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Health News from the BBC and the NHS

BBC Health

Parents of sick babies need more leave, charity says
Parents of sick babies need more paternity and maternity leave, a neonatal charity says.
Short bursts of intense exercise 'better for weight loss'
Researchers suggest bursts of high intensity workouts, like sprinting, are more effective for weight loss.
Most hip and knee replacements 'last longer than thought'
This helps doctors who often struggle to answer questions from patients on how they will last.
Brain function of night owls and larks differ, study suggests
Late risers have poorer attention, slower reactions and increased sleepiness, a study suggests.
A&E waits at worst level for 15 years in England
Nearly 330,000 A&E patients waited for more than four hours last month in England.
'Know your cholesterol like you know your Pin code'
Going for a free health check could flag up early signs of cardiovascular disease, health bodies say.
Chemicals 'repair damaged neurons in mice'
Some early studies in mice suggest drugs can be developed to halt mental decline, say scientists.
Cannabis use in teens linked to depression
Experts link use of the drug in teenage years to cases of depression later in life.
Call the Midwife: BBC in abortion advice row
As Call the Midwife tackles the issue, BBC Action Line users say there is no advice on abortion.
Send patients email not letters, GPs told
Health Secretary Matt Hancock wants to see email used to communicate test results and prescriptions.

NHS Choices Behind the Headlines

NHS Choices
<strong>Health A-Z</strong><br> Symptoms, conditions, medicines, treatments and guides<br> Find...
Cancer treatment response may be affected by gut bacteria
"Gut bacteria 'boost' cancer therapy," BBC News reports. The news comes from research into whether people...
Could a blood test in middle age predict dementia risk?
"Tissue inflammation blood test points to dementia risk," is the headline in The Times. Researchers in...
Acid reflux drugs linked to increased stomach cancer risk
"A drug commonly used to treat acid reflux is linked to a more than doubled risk of developing stomach...
Nutrient drink for Alzheimer's has disappointing result in trial
A new study investigating the effects of a nutrient drink for Alzheimer's disease has led to very different...
Marriage may help lower dementia risk
"Marriage and having close friends may help protect against dementia, according to Loughborough University...
Afternoon open heart surgery 'leads to fewer complications'
"Afternoon heart surgery has lower risk of complications, study suggests," says The Guardian. Researchers...
Report calls for better mental health support in the workplace
"Up to 300,000 people with long-term mental health problems have to leave their jobs each year, a report...
Blood-thinning drugs may reduce dementia risk in people with irregular heartbeats
"Common blood thinning drugs halve the risk of dementia for patients who have an irregular heartbeat,"...
New genetic variants associated with breast cancer identified
"Do you have one of the 180 breast cancer genes? One in five women has a variant that raises her risk...