RxPG News : NHS

Depression is wrongly seen as natural part of getting older

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:02:41 PST

More than two million older people over the age of 65 in England have symptoms of depression, but the vast majority are denied any help, according to a new report published today by Age Concern.

NRI doctor guilty of unethical tests on British patients

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:04:41 PST

London, March 29 - An NRI psychiatrist from Assam faces the sack after being found guilty of conducting unethical drug tests on mentally ill patients, according to reports Saturday.

New steps to curb overseas doctors in Britain

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:46:42 PST

London, Oct 9 - Indian doctors should think several times before coming to Britain for jobs - the employment situation has been difficult for non-European Union doctors, and new proposals have been drawn to guarantee jobs to doctors trained in Britain.

Should EU patient information laws be relaxed?

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 02:07:46 PST

In 2002 the European parliament voted resoundingly against allowing drug companies to provide information about their products directly to patients. However, five years on, this decision is set to be challenged again.

Institutional discrimination by NHS causing unnecessary deaths of people with a learning disability

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 02:49:32 PST

Leading learning disability charity, Mencap, is calling for an independent inquiry into six deaths. The charity believes people with a learning disability have died unnecessarily due to institutional discrimination within NHS care. The cases are set out in Death by indifference, published by Mencap today (12 March 2007). Mencap says the deaths are a result of widespread ignorance and indifference within the NHS.

Should the NHS curb spending on translation services?

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:59:55 PST

In December it was reported that the NHS was spending £55 million (82m; $107m) each year on translation services. In this weeks BMJ, two doctors practising in inner London go head to head over whether language services in the NHS should be curbed.

The NHS Redress Act may lead to more complaints

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:48:38 PST

The NHS Redress Act should make clinical negligence cases simpler and less costly, but it may create more, not fewer, complaints warn experts in this weeks BMJ.

Patients should cc the benefits of doctors' letters

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 06:37:19 PST

Patients should be kept informed of their condition and care said health minister Rosie Winterton today, as she called on healthcare professionals to make more effort to routinely copy letters to their patients.

Is doctors' pay responsible for the financial crisis in the NHS ?

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 12:54:37 PST

Recent newspaper headlines have suggested that doctors' pay is responsible for the financial crisis in the NHS. In this week's BMJ, two experts go head to head over whether the remuneration is justified.

Obese patients in Britain to dance

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 19:29:36 PST

London, Dec 4 - Obese patients in Britain may have to dance to improve their fitness level as a part of upcoming national campaigns to get people to take more exercise.

Mental health units should not be exempt from smoking ban

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 19:43:00 PST

Exempting mental health units from the ban on smoking in public places would worsen health inequalities for people with mental health problems, warn doctors in this week's BMJ. Smoking is the largest single cause of preventable illness and premature death in the United Kingdom, with 106,000 people dying of smoking related diseases in 2002, and more than 10,000 dying each year as a result of passive smoking. The Health Act 2006 will make all enclosed public and work places in England and Wales smoke-free environments, but may exclude some mental health settings.

NHS may be buying surgical equipment unethically

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 02:56:00 PST

The NHS may be buying medical equipment unethically and exploiting developing countries, it has been claimed in an article published on bmj.com today. Unlike the campaigns for fair trade of goods like bananas and coffee, there have been no such campaigns for medical commodities, says Dr Mahmood Bhutta, a specialist registrar in otolaryngology (head and neck surgery) at Guys and St Thomas Hospital in London.

Is it time to give NHS more independence?

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 02:49:00 PST

In April this year, BMJ Editor Fiona Godlee called for an independent NHS run by a board of governors responsible for managing health care within a set budget and a broad political framework. In this weeks BMJ, four opinion leaders give their views on whether it is time to give the NHS greater independence from government.

Experts Comment on New Blood Pressure Guidelines

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 01:52:00 PST

It is unusual for NICE to consider reviewing its guidance ahead of its planned review date. In this case however, because significant new data became available, we took the decision to consider that data as part of a limited review of the existing NICE guideline. It is important to emphasise that the review was limited to the pharmacological aspects of managing hypertension. The original guideline also covered other aspects of managing the condition, such as lifestyle interventions, and these remain crucial to a proper holistic approach to controlling blood pressure.

New Guideance will Result in Better Control of Hypertension - BPA

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 01:45:00 PST

The UK's blood pressure charity, the Blood Pressure Association (BPA), heralded 28 June, 2006 launch of the updated NICE guideline on the clinical management of hypertension as a major advance in the treatment of the condition. For the first time, NICE and the British Hypertension Society have reached a clear consensus on the best way of treating raised blood pressure, and the BPA strongly endorses this new guideline.

NHS care for older people is still patchy

Fri, 19 May 2006 20:02:00 PST

Good, respectful NHS care for older people is still too patchy, argue senior members of the British Geriatrics Society in this week's BMJ.

NHS could save £78m by improving staff productivity

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 23:40:00 PST

Health Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, highlighted recommendations from an NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvements report, showing that £78m could be saved by the NHS by driving down agency spend and improving staff productivity.

Have targets improved performance in the English NHS?

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 19:05:00 PST

The star rating system for English NHS trusts seems to have improved performance, but systems need to be put in place to minimise gaming and ensure targets are not causing problems elsewhere, warn researchers in this weeks BMJ.

Denying Joint Replacements Based On Prejudice

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 15:48:00 PST

A decision by NHS trusts in Suffolk to deny replacement joints to obese patients seems to be based on prejudice or attribution of blame, argues a senior doctor in a letter to this week's BMJ. In fact, no evidence supports withholding joint replacement from obese people, even on utilitarian grounds, says Nicholas Finer, a consultant in obesity medicine at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. For knee replacement, there is no evidence that age, gender, or obesity is a strong predictor of functional outcomes, while a UK health technology assessment of hip replacement concluded that obese patients could benefit from surgery and are not noticeably at increased operative risk.

NHS needs to do more to provide need based health care

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 15:44:00 PST

The NHS needs to do more to provide health care according to need, argue researchers in this weeks BMJ. They analysed the availability of primary care according to deprivation and health need in Scotland. Their study was based on a sample population of 5.35 million people served by 1,050 general practices and divided into ten groups of equal size according to deprivation. They show that ill health is two and a half times greater in the most deprived group compared to the most affluent, but the number of whole time equivalent GP principals is distributed evenly across the population. However, including non-principals and doctors in training, there are 11% more GPs in the more affluent compared with the more deprived half of the population. Although they found larger numbers of practices in the most rural and deprived areas, this reflects the higher proportion of single handed and small practices in such areas, say the authors.

UK's Ageing Population Will Impose Huge Healthcare Burden

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 16:05:00 PST

New figures published by Dr Foster in this weeks BMJ predict that the UKs ageing population will impose considerable workload and financial pressures on the NHS. The number of people aged 65 and over is predicted to increase by about 53% between 2001 and 2031. This is likely to lead to an increase in the number of people who have chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Researchers examined the possible impact of the ageing population on the expected number of people with three cardiovascular disorders: coronary heart disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm).

Nurses key to restore public confidence in UK hospital care

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 16:00:00 PST

Nurses are the key to restoring public confidence in UK hospital care, argues an expert in this weeks BMJ. Nurses led the transformation of hospitals in the 19th century. So, why after a century of outstanding success, is the future of the large general hospital in question? asks Professor Nick Black of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Hospitals are partly a victim of their success, he says. Developments in pharmaceuticals, information and communication technology now offer alternative ways of delivering care. And when patients do need to attend hospital, they are less likely to stay overnight. These changes are generally welcomed by the public, healthcare professionals, managers, and politicians. But negative reasons also threaten the future of large hospitals, arising from changes over the past 20 years in management, nursing, and building strategy.

NHS waiting list falls below 800,000 for the first time

Sun, 04 Dec 2005 10:03:00 PST

The number of people on NHS waiting lists in England has fallen below 800,000 for the first time, new figures released today by the Department of Health have shown.

Reforms are threatening the future of district general hospitals

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 19:24:00 PST

Government reforms are threatening the future of district general hospitals, says an expert in this weeks BMJ. Given the iconic status of hospitals in the eyes of the public, government risks huge unpopularity in dealing with the consequences.

New NHS patient choice policies take no account of limited resources

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 19:22:00 PST

The Governments current NHS reform programme could lead to patients being charged for access to healthcare, argues a paper in this weeks BMJ.

Examining NHS reforms: Health care in the market place

Sat, 12 Nov 2005 20:08:00 PST

The Government's use of private health care in the NHS is a much more open and aggressive version of the "internal market" tried by the Conservatives in the 1990s, says an article in this week's BMJ - the first of a series examining NHS reforms.

Nurse and pharmacist prescribing powers extended

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 00:52:00 PST

Patients will be able to get quicker and more efficient access to medicines thanks to extensions to nurse and pharmacist prescribing announced today by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt at the Chief Nursing Officers conference in London. From spring 2006, qualified Extended Formulary nurse prescribers and pharmacist independent prescribers will be able to prescribe any licensed medicine for any medical condition with the exception of controlled drugs.

Orphan drugs and the NHS: should we value rarity?

Sat, 29 Oct 2005 15:04:00 PST

The growing number and costs of drugs for rare diseases (orphan drugs) are straining healthcare budgets. Should the NHS continue to pay for them and how will this affect other health services, ask two articles in this weeks BMJ. Orphan drugs are often expensive to produce and benefit only small numbers of patients. Historically, the NHS has paid for them because treatments for these diseases were so rare that the effect on health services was negligible.

Meeting MRSA Targets Largely Down To Chance, Says Expert

Sat, 29 Oct 2005 14:53:00 PST

Chance makes it impossible to assess reliably whether hospitals are meeting government targets to reduce MRSA infections, argues a statistics expert in this weeks BMJ. The UK government has set a national target for reducing the rate of MRSA infection by 50% by 2008, but David Spiegelhalter, a senior scientist at the MRC Biostatistics Unit Cambridge, warns that setting these targets for individual hospitals is fraught with difficulties.

Call for an independent regulator for NHS

Fri, 21 Oct 2005 15:51:00 PST

The NHS should have an independent regulator like other public utilities in the UK, argues a senior doctor in this weeks BMJ. Many public utilities have independent regulators to see that commercial interests and unfair pricing do not disadvantage the public.

Cost effectiveness of complementary treatments in the United Kingdom

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 21:43:00 PST

More doubts are cast over the cost effectiveness of complementary medicine in this weeks BMJ.

Services for liver disease in the United Kingdom need immediate improvement

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 21:43:00 PST

Liver services in the United Kingdom need better funding and better staffing, argues a senior doctor in this weeks BMJ.

Hewitt fulfils commitment to NHS workers

Sat, 08 Oct 2005 05:52:00 PST

Thousands of staff working in the NHS are set to benefit from a new agreement that will bring cleaning, portering, catering and other similar soft facilities management services provided by contractors into line with the NHS Agenda for Change pay deal, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt announced today.

Day surgery rates continue to rise in UK

Fri, 07 Oct 2005 21:16:00 PST

New figures published by Dr Foster in this weekâs BMJ show that day surgery rates continue to rise, yet there is still considerable scope for improvement. These findings support a recent Healthcare Commission report showing that day surgery units are not being used to their maximum capacity.

Reforming the NHS in England - Views

Fri, 07 Oct 2005 21:16:00 PST

The NHS is being taken over by big business so that money that could go towards clinical care is diverted to corporations and their shareholders, warn two senior doctors in this weekâs BMJ.

Is the private finance initiative dead in NHS?

Fri, 07 Oct 2005 21:16:00 PST

Government enthusiasm for the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) in the health service - private sector investment in hospital building projects - may be dropping because of its high cost, says an editorial in this weekâs BMJ.

National consultation on NHS-funded infertility treatment

Sat, 10 Sep 2005 23:11:00 PST

A national consultation on NHS-funded infertility treatment aimed at improving equality of access across Scotland was launched today.

PCT patient survey is proof of high standards in primary care services

Fri, 09 Sep 2005 15:51:00 PST

The NHS Confederation, which represents 93 per cent of primary care trusts (PCTs), says that the key findings of the Healthcare Commissions PCT patient survey are good news for NHS patients.

NHS Confederation calls for debate on NHS drug costs

Fri, 09 Sep 2005 15:49:00 PST

The NHS Confederation is calling for an urgent debate on rapidly increasing NHS drug costs following todays Audit Commission report about the financial implications of implementing NICE guidance on new medication and surgical procedures.

'Guaranteed' appointments with your GP

Thu, 08 Sep 2005 01:31:00 PST

Patients will be guaranteed the choice of being able to book an advance appointment with a GP under measures to improve access to family doctor services announced today by Health Minister Lord Warner.

Sprayed cultured skin cells in burns treatment - Study

Tue, 06 Sep 2005 19:51:00 PST

The first controlled clinical study to examine the effectiveness of sprayed cultured skin cells to close the wounds of burns victims is being undertaken at the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (QVH), East Grinstead.

New NHS campaign raises awareness of invisible killer

Mon, 05 Sep 2005 23:23:00 PST

Sixty per cent of smokers go ahead and smoke without asking for permission, despite the fact that most non-smokers mind if other people are smoking nearby, according to new research(1) launched today by the NHS 'Don't Give Up Giving Up campaign'.

New guide published to promote equality and diversity in the NHS

Sat, 23 Jul 2005 01:30:00 PST

The Department of Health, the NHS Appointments Commission and the NHS Confederation today published a new Guide to help promote equality and human rights in the NHS.

Patricia Hewitt calls for improved family health services

Fri, 20 May 2005 23:26:00 PST

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt called on NHS leaders to kick start a big programme of public engagement in order to shape the future of NHS family health services.

Heart patients getting faster treatment in UK

Fri, 13 May 2005 19:53:00 PST

Patients Concerned at Hidden Waiting Lists

Wed, 20 Apr 2005 19:37:00 PST

The Chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), Dr Mayur Lakhani, spoke today of the bottleneck experienced by many patients during their care within the National Health Service (NHS).

Charing Cross Hospital Closure Rumours Untrue

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 16:12:00 PST

The Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust has been looking at the long term capital investment programme required.

Orthopaedic patients get faster treatment

Wed, 06 Apr 2005 18:26:00 PST

NHS on track to meet December 2005 target that no patient will wait more than six months for surgery

£20m investment in osteoporosis services

Wed, 06 Apr 2005 18:26:00 PST

People with suspected osteoporosis will be diagnosed more rapidly and treated more quickly thanks to a £20m investment in scanning equipment and service improvements announced by Health Minister Stephen Ladyman.

NHS Staff congratulated for providing better A&E services

Thu, 31 Mar 2005 21:58:00 PST

Patients had better quality health services over the winter months, according to Emergency Care and Primary Care Tsars Sir George Alberti and Dr David Colin-Thome.

New action begins to tackle racism in Mental Health Services

Thu, 31 Mar 2005 21:58:00 PST

Seventeen sites across the country will pioneer best practice in eliminating discrimination in mental health care, Health Minister Rosie Winterton announced today.