Nick Triggle

Vulnerable people, including children under five, people over 65, pregnant women and those with certain health conditions, are being advised to avoid runny or undercooked eggs and freshly made foods containing raw eggs when eating out during a growing UK salmonella outbreak. More than 200 cases have been linked to the outbreak, which has caused one death, and investigations point to imported eggs or egg-containing dishes served by eateries. Well-cooked eggs are considered safe, while British eggs can still be eaten runny because domestic laying hens are vaccinated against common salmonella strains. Symptoms may include diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach cramps and fever, with older people, babies and immunocompromised people at greatest risk of severe illness.

Emergency department attendances in England exceeded 2.4 million per month in May, June and July, creating the three highest monthly totals on record. NHS leaders attribute much of the pressure to extreme heat, which has increased cases of dehydration, heatstroke and complications among vulnerable patients, while also disrupting equipment and ambulance services. Nursing unions say staff have been working in dangerously hot and poorly ventilated conditions, with some reporting collapses and seizures. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper called for summer pressures to be planned for alongside winter demand, while NHS officials urged people to stay hydrated, avoid peak sunshine and check on vulnerable people.

England’s emergency departments recorded more than 2.4 million attendances in each of May, June and July, the three highest monthly totals ever recorded. Health officials attribute part of the unprecedented pressure to heatwaves, which have increased cases of dehydration and heatstroke and worsened existing heart, kidney and respiratory conditions. Ambulance services, particularly in London, also faced severe demand, while equipment and IT failures compounded operational problems. The Royal College of Nursing reported that staff were working in dangerously hot conditions, with some collapsing or suffering seizures, and called for urgent investment and preparation for extreme temperatures. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the NHS should plan for summer heat pressures as systematically as it does for winter demand.

The UK has approved Foundayo, a daily oral GLP-1 weight-loss and type 2 diabetes treatment made by Eli Lilly, making it the first European country to do so. Patients can obtain it privately with a prescription, while NHS use is currently possible for type 2 diabetes but requires further assessment for weight-loss treatment. Experts highlighted its potential lower cost and greater convenience than existing options, while noting that weight-loss effects may be more modest and side effects can include nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting. Trials also suggest it may help people maintain weight loss after stopping injectable treatments.

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has called on the NHS to prepare for summer heatwaves with the same level of planning used for winter pressures, after hospitals reported increased A&E attendance, equipment failures and operational disruption during recent hot weather. Unison said ambulance workers faced stifling vehicles and workplaces, inadequate air conditioning, limited access to water and long waits outside hospitals. The UK has already matched its annual record for days above 30C, with further heatwaves possible. The UK Health Security Agency estimated 2,877 heat-related deaths during the May and June heatwaves and warned that 2026 could have the highest number of heat-associated deaths on record.