All Policy articles – Page 165
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LeaderUnder the radar guidance ends hospital closure moratorium
The revised guidance on hospital reconfiguration was slipped out last week at the height of the summer holiday period.
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NewsUnion threatens judicial review over pace of NHS change
Unison has threatened to take the government to judicial review if the white paper reforms are implemented without proper consultation.
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NewsNHS brand undermined by online confusion
The NHS spends close to £100m a year on thousands of websites that are often hard to find, badly designed and not wanted by the public, according to government reports leaked to HSJ.
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CommentCally Bann: the white paper
So the end of term madness has fully descended, with fuel added to the annual pre-vacation fire by the wind of change blowing from the bottom of the white paper.
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CommentMichael White: Lansley's five priorities for the NHS
It was cheering to spot Andrew Lansley’s five priorities for the NHS, public health and social care on the department’s website the other day. We need reassurance that he does have a coherent overview.
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NewsUncertainty still dogs PCTs during transfer of power
Major uncertainties about the rapid transfer of commissioning from primary care trusts to fledgling GP consortia could lead to chaos, managers have warned.
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NewsTrusts dodge scrutiny by omitting vital quality measures
Quality accounts were supposed to be an important tool to inform patients. But as the first are published, many have gaping holes on safety, experience and outcomes. Dave West reports
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NewsDoubt over removal of DH ‘shackles’
Tensions are emerging in government plans to remove the “shackles” of central control by liberating foundation trusts and strengthening regulators.
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NewsImprovement work must continue, NHS Institute chief warns
Work on improving the quality of NHS services must not lose momentum, the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement chief executive has warned following plans to axe his organisation.
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NewsLegal concern over private patient income cap
Government plans to lift the cap on foundation trust private patient income leaves it vulnerable to action under EU state aid law, private hospital operators have told HSJ.
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NewsFoundation trust proposals raise tough borrowing question
The government has left wide open the question of whether foundation trusts will be able to finance major investments with commercial loans - and risk seeing their taxpayer funded property sold off if they default.
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NewsDH asks if size limits should be set for GP consortia
The Department of Health will not be “unduly prescriptive” about the size of GP consortia, but has asked whether there should be a minimum or maximum population size set for the new bodies.
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NewsNHS democracy proposals unveiled
The Department of Health has unveiled its vision for the role councils will play in making local health services democratically accountable by influencing the commissioning of local NHS services.
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Leader‘Heroic’ NHS managers get their due from friend and foe
“Heroic” is not a word often used to describe NHS managers, so well done to NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson for praising the individual efforts of primary care trust and strategic health authority leaders.
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NewsSir David praises 'heroic' PCT and SHA managers
Sir David Nicholson is “incredibly proud” of the “remarkable work” done by primary care trust and strategic health authority managers.
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NewsKnown unknowns form the white paper’s core
Last week’s white paper poses many more questions than it answers about how GPs and providers will manage their new freedom. The solution, says Andy McKeon, is to find the right balance between independence and accountability
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NewsPCTs told to hand over resources to GP commissioners
The government has told primary care trusts they will “increasingly” be required to put management resources at the disposal of GP consortia while they are implemented.
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NewsNicholson warns of tightening central grip over PCTs and providers
The Department of Health will seek to assert strong financial controls over foundation trusts as well as primary care trusts during the transition period to implement last week’s health white paper.
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NewsConcerns over standard of specialist care
There are concerns over how specialised service commissioning will be controlled at regional level after strategic health authorities and primary care trusts are abolished.
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CommentMichael White: the cancer target
A thoughtful politician friend of mine said with uncharacteristic impatience the other day: “No, I don’t think the coalition knows what it’s doing at all. I think it’s all over the place.”