First ever record standards to improve discharge summaries
Slight increase in satisfaction with PBC data quality
GPs have become marginally more satisfied with the quality of the data they receive for practice-based commissioning over the past six months, although more than 35% are still dissatisfied, according to a Department of Health survey. The DH’s latest quarterly poll of 1,891 GP practices, carried out between June and August 2008, found that 16% […]
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Call for information investment in PBC groups
The NHS Alliance is calling for practice-based commissioning groups to be given the money to fund their own information needs. The Alliance, which represents PCTs and GP practices, has claimed that PCTs’ failure to provide GP practices with accurate and meaningful data has been sabotaging PBC. In a new policy document, A Vision for Practice […]
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NHS Alliance urges full record access for patients
The NHS Alliance is calling for patients to have electronic access to their full primary care record as part of its manifesto for a 21st century health service. The organisation, whose membership includes GP practices and PCTs, has published its proposals for reform of the health service in a new report, In Sickness and In […]
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Over 40 per cent of practices say PBC data poor
More than 40% of GP practices believe the information they receive for practice based commissioning (PBC) is poor or very poor, according to the latest Department of Health survey. The second quarterly survey of practices for 2007/8 shows little improvement since the survey was carried out three months earlier. A total of 41%, of the 1,398 […]
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Discharge letter targets will create two-tier care
The NHS Alliance claims government targets for discharge letters will create a two tier system on a critical patient safety issue because the obligation will not apply to most foundation trusts. The organisation, which represents PCTs and GP practices, has been campaigning to improve the timeliness and quality of discharge summaries and last year called […]
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NHS Alliance calls for independent coding
PCTs and hospital trusts should employ independent coders to eliminate concerns over incorrect coding from secondary care, according to the NHS Alliance. Dr Mike Dixon, chair of the NHS Alliance, said commissioners were concerned about the level of errors in coding and that foundation trusts faced a financial incentive to “code up” activity. He added: […]
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SUS blasted as ‘not fit for purpose’
The Secondary Uses Service (SUS) is not fit for purpose and is failing to provide GP practices and PCTs with the information they need for practice based commissioning (PBC), according to the NHS Alliance. The criticism of SUS follows the results of the latest quarterly survey of PBC published by the Department of Health last […]
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BMA calls for inquiry into NHS Direct referrals
The British Medical Association has called for an inquiry into the NHS’s information and advice service, NHS Direct, claiming it is ‘putting a strain on the system’. The move has been backed by the NHS Alliance and Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel who feel that call handlers are referring too many patients to GPs or […]
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E-discharge summaries needed, says GPs
GPs have called for better uptake of electronic discharge summaries to overcome the severe delays and quality issues that many experience with paper-based systems. A survey by the NHS Alliance of 650 practices revealed that 70 per cent of practices experience severely delayed discharge summaries either very regularly or fairly regularly, with delays of six […]
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