All Acute care articles – Page 445

  • News

    NHS staff risk losing pay and pensions, says union

    2007-04-20T00:00:00Z

    Tens of thousands of NHS staff could lose out on pay and pensions if they are transferred to privately-run social enterprises, Amicus has warned.A report from the union said social enterprises are outside the NHS and Agenda for Change pay conditions would not necessarily apply.Read the report here

  • News

    Toolkit for better hip and knee replacements

    2007-04-20T00:00:00Z

    A toolkit for orthopaedic teams to improve efficiency in primary hip and knee replacements has been launched by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.It identifies the six key characteristics of high performing organisations and includes audit tools for managers and teams to improve patient care.Read the report here

  • News

    Hospital patients to get VTE risk assessments

    2007-04-20T00:00:00Z

    Every patient should be assessed for potentially fatal blood clots on admission to hospital, chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson announced as he launched a working party report on venous thromboembolism (VTE).A national risk assessment tool is being developed for clinicians to detect the complications of VTE, which include deep ...

  • Comment

    It's up to executive teams to champion productive wards

    2007-04-19T00:00:56Z

    Do ward staff need the encouragement and support of their executive team to get on and make changes to improve everyday processes?

  • Comment

    Time to draw a line under Granger era

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    The national programme for IT is reeling from its most damning verdict yet - this week's report from the Commons public accounts committee that condemns uncertainty over the schedule of implementation and value for money (see news, page 9).

  • News

    Diagnostic test waiting times released by DoH

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    Diagnostics waiting times and activity data for February and the census of all diagnostic tests up to December 31 2006 have been published by the Department of Health.The data shows progress in tackling waiting times for tests such as scans. The monthly data gives the waiting times for 15 key ...

  • Comment

    Emma Dent

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    'Are managers walking round with clipboards counting smiles and small talk exchanges?'

  • News

    How crude tariffs are getting under the skin of specialists

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    Dermatologists and rheumatologists have claimed their specialties are under threat of bankruptcy and patient care at risk as the payment by results tariffs do not cover costs. Is a move into community care services really a better option, asks Daloni Carlisle

  • News

    NAO says consultants' contract is poor value

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    Under the new NHS consultants' contract, consultants in England are earning on average 25 per cent more than three years ago but are working the same number of hours or less states the report from the National Audit Office.The report on the contract found that while it has the potential ...

  • News

    Cancer charity warning over HRT link

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    Cancer Research UK has highlighted a study published in the Lancet that has found women who take hormone replacement therapy are more likely to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and to die of the disease.Results from the Million Women Study, the biggest of its kind in the world, show that ...

  • News

    RCN will back closures - as long as patients benefit

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    The Royal College of Nursing will give its support to hospital closures but only if they are in the best interests of patient care, its new general secretary has said.

  • News

    Doctor's union responds to regulatory fees announcement

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    The British Medical Association has responded to the Healthcare Commission's announcement to reduce its registration fees for independent doctors.The proposed reduction in the yearly registration fee is from £2,240 to £1,335.Read the response here

  • News

    DoH compiles a hit-list of acute trusts that cannot survive under Payment by Results

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    The Department of Health has drawn up a list of acute trusts that will be closed, merged or broken up because they will not survive under payment by results, HSJ has learned.

  • News

    Abortion research leads to call for better education

    2007-04-19T00:00:00Z

    New research conducted by Southampton University shows that because of myths about what having an abortion is like, women can be too frightened to seek counselling or treatment earlier.Many do not know where to get impartial information about unintended pregnancy or abortion. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service is calling for ...

  • Comment

    Helen Rowntree on using patient safety indicators

    2007-04-18T00:00:00Z

    The past few months have seen the beginnings of a shift in the prevailing NHS wisdom about patient safety and how best to promote and improve it. The emphasis is moving firmly towards greater openness and accountability - a point well made by Frank Burns in his recent HSJ piece ...

  • News

    RCN launches campaign for better patient nutrition

    2007-04-18T00:00:00Z

    Nearly half of nurses say they do not have enough time to ensure patients get good nutrition, a survey from the Royal College of Nursing has revealed.The findings coincide with the RCN campaign to improve patient nutrition in hospitals and the community, launched at its annual congress in Harrogate.Read the ...

  • HSJ Knowledge

    Formula for inspiration

    2007-04-16T10:44:36Z

    'Sheep dip', one-size-fits-all management courses do not inspire doctors to become leaders. Instilling true leadership skills is much more complex, says Jenny Simpson

  • HSJ Knowledge

    David Amos on grievances

    2007-04-16T10:10:13Z

    Groups of professionals find it remarkably difficult to talk about anything other than the day job. A cluster of doctors will swap stories - in confidence of course - about interesting and demanding patients.

  • Comment

    Jasbir Sunner on academic health science centres

    2007-04-16T10:07:05Z

    Our vision and strategy for an AHSC, strongly supported by clinicians, bodes well for the future of hospital services in north west London

  • HSJ Knowledge

    Best practice: lessons from US on patient safety

    2007-04-16T09:56:22Z

    Whether its superbugs, medical error or the rise in diabetes, the US health system faces strikingly similar problems to the NHS. Andrew Castle switches on to watch.new.US documentary series Remaking American Medicine, which shows how we can tackle them.