All Primary care articles – Page 287

  • News

    Roger Noon on six immediate steps to better change management

    2007-01-29T00:00:00Z

    I don't envy the leaders of PCTs. Following the recent rationalisation programme, they are under more pressure than ever to deliver improvements in healthcare within tight budgets and aggressive timescales. This against a backdrop of continuous political, policy, regulatory and clinical change.

  • News

    Spotlight on lung cancer care

    2007-01-29T00:00:00Z

    A report gives detailed information on 25,000 people in England and Wales with lung cancer

  • HSJ Knowledge

    New improved information catalogue

    2007-01-29T00:00:00Z

    An improved information catalogue, with enhanced search facilities, has been launched

  • Comment

    Neil Goodwin on the training challenge for NHS managers

    2007-01-29T00:00:00Z

    'Foundation trusts will need to lead the way in learning to establish effective working relationships with their investors, namely primary care trusts and practice-based commissioners, and being proactive in discussing future strategy.'

  • HSJ Knowledge

    Dave Roberts on QOF and chronic diseases

    2007-01-29T00:00:00Z

    'As well as supporting QOF payments, the QMAS provides the NHS with a database of public health information on the prevalence of chronic and long-term illnesses.'

  • News

    New patient experience scores published

    2007-01-29T00:00:00Z

    The Department of Health has published updated patient experience scores for the public service agreement to take account of its 2005-06 primary care trust survey and the latest patient survey results for community mental health services.The overall score for primary care fell from 77.4 to 77.0, with a higher score ...

  • News

    Five-point plan for older people's services unveiled

    2007-01-29T00:00:00Z

    NHS national director for older people's services Professor Ian Philp has recommended a five-point plan to improve older people's services.His report Recipe for Carehighlights: early intervention; long-term conditions management; early supported discharge; acute hospital care when needed; and partnership working.Professor Philp acknowledged that this ...

  • HSJ Knowledge

    Ruth Hussey on prevention

    2007-01-29T00:00:00Z

    By now, New Year's resolutions will have been made and broken. Many people will have pledged to adopt healthier lifestyles, and many column inches will have been devoted to such ambitions. Often the messages are complex, with competing advice on what is important and how to achieve one's goals.

  • News

    Another boost for drug treatment funding

    2007-01-26T00:00:00Z

    Funding for drug treatment services is set to increase as the government looks to build on the progress made in getting people into treatment over the last few years.Public health minister Caroline Flint announced the pooled drug treatment budget is to increase from £375m to £388m for 2007-08.Find out more ...

  • News

    DoH: reforms cutting unnecessary appointments

    2007-01-26T00:00:00Z

    The Department of Health says GPs are sending fewer patients to hospital for unnecessary appointments following government reforms to give practices a greater say in procurement and provision of services.Evidence from early practice-based commissioning adopters shows that practices have cut patient referrals for hospital treatment by between 25 and 33 ...

  • News

    Watchdog appoints three new commissioners

    2007-01-26T00:00:00Z

    The Healthcare Commission today welcomes Professor Deirdre Kelly, Clare Dodgson, and Clifford Prior as commissioners.The trio will join the twelve current commissioners tasked with driving quality in healthcare and public health. Read the press release here

  • News

    NHS and councils could be placed under 'single regime' for assessment

    2007-01-25T00:00:00Z

    Local authorities and primary care trusts could have a 'single regime' which assesses them against joint outcome measures, under proposals due to be announced next month.

  • News

    New moves to tackle obesity in children

    2007-01-25T00:00:00Z

    The Commons public accounts committee has published its eighth report on child obesity based on evidence from the departments of Health; Education and Skills; and Culture, Media and Sport.It is estimated the rise in obesity costs the NHS around £1bn a year.The government aims to tackle these problems by influencing ...

  • Comment

    Joint working: more power for councils will test relations

    2007-01-25T00:00:00Z

    The government has proposed that councils and primary care trusts sign up to joint 'strategic assessments' of local health needs and, potentially, 'a single regime' to meet them (news, page 5). The details will emerge next month, but already a number of things are clear.

  • Comment

    NHS independence: removing politicians will leave a hole that must be filled

    2007-01-25T00:00:00Z

    Would an 'independent' NHS create a worse provider monopoly than British Leyland or set it lose from the targetitis of Whitehall? Who would hold the reins of scrutiny - regulators, Parliament or local councils? Where are the models - the BBC, Scandinavia, Oregon or New Zealand? Is independence even a ...

  • News

    PCTs wanted for interactive media health service

    2007-01-25T00:00:00Z

    The government is calling on strategic health authorities to suggest primary care trusts to test NHS Health Direct, a new interactive media service to help people improve their health.

  • News

    New training to reduce violence against ambulance staff

    2007-01-24T00:00:00Z

    The NHS Security Management Service (SMS) has launched a new set of standards to ensure high quality training for ambulance workers for prevention of violence.SMS head of security management Richard Hampton said: 'Ambulance staff are at the forefront of NHS care and face particular risks that this training is designed ...

  • News

    Select committee announces witnesses for patient and public involvement inquiry

    2007-01-24T00:00:00Z

    The Commons health select committee has announced the witnesses for its first hearing on patient and public involvement in the NHS. The first evidence session will be held on 1 February.The committee will be hearing evidence from Department of Health national director for patients and the public Harry Cayton, National ...

  • News

    Schools in deprived areas to get pedometers

    2007-01-24T00:00:00Z

    Children at schools in deprived areas are to be given pedometers as part of a £494,000 project to motivate inactive children to become fitter.Public health minister Caroline Flint launched the National School Pedometer Programme, which will see 250 schools across the country given 45,000 pedometers.Ms Flint said: 'Using pedometers in ...

  • News

    Hewitt insists choose and book is on track

    2007-01-24T00:00:00Z

    Health secretary Patricia Hewitt has attacked the 'myth' that the choose and book programme to boost patient choice in the NHS is not working properly.Taking questions from the audience at health seminar hosted by the Social Market Foundation, she was challenged over claims that not all patients were being given ...