Issue 10: North-South divide; patient power; laggard surgeons; Assura polyclinics; Conservative’s green paper
North-South health divide
A health inequalities survey has just been published by the DoH. It reveals an interesting divide between the most and least healthiest areas in the UK. We can’t help but notice that you’re more likely to have bad teeth, suffer from obesity, drink more and eat less healthily if you live in the north. Here’s a pictorial view of the results [PDF 685k].
Tory patient power will be popular - but will it work?
Source: The Times, 24th June 2008
The Tories’ policy sounds radical but recent history shows patient choice is seldom taken up. The policy, presented today by David Cameron, the party leader, and Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, should be popular with doctors, who complain that the target culture introduced by Labour since 1997 has undermined professional responsibility and distorted care. But it is not a policy without risks. The NHS has shown that the only real drivers to which it responds with any alacrity are central targets.
We share our views in the Credo comment below.
Laggard doctors put block on new treatments
Source: The Times, 22nd June 2008
The minister in charge of a review of the NHS has accused some doctors of being “laggards” for obstructing the introduction of new treatments.
We’re not talking about radical new methods, just changing to simple better practices to improve care, or should we call it ‘service’? A combination of professional peer pressure and patient demand should make a difference; the best surgeons should have a right to influence the practices of laggards.
Assura in talks on major fundraising
Source: Daily Telegraph; 24th June 2008
ASSURA, the healthcare group hoping to run some of the Government’s controversial new Polyclinics, is in talks with investors about a potentially sizeable equity fundraising.
Assura runs pharmacies and GP joint ventures, it has 15 of the latter in place already. Raising £200m to fund a greater push into primary care is a clear signal of their commitment.
Credo comment
The Conservative’s health green paper
There’s a growing acceptance that the Conservatives will win at the polls next time so what are David Cameron’s plans for the NHS? This week he set out his reform plans for the NHS with the launch of a green paper, “Delivering some of the best health in Europe”. It’s all about health outcomes. Apparently by getting Britain’s standards up to the international average, 38,000 lives could be saved.
For the full article please click here.
