A review into a major blunder in the breast cancer screening programme which meant thousands of women were not invited to final screenings has found that the announcement was made following advice based on an incomplete understanding of what had happened.The error was said to have affected an estimated 450,000…

A former NHS Tayside boss was given double the payoff she was entitled to because of the “total incompetence” of the assistant chief executive, MSPs have learned.A settlement payment of more than £64,000 to former chief executive Lesley McLay was in lieu of six months’ notice, despite only having three…

Older people are 50% more likely to visit A&E if they live alone than if they live with someone else, a study has found.One in five people aged 65 or older who live alone visit their GP at least once a month, compared with around one in seven of those…

Cancer patients in Wales are to begin receiving proton therapy treatment through the NHS after a treatment centre was granted permission by the country's health boards.The Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales was the first to offer the treatment in the UK when it opened in April, but until now it…

Health boards in Scotland are missing out on potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds by not claiming back money due for treating non-European citizens, a Holyrood committee has heard.Under a scheme introduced by the Department of Health in 2014, health boards and NHS trusts across the UK that report the…

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met young patients at Evelina London Children's Hospital following the announcement the duchess was to become its new patron.William and Kate were greeted at the hospital by six-year-old Tiana Hayles who gave the duchess, who was wearing a green and white polka dot LK…

Detectives investigating allegations of mistreatment and neglect of stroke victims at a hospital have arrested two more people.A man and a woman, described by Lancashire Police as healthcare professionals, were arrested on suspicion of administering any poison or noxious thing with the intent to injure and ill treatment or wilful…

A hospital has launched a specialised emergency department to provide dedicated care for elderly patients.The new frailty unit was set up at Southampton General Hospital to assess and provide a treatment plan for older patients.Normally 25 people over the age of 80 attend for emergency treatment at the hospital every…

The Government is being urged to lower the retirement age for ambulance staff to 60 to bring them into line with other emergency services workers.A 250,000-name petition was handed to the Health Department in London calling for the current retirement age of 67 to be changed.The petition was started by…

Two elderly patients died after they were attacked with a walking stick by another pensioner on a hospital ward, an inquest has heard.Ken Godward, 76, and Roger Lamb, 79, died after they were beaten by 70-year-old Harry Bosomworth, who had schizophrenia, at St James's University Hospital in Leeds in February…

Baby loss charities are urging the NHS to improve "inconsistent and under-resourced" bereavement care for parents whose babies die shortly after they are born.A report by stillbirth and neonatal death charities Sands and Bliss, for babies born premature and sick, said most services lack sufficient specialist staffing input and appropriate…

The UK Government will not allow Holyrood ministers to pay £65 settled status fees for European citizens who are working in Scotland’s public services, Nicola Sturgeon has said.The First Minister has already promised her government would pick up the cost for NHS staff and other public-sector workers who have come…