NHS maternity wards in England forced to close 382 times last year

Figures obtained by Labour reveal ‘appalling’ treatment of women, largely due to staff shortages and lack of beds and cots

Government cuts ‘leave sexual health services at tipping point’

With demand rising, councils say patients face longer waits to see a specialist and efforts to tackle outbreaks could be hit

Cheers! Drinking’s good for us again – but can the medical hype be trusted?

Blind faith in scientific health claims – and headlines – can be dangerous, especially given the growing menace of online self-diagnosis, writes Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins

Yoga in the office? Firms should help us stay well, says public health chief

Yoga clubs, ‘walking meetings’ and standing desks are among the strategies small and medium-sized companies should adopt, according to Duncan Selbie

Our public health guardians have been asleep at the wheel as vaginal mesh tragedy unfolds

We diminish the tragedy by characterising the cases as unrepresentative of typical outcomes, but we must admit our current system has failed us

Senior doctors call for public inquiry into use of vaginal mesh surgery in UK

Experts draw comparisons with the thalidomide scandal as they reveal that traumatic complications are more common than official figures suggest

Blood contamination has killed 2,400. Why was this disaster ignored for so long?

Diana Johnson has long been calling for justice over the NHS’s worst treatment disaster. She writes about the announcement of an inquiry

Britons are among most at-risk in Europe for alcohol-related cancer

British people consume 2.1 alcoholic drinks every day on average, above the threshold that increases risk of cancer

I’ve grown old with HIV. I don’t fear the virus any more, I fear the stigma

New cases among gay men in London have fallen for the first time. We’re turning a corner, but there’s a lot to do to bring attitudes and awareness up to date

Vaginal mesh left me in agony. When will women’s health be taken seriously?

Women have lost their bladders, their bowels, their sex lives – yet feel ignored and helpless. Now lots of women are suing the NHS it’s time these operations ended