Depressed? Talk to a computer

Computer-based therapy for mild depression and anxiety should be available to all patients in England from April, the health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, said today. Ministers hope the two computer programmes Fear Fighter and Beating the Blues will provide patients with … Continue reading →

Ada Maddocks

Obituary: An early woman president at the TUC.

Two keys to stopping HIV

Health officials in Botswana are trying to stop the spread of Aids. But they face two problems: circumcision, which could help, is frowned upon, and many people have gotten used to having multiple sex partners. Craig Timberg reports

Ministers left in dark over NHS deficit, say MPs

Ministers failed to take a grip on the NHS's net £570m deficit in England last year because the Department of Health did not collect enough information to realise the extent of the problem, a cross-party committee of MPs will say today.

When gold won’t buy quiet

Leader: 'I stuffed their mouths with gold,' said Aneurin Bevan, recalling the only way in which he had been able to silence the shrill protests of the consultants who might otherwise have strangled the NHS at birth.

The nuisance is mobile

James Harkin: With no other decent reason to ban the use of mobile phones, hospitals are reverting to snobbery.