Theo de Heer's family are looking forward to taking the 5-year-old to an American conference.

Middlemore Hospital is scrapping the longstanding rule of "visiting hours" restrictions for the close family of patients.

The results of the Government's target for 95 per cent of patients to be admitted to a ward, discharged or transferred within six hours have been largely rewarding.

A Kiwi mum who lost a battle to prevent the British health service giving her son radiation therapy for a brain tumour says the treatment has been worse than she feared.

A leaked document threatens to sabotage an ambitious bid for an $800,000 "tele-medicine" scheme for remote Far North schools.

Dr Lance O'Sullivan says he would not see most of Kaitaia's children with skin infections if he didn't go into schools to look for them.

Waikato, Capital and Coast are the worst-performing DHBs in the country when it comes to the Government's push for emergency department waits shorter than six hours.

The man described as the country's "most prolific blood donor" will today be giving his 550th and final blood donation.

Children tug at a nation's heartstrings when they are ill. When one of them has a heart that is failing the tug is all the stronger.

A system of alerts on the medical records of patients who may have had the fatal brain disease CJD was given up.

Danielle Lambermon sometimes feels like an outcast because of a burden accidentally laid on her by a hospital - the risk that she might contract a second brain disease.

Last year ACC shelled out almost $9 million for summer-related injuries, including $11,000 because of sunburn.

One expert fears the voluntary system may be dominated by Australian food industry pressure for even unhealthy foods to get a star.

A test which could have prevented hospital staff - who were checking the hearing of thousands of newborns - from screening their own ears was not used because it cost too much.

Researchers may have solved the problem of children's fear of dental treatment: don't use the drill.

A Government group is looking at limiting access to common surgical procedures which cost taxpayers $641 million a year.

Up to 2000 babies have been recalled to hospital to have their hearing checked after Ministry of Health discovered "irregularities" in its newborn screening programme.

The Government is being urged to act now on child poverty rather than waiting for the economy to improve.

The number of children admitted to hospital with conditions that can be related to poverty has declined, but experts warn about problems with children's health.

When budgeting for healthcare, more money is never enough, writes Dita De Boni. Even Minister of Health Tony Ryall seems powerless to stem the tide of sickliness that will eventually bankrupt the country.

Many people are deterred from seeking medical help because of the fees charged by general practitioners, a survey has found.

Auckland District Health Board staff have blundered by sending a journalist an envelope filled with personal information and are now apologising to the people involved.