Latest news – Page 1948
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NHS London chiefs to face London assembly
The chair and interim chief executive of NHS London Dr George Greener and Ruth Carnall are to be questioned by the London Assembly's health and public services committee this week.Questions on finances, service provision and immunisation are expected at the Wednesday meeting.Foe more information go to ...
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Fall in Scottish winter deaths
Winter deaths in Scotland have reached a record low. Nearly 1,000 fewer deaths were recorded between December 2005 and March 2006 than in the same period the year before.The winter had been relatively mild with no serious flu outbreak.For more on the figures click ...
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NHS staff views on violent patients
Poll suggests NHS staff believe withholding treatment from violent patients is sometimes justifiable
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Tobacco control: Fresh air for the North East
There are encouraging reports from an independent tobacco control agency set up in an area with the highest adult smoking prevalence in the country
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Chief medical officer proposes overhaul of expert witness programme
Chief medical officer Professor Sir Liam Donaldson has proposed a radical overhaul of the system for providing medical expert witnesses for family courts.Sir Liam has proposed that teams of specialist doctors and other professionals in NHS organisations will improve quality through mentoring, supervision and peer review. A National Knowledge Service ...
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Peter Cardy on rewriting the cancer plan
As cancer care shifts out of hospital, more cancer patients risk poverty as the associated costs rise. Now is the time to tackle the financial distress of the disease, argues Peter Cardy
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Edna Robinson on effective networks
'As we move into an era of reconfiguration, effective networking will be crucial to enable patients to receive the best care'
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Warner congratulates PCTs on practice-based commissioning progress
Primary care trusts and practices should be congratulated for 'keeping their eye on the ball', in spite of reorganisation, according to health minister Lord Warner. He was speaking after figures published today showed that at the end of September 82 per cent of PCTs had plans in place to achieve ...
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Lansley slams PFI 'lunacy'
Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley has described hospital private finance initiatives as 'complete lunacy' after government responses to his parliamentary questions showed that the NHS will pay private sector contractors £53bn for hospitals worth only £8bn. Mr Lansley is calling for a 'fundamental review' of how the NHS accesses capital ...
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Patients allowed to opt out of care records service
Patients will have the right to opt out of having their information shared through the NHS care records service, health minister Lord Warner told HSJ's Demystifying the National Programme for IT conference yesterday.Under the government implied consent model, those who do not opt out will be deemed to have given ...
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Hewitt calls for alcopops tax hike
Health secretary Patricia Hewitt has written to chancellor Gordon Brown asking for an increase in taxes on alcopops and other drinks favoured by teenagers to curb binge drinking.Earlier this month Ms Hewitt launched the 'Know Your Limits' campaign against excessive drinking in the under-25 age group. In June, the Information ...
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New figures show improvement in inpatient waits
The proportion of patients waiting under 13 weeks for an inpatient appointment rose year on year in September from 70.8 per cent to 74.7 per cent, according to figures published today by the Department of Health. The median waiting time was 7.4 weeks, down on the 7.9 weeks recorded in ...
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Doncaster therapy pilot sees 1,000 clients
A pilot scheme in Doncaster to improve access to talking therapies for people with mental health problems has seen 1,000 clients in its first three months. The scheme is one of two pilots designed to help people with mild to moderate depression to get back into work and off incapacity ...
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Government responds to report on ITCs
The government has published its response to the Commons health select committee's report on independent treatment centres.The committee's report criticised the role of ITCs and said their performance had been variable.In its response the Department of Health has promised to provide more information to patients on which to base their ...
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NHS pay rises 'eaten up by inflation'
Big rises in the basics of daily living eat up 'cost of living' increases for NHS staff covered by the nurses and other health professions pay review body, according to research by Unison.In its evidence to the review body, the union says that last year's 2.5 per cent pay rise ...
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Conservatives launch initiative on patient involvement
The Conservatives have launched a consultation on the future of public and patient involvement in health.The concept of HealthWatch was outlined by Conservative leader David Cameron and shadow health minister Andrew Lansley in a speech to the King's Fund earlier this month.At a summit today Mr Lansley will highlight the ...
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Suicide rate continues to fall
Suicide rates in England have continued to fall and are now at their lowest ever level, according to new figures.The three-year average is now 8.5 deaths per 100,000, down from a baseline of 9.4 deaths per 100,000 in 1995.The Department of Health has published a new guide giving advice on ...
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Lords consider Commons amendments to NHS Redress Bill
The bill to streamline the handling of NHS complaints has returned to the Lords, where peers have failed to reach agreement with MPs over its provisions.Peers yesterday voted by 149 to 133 to back an amendment to ensure that investigations were carried out by a body independent of that against ...
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Action plan for audiology services
An action plan is being developed to improve access to audiology services including those outside the 18-week waiting time, a Department of Health minister has announced.Social care minister Ivan Lewis said in a parliamentary written answer that ministers were aware of long waits for audiology services.
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Hewitt warns: patients will vote with feet
Patients will 'vote with their feet' and refuse to be treated at poorly performing hospitals, health secretary Patricia Hewitt has said.