Health act means the death of the NHS as we know it

The Health and Social Care Act comes into force on 1 April with serious consequences for the poor, writes London GP Youssef El-Gingihy

Universal healthcare: how are we going to afford it?

The goal of providing health coverage for everyone has the backing of a UN resolution, but how should it be financed? Join our panel debate, Thursday, 28 March at 1pm GMT

The perfect pill for the ‘worried well’ – the placebo

Barbara Ellen: Hypochondriacs are themselves a pain – and they take up valuable surgery time.

Keep yourself healthy. Way better than asking a doctor like me to do it for you

Aseem Malhotra: It's absurd to assume that the NHS can fix everything. Two recent reports highlight the need to change our habits

British life expectancy is slightly lower than a few other countries. Big deal

Ally Fogg: Jeremy Hunt should be worried about inequalities within the UK, not who tops the international Premier League for Not Dying

Healthy life expectancy is shorter in the UK than abroad

Health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, calls for action and describes Britain's performance as shocking compared with other countries

PM considers making cigarette packets display graphic images of disease

Prime minister also examining ban on smoking in cars when children are present

Many more Britons drinking harmfully than thought, survey suggests

Alcohol consumption levels are up to two-thirds higher than past studies indicate, researchers say

There’s no need for this obesity epidemic hysteria

Charlotte Cooper: Forty years of fat activism has shown that people with high body weights can stay healthy without dieting

What does your lunch hour look like?

Open thread: A health minister has said the trend for eating at one's desk is disgusting. Tell us what your lunchtime routine looks like