Primary Care – Page 252

  • HSJ Knowledge

    Maggie Rae on building trust

    2007-09-20T00:00:00Z

    Competence-based work and well-defined skills are key to an effective workforce. My civil service colleagues benefit greatly from the Professional Skills for Government training they get. Of course, experience and creative thinking are also part of a well-rounded person.However, you can have all the skills, intelligence and qualifications you like, ...

  • News

    SNP calls for fast-track reforms

    2007-09-20T00:00:00Z

    Scotland's new SNP health secretary has called on NHS boards to accelerate the pace of change to give patients the services they deserve.

  • HSJ Knowledge

    Money management

    2007-09-18T10:29:00Z

    Reform and reorganisation in health services is not new. But arguably the most recent changes have had the most fundamental impact on the working lives of staff and there is increasing concern about the personal financial implications of these developments

  • News

    children's health

    2007-09-18T00:00:00Z

    The UK can do more to stop children being harmed by environmental hazards such as air pollution, says a new report by the Health Protection Agency.The document is a first step towards a UK Children’s Environment and Health Strategy, which will be put into action by local and regional public ...

  • Comment

    Andrew Jones on world-class commissioning

    2007-09-17T00:00:00Z

    'World-class commissioning sounds exciting but the definitions need sharpening up. What does it mean? You might ask: does anyone know and does it really matter?

  • News

    Specialist services essential in diabetes care

    2007-09-17T00:00:00Z

    A new publication from the diabetes specialist services liaison group highlights the challenges that diabetes poses for the NHS and how specialist services can help overcome them.

  • News

    Mental health focus for humanitarian agencies

    2007-09-17T00:00:00Z

    New guidelines to address the mental health needs of survivors of conflict and disaster have been agreed.

  • News

    Poor access costs businesses

    2007-09-17T00:00:00Z

    Rigid and inflexible GP services are costing workers and businesses millions of pounds every year, according to the Confederation of British Industry.Restricted opening hours, difficulty in booking forward appointments and the limited range of services on offer cost theUKeconomy an estimated£1bn and 3.5 million working days a year, it says.The ...

  • News

    BMA coming back to table

    2007-09-17T00:00:00Z

    The British Medical Association’s GP committee looks set to come back to the negotiating table with NHS Employers. The two sides have met ahead of talks on the general medical services contract for 2008/09. The BMA pulled out of negotiations nine months ago and this year received a 0 per ...

  • News

    BMA new deputy chair

    2007-09-17T00:00:00Z

    Dr Kate Bullen, an associate specialist anaesthetist from Bristol, has been elected as the deputy chairman of the British Medical Association’s council.She will take over immediately from Dr Sam Everington, who was deputy chairman of BMA Council from 2004 to 2007.In addition to being a member of BMA Council and ...

  • News

    How pharmacists can help with PBC

    2007-09-17T00:00:00Z

    NHS Alliance and the Primary Care Pharmacists' Association have published a guide for practice-based commissioners and GPs, highlighting the contribution that pharmacists can make to patient care and practice budgets.PCPA chair Shailen Rao said: 'Primary Care Pharmacists are a valuable and as yet, largely untapped resource within practice based commissioning.'

  • News

    Two million babies screened for hearing

    2007-09-14T00:00:00Z

    Two million babies inEnglandwill have had their hearing screened thanks to the NHS newborn hearing screening programme, the Department of Health has announced.The programme, which was rolled out across England in 2001, screens 1,700 babies each day.

  • HSJ Knowledge

    A look at long-term care

    2007-09-14T00:00:00Z

    The national framework for NHS continuing healthcare comes into force on 1 October. Eve Francis gives a legal perspective on the implications of the framework for PCTs and NHS trusts and the pros and cons of the new regime

  • News

    Public expecting too much as spending cuts approach

    2007-09-13T00:00:00Z

    Local managers need more accountability and stronger support from politicians when making tough decisions, a think tank has claimed.

  • News

    'Outdated' IT systems raise MPs' concerns

    2007-09-13T00:00:00Z

    Hospitals have been forced to rely on increasingly outdated IT systems because of delays in implementing a major part of the national programme for IT, the Commons health select committee has warned.

  • News

    Potential return to huge debt in three years' time

    2007-09-13T00:00:00Z

    The man who laid the ground for the massive spending boost to the NHS has warned that the service could be up to £15.2bn short again in three years.

  • News

    Wanless warns of spending 'hell'

    2007-09-13T00:00:00Z

    The NHS faces a 'hell of a job' after failing to deliver major advances in productivity and public health, Sir Derek Wanless has told HSJ.

  • Comment

    Michael White on former health secretary Stephen Dorrell

    2007-09-13T00:00:00Z

    When I rang him he said the NHS has 'gone full circle' since Labour came in and abolished the internal market in 1997

  • News

    Bradshaw calls for action to fix primary care democratic deficit

    2007-09-13T00:00:00Z

    Health minister Ben Bradshaw has raised the prospect of a shake-up of local governance after he issued a warning that there is a 'problem' with primary care trusts' accountability to their patients.

  • News

    BUPA expected to provide 'external support' for PCT

    2007-09-13T00:00:00Z

    Hillingdon primary care trust is set to name BUPA as the company it plans to use to help it commission services under the Department of Health's external commissioner list, HSJ has learned.