Scotland
Minimum alcohol price set to become law
Plans for minimum alcohol pricing will be approved in Scotland today, which will become in the process the first part of the UK to pass the legislation.
Health board seeks legal advice over torchlit surgery
A health board is taking legal advice after a surgeon had to finish an operation by torchlight when maintenance workers switched off the power.
Police investigate health board over serious incidents
Detectives are “assessing” whether a health board which failed to provide information about 56 serious incidents at its hospitals was guilty of any “criminality”.
Health board management to be scrutinised over waiting times
An independent review is to be carried out into the culture of management at a Scottish health board accused of doctoring waiting times figures to meet official targets.
Independent advice service for NHS patients launches
A new independent advice service for NHS patients in Scotland begins its work today.
Treasury hints at winners and losers under local pay
Local pay bargaining could raise the salaries of staff in regional “hotspots” but parts of the West Midlands, Yorkshire, west Scotland and Wales may lose out, Treasury documents suggest.
Call for food advert watershed
Adverts for food which is high in fat, sugar and salt should not be broadcast before the 9pm watershed, according to the public health minister for Scotland.
SNP claim independence will safeguard NHS
Scotland’s National Health Service can only be “fully guaranteed” by independence, deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.
Committee divided over alcohol pricing plan
A Holyrood committee remains split over whether a minimum unit price on alcohol will reduce consumption or the social harm related to misuse, a report has concluded.
Hospitals meet 18 week waiting time target
A target on hospital waiting times in Scotland has been met, with more than 90 per cent of patients treated within 18 weeks or less.
Health board fined after patient contracts Legionnaires'
A health board has been fined after an “entirely avoidable” chain of events resulted in a hospital patient being diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, the Crown Office has said.
Fears over hundreds of staff employed without security checks
A Scottish health board has demanded an urgent review after it emerged a private contractor failed to perform necessary checks on employees at a hospital.
Jobs created as Scottish ambulance dispute resolved
The Scottish Government is to create 150 jobs in the Scottish Ambulance Service following the resolution of a long-running dispute over working hours.
Hospital closure plan rejected by health secretary
Scotland’s health secretary Nicola Sturgeon has rejected an NHS board’s recommendation to close a hospital.
NHS and councils to share elderly care role in Scotland
The NHS and local authorities in Scotland will share responsibility for elderly care to end the practice of budgets being shunted between departments, it has been confirmed.
Scottish hospital's infection control praised
A children’s hospital has been praised for work to protect patients, staff and visitors from the risk of infection.
Hospital infection control procedures criticised
Standard procedures to prevent the spread of infections were not implemented “consistently” in two-thirds of Scottish hospitals and NHS services inspected in the past year, a report shows today.
Data protection charge for man who contacted patient on Facebook
A 21-year-old man who used patient information to contact a female patient on Facebook has been charged with an alleged breach of data protection.
Maternity services 'overwhelmed' by rising births
Maternity services in England and Wales have been “overwhelmed” by a rising number of births, including more complex cases, according to a new report.
Scottish NHS performance praised
The NHS in Scotland has significantly improved the quality and safety of its healthcare over the past year, according to a report.
More on Scotland
How to prioritise disinvestment in support services
A tool to help assess disinvestment in support services can help organisations validate their difficult decisions in this area, as Marion Bain, Hester Ward and Simon Belfer explain.
How transparent incident investigations are helping to develop better care
Open, family-centred investigations into incidents of avoidable harm and death are essential to develop safer care. Craig White explains how this is being achieved in Scotland.
The right mix: why workforce planning and rostering has an impact on quality of care
The significant role nurse managers play in the deployment of staff and the need for robust education and development of approaches to this aspect of their role has consequences for the delivery of effective and high quality care, say Mary Cumming and colleagues.
NHS staff benefits: for the chop?
Cherished perks for NHS staff such as workplace nurseries and subsidised canteens could be the first thing cash-strapped employers look to cut. Alison Moore investigates
Sink or swim: how small hospitals survive competition
Small district general hospitals are often the heart of their communities but their survival is only assured by outmanoeuvring the big trusts. By Alison Moore
Ten years on: what devolution has meant for the NHS
In 1999 Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland assumed new powers. After 10 years of devolution Graham Clews examines what it has meant for the UK’s health services
