Rationing care from limited funds
Demand for NHS services has always been greater than availability, but how does the health service decide who gets which treatments?

The beds debate
Bed shortages have been blamed for the winter NHS crisis, but the debate about numbers is complex because of advancing technology.

How Labour's NHS riches will be spent
When New Labour came to power in May 1997, it made the health service one of its priorities. BBC News Online looks at where the money is going.

Waiting list drive adds to the burden
The government's drive to cut hospital waiting lists is misguided, has obstructed the NHS's ability to handle emergencies and increased waiting times, according to critics.

Health initiatives change the face of the NHS
Waiting list initiatives have played a big role in changing the way hospitals operate, according to health experts.

The New NHS: Fit for the future?
The NHS is undergoing a radical restructuring - but critics fear that without new investment the same problems will continue to blight the service.

NHS pay and staffing at a glance
BBC News Online's comprehensive guide to how many medical staff work in the NHS and how much they get paid.

Why an NHS nurse is hard to find
Professional bodies have talked of a recruitment and retention crisis in NHS nurses for years, but what are the reasons behind it?

Doctors dissatisfied with the NHS
The recruitment and retention crisis in doctors boils down to two factors - pay and conditions.

The crises of winters past
The NHS crisis is worse this year than other years because of nursing shortages, say managers.

The crisis of winter present
The flu outbreak has not reached epidemic proportions, but is nevertheless causing widespread problems for A&E departments up and down the country.

The crises of winters future
This year's flu outbreak is not of epidemic proportions, but it causing severe problems. News Online looks at what would happen if there was a major epidemic.

NHS in crisis
Controversy is raging about the future of the NHS. BBC News Online analyses the factors that make the UK's health service so fragile.