What is the current situation for healthcare in Gaza? Infrastructure damage, risks to health, and UK government response

Gaza’s healthcare system is in crisis. Most facilities are damaged beyond use, and those remaining open face shortages of water, fuel and medical supplies. Gaza’s 1.9 million displaced people are at risk of malnutrition, starvation and the spread of infectious diseases. The UK government has called for civilians and medics to be protected, for aid and relief agencies to have consistent access, and for an end to the conflict.

What is the current situation for healthcare in Gaza? Infrastructure damage, risks to health, and UK government response

  • In Focus

    Vagrancy Act 1824: Will it be repealed?

    Two hundred years ago the Vagrancy Act 1824 criminalised begging and rough sleeping. These provisions are still in force today, despite long-standing calls for their repeal and government commitments to replace them. This briefing looks at the original purpose of the act and at efforts to remove it from the statute books.

  • In Focus

    Housing: Supply, quality and community impact

    The government has made several proposals to increase housing supply and improve the quality of homes. This includes prioritising building housing on brownfield sites and reforming the national planning policy framework. However, there are concerns that the development of such homes can impact surrounding communities, affecting factors such as green spaces, local infrastructure and public services.

  • In Focus

    Allergies and the NHS: Allergy prevalence, treatment options and potential improvements to NHS allergy care

    An estimated third of the UK population live with allergies. Campaigners have called for improvements to NHS care, including more specialists, better training in primary care, and easier access to medication for those affected. The government has said that work is ongoing on a national strategy for allergies, and it will be considering whether to appoint a national allergy lead.

  • In Focus

    Government review of physician and anaesthesia associates

    The government recently announced an independent review of physician and anaesthesia associates to be led by Professor Gillian Leng. This announcement followed a debate about the use of the roles in the NHS and concerns raised by some stakeholders about patient safety. The review has been widely welcomed by stakeholders as a way to move the debate forward.

  • In Focus

    Special educational needs and disabilities: Government support

    The number of young people with special educational needs and disabilities has increased in recent years, prompting concerns about quality of SEND provision and the impact on local authority finances. A report by the National Audit Office in October 2024 concluded that, without reform, the costs of the SEND system were unsustainable. In the 2024 autumn budget, the Labour government announced an increase in education spending of £11.2bn from 2023/24 levels by 2025/26, with £1bn earmarked for SEND funding.

  • In Focus

    Homelessness and the supply of affordable housing

    Homelessness and housing sector commentators argue that there is an undersupply of affordable housing, which they suggest is a key driver of homelessness. Successive governments have sought to address the issue of homelessness in part by increasing the supply of affordable homes and improving the quality of existing accommodation. The current government’s new taskforce on homelessness says it will seek to increase the supply and security of housing.

  • In Focus

    Fracture liaison services: Towards 100% coverage in England

    Fracture liaison services proactively identify people at risk of fractures caused by osteoporosis. Patients can then be assessed and treated to prevent future fractures. The provision of fracture liaison services in England has been called a ‘postcode lottery’ by the Royal Osteoporosis Society, and evidence shows variation in quality and reach. The government has committed to 100% coverage by 2030.   

  • In Focus

    Mobile phones in schools: Mandating a ban?

    Academic research suggests that mobile phones in schools can adversely affect pupils’ educational attainment and contribute to problems such as bullying. But some experts point to potential learning benefits and argue that a blanket ban on phones could prove ineffective and counterproductive. Government guidance discourages the use of phones in schools but defers to school leaders on prohibiting their use. Most schools in England already have policies limiting the use of phones.

  • Research Briefing

    Mental Health Bill [HL]: HL Bill 47 of 2024–25

    The Mental Health Bill [HL] is a government bill that would amend the Mental Health Act 1983. The 1983 act is the current legislation that regulates the compulsory detention and treatment of those with a mental disorder in England and Wales. There have long been calls to update the legislation, and in 2017 there was an independent review of the Mental Health Act. In 2022 the previous Conservative government published a draft Mental Health Bill. The current bill is similar (but not identical) to the draft bill and it would implement many of the recommendations of the 2017 independent review. Changes proposed in the bill include tightening the detention criteria in the 1983 act and providing for more frequents reviews; limiting the period that people with autism or a learning disability can be detained; and removing prisons and police stations as “places of safety” in the act. This briefing provides a summary of the background to the bill, the bill’s provisions, and the differences from the 2022 draft bill.

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