Crisis in NHS maternity units revealed as 21 rated ‘substandard’

Care Quality Commission finds many services inadequate, needing improvement or shut over safety concerns

Wednesday briefing: What really ails the NHS at 75 – and three ways to treat it

In today’s newsletter: Staff are leaving in droves, wait times have tripled and critics say it’s locked in a ‘death spiral’. But the situation might not be terminal, with some big changes

A moment that changed me: I lost my hair to cancer – and the trauma taught me an essential lesson

I found being bald truly distressing. But losing a vital part of my armour for that long year gave me a whole new perspective

‘I deleted my Twitter account’: eight readers on how they avoid digital burnout

Screen time can feel all-consuming. But there are ways to combat it. Guardian readers explain the rules, hobbies and habits that help them maintain healthy lives offline

My topical steroid withdrawal: ‘Water felt like acid, my body was ablaze and I shed skin like a snake’

I was prescribed steroid cream for my eczema – but when I stopped using it I ended up in A&E. Much more research is needed into this debilitating condition

‘A future worth fighting for’: five health experts on the state of the NHS at 75

Ideas for improving standards of care include robotics, more time for GP consultations and a tax on salt

My daughter will only eat junk food. How can I get her on a healthy diet?

Having a fussy eater is far from unusual, but your child may have a food disorder that can be treated – just don’t put pressure on her

The truth about emulsifiers: are they destroying our gut health?

The E numbers in food make bread softer and ice-cream silkier. But there is growing concern about how they might affect our microbiome

The truth about inflammation: all you need to know about 2023’s hottest health topic, from causes to cures

Inflammation is the scourge of modern life, judging by all the supplements, workouts and diets that promise to fight it. But what precisely gets inflamed, and why – and is it always a bad thing?

‘No need to rush’: How to give up vaping

E-cigarettes are popular but the health risks remain unclear. We hear from experts on how to reduce your nicotine intake and help the environment