Lansley plans NHS revolution
By politics.co.uk staff GPs are set to be handed swathes of responsibility for managing patient services as the coalition government turns its back on NHS administrators. An imminent health white paper is reportedly set to include plans to wind down primary care trusts, which currently organise service provision at the local level, and strategic health […]
‘Haphazard’ NHS cuts could damage care
By politics.co.uk staff The “haphazard” manner in which the government is introducing cuts to the health service could jeopardise care, the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned. The comments came from BMA chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum at the start of the group’s annual conference. A poll of 300 branches yielded only 92 responses, the group […]
Lansley admits NHS ‘uncertainty’
By politics.co.uk staff Health secretary Andrew Lansley has acknowledged there will be “uncertainty” in the NHS as he makes “tough choices” in coming years. The Department of Health’s funding was ringfenced in chancellor George Osborne’s emergency Budget, leaving funding increasing in every year of this parliament. That decision means average departmental budget cuts have increased […]
Ring-fencing health and aid ‘unsustainable’
By politics.co.uk staff The government’s plans to protect health and aid budgets have been attacked as unjustified by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The business body fears the move will damage the economic recovery by causing more drastic cuts to capital investment in other areas. Its Budget submission points out that in Canada, where […]
Mid-Staffordshire inquiry ordered
By Alex Stevenson Health secretary Andrew Lansley has ordered a full public inquiry into the unnecessary deaths of up to 1,200 people at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. The inquiry will take place under the Inquiries Act 2005, a key demand of campaigners. It means witnesses will be compelled to attend and give evidence under oath. […]
Hospitals face readmission crackdown
By politics.co.uk staff NHS hospitals will be made responsible for patients for 30 days after they are discharged, Andrew Lansley will announce later. The health secretary will use his first major speech since entering the Department of Health (DoH) to unveil a change to the way hospitals deal with emergency patients. Under the Labour government […]
SNP anger at Labour’s ‘£1.1bn PFI legacy’
By politics.co.uk staff The Scottish nationalists have been left gnashing their teeth as they contemplated a £1.1 billion NHS bill left to them by the Labour government. Across Scotland private finance initiatives will cost £1.1 billion over the course of the current parliament, nearly the full total of the capital cost of NHS buildings built […]
Lansley: NHS savings will be reinvested
By politics.co.uk staff New health secretary Andrew Lansley has said NHS spending will continue to rise in real terms – but that efficiency savings will still be required. Mr Lansley said NHS spending could not continue to rise above inflation by the six or seven per cent rates seen under New Labour. He said cuts […]
Stafford NHS campaigners go national
By Alex Stevenson A small group of campaigners who have sought change at Stafford hospital are launching a bid to help others set up similar pressure groups. Cure The NHS was founded two years ago after the first revelations about poor standards at Mid-Staffordshire primary care trust emerged. Its founder, Julie Bailey, and a group […]
Clegg: Empower the nurses
By politics.co.uk staff The Liberal Democrats have set out their plans for the NHS today, with calls for nurses to be given greater power within the health service. Speaking at the Royal College of Nursing’s (RCN) conference in Bournemouth this afternoon, Mr Clegg downplayed the ‘I love NHS’ Twitter campaign which exploded last summer. “I […]
