News Archive Sep - Dec 2009
30/12/09 NHS agency staff spending 'soars' amid funding fears
23/12/09 Tories accuse government over A&E waiting targets
21/12/09 PCT loses out to GPs in battle over branch surgery
21/12/09 Scrapping practice boundaries could lead to 'demise of the family doctor', MP warns
21/12/09 Government launches pilots of 111 number for urgent care
18/12/09 Competition panel rules in GPs' favour in branch surgery battle
17/12/09 NHS trust 'improving too slowly'
17/12/09 Operating framework heralds renewed push on extended opening hours
15/12/09 Private companies 'should open books to public scrutiny' says NHS Alliance
11/12/09 Acute trusts given go-ahead to run more GP practices as ministers launch NHS five year plan
10/12/09 Hospitals 'to feel funding pinch'
10/12/09 Nurses' jobs could be guaranteed in return for less pay
09/12/09 PBR: Darling promises frontline spending increases, but capital spending takes hit
07/12/09 Disconnected: £13bn NHS IT project in firing line
04/12/09 GPs 'as good as specialists', researchers claim
03/12/09 BMA calls for an end to 'slash and burn' policies
03/12/09 NHS faces 'perfect storm' of funding cuts and rising workload
03/12/09 Regulation of complementary therapists 'may harm patients'
01/12/09 Privately-run walk-in centres 'less cost effective', study finds
29/11/09 Twelve hospital trusts exposed for failing patients
27/11/09 GP referral crackdown leaves cancer patients 'at home undiagnosed'
27/11/09 Independent provider arms 'nonsense', David Nicholson says
27/11/09 Basildon responds to CQC report
24/11/09 Gordon Brown accused of bowing to unions by freezing private companies out of NHS
20/11/09 NHS bosses forced to back down
19/11/09 Darzi centres predicted to struggle in NHS budget squeeze
19/11/09 Patients admitted to hospital to meet targets
18/11/09 NAPC proposes radical plans for primary care
17/11/09 Fears that 'superhospital' merger will threaten patient services
13/11/09 'Care closer to home' stalls as hospital income rises
13/11/09 Intensive care investments cut death rate, study finds
12/11/09 Nursing to become degree only profession
12/11/09 ISTCs 'cherry picking' patients, research claims
12/11/09 Ambitious reconfiguration plan abandoned
07/11/09 Row over private care in NHS to flare again
04/11/09 Darzi centres set to miss patient registration targets
04/11/09 DH sued over scrapped £921m PFI project
03/11/09 Cameron lays out plans to save millions in NHS reform
02/11/09 Free private care for patients who exceed waiting times target
30/10/09 Personal budgets to allow patients to buy homeopathy and acupuncture
29/10/09 Andy Burnham stands ground after taking fire on competition rules
28/10/09 Survey reveals fears over primary care funding squeeze
27/10/09 NHS management consultancy spend to be revealed
26/10/09 Surge in patients going private on NHS
19/10/09 SNP step up anti-privatisation drive
02/10/09 NHS watchdog orders scrutiny of out-of-hours services
02/10/09 Most patients 'do not want private sector involvement' in NHS
25/09/09 Private sector GP services may pull out, say analysts
25/09/09 Scottish GPs urge MSPs to keep NHS public
22/09/09 NHS pays high price for private centre hip replacements
BBC Online (30 December 2009)
NHS agency staff spending 'soars' amid funding fears
Spending on temporary staff in the NHS has risen by 60% in two years, fuelling fears that permanent posts are being frozen due to the recession. Use of agency staff was last seen at similar levels five years ago during a period of deficit problems.
Nursing Times (23 December 2009)
Tories accuse government over A&E waiting targets
Figures obtained by the Tories under Freedom of Information requests have been claimed to show that patients are being moved from A&E to emergency assessment or clinical decision units so that hospitals keep to the four hour waiting time target.
Health Service Journal (21 December 2009)
PCT loses out to GPs in battle over branch surgery
The co-operation and competition panel has ruled against NHS Kingston's decision not to allow a GP practice to open a new branch surgery, saying that this would deny up to 1,500 patients their first choice of primary care services.
Pulse (21 December 2009)
Scrapping practice boundaries could lead to 'demise of the family doctor', MP warns
Labour MP David Taylor has said in a Westminster debate that Government plans to abolish GP practice boundaries would increase health inequalities and destroy the patient/doctor relationship. The focus should be on tackling health inequalities rather than encouraging competition between providers.
Pulse (21 December 2009)
Government launches pilots of 111 number for urgent care
Three Stratgic Health Authorities are to pilot a new 111 telephone number for non-emergency urgent care. The plans have been approved by Ofcom, and the new number will give advice currently provided by NHS Direct.
Pulse (18 December 2009)
Competition panel rules in GPs' favour in branch surgery battle
The Co-operation and Competition Panel (CCP) has ruled that NHS Kingston's decision to stop a local GP from expanding their nearby practice was 'inconsistent' with competition rules. NHS London was urged to allow the practice's plans to proceed.
BBC Online (17 December 2009)
NHS trust 'improving too slowly'
Health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has criticised Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust for its slowness to improve following the damning report of patient mortality at Stafford Hospital in March.
Pulse (17 December 2009)
Operating framework heralds renewed push on extended opening hours
The drive to improve access to GPs must remain a priority, the NHS Operating Framework for 2010/11 says. Practices which do not offer extended opening hours must provide other services to improve access and reflect local needs.
Pulse (15 December 2009)
Private companies 'should open books to public scrutiny' says NHS Alliance
The NHS Alliance is calling for companies which provide NHS services to publish their full financial accounts. The call for greater transparency refers directly to loss of public trust following the MPs' expenses scandal.
Pulse (11 December 2009)
Acute trusts given go-ahead to run more GP practices as ministers launch NHS five year plan
In its new strategy document for the next five years of the NHS, the Government has indicated it will make it easier for foundation trusts to run GP services where PCTs are offering tenders for them. New measures aim for a more patient centred, preventative NHS.
BBC online (10 December 2009)
Hospitals 'to feel funding pinch'
The amount hospitals are paid per patient under the Payment by Results scheme is to be frozen for four years as part of the Government's productivity drive.
Nursing Times (10 December 2009)
Nurses' jobs could be guaranteed in return for less pay
Following the Chancellor's announcement that nurses' pay rises would be capped at 1% over two years, the Health Secretary has said that job guarantees could be given in exchange for lower pay and agreement to work in a different NHS organisation or a different place.
Health Investor (9 December 2009)
PBR: Darling promises frontline spending increases, but capital spending takes hit
The pre-Budget Report appears to show a capital spending allowance of £14.5bn for the NHS in 2008-11 compared with £15bn in April's budget.
Guardian (7 December 2009)
Disconnected: £13bn NHS IT project in firing line
Alistair Darling has hinted at a possible postponement of Connecting for Health, the NHS IT project aimed at centralising medical records on one database. The system is expected to cost £12.7bn, against the £2.3bn originally proposed.
Pulse (4 December 2009)
GPs 'as good as specialists', researchers claim
An international review of 22 studies has found that specialist care for patients with specific long term conditions does not have better outcomes than that provided by GPs.
Health Service Journal (3 December 2009)
BMA calls for an end to 'slash and burn' policies
The British Medical Association has said that it would be a disastrous error to resort to measures such as cutting clinical staff at a time when demand for healthcare continues to increase.
Telegraph (3 December 2009)
NHS faces 'perfect storm' of funding cuts and rising workload
The King's Fund has called for politicians and NHS managers to be honest about the challenges facing the NHS due to an ageing population. The different organisations making up the NHS should work together rather turn inwards in response to financial challenges.
Pulse (3 December 2009)
Regulation of complementary therapists 'may harm patients'
The Royal College of Physicians has said Government plans to extend regulation to some complementary therapies could lend legitimacy where there is no proven benefit. Alternative medicine practitioners should not be allowed the status of a regulated profession it says.
Pulse (1 December 2009)
Privately-run walk-in centres 'less cost effective', study finds
Train station walk-in centres, launched in 2004 and provided by private contractors, would be more cost effective if provided by the NHS health researchers have found.
Sunday Times (29 November 2009)
Twelve hospital trusts exposed for failing patients
Research from independent consultancy Dr Foster has identified 12 hospital trusts as "significantly underperforming". Eight of those trusts were rated as good or excellent last month by the Care Quality Commission health service regulator.
Pulse (27 November 2009)
GP referral crackdown leaves cancer patients 'at home undiagnosed'
An NHS medical director has said the use of GP referral management schemes aimed at reducing secondary care spending is leaving cancer patients undiagnosed. Rising GP referral rates will cause panic at PCTs as they try to curb spending.
Health Service Journal (27 November 2009)
Independent provider arms 'nonsense', David Nicholson says
NHS chief executive David Nicholson has said the creation of independent PCT provider arms is nonsense. The policy of encouraging community providers to become foundation trusts appears to have been replaced by one of "vertical integration" of community providers with acute trusts.
Health Service Journal (27 November 2009)
Basildon responds to CQC report
A damning report from NHS regulator the Care Quality Commission has told Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals Foundation Trust it must work with foundation trust regulator, Monitor, to improve standards and agree new monthly performance measures.
Times (24 November 2009)
Gordon Brown accused of bowing to unions by freezing private companies out of NHS
Gordon Brown and Health Secretary Andy Burnham have been accused by Conservatives, Lib Dems and others of political manoeuvring to secure union support, by naming the NHS as preferred provider of services to primary care trusts.
Camden New Journal (20 November 2009)
NHS bosses forced to back down
Local campaigners were celebrating victory in their battle against the award of a contract for a GP-led health centre to private company Care UK as NHS Camden agreed to consult residents. Campaigners believe local GP surgeries could be forced to close due to competition for patients from privately run NHS health centres.
Pulse (19 November 2009)
Darzi centres predicted to struggle in NHS budget squeeze
The founder of Chilvers McCrea Healthcare, a private company bidding for GP-led health centre contracts, has said shrinking budgets and lack of forward planning by PCTs will cause difficulties. Dr Rory McCrea calls for more planning and capital.
Telegraph (19 November 2009)
Patients admitted to hospital to meet targets
Detailed figures from the NHS Information Centre show that patients are three times more likely to be admitted to a hospital bed in the last 10 minutes of a four hour wait than over the whole waiting period. Critics of waiting time targets fear they compromise clinical decision making.
Pulse (18 November 2009)
NAPC proposes radical plans for primary care
Proposals unveiled by the National Association of Primary Care make the case for 'community health collaboratives' composed of GPs and PCTs, with PCTs deciding on health objectives and GPs having greater control of budgets to deliver them.
London Evening Standard (17 November 2009)
Fears that 'superhospital' merger will threaten patient services
Proposals to merge the Whittington and Royal Free hospitals has been described by campaigners, Health Emergency, as a finance-driven merger which will threaten bed numbers and staff.
Pulse (13 November 2009)
'Care closer to home' stalls as hospital income rises
An Audit Commission report has found that PCTs are failing to move investment from hospitals to services in the community. The report also points out that the trend is continuing into 2009/10, with increasing secondary care costs eating up budgets.
Health Service Journal (13 November 2009)
Intensive care investments cut death rate, study finds
Changes adopted following the NHS Plan in 2000 have led to a cut of 11.3% in the intensive care mortality rate, research has found. Extra beds and more outreach services were shown to be "a highly cost effective use of resources".
Health Service Journal (12 November 2009)
Nursing to become degree only profession
The Department of Health has backed calls from the Royal College of Nursing and the Nursing and Midwifery Council for a degree to become a necessary qualification for nursing. Unison has warned that the move would narrow the diversity of nurses' backgrounds.
Pulse (12 November 2009)
ISTCs 'cherry picking' patients, research claims
A study from University of York researchers suggests that independent treatment sectors are treating patients with less complex needs, leaving more complicated and costly cases to NHS hospitals. The study calls for the ISTC payment system to be redesigned.
Health Service Journal (12 November 2009)
Ambitious reconfiguration plan abandoned
The four year "Fit For The Future" programme in West Sussex, expected to consolidate acute services in fewer hospitals, is now likely to end with the status quo being recommended to the board of NHS West Sussex. The move comes after huge protests at the plans.
Guardian (7 November 2009)
Row over private care in NHS to flare again
Caps on NHS foundation trusts' income from private patients are to be the subject of a "fundamental review" the Department of Health website has announced. While the BMA and unions oppose further marketisation of the NHS, lobbying by the Foundation Trust Network calls for mental health trusts to be allowed to accept private work.
Pulse (4 November 2009)
Darzi centres set to miss patient registration targets
A survey has found two thirds of GP-led health centres will miss their targets for patient registrations, leading to renegotiation of contracts to concentrate on walk-in centre consultations rather than registrations. Dr Mike Warburton, DH national director for GP access, said the procurement process risked "saturating the market".
Health Service Journal (4 November 2009)
DH sued over scrapped £921m PFI project
A PFI consortium, Triskelion, has launched a £20m lawsuit against the Department of Health and University Hospitals of Leicester Trust over the cancellation of a hospital project whose projected cost rose to £921m from the £711m intially agreed.
Times (3 November 2009)
Cameron lays out plans to save millions in NHS reform
David Cameron has said the Tories will cut NHS running costs by a third, set up a new executive board and create a Department of Public Health if they win the next election. Commercial interests will distort the award of NHS contracts, experts warn.
Nursing Times (2 November 2009)
Free private care for patients who exceed waiting times target
The Government is said to be planning to introduce legislation before the next election giving patients the legal right to seek medical care from the private sector, paid for by the NHS, if the 18 week waiting time target has been exceeded, reduced to two weeks for specific conditions.
Pulse (30 October 2009)
Personal budgets to allow patients to buy homeopathy and acupuncture
Complementary therapies not supported by National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance will be available to NHS patients under contoversial personal budgets to be piloted by 20 PCTs.
Health Service Journal (29 October 2009)
Andy Burnham stands ground after taking fire on competition rules
Health Secretary Andy Burnham is standing by his recent decision to make the NHS the preferred provider for PCTs when commissioning services. Tony Blair's former health adviser has called on commissioners to ignore the advice.
Pulse (28 October 2009)
Survey reveals fears over primary care funding squeeze
A survey of GPs and PCT managers has shown grave doubts over Andy Burnham's promise to protect primary care budgets from spending cuts. NHS chief executive David Nicholson has warned that NHS financial challenges were 'massively greater than anything any of us have faced in the past'.
Health Service Journal (27 October 2009)
NHS management consultancy spend to be revealed
The Department of Health is to publish the level of spending on external consultants by both the DH and the NHS. The move comes following pressure from the Commons health committee.
Financial Times (26 October 2009)
Surge in patients going private on NHS
Government figures show nearly 100,000 patients have chosen to use private hospitals to provide NHS-funded care. The "choice" agenda has provided the private sector with a new source of revenue during the recession, with fewer people paying for healthcare themselves.
Health Investor (19 October 2009)
SNP step up anti-privatisation drive
Scotland's only independent sector treatment centre is to be returned to the NHS, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
BBC (2 October 2009)
NHS watchdog orders scrutiny of out-of-hours services
NHS trusts have been ordered to monitor out-of-hours GP care more closely after the death of a 70-year-old patient accidentally given an overdose by a doctor employed by Take Care Now, a private firm who provide evening and weekend cover in East Cambridge and Fenland.
Pulse (2 October 2009)
Most patients 'do not want private sector involvement' in NHS
Patients do not want private sector involvement in the NHS, according to a new survey. The survey found that fewer than one-quarter of UK patients agreed private-sector involvement would improve the level of choice in the NHS.
Pulse (25 September 2009)
Private sector GP services may pull out, say analysts
City analysts have question whether general practice can be profitable for private companies. A new report claims the unpredictability of the market means that companies would have to increase revenues or consider pulling out of providing GP services.
Medical News Today (25 September 2009)
Scottish GPs urge MSPs to keep NHS public
Doctors in Scotland have urged MSPs to keep NHS GP services public to ensure that patient care remains the main priority in primary care. The call came as the Scottish Parliament prepared to debate the Tobacco and Primary Care Services (Scotland) Bill.
Times (22 September 2009)
NHS pays high price for private centre hip replacements
Patients who have hip replacements at private treatment centres are up to 20 times more likely to need painful and expensive repair work. Many operations are having to be redone in NHS hospitals, at great cost and with serious staffing implications.
