OBSCENE
Patients can pay for NHS surgery
Northampton General Hospital offers surgery to patients who pay
A financially-struggling hospital is offering patients the chance to pay up to £6,000 to avoid waiting for surgery.
The local hospital trust has run out of cash to perform the operations at Northampton General Hospital.
Instead, patients who can provide the money can avoid waiting four months for treatments such as hip replacements, which cost around £6,000.
The move has been criticised by the Department of Health, which described it as "completely unacceptable".
Thursday, January 11, 2007
One year to save NHS, doctors say
There is just one year left to save the NHS, doctors' leaders warn.
Deficits and the end of record budget rises in 2008 mean the clock is ticking to get the NHS in order, the British Medical Association chairman said.
James Johnson said the public would not understand why cuts were being made once spending was up to the level of the top-spending European countries.
And he said questions may even be asked about how the health system is funded if the problems are not resolved.
But the government has maintained reforms are improving the NHS and the funding problems will be resolved this year.
Over recent years the NHS has been enjoying yearly budget rises of over 7%. Next year that is likely to return to a figure of slightly above inflation.
But Mr Johnson said the NHS was not currently in the position one might expect after years of extra investment.
An awful lot of trusts were in "quite dire financial straits", very big savings were having to be made and people were hearing about wards standing empty and operating theatres not being used, he said.
Mr Johnson also warned that poor workforce planning by the government meant some doctors may be forced to go abroad for work.
Last week a leaked Department of Health document predicted an excess of more than 3,000 consultants in the NHS by 2010/11 that the service could not afford to pay.
Mr Johnson said it was a "disastrous waste of public money" to train doctors only for them to go overseas.
"The whole situation demonstrates an appalling lack of workforce planning.
"It costs around £250,000 to train a doctor plus many more years of specialist training.
"If juniors cannot secure suitable jobs in the future within the NHS they may look overseas for employment. What a disastrous waste of public money."
Questions
And he suggested questions may be asked over whether the NHS continues to provide everything or if people needed to contribute towards their treatment - although this was not BMA policy.
"Don't assume there's anything automatic about the system we have at the moment continuing into perpetuity."
And he added he was very worried that the public health system was "going down the tube".
He said the recent reorganisation of local health trusts, which had seen the number halved to about 150, had seen many public health doctors lose their jobs.
"This will start to hit the drive to tackle obesity, smoking and sexually transmitted disease. All the sort of things we should be doing to prevent ill-health."
There is just one year left to save the NHS, doctors' leaders warn.
Deficits and the end of record budget rises in 2008 mean the clock is ticking to get the NHS in order, the British Medical Association chairman said.
James Johnson said the public would not understand why cuts were being made once spending was up to the level of the top-spending European countries.
And he said questions may even be asked about how the health system is funded if the problems are not resolved.
But the government has maintained reforms are improving the NHS and the funding problems will be resolved this year.
Over recent years the NHS has been enjoying yearly budget rises of over 7%. Next year that is likely to return to a figure of slightly above inflation.
But Mr Johnson said the NHS was not currently in the position one might expect after years of extra investment.
An awful lot of trusts were in "quite dire financial straits", very big savings were having to be made and people were hearing about wards standing empty and operating theatres not being used, he said.
Mr Johnson also warned that poor workforce planning by the government meant some doctors may be forced to go abroad for work.
Last week a leaked Department of Health document predicted an excess of more than 3,000 consultants in the NHS by 2010/11 that the service could not afford to pay.
Mr Johnson said it was a "disastrous waste of public money" to train doctors only for them to go overseas.
"The whole situation demonstrates an appalling lack of workforce planning.
"It costs around £250,000 to train a doctor plus many more years of specialist training.
"If juniors cannot secure suitable jobs in the future within the NHS they may look overseas for employment. What a disastrous waste of public money."
Questions
And he suggested questions may be asked over whether the NHS continues to provide everything or if people needed to contribute towards their treatment - although this was not BMA policy.
"Don't assume there's anything automatic about the system we have at the moment continuing into perpetuity."
And he added he was very worried that the public health system was "going down the tube".
He said the recent reorganisation of local health trusts, which had seen the number halved to about 150, had seen many public health doctors lose their jobs.
"This will start to hit the drive to tackle obesity, smoking and sexually transmitted disease. All the sort of things we should be doing to prevent ill-health."
Sir Gerry: NHS 'not a business'
Businessman Sir Gerry Robinson has said the NHS should not be treated like a normal business and managers should be allowed to do their jobs properly.
Sir Gerry, the star of a recent BBC TV series to try to cut waiting lists at one hospital, debated the issue with NHS chief executive David Nicholson.
Sir Gerry told BBC's Newsnight he would also look at the amount of money spent on the new NHS computer system.
Mr Nicholson said poor management in some hospitals needed to be addressed.
Treble managers' salaries
Sir Gerry, one of the UK's most successful businessmen, was given the task of cutting waiting
lists at one hospital within six months - with no extra cash - in BBC Two's Can Gerry Robinson
Fix the NHS?
One of his solutions was to treble the salaries of NHS managers.
He told Newsnight: "What other organisation that employs a million people would not genuinely go out and pay the money that it takes to get the very, very best people to run it?
"Why wouldn't you do it when the cost of that money is a row of beans by comparison to the money we spend, £100bn a year we spend, on the service. Of course you'd do that."
Mr Nicholson said there was a question over way some managers dealt with clinical staff.
"In lot and lots of hospitals they're managed extraordinarily well, the relationship between clinicians and managers works very well, in some areas it doesn't and that needs to be tackled.
"You don't tackle it by sending people letters or shouting at them, you tackle it by engaging them in discussion."
'Simplify'
Sir Gerry said most consultants genuinely wanted to do the right thing for the NHS.
"What just didn't seem to be possible was for them to be able to do that... I've never come across it to quite such an extent before, that sense that you simply couldn't change it. That needs to change."
Sir Gerry said the huge size of the NHS was not necessarily a barrier to being able to run it efficiently.
"The NHS is not a business, for God's sake let's simplify the way we get the money down to the hospital, but still manage the hospital so we know whether the hospital is run well and if it's not something happens about it very quickly."
Mr Nicholson said most hospitals had a good management system
He said improving the NHS was not down to constant new initiatives being provided by government.
"I would love to see government pulled out of the equation as much as possible frankly, and
David and his team allowed to get on with it.,"
Mr Nicholson said there needed to a consistency of purpose across the NHS, allowing managers the freedom to make changes at a local level.
"I can't possibly manage the NHS from Whitehall, but what I can do is create an environment where clinicians and managers can work together.
He said the NHS's budget had grown by a third in the last five years, which it received because of the political process, so it was important the system still engaged with the government.
THIS IS REALLY AN EXTENSION OF THE RADIO INTERVIEW ON RADIO 5 LIVE FROM TUESDAY THIS WEEK IT CAN BE HEARD AGAIN OR DOWNLOADED FROM
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/fivelive/thedailymayo/thedailymayo_20070109-1700_40_st.mp3
IN THE INTERVIEW SIR GERRY REALLY SAYS WHAT MOST OF THE NHS STAFF
AND THE PUBLIC ALREADY KNOW AND THE GOVERNMENT AND NHS ACCOUNTANTS AND THEIR ALLIED STAFF DON'T WANT TO ADMIT - WHERE MONEY IS BEING SQUANDERED AND WHERE THE SERVICE CAN BE MADE MORE EFFICIENT AND FIT FOR THE MODERN WORLD, WITH THIS IN PLACE "CARE CLOSER TO HOME" IS A POINTLESS AND CASH GUZZELING EXERCISE BUT THE CONCLUSION IS DON'T CUT SERVICES AND KEEP HOSPITALS OPEN, JUST REMOVE THE UNECESSARY RED TAPE AND FIGURE PROCESSING ,
SIR GERRY SAYS THE NHS
IS NOT A BUSINESS, IT A A SERVICE AND A PERSONAL ONE AT THAT.............ENOUGH SAID
Businessman Sir Gerry Robinson has said the NHS should not be treated like a normal business and managers should be allowed to do their jobs properly.
Sir Gerry, the star of a recent BBC TV series to try to cut waiting lists at one hospital, debated the issue with NHS chief executive David Nicholson.
Sir Gerry told BBC's Newsnight he would also look at the amount of money spent on the new NHS computer system.
Mr Nicholson said poor management in some hospitals needed to be addressed.
Treble managers' salaries
Sir Gerry, one of the UK's most successful businessmen, was given the task of cutting waiting
lists at one hospital within six months - with no extra cash - in BBC Two's Can Gerry Robinson
Fix the NHS?
One of his solutions was to treble the salaries of NHS managers.
He told Newsnight: "What other organisation that employs a million people would not genuinely go out and pay the money that it takes to get the very, very best people to run it?
"Why wouldn't you do it when the cost of that money is a row of beans by comparison to the money we spend, £100bn a year we spend, on the service. Of course you'd do that."
Mr Nicholson said there was a question over way some managers dealt with clinical staff.
"In lot and lots of hospitals they're managed extraordinarily well, the relationship between clinicians and managers works very well, in some areas it doesn't and that needs to be tackled.
"You don't tackle it by sending people letters or shouting at them, you tackle it by engaging them in discussion."
'Simplify'
Sir Gerry said most consultants genuinely wanted to do the right thing for the NHS.
"What just didn't seem to be possible was for them to be able to do that... I've never come across it to quite such an extent before, that sense that you simply couldn't change it. That needs to change."
Sir Gerry said the huge size of the NHS was not necessarily a barrier to being able to run it efficiently.
"The NHS is not a business, for God's sake let's simplify the way we get the money down to the hospital, but still manage the hospital so we know whether the hospital is run well and if it's not something happens about it very quickly."
Mr Nicholson said most hospitals had a good management system
He said improving the NHS was not down to constant new initiatives being provided by government.
"I would love to see government pulled out of the equation as much as possible frankly, and
David and his team allowed to get on with it.,"
Mr Nicholson said there needed to a consistency of purpose across the NHS, allowing managers the freedom to make changes at a local level.
"I can't possibly manage the NHS from Whitehall, but what I can do is create an environment where clinicians and managers can work together.
He said the NHS's budget had grown by a third in the last five years, which it received because of the political process, so it was important the system still engaged with the government.
THIS IS REALLY AN EXTENSION OF THE RADIO INTERVIEW ON RADIO 5 LIVE FROM TUESDAY THIS WEEK IT CAN BE HEARD AGAIN OR DOWNLOADED FROM
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/fivelive/thedailymayo/thedailymayo_20070109-1700_40_st.mp3
IN THE INTERVIEW SIR GERRY REALLY SAYS WHAT MOST OF THE NHS STAFF
AND THE PUBLIC ALREADY KNOW AND THE GOVERNMENT AND NHS ACCOUNTANTS AND THEIR ALLIED STAFF DON'T WANT TO ADMIT - WHERE MONEY IS BEING SQUANDERED AND WHERE THE SERVICE CAN BE MADE MORE EFFICIENT AND FIT FOR THE MODERN WORLD, WITH THIS IN PLACE "CARE CLOSER TO HOME" IS A POINTLESS AND CASH GUZZELING EXERCISE BUT THE CONCLUSION IS DON'T CUT SERVICES AND KEEP HOSPITALS OPEN, JUST REMOVE THE UNECESSARY RED TAPE AND FIGURE PROCESSING ,
SIR GERRY SAYS THE NHS
IS NOT A BUSINESS, IT A A SERVICE AND A PERSONAL ONE AT THAT.............ENOUGH SAID
Safety changes 'neglected by GPs'
There is concern for patient safety
Reforms to improve the quality and safety of NHS care are not hitting home in GP surgeries,
says a report from the National Audit Office.
It says many have not implemented 'clinical governance' systems found elsewhere in the health service.
Edward Leigh MP, chairman of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, said the current shake-up of primary care trusts should address this.
Health Minister Lord Hunt said a new 'quality framework' for GPs would help.
This once again shows that patient safety is still too far down the NHS agenda
Clinical governance was first introduced in 1998 as a way to drive improvements in the care offered by hospitals, GP practices and pharmacies.
No reporting
In a survey of GPs, three quarters admitted that they did not report "adverse incidents" - events which either did or might have caused harm to patients - to the National Patient Safety Agency, a central plank of clinical governance.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, said: "Good clinical governance is essential if patients and the public are to have greater confidence in the NHS.
"Whilst Primary Care Trusts have made good progress in getting structures and processes in place, there has been less progress in actually implementing the fundamental components of clinical governance, particularly patient and public involvement."
Mr Leigh said: "Many primary care organisations have demonstrated limited progress in implementing the Department of Health's clinical governance agenda.
"This once again shows that patient safety is still too far down the NHS agenda.
"Most NHS organisations that provide or commission primary healthcare services have systems and processes in place to give assurance that the services provided by GPs, pharmacists and others are safe and of good quality.
"But that is a fat lot of good when they all too often fail to apply these systems and processes in practice."
IF THIS REPORT IS 100% FACTUAL THEN THE NEW "CARE CLOSER TO HOME" SYSTEM BEING PILOTED BY LORD WARNER & HIS BAND OF ASSOCIATES IS JUST NOT SAFE AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS, ALWAYS CHOOSE OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL WHICH IS A CLINICALY SAFE ENVIRONMENT, LETS PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE, YOU HAVE A TREATMENT DONE AT HOME & AN ERROR IS MADE (YOU COULD BE UNAWARE AS A PATIENT) AND IS NOT REPORTED THROUGH THE CLINICAL GOVERNANCE SYSTEM AND THERE ARE COMPLICATIONS OF SOME SORT.......................WHY WAS THIS NOT REPORTED?, WHO TAKES THE BLAME?
SO IN ESSENCE CHOOSE YOUR HOSPITAL NOT YOUR HOME OR G.P SURGERY FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY
There is concern for patient safety
Reforms to improve the quality and safety of NHS care are not hitting home in GP surgeries,
says a report from the National Audit Office.
It says many have not implemented 'clinical governance' systems found elsewhere in the health service.
Edward Leigh MP, chairman of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, said the current shake-up of primary care trusts should address this.
Health Minister Lord Hunt said a new 'quality framework' for GPs would help.
This once again shows that patient safety is still too far down the NHS agenda
Clinical governance was first introduced in 1998 as a way to drive improvements in the care offered by hospitals, GP practices and pharmacies.
No reporting
In a survey of GPs, three quarters admitted that they did not report "adverse incidents" - events which either did or might have caused harm to patients - to the National Patient Safety Agency, a central plank of clinical governance.
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, said: "Good clinical governance is essential if patients and the public are to have greater confidence in the NHS.
"Whilst Primary Care Trusts have made good progress in getting structures and processes in place, there has been less progress in actually implementing the fundamental components of clinical governance, particularly patient and public involvement."
Mr Leigh said: "Many primary care organisations have demonstrated limited progress in implementing the Department of Health's clinical governance agenda.
"This once again shows that patient safety is still too far down the NHS agenda.
"Most NHS organisations that provide or commission primary healthcare services have systems and processes in place to give assurance that the services provided by GPs, pharmacists and others are safe and of good quality.
"But that is a fat lot of good when they all too often fail to apply these systems and processes in practice."
IF THIS REPORT IS 100% FACTUAL THEN THE NEW "CARE CLOSER TO HOME" SYSTEM BEING PILOTED BY LORD WARNER & HIS BAND OF ASSOCIATES IS JUST NOT SAFE AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS, ALWAYS CHOOSE OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL WHICH IS A CLINICALY SAFE ENVIRONMENT, LETS PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE, YOU HAVE A TREATMENT DONE AT HOME & AN ERROR IS MADE (YOU COULD BE UNAWARE AS A PATIENT) AND IS NOT REPORTED THROUGH THE CLINICAL GOVERNANCE SYSTEM AND THERE ARE COMPLICATIONS OF SOME SORT.......................WHY WAS THIS NOT REPORTED?, WHO TAKES THE BLAME?
SO IN ESSENCE CHOOSE YOUR HOSPITAL NOT YOUR HOME OR G.P SURGERY FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
NHS trust debt prompts cutbacks
North Yorkshire's health care bosses have approved cost-cutting measures to clear a £45m debt.
The North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust is the most overspent organisation in the NHS.
At a meeting in Harrogate on Tuesday managers decided on plans to cut debts within the next three months.
They agreed to measures including some hospitals refusing to treat "trivial" cases in casualty, and delaying some patients' non-urgent operations.
"It's inevitable that these proposals will cause some concern and unhappiness, what we are doing is looking to slow down some areas of activity, and in a small minority of cases, some patients will wait longer for their treatment or surgery."
Cases reviewed
some patients waiting for non-urgent procedures such as the placement of ear grommets could find their cases being reviewed.
"It depends on the urgency of the case and the view of the GP or referring clinician and certainly the primary care trust is going to put in place an exceptions panel to consider all patient cases based on the individual details for that patient."
THIS IS HAPPENING HERE IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE, THE PCT IS HEAVILY IN DEBT AND THERE IS NO CLEAR WATER AHEAD WITH THE CURRENT SPENDING PLANS UNLESS YOU AND I THE "CUSTOMER" LOSE OUT ON TREATMENT, MUCH OF IT ESSENTIAL, I MYSELF HAVE BEEN REFUSED TREATMENT RECENTLY BY A TICK OFF PROCESS, AFTER REVISITING MY G.P I HAVE BEEN RE REFERRED DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF MY CASE.........................
North Yorkshire's health care bosses have approved cost-cutting measures to clear a £45m debt.
The North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust is the most overspent organisation in the NHS.
At a meeting in Harrogate on Tuesday managers decided on plans to cut debts within the next three months.
They agreed to measures including some hospitals refusing to treat "trivial" cases in casualty, and delaying some patients' non-urgent operations.
"It's inevitable that these proposals will cause some concern and unhappiness, what we are doing is looking to slow down some areas of activity, and in a small minority of cases, some patients will wait longer for their treatment or surgery."
Cases reviewed
some patients waiting for non-urgent procedures such as the placement of ear grommets could find their cases being reviewed.
"It depends on the urgency of the case and the view of the GP or referring clinician and certainly the primary care trust is going to put in place an exceptions panel to consider all patient cases based on the individual details for that patient."
THIS IS HAPPENING HERE IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE, THE PCT IS HEAVILY IN DEBT AND THERE IS NO CLEAR WATER AHEAD WITH THE CURRENT SPENDING PLANS UNLESS YOU AND I THE "CUSTOMER" LOSE OUT ON TREATMENT, MUCH OF IT ESSENTIAL, I MYSELF HAVE BEEN REFUSED TREATMENT RECENTLY BY A TICK OFF PROCESS, AFTER REVISITING MY G.P I HAVE BEEN RE REFERRED DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF MY CASE.........................
Monday, January 08, 2007
Maternity cuts 'a risk to care'
The government has promised mothers choice by 2009
Maternity services are being pared back, putting the care of women at risk, midwives say.
Staff are being cut and training funds raided as the NHS racks up debts, the Royal College of Midwives reported.
A poll of 102 out of 216 department heads found two thirds thought their units were understaffed and one in five had lost staff in the last year.
The midwives who responded to the survey reported that 66% of their trusts were in deficit in 2005-6.
Of those who had lost staff, the average decrease was 3.5%, with evidence emerging trusts were increasingly relying on maternity support workers, who are not qualified midwives, to fill the gaps.
The college also found trusts were cutting training budgets, with one in five reporting the entire funds had gone and a similar number saying three quarters had gone.
The results come at a time when the government has pledged to improve access to services.
Ministers have promised that by 2009 women will have a choice of where they give birth and have a named individual midwife to care for her.
But the college said the country's 40,000 midwives were struggling to provide good care
ENOUGH SAID, MASSAGING BUDGETS TO SUIT AN END
THIS IS WHY HANDS FOR HINCHINGBROOKE HAS BEEN SET UP TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MATERNITY AND TO KEEP THIS HIGHLY REGARD AND HIGHLY TRAINED UNIT WHICH IS KNOWN FOR IT'S SAFETY RECORD, OPEN AND FULLY FUNDED AND WITH THE CHOICE AS TO WHERE TO GIVE BIRTH IN 2009 WE NEED TO KEEP THIS UNIT OPEN TO ALLOW MUM AND MUM'S TO BE TO HAVE A REAL CHOICE AND TO BE TREATED IN PERSONAL SURROUNDINGS AND BY HIGHLT TRAINED STAFF BOTH IN AND OUT OF HOSPITAL
The government has promised mothers choice by 2009
Maternity services are being pared back, putting the care of women at risk, midwives say.
Staff are being cut and training funds raided as the NHS racks up debts, the Royal College of Midwives reported.
A poll of 102 out of 216 department heads found two thirds thought their units were understaffed and one in five had lost staff in the last year.
The midwives who responded to the survey reported that 66% of their trusts were in deficit in 2005-6.
Of those who had lost staff, the average decrease was 3.5%, with evidence emerging trusts were increasingly relying on maternity support workers, who are not qualified midwives, to fill the gaps.
The college also found trusts were cutting training budgets, with one in five reporting the entire funds had gone and a similar number saying three quarters had gone.
The results come at a time when the government has pledged to improve access to services.
Ministers have promised that by 2009 women will have a choice of where they give birth and have a named individual midwife to care for her.
But the college said the country's 40,000 midwives were struggling to provide good care
ENOUGH SAID, MASSAGING BUDGETS TO SUIT AN END
THIS IS WHY HANDS FOR HINCHINGBROOKE HAS BEEN SET UP TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MATERNITY AND TO KEEP THIS HIGHLY REGARD AND HIGHLY TRAINED UNIT WHICH IS KNOWN FOR IT'S SAFETY RECORD, OPEN AND FULLY FUNDED AND WITH THE CHOICE AS TO WHERE TO GIVE BIRTH IN 2009 WE NEED TO KEEP THIS UNIT OPEN TO ALLOW MUM AND MUM'S TO BE TO HAVE A REAL CHOICE AND TO BE TREATED IN PERSONAL SURROUNDINGS AND BY HIGHLT TRAINED STAFF BOTH IN AND OUT OF HOSPITAL
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Slash & Burn
"NHS 'on track' to balance books"
The NHS is "on track" to break even within three months but jobs will be cut, the health secretary has said.
Patricia Hewitt did not specify how many redundancies there would be However, there would "some reduction" in jobs for administrators, although staff retiring or moving to other areas could account for some of the decrease.
The NHS ended the financial year 2005-06 more than £500m overdrawn.
Ms Hewitt said she was "confident" of the NHS balancing its books.
"I have made it clear that we do need to get the NHS back into financial balance by the end of March," she said
WELL THIS WILL ONLY BE DONE BY JIGGERY POKERY AND MANIPULATION OF FIGURES TO SUIT WITH NO CARE ABOUT PATIENTS
"NHS 'on track' to balance books"
The NHS is "on track" to break even within three months but jobs will be cut, the health secretary has said.
Patricia Hewitt did not specify how many redundancies there would be However, there would "some reduction" in jobs for administrators, although staff retiring or moving to other areas could account for some of the decrease.
The NHS ended the financial year 2005-06 more than £500m overdrawn.
Ms Hewitt said she was "confident" of the NHS balancing its books.
"I have made it clear that we do need to get the NHS back into financial balance by the end of March," she said
WELL THIS WILL ONLY BE DONE BY JIGGERY POKERY AND MANIPULATION OF FIGURES TO SUIT WITH NO CARE ABOUT PATIENTS
Call for shorter hospital stays
Keeping patients in hospital too long takes up the equivalent of 13,000 beds a year and costs £1bn, a think-tank has estimated.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) says the bed space and money could be saved if more care was provided outside hospital.
Cutting the number of locations where specialist services are offered would also help, it said.
The Department of Health said parts of the NHS could be more efficient.
The IPPR report uses figures from the independent NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement, with additional analysis by Dr Foster Intelligence.
THE GOVERNMENTS BIG BUDDIES ARE AT IT AGAIN - DROPPING THIS INTO THE MIX WHILE THE CARE CLOSER TO HOME PILOT'S ARE BEING RUN PRIOR TO THE STEERING GROUPS REPORT TO LORD WARNER
THIS SOUND'S OKAY IN PRACTICE BUT IN REALITY CARE IN THE COMMUNITY IN IT'S CURRENT FORMAT IS GROSSLY UNDERFUNDED AND SHOULD THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PUSH MORE INTO THIS AREA THEN WHO WILL GUARANTEE THE CORRECT FUNDING FOR THIS?
IF YOU, USING THE VISION OF THE LOCAL PCT & THE DOH, PUT MORE CARE OR WHAT SHOULD BE CALLED TREATMENT INTO THE COMMUNITY THEN THERE HAVE TO BE THE
EXTRA COSTS AND RISKS ASSESSED, YOU WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE VEHICLES FOR PRACTITIONERS, IF THEY WERE NOT PAID TO USE THEIR OWN, SO MORE TRAFFIC ON BRITAIN'S ALREADY CONGESTED ROADS, PROVIDE MOBILE COMMUNICATION FOR LONE WORKER SAFETY,
AGREE THE
AMOUNT OF VISITS PER DAY FOR EACH PRACTITIONER, BE AWARE OF RISKS FOR
THE SAFETY OF THESE PRACTITIONERS OF THEY ARE CARRYING DRUGS OR MEDICAL SUPPLIES SO THIS IS JUST THE START OF IT THERE MUST BE MORE CLINICAL ISSUES THAT THE MEDICAL WORKERS CAN IDENTIFY AS PROBLEM AREAS BUT THE CRUX OF THE MATTER IS...............WHERE IS THE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR THIS OR IS IT JUST ANOTHER SMOKE SCREEN AND GOAL POST MOVING EXERCISE TO MASSAGE THE BOOKS TO ALLOW MINISTERS AND THE GOVERNMENT TO LOOK GOOD IN THE EYE'S OF THE PUBLIC?
MAKE YOUR OWN MINDS UP BUT REMEMBER IT'S YOUR CHOICE AS TO WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR TREATMENT, ACT NOW BEFORE THEY CLOSE THESE BUILDINGS SO THAT YOU CAN ONLY HAVE YOUR TREATMENT DONE IN THE G.P'S OR IN YOUR OWN HOME
Keeping patients in hospital too long takes up the equivalent of 13,000 beds a year and costs £1bn, a think-tank has estimated.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) says the bed space and money could be saved if more care was provided outside hospital.
Cutting the number of locations where specialist services are offered would also help, it said.
The Department of Health said parts of the NHS could be more efficient.
The IPPR report uses figures from the independent NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement, with additional analysis by Dr Foster Intelligence.
THE GOVERNMENTS BIG BUDDIES ARE AT IT AGAIN - DROPPING THIS INTO THE MIX WHILE THE CARE CLOSER TO HOME PILOT'S ARE BEING RUN PRIOR TO THE STEERING GROUPS REPORT TO LORD WARNER
THIS SOUND'S OKAY IN PRACTICE BUT IN REALITY CARE IN THE COMMUNITY IN IT'S CURRENT FORMAT IS GROSSLY UNDERFUNDED AND SHOULD THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PUSH MORE INTO THIS AREA THEN WHO WILL GUARANTEE THE CORRECT FUNDING FOR THIS?
IF YOU, USING THE VISION OF THE LOCAL PCT & THE DOH, PUT MORE CARE OR WHAT SHOULD BE CALLED TREATMENT INTO THE COMMUNITY THEN THERE HAVE TO BE THE
EXTRA COSTS AND RISKS ASSESSED, YOU WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE VEHICLES FOR PRACTITIONERS, IF THEY WERE NOT PAID TO USE THEIR OWN, SO MORE TRAFFIC ON BRITAIN'S ALREADY CONGESTED ROADS, PROVIDE MOBILE COMMUNICATION FOR LONE WORKER SAFETY,
AGREE THE
AMOUNT OF VISITS PER DAY FOR EACH PRACTITIONER, BE AWARE OF RISKS FOR
THE SAFETY OF THESE PRACTITIONERS OF THEY ARE CARRYING DRUGS OR MEDICAL SUPPLIES SO THIS IS JUST THE START OF IT THERE MUST BE MORE CLINICAL ISSUES THAT THE MEDICAL WORKERS CAN IDENTIFY AS PROBLEM AREAS BUT THE CRUX OF THE MATTER IS...............WHERE IS THE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR THIS OR IS IT JUST ANOTHER SMOKE SCREEN AND GOAL POST MOVING EXERCISE TO MASSAGE THE BOOKS TO ALLOW MINISTERS AND THE GOVERNMENT TO LOOK GOOD IN THE EYE'S OF THE PUBLIC?
MAKE YOUR OWN MINDS UP BUT REMEMBER IT'S YOUR CHOICE AS TO WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR TREATMENT, ACT NOW BEFORE THEY CLOSE THESE BUILDINGS SO THAT YOU CAN ONLY HAVE YOUR TREATMENT DONE IN THE G.P'S OR IN YOUR OWN HOME
Saturday, January 06, 2007
NHS waiting lists are lowest ever
NHS waiting lists in England have fallen to an all-time low according to Department of Health figures.
Between October and November 2006, NHS inpatient waiting lists dropped by 8,000 to 769,000.
This meant the number of patients waiting for treatment was the lowest since the records began in 1987.
However, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb MP said the figures should be taken with a "strong note of caution".
He said: "The government's emphasis on bringing down waiting times above all else has pushed many hospitals into the red as they are forced to manipulate resources to meet strict targets.
"Patient care can also suffer as resources in some hospitals are diverted solely to meet waiting time targets."
IT IS NO WONDER THE LISTS HAVE BEEN CUT WHEN APPOINTMENTS ARE BEING CANCELLED AND G.P'S ARE NOT REFERRONG PATIENTS TO HOSPITALS -
MY OWN PRE ARRANGED APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED SO THE PROCESS TO GET REFERRED BEGINS AGAIN - YES ONE WAY OF MASSAGING FIGURES TO MAKE THE BOOKS LOOK GOOD BUT ON TOP OF THIS AND EMPLOYEE OF HINCHINGBROOKE HOSPITALS RELATIVE VISITED HER G.P AND WAS TOLD THAT SHE COULD NOT BE REFFERED TO HER LOCAL HOSPITAL - YET ANOTHER WAY TO CUT WAITING TIMES , NOT ALLOWING PATIENTS TO VISIT HOSPITALS, THIS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SHA DENIED IN PUBLIC THAT G.P'S WERE BEING NOT DIRECTED AS TO NOT TO REFER TO HINCHINGBROOKE, CLEARLY THIS IS UNTRUE AND A DIRECTIVE HAS BEEN ISSUED BY ONE DEPARTMENT, BE IT DOH, SHE OR THE NEW PCT - BUT WHO WILL OWN UP TO IT?
NHS waiting lists in England have fallen to an all-time low according to Department of Health figures.
Between October and November 2006, NHS inpatient waiting lists dropped by 8,000 to 769,000.
This meant the number of patients waiting for treatment was the lowest since the records began in 1987.
However, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb MP said the figures should be taken with a "strong note of caution".
He said: "The government's emphasis on bringing down waiting times above all else has pushed many hospitals into the red as they are forced to manipulate resources to meet strict targets.
"Patient care can also suffer as resources in some hospitals are diverted solely to meet waiting time targets."
IT IS NO WONDER THE LISTS HAVE BEEN CUT WHEN APPOINTMENTS ARE BEING CANCELLED AND G.P'S ARE NOT REFERRONG PATIENTS TO HOSPITALS -
MY OWN PRE ARRANGED APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED SO THE PROCESS TO GET REFERRED BEGINS AGAIN - YES ONE WAY OF MASSAGING FIGURES TO MAKE THE BOOKS LOOK GOOD BUT ON TOP OF THIS AND EMPLOYEE OF HINCHINGBROOKE HOSPITALS RELATIVE VISITED HER G.P AND WAS TOLD THAT SHE COULD NOT BE REFFERED TO HER LOCAL HOSPITAL - YET ANOTHER WAY TO CUT WAITING TIMES , NOT ALLOWING PATIENTS TO VISIT HOSPITALS, THIS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SHA DENIED IN PUBLIC THAT G.P'S WERE BEING NOT DIRECTED AS TO NOT TO REFER TO HINCHINGBROOKE, CLEARLY THIS IS UNTRUE AND A DIRECTIVE HAS BEEN ISSUED BY ONE DEPARTMENT, BE IT DOH, SHE OR THE NEW PCT - BUT WHO WILL OWN UP TO IT?
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Shortage of NHS staff predicted
Job cuts are proposed at NHS trusts across England
There will be a shortage of GPs and nurses in four years' time, but the NHS will have to shed hospital doctors, leaked government documents show.
The prediction of a shortfall of 14,000 nurses was included in the Department of Health paper, it was reported.
The strategy has been labelled a "yo-yo attitude" to planning. The leak comes amid news of extensive job cuts as the NHS tries to save money.
But the government said it was a "prudent and sensible" analysis.
The leaked documents were reported in the Health Service Journal.
The draft version of the NHS pay and workforce strategy for 2008 to 2011 for England showed the health service will experience a shortage of 1,200 GPs, 14,000 nurses and 1,100 junior and staff-grade doctors by 20
Job cuts are proposed at NHS trusts across England
There will be a shortage of GPs and nurses in four years' time, but the NHS will have to shed hospital doctors, leaked government documents show.
The prediction of a shortfall of 14,000 nurses was included in the Department of Health paper, it was reported.
The strategy has been labelled a "yo-yo attitude" to planning. The leak comes amid news of extensive job cuts as the NHS tries to save money.
But the government said it was a "prudent and sensible" analysis.
The leaked documents were reported in the Health Service Journal.
The draft version of the NHS pay and workforce strategy for 2008 to 2011 for England showed the health service will experience a shortage of 1,200 GPs, 14,000 nurses and 1,100 junior and staff-grade doctors by 20
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Doctors angry over 'op meddling'
Patients are referred to hospital via management referral centres
Doctors have criticised the increasing interference in the way patients are referred for surgery.
Over half of English GPs are being forced to use referral management centres which have been rolled out over the last two years.
The centres act as "middle-men" between GPs and hospitals by recommending where and when patients are treated.
But the British Medical Association said they were being used to ration care and create unnecessary red-tape.
The centres are manned by primary care trust staff, some of whom are not medically qualified.
A recent survey by doctor's magazine Pulse found 53% of GPs were having to use them to refer patients to hospital - in many of these cases they were being barred from naming the consultant they wanted their patient to see.
But a spokesman for the Department of Health said: "Referral management schemes should ensure NHS patients see the most appropriate clinician in the most convenient setting.
"These schemes must only be set up where they will benefit patients.
"The department has issued a wealth of guidance to ensure this message gets through to the NHS and trusts should be reviewing existing schemes to ensure they create put the patient first.
"If a patient needs to be referred to hospital then, clearly, they should be referred.
THIS IS VERY PERSONAL TO ME, I WAS REFERED BY MY G.P BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND I WENT THROUGH THE CHOOSE & BOOK SYSTEM (TOTALLY FLAWED) AND TODAY 3RD JANUARY 2007, 12 DAYS BEFORE THE AGREED APPOINTMENT I TOOK A CALL FROM MY G.P SURGERY INFORMING ME THAT THE APPOINTMENT HAD BEEN CANCELLED, THE LADY DID SAY THAT SHE WILL ASKING THE G.P TO FOLLOW THIS UP, THE REASON GIVEN - "THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REFERAL CRITERIA" - MORE PCT MEDDLING?, DOH MEDDLING OR SHA MEDDLING, JUST GOES TO PROVE THAT THE SUGGESTIONS OF G.P'S BEING INSTRUCTED AS TO NOT TO REFER TO HINCHINGBROOKE (REFUTED BY THE SHA) IS ENTIRELY TRUE.......
Patients are referred to hospital via management referral centres
Doctors have criticised the increasing interference in the way patients are referred for surgery.
Over half of English GPs are being forced to use referral management centres which have been rolled out over the last two years.
The centres act as "middle-men" between GPs and hospitals by recommending where and when patients are treated.
But the British Medical Association said they were being used to ration care and create unnecessary red-tape.
The centres are manned by primary care trust staff, some of whom are not medically qualified.
A recent survey by doctor's magazine Pulse found 53% of GPs were having to use them to refer patients to hospital - in many of these cases they were being barred from naming the consultant they wanted their patient to see.
But a spokesman for the Department of Health said: "Referral management schemes should ensure NHS patients see the most appropriate clinician in the most convenient setting.
"These schemes must only be set up where they will benefit patients.
"The department has issued a wealth of guidance to ensure this message gets through to the NHS and trusts should be reviewing existing schemes to ensure they create put the patient first.
"If a patient needs to be referred to hospital then, clearly, they should be referred.
THIS IS VERY PERSONAL TO ME, I WAS REFERED BY MY G.P BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND I WENT THROUGH THE CHOOSE & BOOK SYSTEM (TOTALLY FLAWED) AND TODAY 3RD JANUARY 2007, 12 DAYS BEFORE THE AGREED APPOINTMENT I TOOK A CALL FROM MY G.P SURGERY INFORMING ME THAT THE APPOINTMENT HAD BEEN CANCELLED, THE LADY DID SAY THAT SHE WILL ASKING THE G.P TO FOLLOW THIS UP, THE REASON GIVEN - "THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REFERAL CRITERIA" - MORE PCT MEDDLING?, DOH MEDDLING OR SHA MEDDLING, JUST GOES TO PROVE THAT THE SUGGESTIONS OF G.P'S BEING INSTRUCTED AS TO NOT TO REFER TO HINCHINGBROOKE (REFUTED BY THE SHA) IS ENTIRELY TRUE.......
Controversy over child referrals
By Graham Satchell
BBC News
The NHS in Milton Keynes is in debt - by 18 million pounds at the last count.
GPs are concerned the initiative could put children at risk
Like many health authorities across the country, it's trying to save money.
But the way it's doing it is proving controversial.
GP's here have been sent a letter detailing the cost of referring children to the local hospital.
It asks whether any of this could be done more cost effectively.
The letter says the trust spent £1.5 million referring children to the local hospital last year
It points out that 79% were discharged within a day and goes on to say "this area of activity was one which was likely to achieve cost savings"
'Value for money'
The letter has horrified local GP Eric Rose.
For him it's a veiled threat to doctors to think twice before sending sick children to hospital.
Dr Rose says: "I think if you're fairly new to the job, you're impressionable, you're given the impression that you're referring unreasonably - you might think again."
"I think it's potentially dangerous. It would only take one child that should go to hospital not to be sent to hospital and for there to be a tragedy and I think there would be a lot of questions asked."
Parents at a local toddlers group were concerned. They thought a child should see a specialist if it was sick - and that money should not be a factor.
There are now fixed prices across the NHS for treating patients in hospital and health bosses in Milton Keynes think the local hospital is charging too much to see children.
IT BEGS THE QUESTION......................HAS A SIMILAR TACTIC BEEN APPLIED BY CAMBRIDGESHIRE PCT? - THE SHA SAY NO................BUT DO YOU KNOW DIFFERENT?
By Graham Satchell
BBC News
The NHS in Milton Keynes is in debt - by 18 million pounds at the last count.
GPs are concerned the initiative could put children at risk
Like many health authorities across the country, it's trying to save money.
But the way it's doing it is proving controversial.
GP's here have been sent a letter detailing the cost of referring children to the local hospital.
It asks whether any of this could be done more cost effectively.
The letter says the trust spent £1.5 million referring children to the local hospital last year
It points out that 79% were discharged within a day and goes on to say "this area of activity was one which was likely to achieve cost savings"
'Value for money'
The letter has horrified local GP Eric Rose.
For him it's a veiled threat to doctors to think twice before sending sick children to hospital.
Dr Rose says: "I think if you're fairly new to the job, you're impressionable, you're given the impression that you're referring unreasonably - you might think again."
"I think it's potentially dangerous. It would only take one child that should go to hospital not to be sent to hospital and for there to be a tragedy and I think there would be a lot of questions asked."
Parents at a local toddlers group were concerned. They thought a child should see a specialist if it was sick - and that money should not be a factor.
There are now fixed prices across the NHS for treating patients in hospital and health bosses in Milton Keynes think the local hospital is charging too much to see children.
IT BEGS THE QUESTION......................HAS A SIMILAR TACTIC BEEN APPLIED BY CAMBRIDGESHIRE PCT? - THE SHA SAY NO................BUT DO YOU KNOW DIFFERENT?
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Stomach pain leads calls to NHS
The service received seven million calls last year
Stomach and jaw pain dominated calls to the NHS Direct, the health service's telephone helpline over Christmas, statistics show.
Vomiting, toothache and diarrhoea were also among the top 10 reasons for calling the helpline in England.
Last year as a whole, the service received around seven million calls.
Over the Christmas period, it took a quarter of a million calls, while the busiest day was 30 December, when there were nearly 35,000 calls.
NO DISRESPECT FOR THIS "HANDS OFF SERVICE" BUT WHEN I HAVE CALLED NHS DIRECT PREVIOUSLY FOR AN ISSUE WITH STOMACH PAINS WITH MY WIFE, I WAS ADVISED IT WAS A STOMACH BUG AND WILL BE GONE
IN 24HRS, IT TURNED OUT THAT AFTER SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO HINCHINGBROOKE VIA AMBULANCE IN AGONY THAT SHE HAD A BURST OVARIAN CYST, SO THERE IS NO REAL ALTERNATIVE TO G.P'S & A&E AND IN THE ABSENCE OF LITTLE OR NO "OUT OF HOURS" ASSISTANCE WE ALL GO TO A&E
The service received seven million calls last year
Stomach and jaw pain dominated calls to the NHS Direct, the health service's telephone helpline over Christmas, statistics show.
Vomiting, toothache and diarrhoea were also among the top 10 reasons for calling the helpline in England.
Last year as a whole, the service received around seven million calls.
Over the Christmas period, it took a quarter of a million calls, while the busiest day was 30 December, when there were nearly 35,000 calls.
NO DISRESPECT FOR THIS "HANDS OFF SERVICE" BUT WHEN I HAVE CALLED NHS DIRECT PREVIOUSLY FOR AN ISSUE WITH STOMACH PAINS WITH MY WIFE, I WAS ADVISED IT WAS A STOMACH BUG AND WILL BE GONE
IN 24HRS, IT TURNED OUT THAT AFTER SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO HINCHINGBROOKE VIA AMBULANCE IN AGONY THAT SHE HAD A BURST OVARIAN CYST, SO THERE IS NO REAL ALTERNATIVE TO G.P'S & A&E AND IN THE ABSENCE OF LITTLE OR NO "OUT OF HOURS" ASSISTANCE WE ALL GO TO A&E
Generic Drug Fear
NHS patients face fake drug risk
Patients are being put at risk as counterfeiters target the NHS supply chain with fake drugs, regulators say.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned it is investigating twice as many counterfeit cases as it was five years ago.
The growth in fake drugs is said to be driven by huge demand for lifestyle medicines such as Viagra.
Counterfeits can be weaker doses of established drugs or medicines produced with substances
such as paint.
BEFORE GENERIC DRUGS ARE AGREED TO BE USED, THERE SHOULD BE AN INSPECTION PROCEEDURE IN PLACE, A LIFE COULD BE LOST IN THE QUEST TO CUT NHS BUDGETS, WHO WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT?
AS A REGULAR USER OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IT MAKES ONE VERY WARY OF THIS KIND OF APPROACH, WHY NOT STRIKE A DEAL WITH THE DRUG COMPANIES TO PROVIDE MEDICINES AT THE CORRECT PRICES RATHER THAN THE OVER INFLATED ONES THE NHS PAYS?
NHS patients face fake drug risk
Patients are being put at risk as counterfeiters target the NHS supply chain with fake drugs, regulators say.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned it is investigating twice as many counterfeit cases as it was five years ago.
The growth in fake drugs is said to be driven by huge demand for lifestyle medicines such as Viagra.
Counterfeits can be weaker doses of established drugs or medicines produced with substances
such as paint.
BEFORE GENERIC DRUGS ARE AGREED TO BE USED, THERE SHOULD BE AN INSPECTION PROCEEDURE IN PLACE, A LIFE COULD BE LOST IN THE QUEST TO CUT NHS BUDGETS, WHO WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT?
AS A REGULAR USER OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IT MAKES ONE VERY WARY OF THIS KIND OF APPROACH, WHY NOT STRIKE A DEAL WITH THE DRUG COMPANIES TO PROVIDE MEDICINES AT THE CORRECT PRICES RATHER THAN THE OVER INFLATED ONES THE NHS PAYS?
Doctors forReform Fact File
1. NHS managers increasing at three times rate of medical staff
2. The UK is now spending at more than the EU average on health
3. Average hospital waiting times are rising
4. Social insurance systems offer choice for all including poorest
5. Countries such as France or Germany have no waiting lists at all
6. There will still be a shortage of doctors in 2010
1. NHS managers increasing at three times rate of medical staff
2. The UK is now spending at more than the EU average on health
3. Average hospital waiting times are rising
4. Social insurance systems offer choice for all including poorest
5. Countries such as France or Germany have no waiting lists at all
6. There will still be a shortage of doctors in 2010
Doctors for Reform say....................
The NHS cannot meet public expectations today. It is highly unlikely that it will meet them tomorrow. Future generations will seek rapid access to care, greater choice and more information about their treatment. We need a healthcare system which is equal to rapidly rising costs and demand, and which enables professionals to retain the essential bond of trust with their patients.
The time has come to look at new ways to supply and fund healthcare. We believe that these core principles should underpin reform:
The fundamental NHS principle of care being universally and equitably available must remain.
The primacy of the doctor-patient relationship, which politicians have undermined, must be restored.
Management and administration must be more effective.
Politicians must be removed from the day-to-day running of the health service.
Patients must be able to exercise real informed choice about where, how and by whom they are treated.
There needs to be a proper and informed national debate on the choices ahead of us. The issues are beyond party politics and we believe that, as professionals, we will make a profound mistake if we leave this debate to politicians.
The NHS cannot meet public expectations today. It is highly unlikely that it will meet them tomorrow. Future generations will seek rapid access to care, greater choice and more information about their treatment. We need a healthcare system which is equal to rapidly rising costs and demand, and which enables professionals to retain the essential bond of trust with their patients.
The time has come to look at new ways to supply and fund healthcare. We believe that these core principles should underpin reform:
The fundamental NHS principle of care being universally and equitably available must remain.
The primacy of the doctor-patient relationship, which politicians have undermined, must be restored.
Management and administration must be more effective.
Politicians must be removed from the day-to-day running of the health service.
Patients must be able to exercise real informed choice about where, how and by whom they are treated.
There needs to be a proper and informed national debate on the choices ahead of us. The issues are beyond party politics and we believe that, as professionals, we will make a profound mistake if we leave this debate to politicians.
In December 2005, Reform published a study - Maternity services in the NHS, Reform, 2005 which showed that NHS maternity services are under considerable strain. Authored by two NHS obstetricians, an NHS midwife and a leading health economist, it warned that midwife hours are falling, consultant cover is inadequate and administrative burdens are rising. It showed that reform based on choice and diversity of provision would allow the development of networks of smaller modern units which would be more convenient for mothers and better able to cater for births of different levels of risk.
The report showed that the key trend of the last 30 years has been for NHS maternity units to become larger and more centralised. The largest English unit – Liverpool Maternity – delivers over 8,000 births per year
The current NHS funding system undermines the best units. Because funding does not follow the mother to a particular unit, the most popular units can find themselves with more patients but not greatly increased resources, leading, at worst, to an increase in clinical risk.
The reform principles of choice and diversity of provision would be just as beneficial for maternity services as they have proved in other areas of the NHS, such as elective care where waiting times have fallen and value for money has increased. Real choice for mothers would lead to a shift to smaller, more specialised units provided both by the NHS and the private sector.
The report showed that the key trend of the last 30 years has been for NHS maternity units to become larger and more centralised. The largest English unit – Liverpool Maternity – delivers over 8,000 births per year
The current NHS funding system undermines the best units. Because funding does not follow the mother to a particular unit, the most popular units can find themselves with more patients but not greatly increased resources, leading, at worst, to an increase in clinical risk.
The reform principles of choice and diversity of provision would be just as beneficial for maternity services as they have proved in other areas of the NHS, such as elective care where waiting times have fallen and value for money has increased. Real choice for mothers would lead to a shift to smaller, more specialised units provided both by the NHS and the private sector.
REFORM says..................
Health
The problems of British healthcare are not due to lack of resources. Recent spending increases have lifted Britain above the European average spending on healthcare and by 2008 Britain will
be spending at the levels of countries such as the Netherlands and France.
But despite some marginal improvements, such as a reduction in the longest waits for hospital treatment, standards of care remain far behind peer countries. Rather than a lack of resources,
the reason for poor performance lies in the structure of the National Health Service.
There are three steps to reforming healthcare:
Change the NHS mission statement, from maximising the health of the nation to focusing on individual patient need;
Liberate provision; and
Put spending power in the hands of patients.
Health
The problems of British healthcare are not due to lack of resources. Recent spending increases have lifted Britain above the European average spending on healthcare and by 2008 Britain will
be spending at the levels of countries such as the Netherlands and France.
But despite some marginal improvements, such as a reduction in the longest waits for hospital treatment, standards of care remain far behind peer countries. Rather than a lack of resources,
the reason for poor performance lies in the structure of the National Health Service.
There are three steps to reforming healthcare:
Change the NHS mission statement, from maximising the health of the nation to focusing on individual patient need;
Liberate provision; and
Put spending power in the hands of patients.
NHS 'facing make or break year'
Reconfiguration of services is proving controversial
Failure to tackle rising costs or to invest in modern services has put the long-term future of the NHS in England under threat, a report warns.
The study, by the think tank Reform, argues that the long-term strength of the NHS is weaker than two years ago, despite record levels of investment.
It calls for deficits to be written off, and for increased patient choice and competition to drive faster reform.
Thousands of people across the country have protested about reconfiguration of NHS services, which the government argues is needed to boost services, but which opponents fear will have the opposite effect.
A key problem was that the Department of Health had failed to control the spiralling long-term costs of manpower and infrastructure
As a result, some planned service reconfigurations were being driven by the need to reduce deficits.
The best way to proceed, the report argued, was to separate the issues.
First, deficits had to be written off, then measures introduced to ensure rigorous financial discipline, better value for money, and service reconfiguration based on the aim of increased patient choice.
Professor Bosanquet said: "The Department of Health has been so busy fire-fighting that it has not developed a process for getting real value.
"The beginning is the abolition of deficits to allow a fresh start; then investment in new services and competition can follow."
The spokesman for the DOH said the NHS would be in overall balance by the end of the current financial year, and would deliver a surplus by the end of 2007-08.
But he said there was no question of deficits being wiped out.
"It would be unfair for overspending organisations to bailed out by those that underspend."
AS CAN BE SEEN FROM THIS REPORT, THE ONLY SATISFACTORY WAY FORWARD IS TO WIPE THE DEBT AND START AGAIN AND TO RECONFIGURE SHOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE AND ACCORDING TO DOH WISHES INCLUDING DAY SURGERY (THAT PART IS CONTROVERSIAL AS DAY SURGERY IS THE REASON CITED FOR HINCHINGBROOKES FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
Reconfiguration of services is proving controversial
Failure to tackle rising costs or to invest in modern services has put the long-term future of the NHS in England under threat, a report warns.
The study, by the think tank Reform, argues that the long-term strength of the NHS is weaker than two years ago, despite record levels of investment.
It calls for deficits to be written off, and for increased patient choice and competition to drive faster reform.
Thousands of people across the country have protested about reconfiguration of NHS services, which the government argues is needed to boost services, but which opponents fear will have the opposite effect.
A key problem was that the Department of Health had failed to control the spiralling long-term costs of manpower and infrastructure
As a result, some planned service reconfigurations were being driven by the need to reduce deficits.
The best way to proceed, the report argued, was to separate the issues.
First, deficits had to be written off, then measures introduced to ensure rigorous financial discipline, better value for money, and service reconfiguration based on the aim of increased patient choice.
Professor Bosanquet said: "The Department of Health has been so busy fire-fighting that it has not developed a process for getting real value.
"The beginning is the abolition of deficits to allow a fresh start; then investment in new services and competition can follow."
The spokesman for the DOH said the NHS would be in overall balance by the end of the current financial year, and would deliver a surplus by the end of 2007-08.
But he said there was no question of deficits being wiped out.
"It would be unfair for overspending organisations to bailed out by those that underspend."
AS CAN BE SEEN FROM THIS REPORT, THE ONLY SATISFACTORY WAY FORWARD IS TO WIPE THE DEBT AND START AGAIN AND TO RECONFIGURE SHOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE AND ACCORDING TO DOH WISHES INCLUDING DAY SURGERY (THAT PART IS CONTROVERSIAL AS DAY SURGERY IS THE REASON CITED FOR HINCHINGBROOKES FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
Monday, January 01, 2007
Website checks two-day GP target
Patients should get an appointment within 48 hours
An MP has set up a website for people to report problems getting appointments with their GPs within the 48-hour national target.
Grant Shapps, Conservative MP for Welwyn Hatfield, is convinced many are not seen quickly - and that official statistics do not reflect this.
Since its launch earlier this month, the website - www.48hourgp.com - has received dozens of complaints.
THE PCT NEED TO SORT THIS OUT BEFORE TARGETING HOSPITAL'S AS A MEANS TO CUT THEIR WASTEFUL OPERATING COSTS
Patients should get an appointment within 48 hours
An MP has set up a website for people to report problems getting appointments with their GPs within the 48-hour national target.
Grant Shapps, Conservative MP for Welwyn Hatfield, is convinced many are not seen quickly - and that official statistics do not reflect this.
Since its launch earlier this month, the website - www.48hourgp.com - has received dozens of complaints.
THE PCT NEED TO SORT THIS OUT BEFORE TARGETING HOSPITAL'S AS A MEANS TO CUT THEIR WASTEFUL OPERATING COSTS
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