Health Service Journal
2001-04-05
View all stories from this issue.
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A very private punch-up
Anger with Labour over the private finance initiative dominated debate at Unison's healthcare service group conference.Lyn Whitfield reports -
Backing up courage with cash
Radical ideas are the future - but they must be matched with resources -
Concrete action
Local health services in one of London's most deprived boroughs knew they would have to work hard to conduct an effective public consultation on a new primary care trust, write Kate Roe and Hilary Scarnell -
Confederations take charge of developing future workforce
Twenty-four new bodies become operational this week which will, for the first time, oversee the workforce and training issues of NHS staff. -
Conservative attacks choice of appointments chair
The appointment of South East regional chair Sir William Wells as chair of the new NHS Appointments Commission has prompted fierce criticism from shadow health secretary Dr Liam Fox.Sir William will head a team of regional commissioners responsible for recruiting and appraising non-executives.Dr Fox described the appointment of Sir William - who recently urged trusts to meet the waiting-list targets in line with 'our manifesto commitment'- as 'unacceptable'. -
Days like this HSJ
Joint purchasing pilots. . . new staff grades plan. . . health unions closer to merger. . .hospitals face autumn rein-in. . . £16m services to contract out -
Dear Mel. . .
1. Dear Dr de Strange 1.1. I am a leading management consultant. -
Defining moments
The government's definitions of intermediate care ignore the role of housing and lack credibility as a result, argues John Belcher -
Delays loom for mental health monitoring
Just one in 10 local groups charged with implementing mental health policy believe effective systems to monitor clinical governance are in place. -
Down's syndrome inquiry puts trusts on discrimination alert
All trusts providing paediatric cardiac surgery have been told to consider how to implement 119 recommendations made by the independent inquiries into services at the Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital. -
Events
Integrated care pathways 20 April, Dublin 23 April, Belfast Integrated Care Pathways is holding a workshop on 'Implementing integrated care pathways to improve clinical practice' to give clarification and guidance on how to use variations to bring about change. -
Farmers turn to NHS helpline
A helpline offering advice to farmers and those affected by the foot and mouth outbreak across Wales has seen an increase in calls from people who are suicidal. -
Get them while they're young
NHS CAREERS: Meeting school pupils to promote careers in the NHS - and offering them work experience - can be satisfying for staff and may even reduce drop-out rates from healthcare courses. Sue Smith explains -
Health and Social Care Bill faces Lords battle
The row over controversial measures in the Health and Social Care Bill is set to reach a climax in the next fortnight as it reaches its report stage in the Lords, where the government does not have a majority.Liberal Democrat and Conservative peers have signalled their intention to challenge the government over the definition of nursing care, the health secretary's powers of intervention in the NHS, compulsory care trusts and the contentious patient information measures in clause 67.Negotiati -
in brief
The number of GP personal medical services pilot schemes going live from the beginning of the month was 967, down from 1,230 schemes approved last December and representing more than a 20 per cent drop-out rate.Final contract negotiations are continuing with some schemes, while an additional 61 have delayed starting until October. -
in person
Mary Dunne has been appointed director of nursing, quality and patient services at Frimley Park Hospital, succeeding Jenny Rodgers when she retires in June.Mrs Dunne is currently director of nursing and deputy chief executive at Bournewood Community and Mental Health trust. -
It is the final countdown
Did the annual embarrassment of casualty watch encourage ministers to abolish CHCs? We may never know, but Tash Shifrin assesses their last snapshot survey of A&E waiting times -
Key moderniser must cry freedom for public sector
Head of Modernisation Agency plans to give leaders a chance to shine -
Labour criticised over attitude to public health
A supposedly key public health report published last week should have been released 18 months ago and will 'not set the heathers alight', a health expert claims. -
Milburn puts his name to proposal for 'an end to outpatient' services
The NHS Confederation is pushing for a radical restructuring of the way health services are delivered in a move that would see an 'end to outpatients'. -
Modernisation Agency chief 's nurturing vision quashes fears of 'hit squad' role
David Fillingham, chief executive at North Staffordshire Hospitals trust, has been appointed director of the NHS Modernisation Agency, signalling a softly-softly approach from the organisation which officially starts work this week. -
monitor
Monitor would like to clear something up. Indeed, he has visited his local pharmacy regularly with just that in mind. And now It is time to get to the bottom of the matter! For accusations have been bandied about which suggest that Monitor is only interested in tomfoolery and high jinks (to paraphrase certain comments about urinary extraction). They say this page makes light of weighty issues. Not so! And Monitor takes this chance to prove it - by dedicating this week's column to tragedy hidd -
National Birthday trust offers £250 bursaries
LETTERS -
New medical schools target lower-income entrants
Two new medical schools are to be set up, based at Brighton and Sussex Universities and Hull and York Universities. In all 1,033 additional medical school places are being created in England, with emphasis on recruiting students from middle and lower-income families.There will also be greater emphasis on interprofessional training and the Hull and York school will focus on community placements.The expansion in places will take place 'as soon as possible', according to the Department of Health -
NHS data standards are alive and kicking
LETTERS -
No more piggy-in-the-middle
OVER THE WALL -
Now is the time to produce an equitable and responsive approach to evidence-based practice in the community
LETTERS -
Patients' body 'should have broader remit'
The planned new national patients' body should not be restricted to commenting on the NHS but could have a broader remit, a study commissioned by health secretary Alan Milburn has recommended. -
Pick the udder date says Milburn as Labour turns on the farm offensive
POLITICS -
Pressure on Scotland to stay in line over elderly care
Pressure is mounting for Scotland not to implement the findings of the Royal Commission on Long-Term Care for the Elderly, says the report's author, Sir Stewart Sutherland.Giving the Royal College of Nursing Scotland inaugural annual lecture, he warned that 'the pressure to reject full implementation is growing as those who hold the purse strings in Westminster attempt to block our good intentions'.He believes the Scottish parliamentary committee will face increasing pressure to reject the pr -
Pride over prejudice
Rooting out age discrimination is the latest NHS priority, and Ian Philp is charged with spearheading the drive.He talked to Carol Harris about life after the national service framework -
Publication of Bristol inquiry report juggles with election date
The Bristol inquiry is to pass its final report to health secretary Alan Milburn next month. -
Qualification aims to raise social care standards
A three-year degree-level social work qualification is to begin from 2003 as part of a bid to raise social care standards. -
Resources and staffing couuld blight NHS plan timetable hopes
The government's modernisation agenda for the NHS is not achievable within the current timetable unless resources and staffing are increased, according to finance directors. -
Review call over critical care beds in Wales
There are significant variations in performance and facilities between trusts throughout Wales and a particular need to review critical care bed capacity as well as district nursing and diabetes services, according to the Audit Commission. -
Search is on for best players
As the NHS hurtles through more change, HSJ and Birmingham University's health services management centre invite managers to join this year's Management Challenge. Lyn Whitfield outlines how it stimulates real-world problems - and solutions -
Stepping off a springboard
A mixture of excitement and apprehension was evident at the National Association of Primary Care conference, as around 130 new primary care trusts prepare to go live.Lynn Eaton reports -
Strong words
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence may make a positive contribution to the NHS, but it will not eliminate rationing or postcode prescribing, says Christopher Newdick -
Tabloid headline was demeaning to the terrible damage done by stress to the NHS workforce
LETTERS -
THE PERSUADERS
Our weekly guide to healthcare's most influential people -
Think-tank calls for hefty bonuses to keep leaders
The public sector must do much more to attract high-calibre leaders and consider paying hefty bonuses to the best-performing managers, according to the Cabinet Office's performance and innovation unit. -
Umbrella cancer research institute launched
The Department of Health has unveiled a new organisation to co-ordinate all the UK's cancer research.The National Cancer Research Institute will co-ordinate funding and information on research, including clinical trials and genetics. It will bring together government departments, the Medical Research Council, cancer research charities and the pharmaceutical industry.Health secretary Alan Milburn also pledged an additional £6m to improve cancer registration, while £6m from public and -
Unified NHS boards raring to get started in Scotland
Unified NHS boards could be up and running in parts of Scotland by the summer, well before the October date they were due to become formal entities, according to a newly appointed board chair. -
Universities offering medicine are not the only ones with a valuable relationship with the NHS
LETTERS -
Window dressing
Can you pack 60 or more rambling proposals into eight neat themes? Ann McGauran heard Professor David Hunter do just that at the UK Public Health Association conference - but not all present were convinced -
X.400 is a better and newer standard than SMTP
LETTERS: E-novation - managing new technology
