NHS app expansion to include offer of private hospital care

Yvette Cooper backs Angela Rayner amid questions over tax

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has expressed her support for Angela Rayner despite questions surrounding whether the deputy leader should have paid capital gains tax on the sale of her old council house in 2015. Ms Cooper hopes a line will be drawn under the issue when Ms Rayner sets out the facts to the police and HMRC, and argues the Conservatives are attempting to focus on this from 10 years ago rather than the current pressures on the NHS and the cost of living. Report by Etemadil. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Health secretary defends plan to ban tobacco sales

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has defended the government's plans to ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, citing the need to curb smoking-related illnesses and alleviate strain on the NHS. Report by Etemadil. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Rishi Sunak defends NHS waiting list figures

Rishi Sunak has defended backlash from the latest NHS figures which show waiting lists have risen by 330,000 since he promised to cut them, insisting that the government's plan is working. "Whilst we haven't made as much progress as I would have liked, today's figures show we are making headway towards that goal. Over the last five months, there has been a reduction of around 200,000 in the overall waiting list which is positive and if it wasn't for industrial action, an extra 430,000 patients would have been treated," he added. Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

NHS targets not being met, says Labour

Labour's Louise Haigh has rejected the news that NHS targets are being met. It comes as the health secretary revealed waiting lists have fallen for the fifth month in a row. "Waiting lists are still 320,000 higher than when Rishi Sunak became prime minister so he's failing on his own metrics. A&E waiting times are higher as are ambulance waits," she said. Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn