Primary Care – Page 277

  • News

    NHS set for £13m net surplus despite rising levels of debt

    2007-02-22T00:00:00Z

    The NHS is predicted to make a £13m surplus this financial year, according to the latest Department of Health forecasts.

  • News

    PCT network to 'manage creative tensions'

    2007-02-22T00:00:00Z

    Tensions between acute and primary care trusts could be soothed by the new NHS Confederation PCT network, its chair has said.

  • News

    Monitor criticised for data demand

    2007-02-22T00:00:00Z

    The foundation trust regulator Monitor must not seek to 'enhance' its regulatory role, Foundation Trust Network director Sue Slipman has warned.

  • News

    New chair for Nursing and Midwifery Council

    2007-02-21T00:00:00Z

    The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the regulatory body for UK nurses and midwives, has selected the chair of its new appointments board.NMC council member Brenda Maitland will head the board, which will be responsible for recruitment, appraisal and training.Read the press release here

  • News

    DoH to publish professional regulation white paper

    2007-02-21T00:00:00Z

    The Government will today publish the professional regulation white paper Trust, Assurance and Safety - the regulation of health professionals in the 21st Century. It is set to herald a major shake-up in the way doctors are regulated in the UK.The Department of Health is acting after chief medical officer ...

  • News

    Government tests human influenza plan

    2007-02-21T00:00:00Z

    The Government's response to a human flu pandemic was tested on Monday and Tuesday.The exercise fully tested the UK's ability to manage the effects of an influenza pandemic by playing out the decision-making process at national, regional and local levels.Read the press release here

  • News

    20,000 on GP site

    2007-02-21T00:00:00Z

    More than 20,000 patients have used a national NHS website to compare their GP's performance with others, according to the Information Centre for health and social care website. It allows patients to compare GP practices using the quality and outcomes framework. The top three locations searched are London, Manchester and ...

  • News

    Cancer reform strategy board members announced

    2007-02-21T00:00:00Z

    The advisory board for development of the new cancer reform strategy was announced by health minister Rosie Winterton today.The board's membership is drawn from experts across the cancer field including chief executives of major charities, cancer patients, social care and NHS clinicians and managers. See a list of board members ...

  • News

    New Deal for Carers launched

    2007-02-21T00:00:00Z

    The government is to unveil its New Deal for Carers, which will see £33m used for measures to help people who care for elderly or disabled relatives.Most of the money, £25m, will go to local authorities to fund emergency respite care for people who need a break from the demands ...

  • News

    Witnesses called to PPI evidence sessions

    2007-02-20T00:00:00Z

    Health minister Rosie Winterton is among those who have been called to give evidence into patient and public involvement in the NHS before the Commons health select committee.Other witnesses include NHS South East Coast chief executive Candy Morris, NHS Confederation director of policy Nigel Edwards, NHS Confederation PCT Network chair ...

  • News

    Don't rush into new contracts, warns MiP

    2007-02-20T00:00:00Z

    Union Managers in Partnership has warned members in strategic health authorities and primary care trusts not to rush into agreeing extensions of employment.Under Commissioning a Patient led NHS: human resources framework for SHAs and PCTs, beyond-employment guarantee dates of 31 March (SHAs) and 30 June (PCTs) are in place but ...

  • News

    Value to patients should determine drug price

    2007-02-20T00:00:00Z

    NHS drugs spend should be linked to patient value and value for money, according to a report by the Office of Fair Trading.The report recommends that the current scheme where companies can set their own prices should be replaced by one in which prices are set according to therapeutic benefit ...

  • News

    No single cause for NHS deficits, says government

    2007-02-20T00:00:00Z

    Causes for NHS deficits are numerous, have arisen over a number of years and cannot be attributed to one isolated factor, according to the government.The claims came in a response to an earlier Commons health select committee report on deficits in the NHS.Read the report here

  • News

    DoH predicts break-even by next financial year

    2007-02-20T00:00:00Z

    Figures for the third quarter of the financial year show that the NHS is in line to break even and will be well placed for the start of the next financial year, according to Department of Health figures.Strategic health authorities are due to make £450m of savings from central budgets.Read ...

  • News

    Thirteen areas make 18-week target pledge

    2007-02-19T00:00:00Z

    Thirteen local health communities today pledged to meet the government's 18-week treatment target a full year before the rest of the NHS.The government has said that by the end of 2008, patients can expect a maximum wait of 18 weeks from referral to the start of treatment. Eighteen weeks is ...

  • News

    Milton Keynes PCT names preferred bidder

    2007-02-16T00:00:00Z

    Milton Keynes primary care trust has appointed Guildhouse as its preferred bidder to build health and care premises over the next 25 years, starting with the Wolverton Health Centre later this year.The 3,000sq m supersurgery will be part of the South East Midlands local improvement finance trust and will house ...

  • News

    DoH Publishes prescription charges consultation

    2007-02-16T00:00:00Z

    The Department of Health has published a consultation document on changes to the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005 to enable primary care trusts in England to charge chemists for NHS pharmaceutical applications.If chemists are not on a PCT list they cannot dispense NHS prescriptions or provide NHS pharmaceutical services. The ...

  • News

    Death rates warning for deprived areas

    2007-02-16T00:00:00Z

    Death rates in deprived areas of Scotland are falling more slowly than in affluent areas, according to research from the Medical Research Council.Its analysis of death records between 1980 and 2002 shows that the age standardised mortality rate fell by 30 per cent for men and 25 per cent for ...

  • News

    Minister launches coding strategy

    2007-02-16T00:00:00Z

    Health minister Lord Hunt has launched a strategy document on using auto identification data capture technologies.Coding for success - simple technology for safer patient care encourages the NHS and medical industry to use a standard coding system to help prevent medical error, increase efficiency and save money.Read the press release ...

  • News

    Acute and PCT indicators extended

    2007-02-16T00:00:00Z

    The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and the Department of Health want to extend the current 13 quarterly Better Care, Better Value indicators for primary care trusts and acute trusts to 30 from the start of the next financial year.DoH commissioning director Duncan Selbie and NHS Institute chief executive ...