NHS ‘waving white flag’ as it axes 18-week waiting time operation target

New plan abandons target for hospitals to carry out 92% of non-urgent operations within 18 weeks and cuts surgery of ‘limited clinical value’

Simon Stevens’ delivery plan for the NHS explained

With the health service under unprecedented pressures of both finance and demand, the NHS England chief has outlined proposals to safeguard its future

Joanna Cannon vows to keep working in NHS after £300,000 book deal

Novelist who began writing to relieve the stress of her psychiatry job says literary success will not stop her listening to ‘real voices’ in hospital

I have vulvodynia – but countless gynaecologists dismissed my agony

Statistics say that one in six women will contract this painful condition. So why did it take years and endless misdiagnoses before I was properly treated?

‘An unrealistic pressure’: mothers on what it’s like to breastfeed

The majority of women stop breastfeeding after two months, despite health experts’ advice to continue to at least six. We speak to mothers about their experiences

Less than half of women breastfeed after two months, survey finds

Poll for Public Health England reveals many feel embarrassed to feed their babies in front of strangers and family members

Pregnant women without legal status ‘too afraid to seek NHS care’

Growing number of women who fear being reported to Home Office or being hit with high bills are avoiding NHS, charities say

I went to a death cafe to learn how to talk to dying patients

Medical students do not learn how to talk about death. Junior doctors are forced to learn on the job – and that isn’t fair on patients or families

Over half of NHS staff work unpaid overtime every week, survey finds

Annual survey reveals morale is high but workloads, sick rates and overtime highlight challenges

Test all pregnant women for smoking, say NHS chiefs

The plan, which is supported by the Royal College of Midwives, is part of a wider drive to discourage cigarettes at hospitals