Microsoft NHS Resource Centre: news round up
Welcome to the Microsoft NHS Resource Centre’s seven day round up of the latest news from the NHS and the healthcare IT sector:
Lord Darzi reports progress on High Quality Care for All
Health minister Lord Darzi has published a progress report on High Quality Care for All, the report he published a year ago at the end of his Next Stage Review of the NHS. The report focuses on measures that have been taken to improve quality and innovation in the health service and on new ideas that the Department of Health (DH) will take forward over the coming year.
These include streamlining NHS targets, developing an accreditation system for clinical teams, giving budgets to clinical teams and improving the health and well-being of NHS workers. The report also says that the DH will review the market for laptops and mobile devices, so it can advise primary care groups on what is available for community staff.
• Read the press release on the News Distribution Services website
• Read more about the technology angle on the E-Health Insider website
DH appoints director of improvement and efficiency
Jim Easton, chief executive of NHS South Central, has been appointed to a new post as NHS national director of improvement and efficiency. In his new job, Mr Easton will take forward the QIPP – quality, improvement, productivity and prevention – agenda. This is being developed to help the NHS deliver on its quality commitments while making efficiency savings, so it can respond effectively to the tougher financial climate.
• Read the press release on the News Distribution Services website
Swine flu gains ground
The government has promised that an ‘interim’ national flu line service will be in place this month and that a full telephone and online diagnosis and antiviral voucher service will be available by October. Seven people have now died of swine flu in England, and a number of areas have shifted from trying to diagnose and contain the disease to treating people who report its symptoms. The government predicts that there could be 100,000 swine flu cases a day by the end of August.
• Visit the Department of Health website for daily updates on the incidence of swine flu and official advice
Doctors demand clinical review of NPfIT
The British Medical Association’s annual representative meeting in Liverpool has demanded a clinically-led review of the National Programme for IT in the NHS, which doctors argued was failing to deliver acceptable systems to acute trusts. The meeting also demanded that patients should be asked to ‘opt in’ to national systems for sharing electronic patient records. At the moment, these operate on an ‘opt-out’, so people have to specifically ask for their data not to be included.
• Read a report on the E-Health Insider website
Fiftieth GP-led health centre opens
Health minister Mike O’Brien has officially opened the 50th GP-led health centre in England. The government is committed to opening 152 GP-led health centres (or ‘polyclinics’) and 100 new surgeries in ‘under-doctored’ areas to extend access to family doctor services. The North Colchester Healthcare Centre opened by Mr O’Brien is open from 7am to 10pm, seven days per week, and offers a range of additional services, such as a minor injuries service, contraceptive advice and health checks.
• Read the press release on the News Distribution Services website