News

In brief

About 700 GPs should be moved from the south of England to the north in order to distribute primary care services in line with need, according to a study published in the Health Service Journal.

The study, by John Hacking of North West Surveys and Research, found that Sunderland has the greatest underprovision of all English health districts. ‘Reforming the current management of the GP service to ensure fairer distribution has never been more urgent’, said Mr Hacking.

The UN inter-governmental conference revising international conventions on the use of landmines has failed to secure an outright ban on the use of anti-personnel mines. UN agencies estimate that there are currently 100 million mines laid in 68 countries, which injure about 20,000 people each year.

Walking is in decline, with the average distance walked by each person down 20 per cent in the past 20 years, says a report from the Pedestrian Policy Group, an alliance of pressure groups. The report recommends that local authorities set targets and develop practical policies, including environmental improvements, safe routes to school, and traffic calming, to encourage walking.

The Socialist Health Association has launched a campaign for a ‘return to NHS values’.

It says Labour must focus on three targets once in office: a comprehensive NHS available to all on the basis of need; an NHS which promotes participation and is democratically accountable; and the creation of a health-promoting society based on ‘fairness and a determined attack on poverty, poor housing, unemployment and unhealthy environments’.

A world-wide movement to protect ‘genetic rights’ and oppose discrimination in the use of the results of genetic screening has been launched. In the UK, the Genetics Forum, a non-profit group committed to the democratic control of gene technologies, joined 250 organisations in 68 countries to call on governments to legislate for individual rights to ‘genetic confidentiality’.

The second report of the Nolan Committee has recommended a code of practice to protect ‘whistleblowers’ in public sector organisations. Michael Walker, director of the NHS Support Federation, said: ‘We hope the Secretary of State will now instruct those trusts that have ‘gagging clauses’ to remove them.’