wales and northern ireland
Five key takeaways from GCSE results day 2026
You might be forgiven for glancing at this year's GCSE results and thinking not much has changed. And sure, if you're just looking at the pass rate across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, that would be more or less correct. But, when you dig into the detail, you find a more complicated picture, where some existing issues have become even more stark. You'll see the grades of students resitting their English and maths GCSEs in England are dragging down the overall results in those subjects - all part of a system the government itself says is demoralising and needs fixing. You'll see that boys' and girls' grades are looking more similar - though that's more to do with girls slipping than boys improving.
Five key takeaways from results day 2026
Results for A-levels, T-levels, BTecs and other vocational qualifications are out. And this year, they've come at a time when all eyes are on what teenagers decide to do next. Universities are keen to get them through the door. As they grapple with their finances, they know that every filled seat in a lecture hall comes with tuition fee funding. The new prime minister, meanwhile, wants to carve out clear routes into technical jobs that can rival the well-established path of A-levels and a university degree.
Don't drive after just ONE drink, doctors tell Brits as they warn booze has 'got stronger' since rules were set in the 60s
Brits were today urged not to get behind the wheel after just one drink, with doctors warning booze has got stronger. The British Medical Association (BMA)'s president said the idea of'getting away' with two pints'has always been dangerous'. However, he cautioned that a 125ml glass of 9 per cent wine -- more common when current drink-driving laws were devised in the 1960s -- is now'virtually unheard of'. This would equate to just over one unit. As a basic guide, men are advised not to drink more than three units before driving, while women should stick to two at a maximum.
Can clinical audits be enhanced by pathway simulation and machine learning? An example from the acute stroke pathway
NHS England describes clinical audit as a way of identifying whether healthcare is being provided in accordance with agreed standards and where improvements could be made to improve outcomes for patients.1 Audits may be local or national. In England the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), on behalf of the National Health Service (NHS), is responsible for overseeing and commissioning more than 30 clinical audits, which form the National Clinical Audit Programme.2 These collect and analyse data supplied by local clinicians. The national audit covering stroke is the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP).3 Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with an estimated 5.9 million deaths and 33 million stroke survivors in 2010.4