Brown dodges ‘death tax’ claims
By Alex Stevenson Gordon Brown avoided ruling out a compulsory inheritance tax levy to help fund his social care plans, amid intense criticism of his proposals. Prime minister’s questions was dominated by David Cameron’s questions on the issue, after the Tories accused Labour of planning to impose a uniform £20,000 ‘death tax’ in the party’s […]
Councillors unimpressed by Brown’s care plan
By Alex Stevenson An alliance of councillors from across the country has attacked Gordon Brown’s plans to expand care for the elderly. In a letter to the Times newspaper 70 councillors with responsibility for social care provision argue that his pledge to provide free domiciliary care for the most needy – around 250,000 – is […]
Analysis: ‘Death tax’ and the perils of spin
The Conservatives, as David Cameron knows too well, are like any other modern political party. The 24-hour news cycle often serves as an advantage. But it can quickly become a curse. By Alex Stevenson “We understand the pressure of the impatient 24-hour media and we will always fight our corner,” the Tory leader told attentive […]
Brown’s ‘death tax’ denied
By Alex Stevenson Plans to impose a £20,000 inheritance tax to help finance improved social care provision have been denied by the government. The Guardian newspaper had reported the levy was being considered as a replacement for the current system, whereby older people are forced to sell their homes to pay for care. Health secretary […]
Peers defeat social care challenge
By Alex Stevenson A former health minister’s attempt to derail the government’s proposals for free social care failed in the Lords last night, as consensus over the policy remains elusive. Lord Warner served in Tony Blair’s government but attacked the proposed free social care policy for those with high levels of need, which was initially […]
‘Child labour’ linked to NHS supplies
By politics.co.uk staff Not enough doctors realise the production of some NHS supplies involves child labour, the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned. It has launched a campaign seeking to make the fifth of doctors involved in procuring NHS supplies more aware of the ethical dimension of their choices. Eight out of ten doctors are […]
NHS incentive schemes ‘unlikely to succeed’
By Alexis Alison Introducing incentive schemes for NHS hospitals is unlikely to improve standards, University of York researchers have claimed. In an article published on the British Medical Journal’s website today, Alan Maynard and Karen Bloor express concern over the government’s proposal to use rewards and penalties in the current healthcare system. Modelled on what […]
English hospitals ‘offer better value’
By politics.co.uk staff English hospitals are more productive than those in the devolved regions, despite often having fewer staff per head of the population. Research by the Nuffield Trust over a ten-year-period found the NHS in England had fewer doctors, nurses and managers per capita, but still managed to accomplish more. The comparison was particularly […]
1 in 8 child prescriptions contain errors
By Ian Dunt One in eight prescriptions given to children contain errors, a startling new report has found. The report, published in the British Medical Journal, showed mistakes being made in a high number of drug treatments given to children in hospital, both in prescription and administering the medicine. Pharmacists reviewed almost 3,000 prescriptions intended […]
New nurses will need degrees by 2013
By politics.co.uk staff All National Health Service nurses will be required to complete a degree before beginning work within four years, the Department of Health (DoH) has announced. The major reform to the NHS has been introduced in a bid to improve the standard of practice provided by Britain’s 400,000 nurses. The transition from the […]
