All News articles – Page 1360

  • News

    New clinical trials agreement for NHS trusts

    2006-10-31T00:00:00Z

    The Department of Health has agreed a revised model clinical trials agreement which will speed up approvals for drug industry-sponsored trials on NHS patients. A partnership between the NHS, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the Bio Industry Association will provide a clear ...

  • News

    50th foundation trust approved

    2006-10-31T00:00:00Z

    Three new foundation trusts have been approved by regulator Monitor, bringing the total to 52. The 50th foundation trust is South London and Maudsley. Tavistock and Portman trust and University Hospital of South Manchester trust have also been authorised. To ...

  • News

    NHS staff views on violent patients

    2006-10-30T00:00:00Z

    Poll suggests NHS staff believe withholding treatment from violent patients is sometimes justifiable

  • News

    State of healthcare report published

    2006-10-30T00:00:00Z

    The Healthcare Commission today published its State of Healthcare 2006report. The report includes the first assessment of the independent sector against minimum standards.The figures are available here

  • News

    NHS redundancy figures revealed

    2006-10-30T00:00:00Z

    NHS chief executive David Nicholson has published figures showing that 900 compulsory redundancies were made in the NHS in the first half of this financial year.The vast majority of those were in managerial and administrative roles and under a quarter in clinical posts.To see the figures click ...

  • News

    Edna Robinson on effective networks

    2006-10-30T00:00:00Z

    'As we move into an era of reconfiguration, effective networking will be crucial to enable patients to receive the best care'

  • News

    Fall in Scottish winter deaths

    2006-10-30T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Chief medical officer proposes overhaul of expert witness programme

    2006-10-30T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Peter Cardy on rewriting the cancer plan

    2006-10-30T00:00:00Z

    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

  • News

    NHS London chiefs to face London assembly

    2006-10-30T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Tobacco control: Fresh air for the North East

    2006-10-30T00:00:00Z

    There are encouraging reports from an independent tobacco control agency set up in an area with the highest adult smoking prevalence in the country

  • News

    Lansley slams PFI 'lunacy'

    2006-10-27T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    New figures show improvement in inpatient waits

    2006-10-27T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Warner congratulates PCTs on practice-based commissioning progress

    2006-10-27T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Patients allowed to opt out of care records service

    2006-10-27T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Hewitt calls for alcopops tax hike

    2006-10-27T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Doncaster therapy pilot sees 1,000 clients

    2006-10-27T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Government responds to report on ITCs

    2006-10-26T02:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    NHS pay rises 'eaten up by inflation'

    2006-10-26T01:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Suicide rate continues to fall

    2006-10-26T01:00:00Z

    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 ...