Abi Rimmer

An NHS foundation trust in London and a former ward manager are facing manslaughter charges relating to the death of a woman in 2015.The charges have been authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service after a Metropolitan police investigation into the death of Alice Figueiredo at Goodmayes Hospital in Redbridge on 7 July 2015. The hospital, which is run by North East London NHS Foundation Trust, cares for patients with learning disabilities and mental health conditions.The police have charged the trust with corporate …

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), an article published in the Lancet has advised.1However, experts warn that care must be taken to introduce the name gradually so as not to confuse patients or detract from efforts to raise awareness about the condition.PCOS is a complex endocrine disorder.2 What exactly triggers the condition is unknown, but it is known to be related to abnormal hormone levels in the body, including high levels of insulin. Symptoms include irregular periods or no periods at all, difficulty getting pregnant, excessive hair growth, and weight gain.3PCOS is very common, affecting one in eight women, although this can vary between countries. Despite PCOS’s prevalence, patients have often reported delays in diagnosis and limited access to treatment. A parliamentary report published last year found that more …

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed three cases of meningococcal infection (meningitis) in young people in Reading.Officials said that a student who attended Henley College had died, while students who attend Reading Blue Coat School and Highdown Secondary School and Sixth Form Centre are receiving treatment.Testing on the sample for the first case has confirmed that although it was positive for meningitis B it is not the same strain responsible for the large outbreak earlier this year in Kent. Officials said no further information about the cases will be provided.Close contacts of the cases have already been offered antibiotics as a precaution, UKHSA said. The risk …

Young people's use of social media is a public health emergency akin to smoking, the chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AMRC) has said.The warning came as the academy published its response to the government's consultation on potential restrictions for social media use among under-16s,1 with a potential ban of the technology for young people one of the measures being considered.In a foreword academy chair Jeanette Dickson wrote, “There can be few issues which have united clinicians so resoundingly in recent years as the impact that unfettered exposure to tech and devices is currently having on children and young people's health.“It ranks alongside smoking and wearing seatbelts in cars as a unifying force for the medical profession.”She added that although some people may argue over …

Cases of Lyme disease have risen by more than 20% in England in the past year, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported.Laboratory confirmed acute cases of the disease rose from 959 in 2024 to 1168 in 2025, annual surveillance data showed.1The agency noted that rates of Lyme disease had varied substantially in recent years but that the 2025 figure was very similar to 2023, 1151 cases were confirmed.Lyme disease, which can be transmitted by the bite of a tick infected with Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria,2 remains the most common locally acquired vectorborne infection in England, the agency said in its latest report on vectorborne diseases.It noted an increasing distribution of ticks across the …

Collaboration is essential in medicine but knowledge theft can lead to doctors feeling demoralised, Abi Rimmer hearsDavid Zweig, professor of organisational behaviour and human resources management at the University of Toronto, says, “Knowledge theft, or intentionally claiming another person's ideas, insights, or work, is more common than we might think. In our recent research, 91% of participants in one study reported either experiencing knowledge theft, witnessing it happen to others, or engaging in it themselves.1“In medicine, where collaboration and professionalism are central to patient care, the effects can be significant. When people feel their contributions have been stolen they often become less willing to share ideas openly and are more likely to disengage or retaliate. Over time, this can erode trust within teams, undermine psychological safety, and have a chilling effect on knowledge sharing.“Sometimes knowledge theft is obvious: a colleague repeatedly presents your idea as their own or fails to acknowledge your contribution in a meeting or publication. In other cases, the boundaries are less clear, such as when an idea you introduced is adapted or reframed by someone else. Regardless of intent, the impact on those affected can be significant.“The consequences extend far beyond the individual. When contributions are not acknowledged, people lose not only ownership of their ideas but also the rewards associated with them. This can create anger and resentment and reduce collaboration. Knowledge theft contributes to toxic workplace climates.“There is, however, reason for optimism. In another study, we found that the negative effects of knowledge theft can be reduced when leaders, colleagues, …

The NHS is failing to help young people get into work despite rising rates of disability and poor mental health being major contributors to unemployment, a major report by Alan Milburn warns.Milburn, a former Labour health secretary, was commissioned by the government to undertake an independent review of the increase in young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET).Published on 28 May, the Young People and Work interim report1 found that at the end of 2025 some 957 000 young people were NEET. Ill health, it warned, was now a primary driver of who becomes and stays NEET.In 2024-25 nearly half (45%) of young people who were NEET in the UK reported having a disability, more than double the figure (21.1%) recorded in 2013-14. Mental health problems were found to be the principal driver of this increase.“Over the past 15 years, the proportion of disabled NEET young people citing …

Hearing another professional speak disrespectfully about a patient can be shocking and upsetting, so seek support, Abi Rimmer hears### Will Topping, Civility Save Lives member and associate medical director for professional standards and culture at East and North Herts NHS Teaching Trust“Be honest. You've experienced this. We all have. There are several things at play when a colleague misspeaks unintentionally or, more worryingly, intentionally.“Firstly, did your colleague mean to be offensive? Perpetrators often don't intend to cause harm, and they fail to understand the impact of what they have said. Helping them understand this is key.“Secondly, where is your colleague emotionally? Have they just finished a night shift? Is there something going on in their personal life? External pressures can turn a civil clinician into an uncivil one.“By understanding these two things you can begin to work out how to tackle the issue. Doing so in the heat of the moment is likely to cause more upset so take the chance to step away. Try not to leave it too long, however, to avoid escalation, promote self-awareness, and encourage self-reflection.“Adopting the cup of coffee conversation model - available on the Civility Saves Lives website (www.civilitysaveslives) - can help. The first step is to raise awareness of the issue, so you can discuss it and then encourage your colleague to gain insight into how their behaviour has …