In Brief

Northern Ireland's health service in on a 'downward spiral towards breakdown', claims British Medical Association NI council chair Maurice Dunlop, who wants a meeting with health minister Bairbre de Brun.He said: 'Not enough is being allocated to healthcare and indeed that which is, often ends up improving balance sheets rather than being directed to patient care.'

Unison has agreed a deal with Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals trust to give medical secretaries a pay rise of about 12 per cent.The most experienced medical secretaries received a rise of£1,700.The deal also removes proposals to increase the working week.

An online information service recording the performance of trusts and providers has been launched by the NHS Information Authority.The National Comparative Analysis pilot service will run until March, and provide access to a breakdown of national inpatient data - including admission rates and waiting times.

www. nhsia. nhs. uk/phsmi/ casemix/pat

HSJ has won the chairman's award in the Business Services Association's media awards for 2001.Our coverage of the government's modernisisng agenda, public-private partnerships and best practice helped clinch the trophy.The judges praised HSJ 's contribution to the debate on private sector involvement in the health service and its 'targeted focus on issues of concern to its readership'.

Around 64,000 smokers claim they have quit through the national smoking cessation services.

The figures released by the Department of Health cover April 2000 to March 2001.At a four-week follow-up, 49 per cent of the 132,500 who originally set a quit date said they had been successful in kicking their addiction.