Tag Archives: GPs

Junior Doctors’ Strike: ‘A question mark over NHS’ future’

The fundamental problem with the junior doctors’ dispute is that the contract negotiations are being undertaken in isolation from: i) sensible practical considerations ii) financial reality iii) international situation i) Practicalities 1. All weekend staffing needs to be reviewed if … Continue reading

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How can A&E units improve their performance?

The first point that I must make is that I do not wish to appear unappreciative or condescending. Hospital A&E work is amongst the most important that any person can undertake and many of us would find the strain unbearable. … Continue reading

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Medical advisory body “NICE” should not spend too much time valuing drugs.

The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (“NICE”) is currently holding a public consultation over its proposals for evaluating drugs. Drugs that are approved by NICE automatically become available for doctors to prescribe under the NHS throughout England … Continue reading

Posted in Business, CCGs, Commissioning, Department of Health, Drugs, Elderly, equality, Genetics, GPs, Health and Wellbeing, Health Bill, Health reform, Inequality, Innovation, Jeremy Hunt, NHS, NHS reforms, Patients, Pharma, Policy, Public Health, Research, Technology, Uncategorized, Wellbeing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The A&E crisis is not about hospital staff and money – we must focus on the causes

Top of the news today is the ‘A&E crisis’. Before you get really worried, this ‘crisis’ is based on hospitals that are not meeting the 4 hour target. The system is NOT close to collapse. However, the solutions being put … Continue reading

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GPs discussing death should not be taboo

Blogpost from Daily Mail, 19th October 2012 Dame Cicely Saunders is ranked alongside Aung San Suu Kyi, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandella in former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s book ‘Courage: Eight Portraits’. Dame Cicely spent eleven years … Continue reading

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Guest Blogspot: Think carefully about value-based drug pricing in the UK and let common sense prevail.

David Cameron and Jeremy Hunt share an important skill. They both have firsts from Oxford in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE). I am not the greatest fan of this course because I would like to see more scientists, engineers and … Continue reading

Posted in Business, competition, David Cameron, Department of Health, Drugs, Election, Jeremy Hunt, NHS, Patients, Pharma, Policy, Primary Care | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Guest Blogspot: Do private patients in the UK help or harm the NHS?

Private medicine like private education and first-class travel can stir up feelings of resentment between the “haves” and “have-nots”. A short blog like this one has no possibility of uniting stereotypical politicians from the left and right wings of politics. … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Department of Health, Drugs, Elderly, GPs, Health Bill, Health Team, Healthcare, Hospitals, Inequality, mental health, NHS, Nursing, Patient choice, Patients, Pharma, Policy, Private, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Guest Blogspot: The Pharmaceutical Industry – Friend or Foe?

Recent months have seen publicity over examples of disgraceful behaviour by pharmaceutical companies. The question arises as to whether the failings have been rare and exceptional or whether they are indicative of generally low moral standards in the industry. Pharmaceutical … Continue reading

Posted in Alcohol, Business, Drugs, Finance, GPs, Information, NHS, Obesity, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Guest Blogspot: The NHS needs outstanding management as well as a legal framework, for example, to unlock the potential of the property portfolio.

The potential for improved efficiency in delivering effective healthcare within the framework of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 is enormous.  However, there will be no benefit without the management skills needed to take up the challenges. Many future … Continue reading

Posted in CCGs, Commissioning, competition, Department of Health, Election, Employment, GPs, Health Bill, Health Team, Healthcare, Hospitals, Information, NHS, Nursing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Health and Social Care Bill: Final Stages in Parliament

With opposition to the Health and Social Care Bill having reached new heights, we must look behind the rhetoric and remember basic principles. The most important point to remember is that the NHS exists to provide the best possible, affordable … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Lansley, Business, Commissioning, competition, David Cameron, Department of Health, GPs, Health Bill, Hospitals, Inequality, NHS, Patient choice, Patients | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment