Thursday 15 December 2011

Hospitals 'breaching' European rules on working hours

Hospitals 'breaching' European rules on working hours: Staff in three in ten hospital departments are breaching European rules on working hours in order to help make up for NHS cutbacks, it has been claimed. The Telegraph

The King's Fund responds to the Public Accounts Committee's report on NHS hospitals achieving foundation trust status

The King's Fund responds to the Public Accounts Committee's report on NHS hospitals achieving foundation trust status

Involving older people in service commissioning: more power to their elbow?

Involving older people in service commissioning: more power to their elbow?:

The study also raises wider questions about the impact of their involvement, particularly whether it can change the nature of local power relations in the long term. NHS Networks

Primary care trust allocations announced

Primary care trust allocations announced:

The revenue allocations for primary care trusts (PCTs) for 2012-13 are announced today. The total investment in local NHS services for 2012-13 is £91.6 billion an increase of £2.5 billion or 2.8 per cent


It includes:



  • £87.5 billion in recurrent revenue allocations to PCTs including an additional £150 million for reablement (assistance regaining independence if daily living skills are lost through illness or injury), an increase of £2.5 billion


  • £4.1 billion in allocations for primary dental services, pharmaceutical services, general ophthalmic services, and to support joint working between health and social care.

Recurrent revenue allocations


Recurrent revenue allocations to PCTs are usually determined based on a weighted capitation formula. The weighted capitation formula determines each PCT’s available resources to enable them to commission similar levels of healthcare for populations with similar healthcare need, and to reduce avoidable health inequalities.


To provide the NHS with financial stability in a year of transition, the weighted capitation formula has not been applied for 2012-13. All PCTs have received a uniform uplift in their 2012-13 recurrent allocations.


Future allocations


Subject to the passing of the Health and Social Care Bill, for 2013-14 onwards, the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for the allocation of resources to clinical commissioning groups, while the Department of Health will make ring fenced grants to local authorities for their public health responsibilities.


See table of actual allocations by PCT and exposition book 2012-13


Read Sir David Nicholson’s allocations letter


See content on 2011-12 PCT allocations

Department of Health







NHS 'in need of major overhaul'

NHS 'in need of major overhaul': Financial difficulties will force NHS services in England to undergo major reorganisations which could hit the poorest the hardest, MPs say. BBC News

Dilnot reforms to elderly care may stall

Dilnot reforms to elderly care may stall: The Treasury is thought to be unwilling to pay out the £1.7bn annual cost of the proposed changes Public Service

Public sector strikes announcement postponed until new year

Public sector strikes announcement postponed until new year: Walkout schedule will not be unveiled at trade union conference on Thursday amid hopes of pension reforms dealTrade union leaders will hold back from announcing new public sector strike dates on Thursday as they consider their next step after mass walkouts on 30 November. The Guardian

New cancer drug costs escalating for NHS

New cancer drug costs escalating for NHS: New oncology drugs are pushing up the overall costs of treating cancer, according to a new report.The Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment: A 2021 Projection report says that new treatments will push the average annual cost of treating a UK cancer patient up from ;30,000 last year, to ;40,000 in 2021.To meet this demand the NHS will need an additional cancer diagnosis and treatment budget of ;5.2 billion by this date, a 65% increase on what was being spent in 2010. InPharm

The search for low-cost integrated healthcare

The search for low-cost integrated healthcare: This paper examines a pioneering approach to the provision of integrated healthcare through public-private partnership; the Alzira model from the region of Valencia, Spain. NHS Confederation

CQC publishes new guide on whistleblowing

CQC publishes new guide on whistleblowing

User experience of NHS adult mental health services should be improved

User experience of NHS adult mental health services should be improved NICE

One in five children is obese by the end of primary school, NHS figures show - The Guardian

One in five children is obese by the end of primary school, NHS figures show - The Guardian:





The Guardian



One in five children is obese by the end of primary school, NHS figures show
The Guardian
"Some 82% of obese children go on to become obese adults and doubling the obesity rate in six years of school has to be an indictment of the current healthy schools policy. With today's economic climate, where healthy food is costing more at home, ...
One in three children leaving primary schools is overweight or obeseTelegraph.co.uk
Obesity up among final year primary school childrenWebMD.Boots.com
Concern over rise in child obesityThe Press Association
Mirror.co.uk
all 32 news articles »

Andrew Lansley orders independent assessments of NHS boards

Andrew Lansley orders independent assessments of NHS boards:

NHS board assessments ordered after parliamentary committee finds half of all boards have leadership issues


Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, has ordered "independent assessments" of the boards of NHS trusts after a powerful parliamentary committee found that half of them had issues of "capacity and capability of leadership", preventing them meeting the government's deadline to become foundation hospitals by 2014. The Guardian

Emergency admissions for dementia patients rise 12%

Emergency admissions for dementia patients rise 12%: A quarter of hospital beds are now occupied by dementia sufferers as emergency admissions have risen sharply in recent years, figures show. The Telegraph

Third of hospitals crippled by debt, MPs warn

Third of hospitals crippled by debt, MPs warn: A third of hospital trusts are in financial difficulty and may never achieve foundation status, MPs have warned. The Telegraph

Huge rise in potentially fatal allergies

Huge rise in potentially fatal allergies:

The number of people admitted to hospital with life-threatening anaphylactic shock – involving sudden swelling, breathlessness and low blood pressure – has increased by at least 700 per cent in the last two decades. The Independent

GP practice level prescribing data now available

GP practice level prescribing data now available: The data covers the following for each individual GP practice: Prescribed and dispensed medicines (by chemical name), dressings and appliances... NHS Information Centre

Going Mobile: Integrating Texting and Online Tools into Health Care Delivery

Going Mobile: Integrating Texting and Online Tools into Health Care Delivery: Innovative uses of information technology in public health campaigns can expand access to preventive and chronic care for underserved populations and may even improve health outcomes while reducing costs. Programs in New Zealand and the Netherlands may offer lessons for the United States. The Commonwealth Fund