Don’t blame NHS reform for our health service woes: It hasn’t gone far enough March 26, 2015 NHS performance is at its worst since the 1990s, according to the respected think tank The King’s Fund. Treatment targets are routinely being missed. A&E waiting times are their worst for a decade. Two thirds of hospitals are now in the red, as the service heads towards a £2bn deficit. While services show signs of [...]
MPs demand NHS clauses go from EU-US trade deal March 24, 2015 A POWERFUL group of MPs has told the government to drop one of the most controversial aspects from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), between the EU and the US. The business, innovation and skills (BIS) select committee reported that investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS) clauses, which could allow companies to override local laws by suing [...]
Nigel Farage: Those who can afford it should opt for private healthcare to relieve burden on the NHS March 17, 2015 Those who can afford to buy private healthcare should do so because they would help to relieve the burden on the NHS, according to Ukip leader Nigel Farage. Appearing on Tuesday's edition of the Daily Politics, Farage answered a host of questions on Ukip's policy platform, including healthcare. Farage emphasised that Ukip supported a National [...]
Exclusive: Mental illness is the most common reason for sick days at the Department of Health February 19, 2015 While the government's health department goes about trying to cure the rest of the nation, it may not be paying enough attention to its own employees. In response to a freedom of information request, City A.M. has discovered that during the course of last year, more sick days were taken at the Department [...]
The rise of the expert patient has the power to transform the NHS February 12, 2015 The productivity of the NHS isn’t just important for our health. At 7 per cent of GDP, it matters for the whole economy. And this is why the next Parliament must see an efficiency revolution in the NHS, greater than any seen elsewhere or in the UK before. One important idea at the heart of [...]
Unison suspends NHS strike after new offer January 27, 2015 The Unison union has called off plans NHS workers to walk out on 29 January. After bitter disputes over pay with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, the union said a new offer from the Department of Health would be put to its members. Unison was joined in its to suspend strike action by Unite, GMB and [...]
Hinchingbrooke Hospital: Private NHS operator Circle Holdings share price falls 27 per cent as it begins talks to to exit “unsustainable” contract January 9, 2015 Shares in healthcare contractor Circle plunged 27 per cent to 49p this morning, after it admitted it is in talks to pull out of its contract managing the UK's first privately run NHS hospital Hinchingbrooke. The company blamed increased pressure on its accident and emergency services, a lack of places for patients awaiting discharge and funding [...]
General Election 2015: This NHS spending arms race will not deliver the health service we need January 6, 2015 The NHS is unsustainable in its current form, but the remedy is reform rather than more money alone. This was the conclusion of the landmark report by Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, late last year. He argued that radical reform was needed to treat people quicker and prevent illness in the first place. [...]
Andy Burnham says Labour will spend £2.5bn a year to add 32,000 staff to the NHS January 4, 2015 Labour is evoking the spirit of Blair’s 1997 victory by attacking the Conservatives on the NHS. The shadow health secretary Andy Burnham has said if Labour is elected in May, it will invest £2.5bn a year in an NHS “time to care” fund, which will pay for 20,000 more nurses, 8,000 more GPs and an [...]
David Cameron: We need to “bust some myths” on TTIP and the NHS December 19, 2014 The government is poised to go on a PR campaign to win over critics of the transatlantic trade and investment partnership, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying advocates should “bust some myths” surrounding it. TTIP has courted controversy, with supporters saying it will cut barriers and boost the UK economy by as much as [...]