In brief

Councils in England to get new targets for public health: From April, when responsibility for public health in England will pass to local authorities, councils that make the most improvement in 66 measures, such as the number of children aged under 5 with tooth decay, obesity levels, breastfeeding rates, and falls in people over 65, will be rewarded with cash incentives, says the Department of Health. The new measures will also look at school attendance, domestic abuse, homelessness, and air pollution.

Waiting lists for treatment rise in England: The number of patients in England not being treated within the NHS waiting time limit has risen …