NHS Direct Wales ‘needs new direction’
NHS Direct Wales provides a valuable service but needs to be better integrated into the wider unscheduled care system, according to the Welsh Audit Office. A report from the Auditor General found that the health helpline is viewed as something separate to the unscheduled care system, instead of as a core part of it. It […]
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KPMG to provide digital strategy for NHS
The Department of Health has commissioned management consultants KPMG to report on a vision for a digital strategy for the NHS.
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Lords question flu response
Members of the House of Lords have told the government they have “significant concerns” about the delay in the launch of the full National Pandemic Flu Service, which is not due to be ready until 1 October. In a report on pandemic flu, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee said the government appeared […]
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Public asked for views on HealthSpace
Patients are being invited to give their views on the future development of the Department of Health’s personal health record project, HealthSpace.
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Extend phone outreach: expert group
NHS Direct and NHS walk-in centres could provide more telephone-based outreach services to patients with long term conditions, according to a new report. The Expert Group on Access to Primary Care, chaired by a GP and backed by decision support software suppliers Clinical Solutions, has published a series of recommendations aimed at improving access to […]
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Call centres face 084 number inquiry
Call centres run by central government have been given until the end of June to submit information on their use of 084 and 087 numbers ahead of likely guidance on a public sector strategy for telephone number ranges. The Cabinet Office’s Contact Council, set up to provide an oversight of customer contact across the public […]
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Interim flu line plans unveiled
The Department of Health is drawing up plans for an interim flu line after admitting that its National Flu Line Service will not be ready until October. Health secretary Alan Johnson told the House of Commons that the alternative system would let patients call a single number and that this would generate the collection of […]
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DH delays 084 number decision
The Department of Health has delayed making a decision on whether it should ban the use of 084 numbers in the NHS in England. The DH launched a four month consultation on the use of 084 numbers in December and promised to publish its response to the consultation by the end of April. However, last […]
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Contraceptives advice online
NHS Direct has launched an online emergency contraceptive advice tool. The Contraception Checker aims to deal with enquiries about emergency contraception, missed contraceptive pills, dislodged contraceptive devices, interactions with other medicines or failed contraceptives. The online tool has taken the protocols used by NHS Direct call centres to assess patients over the telephone and adapted […]
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SCR patient consultation could be cut
The length of the patient information programme run before Summary Care Records are uploaded to the Spine could be cut by up to 50% if NHS Connecting for Health plans are agreed.
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