Its is often said that in these fairly secular times, the nearest thing the British have to a national religion is, in fact, its National Health Service. The fact that the creation of the NHS played a central role in the celebrated pageant that formed the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics was testament to this.…

For fully fifty years there has been a simple and oft repeated message from heath professionals across the world - ' Stop smoking and keep alcohol consumption to ' moderate'  levels'.

All of the ailments that tend to lead to early death - cardiac disease, strokes and the principal cancers are all strongly associated  with these two 'lifestyle' issues. The impact over the…

At the start of July, USA Today published a news story entitled, Consumers Choose Cheaper Insurance. The story went on to detail the results of a recent survey in which more…

As the UK population celebrates the healthy arrival of Prince William and Catherine Middleton's new born baby son, news of the Royal birth of the third heir to the throne shadows last week's Royal family related health news. Indeed, earlier in the month the focus was on the direct heir…

Instead of waiting for doctor visits, Aetna have worked with smartphone technology and developed their new CarePass app in an attempt to revolutionise the way we approach healthcare in the twenty-first century. The app is designed to help Aetna's customers monitor their own healthcare data and to allow them to see the steps required to improve their overall health, thereby reducing their…

Last week marked a famous milestone in the history of social medicine in Ireland, as parliament passed a bill to allow women to have an abortion if and only when a woman's life is under threat or if she is suicidal. Despite the very tough restrictions on those who qualify to be able to have an abortion, this small development is considered to be a big step forward for Ireland, which until…

References to food served at UK hospitals are rarely kind, whether it be general complaints about overcooked, bland meals; news about budgets for hospital meals being squeezed further, or the reports from earlier this year which claimed that hospitals were supplied with meals and meat containing traces of horsemeat.

Last week, another hospital food related story gained…

The appendix is not an organ we need, but when it malfunctions - the body certainly notices. An inflamed appendix can cause abdominal pain, fever, irregular bowel function and vomiting. Then again, an inflamed appendix might go unnoticed, until it ruptures. Upon rupture, the pus which has irritated and expanded the appendix will slowly seep out, potentially…

This week, Jeremy Hunt the Health Secretary, announced plans for a detailed investigation into the controversial 'Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient' program. The program is an NHS service which aims to offer special care and support for terminally ill patients who are assessed to be in the final days- or even hours- of their lives. But the LCP program has come under lots of…

Prostate cancer, and some of the intimacies associated with initial diagnosis, seems to have resulted in a reluctance among men to consult with their doctors. Convincing men - as they get older - to be alert for it and its possible consequences is an important task for men's health in general.

If you feel that something is a little wrong with a familiar body function -…