External contributors – Page 281

  • Comment

    Find the funds to keep violence in check

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    Uniquely among the main care disciplines, mental health services routinely have to manage a triangle of potentially violent relationships: patients attacking staff, patients attacking each other and - when it comes to restraining aggression - staff using force on patients.

  • Comment

    Your Humble Servant's NHS Diamond 60 suggestions

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    To: Don Wise, chief executiveFrom: Paul Servant, assistant chief executiveRe: Diamond geezers

  • Comment

    Media Watch: GP opening hours

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    Doctors were in the spotlight this week, after the British Medical Association advised GPs to accept a new contract that means practices will open for longer.

  • Comment

    The BMA is standing between patients and a better service

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    Not content with grossly misrepresenting the government's position on opening hours, the British Medical Association has now resorted to sabotage to block modernisation of our primary care services.

  • Comment

    Michael White on NHS reform

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    I'm always getting into trouble for trying to be open minded. That Hitler, I say, he was kind to animals. So I turned to this week's polemic from the pro-market pressure group Reform so full of good will that I ignored the title, NHS Reform: national mantra, not local reality.

  • Comment

    Sophie Christie on the Lucentis drug controversy

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    The latest media celebration of how terrible the NHS is gathers pace. The press has been reporting that people are going blind because they are being refused a drug (as opposed to going blind because they have a degenerative disease). Yet the fourth estate seems to be missing a far ...

  • Comment

    A case for extending GP hours

    2008-02-13T09:00:00Z

    Changing the way GP surgeries are managed could help improve access for patients who are excluded by the current system, argues Jim Ford

  • Comment

    All Our Yesterdays

    2008-02-12T15:46:57Z

    February 20, 1948, Public Assistance Journal and Health & Hospital Review A letter issued on behalf of ten trade unions and organisations states that they have learned that moves are being made to launch a new organisation…The National Federation of Hospital Officers. The majority of hospital officers (states the letter) ...

  • Comment

    This week's lookey likey

    2008-02-12T15:44:17Z

    Reader Peter Munday of Mersey Care trust writes: 'Before he (Rhydian that is), fades into obscurity, I feel I have to point out the astounding similarity between Rhydian Roberts of runner up in TV talent show X-Factor fame and David Dalton, the chief executive of Salford Royal foundation trust.'We agree ...

  • Comment

    World class credibility gap

    2008-02-12T09:00:00Z

    Management and leadership are a lot about clarifying a desired future and then helping people and organisations to get there.

  • Comment

    World class credibility gap

    2008-02-12T09:00:00Z

    Management and leadership are a lot about clarifying a desired future and then helping people and organisations to get there.

  • Comment

    Lisa Rodrigues on NHS acronyms

    2008-02-11T09:00:00Z

    Obscure abbreviations and over-complicated policies keep the NHS from focusing on what is really important

  • Comment

    Lisa Rodrigues on NHS acronyms

    2008-02-11T09:00:00Z

    Obscure abbreviations and over-complicated policies keep the NHS from focusing on what is really important

  • Comment

    Hilary Thomas on challenging NHS rhetoric

    2008-02-08T16:03:35Z

    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 ...

  • Comment

    Hilary Thomas on

    2008-02-08T16:03:35Z

    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 ...

  • Comment

    Jackson letter

    2008-02-08T15:42:05Z

    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 ...

  • Comment

    Shread letter

    2008-02-08T15:40:12Z

    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 ...

  • Comment

    Thompson letter

    2008-02-08T15:38:58Z

    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 ...

  • Comment

    Trevor Ludlam on

    2008-02-08T15:27:59Z

    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 ...

  • Comment

    Cheshire letter

    2008-02-08T14:55:46Z

    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 ...