The Open University

A healthcare worker sits beside a person on a sofa and measures blood pressure using an arm cuff and monitor in a home living room setting. A blood pressure monitor is also visible on a coffee table in the foreground.

The many ways young care leavers are being failed by society

5 October 2026

The price of leaving care Justin Rogers, Lecturer in Social Work at the Open University The review of 112 deaths among care leavers aged 18 to 24 in England in 2025 estimated that their death rate was three-to-four times that of their peers. Of the 47 female care leavers whose deaths were recorded, 24 were […]

Image shows a man looking at laptop and writing notes (image credit: Stock snap, Pixabay)

Novel resources created by The Open University to support witnesses in health and social care professional conduct hearings

16 September 2026

A comprehensive package of bespoke online resources has been developed by The Open University researchers to assist witnesses who give evidence in professional regulatory (Fitness to Practise) hearings. It follows a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded project, Witness to Harm, Holding to Account, investigating public witnesses’ experiences of health and social […]

Still image taken from Emergency 24/7, Credit: BBC/Expectation TV

Emergency 24/7 takes viewers inside a major NHS trauma centre in new OU/BBC series

18 August 2026

A new OU / BBC series, Emergency 24/7 begins Tuesday 18 August at 9pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. From the makers of Murder 24/7, Emergency 24/7 takes viewers inside one of the UK’s busiest Major Trauma Centres, the Emergency Department at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. Filmed across reception, resuscitation, operating theatres, intensive care and […]

Launch of the Amar bari, amar jibon [My home, my life] Report at the House of Lords

New study calls for action on inadequate housing facing long-established older Bangladeshi Communities in East London

9 February 2026

A landmark, pioneering study into the lived housing experiences of older Bangladeshi adults has revealed how lifelong housing inequalities intensify in later life and calls for action to tackle the housing, care and health inequities uncovered. The report – Amar bari, amar jibon [My home, my life] – led by researchers at The Open University […]

Scheme to train more nurses wins prestigious prize

18 December 2025

A unique partnership between the NHS and The Open University to give people the opportunity to study for a nursing degree while training on the job has scooped a top national award. Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and The Open University joined forces in July 2024 to give local people who had always […]

Mini course about mental health is fastest growing on OU free learning site

12 December 2025

Bite-sized learning about mental health in the 21st century is capturing interest at The Open University by becoming one of its most popular free courses in the past year. The OU’s free learning site OpenLearn held an audit of its wealth of short online courses over the past 12 months and found an incredible 13.3 million visits recorded. Topping the list of the most popular free courses launched in […]

The Open University’s “Take Five to Age Well” Wins National Self Care Award 2025

11 November 2025

The Open University is celebrating national recognition after its Take Five to Age Well initiative was named winner of the 2025 Self Care Award by the Self-Care Forum. The award, announced ahead of National Self Care Week (17–23 November), recognises the project’s innovative approach to helping older adults build lasting healthy habits and fostering community […]

New report investigates how young people make decisions about contraception

1 October 2025

A new report into how young people make decisions about contraception has found that the most effective way to ensure that young people receive accurate information about contraception is for organisations to share messaging in a variety of ways, including using the channels and platforms that young people are familiar with. According to research from […]

The Open University responds to the NHS 10-year Health Plan

17 July 2025

The Government has now published its 10-Year Health Plan for England, focusing on the NHS being ‘Fit for the Future’. Here, the OU nursing team give their topline thoughts on the three main themes. Hospital to Community The emphasis on prioritising most care out of or near to home is expected, appreciated and long overdue. […]

Open University graduate wins prestigious national nursing award

22 May 2025

Open University graduate, Fay Dudson has won the Student Innovation in Practice Award at the annual Student Nursing Times Awards. The ceremony, which took place in a glitzy ceremony on 2nd May in London, honoured the outstanding achievements of the upcoming generation of nurses and their mentors, recognising those who consistently go above and beyond […]

OU News

Category: Health