The ridiculous notion of ‘illegitimate’ children lingered for too long | Brief letters

Ideas of “illegitimacy” (Letters, 17 April) remained potent for some at least as late as the 1990s. When I registered my firstborn, I refused to say whether I was married and insisted my partner’s name also go on the certificate. The registrar, horrified, told me: “But then your child will be registered as illegitimate!” I had to point out to her that illegitimacy had not been a legal category for some time. But I didn’t tell her that I’d been born in a mother-and-baby home. I found her words ridiculous, but they could as easily have been an unnecessary (and inaccurate) cruelty

Over 150,000 more people in England have ME than previously thought, study finds

More than 150,000 more people in England are living with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) than was previously estimated, according to a study that highlights the “postcode lottery” of diagnosis.The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Public Health, involved researchers from the University of Edinburgh analysing NHS data from more than 62 million people in England to identify people who had been diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome or post-viral fatigue syndrome.The data was examined by gender, age and ethnicity, and grouped by different areas of England.ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, is a long-term condition with its main symptoms being extreme fatigue, brain fog, and issues with sleep. The condition’s key feature is known as post-exertional malaise, which is a delayed dramatic worsening of these symptoms following minor physical effort

People with autism and their families: share your views on Robert F Kennedy Jr’s comments

In his first press conference, Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, said that the recent rise in autism diagnoses was evidence of an “epidemic” caused by an “environmental toxin”.Health experts and autism advocates have repeatedly said the rise in diagnoses is related to better recognition of the condition, changing diagnostic criteria and better access to screening.We would like to hear from people with autism, and their families, on the impact the comments have had on them. How have they made you feel? Do you have any concerns?You can tell us what impact Robert F Kennedy Jr's comments on autism has had on you by filling in the form below.Please include as much detail as possiblePlease include as much detail as possiblePlease note, the maximum file size is 5

The Vivienne’s sister speaks out about drug use ‘stigma’

The sister of The Vivienne has questioned whether the “stigma” around drug use stopped the drag queen from seeking help.James Lee Williams, 32, who won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, died at home in Chorlton-by-Backford, Cheshire on 5 January after taking ketamine.Chanel Williams told the BBC Two current affairs programme Newsnight that The Vivienne did not discuss their relapse, including a hospital stay, to “protect” their family, after “a really long period of sobriety”.“It’s hard for me because I think, if that stigma wasn’t there, would my brother have sought the help he needed?” she said.“To think that, if we’d known, or if he’d have felt able to talk and really reach out for the help that was needed, the outcome could’ve been different

GPs in poor parts of England are paid £5,500 less a year than in wealthy areas, study finds

GPs working in the most deprived areas in England are paid an average salary £5,525 less a year than their counterparts working in wealthier areas, according to a study.The report, by researchers at the University of Manchester and published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, analysed data from more than 8,500 GPs between 2015 and 2021 in the GP work life survey.Besides the difference in salary, the study found GPs working in the most deprived areas were more likely to face significantly higher pressures related to perceived problem patients, insufficient resources with the practice and finding locum cover.The study, which is the first quantitative analysis examining the relationship between population deprivation and the working lives of GPs in England, also said there was no difference in hours worked a week, job satisfaction and intention to quit between more deprived and less deprived areas.According to the report’s authors, the difference in earnings is down to a lack of funds in more deprived areas, as more is spent on resources

Patient satisfaction with GP services in England has collapsed, research finds

Patients’ satisfaction with GP services has collapsed in recent years as family doctors have switched to providing far fewer face-to-face appointments, new research has revealed.The proportion of patients seeing a GP in person has plummeted from more than four-fifths (80.7%) in 2019 to just under two-thirds (66.2%) last year.Telephone appointments have almost doubled over the same period from 13