Graham Clews
NewsParamedics must be safe at major incidents
Paramedics must not be put at risk if the way decisions are made on attending patients at dangerous emergency incidents are altered, ambulance staff have warned.
NewsFirst after-death care guidance issued
A pathway for caring for patients after death has been developed in the first national guidance on “last offices”.
CommentMedia Watch: flu vaccine orders get in early
Just as everyone was reaching for their sunglasses, the Guardian reported how GPs had already been told to start ordering flu vaccine stocks for next winter.
NewsHealth boards need greater powers, says King's Fund
Health and wellbeing boards should be given more powers to ensure that GP consortia and local authorities work together, the King’s Fund has said.
NewsHospitals must help mental health tribunals run smoothly
Hospital managers must ensure staff know it is inappropriate to recommend lawyers to mental health patients who are appealing against detention under the Mental Health Act, the Care Quality Commission has urged.
NewsCQC praises choice but warns on speed of improvements
People now have more choice over their care but improvements in quality have stalled in recent years, the Care Quality Commission has said.
NewsHealthcare assistants to ease budget pressures
Providers will need to see a big growth in the number of healthcare assistants over the next decade, the health skills advisory body has said.
NewsPCT U-turns on plan to slash charity funding
A primary care trust has reversed a decision to cut funding to nearly 20 local charities after its strategic health authority agreed to provide short term financial support.
NewsGovernment unveils proposals for value based drug pricing
A new pricing system for pharmaceutical drugs used in the NHS has been proposed by the government, which it claims will increase patient access to effective medicines.
NewsHospital productivity has fallen over last decade
Hospital productivity has fallen by an average of 1.4 per cent a year since the publication of the NHS Plan ten years ago, the National Audit Office has said.
NewsMoD announces new healthcare staff recruitment partner
The Ministry of Defence has appointed Hays Healthcare as recruitment partner for all temporary healthcare staff.
NewsSocial care directors back statutory wellbeing boards
Social services directors have welcomed the government’s decision that there will be a statutory duty on local authorities to create health and wellbeing boards.
NewsTrusts failing to review dementia readmissions
Trust boards are failing to review data on readmissions for patients with dementia, a major clinical audit has found.
News'Firm action' needed to avert disaster during transition period
The government must take “firm action” over the transition period to allow its “high-risk” reforms to succeed as the point of no return has passed, the NHS Confederation has warned.
NewsDanger consortia will overlook networked services
Measures must be put in place to ensure that networked hospital services covering large geographical areas are not overlooked when GPs take responsibility for commissioning, surgeons have warned.
NewsThink tanks warn reforms are distraction from QIPP
The King’s Fund has warned that the government’s overhaul of the health service may not increase productivity or drive up quality.
NewsBMA criticises government for 'disregarding' the concerns of doctors
The government has ignored doctors’ “major concerns” about its radical health service reforms, the British Medical Association has claimed.
NewsLansley: 'large number of people' support reforms
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has insisted there is broad support for his health service reforms.
NewsUnions claim NHS reforms are 'badly timed vanity project'
Union leaders have criticised the government’s NHS reforms, describing them as “dangerous”, “a big mistake”, and “uncosted and untested”.
NewsBudget cuts make it 'impossible' to maintain social care standards
Social services directors have said the government’s local authority budget cuts will make it “impossible” to maintain current standards of social care without restricting the number of people who receive care.