Prescription charges for hormone replacement therapy could be scrapped under a new law proposed by Labour MP Carolyn Harris - who hopes to drive a ‘menopause revolution’. The Medical Minefield team talk to Carolyn about why her proposed Menopause (Support and Services) Bill is so important, and speak to Laura Cockram, Chair of the Prescription Charges Coalition, who campaigns for prescription charges for ALL long term conditions to be dropped.

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GPs say they are at breaking point, faced with unprecedented demand and mountains of digital paperwork. Many say the simply can’t cope, so no wonder patient care is suffering. In a bid to find a solution, we ask leading GPs Dr Ellie Cannon and Dr Mike Smith – both of whom admit their own families have found it hard get face to face appointments with their doctors – about what’s really causing this crisis, and how they would solve it.

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Will tech giants really be free to dive into private information we share with our GP? That’s the claim of some, who are outraged having learned of the Government’s new plans to scrape our health data into one big pool, and give private firms and researchers access to it. But is it really as disturbing as it sounds?  Or, will the so-called ‘data grab’ turbo-charge medical research and save lives? The Medical Minefield team are joined by Prof Martin Marshall from the Royal College of GPs, who assures you that identifying individuals will be nearly impossible, whilst Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens, explains why he’s opted-out of having his private files ‘scraped’ already.

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The word ‘trauma’ has been cropping up in the news a lot lately, even Prince Harry has said he has undergone therapy to deal with the trauma surrounding his mothers death. But, the Medical Minefield team question if we should have to delve into our trauma in order to have good mental health. They talk to Emmy Brunner, psychologist and author of Find Your True Voice, who believes that mental health problems are rooted in trauma and we should talk about it, and speak to journalist Erica Crompton who argues that therapy focusing on her trauma has not allowed her to heal. The team also discuss whether the word ‘trauma’ is beginning to lose meaning with psychologist Dr Lucy Foulkes as she has concerns about the over-use of the term.

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Should over-70s face compulsory health tests before being allowed behind the wheel? After a spate of accidents involving elderly drivers, the Medical Minefield team investigate whether stricter rules are needed, talking to Nigel Lloyd Jones, who lost his mother in an accident involving his elderly stepfather behind the wheel, and speaking to Sergeant Rob Heard, a retired policeman and founder of the Older Drivers Forum, who argues that stricter rules are needed to deal with drivers (of any age) whose health makes them pose a risk to other motorists. 

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People who have had both their Covid vaccinations are STILL being told to self-isolate after coming in contact with someone with the virus - is it fair? The Medical Minefield team talks to Moira, who was angry at being told to quarantine despite having both jabs, and to Professor Lawrence Young, who believes it’s right to be careful as vaccinated people may still spread the virus. Californian Professor Monika Gandhi takes an opposing view - saying that unless restrictions are loosened on those who have had two jabs (as they are in America) it will put people off being vaccinated in the first place.

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Hundreds of people have written in to the Medical Minefield team after last week’s episode on GPs no longer offering face-to-face appointments in the wake of the pandemic - and NHS England has issued new advice, suggesting GPs should see people in person. But will that solve the problem? The team talks to Dr Clare Gerada, former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, who says that remote appointments have their good points, and to Dr Allison George, an A&E doctor who says that she sees too many patients who simply can’t get to see their GP.

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Patients are furious. Serious illnesses are being missed, and treatments delayed. But GPs say they’re busier – and more stretched – than ever before. The situation is a total mess, despite the fact the worst of the pandemic is behind us. So what’s going on? The Medical Minefield team speak to NHS 111 whistleblower ‘Zoe’, who says she’s often forced to send patients to A&E because their GP have all but shut up shop. Meanwhile, Mail on Sunday writer Jo MacFarlane has spoken to patients who’ve paid hundreds to see private doctors having being unable to contact their GP. But Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, says GPs aren’t to blame for the problem, but officials higher up the chain.

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Campaigners say so, urging doctors to stop using terms like ‘geriatric mother’ and ‘hostile uterus’ in discussions about fertility. But leading experts say women – and men – must face up to the reality of the biological clock. But does fertility really fall off a cliff at 40? The Medical Minefield team talk to Fay, who despite being branded an ‘advanced age mother’ at 41, delivered a healthy, happy baby, and Dr Geeta Nargund, , a consultant Gynae and fertility expert, who worries stories like these mislead women into thinking having babies in later life is ‘easy’.

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It’s the wonder drug that cures acne for millions of sufferers – but is RoAccutane to blame for a spate of tragic suicides? That’s the claim of several British parents who are certain the potent drug caused their childrens’ sudden descent into mental illness, ultimately leading to their death. Despite the heartbreaking stories, experts still aren’t convinced about the risk. The Medical Minefield team talk to Jonathan, whose son died by suicide weeks after he stopped taking the drug, and speak to skin expert Dr Emma Wedgworth on whether the benefits of Roaccutane outweigh the risks.

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