All News articles – Page 1221

  • News

    Nottingham ISTC delays continue

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    The opening date of England's biggest single site independent sector treatment centre is still uncertain - amid signs that the potential financial impact on local NHS bodies is causing concern.

  • News

    Government firm on contamination powers

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    The government has rejected calls to limit powers that would allow magistrates to detain people who are thought to be 'contaminated'.

  • News

    Conservatives to let GPs pick their own hours

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    The Conservatives have backed GPs' calls to be allowed to determine their own opening hours.

  • News

    European Commission warned over drug promotion

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    Prescribing budgets could come under pressure as a result of European Commission proposals to let drug companies provide information directly to patients.

  • News

    Commissioner-provider split is inefficient, study claims

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    Separating commissioner and provider functions, as advocated in world class commissioning, may damage the efficiency of the health service, a leading academic has claimed.

  • News

    Vascular checks could mean insurance hikes

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    Thousands of people face higher health insurance premiums and may unwittingly invalidate their policies if government plans for vascular checks get the green light.

  • News

    Staff survey wake-up call

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    The results of this year's Healthcare Commission staff survey should serve as a wake-up call for anyone with a passion for a world class healthcare system that performs at its peak, writes Derek Mowbray

  • News

    Choose and book update postponed

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    NHS Connecting for Health has postponed the release of updated choose and book software after the current version gave some patients other people's appointments.

  • News

    Payment by results is a blunt tool

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    Simon Stevens' piece on payment by results summarised some of the shortcomings of the system, but not all the disadvantages as seen from a commissioning and public health viewpoint, writes Peter Brambleby

  • News

    Breaking away: Wales maps out its own future

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    The Welsh Assembly has plans for a third way between an internal market and a command and control system, with local health boards losing control of the commissioning purse strings. Alison Moore explains

  • News

    Audiology waiting times slashed at last minute

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    Trusts' last-minute push to hit an audiology assessment target has led to a dramatic fall in waiting times for diagnostic services.

  • News

    Charging GPs for A&E visits could put older people at risk

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    Proposals to charge GPs the cost of treatment of people who visit accident and emergency departments and walk-in centres 'inappropriately' are very worrying, writes Gordon Lishman

  • News

    Guy's may lay off poisons advice staff

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    Staff at Guy's and St Thomas' foundation trust could face redundancy following the conclusion of a four-year dispute with the Health Protection Agency.

  • News

    Surprise hygiene checks for every acute trust

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    The Healthcare Commission will this week begin conducting spot checks of acute trusts to ensure that they are adhering to the government's hygiene code.

  • News

    Healthcare constructors on list of bid-rigging accused

    2008-04-24T09:00:00Z

    Construction firms involved in major projects to build healthcare facilities have been accused of anti-competitive practices. The Office of Fair Trading last week named 112 companies it suspects of bid-rigging.

  • News

    Insurance scheme could pay for social care

    2008-04-23T14:38:00Z

    The NHS Confederation has said a compulsory insurance scheme may be the best way to fund social care for the elderly.

  • News

    Union rejects staged pay deal

    2008-04-23T14:33:00Z

    Unite, the third largest union in the NHS, has rejected the proposed three-year NHS pay deal.It argues that the deal, which is nominally worth around 8 per cent over three years, could be worth much less if inflation rises higher than Treasury expectations.

  • News

    Expectant mothers urged not to cut calories

    2008-04-23T14:19:00Z

    The Royal College of Midwives has stressed that women who are trying to conceive should eat a balanced diet, after research claimed that women who ate a high-calorie diet were more likely to have a boy.

  • News

    Keogh appointed head of informatics

    2008-04-23T14:13:00Z

    NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh has been appointed interim director general for informatics at the Department of Health. He replaces Matthew Swindells, who is to join the consultancy Tribal.

  • News

    Dental association calls for reforms

    2008-04-23T14:09:00Z

    The British Dental Association has called on the Scottish government to change the criteria dentists must meet to be deemed 'committed' to the NHS.