Commissioning – Page 245
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HSJ KnowledgeCut short hospital stays to lower admissions
The data packs recently made available by the Department of Health to all primary care trusts as part of world class commissioning bundle together a wide range of measures to help PCTs measure their own performance. They also reveal some interesting insights.
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News
Pharmaceutical industry tactics could be blocking generic drugs
The European Commission has uncovered a 'tool box' of pharmaceutical company strategies that may be delaying availability of cheaper generic alternatives to costly patented medicines.
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News
David Flory: payment by results tariff will be right, not rushed
The Department of Health will postpone plans to introduce a new payment by results tariff next year if it cannot prevent it from financially destabilising specialist hospitals.
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HSJ Knowledge
Pharmacy's perfect prescription for community health
Local pharmacies are more than just a purveyor of pills. They have the potential to improve the health of communities if commissioners have the courage to invest in them
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News
PCTs warned not to throw provider arms 'into abyss'
Primary care trusts are being warned not to 'jump into the abyss' with underdeveloped models for provider arms.
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News
NHS braced for worst of Alistair Darling's £5bn spending cuts
The NHS must prepare for a substantial cut in planned funding from the year after next.Chancellor Alistair Darling's pre-Budget report set out plans to cut £5bn from government spending plans for 2010-11 - and the NHS is the largest of 12 areas that could be hit.
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News
Person based allocations could help tackle health inequalities
Department of Health officials are drawing up a system to target health inequality funding towards the most deprived individuals in primary care trusts' areas, health secretary Alan Johnson has revealed.
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HSJ KnowledgeWhat is causing GP referrals to rise?
The 15 per cent growth in GP referrals to hospital in quarter one 2008-09 is putting pressure on both providers and commissioners (see first graph).
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News
Failings in end of life care waste £100m every year
Failings in the commissioning and provision of end of life care services are costing the NHS more than £100m every year.A damning National Audit Office report has found massive service variations, with a difference of more than £1,500 per death between the highest and lowest spending primary care trusts.
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HSJ Knowledge
Is cancer campaigning skewing health priorities?
It is a disease that grips both public and media attention and has become a dominant force in health policy as a result. But is vociferous campaigning over cancer care skewing priorities, asks Emma Dent
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Comment
Simon Stevens on Barack Obama's first steps
So what does Barack Obama's election victory mean for the future of the US health system? And what lessons, if any, are US policy makers likely to derive from recent NHS reforms?
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News
MPs get tough on alcoholism
MPs have grilled Department of Health officials including permanent secretary Hugh Taylor and senior medical officer Mark Prunty over alcohol dependency figures published by the National Audit Office.
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News
Obesity leaves eating disorders in the shade
While national guidelines have stimulated change in crisis areas of mental health, eating disorders are only just beginning to receive the attention and specialist services sufferers need. Alison Moore reports
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News
SHAs urged not to abuse their power
Strategic health authorities have been warned not to impose their strategies on primary care trusts through the world class commissioning process.
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News
GP commissioning costs lots and delivers little
A major study into practice based commissioning has found it to be an 'expensive investment' that has delivered little in terms of better services for patients or financial savings.
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News
More than 100 step up with integrated care scheme bids
The Department of Health has received more than twice as many bids than expected to set up integrated care schemes.
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News
PCTs may face bill for top-up refunds
Primary care trusts could come under pressure to refund tens of thousands of pounds to patients who have paid for top-up treatment.
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Comment
Maggie Rae on NHS core competencies
Am I competent? We must all have asked ourselves this question. In the build-up to world class commissioning assessment, it is interesting to ponder what competency we have and whether we have any weak links.
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HSJ Knowledge
Prison mental healthcare: pushing up standards
Access to mental healthcare remains an obstacle for prisoners. The solution, say Andrew Forrester and colleagues, is a dedicated, unitary 'prisoner care trust' for commissioning
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News
Inspectors called in at Birmingham Children's Hospital
The Healthcare Commission is to investigate concerns about care and management at Birmingham Children's Hospital foundation trust.