Latest news – Page 2528
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Advocacy idea fails to find PAL in CHCs
The national plan's proposals for patient advocacy and liaison services (PALs) have sown confusion about the future of community health councils.
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Thresholds critical 'if nine-month waiting-list goals are to be met'
The nine-month waiting-time target expected in today's national plan can only be met if clinically defined referral and access thresholds are introduced, according to King's Fund fellow in health systems Anthony Harrison.
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Huge shake-up to keep founding aims intact
Prime minister Tony Blair is due to unveil the government's NHS 'national plan' to the Commons this afternoon, promising a more consumer-oriented NHS 'fit for the 21st century'.
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In Brief: GP committee has expressed 'disappointment'
The British Medical Association's GP committee has expressed 'disappointment' with government plans to spend £54.5m moving clinics into local surgeries. It said the investment was 'less than £1 per patient', it was not clear where the money would go and it should be used to 'reduce workload' not 'increase demand ...
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In Brief: Alan Milburn
Health secretary Alan Milburn has given the go-ahead for public consultation on proposals to merge Calderdale Healthcare trust and Huddersfield Healthcare Services trust. Public consultation will start on 17 August.
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In Brief: John Hutton
Health minister John Hutton has introduced new standards for the size of rooms and communal areas in care homes, following the end of consultation on its document Fit for the Future, published last year. No more than 20 per cent of rooms will be shared from 2002.
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In Brief: 'pathology alliance'
The Royal College of Pathologists, Institute of Biomedical Science and Association of Clinical Scientists have created a 'pathology alliance' to represent pathology's three main staff groups.
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In Brief: Welsh centre for NHS Direct satellite
A satellite centre for NHS Direct will be set up at North Wales trust's base at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, Welsh health secretary Jane Hutt has announced. NHS Direct already operates from Cardiff. The new base will cover north Wales and mean that the whole of Wales will be covered ...
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In Brief: Worcestershire
Worcestershire local medical committee has urged Worcestershire health authority to agree to an independent, expert examination of its plans for a private finance initiative redevelopment of Worcester Royal Infirmary and its impact on services in Kidderminster. It says it is 'profoundly unhappy' with the widely criticised plans.
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Headhunters hired to get Carter's successor
The Scottish Executive is facing new charges of 'cronyism' following the announcement that Ronnie Cleland is to play a leading role in recruiting a new chief medical officer for Scotland.
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Mental health strategy damned as MPs call for hospital closures
The Commons health select committee has launched a fierce attack on key strands of government policy on mental health.
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Socio-economic factors 'don't explain rankings'
Variations in health authority performance cannot be explained away by variations in social and economic conditions, a King's Fund study has concluded.
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Public teed off with 'golf club' criterion for appointments
Members of the public believe the key criterion for serving on a public body is belonging 'to the right golf club', according to research for the commissioner for public appointments.
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Short Cuts: Adult smoking levels down over two decades
Public health minister Yvette Cooper has welcomed a compilation of statistics on smoking from 1978 onwards that show it has dropped among adults. The figures show that in 1998, 27 per cent of adults aged 16 and over smoked cigarettes, a drop from 40 per cent in 1978.But the prevalence ...
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Short Cuts: Dentists to lose right to give general anaesthetics
Dentists will be banned from giving general anaesthetics in their practices from 2002 following a review by chief medical officer Professor Liam Donaldson. Between 1996 and 1999, eight people died while receiving general anaesthetic in a dentist's surgery, of whom five were children. Any practices continuing to give general anaesthetics ...
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Short Cuts: Call for ban on burger vans outside school gates
The Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association has called for burger vans to be banned from outside school gates to add to moves to improve children's eating habits.
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Short Cuts: Affordable housing vital for Livingstone
London mayor Ken Livingstone has set up a housing commission to advise on affordable housing and develop planning policies to create more low-cost homes. The establishment of the commission fulfils one of Mr Livingstone's election pledges. He said it was vital to tackle the 'housing crisis' in London which had ...
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Short Cuts: Cancer care programme to be extended in Wales
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been asked to extend its programme on cancer care in Wales. NICE will carry out a two-year programme to provide guidance for clinicians and managers on the organisation of cancer services, minimum standards, access to new drugs and support for cancer patients and ...
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Short Cuts: Council votes to sort cash crisis with outside help
Local councillors have voted to call in the auditor general for Scotland to investigate the cash crisis at Tayside University Hospitals trust. Members of Angus council unanimously voted to write to Robert Black to ask him to investigate the £11.1m overspend and the £8m deficit forecast for this year. Although ...