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Almost two-thirds of Australians bulk-billed for all GP care amid extra incentives for doctors

Exclusive: RACGP survey reflects Medicare investments, but experts caution quality of care and outcomes also matterGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastThe proportion of general practitioners bulk-billing all of their patients has more than doubled in a year, a report has found, after the government introduced financial incentives for doctors and practices.And almost two-thirds (63%) of Australians are now bulk-billed for all their GP care, up from 56% in both 2024 and 2025, which the report says is “likely a reflection of the federal government’s recent investment in Medicare bulk billing incentives”. Continue reading...

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All aboard the TrainTok trend: spotters and staff boost rail content online

Number of videos about British trains doubles in three months as creators find audiences interested in workings of railwaysThey are not just gathered at the end of your local train station platform any more. Now they are on your social media platforms too.Trainspotters have played a part in more than doubling the number of videos about British trains on TikTok in the last three months. According to the platform, the rise in rail content is also down to more people seeking information on cheap tickets, facts about the London Underground and tales from train staff. Continue reading...

Volkswagen to build $4bn Audi SUV factory in US despite job cuts at home

VW investment, creating 4,500 jobs in Georgia, comes amid Trump’s damaging tariffs, intense Chinese competition and costly shift towards EVsAudi has said it will spend $4bn (£3bn) to build its first factory in the US, as its parent company, Volkswagen, struggles with the impact of steep tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.The German brand’s chief executive, Gernot Döllner, joined Trump on stage at a campaign rally on Saturday night to announce the factory in Macon, Georgia, in an unusual move by a big European brand just days before the US midterm elections. Continue reading...

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Rayner backs Burnham call for debate on return to free movement with EU

Cabinet minister says PM’s plea is ‘pragmatism’ but comments risk causing concern among some red wall MPsAndy Burnham’s call for the UK to consider a return to free movement with Europe has been backed by senior cabinet ministers including Angela Rayner but risks causing concern among fellow red wall MPs.The prime minister made his plea for an “honest discussion” about free movement in an interview with the Sunday Times, making clear that staying out of it would no longer be a red line in talks with the EU. Continue reading...

Ethnic minorities in England less likely to get breast cancer diagnosis from routine screening

Exclusive: People from marginalised groups more likely to be diagnosed via urgent referral or in emergency setting, research finds People from minority ethnic backgrounds in England are up to a third less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer via routine screening, and are more likely to be diagnosed in an emergency setting, analysis has found.The research, carried out by academics at the University of Surrey and funded by the charity Breast Cancer Now, involved analysis of 86,564 adults diagnosed with the disease between 2009 and 2019, from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and the Cancer Registration Tumour and Treatment datasets. Continue reading...