All News articles – Page 1352
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News
5 per cent rise in C difficile cases
Cases of the infection Clostridium difficilehave risen by over 5 per cent in the past year, according to figures published by the Health Protection Agency.The figures show 42,625 cases of C difficilefor the first three-quarters of 2006, showing ...
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Voluntary organisations to share £23.9m pot
Around 700 voluntary and community sector organisations will share a £23.9m pot of government grants, according to care services minister Ivan Lewis.The Department of Health's section 64 scheme will give an average of £44,000 to fund 132 new grants and 256 continuing grants. The Opportunities for Volunteering scheme will have ...
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Transplants policy
Chris Rudge writes of the need to increase donors for organ transplants, yet 20 years ago the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital was successfully doing this and the process was stopped. I was then a junior staff nurse on the intensive care unit there, which ran a protocol called 'elective ...
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Ethnicity and health
This document reviews the evidence on ethnic health inequalities, the causes and policy options. It is a useful document for parliamentarians working on the policy options for tackling ethnic inequalities in health.
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Clostridium difficile rates on the rise
Rates of Clostridium difficileinfection increased by 5.5 per cent in patients aged 65 years and over in the first three quarters of 2006, compared to the same period in 2005, according to figures published by the Health Protection Agency.However rates of MRSA blood infection ...
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Patient choice online
Although the Minister's announcement of a new supersite supporting patient choice is something to look forward to, personal experience of the system leaves deep misgivings about just how effectively a web based service will work with a paper-based mind set.
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Calls for mental health emphasis in primary care
Policy makers should ensure opportunities to improve mental health in primary care are always considered, according to a report by the Mental Health Foundation and the Pharmaceutical Schizophrenia Initiative.The report Primary Concerns: A better deal for mental health in primary caresays practice-based commissioning needs ...
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Defend general practice, say BMA
The BMA has written to over 42,000 GPs urging them to stand together to defend general practice.In the letter BMA GP committee chair Dr Hamish Meldrum said the profession was under threat from local deficits, encroachment from the private sector and political criticism of doctors.
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Unions: NHS chaplaincy services being slashed
Amicus and the College of Health Care Chaplains have claimed the NHS chaplaincy service is under attack after compiling a list of areas where services have been cut.The organisations claim chaplains are seen as soft targets for cost cutting.
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Police called in to tackle Belfast hospital attacks
Uniformed police officers will be stationed in a Belfast hospital accident and emergency department as part of a zero tolerance approach to attacks on health staff by the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.Two officers will be in the City Hospital on Thursday, Friday and Saturday ...
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Political accountability for health
Congratulations on you superb and balanced debate on politics in healthcare! It was clear from your panel that strategic direction and accountability must lie with politicians when public money is being spent - a very welcome stance, it is just a shame that it does not happen now.
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MPs slam £900m construction project failure
The Commons public accounts committee has slammed the failed development of the £900m Paddington Health Campus.A report on the collapsed scheme said NHS staff were out of their depth and bad decisions were made worse by appalling planning and cost forecasting.Read the report here
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Five-point plan for older people's services unveiled
NHS national director for older people's services Professor Ian Philp has recommended a five-point plan to improve older people's services.His report Recipe for Carehighlights: early intervention; long-term conditions management; early supported discharge; acute hospital care when needed; and partnership working.Professor Philp acknowledged that this ...
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New patient experience scores published
The Department of Health has published updated patient experience scores for the public service agreement to take account of its 2005-06 primary care trust survey and the latest patient survey results for community mental health services.The overall score for primary care fell from 77.4 to 77.0, with a higher score ...
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DoH names renal services 'czar'
The Department of Health has named Dr Donal O'Donoghue for the newly created post of 'renal services czar'.Dr O'Donoghue has been a consultant renal physician at Salford Royal Hospitals foundation trust since 1992, was involved in the development of the NSF and is co-chair of the DoH renal advisory group.Read ...
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Spotlight on lung cancer care
A report gives detailed information on 25,000 people in England and Wales with lung cancer
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Roger Noon on six immediate steps to better change management
I don't envy the leaders of PCTs. Following the recent rationalisation programme, they are under more pressure than ever to deliver improvements in healthcare within tight budgets and aggressive timescales. This against a backdrop of continuous political, policy, regulatory and clinical change.
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Sainsbury Centre appoints prisons director
The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health has appointed Sean Duggan as director of its new prisons and criminal justice programme.Mr Duggan is currently director of health and social care in criminal justice at the Care Services Improvement Partnership's London development centre and consultant in offender health for the Department of ...
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Winterton announces end-of-life strategy board
Health minister Rosie Winterton has announced a 27-strong advisory board to support the development of the end-of-life care strategy.The board is chaired by national cancer director professor Mike Richards and includes chief executives of leading charities, senior clinicians and NHS and social care managers.Working groups will include: measuring the quality ...
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Survey says nine out of 10 patients can see GP within 48 hours
Nine out 10 patients can visit their GP within 48 hours and four out of 10 can get an appointment on the same day, according to a survey of 10,000 patients by Picker Institute Europe.The survey, commissioned by the Department of Health, also found that 70 per cent of patients ...