Health experts are warning of one of the most severe flu seasons in years as the highly infectious H3N2 strain spreads rapidly across Britain. The variant, which caused record hospitalisations in Australia and widespread school closures in Japan, has mutated to evade existing immunity, raising fears of a sharp rise in serious illness this winter. Despite early warnings, vaccination uptake in the UK remains low, with around 40% of care home residents still unvaccinated.

The H3N2 virus is known for causing more intense symptoms, particularly higher fevers compared to other flu strains. Typical signs include a sudden onset of fever, chills, sore throat, cough, muscle aches, fatigue and headaches. The UK Health Security Agency reported that flu-related deaths in England more than doubled last winter, highlighting the growing public health concern.

While cold and flu symptoms can overlap, flu tends to strike more suddenly and severely. Colds usually involve a gradual onset of mild symptoms such as a runny nose, whereas flu can quickly lead to exhaustion and complications, especially in vulnerable groups.

Doctors are urging people to get their annual flu jab and take simple hygiene precautions — such as regular hand washing, covering coughs and avoiding crowded places — to reduce the risk of infection as the virus continues to spread.

Thousands of administrative and management roles within the NHS in England are set to be cut following an agreement with the Treasury, allowing the health service to temporarily exceed its spending limits to cover redundancy costs. Earlier this year, the government announced plans to remove around 18,000 jobs as part of major reforms, which include bringing NHS England under the Department of Health and reducing local health board staff.

Negotiations had stalled over how to fund the estimated £1 billion cost of the pay-offs, but a compromise has now been reached. The NHS will overspend this year and is expected to make up the shortfall through future savings. Officials stressed that no new funding is being added to the health budget beyond the existing settlement, which includes a £29 billion annual increase above inflation by 2028-29.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the changes would streamline management and prioritise front-line care. Speaking ahead of a conference speech, he said patients wanted “fewer layers of bureaucracy” and confirmed efforts were underway to “rebuild the NHS” through efficiency and modernisation.

The reforms aim to save £1 billion annually by the end of the parliament, equivalent to funding more than 100,000 additional hip and knee operations. However, unions have warned that cutting experienced staff could harm patient services and public health programmes.

A pioneering national rehabilitation facility has opened in Nottinghamshire, aiming to transform how the NHS supports patients recovering from serious injuries and illnesses. The £105m National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), managed by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, features 70 beds and an expert workforce equivalent to 200 full-time staff. Designed as a model for future NHS rehabilitation services, it offers intensive physical, psychological and cognitive therapies to help patients regain independence and return to work.

Led by director Miriam Duffy, a former physiotherapist, the project represents over a decade of development. She described the centre as marking a new era for recovery care, highlighting the shortage of NHS rehabilitation capacity. The NRC brings together physiotherapists, occupational and speech therapists, with family involvement central to treatment plans aimed at long-term reintegration into daily life.

Located alongside the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall, patients can also access cutting-edge facilities, including virtual reality rehabilitation technology, hydrotherapy pools and motion-testing environments. The partnership allows NHS patients to benefit from advanced military rehabilitation expertise and equipment.

The initiative was originally championed by the late Duke of Westminster, whose charitable foundation provided the estate and significant funding. Supported by the Black Stork Charity, the NRC is intended to revolutionise NHS rehabilitation and influence national standards for recovery care and research.

England’s adult social care industry contributed an estimated £77.8 billion to the economy in 2024/25, marking a new high according to Skills for Care’s latest State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce report. Employment in the sector grew by 3.4% to 1.6 million filled posts, while the total number of roles increased by 2.2%, underlining its expanding role as a key public service and economic driver.

The increase is largely attributed to improved staffing levels and the uplift in the National Living Wage, which has helped raise average pay. Although vacancy rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels at 7%, recruitment and retention remain persistent challenges. Domestic employment fell by 30,000, while international recruitment dropped by over half to 50,000, sparking calls for a stronger homegrown workforce strategy.

Turnover in the independent sector eased to 24.7%, and the number of men in the workforce rose to a record 22%. However, only 38% of care workers now hold a Level 2 qualification, while many employers still lack enhanced sick pay or pension benefits—factors linked to higher staff departures.

Skills for Care and NHS leaders have stressed the need for better pay, training, and job quality to strengthen the workforce ahead of rising demand. The sector is projected to require 470,000 additional roles by 2040 to meet the needs of an ageing population.

For the first time, menopause screening will become part of routine NHS health checks in England. From next year, women aged between 40 and 74 attending the five-yearly appointments will be asked about symptoms linked to menopause, in a move aimed at improving access to advice, treatment and emotional support.

The update will allow GPs and pharmacists to identify women who may benefit from hormone replacement therapy (HRT), counselling, or medication to manage symptoms such as hot flushes and mood changes. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the change will help tackle the silence surrounding menopause, ensuring women are no longer left to cope alone with what can be debilitating symptoms.

Around three-quarters of women experience some level of discomfort during menopause, which can bring physical and cognitive challenges such as fatigue, joint pain and brain fog. Women’s Health Ambassador Dame Lesley Regan welcomed the decision, saying it will help normalise conversations about menopause and ensure more women get the help they need.

However, campaigners warned that attendance rates for NHS health checks remain low in some communities, meaning many could miss out on this new support. Experts also stressed the importance of training staff and improving outreach, particularly among ethnic minority and lower-income groups.

As the darker months set in and daylight hours shrink, the NHS is reminding everyone across the UK to take a daily dose of vitamin D from now until March. With limited sunlight during autumn and winter, our bodies struggle to produce enough of this vital nutrient, which plays an essential role in keeping bones, teeth and muscles strong.

Health experts advise adults and children over the age of one to take a 10-microgram (400 IU) vitamin D supplement each day. Babies should also receive between 8.5 and 10 micrograms daily, unless they consume more than 500ml of infant formula, which already contains added vitamin D. The NHS stresses that maintaining sufficient levels helps support not just physical health but also energy and overall wellbeing.

A lack of vitamin D can cause symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness and bone pain, and in more severe cases may lead to conditions like rickets in children or osteomalacia in adults. Because sunlight exposure is limited in the UK during winter, supplementation is considered a safe and effective way to prevent deficiency.

For those wanting to boost their intake naturally, vitamin D can also be found in foods such as oily fish (like salmon and sardines), red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified products including cereals and fat spreads. Supplements are widely available in pharmacies and supermarkets.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has confirmed another round of industrial action in England after pay negotiations with the government once again failed. Despite ongoing talks through the summer and early autumn, no agreement was reached, prompting resident doctors — formerly known as junior doctors — to stage a five-day strike from Friday, 14 November. This will mark the 13th walkout since the dispute began in March 2023 and is expected to cause widespread disruption across hospitals.

Resident doctors make up almost half of the NHS medical workforce, covering roles from newly qualified doctors to those with up to ten years of experience. During the strike, they will withdraw from both emergency and routine services, forcing senior clinicians to step in. Previous strikes have already led to thousands of postponed operations and appointments despite NHS efforts to maintain services.

Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said the union had engaged “in good faith” but accused the government of failing to act in the interests of patients and staff. The dispute, which began over pay erosion since 2008, has also expanded to cover training opportunities, career progression, and work-related costs.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the strikes as “reckless,” claiming the BMA had rejected efforts to improve working conditions and expand training places. NHS leaders have warned the action will add further strain to an already pressured winter period.

Sir Julian Hartley has resigned as chief executive of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), days after an independent investigation was launched into maternity care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Having led the trust for a decade, Sir Julian said his continued role at the CQC was “incompatible” with the discussions surrounding the inquiry. His departure follows pressure from families affected by substandard maternity care who had called for him to step down.

The inquiry, ordered by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, will look into repeated failings at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’ University Hospital. Mr Streeting said the investigation aimed to uncover what had “gone so catastrophically wrong” and stressed the need to rebuild public confidence in the regulator.

Families affected by poor care, including Amarjit Kaur and Mandip Singh Matharoo, whose daughter Asees was stillborn in January 2024, welcomed the resignation, questioning how Sir Julian’s appointment had been approved given his history at Leeds. Whistleblowers also expressed relief, citing years of unsafe conditions under his leadership.

In his statement, Sir Julian apologised to families who suffered harm and pledged full cooperation with the inquiry. CQC chair Professor Sir Mike Richards acknowledged the resignation as a significant loss but agreed it was necessary to maintain public trust. The Leeds probe becomes the fifth major investigation into maternity failings at an NHS trust since 2013.

A groundbreaking blood test capable of identifying more than 50 different cancers could significantly accelerate diagnosis, according to new findings from a North American study. The test, known as Galleri and developed by US firm Grail, analyses fragments of tumour DNA circulating in the bloodstream. In trials involving 25,000 adults across the US and Canada, almost one in 100 received a positive result, with cancer confirmed in around 62% of those cases.

Researchers found that over half of the cancers detected were at an early and more treatable stage. Importantly, three-quarters of those cancers currently have no screening programme, including ovarian, pancreatic, and liver cancers. The Galleri test also accurately identified the source of cancer in nine out of ten cases, while ruling out cancer correctly in more than 99% of negative tests.

Lead researcher Dr Nima Nabavizadeh, from Oregon Health & Science University, said the technology could “transform” cancer screening by spotting tumours when treatment has the best chance of success. When used alongside standard NHS screening tests, detection rates rose seven-fold.

However, experts have urged caution until long-term data is available. Professor Clare Turnbull of the Institute of Cancer Research stressed that only large-scale trials—such as the ongoing NHS study involving 140,000 participants—will confirm whether earlier detection leads to fewer cancer deaths.

England’s NHS waiting list has grown for the third consecutive month, prompting fresh concerns that the government’s key pledge to reduce treatment delays is slipping out of reach. Figures show that by the end of August, 7.41 million people were waiting for routine procedures, up from 7.36 million in May. The proportion of patients waiting longer than the 18-week target has also increased, despite renewed efforts to tackle the backlog.

The government has promised to restore the 18-week standard by the end of this parliament, a goal last achieved a decade ago. Meeting this would require 92% of patients to begin treatment within the target time, but currently only 61% do so. Analysts say progress made earlier in the year has faltered, with waits lengthening again over the summer months.

Dr Francesca Cavallaro from the Health Foundation warned that current trends suggest the government will fall short of its pledge, calling the scale of the challenge “significant.” Professor Peter Friend of the Royal College of Surgeons said underinvestment and staff shortages continue to hinder recovery, urging “urgent action” to improve infrastructure and morale.

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock defended the NHS, describing it as a “record-breaking” summer for scans and tests. He said new surgical hubs, extended hours, and advanced technology will help reduce waiting times in the months ahead.