All Government/DH policy articles – Page 155
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News
Swine flu response cost £1.2bn
The swine flu pandemic cost Britain more than £1.2bn despite being much less severe than feared, a government-commissioned review has found.
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NewsLife expectancy gap widens across England
The gap between the life expectancy of the rich and poor has widened despite efforts to close it, a government watchdog has revealed.
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NewsReview finds £1.2bn swine flu effort 'proportionate'
The UK response to swine flu was “proportionate and effective”, an independent review has concluded.
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CommentStephen Eames on GPs in the hotseat
At a recent dinner party, a fellow guest, who happened to be a GP, said: “If I was to invite my colleagues to a meeting about practice based commissioning, I would be there on my own with the sandwiches” (well, actually these days it would be without the sandwiches.).
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CommentThe bones of a PCT recovery plan
PCTs’ plans for the tough times ahead need both the right ‘anatomy’ and ‘physiology’
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News
Trust may take PFI option for 'axed' hospital
A foundation trust which had central funding for a major hospital building plan cancelled last week is looking at alternative ways of financing the project, including private finance.
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CommentYour Humble Servant: Handy Andy
‘It’s been a few months now, and we’ve had no new strategy, plan or output. I can only assume you’ve been stocking up on additional inadequates so that you can get rid of them easily as cost savings to show off to the new ministers’
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NewsMinister visits hospital at centre of A&E reconfiguration row
Health minister Simon Burns is to visit Newark Hospital today after the local MP raised objections to changes to accident and emergency.
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NewsHospital phone costs to be reviewed
The cost of hospital bedside phone and television services will be reviewed by the government amid calls to curb “extortionate” prices, MPs have heard.
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NewsGPs should be given commissioning budgets now
GPs who want them should be given hard budgets now, with the details of national policy filled in later, according to a report from the NHS Alliance.
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NewsForeign doctors 'must speak good English'
Poorly trained overseas doctors who cannot speak good English must not be able to treat patients in the UK, a doctors’ leader has said.
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NewsPCTs to 'road test' direct payments to patients
Primary care trusts in London and Liverpool will be among the first to “road test” direct payments for personal health budgets, care services minister Paul Burstow announced today.
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NewsBMA warns of 'devastating' cutback costs
The economic crisis could have “devastating” consequences for the NHS, with cutbacks to patient services and redundancies, doctors’ leaders have warned.
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NewsFuture NHS accountability unclear, warns think tank
The head of the King’s Fund Chris Ham has told delegates at the NHS Confederation annual conference that a test of health secretary Andrew Lansley’s commitment to taking the politics out of the NHS could come as the first big crisis.
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NewsC diff target increased to 50% in Scotland
NHS boards in Scotland are being asked to meet an increased target in the reduction of over-65s catching Clostridium difficile in their hospitals - placing the figure now at 50%.
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NewsScrapping NHS targets is 'risky'
Scrapping health service targets sends out a “risky message”, a former chief executive of the NHS has warned.
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NewsConservatives warming to vertical integration, says Nuffield director
The Conservatives are warming towards the vertical integration of community services, the director of the Nuffield Trust has told a meeting at the NHS Confederation annual conference in Liverpool.
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CommentMedia Watch: public sector pensions
In the build-up to Tuesday’s Budget, it was open season on public sector pensions.
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NewsPCTs will be able to 'park' provider arms
Primary care trusts will be allowed to “park” their provider arms with other NHS organisations in order to meet the deadlines for transforming community services, under the revised operating framework.
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NewsPool NHS and social care budgets, says Confed acting chief exec
Pooled health and social care budgets should be considered in order to help get through the public sector spending squeeze, NHS Confederation acting chief executive Nigel Edwards has said.