Comment archive – Page 411
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Comment
Hilary Thomas on challenging NHS rhetoric
One of my enduring impressions of the NHS is that of mythology. Not the classical Greek type representing animal/human chimaeras but perhaps equally contradictory. There are a number of platitudes which people love to cite: “free at the point of delivery”, “the GP as gatekeeper”, and first prize has to ...
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Comment
Hilary Thomas on
One of my enduring impressions of the NHS is that of mythology. Not the classical Greek type representing animal/human chimaeras but perhaps equally contradictory.There are a number of platitudes which people love to cite: “free at the point of delivery”, “the GP as gatekeeper”, and first prize has to go ...
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Comment
Jackson letter
The article on page 10 of the 7th Feb issue refer to months of legal wrangling in relation to UHE’s first contract with Derby City PCT. In fact the legal challenge was with Derbyshire County PCT, relating to a county practice. Derby City PCT appointed UHE to run its Normanton ...
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Comment
Shread letter
Daloni Carlisle (News) and Jo Stephenson (Media Watch) reporting in today's HSJ compound the frequently reported myth that the actress Lesley Ash contractedMRSA. She did not. The infection Ms Ash had was caused by a standard, non-meticillin resistant strain of Staph aureus.Some journalists have taken to calling this MSSA (Meticillin ...
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Comment
Thompson letter
Looking at your (thankfully scant) covering of the Leslie Ash compensation award (HSJ 24/1) I'm tempted to use three words - inequalities, inequalities and, last but not least, inequalities.Why? Well given that health inequalities is at the heart (sic) of all our concerns for the NHS I'm iterested to know ...
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Comment
Trevor Ludlam on
The National Programme for IT was established to deliver front-line systems and services that would deliver major benefits for NHS organisations, staff and patients. Nottinghamshire Health Informatics Service has been steadily turning the vision of integrated information, communication and technology into a reality.Having just retired as director of Nottinghamshire Health ...
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Comment
Cheshire letter
Dear Sir We refer to the report published on 17th January “Warning over damage caused by competition”. I am pleased to report that the Royal College of Physicians has been working on this very issue, and invited members of theAlliance, the RCGP and more recently the RCPCH to join ...
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Comment
McDevitt letter
Dear Editor,The Born inBradfordproject (pages 22-25, 31 January) studyingBradford's high infant mortality rate is an important study. However, there are a couple of key factors which, in my opinion, did not get due inter-connected emphasis in the article. FirstlyBradford's high infant mortality rate is likely to be partly explained, but ...
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Comment
Media Watch: agency nurses
Agency nurses are raking it in with some hospitals paying them more than £120 an hour, according to figures obtained by the Conservatives.
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Comment
Emma Dent on NHS pride
One of the ironic things about writing about healthcare for a living is that if you are well yourself, you rarely get to see ill health in the raw.
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Comment
Michael White on social care's big year
This is a big year for social care, possibly the biggest for a generation, says minister Ivan Lewis whenever he gets the chance. 'We've got to get it right.'
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Comment
Malcolm Lowe-Lauri on the need for evidence
There's a scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where a king has an errant son under guard. After a father-son exchange, he prepares to leave and asks the guards to stay with his son. After walking a short distance, he turns to find them walking behind him. There ...
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Comment
All Our Yesterdays
February 13, 1948, Public Assistance Journal and Health & Hospital Review During a parliament debate on the National Assistance Bill, Sir H Webbe said it "almost made him treble to think of the responsibility and terrible power which Members of Parliament had over the loves of ordinary human beings. It ...
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Comment
Richard Craven on extending out-of-hours services
Developing innovative clinics and treatment centres will only improve patients' access to care if we also provide clear guidance on how to use these services appropriately
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Comment
Tobacco - why now is the time for battle
With smoke-filled public rooms already fading into the past following the smooth introduction of smoke-free laws, it is easy to understand how the public health focus might shift away from tobacco use. But smoking must remain the number one concern for everyone who cares about inequalities in health and tackling ...
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Comment
Richard Craven on extending out-of-hours services
Developing innovative clinics and treatment centres will only improve patients' access to care if we also provide clear guidance on how to use these services appropriately
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Comment
Tobacco - why now is the time for battle
With smoke-filled public rooms already fading into the past following the smooth introduction of smoke-free laws, it is easy to understand how the public health focus might shift away from tobacco use. But smoking must remain the number one concern for everyone who cares about inequalities in health and tackling ...
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Comment
World class credibility gap in the NHS
Management and leadership are a lot about clarifying a desired future and then helping people and organisations to get there. 'Clarity' and 'help' are not used often enough to describe NHS management. However, 'world class commissioning' does not clarify or help. It is likely to become 'wc' commissioning and be ...
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Comment
World class credibility gap in the NHS
Management and leadership are a lot about clarifying a desired future and then helping people and organisations to get there. 'Clarity' and 'help' are not used often enough to describe NHS management. However, 'world class commissioning' does not clarify or help. It is likely to become 'wc' commissioning and be ...
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Comment
Your Humble Servant: democratic ravings
To: Don Wise, chief executiveFrom: Paul Servant, assistant chief executiveRe: Moooo