All articles by Steve Ford – Page 26
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NewsNHS Alliance predicts positive results from changes to tariff
Altering the tariff to a maximum price system should result in “very positive” outcomes for both the NHS and the taxpayer, according to the NHS Alliance.
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NewsTariff change may up transaction costs
Commissioners will have to keep a close on transaction costs once changes to the tariff come into play in 2011, the King’s Fund has warned.
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NewsCall to be proactive on measuring patient experience
Financial rewards to hospitals for improving patient experience should be based around seven “core” areas of care, according to the patient charity the Picker Institute.
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CommentMedia Watch: Good to Great, generic drugs and swine flu
Not of a lot of festive cheer in evidence just yet: the health secretary’s latest strategy for the NHS, intended to take it from “good to great”, was met with a determined lack of enthusiasm from The Daily Telegraph, Independent and Financial Times. They all took the view that it ...
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NewsDavid Nicholson tells NHS: improve first, then prove it
NHS chief executive David Nicholson has told primary care trusts to focus on improving commissioning, rather than on gathering evidence about it.
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NewsOsborne attacks Darling pledge to increase spending on frontline services
The Conservatives have accused the chancellor of trying to “ring fence a black hole” over his pledge to protect spending on frontline services in the pre-Budget report.
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NewsWebsite puts PCTs under fresh public spotlight
The public can now monitor how their primary care trust and other local public services are performing against priority areas for improvement using one website.
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Recession forces Birmingham PCTs to consider merger
The commissioning arms of the three primary care trusts in Birmingham are to consider merging as a result of the impending public spending freeze.
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NewsPCTs left to vaccinate under fives against swine flu after GPs reject deal
Primary care trusts have been landed with responsibility for vaccinating all children aged between six months and five years against swine flu, after a deal could not be reached with GP leaders.
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NewsGas explosion at Manchester hospital
Two gas explosions have ripped through the site of the former Withington Hospital in Greater Manchester.
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NewsCommissioners must be more 'ambitious' in CQUIN schemes
Commissioners will be told to be more ambitious and avoid duplication when setting their commissioning for quality and innovation (CQUIN) framework goals for next year.
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NewsNHS 'not helped' by confused messages on future of PCTs
Confused messages from the Department of Health over the future of community services configuration are “not helping the NHS”, the Primary Care Trust Network has warned.
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NewsLincolnshire to reward cheaper GP prescribing
GPs in Lincolnshire are being offered incentives worth up to £2 per head of practice population to cut antibiotic prescribing and increase use of generic drugs.
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NewsNo Bury and Salford PCT merger, states chief
The joint chief executive of Bury and Salford primary care trusts has ruled out a merger of the two, saying they are “culturally very distinct”.
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NewsTrusts told to focus on ambulance handovers
The government has instructed strategic health authorities to ensure trusts focus on reducing ambulance to hospital handover waits as part of planning for winter pressures.
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NewsGP spending role debated
Practice based commissioning should be replaced by consortia with “real” budgets but comprising clinicians from both primary and secondary care, according to a think tank report.
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CommentMedia Watch: couples therapy
One story got blanket coverage in the papers this week, largely down to it having what is known in the trade as a good news “hook”.
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NewsSouth Essex provider shortlist cut to three
South Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust has withdrawn from a contest to take over the management of the provider arm of NHS South West Essex.
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NewsCharities warn Andy Burnham of preferred provider fears
Health secretary Andy Burnham has been warned he is risking the future stability of the voluntary sector by abandoning the “any willing provider” model.
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CommentMedia Watch: patient records
Medical records and their security, or lack of, was the main topic likely to pique NHS managers’ interest in the news this week - if, that is, you discount stories about the “miracle jab for snorers” and the “mindbend potheads” who are apparently flooding the NHS.