News

In brief

The majority of senior public sector managers believe that public services have improved in the past four years – but only one in five of the public agree with them, according to a survey by the Local Government Association.

The draft national HIV strategy, launched in July, is ‘one step in the right direction,’ according to HIV charity George House Trust.

But trust deputy director Tim Pickstone said: ‘The strategy fails to look at the broader picture. Living with HIV and HIV transmission is not just about hospitals, GU clinics and “collaborative forums”. Discrimination still forms the cornerstone of living with HIV.’

Meanwhile, Brazil has decided to go ahead with the manufacture of anti-Aids drug nelfinar, despite the fact that it is still under patent. Brazil’s government had been negotiating with Roche to lower the price of the drug, but the two sides could not agree on the level of discount.

Nearly half of all junior doctors in the NHS are still working more than 56 hours a week, or without adequate rest, according to new figures from the Department of Health. But regulations which came into effect in August bar newly qualified doctors from working such long hours.

All age-related policies in the NHS are to be examined to rid the service of ageism. The Department of Health has asked all NHS organisations to carry out a ‘policy audit’ by local scrutiny groups, which must include older adults, and patient and carer representatives.

The recent TUC conference, cut short due to terrorism in America, confirmed continuing strong opposition to private finance schemes in the NHS. But unions are also negotiating over protecting employment and pension rights for staff being transferred from the NHS to private sector companies.

lAmost 17 million GP appointments and 5.5 million practice nurse appointments are wasted each year through people not turning up, according to a survey by the Doctor Patient Partnership and the Institute of Healthcare Management.

Meanwhile, a survey of GPs has shown that 98 per cent would be happy to have their own child given MMR vaccine.