Thursday 3 May 2012

NHS Improvement encourages spread of good practice

NHS Improvement encourages spread of good practice:
We have seen spread and adoption of enhanced recovery pathways to many specialities beyond the original four surgical specialities. Our challenge now is to ensure that all patients that can benefit from this approach do so. This publication shows professionals and commissioners how this can be achieved. NHS Networks

PM’s challenge on dementia – driving improvements in health and care

PM’s challenge on dementia – driving improvements in health and care:
In this video blog Professor Alistair Burns, National Clinical Director for Dementia talks about the five areas thought to be particularly important in driving improvements in the health and care of people with dementia. Department of Health

Unison rejects NHS pension reform but agrees not to strike - eGov monitor

Unison rejects NHS pension reform but agrees not to strike - eGov monitor:

BBC News
Unison rejects NHS pension reform but agrees not to strike
eGov monitor
Just 14.8% of the 300000 NHS workers turned out for the ballot, with 50.4% voting to reject the reforms and 49.5% to accept them. Unison attributed the low morale and current "difficult state" of the health service for the low staff turnout.
Unison split over NHS pensionsHealthcare Today
Unison rejects pension reform in low-turnout, knife-edge votePublic Finance
Unison leadership 'woefully inadequate' in face of cutsSocialist Party

all 9 news articles »

Hospital 'profit deal' revealed

Hospital 'profit deal' revealed: Details of the deal in which private sector company Circle is running an NHS hospital show it is allowed to keep the first £2m of any annual surplus. BBC News

GPs must ensure nurses are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council

GPs must ensure nurses are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council: GPs could face sanctions if they do not ensure their nurses are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), GP leaders have warned. GP Online

GP prescribing 'could be improved by IT'

GP prescribing 'could be improved by IT': Better use of computer systems in general practice could reduce errors in GP prescribing, which are currently found in one in 20 prescriptions, a major study has recommended. E-Health Insider

Government Procurement Services frameworks agreement update

Government Procurement Services frameworks agreement update: The Government Procurement Service is currently making changes to its health related framework agreements. NHS Employers

Safe management of healthcare waste

Safe management of healthcare waste:
An updated version of the safe management of healthcare waste guidance manual is now available.  A number of issues needed clarifying to improve consistency of understanding and to advise of legislative changes that have come into force since publication.

Thinking about rationing

Thinking about rationing:
This discussion paper provides a guide to the practicalities and controversies surrounding the issue of resource allocation and rationing and also identifies what is known about how it works in practice. It offers examples and illustrations, drawing on the available evidence and conversations with clinicians and managers. It seeks to put complex concepts in plain language, and thus to create greater understanding of the issues.

Third of asthmatics at risk of fatal attack

Third of asthmatics at risk of fatal attack:


New data published by charity Asthma UK has suggested that one third of asthmatics are at "high risk" of having a fatal asthma attack.According to the results of the charity's survey, 36% of asthmatics had a high danger of experiencing a fatal attack even though many did not know about the potential risks. The survey, which was published on Tuesday 1 May, is an online tool which has been filled... Healthcare Today

GPs to cut referrals

GPs to cut referrals:
GPs are under increased pressure to reduce the number of patients they send to hospital, it has been claimed.
A survey of 667 family doctors found that six out of ten were being put under ‘inappropriate’ pressure to refer fewer patients and potentially deny them the best care as part of a controversial that scheme can pay out almost £9,000 a year to surgeries. The scheme, introduced last May, enables GPs to ... Healthcare Today

Foreign patients owe the NHS £40m

Foreign patients owe the NHS £40m: More than £40m is owed to NHS hospitals by foreign patients who were not eligible for free care, research indicates. The Daily Telegraph

GPs 'threatened with legal action' for taking failed asylum seekers off surgery lists

GPs 'threatened with legal action' for taking failed asylum seekers off surgery lists: GPs have been threatened with legal action after removing failed asylum seekers from their surgery lists, research has revealed. The Daily Telegraph

Children should be seen in A&E within 15 minutes: Royal College

Children should be seen in A&E within 15 minutes: Royal College: Children attending A&E or walk-in centres should be assessed within 15 minutes, under new standards set by the Royal Colleges. The Daily Telegraph