Call to improve 'failing' chronic-disease care

Dame Deidre Hine, chair of the Commission for Health Improvement, told the NICE conference that more needed to be done to help patients with chronic disease. In a speech on the effect of CHI's work on the NHS, she said: 'Despite most people in the NHS being caring, the NHS is failing large groups of people with severe, chronic problems.'She added that CHI's report on mental health, due to be published next week, would demonstrate some of her concerns about the care of patients with long-term needs.However, the report is expected to praise the ability of mental health services in involving patients.