NHS Direct staff could face job cuts
Jobs at NHS Direct may be cut by up to a third, and nurses replaced by non-medical call centre operatives, according to press reports today. The Nursing Times will tomorrow report that a closed session of the NHS Direct board, held on 28 February, drafted proposals to cut the equivalent of 960 full-time post through […]
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NHS 24 cuts numbers of ‘call-backs’
Scotland’s health advice helpline NHS 24 has reduced the percentage of ‘call-backs’ to patients to less than 20% from a high of more than 50%, tackling a key area identified by an independent review of the service last year. The health advice and information service says figures for January show that ‘call backs’ to patients, […]
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National appointment booking line scales up
The national Choose and Book Appointments Line (CABAL) is now handling about 6000 calls a week with about three quarters of them patients calling about a new appointment. The latest figures from Dilip Chakrabati, national director for booking and choice, show that use of the service is growing rapidly. It is likely to increase further […]
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Technology effective in dementia home care
Assistive technology for dementia sufferers living at home can be cost-effective, increase patients’ independence and deliver support to unpaid carers, but it must be properly targeted and maintained, according to an extensive new study by the head of a Northamptonshire care project. The study ‘Safe at Home: The effectiveness of assistive technology in supporting the […]
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GP negotiators considering extra C+B incentives
GP representatives and the health department’s pay negotiators are looking at ways that GPs can be paid through the GMS contract for taking on Choose and Book. The government’s key NHS policy on patient choice is dependent on the widespread uptake of Choose and Book but so far very few GPs have been prepared to […]
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