NHS waiting list falls but strikes will wreck it, Wes Streeting warns
The health secretary said public support for the BMA has 'collapsed' and that strikes would jeopardise the NHS's 'fragile' recovery.
Monthly figures published on Thursday showed that the NHS waiting list has fallen to 7.36 million, the lowest level for more than two years, down by 30,000 in a month and 260,000 since Labour took office. But all this progress could be undone by the five-day strike from resident doctors — formerly known as junior doctors — starting on July 25, when about 200,000 operations and appointments are at risk of cancellation.
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Researchers to follow puppies through their entire lives
A dogs charity is urging owners of puppies from across Devon and Cornwall to sign up for a research study to better understand their health and behaviour. The Dogs Trust needs puppies under 16 weeks old to join its Generation Pup study, the first ever to follow dogs of all breeds for their whole lives. Jane Murray, welfare project and grants deputy head of research at the Dogs Trust said the study hopes to better understand "how early life experiences influence the health and behaviour of dogs throughout their lives".The charity said by collecting information about puppies such as their environment, family, health, behaviour and experiences, it can build a picture of a whole generation of dogs. The charity added that it has almost reached its milestone of recruiting 10,000 puppies, but is still looking for a few hundred more to join the could investigate whether aspects such as environment, social interaction, diet, exercise or daily routine may be important in the development of a range of health and behaviour conditions which impact on the welfare of our data submitted by owners when their dogs were six, nine, 12, 15 and 18 months old, found that the highest proportion of dogs showing one or more undesirable behaviours was for the 12-month-old dogs, with barking, recall issues, pulling on the lead and jumping up the most frequently reported behaviours.
BBC News
3 minutes ago
- BBC News
Sycamore Gap tree saplings gifted to 49 projects of hope
Two men have been jailed for felling the Sycamore Gap tree. By the time they are released, 49 saplings grown from seeds taken from the tree they sought to destroy will have been planted around the country. Given the sense of grief felt by many when the landmark tree was felled, Cath Darling's work fits neatly with the National Trust's aim that each of those saplings should carry a "message of hope".She holds outdoor sessions in parks and gardens, using nature to help bereaved children and adults. "One of the women I had helped told me about the Trees of Hope project and said I should apply," she says."I did, and I was just so happy to be told we were getting one." Cath runs Elemental Occupational Therapy which was chosen from hundreds of applications to receive one of the 49 saplings, each one representing a foot of the tree's original height. To decide where it should be planted, she has set up a working group made up of people who have attended her sessions."It has to be in North Tyneside where I run my sessions, and we have been discussing with the council about it being in the Rising Sun Country Park," she says. "But I feel very strongly this sapling doesn't belong to me, it belongs to everyone I've supported and they'll make that final decision." Just a few miles south, another project is also planning for the arrival of its sapling.A new nature reserve, Tina's Haven, on the east Durham coast has been named after Tina Robson of Sunderland, who died of a drug overdose in 2020 aged is hoped it will be a place used by organisations in County Durham and Teesside which help people recovering from addiction and than 20,000 trees have already been planted at the National Trust-owned site. Tina's mum Dr Sue Robson describes the reserve as something "powerful and hopeful" and says the tree will definitely be on the "Horden side", but the exact place is yet to be "fully decided". "We're talking to the National Trust about that, and we'll need some signage too so that people know this isn't just any tree."Out of Tina's past that was rooted in pain, something new and beautiful will rise." The sapling which will grow closest to the Sycamore Gap will be planted at Henshaw Church of England Primary, a small rural school near Bardon Mill which has the tree as its symbol, emblazoned on the uniform of every child. Executive head teacher Mike Glenton says many of the children live on farms near it and the illegal felling was "keenly felt"."They know it mattered, they understand the grief the community here felt at its loss." When the school heard it was to get one of the 49, saplings all the children were consulted about where it should be planted and the choice was "pretty unanimous"."We have a forest area and the children thought that would be ideal. "When it first goes in we'll put some protection round it, but once it grows the children will be able to hug it as much as they want." That the saplings exist at all is the result of an operation which began within hours of the tree being - young twigs with buds and the vital raw material for grafting genetic copies of the tree - were collected and posted to the National Trust Plant Conservation five bags of twigs and seeds arrived at the centre's secret location in Devon the next day. The man tasked with turning them into trees was Chris Trimmer who used a process called grafting to create an exact genetic copy of the original plant. "It wasn't the right time of the year to do it but thankfully it worked," he says. Chris says the 49 trees "and a few spares" are now "between four and six-foot high" and "looking really good.""The plan is to get them out this autumn, but we're in a heatwave at the moment and we're not sending the trees out until I'm sure they'll be okay," he says."We're used to dealing with really special plants here but this has been really interesting for me personally."My first date with my wife was to go and see Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, which includes a scene at Sycamore Gap, so I had a particularly special reason to make sure this tree survived." Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, both from Cumbria, were sentenced to four years and three months in prison on Tuesday for the illegal felling of the court Andrew Gurney, defending Carruthers, said many people had asked why he did it, to which the reply was: "Unfortunately it was no more than drunken stupidity."But the judge dismissed that and suggested the motive was likely "sheer bravado" and "thrill-seeking".Whatever the reason, people have ensured that from one act of shocking destruction there will be 49 symbols of hope. Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
3 minutes ago
- BBC News
University of Brighton nursing students to care for Lourdes pilgrims
Nursing students from Sussex will join a week-long pilgrimage to Lourdes, supporting people living with serious health needs and disabilities as part of a international year, between four and six million pilgrims visit Lourdes in south-west France, one of the world's most significant Catholic pilgrimage sites, many while living with illness, disability, or students from the University of Brighton will accompany The Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton's pilgrimage, offering hands-on care to support more than 700 Ryan, from the university, said: "Opportunities like this offer students life-shaping experiences." The pilgrimage, taking place from 25-31 July, will be part of a new clinical placement for the university's nursing students. According to the university, the programme offers rare professional experience in delivering round-the-clock, holistic care to people with complex needs in a deeply personal, faith-based will support pilgrims with daily personal care, medical needs, and emotional support throughout the Hao, a third year nursing student, said: "As someone who isn't religious, I was curious to understand what this journey means to others."After the training day, I realised it's about belief, faith and hope – qualities that help people face life's biggest challenges. That resonated with me, reminding me of my own journey through nursing." Natalie Timmerman is one of the seven nurses travelling to Lourdes, said it was a "privilege'. "As nurses we provide holistic, person-centred care for our patients, that includes spirituality and emotional wellbeing alongside their physical wellbeing," she added. The initiative is part of a wider drive by the University of Brighton to diversify placement opportunities for health students. Alongside established NHS and community partnerships, the university is expanding its international placement offer – including programmes in Kenya and other Moon, chief nurse for the Arundel & Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage, said: "Nursing on pilgrimage is a truly rewarding experience – offering care to those who might not otherwise be able to travel."
