New Chairman appointed at NGH

New Chairman appointed at NGH: Paul Farenden has been appointed as NGH Chairman from 1 April 2012.

New organisational models for delivering health and social care

New organisational models for delivering health and social care:

It is aimed at commissioners who may be interested in stimulating the creation of new forms of organisation as an alternative to direct service provision or conventional outsourcing, and staff who may be interested in setting up some form of employee ownership and/or social enterprise. More ….

Probe into gender abortion claims

Probe into gender abortion claims: The Department of Health launches an inquiry into claims that doctors agreed to carry out abortions on the grounds of the sex of unborn babies. BBC News

EU directive could allow non GMC-registered doctors to practise in UK

EU directive could allow non GMC-registered doctors to practise in UK: An EU directive likely to come into effect in the next two years could allow non GMC-registered doctors to practise in the UK, the GMC has warned. GP Online

NHS reforms ''are already working well''

NHS reforms ''are already working well'': Patients are already benefitting from GPs designing local health services, claims the Department of Health Public Service

Falls prevention ''will save NHS billions''

Falls prevention ''will save NHS billions'': If improvements aren't made to prevention services, admissions relating to fractures will double, says report Public Service

NHS patient experience framework

NHS patient experience framework:

This guidance outlines the areas most important to patients’ experience of NHS services. It provides a common evidence-based list of what matters to patients, and can be used to direct efforts to improve services. For example it can be used to help define what questions to ask patients in surveys and in real time feedback.

• Guidance
• Department of Health - publications

Healthcare public health advice to CCGs

Healthcare public health advice to CCGs:

Subject to the Health and Social Care Bill, from 2013-14, CCGs will have access to public health advice, information and expertise in relation to the healthcare services that they commission, provided by local public health teams based in local authorities. This draft guidance aims to help commissioners with local planning in this transition year.

• Draft guidance
• Dear colleague letter
• Department of Health - publications

NHS standard contracts for 2012/13

NHS standard contracts for 2012/13:

The service section of the NHS standard contract has been updated for both the multilateral and bilateral contracts. The standard contracts should be used by those commissioning acute, mental health and learning disability, community or ambulance services.

• Updated section of NHS standard contract
• NHS standard contracts 2012/13
• Department of Health - publications
  

Need a check up? There's an app for that

Need a check up? There's an app for that: The Department of Health is rolling out a scheme that will encourage patients to use mobile phone ‘apps’ to monitor their health rather than visiting their GP or hospital.

People with conditions such as cancer, diabetes or lung or heart problems, and women who are pregnant, will be asked to take daily measurements and text the results to a central computer system where they will be analysed. Healthcare Today

Live discussion round up: long-term conditions and mental health - The Guardian

Live discussion round up: long-term conditions and mental health - The Guardian:

The Guardian

Live discussion round up: long-term conditions and mental health The Guardian If you get mental health right, then costs elsewhere in the system can go down Liaison psychiatry services helping people in hospital who have physical and mental health problems can save the hospital four times the money it costs to provide the ... and more »

'Outperforming' NHS does not need radical reform, study concludes

'Outperforming' NHS does not need radical reform, study concludes:

BMJ report says NHS already works 'remarkably well' compared with health services of other countries

The NHS is performing so well that it does not need to undergo the radical transformation planned by the coalition, according to a new study published by the British Medical Journal.

While the health service in England has some weaknesses, it should be left to continue making improvements that began when Labour was in power, and not face another massive upheaval, an analysis by health researchers led by Professor David Ingleby of Utrecht University in the Netherlands concluded.

Their findings "do not support complacency about the current performance of the health system in the UK", the authors stress. "They do, however, cast serious doubt on any claim that there is widespread popular support for radical reform.

"Improvements are needed, but continuation and expansion of the measures already set in motion – more of the same – seems to be a better formula than totally rebuilding a system that, by international standards, already works remarkably well."

The researchers based their findings on two recent Commonwealth Fund reports comparing the NHS's performance across the UK, and patients' perceptions of it, with that of the health systems of 13 other countries.

"The main messages are that the NHS outperforms other high income countries on many measures, despite spending less than most of them; it enjoys the highest levels of public confidence and satisfaction of all the countries studied; [and] the effects of increased investment and policy improvements over the past decade are clearly visible," said Ingleby.

But while healthcare is more accessible, better organised, safer and more patient-centred in the NHS than elsewhere, ongoing concern about some of the clinical outcomes it achieves in patients is a worry, they say. "Three measures warrant particular concern: deaths amenable to healthcare; survival rates for breast cancer; and survival after acute myocardial infarction," they add.

The Department of Health said the NHS could not be allowed to stand still. "This analysis highlights concerns around clinical outcomes, and the fact the current system has to improve. Separately, another report from Age UK and the National Osteoporosis Society today said our reforms could improve patient care," said a spokesman.

"The independent NHS Future Forum confirmed that every health system in the developed world faces the same challenges, but that they won't be met by the NHS doing more of the same. That is why our plans will hand power to GPs, put patients at the heart of the NHS, and reduce needless bureaucracy. The Guardian

'Dignity' inspections in hundreds of care homes within weeks

'Dignity' inspections in hundreds of care homes within weeks: Inspectors to be sent into hundreds of care homes within weeks to check that elderly people are being treated with dignity. The Daily Telegraph

Elderly face 'institutional ageism', says care minister Paul Burstow

Elderly face 'institutional ageism', says care minister Paul Burstow: Britain's care system for elderly people is blighted by "institutional ageism", the care minister said last night.The Daily Telegraph

NHS may need emergency cash bailout

NHS may need emergency cash bailout:
Ministers fear that the National Health Service could require an emergency cash bailout before the next general election to enable it to cope with the escalating demands of an ageing population. The Independent

GPs paid to treat 'ghost patients'

GPs paid to treat 'ghost patients':

GPs are being paid millions of pounds to treat an estimated 2.5 million patients who do not exist. The Independent

Evaluation of the reimbursement system for NHS-funded care

Evaluation of the reimbursement system for NHS-funded care: Evaluation of the reimbursement system for NHS-funded care is an in-depth, independent and extensive evaluation of the reimbursement system in the NHS in England. It is the most comprehensive analysis of pricing in the NHS that’s ever been done. Monitor