LivingCare In The News: August 2026 Round-Up
Oct 5, 2026
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Published on
6/10/2026
The LivingCare Group
September put two LivingCare stories in front of new readers. Intelligent Health Tech covered the Ziwig Endotest®, the saliva test for endometriosis we now offer in Yorkshire, and our Consultant Cardiologist told the i what caffeine does to your heart and blood pressure. Here is where LivingCare made the news, and what was said.
On 17 September, Intelligent Health Tech reported on LivingCare bringing the Ziwig Endotest to Yorkshire. The Ziwig Endotest is a non-invasive saliva test for endometriosis, and LivingCare offers it privately at Canon Medical Arena, Sheffield.
The coverage followed NICE's updated draft guidance, which supports early use of the Ziwig Endotest in the NHS while further evidence is gathered [1]. That guidance is still a draft, not a final decision: its consultation closed on 5 October 2026, and final guidance is expected in January 2027 [1].
The piece quoted Dr Becky Mawson, General Practitioner with Special Interest in Women's Health at LivingCare. "For too long, women with endometriosis have had to live with pain and uncertainty while waiting for answers - often for years at a time," she said.
On what the test could change, she added: "Introducing Endotest as part of the diagnostic pathway means earlier answers, less time living with unexplained symptoms and potentially avoiding invasive procedures where they are not required."
It is a new test. So far it has been validated in specialist clinics, and research continues into how it performs in a general population.
What the test involves, who it suits and how to prepare for the sample are set out on our Endometriosis Saliva Test (Ziwig Endotest®) page. If you are not sure it is the right next step for you, our women's health service is a good place to start.
On 20 September, the i ran a feature on what caffeine does to your body over minutes, hours and a lifetime, drawing on several doctors and dietitians. One of them was Dr Graeme Kirkwood, Consultant Cardiologist at LivingCare.
Caffeine gets into the bloodstream quickly, the i reported, and "you'll typically start to feel its effects within around 10 minutes," Dr Kirkwood said.
The i also reported him explaining that caffeine makes blood vessels constrict, and that a "measurable" rise in blood pressure can follow within half an hour. On the heart itself, he said: "At a cellular level, it also influences calcium handling in heart muscles, and can make the heart contract a little more strongly. You might feel your heart beating faster or more forcefully, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong."
That last point is a reassuring one. If your blood pressure or a racing heart is a persistent concern, though, it is worth having checked. Our cardiology service offers consultant-led assessment at Thorpe Park Clinic, Leeds and Canon Medical Arena, Sheffield, and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring is available at Canon Medical Arena, Sheffield.
August's round-up was about plain, measured advice and a steady message to be wary of quick fixes. September's coverage carried a thread of its own: specialists explaining what is really going on - a new, non-invasive route towards an endometriosis diagnosis, and a cardiologist putting a faster heartbeat after coffee in context.
If you would like to talk something through with one of our specialists, you can book privately with LivingCare - no GP referral needed if you self-pay, or through your insurance.
You can also read last month's round-up.
Ziwig Endotest - Dr Becky Mawson, General Practitioner with Special Interest in Women's Health
Caffeine and your heart - Dr Graeme Kirkwood, Consultant Cardiologist
This article is for general information and is not sponsored content.
