The father of a boy whose mother failed in a legal bid to stop radiation therapy for a brain tumour, says his son is reacting well to treatment.

A New Zealand mother who lost a court battle in Britain to stop her 8-year-old son from receiving radiation therapy for cancer says her worst fears over the treatment have been realised.

"How many die in New Zealand hospitals from bugs they pick up within the health care facilities they've come to to get cured of something else?" asks Brian Rudman.

The licensed use of a controversial blood-thinning medicine has been restricted after a trial linked it to higher rates of stroke and other serious complications in certain patients.

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.

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.

When 3-year-old Corban Martin suffered a severe allergic reaction to cashew nuts, his mother was dismayed to be told there were no ambulances available to take him to hospital.

A grieving mother, whose seven-month-old baby died after doctors took months to diagnose her illness, is pleading with the medical fraternity to take asthma-like symptoms more seriously.

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.

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.

Andrea Murphey is an attractive, youthful 52-year-old who says her life has been saved by an expensive "miracle" drug.

The news the Govt is looking to reduce access to certain elective surgical procedures is likely to raise the blood pressure of many across the country, writes Dr Justin Vaughan.

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.