As per the latest data released by Transforming Access to Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) and the Policy Institute at King's College London, the number of UK students reporting mental health difficulties tripled. The estimate reveals that around 300,000 students could now be experiencing mental health struggles. Of the total, 18% of students reported some kind of mental health issue in 2024.

As per the reports, this estimate is triple what was reported in 2017, where it was at 6%. Experts also say that Covid-19 pandemic is "often considered to have contributed to this, it does not explain the ongoing rise in mental health difficulties." Another reason could also be the "changing definition and increasing openness about mental health" which has led to a rise in numbers. The report notes, "This trend pre-dates the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Although these factors play a part in students' deteriorating mental health, they cannot therefore be the only explanation."

How Did The Report Conclude?

The report drew data collected over the latest Student Academic Experience Survey of 93,212 students. From the survey, it was found that there exist significant disparities between demographic groups, with women being twice as likely to report mental health difficulties, about 22% as compared to men, at 11%.

What Did The Results Reveal?

The results revealed that students who identified as LGBTQ experienced the highest rates of mental health challenges. This has actually lessened the hope that conditions for LGBTQ students are improving, which may not have been a positive case.

Of them, 42% are bisexual and lesbian students, whereas last year it was 35% and 32% respectively. The report also noted that mental health difficulties among lesbian women and gay men rose three times the rate of straight people, and among bisexual and asexual people, it was twice as high. For trans students, the number jumped from 25% in 2023 to 40% in 2024.

Is The LGBTQ+ Prone To Mental Health Crisis?

As per the Child Mind Institute, being LGBTQ+ does not cause mental health problems, but because these kids often face factors like rejection, discrimination and violence, they are at a higher risk of challenges including depression, anxiety, and even attempting suicide.

A UTAH Health study quotes Anna Docherty, PhD, LP, assistant professor of psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute that, "likely with any identity, feeling different - or worse, unaccepted as you are is a significant risk factor of mental health struggle." The data reveals that LGBTQ+ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than non-LGBTQ+ identifying teens. They are also more than twice as likely to feel suicidal and more than four times as likely to attempt suicide. In the US alone, 48% of transgender adults report that they have considered suicide in the last year, compared to 4% of the overall population.

What Do These Findings Mean?

TASO's academic lead and professor of public policy at King's College London, Michael Sanders said, "LGBTQ students and women bear the brunt of the rise in declining mental health and urgent action is needed to understand and address these trends."

A UK-based surgeon from Egypt has been permanently barred from practising medicine after a medical tribunal found that he made a catastrophic blunder during an emergency bowel surgery.

Dr Yasser Adly Abdel Rahman, who was working as a locum surgeon at Royal Oldham Hospital in Greater Manchester, mistakenly connected the wrong parts of a patient’s digestive system, a procedure experts described as “not known to man.”

Here's What Happened

Dr Rahman carried out the operation on a young man in August 2020. Instead of restoring the patient’s bowel, the surgery created a “closed loop” that caused contents of the bowel to flow back into the stomach.

The error left the patient in unimaginable pain and in a condition deemed “not compatible with life.”

According to findings by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), the patient was left feeling severe pain, vomiting and an inability to pass stool after the surgery.

A second surgeon later performed emergency corrective surgery, creating a stoma and saved the patient’s life.

The tribunal heard that Dr Rahman failed to realise the seriousness of the patient’s deteriorating condition and did not adequately respond to concerns raised by the patient’s family and medical colleagues.

An expert from the General Medical Council (GMC) described the erroneous procedure as “as bad as it gets” and said the surgical connection was “not known to man.”

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The Surgeon Was Struck Off From The UK Medical Register

The tribunal ruled that Dr Rahman’s actions amounted to serious professional misconduct.

It also found that, in 2021, after restrictions were placed on his medical practice, he breached them by taking up a locum job in Affidea Express Care Clinic in Ireland in 2022.

Dr Rahman was absent at the misconduct hearing and instead maintained that he was a victim of a witch hint and had been made a “scapegoat.”

But, the tribunal concluded that his incompetence, failure to accept responsibility and repeated breaches of regulatory conditions meant he posed an ongoing risk to patients. He has now been permanently removed from the UK medical register.

Also read: World Plastic Surgery Day: Hidden Risks To Know If You’re Travelling Abroad For Affordable Cosmetic Procedures

What Is A “Closed Loop” Bowel Obstruction?

A closed loop bowel obstruction occurs when a section of the intestine is blocked at two points, restricting its contents. This can fatally cut off blood supply to the bowel, causing tissue death, perforation, infection and sepsis if not treated urgently.

In this case, the incorrect surgical connections diverted bowel contents back into the patient’s stomach instead of allowing them to pass normally through the digestive tract, creating a life-threatening emergency that required immediate corrective surgery.

While surgical complications can occur even in experienced hands, medical experts told the tribunal this error was far from acceptable.

The case has also drawn attention because the surgeon allegedly ignored warning signs after the operation. He later breached restrictions placed on his medical licence by taking up a job elsewhere. These factors ultimately contributed to the decision to strike him off from the UK register permanently.

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About Dr. Yasser Adly Abdel Rahman

Dr Rahman qualified in 1993 from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt. He trained as a general and colorectal surgeon.

He later worked in the UK as a locum consultant, meaning he was employed on temporary contracts rather than in a permanent consultant position.

At the time of the incident in August 2020, he had only been working at Royal Oldham Hospital in Greater Manchester for a few days before performing the emergency bowel surgery.

After several months of a statewide crackdown on food adulteration, Maharashtra has now banned the manufacture and sale of non-dairy paneer, commonly known as analogue paneer or analogue cottage cheese.

The move follows multiple raids on fake paneer manufacturing units and the seizure of large quantities of spurious dairy products.

Earlier this week, the Chhattisgarh government also banned the sale and use of analogue paneer across the state. The Health Department announced that the product will no longer be permitted in markets, hotels, restaurants or roadside eateries. Maharashtra has now become the second Indian state to impose such a ban.

Ban on Manufacture and Sale of Analogue Paneer

The order, issued by Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe in Maharashtra, prohibits the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, transportation, wholesale and retail sale, distribution, and offering for sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer across the state.

Violations can attract up to six months' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

In cases where the consumption of unsafe food results in death, the law provides for life imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 10 lakh.

As per the Maharashtra Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), strict legal action will also be taken against individuals or establishments selling analogue paneer as genuine dairy paneer for misleading consumers.

Why Was the Ban Imposed?

The decision follows findings from the Maharashtra FDA's year-long enforcement and surveillance drive.

According to the regulator, routine inspections, food sampling and awareness campaigns failed to curb the sale of analogue paneer.

"The proportion of non-conforming samples remained persistently high at 35.4 per cent of the samples analysed," the FDA order stated. Between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, the FDA collected paneer and analogue paneer samples from across the state.

Further, the FDA stated that its year-long inspections found that hotels, restaurants, caterers and other food establishments were routinely using analogue paneer instead of genuine paneer without informing customers through menus, invoices or display boards.

Authorities also found that analogue paneer was often transported and sold without original packaging, mandatory labels, invoices, batch identification or traceability documents, making it difficult to identify its source and increasing risks to public health.

Analogue vs Diary Paneer

Traditional paneer is a fresh, soft, non-melting cheese commonly used in Indian cuisine. It is made by curdling milk with acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid, separating the curd from the whey. The curds are then drained and pressed to remove excess water.

On the other hand, analogue paneer is made using vegetable fats or oils, starches and other non-dairy ingredients instead of milk fat.

As per the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations:

• Paneer must be made from milk.
• It should not contain added starch, non-dairy fats, or synthetic ingredients.
• Analogue paneer can be sold only if it is clearly labelled as "analogue" or "imitation" and not marketed as genuine paneer.

How to Identify Fake Paneer

FSSAI and experts recommend these simple checks:

• Check the texture: Genuine paneer is firm with a fresh milky smell. Fake paneer tends to crumble or melt quickly when heated.
• Read the label: Products made with non-dairy substitutes must be labelled as "analogue" or "imitation".
• Iodine test: Boil a piece of paneer, add a few drops of iodine tincture. If it turns blue, it may indicate the presence of starch.
• Toor dal test: Boil the paneer, cool it in water, add some toor dal and leave it for 10 minutes. If the water turns light red, it may indicate adulteration.

What Are the Health Risks?

Health experts warn that adulterated paneer can pose serious health risks, especially if manufactured using unsafe ingredients.

Possible risks include:

• Food poisoning
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Allergic reactions
• Kidney damage from nephrotoxic compounds
• Liver damage due to toxin accumulation
• Exposure to chemicals such as formalin, detergents or industrial stabilizers, if used in illicit preparations

Scottish swimmer Archie Goodburn has made an emotional appeal for greater investment in brain cancer research in the UK, urging the government to "give us a chance to fight for our lives." His plea prompted a response from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who invited the 25-year-old to a personal meeting.

Goodburn, who was diagnosed with inoperable brain tumors two years ago, broke down in tears during an interview on BBC Breakfast as he highlighted the struggles faced by people living with brain cancer and their families.

"Give Us a Chance to Fight"

"Andy Burnham, if you believe and want to make a change and a difference to the future of our country and our young population, please listen to us," Goodburn said, addressing the Prime Minister directly.

He urged the government to establish a national brain cancer lead, saying patients are enduring "unbelievable and unjust" experiences.

"There are clinical trials around the world, in the US, Australia and China, that could change lives. We are not seeing them in the UK, and it is unfair and unjust," he said.

Goodburn also appealed for greater investment in research.

"Please invest and make the difference. I'm on my knees begging—not just for my own life—but for those of my best friends, those affected, and families around the country. This has to change. The suffering is unbearable."

Prime Minister Invites Goodburn to Meet

Responding to the video on TikTok, Burnham thanked Goodburn for speaking out despite his own illness, and invited him to meet.

"Archie, thank you for this. I know how hard it must have been.

"What you're doing for other people while you're going through all this yourself shows the best of us. I'd really like to meet you and hear from you directly, and I've asked my team to get in touch."

Calls for Stronger Brain Cancer Research

Since being diagnosed just over two years ago, Goodburn has become a vocal advocate for improving brain cancer research and treatment.

"One of my dreams is that we see a future where brain cancer isn't the biggest killer of patients under 40," Goodburn said during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where he competed and achieved his goal of reaching the 50m breaststroke final, but narrowly missed out on a medal.

Goodburn also criticized the Rare Cancers Bill, introduced by Scott Arthur MP and enacted earlier this year, saying it does not go far enough to improve outcomes for brain cancer patients.

The legislation covers 14 rare cancers and aims to encourage research and investment into treatments. However, Goodburn argued that brain cancer, while classified as rare by diagnosis numbers, is disproportionately deadly.

"Brain cancer is one of these in terms of incidents of diagnosis, but it's not the same in terms of the number of deaths it causes. Yes, it's rare, but it's extremely deadly. This frustrates me immensely."

He further noted that the new clinical lead and research lead positions created under the law are part-time roles covering all 14 rare cancers, amounting to just 36 working days per year.

"I do not see how 36 days a year is going to make that change for 14 different types of cancers, let alone the most deadly type of cancer."

Brain Tumours in Young Adults

Speaking to HealthandMe, Dr. Rakesh Patil, Consultant Medical Oncologist at AIMS Hospital, explained that brain tumours develop when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably within the brain or surrounding tissues. These tumours may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

While brain tumours are not among the most common cancers in young adults, they do occur. The exact cause remains unknown in most cases, though certain factors may increase risk, including:

• Genetic conditions
• Family history of brain tumours
• Previous exposure to radiation therapy
• Rare inherited disorders

Dr. Patil noted that many patients have no identifiable risk factors, making early diagnosis and timely treatment critical for improving outcomes.