NHS Direct to miss KPIs
NHS Direct is to miss some of its key performance targets for the last three months of the year, after facing increased call volumes due to swine flu as well as staff shortages. The national health helpline told EHI Primary Care that it had faced “major service challenges” since the start of the financial year […]
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QoF reform in five year plan
The Department of Health has promised to introduce a “significant reform” of the Quality and Outcomes Framework from 2011 as part of its five year plan for the NHS. Launching its strategy, NHS 2010-2015: from good to great, health secretary Andy Burnham said it was time to accelerate the pace of NHS reform to make […]
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Moray helps public get Health-e
A new website that provides a platform to enable people to take more responsibility for their health has been launched in Moray, Scotland. The new Health-e-Space website, which went live earlier this month, provides local health information, links to recommended websites and suggestions on how to live with health conditions. Community Health-e-Space, the websites sister […]
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Kelsey – info should be compulsory
GPs and all other NHS providers should be mandated to publish routine, standardised data on their outcomes, according to the chairman of health information firm Dr Foster. Tim Kelsey told E-Health Insider Live ’09 that only English hospitals currently publish outcomes data and the next government should ‘force the pace.’ He said a future government […]
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Information quality mark launched
The Information Standard accreditation scheme has been launched at the King’s Fund. The Department of Health initiative will award a quality mark to organisations that meet set criteria for producing safe and reliable health and social care information and advice. Organisations will be able to display the mark on their website or literature. The DH says the aim of […]
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Milton Keynes uses iWantGreatCare.org
NHS Milton Keynes has announced that it will be the first primary care trust in the UK to use ratings and reviews for individual GPs. The PCT has signed a deal with ratings website iWantGreatCare.org to collect information on local GPs. The PCT said patients would be actively encouraged to provide feedback each time they […]
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Survey calls for IT to help deaf
More than half of deaf and hearing impaired patients regularly face difficulties communicating with their GP surgery and would like practices to make greater use of IT solutions, according to a new survey. Patient information website Patient.co.uk and charity SignHealth surveyed 525 people with hearing problems to find out about their experiences of GP practices. […]
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Herefordshire joins NHS and council IT
Herefordshire has become the first county in the UK to integrate its council and NHS IT services. Zack Pandor, joint director of ICT for Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire, said public services in the county have had a long history of shared working. In December 2007, Chris Bull became the chief executive of both the […]
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GP ratings site criticised by rival
The GP practice rating service launched by NHS Choices received 1,600 comments in its first 24 hours of operation, according to the Department of Health. A DH spokesperson told EHI Primary Care that about 80% of the comments received were positive and said it would continue to monitor the number and type of comments made. […]
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