All Health Service Journal articles in Opinion – Page 27
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Comment
Time to draw a line under Granger era
The national programme for IT is reeling from its most damning verdict yet - this week's report from the Commons public accounts committee that condemns uncertainty over the schedule of implementation and value for money (see news, page 9).
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Comment
It's up to executive teams to champion productive wards
Do ward staff need the encouragement and support of their executive team to get on and make changes to improve everyday processes?
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News
HSJ got it wrong over acute trust 'hitlist'
I was shocked and disappointed to read allegations in HSJ that Surrey and Sussex Healthcare trust could be merging with or have its services taken over by Frimley Park Hospital foundation trust. There is absolutely no truth in this suggestion as reported by Helen Mooney (news, page 5, 19 April. ...
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Comment
Social marketing: a view from the front
Social marketing seems to be a confusing term that actually means both understanding people and keeping their needs at the fulcrum of all organisational activity.
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Comment
Patient safety: err on the side of caution
I wish to add a mental health service perspective to the debate prompted by Frank Burns' insightful article 'Name of the game is not no blame' and his challenging assertions (opinion, p16, 12 April)..
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News
Drug dilemma
I was puzzled by David Lock's advice in NICE rulings to PCTs to have a policy to refuse to fund emerging treatments except in exceptional circumstances.
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News
Commissioning and clinicians
The ideals of commissioning are mocked. One may sympathise with policy-making born of frustration, but when rhetoric begets sham and folly, then challenge should be clearly heard.
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News
Delayed dicharge can hinder patient safety
In response to your article on bed-blocking (12 April) Alison Moore is right to highlight the problems of delayed transfer of care, but fails to convey the problems that patients experience.
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Comment
Responsibility for tackling violence lies with all of us
I found your article on violence in the NHS (16 April) excellent and refreshing. I work as a local security management specialist in Dorset and agree that tackling violence and crime in the NHS is a multi-agency task.
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Comment
In defence of Whipps Cross trust
I take issue with the accuracy and comment made in your article on the DoH 'hit-list' of trusts that cannot survive under payment by results (news, page 5, 19 April).
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Comment
PCTs already share local service knowledge
I was saddened on reading your article 'PCTs criticised for lacking local service knowledge', (News, p13, 26 April) as it makes no mention at all of PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Services).
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News
Open or shut case as service shake-ups hinge on SNP result
An SNP victory in next week's Scottish elections would take a hatchet to a host of Labour's NHS reforms north of the border, writes Jennifer Trueland
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Comment
The figures are standardised, but the care certainly is not
Research published by Dr Foster this week shows unequivocally that addressing the problem of variation in quality is one of the biggest priorities facing the service this year (see news, page 7).
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News
Lords a-leaping to the wrong conclusion
In the last few days two lords with fingerprints on health policy reform - one a new minister and one a former one - both criticised the NHS's attitude to innovation.
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News
DoH targets deaths from clots
All hospital patients should be assessed for risk of developing potentially fatal blood clots, an expert working group has recommended.
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Comment
Mortality rate calculations are 'highly inappropriate and contentious'
Anyone picking up last week's Daily Telegraph will have seen the shock-horror headline on hospital mortality rates. This was typical media hype that did nothing to assist the discussion about encouraging improvement in the NHS, nor how we reduce inequalities across the country.
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Comment
'Top up' fees not 'equitable' funding system
The Doctors for Reform study published yesterday argues - through the use of only 20 case studies - that more patients are paying 'top-up' fees and that 'the fundamental NHS principle - that care should be universally and equitably available ' no longer applies'.
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Comment
Report ignores Queen Mary's progress
I object to the description of Queen Mary's Sidcup trust as a 'struggling' organisation. In fact, we are an example of a hugely successful turnaround
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Comment
Nick Summerton and colleagues on what topics should NICE consider
Last September NICE took over the topic suggestion and selection process from the Department of Health. Six months on it is clear that the new processes are working: topics are being collected, sifted, and prioritised speedily.