Hospital Doctor articles from December 2004

Hospital Doctor archives from December 2004

NHS body to breathe new life into pay and conditions.(National Health Service Employers)
December 2, 2004... NHS Employers is charged with conducting negotiations on pay and conditions as well as a major review into NHS pensions. Deputy director Alastair Henderson explains how it plans to operate What is NHS Employers? NHS Employers is the...

letters.
December 2, 2004... Shift rota is not all bad Sir, I was dismayed to read the news story Trainees don't like move to full shift rotas (18 November, page 4). While no one can doubt the conclusion of the headline (the 'f' of shift usually being silent), it...

Secretarial support is doctors' top concern.
December 2, 2004... Work life By Melanie Newman melanie.newman@rbi.co.uk With medical secretaries threatening to leave due to newly imposed pay and conditions, a new survey reveals consultants believe better administrative support would make a huge difference...

Funding for refugee doctors put at risk.(Anna Barlow hospital)
December 2, 2004... Devolution By Anna Barlow hospital.doctor@rbi.co.uk An innovative service to help the swelling ranks of refugee doctors find work in Britain is being threatened by proposed funding changes. The Government has ploughed [pounds...

Reality check for star rating.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
December 2, 2004... editorial comment At last, the controversial star ratings system for hospitals has been scrapped, and, for most, it is not a moment too soon. Putting their stifling bureaucracy and tendency to distort clinical priorities to one side, the...

Expert witnesses 'now liable for court costs'.(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... By Anna Barlow hospital.doctor@rbi.co.uk Experts fear doctors who act as expert witnesses could now be liable to pay substantial costs after a psychiatrist was forced to pay a six figure sum from his own pocket. The consultant had been asked to...

Juniors' leader claims new IT job not a conflict.(Junior Doctors Committee)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... bma The chairman of the BMA's Junior Doctors Committee says there is no conflict of interest in his new appointment as hospital doctor lead on the national programme for IT. Mr Simon Eccles, a final year SpR in A&E, will take up the post...

New health checks for hospitals get mixed reaction.(British Medical Association)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... quality Doctors have given a mixed reception to plans for scrapping star ratings for hospitals and replacing them with a broader system that covers standards such as safety and quality of care. The proposals, outlined by NHS inspectorate...

Profession awaits 'radical' reforms.(General Medical Council)(Brief Article)
December 9, 2004... GMC By Janis Smy hospital.doctor@rbi.co.uk The GMC is bound to face fundamental changes in the wake of the Shipman Inquiry, its president said last week. Speaking ahead of the release of the inquiry's report, due as Hospital Doctor went...

Pass rate for PLAB 'must be reined in'.(Professional and Linguistics Assessment Board)(General Medical Council)(Brief Article)
December 9, 2004... GMC International doctors groups are angered that a GMC review of the PLAB exam has failed to address the rising number of successful candidates. Following the review, the GMC has decided to overhaul the scoring system and revise some of...

letters.(Letter to the Editor)
December 9, 2004... Treat retired better, GMC Sir, I found the feature on revalidation very helpful (18 November, page 24). I wonder, however, if I am alone in being disappointed that the GMC has not been more helpful in their consultation on the draft...

Doctor continues race case battle.(Brief Article)
December 9, 2004... Representation The surgeon who successfully sued the BMA for failing to support his race claim against the Specialist Training Auth-ority (STA) will appear in court in three new cases over the coming months. Mr Rajendra Chaudhary won over...

Our campaign hits its mark.(Editorial)
December 9, 2004... editorial comment Hospital Doctor launched its Taking The Postcode Out Of Prescribing campaign back in September 2003. We took this step because the system set up to eliminate inequalities in the availability of treatments was flawed....

Study leave is hugely underfunded.(doctors surveys)(Brief Article)
December 9, 2004... Survey Study leave is underfunded across the country, with one trust providing less than [pounds sterling]350 per year, a snapshot survey has shown. Dr Nigel Puttick, local neg-otiating committee chairman at South Cleveland Hospital,...

Dispute rules favour docs.(British Medical Association negotiates new rules)(Department of Health)
December 9, 2004... Melanie Newman melanie.newman@rbi.co.uk Attempts by the Department of Health (DoH) to give more power to managers through new trust disciplinary procedures have been fought off by the BMA. The DoH originally wanted consultants treated in the...

Ladies and gentlemen...(Hozzies Awards)
December 9, 2004... Last week, we handed out the real Hospital Doctor Awards. This week, we hand out the Hozzies, honouring those who have been in the news over the past year. Please be seated for this glittering affair and welcome your host Olufunmi Majekodunmi...