NHS Direct drops foundation plans
NHS Direct has announced that it will not apply for foundation trust status “in the foreseeable future.” Its chief executive, Matt Tee, told E-Health Insider that it would instead pursue some of the freedoms offered to foundation trusts “without going through the Monitor process.” A strategic health authority lead commissioning arrangement will also be put […]
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NHS Direct reviews referrals and advice
NHS Direct is to review the clinical effectiveness of its referrals and the self-care advice provided to patients. A 12 week evaluation will aim to ensure these are “fit for purpose” in comparison with other patient pathways and that they are evidence-based. The organisation will hold seven workshops across the country at which health and […]
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NPfIT ‘misconceived’: O’Brien
Shadow health minister Stephen O’Brien has launched a stinging attack on the National Programme for IT in the NHS at Healthcare Interoperability in Birmingham. O’Brien said he had been surprised to see a "flurry" of stories claiming the programme was "grinding to a halt" in this week’s press, since there had been no obvious "hook" […]
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2008 ‘a year of data breaches’
Information Commissioner Richard Thomas has expressed concern about continued data breaches from the public sector – almost a year after HM Revenue and Customs lost the data of 25 million child benefit claimants in the post. In a speech to a European conference on data security, Thomas says “2008 has undoubtedly been a year of […]
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Political row over NPfIT: London on hold
A political row has broken out over the National Programme for IT in the NHS, following press reports that it has “ground to a halt.”
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Vocera cuts Liverpool theatre delays
An NHS trust in Liverpool is using Vocera to improve communications between ward and theatre staff; helping them to work more efficiently and make better use of operating time.
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McKesson launches InterQual in UK
McKesson used the recent NHS Alliance annual conference to formally launch its InterQual “utilisation management and appropriateness of care solution" in the UK. InterQual is aimed at providing primary care and acute trusts with support in deciding whether patients are receiving timely and appropriate care in the right place, and whether alternative and more cost […]
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DH wants ISO equivalent for health information
The Department of Health is tendering for an organisation to run a scheme to accredit health and social care information as part of its ongoing choice reforms in the NHS.
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Tees and Leeds look to Paris
In4tek deploys Paris at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys and Leeds Partnerships NHS foundation trusts as “interim” solution while “strategic” NHS solutions such as Lorenzo remain in development.
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500 votes for champion – and counting
More than 500 votes have already been received in this year’s ICT Healthcare Champion of the Year competition. Just ten days after voting opened on 13 October, 579 votes have been cast. Jon Hoeksma, editor of E-Health Insider, said: “This is a fantastic response. Last year, just over 1,000 votes were cast over six weeks, […]
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