All Policy articles – Page 256

  • News

    Doctors move to vote yes, under protest

    2008-02-21T09:00:00Z

    GPs will be persuaded to vote yes to the government's offer on extended hours, according to a poll of GPs.

  • Comment

    The people's constitution

    2008-02-20T15:14:50Z

    BUPA is supportive of the concept of an NHS constitution, but as an initiative designed to empower consumers. However, much of the discussion seems to be centring on processes and structure, writes Andrew Vallance-Owen

  • Comment

    Of equal weight…

    2008-02-20T15:11:00Z

    Your coverage of two related issues in HSJ in separate articles is timely (news analysis and opinion, 14 February). What Sophia Christie's column fails to mention is the pressure faced by NHS colleagues to fund Lucentis in advance of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence issuing its final ...

  • Comment

    Whither NHS reform?

    2008-02-20T15:05:18Z

    Richard Vize makes a sweeping dig at the British Medical Association and GPs, your traditional villains, and will probably get a quick laugh from the cheap seats. But has HSJ missed a point here?

  • News

    New guidance on sexual health targets

    2008-02-20T12:00:00Z

    The Department of Health has published new best practice guidance to help primary care trusts hit targets designed to ensure swift access to sexual health services.

  • Comment

    Using evidence to achieve equality in healthcare

    2008-02-20T09:00:00Z

    Frontline staff and managers must be skilled in engaging with and using evidence if they are to promote race equality in health services, writes Ronny Flynn

  • Comment

    Using evidence to achieve equality in healthcare

    2008-02-20T09:00:00Z

    Frontline staff and managers must be skilled in engaging with and using evidence if they are to promote race equality in health services, writes Ronny Flynn

  • News

    Doctors struggle as numbers in temporary cells grow

    2008-02-20T09:00:00Z

    Doctors are struggling to care for the growing number of prisoners housed in temporary cells, the British Medical Association said today.

  • News

    BMA polls family doctors

    2008-02-19T11:36:11Z

    The British Medical Association's GP committee has announced the questions it is asking in its poll of GPs on extended hours.

  • News

    Tories warn over Darzi polyclinic plans

    2008-02-18T11:03:21Z

    Junior heath minister Lord Darzi's plan to introduce polyclinics throughout the UK will not improve family services, according to the Conservatives.

  • News

    Call for better veteran mental healthcare

    2008-02-18T11:01:00Z

    Clinical care and rehabilitation services for wounded servicemen and women by the Defence Medical Services are world class but mental health treatment is not thorough or systematic, a report by the Commons defence select committee has said.

  • News

    Heart disease target met five years early

    2008-02-18T10:58:45Z

    The target of reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease by 40 per cent in people under 75 has been met five years early, according to a progress report on the coronary heart disease national service framework.The report also outlines achievements of a capital programme to provide facilities for treating patients with ...

  • Comment

    BMA will fight

    2008-02-15T17:13:25Z

    It is not the BMA which is 'grossly misrepresenting' the argument over GP opening hours. It is the government's campaign of misinformation, inaccurate media reporting and misleading articles such as Richard Vize's blinkered editorial, writes Robert Morley

  • Comment

    Is it reasonable to audit GPs' hours?

    2008-02-15T17:09:52Z

    Far from 'standing between patients and a better service' over longer GP opening hours, the British Medical Association has said most GPs would offer appointments in extended hours, writes Richard Vautrey

  • News

    minimum gp core hours

    2008-02-15T13:22:29Z

    The Department of Health has no plans to set a minimum number of consulting hours GP practices should provide during their contracted core hours. As the government plans to set a minimum threshold for hours practices must be available for appointments outside the hours of 8am to 6.30pm Monday to ...

  • News

    NHS changes 'are yet to deliver'

    2008-02-14T10:47:03Z

    Payment by results has yet to deliver significant improvements, according to a report published today by the Audit Commission.Under PbR, productivity has not risen greatly although the report conceded that the policy had not borne out fears it would damage patient care by cutting costs.

  • News

    All or nothing: patients are told no to private top-ups

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    Patients who choose to buy drugs that the NHS will not fund are being told they will have to pay for all their treatment - not just that part. Should trusts relent and offer mix-and-match packages of care, or would that mean a two-tier service? Alison Moore reports

  • News

    Auditor finds PbR has 'questionable' impact on efficiency

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    Payment by results has had a 'questionable' impact on driving up efficiency in the NHS, the Audit Commission has concluded.

  • News

    Care 'top-up' ban may face day in court

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    A leading solicitor has warned that the government's ban on NHS patients 'topping up' their care will end up before the courts.

  • Comment

    The BMA is standing between patients and a better service

    2008-02-14T09:00:00Z

    Not content with grossly misrepresenting the government's position on opening hours, the British Medical Association has now resorted to sabotage to block modernisation of our primary care services.