a pharmacist in a move to ease pressure on GP practices.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for a new "minimum investment standard" for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to be introduced by NHS England.

The Government has published the proposed statutory rates for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) and Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP), which come into effect on 5 April 2020, the first Sunday in April. The rate is set to increase from £148.68 to £151.20 per week.

After falling consistently between 1999 and 2015, failure to pay the minimum wage is increasing, and fines for those underpaying are too low, according to new research by an independent think tank, the Resolution Foundation.

The Government in England has announced that it is planning to streamline the NHS systems as part of an IT upgrade, with around £40 million being set aside to help hospitals and clinics introduce single-system logins in the next year.

Anyone looking to get away in the spring and thinking that the early May bank holiday would be ideal for a long weekend needs to think again this year as the Government has decided to move it from its usual first Monday in May spot.