Latest news – Page 1932

  • News

    Northern Ireland infection rates published

    2007-03-09T00:00:00Z

    More than 5 per cent of patients in Northern Ireland hospitals have a healthcare-acquired affection, a survey by the Department of Health, Social Services, and Public Safety has found.1.1 per cent of patients at 15 acute hospitals surveyed had Clostridium Difficile and 0.9 per cent had contracted MRSA.www.dhsspsni.gov.uk

  • News

    Nurses encouraged to complain over pay

    2007-03-09T00:00:00Z

    Nurses have been encouraged to write to their MPs to complain about this year's pay settlement.The Royal College of Nursing is urging its members to point out to their MP that this year's pay deal will mean an effective pay cut for nurses, when the rate of inflation is taken ...

  • News

    PCTs have 'taken their eye off the ball' on audiology

    2007-03-09T00:00:00Z

    Some primary care trusts and strategic health authorities have 'taken their eye off the ball', and allowed waiting times for audiology services to lengthen, health minister Ivan Lewis has told the Commons health select committee.Mr Lewis told the committee's investigation into audiology services that the provision of hearing aids had ...

  • News

    Flu vaccine success

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    General practice staff delivered excellent levels of flu vaccination this winter despite vaccine deliveries being delayed by several weeks, health secretary Patricia Hewitt said in a written statement this morning. Figures from the Health Protection Agency showed that at the end of January 2007, vaccine uptake in those aged 65 ...

  • News

    London centre set for foundation status bid

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    Two London NHS trusts have agreed to set up a new academic health science centre that will bid to become a foundation trust. Hammersmith Hospitals and St Mary's trust boards formally agreed to the plan to set up the new academic health science centre that will bring together hospitals, medical ...

  • News

    Renal overhaul needed, say physicians

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    Major changes are needed in the way hospitals organise care for kidney patients, say the Royal College of Physicians and the Renal Association in a report launched to mark World Kidney Day. It calls for the creation of two types of unit - renal units at district general hospitals and ...

  • News

    Diabetes care improving

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    Diagnosis of diabetes is improving and the NHS must step up to the challenge of providing high-quality care for everybody, according to a new report looking at the delivery of diabetes services. The Way Ahead: the local challenge, published today, looks at the progress made in improving diabetes care four ...

  • News

    Specialist ambulance teams launched

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    Highly trained ambulance crews ready to respond to major incidents are to be developed across England, health minister Rosie Winterton announces today.The hazardous area response team project will see crew trained and equipped to work in hazardous areas, including where there is a chemical, biological radioactive or nuclear risk. They ...

  • News

    IPPR: honesty over unsafe hospitals is the best policy

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    A 'conspiracy of silence' over the poor safety of hospitals is fuelling opposition to reconfigurations, the Institute for Public Policy Research has warned.

  • News

    United on the streets in day of protests

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    With placards, banners and, in some cases, daffodils, campaigners took to the streets on Saturday to protest over, well, just about everything. NHS job cuts, service closures, marketisation - all were targets of the day of action which saw rallies and marches take place across England and Northern Ireland.

  • News

    News analysis: Primary care chiefs: a reorganisation too far

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    In the second of a three-part series, Victoria Vaughan turned to primary care trust chief executives for their views on Tony Blair's legacy to the NHS. They were found angry and disheartened by continued change.

  • News

    'Psychiatric asbos' slammed

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    The Department of Health has published a report on the international experience of community treatment orders commissioned from the Institute of Psychiatry a year ago. But it has been greeted with outrage by pressure groups and the Conservatives who say the report shows 'psychiatric asbos' do not work and therefore ...

  • News

    PCT network attacks 'unfair' reporting of top-slice effect

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    Primary care leaders are calling for changes to the way finances are reported after it emerged that the vast majority of current primary care trust debts are the result of top-slicing.

  • News

    Government envisions a budget for every patient

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    Individual budgets as piloted in social care could be used in healthcare, according to the government's Commissioning framework for health and well being.

  • News

    Commissioner demands a better deal for children

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    Children's hospital services are woefully inadequate, a Healthcare Commission review has shown. Children's commissioner Al Aynsley-Green said was the verdict was 'disappointing but not surprising'.

  • News

    MPs quiz Dr Foster's 'cosy relations' with Whitehall

    2007-03-08T00:00:00Z

    The Department of Health struck a £12m deal with healthcare analyst Dr Foster without talking to any of the firm's rivals, it emerged this week.

  • News

    Gay men's health study announced

    2007-03-07T00:00:00Z

    Public Health Minister Caroline Flint today announced that the government is to fund a major study looking at why some gay men appear to be taking more risks with their sexual health in recent years.The results of the study will help the NHS and gay men's health organisations with their ...

  • News

    Government to review Modernising Medical Careers

    2007-03-07T00:00:00Z

    The Department of Health has announced a review into round one of Modernising Medical Careers recruitment and selection into specialist training, made through the medical training and application service. The move follows discussions with the medical Royal Colleges and the British Medical AssociationThe DoH said: 'It is clear that there ...

  • News

    New campaign to encourage social care careers

    2007-03-07T00:00:00Z

    The Department of Health has launched a campaign to boost the number of people taking up a career in social care. The campaign aims to attract applicants to the social care sector, which needs thousands of new recruits each year.The adverts on TV, radio and press break new ground in ...

  • News

    Pharmaceutical company ordered to withdraw advertising

    2007-03-07T00:00:00Z

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has requested Pfizer to withdraw an advertisement making potentially misleading claims about Zyvox (linezolid), an antibiotic used to treat certain types of serious infection.The MHRA became aware of the advertisement in the BMJ claiming that Zyvox has superior cure rates compared to products ...