At 56, I woke to silence: the strange, sudden loss that changed everything

At the end of my second American Sign Language (ASL) class, during which I had fingerspelled my name Deborah as “F-E-B-O-R-A-H”, I thought it prudent to type a question into my Notes app rather than trying to fingerspell it. “How do I sign, ‘I’m hearing impaired?’” I wrote, showing the typed sentence to my teacher, Courtney Rodriguez. Then I pointed to one of my hearing aids.Sixty percent of ASL, Courtney had just taught us, consists of non-manual markers, meaning most of the communication in ASL comes from facial expressions. Puffed cheeks, for example, indicates something big

Drug that prevents hot flushes to be available on NHS in England

More than 500,000 women in England are to be offered a drug on the NHS that prevents hot flushes.The green light for Veoza, also known as fezolinetant, comes after the medicines watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, on Wednesday authorised it for use.Hot flushes, also called vasomotor symptoms, affect about 70% of women going through menopause. Women can suddenly and overwhelmingly feel hot, which often has an impact on their quality of life, exercise, sleep and productivity.Despite the enormous numbers of women affected, for decades there have been few safe and effective treatment options

Wegovy users have five times greater risk of sudden sight loss than Ozempic users, study finds

Patients taking Wegovy have nearly five times the risk of sudden sight loss of those on Ozempic, a large-scale study has found.Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medicines such as semaglutide (sold as Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus) and tirzepetide (sold as Mounjaro) help reduce blood sugar levels, slow digestion and reduce appetite, and have been linked to reduced risks of heart attack, fewer drug overdoses and other health benefits.But a study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, found that patients taking Wegovy for weight loss had a fivefold greater chance of developing non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (Naion) than the diabetes drug Ozempic, while men had a three times greater risk than women.These “eye strokes” cause sudden and usually permanent vision loss (pdf) due to reduced blood flow to the optic nerve.Although rare, affecting around one in 10,000 people who take semaglutide, there was “a potential dose-dependent safety concern” for the drug, the study found

Jess Phillips reveals she is ‘victim of courts backlog’ as jury trial bill passes

A man accused of breaching a restraining order related to Jess Phillips will not have his case heard in the crown court until 2028, the Labour minister has revealed, as MPs voted in favour of controversial plans to scrap some jury trials.During an emotive day in the House of Commons, the Labour MP for Warrington North, Charlotte Nichols, said she had been raped after an event she attended as a member of parliament but did not support the bill and felt that ministers had weaponised victims.Her statement came after hours of debate during which concerns were raised about an “attack” on a fundamental principle of the justice system in England and Wales.MPs voted 304 to 203 in favour of the courts and tribunals bill, which passed its second reading in the Commons. It includes measures to scrap some jury trials, remove the automatic right of appeal from magistrates courts and introduce a new criminal court

We need a national plan to tackle the health inequity that is killing people | Letters

How could I fault Aditya Chakrabortty’s account of the failure to prioritise the nation’s health as he cites me as its inspiration (This is a life and death story for the UK – so why is it being brushed under the carpet?, 6 March). However, it is important to emphasise that the government is well aware of the gross health inequities that scar our nation and limit lives as well as economic prosperity, but chooses not to prioritise them. The ministerial response last month to the House of Lords report on ageing contains this shocking statistic: a girl born in Barnsley can expect an average of 53 years of good health, whereas one born in Wokingham can look forward to 71 healthy years – an extra 18 years.Throughout the country deprivation accelerates ageing, which for many means an unnecessary premature exit from the labour market and premature need for social care. But the main focus of health policy is the manifesto commitment to reduce NHS waiting times, a target that has very little impact on health inequity

Almost a third of people in England use private dentists amid NHS dental crisis

Almost a third of people in England now use private dentistry, with a sharp rise in the number of poorer households forced to pay for fillings and extractions.The scarcity of NHS care means the proportion of people turning to private dental services jumped from 22% in 2023 to 32% late last year, the health service’s patient watchdog found.The reliance on paid-for treatment is so significant that dental care is becoming a costly “one tier” – private-only – service for more and more people, Healthwatch England is warning.It is concerned that the percentage of people who describe themselves as struggling financially that have used private dentistry has almost doubled in recent years from 14% to 27%.Those who do are hit with a “double penalty”, the watchdog added