Ambulance service 'failure in care' in paramedic case
A coroner said there was a 'failure in care' for a man who died from a heart attack after a paramedic refused to give him drugs.
Breast cancer symptoms: Know the signs
The earlier breast cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat. If you are worried, see your GP as soon as possible.
Pupils receive MMR jab on Teesside
School children on Teesside rolled up their sleeves to receive the MMR jab in one of the worst affected areas.
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Parents of young Fraja try to raise funds for treatment in America
The parents of a five-year-old girl suffering from cancer are trying to raise £500,000 to take to America for treatment she cannot get here.
Fraja Simpson from North Yorkshire was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma in January.
It is a rare and aggressive childhood cancer which affects the nervous system.
Fraja is currently undergoing a gruelling 12 month treatment plan, including chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy.
But her parents say there are different drugs available in America to help her fight the disease and they are determined to raise the money to take her there.
Increase in drinking among middle class
A growing number of white-collar workers are drinking too much because of stress, according to researchers at Sunderland University.
They say white collar workers, a term used to describe people who have a professional or managerial-role, are "largely disregarding the harmful health and social effects" of drinking alcohol.
Researchers say middle-class workers who drank at home saw alcohol as a reward for everyday chores after work hours, such as looking after their children and cooking dinner for the family.
They are describing it as a 'middle-class alcohol time-bomb'.
– Dr Jonathan Ling, Senior Lecturer in Public Health, University of Sunderland"One of the issues that people tend to focus on in relation to alcohol use is 'problem drinking'. Problem drinking is usually thought of in terms of young people binge drinking in city centres, or people with alcohol dependency.
"However, what is starting to be recognised is that regularly consuming alcohol at lower levels than would cause intoxication is likely to be harmful to health, and that the people that drink most regularly aren't young people, but those who live in households where someone has a managerial or professional job."
– Dr Lyn Brierley-Jones, Research Fellow at the University of Sunderland"Our research showed a common perception among some middle-class groups that regularly drinking at home, particularly wine, is safe and sensible, even though such drinking regularly takes them over the recommended daily guidelines.
"These home drinkers don't see their drinking pattern as problematic, but evidence suggests that such regular drinking will lead to significant health problems later in life, and a major health burden for the NHS."
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Tyneside woman lost 17 stone in a year
Teenager with M.E. says she's accused of exaggerating her illness
A teenager struck down by a debilitating condition she says she is often accused of exaggerating her illness.
Kate Stanforth, aged 18, is one of around 12,000 people across the region diagnosed with M.E.
Kate says her biggest battle is convincing others she is actually ill.
Watch Kenny Toal's report here:
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Progress of transplant patients at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital
by Lucy TaylorEarlier in 2013, ITV's From The Heart campaign featured the stories of dozens of transplant patients, to highlight the shortage of organ donors.
The campaign had a huge response, with 6,000 people joining the organ donor register in the North East.
Not all of the stories had happy endings, but two that have had their lives transformed by transplants are 5-year-old Aaron McAleese and teenager Joshua Boyle.
You can see more stories from From the Heart here.
Body found in River Tees "not suspicious"
– Cleveland Police spokeswomanIn relation to the body of a woman which was recovered from the River Tees at lunchtime today, police are not treating her death as suspicious.
We are still awaiting formal identification to be carried out.
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80% of North East GPs say NHS 111 is "worse" or "much worse" than before
Doctors in the North East have raised concerns about the new NHS helpline 111.
Eighty percent of North East GPs who responded to a survey said out of hours services were "worse" or "much worse" than before the telephone line was introduced.
Nearly two thirds said their experience was "poor" or "very poor" - just two said it was very good.
The North East was the pilot area for the advice line last year before it was rolled out across the country.
It replaces the NHS Direct advice line, which ends in June.
NHS urge trust in 111 service
NHS England chief nursing officer Jane Cunningham has told ITV Daybreak that "people should not lose confidence in the [NHS 111] service."
At least 22 "possible serious untoward" incidents - including three where a patient died - relating to the new NHS 111 advice line, a health magazine reports.
The deaths are being investigated. NHS England is keeping a 'careful eye' on the service.
Ms Cunningham added: "The three individuals will clearly need to be investigated and we need to see what really happened in those cases."
Read more: New NHS helpline 'is putting people's lives at risk'
What is the NHS service 111?
- For urgent medical help calls but not a life-threatening 999 emergencies.
- Unlike 999, the service only offers access to health services, with the police operating on their own 101 non-emergency helpline.
- Replaces the services provided by NHS Direct, which will end in June.
- 111 operators are able to dispatch ambulances when appropriate.
Doctors' concerns over NHS 111 helpline
Doctors in the North East have raised concerns over the new NHS helpline 111. It replaces the services provided by NHS Direct, which will end in June.
