Latest news – Page 2568
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Ambulance staff walk out in dispute over back pay
Hull was left with virtually no ambulance cover for nearly three hours in an unofficial walk-out over back pay that 'frightened' union officials. Unison is now preparing to vote on official industrial action in a dispute over back pay, while Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service trust says that ...
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Call for continence guidelines to be made mandatory
The Continence Campaign has called for government guidelines on continence services to be made mandatory. National co-ordinator Gill Kirk welcomed the 'thorough work and consideration' that had gone into last week's guidelines, but said it was a 'crying shame the government has no intention of actively enforcing its own recommendations'. ...
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Concern for growing Northern Ireland suicide rates
Health and social services boards in Northern Ireland should designate a co-ordinator to advise on suicide and liaise with community and voluntary services, says a draft mental health strategy published last week. The strategy also calls for information and training for a wide range of professionals, more use of risk ...
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Shipman inquiry to question role of West Pennine HA
West Pennine health authority, responsible for the area where Dr Harold Shipman practised, is preparing its evidence for the independent inquiry that is now conducting private hearings in Manchester. Dr Shipman was convicted of murdering 15 of his patients earlier this year. Dr Alan Banks, the HA's GP adviser who ...
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North-east London trusts to undergo shake-up
Health minister John Denham has announced a major shake-up of trusts in north-east London. Two acute and one mental health trust will take over from four existing trusts - BHB Community Healthcare, Forest Healthcare, Havering Hospitals and Redbridge Health Care.
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Livingstone pledges a healthy London commission
London mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone's manifesto, unveiled last week, promises to 'ensure that improving the health of Londoners is a central objective of all the mayor and assembly's policies' and to 'appoint a healthy London commission to advise the mayor and assembly on a health improvement programme for London'. Mr ...
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Minister rejects Fritchie criticism of political fixing as 'anecdotal'
Junior health minister Gisela Stuart has indicated that the government is unwilling to accept a report by the commissioner for public appointments that concluded NHS boards have been 'politicised in a systematic way'.
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Independent panel for troubled HA
Financially beleaguered West Surrey health authority has agreed to set up an independent inquiry panel to advise on bringing its deficit under control and on future health service provision.
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Chief defends private
A leading chief executive's attempt to stop his medical condition becoming the talk of his trust backfired last week when details of his private operation were leaked to the local press.
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Kicking stress
Footballer Stan Collymore launches a guide produced by the Depression Alliance giving young people advice about stress and where to get help. Two young people take their lives every day. A recent poll for the alliance found the greatest causes of stress were money, employment and exams and studies. Almost ...
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Target practice
The general election is some way off, but the first salvos have been fired in the health debate. Patrick Butler gets caught in the crossfire
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Spending pennies
It looks like a financial report. It reads like a press release. The Government's NHS Expenditure Plans 2000-01 is an odd hybrid.
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Writing on the wall
New Labour's enthusiasm for guidance and targets is well known. But what impact are the guidelines having on the drive to improve Britain's lamentable cancer survival rates? Wendy Moore reports
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More harm than good?
There is pressure to extend the UK's two national cancer screening programmes to other cancers. But will the benefits outweigh the risks? Wendy Moore reports
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On a well-planned journey
Claire Laurent looks at how local providers of cancer services have implemented one-stop shops to speed patients through the system
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Dramatic licence
Cancer patients are not benefiting from the large number of new drugs available because purchasers will be reluctant to fund them until they have the NICE seal of approval. Jenny Bryan squares the circle
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Rays of hope
Improved imaging techniques mean radiotherapy is potentially capable of saving many more lives - but staff shortages and lack of equipment are hampering progress, writes Jenny Bryan
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Family value
Hospice-at-home services can provide support to families in a way that is impossible in a medical setting. Claire Laurent reports
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Simple is still the best
Conventional surgery by specialists is still the key to eliminating tumours, alongside adjuvant therapies, writes Geoff Watts
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Probation periods
Britain's list of randomised controlled trials runs to more than 500. Geoff Watts summarises a few of the major ones