Author: BBC

A scheme to help GPs provide care and advice to patients without them joining long NHS hospital waiting lists is being expanded in England, the government has said.GPs will work more closely with specialists to access expert advice quickly for patients with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, menopause symptoms and ear infections.Backed by £80m of funding, its ambition is to help two million people receive faster and more convenient care in their local community by the end of 2025/26.Health Minister Karin Smyth said the scheme would “save time and stop masses of people having to head to hospital for…

Tom EspinerBusiness reporter, BBC NewsGetty ImagesThe UK government has brought in a temporary ban on holidaymakers bringing in cheese and meat products from the EU in a bid to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD).Travellers have not been allowed to bring back items such as cured meat and cheese, including in sandwiches, since Saturday due to the growing outbreak on the continent.The restrictions apply regardless of whether the goods are packed or packaged, or bought from duty free.It follows an earlier ban of similar products from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria after rising cases of the cattle…

Nathan HeathBBC West InvestigationsBBCAnthony Rudd had power tools stolen in a fake banking app scamA man who lost £1,000 worth of tools after being scammed by a fake banking app has said it makes you “lose faith in humanity”.The apps mimic legitimate mobile banking platforms and allow fraudsters to fake bank transfers in person, show the seller a “successful payment” message and then walk away, leaving sellers thousands of pounds out of pocket.Dr Tim Day, lead in doorstep crime and scams for the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), described the apps as an “emerging threat.” He added: “The in-person nature…

ITV has announced that its ITVBe channel will close in June 2025, and be replaced by a new channel focusing on quiz and game shows. Launched in 2014, ITVBe has primarily been the home for reality and unscripted programmes, such as The Only Way Is Essex (Towie). The reality shows currently airing on the channel, including Towie and the Real Housewives franchise, will now move to ITV2, the broadcaster said. It has not been announced which programmes will populate the schedule for ITV Quiz.However, the network said it planned to use the channel slot to “draw on ITV’s popular, market-leading…

Laura Goodwin and Ken BanksBBC ScotlandBBCBrian Watt, with dog Winnie, says he tries to have a healthy lifestyle after his diagnosis in 2016Northern Scotland has one of the highest rates of Huntington’s disease in the world, according to a new study.Huntington’s is a hereditary disorder that slowly damages the brain, affecting the ability to walk, talk, eat, drink, make decisions and live independently. There is currently no cure.The study confirmed the rate of Huntington’s disease in northern Scotland is 14.5 per 100,000 people – more than five times the estimated worldwide rate of 2.71.The researchers from the University of Aberdeen…

EY is being investigated over its audits of the Post Office in relation to the Horizon scandal from March 2015 to March 2018.The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the UK’s accounting regulator, said it will check whether EY met its standards “with particular reference to matters related to the Horizon IT system”.The software developed by Fujitsu was at the heart of the Post Office scandal that saw hundreds of postmasters wrongly convicted.EY said it takes its responsibilities “extremely seriously” and will be “fully cooperating” with the FRC.The FRC said the recent public hearings carried out as a broader inquiry into the…

BBCListen to this articleThe US has “dropped the ball” on chip manufacturing over the years, allowing China and other Asian hubs to steam ahead. So said Gina Raimondo, who at the time was the US Commerce Secretary, in an interview with me back in 2021.Four years on, chips remain a battleground in the US-China race for tech supremacy, and US President Donald Trump now wants to turbocharge a highly complex and delicate manufacturing process that has taken other regions decades to perfect.He says his tariff policy will liberate the US economy and bring jobs home, but it is also the…

David SillitoMedia CorrespondentBBCThe Lady: spring flowers, housekeepers and vital etiquette tipsThe Lady, Britain’s longest running women’s magazine, has formally announced that it has ceased publication.The magazine is famed for its etiquette advice and adverts for butlers, nannies and discreet liaisons with well-heeled 60-somethings.In a statement, the publishers confirmed recent media reports that the April edition of the magazine will be the last, but added the website with its jobs board and recruitment agency will continue.Here’s a look back at its place in, and impact on, British culture over 140 years.The ‘whole field of womanly action’The Lady was established in 1885…

Ashley John-BaptisteBBC News InvestigationsGetty ImagesBlood test results have been leading to misdiagnoses and unnecessary hospital referrals, GPs have told the BBCAn NHS provider that won a £2bn contract to deliver blood-testing services for hospitals and GPs is failing to deliver reliable results, according to medical professionals.Synnovis, a public-private partnership between the medical company Synlab and Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College hospital foundation trusts, secured the contract in 2021 to deliver pathology services for just under 200 GP surgeries across south-east London.The BBC has spoken to GPs who say incorrect and delayed blood results are a “regular concern” and…

Faarea MasudBBC Business reporterGetty ImagesJob vacancies have fallen to the lowest level in nearly four years, suggesting demand for workers is weakening as employment costs grow.The number of jobs on offer fell to 781,000 in the first three months of the year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, while payroll numbers also declined. Average UK pay continued to rise – up 5.9% – but increases in employer National Insurance Contributions as well as National Minimum Wage hikes which came into force this month are forecast to weigh on salaries. “The looming hike in employers’ taxes in April is very…