Health Service Journal
11 March 2010
View all stories from this issue.
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‘Preferred provider’ policy unravels
Health secretary Andy Burnham’s “preferred provider” policy is unravelling in the face of Cabinet concerns and the danger of breaching European procurement law. -
£21bn spent on health inequalities has had little impact
There is little to show for the £21bn in annual NHS spending allocated to reduce health in-equalities, the Audit Commission has concluded. -
A&E wait is not being gamed, new data suggests
The proportion of patients admitted from accident and emergency units without first being assessed or treated has more than halved since the four hour target was introduced. -
A&E waiting times not misreported deliberately, says chief
The chief executive of a trust where thousands of records were changed to make it appear that accident and emergency patients were treated within four hours has said it was not done deliberately to distort the hospital’s performance. -
Achieving Savings and Efficiencies in the NHS
A business critical briefing from HSJ’s Achieving Savings and Efficiencies in the NHS conference -
Achieving Savings and Efficiencies in the NHS - conference sessions
A business critical briefing from HSJ’s Achieving Savings and Efficiencies in the NHS conference -
Andrew Lansley backs Burnley crusade
Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley has backed calls for accident and emergency status to be restored to the emergency service at Burnley General Hospital in Lancashire. -
Andy McKeon: NHS cash alone won’t end health inequalities
One strategy every six months under Labour has failed to produce results for children under five -
Ask a stupid question...
Pharmacists spend a lot of time talking about coughs, colds and stomach upsets, but at Southampton General Hospital they deal with a more intriguing set of dilemmas. -
At last – your chance to write a manifesto
Have you ever felt so frustrated with the political parties’ health policies that you wished you could write your own? Now your chance has come. -
Autism strategy aims to help more adults into work
Adults with autism who wish to live independently are set to benefit from the launch of the first national strategy to help them live fulfilling and rewarding lives. -
Book Review: Time to Think
A ‘thinking environment’ grows from taking time to listen, says Karen Wise -
Call to boost rural healthcare
The Royal College of Nursing Scotland is calling for new technology to improve patients’ access to healthcare. -
Call to improve NHS telehealth systems
Patients are missing out on better care and treatment because of shortfalls in NHS computing systems, members of Scottish parliament have said. -
Cally Bann: SHA Winter Olympic Cover Your Back Executive Director Pentathlon
Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the birdies is… all learning how to ski and snowboard if our emergency department activity is anything to go by. Throw in the removal of the winter covers from the back-garden trampolines and collective amnesia about putting the safety netting back up and it’s hardly surprising the 98 per cent target took a pounding last week. -
Confed calls for action on tough political choices
Time is running out to make urgent changes to NHS policy that will require difficult political decisions, the NHS Confederation is warning. -
David Cameron pledges radical cuts from day one
A Conservative government would crack down on waste and excessive bureaucracy from “day one”, David Cameron has said. -
DH launches £8m campaign to improve early diagnosis of cancer
Primary care trusts can bid for a share of an £8m government fund to help improve the early diagnosis of cancer, the Department of Health announced today. -
First patient reported outcomes due in April
The first results from the NHS’s landmark collection of patient reported outcome measures are expected to be published next month despite earlier concerns about whether enough patients had responded. -
'Full' hospitals are treating patients in non-clinical areas
Patients are routinely being treated in areas of hospitals not designed for care, a survey by HSJ’s sister title Nursing Times has revealed. -
Gillian Merron: back for good?
After a mild lull, possibly due to a dance related injury, public health minister Gillian Merron is back. -
Heart surgery suspended as deaths investigated
John Radcliffe Hospital is investigating the deaths of four children who underwent heart operations there in recent months. -
Hospital staff at risk of 'compassion fatigue'
Being asked to treat patients in unsuitable conditions could make nurses desensitised to poor care, the Royal College of Nursing has warned. -
Kidney profiles published
Kidney Disease Primary Care Trust Profiles, developed by NHS Kidney Care and the East Midlands Public Health Observatory, have been published to help commissioners assess local kidney care need and current service levels. -
Media Watch: CQC ratings fiddles
They say variety is the spice of life, and it was certainly true that there was an assortment of health stories in the media this week. -
Michael White on political spin
It is rarely easy to spot when a policy statement or media report has undue political spin on it. As a hard fought general election approaches it can be near impossible. -
NHS Leadership Spring Debates: Collaboration
Should NHS organisations develop leaders for the whole NHS collaboratively or focus their efforts on their own future leaders? -
NHS managers demand power to fire GPs
Managers are calling for the power to “fire” GPs and to get rid of small practices to make the huge spending cuts needed in coming years. -
NHS Manchester tables complex community restructuring plan
Community services in Manchester look set to be split up and integrated among a wide range of providers under a complex set of proposals. -
NHS non-executive appointments: think outside the tick box
A truly representative NHS needs more diversity among trusts’ non executive directors, reports Daloni Carlisle -
NHS reform 'likely to be slow'
Economic challenges mean future reform of the NHS is likely to happen slowly, with large projects put on the back burner for the immediate future, a report has claimed. -
NHS trusts 'give incorrect performance data'
More than half of hospital trusts inspected last year provided the public with incorrect information on their performance and quality of care, it has been claimed. -
NHS waiting time limits to be enshrined in law
Waiting times for treatment on the NHS are set to be laid down in law, health secretary Andy Burnham has announced. -
NICE completes the commissioning cycle
Embedding clinical guidance into the full commissioning cycle offers support at all levels, from planning to procurement to public involvement, says Jennifer Taylor -
Nottingham trust criticised over waiting time irregularities
One of England’s busiest accident and emergency departments failed to report breaches of the four hour treatment targets for at least four years, an independent report has said. -
On yer bike Mike
Despite being a firm supporter of evidence based intervention, international doyen of health inequality Sir Michael Marmot appears to also believe in Taoism. -
Out of hours GP contracts need greater transparency
A network of small out of hours providers has criticised primary care trusts for “trading off” contracts to other providers without retendering. -
Paul Corrigan on suspending NHS incentives
Research from the London School of Economics published in December gave insight into how competition within the NHS is benefiting patients. -
PCT provider plan deadline stands
The Department of Health will not extend the deadline for primary care trusts to finalise plans for their provider arms. -
PCTs preparing for cuts not savings, warn GPs
Senior GPs have claimed primary care trusts are feeling pressured to make budget cuts rather than find efficiency savings. -
Plans made for deauthorising failing FTs
A process for deauthorising failing foundation trusts is set be put in place during the summer after a “proper” consultation process led by Monitor. -
Politicians to debate support for carers
Care services minister Phil Hope, shadow minister for health and social care Stephen O’Brien and Liberal Democrat spokesperson Paul Burstow are to meet to discuss government policy on carers. -
Pre-election Budget expected this month
The most likely date for the next Budget to be unveiled is 24 March, according to to political intelligence provider DeHavilland. -
Pre-election Budget to avoid spending allocations
The upcoming Budget will not include detailed spending allocations for Whitehall departments for the years ahead, chancellor Alistair Darling said today. -
Preferred provider policy: unions jilted, Burnham jolted, competition wins the day
Andy Burnham’s “preferred provider” policy is now in its death throes. What began as a speech aimed at ingratiating the health secretary with the unions ended in a put-down from the prime minister. -
Sir Liam Donaldson appointed chair of National Patient Safety Agency
Sir Liam Donaldson has been appointed as the new chairman of the National Patient Safety Agency. -
Staff vetting scheme fears are discouraging referrals
Managers are not referring staff to a controversial vetting scheme amid widespread concern over its “interfering” approach. -
Steve Preston on winning at interviews
Do you have a fear of interviews? You are not alone. They can be stressful, intimidating and nerve-wracking. -
Trust appoints medical director
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals Foundation Trust has appointed Dr Robin Bolton as its new medical director, taking effect from 1 April. -
Trust defends its use of extra beds
Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Christchurch Hospitals Foundation Trust has justified its policy of putting patients in wards which are already full, after Nursing Times received a complaint that the practice was unsafe. -
UKIP would scrap PCTs and make managers ‘happier’
The UK Independence Party would save £2bn-£3bn by scrapping primary care trusts and strategic health authorities and having services run as franchises, its deputy leader has told HSJ. -
US healthcare: a proposal that speaks to the heart of America
Despite recent setbacks, Barack Obama still holds out audacious hope for US healthcare. But as opposition continues to undermine his position, the president has a monumental battle on his hands to get meaningful reform, says Douglas Noble -
Viewpoint: 'FTs need to put their own needs first when developing leaders'
Foundation trusts need the right expertise, skills and abilities within their own leadership - and need to use the freedom given to them in deciding how best to develop potential leaders. -
Viewpoint: 'In the NHS we all work for the same organisation and share common goals'
Lord Darzi’s High Quality Care for All report outlines a bold vision for the health service requiring new ways of working and strong leadership. -
Virgin buys into GP healthcare
Sir Richard Branson’s empire has bought a controlling stake in an NHS walk-in centre operator. -
Ward to onboard
A firm that designs aircraft cabins has turned its attentions to the NHS, creating a recovery “lounge” that fits - or should that be that crams? - more beds in while requiring fewer nurses.
