Health and care sector latest developments
Just 3 per cent of NHS England staff say change is managed well
Just 3 per cent of NHS England staff think that the organisation manages change well, according to its latest internal survey.
The national organisation’s survey results also showed that confidence in the organisation’s leadership had fallen sharply compared to the previous year.
The share of staff that agreed NHS England has a 'clear vision for the future' fell from 33 per cent in 2024 to just 12 per cent in 2025. Those that would recommend the organisation as a place to work dropped by almost half compared to the previous year, from 50 per cent to 28 per cent.
Meanwhile, only one in eight respondents believed that NHS England leaders have a clear vision for the future.
MPs question plans to reduce overseas NHS staff
MPs have warned that the government's plan to cut the number of international workers in the NHS to 10 per cent by 2035 is unrealistic because the service still relies heavily on staff trained abroad.
As reported by The Guardian, an APPG report found that the NHS has saved more than £14 billion by recruiting overseas doctors, nurses and midwives, although this can worsen shortages in the countries they come from.
Chair of the APPG, Dr Beccy Cooper, said international workers are “part of the NHS’s DNA” and bring valuable global experience.
The Department of Health and Social Care said overseas staff remain important, but the government is also focusing on training and retaining more UK healthcare workers.
Two-tier healthcare system emerging, Healthwatch warns
More people in England are paying for private healthcare to avoid long NHS waiting times, raising concerns about a growing two-tier system.
As the BBC reports, a survey found that 16 per cent of people used private services in the past year, often because of treatment delays, with higher income groups far more likely to do so. Some patients also pay privately for tests or scans to speed up their NHS treatment.
Healthwatch England stress that the government must reduce waiting lists and improve support for patients while they wait, although officials say work is being done to shorten delays.
Virtual ward expansion stalls despite record take-up
Virtual ward occupancy hit a record high in January but expansion has stalled over the past 12 months, according to analysis of official figures.
In January 2026, 11,474 patients occupied virtual ward ‘beds’, representing 90 per cent occupancy of the 12,725 capacity.
This is a 13 per cent increase in patients compared to the same period in 2025, when there were 10,162 patients at 80 per cent occupancy (see graph). February 2026 figures, published last week, show occupancy then fell from the peak in January 2026 to 84 per cent.
Despite this rise in use, capacity has stalled nationally. Between January 2025 and January 2026, virtual ward capacity grew by just 98 beds (0.8 per cent) compared with an increase of 992 (8 per cent) the previous year.
The plateau reflects a shift in national priorities and the end of ring-fenced funding in March 2024. NHS England had provided £450 million of dedicated funding over two years to support virtual ward expansion.
Google scraps AI feature that crowdsourced medical advice from amateurs
Reporting from The Guardian has revealed that Google has scrapped a new AI search feature which gave users health advice crowdsourced from amateurs around the world.
Google had said that its launch of ‘What People Suggest’ showed the potential AI has within the medical space, however, the company reportedly has now quietly removed the feature.
A spokesperson for Google suggested that the move came as part of a “broader simplification” of its search package and had nothing to do with the quality or safety of the feature.
This comes as Google faces increased scrutiny over its use of AI to provide users with health information following a Guardian investigation in January, which found that people were being put at risk of harm by false and misleading information in Google AI Overviews.
Terminally ill adults bill progresses in the Lords amid growing political pressure over delays
The House of Lords held the 11th day of committee stage scrutiny of the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill on Friday, agreeing clause 4 after peers debated a series of proposals aimed at strengthening oversight and safeguards.
Discussions centred on the powers and responsibilities of the proposed voluntary assisted dying commissioner and the safeguards around early conversations with patients. Lord Murray of Blidworth argued for mandatory procedural guidance for assisted dying review panels to ensure consistency and transparency, while Baroness Finlay of Llandaff sought stronger oversight through detailed record-keeping, research requirements and conflict-of-interest rules.
However, government whips warned that these changes could create legal, technical and operational complications, including potential issues under the European Convention on Human Rights, leading to peers withdrawing their amendments.
According to The Telegraph, more than 100 MPs have written to the Prime Minister, urging him to ensure that the bill is not being stalled in the Lords, where around 1,200 amendments have been tabled.
Supporters of the bill argue that the volume of amendments risks delaying the legislation beyond the end of the parliamentary session, while critics maintain that the extensive scrutiny is necessary to address concerns about its safeguards and implementation.
