All Primary care articles – Page 276
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News
Thirteen areas make 18-week target pledge
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 ...
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News
Minister launches coding strategy
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 ...
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News
DoH Publishes prescription charges consultation
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 ...
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News
Milton Keynes PCT names preferred bidder
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 ...
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News
Death rates warning for deprived areas
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 ...
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News
Acute and PCT indicators extended
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 ...
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News
Trusts poach sexual health funding
Funds which should have gone to sexual health have been diverted elsewhere in almost two-thirds of primary care trusts, according to a survey by the Terrence Higgins Trust.
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News
Slow fall on infant mortality
Infant mortality rates are falling more slowly in poorer areas than in less deprived ones, according to a Department of Health report.
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News
'Exceptional circumstance' clause for PCT outsourcing
Primary care trusts will only be able to outsource all of their commissioning expertise in 'exceptional circumstances', with plans to be signed off by the Department of Health.
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HSJ Knowledge
Legal briefing: can non-NHS bodies access the NHS pension scheme?
Our legal experts guide you through the pension implications for companies taking on NHS services
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HSJ Knowledge
How to optimise weight management interventions
With early deaths from obesity set to overtake those from smoking, a primary care service encouraging patients to address their weight is achieving measurable results
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Comment
David Peat on choice
I suppose it's a generation thing. Choice, that is. And come to think of it, consumer power in general.
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Comment
Peter Penson on one way to cut the NHS drugs budget
In recent months, the media has reported numerous cases of patients campaigning to be given expensive anti-cancer drugs such as Herceptin by the NHS despite a lack of NICE approval. Difficult decisions must be made about how money should be spent and where economies can be made.
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News
If not now, when? Taking action on alcohol
The time is ripe for developing strategic steps to tackle the havoc wreaked by alcohol misuse, says Libby Ranzetta
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Comment
Criticism of Dr Foster JV masks the real story about poor data
The National Audit Office report on the Department of Health joint venture with health information provider Dr Foster does little to combat the notion that government is still feeling its way when doing deals with private companies.
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News
GPs to face tougher tests on surgery
The government is to publish national standards for minor surgery carried out in primary care.
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News
Government warns PCTs over dentistry capacity
Patients may have to resort to emergency care, or find an alternative practice, because their dentists have fulfilled their annual contracts too soon.
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News
SHA pays £2m for firm to size up PCT commissioning
South Central strategic health authority has called in turnaround specialists PricewaterhouseCoopers to assess whether its nine primary care trusts should contract out their commissioning functions to the private sector.
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News
BMA warns on prison healthcare
The British Medical Association says that 'incoherent government policy and inadequate funding' is creating a crisis in the prison healthcare system.At a BMA conference on prison health today, its civil and public services committee will call on ministers to address a range of problems undermining health service provision in prisons.Committee ...
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News
Draft cancer care measures out for consultation
A second draft version of Cancer Research Network Measureshas been issued by the Department of Health for a three month consultation.It intends to add the measures to the Manual for Cancer Service 2004. The ...