All News articles – Page 1162

  • News

    Rise in GP practices offering extended hours

    2008-10-14T12:15:00Z

    A census carried out on 22 September shows that 51.4 per cent of GP practices are now offering extended hours.

  • News

    Patient safety research fund launched

    2008-10-14T12:10:00Z

    A £5m research programme to look into service quality and patient safety has been launched.

  • News

    Changes to general medical services contract agreed

    2008-10-14T12:06:00Z

    Changes to the general medical services contract for 2009-10 have been agreed. They include alterations to how quality and outcome framework payments are calculated to reflect the prevalence of long-term conditions and the reallocation of 72 QOF points, which will be awarded for a range of clinical interventions.

  • News

    Primary care can tackle health inequalities - World Health Organisation

    2008-10-14T12:03:00Z

    Striking worldwide inequities in healthcare - including outcomes, access, annual government expenditure and what people have to pay - could be improved through integrated primary healthcare, a report by the World Health Organisation has said.

  • News

    DH survey reveals slow progress on patient choice

    2008-10-13T11:46:00Z

    Results from the Department of Health's patient choice survey have revealed slow progress in increasing choice.The proportion of patients who recalled being offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment was 45 per cent in May, down from 47 per cent in March but up from 30 per ...

  • News

    Harefield heart transplants under review

    2008-10-13T11:41:00Z

    The Healthcare Commission has begun a review of heart transplant services at Harefield Hospital after the national specialised commissioning team informed it of a rise in mortality rates.

  • News

    Wales publishes guide for mental health service users

    2008-10-13T11:21:00Z

    The Welsh Assembly has published a guide to encourage mental health service users to become more involved in planning and developing services.

  • News

    Britain 'faces pharmaceutical industry skills gap'

    2008-10-13T11:09:00Z

    A report by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry says a lack of skills will threaten the long-term future of biomedicine in the country.

  • News

    Annual health check results due this week

    2008-10-13T11:03:00Z

    Annual health check results for 2007-08 will be published on Thursday, the Healthcare Commission has announced.

  • News

    Feedback: are you listening?

    2008-10-13T01:00:00Z

    How do you react to feedback? HR consultant Sheila Williams suggests how to receive it

  • News

    PCT must provide more funds for GPs

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    As a GP with a special interest in diabetes and who is studying for an MSc in the disease, I read your article 'Eat all that and you'll be sick' with interest.

  • News

    NHS could be sued under free market

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    Plans to create a European Union free market in public healthcare could open the health service to legal challenges from patients demanding treatments that are not available in the UK.

  • News

    Maidstone report focuses on non-execs

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    Strategic health authorities and the Appointments Commission should work together to ensure new non-executive directors understand what is expected of them, a report into the management of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells trust has concluded.

  • News

    Political fear frustrates local socialism

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    It is clear from discussions at the Labour Party conference that ministers are not willing to commit in any meaningful way to accountability to patients and the public. They feel that patient and public involvement will result in a postcode lottery followed by assassination by the press.

  • News

    Report highlights faster emergency response

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    The Healthcare Commission's review of emergency and urgent care rightly recognises significant improvements in access and response times, including for ambulances.

  • News

    PCTs failing to decommission services

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    Two out of three primary care trusts failed to decommission any services last year, showing the extent of the challenge they face to become world class commissioners.

  • News

    Trust merger derails controversial reconfiguration plan

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    A controversial reconfiguration plan has been put on hold - because two of the trusts affected are likely to merge. The boards of Royal West Sussex trust - based in Chichester - and Worthing and Southlands Hospitals trust have agreed the merger in principle and are now doing detailed work.

  • News

    Killer health conditions go unseen by GPs

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    Only half of all patients with some killer conditions have been diagnosed and treated by their doctor.

  • News

    Emma Dent on an early coughs and colds season

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    Is it me or has the sniffles season started early this year? Autumn has barely begun but already my unfortunate colleagues have been laid low by a variety of bad colds, respiratory infections and various as yet unidentified viruses.

  • News

    Hospital chief suspended for poor record

    2008-10-09T09:00:00Z

    The chief executive of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals trust John Watkinson has been suspended.