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Articles by Madison Charles
Martha’s Rule to be expanded across all A&Es in England
Under Martha’s Rule, a patient’s family can request a rapid review if they have concerns about the patient’s deterioration Martha’s Rule has already been implemented in acute trusts across England A rule designed to give patients the right to a second opinion will be expanded across all emergency departments in England. Martha’s Rule enables patients, families and staff to request a rapid review if they are worried a patient’s deteriorating condition is not being addressed.
Clear rise in mental health-related issues among younger generation, report will say
It is ‘harder to be young now’ due to economic uncertainty and social media pressures The claim that young people are a 'snowflake generation' has been disputed Young people have have experienced a genuine rise in mental health-related issues, disputing claims of a ‘snowflake generation’.
Newly qualified nurses facing ‘unacceptable barriers’ to NHS employment, despite ‘graduate guarantee’
Nurses have been left ‘stacking supermarket shelves’ because they can’t find roles, the RCN Student Committee said Nursing vacancies in England have fallen from around 40,000 to less than 22,000 since 2023 NHS vacancies have almost halved in the last three years leaving nursing graduates struggling to find employment.
Diabetes prescribed medication costs more than doubled in a decade
The number of patients prescribed treatment for diabetes has risen to over 4 million Much of the cost increase has been driven by the increased prescription of anti-diabetic drugs, such as SGLT2 inhibitors The costs of prescribed medicines to treat diabetes in England has more than doubled over the last decade, latest data from NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has found.
How to improve farmers’ health
How nurses are working, and innovating, to break down the barriers to farmers’ access to primary care Queen’s Nurses Gillian Boast and Rose Bain supporting the health of farmers at a ploughing match Sitting at the traffic lights recently, a milk tanker pulled up alongside with ‘It all starts with Farming’ emblazoned on the side of the tank.
Health leaders welcome PM’s pledge to reform social care, but warn the case ‘extends far beyond protecting the NHS’
The NHS ‘will collapse’ unless significant reforms are made to social care, Andy Burnham said The Prime Minister is expected to bring the schedule of Baroness Louise Casey's independent review of social care forward Health leaders have welcomed the Prime Minister’s prioritisation of social care reform, but said the focus must be on helping people to live independently.
New enhanced radiotherapy targeting prostate cancer to be introduced by the NHS
The roll-out could free up around 50,000 prostate cancer appointments each year The roll-out comes as part of the Government’s National Cancer Plan High-powered precision radiotherapy will be offered to people with prostate cancer on the NHS to target the disease and reduce number of appointments for treatment.
Rise of type 2 diabetes in young women linked to poor postnatal care
Despite being eligible, only 4.5% of women diagnosed with GDM have participated in the NHS’s Diabetes Prevention Programme Diabetes UK has called for action to address 'critical missed opportunities' in postnatal care Poor follow-up care for women who have had gestational diabetes (GDM) is behind the increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes in young women, an analysis from Diabetes UK has suggested.
NMC admits ‘historic failure’ on vetting procedures
The regulator says up to 15 nursing and midwifery professionals should be removed from the register for being unfit to practise The RCN has called for an independent investigation into the NMC's processes The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has apologised after it failed to properly assess the health and character of nursing and midwifery professionals over a 12-year period.
Harm from social media usage in young people classed ‘public health emergency’ by clinicians
The intentionally addictive nature of social media is akin to smoking tobacco, former health secretary said Routine screening for harms caused by social media is among several recommendations proposed by the AOMRC Doctors' groups have raised the alarm on the health consequences of children and young people's social media use.
Changes to the NICE guidelines on type 2 diabetes – what’s new?
David Morris outlines the latest updates to the NICE guidelines, and what they will mean for your practice NICE recommends offering advice on lifestyle, and medicines, to support adults with T2DM to reach their HbA1c target This article looks at new advice offered in the updated NICE guideline on type 2 diabetes (T2DM).1 The rationale for selecting certain diabetes medications, notably the SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP‑1 RAs) and tirzepatide, is explained together with their...
James Murray appointed Health and Social Care Secretary
He replaces Wes Streeting ahead of an expected leadership challenge to the Prime Minister Mr Murray has been MP for Ealing North since 2019 and was previously chief secretary to the Treasury James Murray, former deputy Mayor of London for housing, has been appointed as Health and Social Care Secretary. Mr Murray has been MP for Ealing North since 2019 and was previously chief secretary to the Treasury.
Pill could maintain weight after coming off GLP-1 jabs, study finds
Previous studies have shown that patients who stopped using weight-loss injections returned to pre-treatment weight within a year and a half Obesity is a chronic, treatable disease affecting around 30% of UK adults A US clinical trial has found that a daily pill could be effective in maintaining weight loss achieved through obesity jabs.
PCOS to be renamed as PMOS to better reflect complexity of condition
The new name will be fully implemented into international guidelines for the condition by 2028 Campaigners argued the term PCOS contributed to misunderstandings among patients and clinicians Campaigners have hailed the decision to rename polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) to more accurately reflect the multifaceted nature of the condition.
Rising incidence of 11 cancers in young adults partially explained by obesity, but more research needed
Latest research has shown that traditional risk factors cannot account for the rising cancer incidence Excessive weight was the only risk factor to have increased in prevalence in adults Rates of several cancers in England have increased in adults under 50 despite declining trends in established behavioural risk factors, according to a study published in BMJ Oncology.
Latest NHS funding will mean quicker and more accessible tests for patients
Four new community diagnostic centres will open during 2026 and 2027 Community diagnostic centres provide patients with access to a range of diagnostic tests away from acute facilities The Government has announced a £237 million investment into specialist equipment for new and expanded community diagnostic centres (CDCs) across England.
Prescribing SGLT2 inhibitors: problems and solutions
Use of SGLT2 inhibitors to treat diabetes has expanded greatly over recent years. Here David Morris looks at their possible side effects and how these might be managed SEM Image of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) Inhibitor Semaglutide showcasing Its complex structure Use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors (canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, ertugliflozin) for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in primary care has expanded rapidly in recent years.
Meningitis outbreak in Kent has 13 confirmed cases
The scale of the outbreak is largely due to low vaccine uptake, health leaders have said The UKSA has confirmed that bacterial B strain, known as MenB, is the strain responsible for the outbreak Two people have died and 11 are being treated in hospital following an outbreak of meningococcal disease, a combination of meningitis and septicaemia, in Kent. The outbreak has primarily affected young people aged 18-21 from the University of Kent and secondary schools in the Canterbury area.
HRT alternative, Veoza, backed by NICE
The new drug could benefit 500,000 women, NICE said Vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flushes and night sweats, are the most common menopausal symptoms A drug for treating menopause symptoms is to be made available on the NHS as an alternative treatment to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE) released final draft guidance recommending the use of Veoza, also known as fezolinetant, to treat vasomotor symptoms when HRT is unsuitable.
NHS nursing to get boost in new Government agreement - Independent Nurse
New measures are aimed at making the profession more attractive to entrants From April 2026, NHS nurses will get a 3.3% pay rise The Government has committed to improving recognition and support for nurses in new major package. Health and Secretary Wes Streeting announced a series of measures to boost the NHS nursing workforce following months of discussion with unions including the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
Current AI models failing to provide accurate medical advice - Independent Nurse
Participants who used large language models for medical advice had no better understanding of their conditions than those who used an online search, study found Researchers concluded that current AI models were not ready to be used by patients for healthcare concerns Researchers have warned against using AI for healthcare consultations after a study found that large language models (LLMs) were inconsistent and inaccurate in their medical advice.
Statin side effects have been vastly overstated, new research suggests - Independent Nurse
A study has found that 62 of 66 side effects had no association with taking statins Statins lower the level of LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases Statins do not cause the majority of adverse effects associated with them, new study published in the Lancet has found.
Special K: ketamine’s rise among young people and LGBTQ+ youth - Independent Nurse
From horse tranquiliser to party drug: Sumaiyah Uddin explores the implications of increased ketamine use Ketamine usage has increased widely amongst UK youth, specifically in LGBTQ+ circles Once associated primarily with underground club scenes and veterinary clinics, ketamine has quietly but decisively entered the mainstream of illicit drug use in the UK.
Independent Nurse wants to hear from you! - Independent Nurse
Help us shape Independent Nurse for a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher Independent Nurse is currently conducting a readership survey, so that we can continue to tailor our content to our audience’s needs. We value your experience and expertise and want your input on the sort of stories we put out. You can take the survey here. It should take less than 10 minutes to complete. All answers are anonymous, and we will not share personal information with any third parties.
AI and robotics pilot launched to improve efficiency of lung cancer diagnosis - Independent Nurse
The initiative was announced alongside plans to expand lung cancer screening and could save thousands of lives Data has found that lung cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers Artificial intelligence software and robotic technology could be used to diagnose lung cancer quicker and with more accuracy under a new trial. An NHS pilot has been launched following several successful procedures to detect cancer using AI screening and robotic biopsies.
‘Crack teams’ helped cut waiting times in highest joblessness areas - Independent Nurse
‘Formula 1 style’ surgery and streamlined appointments have reduced waiting lists in areas of low economic growth Waiting lists in areas with high economic inactivity fell three times faster than the national average Waiting lists have been significantly cut in areas with high economic inactivity as a result of a Government initiative.
Dental contract reforms are ‘first step towards new era for NHS dentistry’ - Independent Nurse
The new reforms will prioritise patients with greatest needs and reward dentists for providing complex procedures, the Government has said. Major reforms to dentistry have been announced by the Government as part of the ‘most significant modernisation of the NHS dental contract in years’. The proposals, which will be implemented from April 2026, include care pathways for patients with complex dental needs and financial incentives for dentists to provide emergency treatments.
Majority of patients now use online service to contact their GP, data shows - Independent Nurse
Eight million requests were submitted online in October, according to the Office for National Statistics Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘It’s about time the NHS caught up with the 21st century’ New figures have shown that for the first time ever more people have contacted their GP online than over the phone. It follows the Government’s previous requirement for all GP practices to take urgent and non-urgent online consultation requests via an online booking system.
Disappointment as UK rules out universal prostate cancer screening in draft recommendation - Independent Nurse
National Screening Committee’s recommendation to selectively offer prostate cancer screening is an ‘important development’ but comes ‘as a blow’ to prostate cancer campaigners The UK NSC’s draft recommendation would offer a targeted cancer screening to individuals with BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene variations Campaigners for a prostate cancer national screening programme have been left disappointed after the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) announced its decision to only recommend selected...
Calls for clarity over COVID jab booking chaos - Independent Nurse
Community Pharmacy England has called upon the NHS to make the new eligibility criteria clearer Confusion over COVID-19 booster jab eligibility has led to pharmacies turning away high numbers of patients this autumn. According to Community Pharmacy England, people have booked COVID jabs using the National Booking System (NBS) despite no longer meeting the criteria for eligibility.
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