Raiding the piggy banks The King’s Fund’s report into the progress of the implementation of the Five Year Forward View has hit some raw nerves. Stephen Dalton, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “This report shows long-term plans for…
FORTY PER CENT of people say that having to talk through their symptoms with doctors’ receptionists could put them off going to their GP, according to an analysis of the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM)* published today (Tuesday) in the Journal of…
The NHS is a planned health service, right? Command and control is rife, isn’t it? There’s no planning blight? No, of course not, but once there was an annual planning cycle with plans traditionally launched at Christmas, when we are…
This was the title of a recent editorial in the British Medical Journal (BMJ2016;352:i1651) It took my eye because, over the last 8 months I have been a main carer for someone who has become very dependent – chairbound with…
As winter bites care homes are coming under increased pressure to support the NHS by providing a layer of intermediate care that will help reduce the burden on acute hospital services. Traditionally however care home residents experience 40-50%1 more emergency…