Adrian O’Dowd
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Articles by Adrian O’Dowd
Palantir protests: Pressure grows on NHS to end links as Tom Watson launches defence of tech giant
A wave of protests over US tech giant Palantir’s involvement in the NHS have been held across England. Dozens of events took place on 1 October outside NHS offices and hospitals across England, culminating in a rally outside the firm’s London headquarters. Protesters demanded that the government end Palantir’s health data contract to handle the NHS’s federated data platform (FDP).
Physician assistants: Consultation launched to clarify supervision of controversial role and define “undifferentiated” patients
A consultation to clarify how physician assistants (PAs) work, which patients they can see, and how they are supervised has been launched.
Domestic violence: £50m funding to help GPs tackle “public health epidemic”
England’s integrated care boards (ICBs) will receive almost £50m funding to help general practices refer victims of domestic abuse.
“Forever chemicals”—why do Lancashire village residents have high levels in their blood, and what happens next?
Blood tests have found high concentrations of the carcinogen perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in residents in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, who live near a chemical factory. Who ordered the blood tests for PFOA, and why? The blood tests were commissioned by the law firm Leigh Day, working with Manchester Metropolitan University and Watershed Investigations, which is a not for profit investigative journalism body.
Assisted dying bill rejected: how doctors helped shape the debate
A bill that would have made assisted dying legal in England and Wales has failed in parliament, with views from the medical profession steering the debate among MPs. After a five and a half hour long debate in the House of Commons on 11 September, MPs narrowly rejected the bill, with 286 voting against and 270 in favour.
Busiest ever summer for NHS prompts warning of doctor burnout
Clinicians and other healthcare staff are at serious risk of “burnout” in the wake of what has now been officially recognised as the busiest ever summer for the NHS in England. New performance data show that overall waiting lists have grown slightly and numbers of people attending hospital emergency (A&E) departments in England hit record numbers.1 This has created what has been described as a “twin crisis” for the NHS in summer as well as in winter.
Meningitis B risk reinforced by fresh data as students prepare to head to university
News & Views Meningitis B risk... Meningitis B risk reinforced by fresh data as students prepare to head to university News BMJ 2026; 394 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2026-100832 Cite this as: BMJ 2026;394:e100832 New data have highlighted the serious risks to young people from meningitis B, which was responsible for almost all invasive meningococcal disease cases in 15 to 24 year olds last year.
NHS paid almost £1bn over three years to private companies providing services
It has been revealed that the NHS paid almost £1bn over three years to private companies providing NHS services, mostly to help clear elective care backlogs. EveryDoctor, a grassroots advocacy group made up of UK doctors, published details of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request showing that 72 trusts had spent £993m since 2023 on “insourcing.”1 Insourcing is when an NHS trust pays a private company to treat NHS patients, inside NHS buildings, usually run by NHS staff working extra shifts.
Coroner warns of dangers of doctors having second jobs
There is a “significant risk of future deaths” among doctors who are working too much without proper checks by their employers, a coroner has warned. The warning was issued in a recent prevention of future deaths report that focused on the death of Naeem Ahmed.1 Ahmed, aged 50, was found slumped in a chair in the anaesthetists’ on-call room at Poole Hospital in Dorset on 21 June 2025, next to two syringes and a half empty bottle of whisky.
Third of sexual misconduct allegations against doctors are from colleagues
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Psychiatrist leaders apologise for failures of care for survivors of childhood sexual abuse
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse have been let down for decades by mental health professionals and services that are badly in need of improvement, psychiatrists’ leaders say.
UK salmonella outbreak: Cases rise as another death is recorded
Your Privacy We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent and legitimate interest. You may exercise your right to consent or object to a legitimate interest, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose.
Three quarters of secondary school menus breach food standards, analysis finds
Most secondary schools in England seem to be flouting national standards on the food they serve to children, an analysis shows. Youth activist food charity Bite Back found that more than three quarters (76%) of the 391 school menus it analysed from a representative sample of 500 schools were breaching food standards, a situation it described as “shocking.” The findings have prompted fresh concerns about failure to encourage children to eat healthier food.
Employers still allow physician assistants to treat “undifferentiated patients” over a year after Leng review
Employers in England are still recruiting physician assistants (PAs) to treat undifferentiated patients—those who have not been given a diagnosis or been assessed by a doctor first—The BMJ can reveal. This is despite government promises more than a year ago to prevent such practice.
Covid-19: 40% of affected healthcare workers had long covid, and a quarter still had symptoms after a year
Four in ten healthcare workers worldwide who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic developed long covid, and a quarter still had symptoms after a year, a report has found. The report by the NHS Race and Health Observatory examined numerous global studies to assess the medium term and long term effects of the disease on healthcare workers.
Doctors forced to complete Advice and Guidance referral scheme in their own time, RCP survey suggests
News & Views Doctors forced to... Doctors forced to complete Advice and Guidance referral scheme in their own time, RCP survey suggests News BMJ 2026; 394 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2026-100587 Cite this as: BMJ 2026;394:e100587 Doctors are having to use their own time to deliver the NHS’s controversial Advice and Guidance (A&G) scheme, a survey shows.
RSV vaccination programme may have halved numbers of baby admissions to ICU
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) admissions of newborn infants to intensive care units (ICUs) in England seem to have halved after a national vaccination programme.
General practice closes in heatwave as NHS staff faint amid soaring temperatures
A general practice says it will temporarily close as a result of soaring temperatures in the UK’s latest heatwave. The move comes amid reports that some NHS staff are fainting at work in the heat.
Obesity numbers in England double in 30 years despite 14 government strategies
Obesity rates in England have doubled in three decades, with 14.3 million people now classed as obese. The increase has come despite 14 government strategies intended to cut obesity levels being published in that time, a new analysis has found. The analysis, from the health think tank the King’s Fund,1 found that at least 7.2 million more adults now have obesity than in 1993, the year after the first obesity strategy was published by John Major’s Conservative government.
“Noctor” row: Complaint over doctor’s use of word is dismissed by GMC
News & Views “Noctor” row:... “Noctor” row: Complaint over doctor’s use of word is dismissed by GMC News BMJ 2026; 394 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2026-100534 Cite this as: BMJ 2026;394:e100534 A complaint made to the UK General Medical Council over a doctor’s use of the word “noctor” on social media has been dismissed.
Cosmetic surgery: Keep promise to stop all doctors carrying out procedures, campaigners say
A former chief medical officer has criticised a lack of progress on changing the law to protect cosmetic surgery patients.
Fauci: Senators vote to hold former US health chief in contempt for refusing to answer questions
Former US chief health official Anthony Fauci has been held in contempt of Congress by a US Senate committee for refusing to answer its questions during a recent evidence session on covid-19.
Cyclosporiasis: “Explosive diarrhoea” spreads to UK in outbreak linked to Mexico
News & Views Cyclosporiasis: ... Cyclosporiasis: “Explosive diarrhoea” spreads to UK in outbreak linked to Mexico News BMJ 2026; 394 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2026-100462 Cite this as: BMJ 2026;394:e100462 UK health officials are warning travellers to take precautions over eating and drinking when travelling to Mexico, after a sharp rise in cyclospora infections among people returning from the country.
Ectopic pregnancy: Rise in admissions may be linked to deprivation, study suggests
Hospital admissions in England for ectopic pregnancies are rising again after a decade of stability, a study has reported. Researchers found that admissions to hospital for ectopic pregnancies have been rising by 4.2% every year since 2021. More than twice as many admissions occurred in women from the most deprived areas as in the least deprived areas, with the authors also highlighting the potential impact of demographic changes such as rising maternal age.
England records nearly 2900 excess deaths in recent heatwaves, as GPs are told to consider closing if indoor temperatures reach 30°C
England has seen almost 2900 heat associated deaths so far this summer, and experts predict that numbers could hit record levels if periods of hot weather continue.
ADHD prescriptions rise to record levels in England
Numbers of adults and children being prescribed medication for attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have risen to record levels, national data show. The latest annual data from the NHS Business Services Authority show a sharp rise in the number of adults being given prescriptions of central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and other drugs for ADHD.1 The authority recorded a 40% rise in adults taking the drugs, from 190 000 in 2024-25 to 267 000 in 2025-26.
US-UK drug deal: Details of agreement with Trump can remain secret, regulator says
A challenge to the government’s refusal to release an impact assessment of a controversial pharmaceutical trade deal with the US has been denied. The UK’s transparency regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), released a response to a complaint made by health think tank the Nuffield Trust, saying that the government’s decision not to make it public was acceptable.
Yvette Cooper appointed as new health secretary, Vallance resigns, and Streeting returns to cabinet
Longstanding frontline Labour politician Yvette Cooper is the new health and social care secretary in new prime minister Andy Burnham’s reshuffled cabinet. Cooper, a MP since 1997, moves to take over the health brief from her former post as foreign secretary. Former health and social care secretary James Murray was replaced after just two months in the post, and his predecessor, Wes Streeting—who resigned in May—has been appointed defence secretary.
Andy Burnham: As an ex-health secretary bids to become PM, what does his history reveal about his health priorities?
Andy Burnham: As an ex-health secretary bids to become PM, what does his history reveal about his health priorities? | The BMJ
Children are prescribed puberty blockers and cross gender hormones without a face-to-face appointment, investigation finds
Clinicians at a general practice in Brighton have inappropriately prescribed puberty blockers and hormone treatments to 78 children, an official investigation report has found. Of the 78 children, 22 were given the medications without even having a face-to-face appointment. The findings are from an NHS patient safety investigation1 into concerns about inappropriate prescribing of medications for gender incongruence or dysphoria by some clinicians at the WellBN practice in Brighton and Hove.
GMC: Doctors to get new rules on their personal beliefs and work
Rules regarding ways doctors must keep their personal beliefs in check when treating patients are being updated by the General Medical Council. The regulator has launched a consultation1 on proposed changes to its personal beliefs and medical practice guidance,2 which was last fully updated in 2013. The GMC said it was updating the guidance to reflect legal, social, and cultural changes.
Covid inquiry: “Superhuman” efforts of health workers saved NHS from collapse, report finds
News & Views Covid inquiry: ...
Overseas doctor recruitment saved NHS £10.9bn but UK is failing to train homegrown talent, say MPs
An estimated £14bn in training costs was saved by the NHS hiring overseas trained staff, a report has calculated, but MPs warn that the UK is failing to secure enough homegrown talent and to compensate countries from which it has recruited staff. A cross party group of MPs has called for a more equitable approach to international health recruitment in a report published to coincide with the UK Global Health Summit.
GP contract overhaul: What’s included and how has it been received?
What is the overall funding uplift? The GP contract for 2026-271 includes a £485m uplift in core general practice funding, effective from 1 April. This uplift represents a 3.6% cash increase or 1.4% real terms growth, NHS England said. This includes an assumption of a 2.5% pay uplift in 2026-27, subject to the recommendation from the pay review bodies’ recommendation, it added. The £485m uplift brings the total GP contract value to £13.86bn.
Wes Streeting’s links to private health and tech companies under fire in wake of Mandelson texts
The health secretary is facing criticism from doctors over his ties to industry, Adrian O’Dowd reports Health secretary Wes Streeting’s ties to private health and technology firms are again under the microscope.
Superflu 2025: Reality or exaggeration?
Adrian O’Dowd examines just how bad the current flu season is and whether warnings it could be the worst in decades were sensationalist Every winter clinicians, experts, and the government warn the public about the dangers posed by seasonal flu. But this year was different. An early wave of cases was followed by a surge in terms such as “superflu” and “crisis,” with some politicians even warning that patient safety could not be guaranteed in overwhelmed hospitals.
Strikes: BMA promises “constructive spirit” in talks with Streeting to avert further walkouts
The BMA has said that it will adopt a “constructive spirit” to try to avoid further strike action by resident doctors in 2026, as the latest five day walkout came to an end on 22 December. Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s Resident Doctors Committee, who told The BMJ last week of his desire to negotiate an end to the dispute over pay and jobs,1 made a fresh appeal to the health secretary, Wes Streeting, to resume talks.
ChatGPT: More than a million users show signs of mental health distress and mania each week, internal data suggest
Hundreds of thousands of ChatGPT users exhibit signs of psychosis, mania, or suicidal intent every week, a company audit indicates.1 The finding, released as part of an update to the AI technology to better detect these types of conversations, comes amid a wider debate on how chatbots could exacerbate mental health problems. OpenAI, ChatGP’s developer, estimated that around 0.07% of users in a given week show possible signs of mental health emergencies related to psychosis or mania.
Adults with a learning disability are dying 20 years earlier than the general population, audit finds
Rates of avoidable death among people with a learning disability are almost twice as high as the general population in England, the latest in a series of NHS audits has found. An NHS England review1 found that, on average, people with learning disabilities died 19.5 younger than the rest of the population in 2023.
Gaza: Doctors and UN demand investigation after double hospital bombing
At least 20 people, including healthcare workers, rescuers, and journalists, are thought to have been killed in a double air strike by Israeli forces on a hospital in Gaza. Doctors’ leaders and the United Nations (UN) have demanded an impartial investigation into the attacks on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, that took place on 25 August.
Gaza: Thousands of UK doctors urge royal colleges to unite to advocate for Palestinian health workers and civilians
More than 5000 doctors have signed petitions calling on their royal colleges to be more vocal on the situation in Gaza and to work together to advocate for a ceasefire and the protection of health workers and civilians.
Conflicts of interest were at record low when RFK Jr dismissed “conflicted” vaccine panel
Conflicts of interest reported by US national vaccine advisory committee members were at a record low before Robert F Kennedy Jr’s decision to dismiss the entire Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine panel, researchers have said.
Cosmetic surgery: Government launches TikTok campaign to highlight harms of overseas procedures
The government has enlisted the help of social media platform TikTok to raise awareness of the serious risks people face when travelling overseas for cosmetic procedures. The Department of Health and Social Care has partnered with medical influencers to create online content showcasing the risks and providing advice on how to make trips safer, including through researching the providers and surgeons. The government hopes the campaign will help protect patients and reduce costs …
How tech is pairing with dental education and training
Written by: Adrian O’Dowd Published on: 25 Jul 2025 Technology is built into dentistry, and what it can offer has and will continue to help it develop and improve services for patients, but how does the profession stay on top of something that is continually evolving? One obvious answer is continuing professional development (CPD), 100 hours of which is required for dentists during a five-year cycle by the dental regulator, the General Dental Council (GDC).
BMA leaders have marked the 20th anniversary of the 2005 suicide bombings in London in a series of commemorative events. Four bombs exploded across the capital on 7 July 2005, causing 52 deaths and injuries to more than 770 people. The attacks happened on the London Underground near Aldgate, Edgware Road, and Russell Square stations, while a fourth device exploded on a bus in Tavistock Square outside the BMA headquarters.
NHS plan will “fundamentally rewire” health service in England, PM vows
The government has unveiled its 10 year plan to transform the NHS in England, underpinned by housing more services under one roof in community settings to relieve pressure on hospitals, boosting use of technology, and sharpening the focus on preventing ill health.1 Central to the plan are new “neighbourhood health centres” offering GP appointments, diagnostic and blood tests, scans, postoperative care, mental health support and rehabilitation, dentistry, debt advice, employment support, and...
Patient leaders condemn plans to replace NHS safety bodies with app feedback
More than 200 health regulatory agencies and bodies that represent patients are to be abolished by the government as part of its 10 year health plan. Agencies that assess quality in health and care, including Healthwatch England, the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, and the National Guardian’s Office, are to be closed as part of a streamlining of regulatory bodies.
Child vaccination undermined by fragmented and hard to navigate system, say experts
Attempts to ensure children have easy access to vaccinations through the NHS are too often thwarted by unnecessary barriers, child health experts have warned. Hard to book appointments, inconvenient clinic locations, a lack of continuity in care, scant reminders of upcoming vaccinations, and reluctance to raise concerns about vaccines are all factors that are preventing vaccinations from happening, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) concluded.
Quarter of young adults in England have a mental health condition, data suggest
The prevalence of mental ill health in England is worsening, with higher numbers of people experiencing problems and less than half receiving any treatment, NHS survey data suggest.
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