Women in their early 40s and same-sex couples should get free fertility treatment on the NHS, new guidance advises today. The guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence call for the current age limit of 39 to be raised to 42, and also back free IVF for those facing cancer treatment.

Women in their early 40s and same-sex couples should get free fertility treatment on the NHS, new guidance advises today. The guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence call for the current age limit of 39 to be raised to 42, and also back free IVF for those facing cancer treatment.

Andrew Lansley has said allowing online appointments will "make life easier for patients."

Mr Lansley said: "By allowing people to access the NHS online, we will put an end to the 8am rush to phone your GP to try and book an appointment.

"Reforms like this will take the hassle out of the health service."

Earlier today, Health Minister Paul Berstow told Sky News that "having a digital first approach is what this strategy we’re publishing is all about."

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley will tomorrow announce plans to allow patients to book GP appointments online and receive sick notes by email.

The Information Commissioner has hit out at ministers over their refusal to publish the full NHS reforms risk register, saying the Government's position is unjustified and departs from policy.

A report by Christopher Graham accused ministers of changing government policy on freedom of information, and insists that use of the Government's veto should be reserved for cases that are "truly exceptional".

Speaking to the Royal College of Nursing's annual congress, Ed Miliband accused the Government of acting like "the masters, not the servants" of the NHS.

After Health Secretary Andrew Lansley was heckled and jeered by the Royal College of Nursing conference yesterday, the Labour leader today announced a new Labour initiative - NHS Check - to allow staff and patients to report on problems arising from Mr Lansley's reforms.

Mr Miliband told Sky News that if Labour wins power it will scrap the "alien" free-market elements of the Health and Social Care Act.

Shadow Health Minister Diane Abbott has also said she feels there would be "public support" for industrial action by doctors over changes to their pensions.

The Labour MP told Pulse magazine: "So long as they are not compromising patient safety, clearly the BMA has a right to take industrial action and so long as it is a legal ballot, they have enough of a mandate.

"We have a lot of sympathy for the BMA because the Government has lost the confidence of professionals generally on its reforms, but also on the question of pensions. I think there will be public support. The public trust health professionals more than they trust ministers."

But a Labour source said the party "would not support strike action which affected patients, as Diane made clear."

Andrew Lansley has been given a rough reception by nurses at the eighth annual congress of the Royal College of Nursing.

The Health Secretary made his address in the wake of claims by the RCN that the UK's community health services are reaching "breaking point" as cuts to local government and the NHS overload nurses. The RCN has warned that spending cuts have placed more than 60,000 frontline jobs in the NHS at risk.

Mr Lansley said that nurses could "take ownership" of NHS services. He also said: "The number of staff in the NHS has gone down but actually the number of clinical staff has gone up."

His assertion that clinical staff numbers have risen was met with laughter by delegates.

However, the Health Secretary was backed up by Downing Street, as the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman today disputed the figures on nursing jobs.

He said: "If you look at the official statistics, at the moment there are only 450 fewer qualified nursing staff than in September 2009. But the number of managers has been cut significantly. It has been cut by 15%".

Mr Lansley was given a vote of no confidence by members at last year's conference. At this year's event, he said that "nursing and nurses who are the heart and backbone of the NHS can take ownership of the service we provide".

Meanwhile, William Hague has expressed his "deep concern" over the distance some people in his constituency would have to travel if the consultant-led maternity unit at the Friarage hospital in North Yorkshire was closed.

The Foreign Secretary said: "I share the deep concern that many residents have over the proposed changes at the Friarage.

"Patients already have to travel long distances, often through difficult rural conditions and this would be made worse if they had to travel all the way to James Cook University Hospital for consultant-led maternity service."

Meanwhile, in the conference's keynote speech, General Secretary of the RCN Dr Peter Carter urged nurses to unite to unseat politicians who oppose the NHS.

"There are more than 400,000 of you. Just imagine the kind of power and influence you could have if you all spoke as one. You are the greatest challenge to the politicians of this country."

NHS patients are languishing in corridors due to a shortage of hospital beds, according to a survey by the Royal College of Nursing. Of the 1,200 nurses who have so far responded to the RCN's poll, one in five said treating patients in corridors was now a daily occurrence. Health Minister Simon Burns said there was "no excuse" for the situation. He said: "The NHS has beds free and available, and hospitals should be supporting their nurses to ensure that patients are admitted to them quickly."