Health Service Journal
5 November 2009
View all stories from this issue.
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Ian Dalton's swine flu update - vaccinating at-risk patients
In his weekly update for HSJ and Nursing Times, national director for NHS flu resilience Ian Dalton discusses the latest developments in UK swine flu preparations -
Better mental healthcare 'may have stopped killing', report finds
The death of a man stabbed by a mental health patient could have been averted if his care had been better, a report has said. -
Book Review: Six Thinking Hats
See how coloured caps can help us to share our thoughts, says Hannah Lowry -
Bullying review: 'proud' chief executives must be forced to accept help
Reluctance by “proud” chief executives in particularly challenging jobs to ask for help “should be resisted”, an independent review has concluded. -
Call to close gender pay gap
Most people think employers should have to audit their wage rates to help close the gender pay gap, according to a new report. -
Carmel Gibbons on NHS leadership in the recession
Inspiring leaders required to steer NHS through tough times. Excellent opportunities for creative individuals. Others need not apply -
Childhood obesity 'levelling off'
The rapid rise in child obesity may be levelling off, according to figures. -
Court hears private patient cap arguments
The Department of Health has raised concerns that Monitor’s definition of the private patient income cap “permits foundations and their advisers to adopt artificial structures to circumvent the cap”. -
Cutting NHS jobs is a costly ‘blunt tool’, says NHS Employers
Using redundancies to save money “is a blunt and expensive tool”, NHS Employers is warning. -
David Cameron pulls together threads on health policy
Conservative leader David Cameron has set out the legislative changes to healthcare the party plans to implement if it wins the next election. -
David Cameron sets out Tory NHS vision
Conservative leader David Cameron has set out his party’s legislative proposals for the health service in a speech to the Royal College of Pathologists. -
Demystifying NHS data
Huge tables and 3D charts often baffle those who want to access information but there is a move under way to demystify the digits, writes Helen Mooney -
Dental Access Programme
West Midlands Strategic Health Authority -
DH proposals threaten trainee medic posts
A major shake-up of the way trainee doctors are funded could see hospitals cut training posts for junior doctors and swap their posts for nurses, HSJ has been told. -
DH sued over scrapped £921m PFI project
A Laing O’Rourke-led consortium has this week launched a £20m lawsuit against the Department of Health and University Hospitals of Leicester Trust over a cancelled £921m hospital project, Construction News has reported. -
Drug firm to compensate NHS
Scotland’s health secretary Nicola Sturgeon has welcomed a settlement being reached with a pharmaceutical company over alleged anti-competitive behaviour in the supply of drugs to the NHS. -
East Midlands SHA to consider changes to trust board
East Midlands strategic health authority has been told to determine within three months whether leadership changes need to be made to the board of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust. -
Foundation trust accuses Monitor of 'intimidation'
A foundation trust has accused Monitor of being “grossly unfair” and “intimidatory” and claims it is considering legal action against the regulator. -
Foundation trust chair replaced by Monitor
The chair of a financially troubled foundation trust has resigned and a replacement has been appointed by Monitor. -
FT governance enthusiasm has given way to indifference
The boards of governors for foundation trusts are ailing. HSJ reveals this week that the turnout for governor elections has halved in five years - it started below 50 per cent - and many are uncontested. -
Healthcare 100: deadline extended until Thursday 14th January
Hurry, Healthcare 100 registrations are closing soon. -
Herbal medicine
Another anecdote from health minister Ann Keen that proves kids say the funniest things. -
Hospitals are blocking stroke care progress, and patients are bearing the cost
HSJ’s analysis of trusts’ performance on stroke care shows there is a long, long way to go. -
Hospitals to replace nurses with lower paid assistants to cut costs
A number of NHS hospitals are planning to replace an increasing number of trained nurses with cheaper, unregistered ‘nurses’ paid at a lower rate. -
How to assess leadership potential
An assessment centre approach made sure managers had the skills needed in a new foundation trust - and turned up a few surprises as well, says Jane Pepe -
How to signpost NHS services clearly and consistently
Seeking enlightenment about NHS services on most trust websites leads to a world of pain, says Michael Guida -
HSJ Offer - Free cinema tickets to see Harry Brown
Registered users can get free cinema tickets to see the new film Harry Brown. Sign in now to claim your free tickets. Hurry, tickets are limited -
HSJ survey: what do you think of your organisation's director of nursing?
Take part in a three minute survey on the role of directors of nursing. -
Independent Mid Staffs inquiry holds first session
Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust has reiterated its apologies to patients and their families at the opening of an independent inquiry into a hospital described as having “shocking” standards of care. -
Integrated services: reducing hospital admissions among older people
Integrated services mean many older people can stay out of hospital while receiving care, says Stuart Shepherd -
Investigation launched after woman demands all-white maternity team
Hospital staff have complained to the Equality and Human Rights Commission after a woman in labour demanded an all-white team to deliver her baby. -
Judicial review of private patient income cap begins
A judicial review of Monitor’s interpretation of the foundation trust private patient income cap has begun following a challenge by trade union Unison. -
Managers in Partnership backs call for single code of conduct
The union Managers in Partnership has backed a call for a single code of conduct between the Department of Health and regulators. -
Marathon manager
With all the talk of pay freezes and spending freezes, you might have thought the life of an NHS manager was cold and barren enough these days. -
Media Watch: drugs debate
The sacking of senior government adviser David Nutt has resulted in the biggest media debate on illegal drugs for many months. -
Michael White on health debates
Handy Andy Burnham, our youthful health secretary and Clark Kent lookalike, slipped out of Britain on Tuesday, heading west towards Washington - safely out of the row over home secretary Alan Johnson’s rash dismissal of David Nutt. -
NHS boards must not misinterpret 'firm performance management'
NHS boards should be wary of misinterpreting “firm performance management” as bullying or harassment as the economic downturn takes it toll, a former strategic health authority chief executive has said. -
NHS facilities website launched
A new website offering technical guidance to providers of healthcare facilities is being launched by the Department of Health. -
NHS guidance providers win accreditation
NHS Evidence has named the first three organisations to be approved by its new accreditation scheme. -
NHS managers to back Labour as job fears focus their minds
An HSJ survey has revealed that NHS managers look more likely than the population at large to back Labour in next year’s general election, perhaps driven by anxiety about job security under the Conservatives. Rebecca Evans studies the findings -
NHS plea for more organ donors
NHS Blood and Transplant has launched a campaign to boost the number of people prepared to help the thousands who face death unless without an organ transplant. -
NHS South West named one of the best for stroke achievement
A comprehensive review of stroke services across the South West has helped patients in the region receive some of the best stroke care in England. -
Nicky Spencer on the pitfalls of email
Every magnificent technological advance in communications presents us with a double edged sword. The battle for the effective use of email is just beginning. -
Noel Plumridge on medicine’s gender balance
Supposing it were possible for an observer from 50 years ago to be miraculously teleported into one of today’s NHS hospitals - what would seem most different? -
Northumberland hospital approved
A new emergency care hospital is to be built in Northumberland after plans were approved at a trust board meeting. -
Nurses accused of professional protectionism
The chairman of the Royal College of GPs has criticised nurses for “professional protectionism”, saying they are undermining the development of a new type of medic. -
Patients 'to get private care right'
The legal right to free private care will be granted to patients who do not receive the treatment they need from the NHS within 18 weeks, The Times has reported. -
Paul Corrigan on clinical leadership
Over the last couple of years we have all become used to the importance of clinical leadership for the development of the NHS. In fact in the management of a health service it’s really quite difficult to conceive of an argument against it. -
Productive ward frees up half a million hours
Implementing the productive ward model at acute trusts across London has freed up more than half a million additional hours of nurses’ time to dedicate to direct patient care. -
Rise in swine flu cases
There were 78,000 new cases of swine flu in England in the past week, up from 53,000 the week before, new estimates show. -
Roger Boyle answers HSJ’s questions on improving stroke care
National clinical director for stroke Roger Boyle explains why meeting stroke targets has been challenging for many trusts and what managers can do to improve the situation. -
SHA bullying investigation findings revealed
The Department of Health has completely cleared East Midlands strategic health authority of bullying and harassing United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust. -
Sir Liam Donaldson warns of swine flu pressure
The government’s most senior medical adviser has warned that the swine flu pandemic is putting NHS hospitals under a “lot of pressure” in coping with the most seriously ill patients. -
Targeted cleaning 'cuts MRSA rates and saves money'
The Department of Health has been shown evidence that just one extra cleaner on a hospital ward can reduce MRSA infections and save tens of thousands of pounds. -
Trusts fail to keep up pace on stroke targets
Fewer than 40 per cent of acute and specialist trusts are achieving the required standards of stroke care. -
Voters halve as foundation trust governors win elections uncontested
Turnouts at foundation trust governor elections have almost halved in the past five years while the proportion of those that are uncontested has increased by 81 per cent. -
Wading in
Andy Burnham will have been doing underwater somersaults last week after seeing figures showing nearly six million people had taken part in free swimming sessions. -
Welsh suicide prevention plan updated
A Welsh suicide prevention plan has been updated to take account of the recession and the increased risk of people killing themselves if they lose their jobs, the Welsh Assembly has said. -
What's in a name?
A “popular” competition to find a name for a new health centre in Manchester attracted “countless entries”, according to a press release received by HSJ. -
Zitron: scrap PCTs and cut bureaucracy
The chair of a London primary care trust has proposed scrapping PCTs. He said giving their commissioning role to local authorities would be an “excellent” way of reducing bureaucracy and bringing health services closer to the public.
