News archive July - September 07

Islington Tribune (28 September 2007)

MP pledges to save NHS
MP Jeremy Corbyn, who opposed legislation establishing foundation trusts, has joined moves to stop Whittington Hospital becoming a foundation hospital. He has urged local voters to ensure the hospital remains in the NHS, and does not become a foundation trust, which would be required to place a proprtion of services with the private sector.

See full article at:
http://www.thecnj.co.uk/islington/2007/092807/news092807_01.html

Guardian (28 September 2007)

GPs set for face-off over NHS reform plans
BMA chairman Hamish Meldrum has said Lord Darzi, the junior minister appointed to review NHS reform, is proposing to get rid of traditional GPs. He said that the proposed large "polyclinics," possibly run by private companies, could make patients travel further and destabilise hospitals. The existing model of general practice and district general hospitals was under threat, Meldrum said.

See full article at:
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/publicservices/story/0,,2179348,00.html

Guardian (27 September 2007)

No dignity for elderly patients on NHS wards, says report
The Healthcare Commission has reported that many elderly patients are being treated without dignity or sufficient privacy. Spot checks on NHS hospitals will now be carried out, and 18 of those included in the report have either received formal warnings or been told to make improvements.

See full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,2177678,00.html

Financial Times (26 September 2007)

NHS business board disbands as members say it was 'wasting time'
The commercial advisory board set up to advise on buying private sector services for the NHS has disbanded. The board decided it was "wasting time", with ministers no longer using it for advice.

See full article at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/95a2df7a-6bc9-11dc-863b-0000779fd2ac.html

BBC Online (25 September 2007)

NHS rationing rife, say doctors
In a survey of GPs and hospital doctors, Doctor magazine found that 16% of respondents said patients had died early as a result of the rationing of NHS treatments. The survey also found that NHS trusts have been restricting fertility treatments, obesity surgery and many other operations.

See full article at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7010413.stm

Guardian (24 September 2007)

PM promises cleaner hospitals and wider cancer screening
Gordon Brown has promised a deep clean of NHS hospitals in an attempt to rid hospitals of MRSA. Critics of the initiative have said that bad daily habits, intensity of bed occupancy and privatisation of hospital cleaning are among the causes of the spread of MRSA, and "deep cleans" will not address those root causes.

See full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,,2175558,00.html

Health Service Journal (20 September 2007)

Primary care inequalities to be Johnson's top focus
Health secretary Alan Johnson is to make primary care central to health service policy. The Department of Health should be doing more to tackle health inequalities, he said in a major speech to New Health Network. Access to GPs is seen as key to reducing health inequalities.

Full article:
In his first major speech as health secretary, Alan Johnson has promised to tackle health inequalities and place primary care at the centre of government efforts on the health service. "Inequalities in health mirror wider injustices in society. But we could and should be doing much more as a department to tackle them," he told an invited audience at a New Health Network event. "We must ensure tackling health inequalities is fully integrated into commissioning and the operational framework," he said. "The prime minister and I will put improvements to primary care at the forefront of our quest to improve the health of the whole nation," said Mr Johnson. Gordon Brown has already said he was prioritising access to primary care and trusts have been instructed to produce plans to this effect. Mr Johnson said: "The local GP practice is the principal gateway to the NHS so if the quantity, the quality and accessibility of GP services are uneven it's no wonder that health inequalities are prevalent." He said doctors' surgeries must be open "at times that suit the patients rather than the practice." Mr Johnson said the Department of Health would produce a strategy programme on access and prevention and he would begin publishing life expectancy at ward level to highlight health inequality. "Public health issues must be elevated to the top of the national agenda by a DoH which takes an even more active role in encouraging active lifestyles," he said. He added that the problem of alcohol would be focused on over the next few months.
http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/johnson_sets_tone_on_inequalities.html

BBC Online (20 September 2007)

Hospital complex care cuts "fair"
It may be necessary to move some specialist units to regional super hospitals in the interests of care, the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges has said. A&E units could still be retained by district general hospitals however. The Academy's full report will be published next week.

See full article at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7004555.stm

Times (19 September 2007)

Government overpays private groups 222m for NHS treatments
The independent surgical treatment centre programme is running 16% below capacity but because of agreed contracts the centres are still paid in full, leading to £222m payment for services not received.

See full article at:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/health/article2485086.ece

Edinburgh Evening News (15 September 2007)

Health chiefs in call for public money to build new Sick Kids
Following the funding of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary by PFI, NHS Lothian are understood to favour public funding for the building of a new Sick Kids hospital in Edinburgh. Local parents and the SNP government have both been opposed to PFI.

See full article:
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1479302007

Guardian (13 September 2007)

The private finance initiative has played havoc with some NHS trusts' budgets and services - but worse is yet to come
Mark Hellowell and Allyson Pollock, academics at Edinburgh University's centre for international public health policy write about the private finance initiative and its impact on trust finances. While the government blames financial incompetence, the centre's report says that trusts are required to divert revenue from clinical services to pay their PFI costs.

See full article at:
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/publicservices/story/0,,2166817,00.html

Times (12 September 2007)

Man who helped NHS to £46bn says it wasted the money and needs more
In his latest review of the NHS following record funding levels, Sir Derek Wanless is critical of mismanaged structural change, pay settlements and a neglect of public health. In the Kings Fund commissioned report Wanless says that the NHS has failed to become more efficient and further increased spending is needed.

See full article at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article2433049.ece

Financial Times (12 September 2007)

Hospital chief casts doubt on NHS links
David Mobbs, chief executive of Nuffield Hospitals, has said that some NHS hospitals are putting pressure on consultants not to refer patients to private hospitals. Claire Hollingsworth of Shire Health (formerly Bupa) agreed that the NHS is not embracing the private sector. The government pointed to the 100 independent sector treatment centres to rebut the claims.

See full article at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/705ec15c-6179-11dc-bf25-0000779fd2ac.html

Times (10 September 2007)

Family doctors will be asked to work evenings and weekends
Health secretary Alan Johnson has said GPs should become more "customer orientated", in an indication that the issue of out-of-hours care is to be reopened. While 90% of GPs opted out of providing evening and weekend cover in return for a drop in pay, Johnson will tell doctors that current surgery closing times are ludicrous. The BMA has said this is another attempt by the Department of Health to undermine GPs.

See full article at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article2419384.ece

Manchester Evening News (10 September 2007)

New health strike
In their second three-day strike health workers in Manchester continued to protest at the suspension of union activist Karen Reissmann. Negotiations between union and trust failed when bosses said all hospital staff were needed for emergency cover.

See full article at:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/health/s/1015/1015911_new_health_strike.html

Channel 4 News (4 September 2007)

Are GPs exploiting NHS markets?
James Blake of Channel 4 News reports on concerns in Liverpool about a possible conflict of interest involving local GPs with a financial stake in a private company. Under "Practice Based Commissioning" GPs are able to recommend the private company to patients.

See the report on the Channel 4 News website at:
http://www.channel4.com/news/society/health
Click on "Watch the report".

Financial Times (7 September 2007)

Unison dashes hopes of public sector peace
Unison has rejected the government NHS pay offer and will decide later this month whether to hold a strike ballot. While Unite has reccomended the pay deal to its members, both Unison and the GMB are declining to recommend it.

See full article at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8d43b702-5cdb-11dc-9cc9-0000779fd2ac.html

Independent (7 September 2007)

Australian health giant Ramsay buys Capio UK
Capio, the UK's fourth largest private hospital group and the owner of nine independent treatment centres used to treat NHS patients, has been bought by Australian premier private hospitals group Ramsay Healthcare. The UK health sector has attracted the attention of private equity firms with the government outsourcing healthcare to private sector companies.

See full article at:
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2938982.ece

Manchester Evening News (3 September 2007)

Writer backs strike nurses
Unison members who are striking in support of Karen Reissman, the mental health nurse suspended by Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust, have been backed by award winning TV writer Paul Abbott. Ms Reissman was suspended for allegedly bringing the trust's reputation into disrepute. Her union activism is believed by many to be the true cause of the trust's displeasure.

See full article at:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/health/s/1015/1015261_writer_backs_strike_nurses.html

Scotland on Sunday (2 September 2007)

Nurses to take over from GPs on home visits
The Scottish government is considering plans for nurses to replace GPs in out-of-hors home visits. While this would address the chronic shortage of doctors for night and weekend working, reservations have been expressed by patients' groups.

See full article at:
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=1395442007

Financial Times (1 September 2007)

"Like a beast put into our cage"
Margaret McCartney, a GP, comments on the continuing case of the tendering of the GP practice in Cresswell, Derbyshire, arguing that "if we model healthcare on businesses [...] we haven't begun to think about what the cost to the patients might be".

See full article at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d759c438-5823-11dc-8c65-0000779fd2ac.html

Health Service Journal (31 August 2007)

Tesco and Boots opt out of GP scheme
Virgin, Tesco, NetCare, and Boots, seen as potential bidders to provide GP practices in under-doctored areas, have ruled themselves out of the procurement scheme.

Full article:
Virgin, Tesco, NetCare, and Boots have said they will not be bidding to provide GP practices under a scheme designed to extend services in under-doctored areas.

The companies had previously been mooted as potential bidders for the Fairness in Primary Care procurement scheme (see 'GP tendering could herald new era of competition for practices').

Nine primary care trusts in under-doctored areas are involved in the scheme, which allows them to contract out GP services under the alternative provider medical services contract.

County Durham, Great Yarmouth, Hartlepool and Nottinghamshire County PCTs are in the first tranche of the scheme. Ashton, Leigh and Wigan, Bolton, East Lancashire, Luton and Manchester PCTs are in the second.

HSJ understands there have been more than 40 bids for the contracts in tranche one.

Independent providers IntraHealth, Care UK and Chilvers-McCrea Healthcare, which already provide GP services, have confirmed that they are making bids to provide practices. IntraHealth, which runs four practices, is involved in the first tranche and has been shortlisted to participate in the invitation to tender stage.

The British Medical Association has expressed concerns about the possibility of the scheme being extended to areas without a GP shortage.
http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/independent_sector_bids_for_gp_services.html

Times (31 August 2007)

“5,000 midwives are needed” to cope with increase in birthrate
The rising birthrate and a reassessment of shortages points to the need for 5,000 more midwives by 2012 the Royal College of Midwives has said. While the birthrate since 2001 has risen by 12.5, numbers of midwives have only increased by 4.5% since 1997.

See full article at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article2358440.ece

Guardian (28 August 2007)

NHS surgery success rates to be made public
Success rates of specialist units in hospitals are to be made public, to enable patients to assess the quality of rival hospitals. While there have been fears that publication of such data could lead surgeons to avoid difficult cases whose outcome might negatively affect their "fatality score", risk-adjusted data will now be compiled, and audited to ensure reliability.

See full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,2157371,00.html

BBC Online (24 August 2007)

Johnson backs maternity closures
Health secretary Alan Johnson has backed modernisation plans Making It Better and Healthy Futures in Greater Manchester. Proposals include the closure of four maternity units, the downgrading of an A&E unit and the closure of an emergency surgery facility. Consultation on the changes led to an unprecedented response.

See full article at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6961877.stm

Financial Times (22 August 2007)

Health trusts sitting on £995m in cash
Foundation trust regulator Monitor says that while trusts have an almost £1bn reserve they are reluctant to invest in new services due to lack of clarity about long term objectives from PCTs and SHAs.

See full article at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1874edba-5047-11dc-a6b0-0000779fd2ac.html

Guardian (22 August 2007)

Cameron offensive on hospitals in disarray after attack by Tory MP
Leading on from David Cameron's promise of a "bare knuckle fight" with Gordon Brown over NHS closures the Tories published a list of 29 hospitals threatened with ward closures. Unfortunately for Cameron, one Tory MP has denied the claim about his local hospital, and another hospital had to be withdrawn from the list after it was admitted that it had been mistakenly identified.

See full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,,2153635,00.html

Guardian (21 August 2007)

NHS overhaul: study says lives at risk
Long ambulance journeys are putting lives at risk says a Department of Health-funded study. The findings have direct relevance to Ara Darzi's plan for London's health service which proposes fewer full A&E units. The London plan is viewed as a blueprint for Darzi's nationwide NHS review.

See full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,2152991,00.html

Times (20 August 2007)

GPs given ultimatum to open at night and on weekends
A letter sent to local NHS organisations by the Director of Commissioning at the Department of Health warns that practices could be taken over by private companies unless GPs agree to open at evenings and on Saturdays. Doctors' leaders have said that the clear intention is to give primary care to the private sector.

See full article at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2289417.ece

Financial Times (17 August 2007)

NHS staff face shake-up

A social enterprise in Hull could involve 1,200 staff leaving the NHS to sell their services to... the NHS. A new fund to be announced by social care minister Ivan Lewis will encourage PCTs to become commissioners rather than providers of services.

See full article at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/28cbe646-4c14-11dc-b67f-0000779fd2ac.html

PublicFinance.co.uk (17 August 2007)

MP calls for review of foundations’ income policy

Howard Stoate of the Commons health select committee has attacked NHS foundation trusts who are looking at establishing third party bodies to run private patient services. Income from such bodies would not be consolidated in trust accounts and would therefore avoid the caps on private patient income imposed by Parliament. Lawyers for Unison will be examining the situation.

See full article at:
http://www.cipfa.org.uk/publicfinance/news_details.cfm?News_id=31184

Health Service Journal (16 August 2007)

Union "gobsmacked" by ambulance funds blow

The merger of ambulance trusts into the North West Ambulance Service was justified as giving greater strategic capacity. It has now been admitted that the trust can only afford 35 of the 128 ambulances it needs. The merger was also predicted to have a positive impact on patient care. The trust now says there has been "slippage" in its replacement programme.

Full article:
North West Ambulance Service has admitted that it can only afford 35 of the 128 ambulances it needs to buy to replace over a third of its 345-strong fleet. Unions have claimed that the admission that all but 35 will not be bought until 2008/09 due to “the major capital and revenue impact” of replacing even the most urgent 50, casts doubt on claims that the reorganisation of England’s ambulance authorities would give better strategic capacity. The ambulance trust said it had inherited its problem from its predecessor trusts. Craig Wilde, North West Ambulance Service Unison branch secretary, said: “We were told that with the merger comes increased buying power. We are such a large trust now. We could afford [to buy new ambulances] when we were under Greater Manchester Ambulance Service so why can't we afford it under NWAS?” He added that ambulance crews might have to hunt for working vehicles as those nearing the end of their use would need more maintenance. Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel spokesman Jonathan Fox said: “One of the justifications for replacing the trusts was that it was going to have a positive impact on patient care. If you have a shortfall of finances then that premise is going to be seen as hollow.” Board minutes from the trust admit that the number of vehicles they can afford is “significantly less than the number that would ideally be needed to bring the fleet age profile up to an acceptable level”. The trust admitted there had been “slippage” in the replacement programme since its merger. A DoH spokeswoman said: “The reconfiguration was about establishing trusts of a size that can deliver appropriate investment in people and resources to underpin current and future services, and ensuring resources are targeted at where they are most needed - improving patient care and supporting frontline services.”
http://www.hsj.co.uk/healthservicejournal/Login.do

Guardian (15 August 2007)

A catalogue of abuse: report demands law to protect elderly in care homes

The joint committee on human rights has highlighted neglect, abuse, discrimination and ill-treatment of care home residents, and recommends a change in the law to protect the human rights of patients. The Department of Health and Ministry of Justice are criticised for failure of leadership. The committee's report has been welcomed by Age Concern and Help the Aged.

See full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,2149018,00.html

Sunday People (12 August 2007)

Starvational health service
Poor hospital diets which fail to meet the government's nutritional guidelines could lead to widespread patient malnourishment, experts warn.

See full article at:
http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=starvational-health-service&method=full&objectid=19613808&siteid=93463-name_page.html

Health Service Journal (9 August 2007)

GPs urged to refer directly to the independent sector

A PCT director has written to GPs telling them to refer patients needing hip and knee replacements to an independent sector treatment centre. The ISTC is underused and the £6.9m contract must be paid for whether or not the service is used. The chief executive of Western Cheshire PCT has denied that this is an attempt to restrict patient choice.

Full article:
A letter sent by Western Cheshire Primary Care Trust on the 31st of July has told doctors to refer patients needing hip and knee replacements to an independent sector treatment centre because it is underused. The letter, from PCT director of commissioning and health outcomes Graham Atkinson and chair of the professional executive committee John Hodgson, asks GPs to send patients directly to the Cheshire and Mersyside ISTC. Currently they are referred via an orthopaedic triage service run by the trust. "The decision has been taken due to the scale of the treatment centre contract, which is currently being under-utilised," the letter says. "The PCT must pay for this activity whether or not it is used and, in 2007-08, the contract is worth £6.9m." Western Cheshire PCT chief executive Helen Bellairs said the move was not an attempt to restrict patient choice: "On the contrary, we have merely stressed to GPs the importance of considering the ISTC as an option for patients. It is appropriate that we should utilise all of our contracts to ensure best value for money." The centre, run by Interhealth Canada subsidiary Interhealth Care Services, is part of the first wave of treatment centres, and is paid £120m to carry out 5,000 operations a year over five years. Janet Soo-Chung, chief executive of debt-ridden North Yorkshire and York PCT, also sent a letter to GPs last week urging them to take "action to fully maximise" use of a York-based ISTC run by Capio Healthcare UK.
http:/ / www.hsj.co.uk/ healthservicejournal/ pages/ 070809/ N1/ referrals/ p7

Financial Times (3 August 2007)

Low-paid health staff given pay boost
In an attempt to avert industrial action in the NHS resulting from the government's staged pay deal, Alan Johnson has announced more money for low paid staff.

See full article at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/d3eed512-4159-11dc-8f37-0000779fd2ac.html

Guardian (2 August 2007)

Row goes on as 30,000 doctors start new jobs
As 30,000 junior doctors take up posts, the row over the application system continues. While NHS Employers says that the disruption has been less than that forecast by the BMA, the BMA chairman Hamish Meldrum has said that hospitals were experiencing a "catalogue of problems" as they tried to fill gaps left by the failed application system.

See full article at:
http:/ / www.guardian.co.uk/ uk_ news/ story/ 0,,2139552,00.html

Hull Daily Mail (1 August 2007)

"Records will stay"
A plan by Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust to outsource medical record typing to the Philippines has been abandoned. The trust has said it makes more financial sense to spend money on in-house technology rather than enter into a contract with a third party supplier. Unison have welcomed the decision, from both a staff and patient perspective. Worries about jobs and potential inaccuracies had been raised.

See full article at:
http:/ / www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk

Daily Telegraph (30 July)

NHS in trauma beds crisis, says surgeon
Red tape and funding disputes are leading to a severe shortage of specialist beds and putting patients at risk, says surgeon Martin Bircher. He blamed layers of managers whose primary concern was the budget rather than patient care.

See full article at:
http:/ / www.telegraph.co.uk/ news/ main.jhtml ?xml=/ news/ 2007/ 07/ 30/ nhealth130.xml

E-health Insider (27 July 2007)

DH terminates contract with Atos healthcare
A £275m contract for diagnostic services in the north west and south west of England with Atos Healthcare has been cancelled by the Department of Health following failures by the private company. Despite the termination of the contract, Minister of Health Ben Bradshaw reaffirmed the government's commitment to use private sector providers in the NHS.

See full article at:
http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/item.cfm?ID=2900

Public Finance (27 July 2007)

End of the line for PFI?
A change the rules used in government accounts will bring billions of pounds of PFI deals onto the public sector balance sheet, putting the current sustainable investment borrowing ceiling in jeopardy. While the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, could raise the borrowing ceiling, it is thought the new accounting rules could deter future PFI deals from proceeding.

See full article at:
http:/ / www.cipfa.org.uk/ publicfinance/ features_ details.cfm ?news_ id=31025

Health Service Journal (26 July 2007)

Reforms hitting children's surgery, says royal college
A report by the Royal College of Surgeons has said that government reforms such as payment by results and competition are harming the collaborative approach needed to provide better children's surgery.

Full article:
Competition between hospitals is hindering the collaboration required to provide better children's surgery, according to the Royal College of Surgeons. The college has called for children's surgery to be protected from competition and other reforms such as payment by results. The college's report says that, although clinical networks need to be expanded, the reform drive is damaging collaboration, and also that more routine surgery must be available locally - although more complex procedures should be centralised. Surgery for Children: delivering a first class service says: "Current health policy reforms that introduce competition can provide a disincentive for trusts to collaborate." It adds that payment by results can make it difficult for parts of networks to get reimbursement. It warns: "These reforms should not be allowed to jeopardise provision of safe, local care for children." The college calls for the separate commissioning of children's surgery and says an increase in tariff may be necessary to keep surgery local. The report says: "When considered along with payment by results, patient choice and contestability, the next few years will be difficult in terms of sustaining local services for children." The report goes on to say that the number of specialist children's surgeons needs to be doubled by 2010. A Department of Health spokesman said the tariff arrangements for the next financial year were being looked at. "We recognise that paediatric surgery may have higher average costs than similar procedures for adults and that is why the national tariff applies a top-up where the patient is a child and if the procedure is specialised," he said.
http:/ / www.hsj.co.uk/ healthservicejournal/ pages/ N1/ p12/ 070726

Guardian (25 July 2007)

Johnson rejects rethink in nurses' pay row
Health Secretary Alan Johnson's insistence that the two stage pay deal for health workers will stand brings nearer the prospect of industrial action. The pay award (2.5% in two stages) is well below the 4.4% inflation rate and therefore represents a real terms pay cut. The RCN and the Royal College of Midwives are both preparing to ballot members on industrial action.

See full article at:
http:/ / www.guardian.co.uk/ medicine/ story/ 0,,2134478,00.html

Worthing Herald (25 July 2007)

Hundreds locked out of hospital meeting
A public meeting called by an NHS trust on the future of local hospitals resulted in hundreds of people being locked out due to lack of space at the venue. The trust chief executive apologised, and said of those who attended (or tried to) that he would like "to thank them for their patience."

See full article at:
http:/ / www.worthingherald.co.uk/ worthing ?articleid=3056429

Public Finance (20 July 2007)

Health watchdog says judging ISTC care is hampered by gaps in data
The Healthcare Commission has said that it is impossible to compare the NHS with independent sector treatment centres because ISTCs are failing to supply necessary data. It was also noted that while readmission rates were similar in the NHS and ISTCs, patients in ISTCs were typically youger, healthier, and with less complex conditions, and could therefore be presumed to be less in need of readmission.

See full article at:
http://www.cipfa.org.uk/publicfinance/news_details.cfm?News_id=30999

Pulse (20 July 2007)

Health minister’s NHS facelift plan sparks division among GPs
Ara Darzi's proposals for changes in London's NHS are continuing to cause consternation, with the possibility of polyclinics being run by private companies, and salaried GPs becoming an increasingly common aspect of healthcare.

Full article:
Pressed by reporters for the bottom line – whether his plans to shake up the NHS system in the capital will mean closures for hospitals and GP practices – he shakes Ara Darzi head sadly. 'It's disappointing when you've taken an eight-month journey,' he says. 'The word closure doesn't feature anywhere here.' It is, though, a fair question. The report acknowledges 'the transition will not be simple or without challenge from independent contractors', and warns 'traditional models of ownership, control and succession planning for their practices will need to be modified at least in part if the polyclinics are to be successfully implemented'. Practices could be owned and run by private companies or foundation trusts, and salaried GPs are likely to play an increasingly important role, particularly in covering extended opening hours.
http://www.pulse-i.co.uk/articles/fulldetails.asp?aid=13442&pageno=1&searchphrase=&CATEGORY=&ARTICLETYPE=News&submitted=1&ISSUEDATE=1184799600000

Manchester Evening News (17 July 2007)

Hospital chiefs to meet in secret
In the name of protection of comercial information the Wythenshawe Hospital foundation trust is to stop holding board meeting in public and does not plan to release agendas or minutes of the meetings. Local campaigner Martin Rathfelder opposed the move, saying "public organisations should make their decisions public”.

See full article at:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/health/s/1011/1011445_hospital_chiefs_to_meet_in_secret_.html

Daily Telegraph (16 July 2007)

Nurses fear for future as morale plummets
A survey has found nurses still feel overworked and undervalued, with dramatically increasing numbers fearing redundancy (36% compared to 7% in 2005). The survey comes as the Royal College of Nursing asks members whether it should hold a formal ballot over industrial action.

See full article at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/16/nnurse116.xml

Independent on Sunday (15 July 2007)

Health watchdog blames botched operations on foreign doctors hired by clinics without vetting
Independent clinics have been responsible for a stream of mistakes which must then be rectified by mainstream hospitals. This is the finding of health watchdogs, who say that the clinics, who were intended to reduce pressure on NHS hospitals, have relied heavily on foreign doctors while failing to screen their CVs adequately.

See full article at:
http://news.independent.co.uk/health/article2771020.ece

BBC Online (14 July 2007)

Out-of-hours service ‘failures’
The former head of out-of-hours GP service in Merseyside has criticised the service given by Urgent Care 24 (UC24), a not for profit out-of-hours service. The Southport and Formby out-of-hours service (SPOOC) relied on UC24 for handling patients' calls. Local MP John Pugh remarked "We have pre-existing services which were described as very good and they were replaced by more cut-price services."

See full article at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6897727.stm

Financial Times (13 July 2007)

Bupa hospitals lures NHS patients
Bupa has launched a £450,000 advertising campaign aimed at NHS patients. Karen Jennings of Unison attacked the move for diverting money to private providers and forcing NHS hospitals to use taxpayers' money to compete for business.

See full article at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/cef82450-30d8-11dc-9a81-0000779fd2ac.html

Pulse (13 July 2007)

GPs to be herded into polyclinics
The minster heading a 'once in a generation' review of the NHS in England, Sir Ara Darzi, has written a report for Healthcare for London in which he proposes the massive upheaval of merging hundreds of GP practices into a network of 'polyclinics'. The proposal has attracted a storm of criticism.

Full article:
GPs face one of the biggest upheavals in their history after the surgeon heading Gordon Brown's review of the NHS unveiled plans for a radical new primary care model. The Healthcare for London report, written by Professor Sir Ara Darzi, the newly appointed health minister, proposes merging hundreds of GP practices in the capital into a network of so-called 'polyclinics'. SHAs elsewhere in the country are now closely studying the controversial new model, which could lead to the relocation of thousands more GPs. The proposals have caused a storm of controversy, not least because Sir Ara is now heading up what health secretary Alan Johnson has called a 'once in a generation' review of the NHS in England. The new sites would offer extended opening hours and provide up to 50% of outpatient treatment currently carried out in hospitals. The BMA warned that polyclinics would 'destabilise and fragment' existing GP and hospital services, and GPC acting chair Dr Laurence Buckman said they were reminiscent of something from communist Soviet Union. 'This review does not bode well.' Dr Tony Stanton, joint chief executive of Londonwide LMCs, said it would 'destroy the very bedrock of British general practice' if most surgeries were relocated to polyclinics. Dr Michael Dixon, chair of the NHS Alliance, also attacked the proposals, adding: 'I don't think it's what patients or GPs want. We need an increased focus on continuity and personal care.' But a spokesperson for NHS East Midlands said it was 'open' to the polyclinic concept.
http://www.pulse-i.co.uk/articles/fulldetails.asp?aid=13311

BBC Online (11 July 2007)

Brown denies hospitals to close
Gordon Brown's review of the NHS, being led by Ara Darzi, is being accused of containing a blueprint for the mass closure of district hospitals. While the prime minister denies the charge, the BMA fears that consultation over the review is merely being offered as 'a sop to the public'.

See full article at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6288366.stm

Financial Times (10 July 2007)

Councils may win bigger say over NHS
While health secretary Alan Johnson has promised no major structural changes in the NHS 'for the foreseeable future', senior ministers have been making the case for a greater degree of local democracy and accountability.

See full article at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/07fd15e2-2e7e-11dc-821c-0000779fd2ac.html

Manchester Evening News (9 July 2007)

Tragedy of NHS gran in private clinic op

An investigation has begun after a woman died following routine surgery at an independent treatment centre in Greater Manchester. The Greater Manchester Surgical Centre is run by Netcare, who might have to defend legal action being considered by relatives.

See full article

Public Finance (6 July 2007)

Medic minister to examine health service
New health minister, Sir Ara Darzi, is to carry out a review into the NHS in an effort to improve staff morale after the huge changes of recent years. The report is to be completed next year, following an interim assessment in the autumn.

See full article at:
http://www.cipfa.org.uk/publicfinance/news_details.cfm?News_id=30887

Guardian (6 July 2007)

Johnson agrees to pay talks with nurses to avert overtime bans
In the wake of the Welsh Assembly agreeing a 2.5% pay increase for all healthcare staff, health secretary Alan Johnson has agreed to talks with nurses' leaders in the hope of avoiding an overtime ban in England.

See full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2120013,00.html

Oxford Mail (5 July 2007)

"Health policy needs a U-turn"
Campaigners with Oxfordshire Keep Our NHS Public held parties for the 59th birthday of the NHS to raise concerns about profit rather than patient need becoming the principle motivation in the NHS. There were calls to scrap foundation status and independent treatment centres, and to review the policy of choice.

See full article at:
http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.1527498.0.health_policy_needs_a_uturn.php

Health Service Journal (5 July 2007)

Cabinet reshuffle: private sector fights to stay on agenda
Private healthcare providers are unconvinced about new health secretary Alan Johnson's commitment to the independent sector. On the wish list for the independent sector is the second wave of ISTCs, and among the concerns is the rejection of the private sector by the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Executive.

Full article:
Private providers have called on the new health secretary Alan Johnson to make clear his commitment to independent sector expansion amid fears it will become a lesser political priority. Graham Kendall, acting general manager of NHS Partners, the NHS Confederation's independent sector network, said private providers were cautious about the new health secretary. “When Alan Johnson was running for deputy leader, he said the important thing was delivering good quality patient care and he avoided saying whether he was pro- or anti-independent sector,” he said. “We’d like an early indication of his commitment.” Among a long list of priorities for the private sector is delivering the second wave of independent sector treatment centres on time. Netcare director of corporate affairs Julia Eadie said: “We would like a clear ministerial statement that would give our equity partners confidence.” However, Institute for Public Policy Research senior researcher Joe Farrington-Douglas predicted a slowing of private sector involvement. “It’s not a big change of direction, but a change of emphasis,” he said. “I don't see any large-scale going back. However, the more extreme, Blairite thinking might be slowed down.” He added that the private sector would probably not be very much involved in end-to-end commissioning and past mistakes would lessen the chance of huge new waves of ISTCs. However, according to Mr Farrington-Douglas, the appointment of practise based commissioning enthusiast Greg Beales as Gordon Brown’s advisor on health suggests that reform will continue. “'Competition and choice will continue to apply but it might not be so high up the agenda,” he said. Sally Taber, director of the independent healthcare sector’s umbrella organisation Independent Healthcare Advisory Services, said: “We welcome Mr Johnson’s appointment but would want to make sure that we continue to be represented on all the major stakeholder pieces of work that need to be taken forward and that the agenda to create a level playing field continues.” The difference in approach to the internal market between England and the devolved governments in Scotland and Wales is likely to widen as both the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Executive have recently made clear their rejection of the private sector. The One Wales agreement signed on 27 June by Labour and Plaid Cymru commits the Welsh Assembly to ending the internal market and eliminating use of private hospitals by 2011.
http://www.hsj.co.uk/healthservicejournal/pages/N1/p6/070705

Guardian (2 July 2007)

Hewitt cautions Brown against NHS policy change
On her last day at the Department of Health Patricia Hewitt wrote to Gordon Brown accusing the NHS of serving "tribal" interests. If her approach to tackling unfinished business is approved by the prime minister, it may limit Alan Johnson's room for manoeuvre in his attempt to win back the support of doctors and nurses.

See full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2116183,00.html

Home

Navigation