Research suggests that the introduction of the UK’s smoking ban in indoor and public places in 2007 was followed by an immediate drop of 3.5 per cent in child hospital admissions for respiratory problems.

NHS England is testing NHS 111, an online version of non-emergency phone service that uses a simplified version of the algorithm used by call handlers.

A paper published in the journal BMJ Open suggests delays in GPs referring patients for further testing could be the reason patients in the UK are more likely to die from cancer than in comparable countries.

NHS England confirmed that only 10,000 patients have registered with a GP away from their home since practice boundaries were abolished, despite original claims from the Department of Health that up to six per cent of patients were keen on moving to practices closer to their work.

Healthcare sites in Worcester have all agreed to an £18m contract that will see Computacenter manage IT at more than 160 sites, including eight hospitals and 66 GP practices.

It has been an exceptionally challenging year for the NHS Foundation Trust (NHSFT) sector. Growing financial and operational pressures meant that key waiting time targets were repeatedly missed during the year, and the sector’s financial performance also deteriorated significantly.

A study conducted by Liverpool John Moores University warns that surveys based on ‘typical drinking’ have underestimated alcohol consumption figures by the equivalent of 12 million bottles of wine a week.

In a speech to health leaders in central London, the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that tackling child hood obesity would be a priority for the NHS.