News – Page 1881

  • News

    Burnham launches next wave of foundations

    2007-03-30T00:00:00Z

    Health minister Andy Burnham has given support to the next wave of nine NHS foundation trusts, bringing the total up to 62.He has also welcomed the authorisation of three more foundation trusts by Monitor.

  • News

    New waiting-time figures published

    2007-03-30T00:00:00Z

    Inpatient waiting times in February have fallen, according to new monthly figures released by the Department of Health today.Outpatient waiting times are also down, with 16,900 patients in England waiting over 11 weeks for a first appointment.Get the full figures here

  • News

    New BMA guidance on end of life issues

    2007-03-30T00:00:00Z

    The BMA is launching updated guidance on withholding and withdrawing life-prolonging treatment.It takes into account the major changes for patients and doctors that will come into force when the Mental Capacity Act is implemented in England and Wales in April and October 2007.Read the guidance here

  • News

    RAB axed as Hewitt defends year of pain

    2007-03-29T10:07:08Z

    Has the NHS finally emerged from its financial quagmire? Patricia Hewitt argues the new post-RAB system has never been more fair and open. Nick Edwards talks to a buoyant health secretary

  • News

    Controverisal critical care centre axed

    2007-03-29T10:05:49Z

    Hospital managers have scrapped plans for a £450m critical care centre and a network of community units across south London on the grounds of affordability.

  • News

    Trust gets £9m refund after tariff admin error

    2007-03-29T10:04:56Z

    Hinchingbrooke Health Care trust has received a £9m refund from the Department of Health, after an administrative error by the trust left it £13.5m out of pocket.

  • News

    Commissioning: Hewitt slams 'unacceptable' interference by trusts

    2007-03-29T10:04:01Z

    Patricia Hewitt has criticised the 'unacceptable' practice of trust managers instructing hospital consultants not to discuss reworking patient pathways with GPs.

  • News

    Healthcare Commission must 'remodel' work following 17 per cent funding cut

    2007-03-29T10:01:16Z

    The Healthcare Commission will have its budget cut by 17 per cent in 2008-09 because of the government's decision to delay the creation of a combined regulator by a year until April 2009.

  • News

    DoH orders review into £257m diagnosis contract

    2007-03-29T09:55:34Z

    A massive diagnostics contract with the private sector has been delayed. because of concerns about quality and administrative procedures.

  • News

    Acutes accused over discharge info

    2007-03-29T09:53:47Z

    The acute sector is showing 'institutionalised contempt for primary care' by its failure to provide GPs with prompt discharge summaries, the NHS Alliance has claimed.

  • News

    BMA pushes for referral centre rules

    2007-03-29T09:52:08Z

    The British Medical Association is to call for greater clinical engagement in referral management centres run by primary care trusts, HSJ has learnt.

  • News

    Workforce SHAs' failure to plan staff numbers has been 'disastrous'

    2007-03-29T09:49:48Z

    Workforce planning is at risk of being abandoned by NHS chief executives burdened with 'excessive' Whitehall demands, a damning report has found.

  • News

    Separating provision and commissioning

    2007-03-29T00:00:07Z

    Jennifer Taylor's piece entitled 'PMs unit pushes more, but 'fairer', competition' was an important news article however does raise a fundamental question about whether entrenching a more explicit separation of commissioner and provider functions is indeed the right policy.

  • News

    GPs urged to use 'care farms'

    2007-03-29T00:00:00Z

    GPs are being urged to take advantage of greater prescribing freedoms to refer people with addiction and depression problems to 'care farms', which provide health initiatives in a rural setting.Due to speak at the second National Care Farms conference today, NHS Alliance chair Dr Michael Dixon said care farms are ...

  • News

    Nicholson: NHS financial system now fit for the future

    2007-03-29T00:00:00Z

    NHS chief executive David Nicholson has welcomed the abolishment of the 'inconsistent and unfair' resource accounting and budgeting system.The move was announced by health secretary Patricia Hewitt following recommendations by the Audit Commission. Mr Nicholson said it will be replaced by a system that 'ensures fairness, transparency and responsibility'.Read the ...

  • News

    Survey reveals inaccurate perceptions on smoking

    2007-03-29T00:00:00Z

    Most young people in England believe that becoming a smoker is the norm, a survey by charity Cancer Research UK has found.While official smoking figures put the proportion of adults in England who smoke at about a quarter, nearly 83 per cent of the 16-24-year-olds questioned in the survey believed ...

  • News

    Choice of treatment on the rise

    2007-03-29T00:00:00Z

    More patients say they have been offered a choice of treatment at referral, the latest patient choice survey reveals.Forty-one per cent of patients say they had a choice, compared with 38 per cent two months previously.Read the report here

  • News

    North West Wales trust lands award

    2007-03-29T00:00:00Z

    North West Wales trust has won the sustainable procurement category at the Local Government Chronicle and HSJ Sustainable Communities Awards 2007 for its combination of an apprentice buyer scheme, green buying and its work in creating opportunities for small local companies.The winner of the headline partnership award for sustainable communities ...

  • News

    NHS human rights framework launched

    2007-03-29T00:00:00Z

    A human rights framework has been launched by the government to help NHS organisations apply a human rights-based approach to delivering healthcare.Launching Human Rights in Healthcare - a framework for local action, health minister Rosie Winterton said it had been developed with help from the British Institute of Human Rights ...

  • News

    Healthcare Commission reports on heart mortality rates

    2007-03-28T00:00:00Z

    A report by the Healthcare Commission has found that rates of mortality for heart surgery at Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals trust are within statistical limits.Commission chief executive Anna Walker said surgeons were to be 'strongly commended' for publishing the data.Read the report here