Health News Roundup: Sydney school, supermarket tainted with asbestos as crisis widens: England's NHS to trim main healthcare wait list ahead of election and more

Traces of bonded asbestos in mulch have been found in 41 spots scattered across Australia's most populous city since early January when it was found in a playground. England's NHS to trim main healthcare wait list ahead of election England's health service will move about 40,000 pending child consultations for ADHD, autism and other conditions from its main waiting list, a person with direct knowledge of the change said, trimming the politically sensitive list ahead of an expected election.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Sydney school, supermarket tainted with asbestos as crisis widens

Seven more public sites in Sydney, including a school, sports hub and supermarket, were exposed to asbestos, authorities said on Monday, as the contamination of the toxic material widened and officials rushed to remove it from public spaces. Traces of bonded asbestos in mulch have been found in 41 spots scattered across Australia's most populous city since early January when it was found in a playground.

England's NHS to trim main healthcare wait list ahead of election

England's health service will move about 40,000 pending child consultations for ADHD, autism and other conditions from its main waiting list, a person with direct knowledge of the change said, trimming the politically sensitive list ahead of an expected election. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose Conservative Party is trailing the Labour Party in opinion polls, has vowed to reduce wait times in the state-run National Health Service (NHS). He admitted last week he had not made enough progress, blaming strikes by healthcare workers.

South Korea PM asks doctors not to quit over planned medical student increase

South Korea's prime minister pleaded on Sunday with doctors not to take people's lives hostage, a day before scores of trainee doctors are expected to quit to protest a plan to increase medical school admissions and the number of physicians.

Trainee doctors at the country's five biggest hospitals, all in Seoul, have said they would tender their resignation on Monday, raising concerns about the impact on medical service as the system relies heavily on them for emergency and acute care.