Month: February 2015

Yesterday, CQC published inspection reports on 72 GP practices, of those practices 90% were rated as ‘Good’. Professor Steve Field, Chief Inspector of General Practice said: ‘We know that the vast majority of England’s GPs are providing a service which is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led. If that is what we find on …

90% of GP Practices rated as ‘Good’ Read More »

David Cameron has pledged more than £300 million to be spent on research into dementia. The announcement was made while the prime minister was visiting a Dementia Friends event hosted by the Alzheimer’s Society. It was also announced that all NHS staff, from surgeons to hospital porters, will have to undergo training in dementia with …

Government announces £300m investment in dementia research Read More »

NICE has published a new briefing to summarise key recommendations for local authorities and partner organisations on the health and care of older people in care homes. Local authorities have a range of responsibilities towards care home residents, both as commissioners of services (with a ‘duty of care’ towards those residents) and as a result …

NICE briefing: Focus care on the needs of the resident Read More »

MPs have said that a report about NHS management written by the Conservative peer Lord Stuart Rose should be published before the general election. Lord Rose was appointed to carry out the review in February 2014 by Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary. At the time, the government said it hoped he would be able to …

Government accused of hiding a report into NHS management Read More »

Last week the Department of Health (DoH) launched a consultation into proposals to give a new defence against criminal prosecution for pharmacy professionals if they make an inadvertent dispensing error. The consultation will run until 14 May 2015. The DoH are also consulting on changes to the regulation of pharmacy premises. These changes will redress …

New proposals on pharmacy dispensing errors and standards Read More »

CQC has today published guidance for families, carers and those who use health and adult social care services. The guidance is intended to assist them in making appropriate decisions on the use of hidden cameras, or any type of recording equipment, to monitor someone’s care. The guidance reminds readers that the installation of hidden cameras …

CQC publishes further guidance on the use of hidden cameras Read More »

From September, Ofsted will inspect ‘good’ schools and further education and skills providers approximately once every three years, rather than once every seven years, in what the regulator has called a ‘radical reform’ as part of a bid to raise standards. Under the new system, schools that have been judged as ‘good’ will no longer …

Ofsted: inspections will be shorter but more often Read More »

From the start of February 2015, the Information Commissioner (ICO) has been given the power to subject public healthcare organisations to a compulsory audit. The ICO has welcomed a change in the law that will give his office the right to force NHS authorities to be audited for compliance with the Data Protection Act. These …

ICO given new powers to audit NHS Read More »

It has been confirmed that a major review regarding whistleblowing in the NHS will be published on 11 February 2015. A final report of ‘The Freedom to Speak Up’ review carried out by Sir Robert Francis has been sent to Jeremy Hunt for his review. It was announced in June 2014 that Sir Robert had …

Review of NHS Whistleblowing to be published Read More »

CQC has put three GP practices into special measures for the first time after uncovering ‘significant areas of concern’ regarding patient safety at practices in Reading, Liverpool and Sale, Cheshire. They are the first surgeries to be told to make major improvements urgently or risk being shut altogether by the NHS care watchdog taking away …

Three GP surgeries put into special measures Read More »