All Government/DH policy articles – Page 158
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.
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NewsGovernment must heed restructuring lessons, says Confed
The government should be “held accountable” for the results of its plans to restructure the health service, the NHS Confederation has said.
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NewsUnion leader calls for action to fight cuts
A senior union leader has called for an emergency meeting of the TUC to plan a campaign of industrial and political action against expected cuts in the pay and pensions of public sector workers.
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NewsPublic pay and pensions squeeze 'fair'
Prime minister David Cameron has said that it was “fair” that public sector workers should face a pay and pensions squeeze in this week’s emergency Budget.
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NewsOperating framework: management costs to be slashed by £220m this year
The government has published its revised NHS operating framework, setting tough goals for reducing management costs and removing key performance targets.
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NewsScottish health boards tap into public spirit
Following the first direct elections of members of the public to Scottish health boards last week, Don Redding asks if England’s primary care trusts could soon follow suit