Hospital Doctor articles from September 2006

Hospital Doctor archives from September 2006

Dealing with rising doctor redundancy.
September 7, 2006... Redundancy for doctors used to be almost unheard of, but as NHS deficits bite, it is becoming more likely. Janis Smy looks at how to deal with this unpleasant experience This summer's startling news of two consultant surgeons being made...

Are we geared up for pandemic flu?
September 7, 2006... With experts predicting an influenza pandemic in the UK within the next three years, Rob Finch finds them questioning our preparedness In October last year, the Chief Medical Officer for England warned a pandemic of influenza could kill...

Dermatologists hit by referral management.
September 7, 2006... dermatology More than half of England's dermatology departments are facing huge losses of referrals as a result of schemes designed to keep patients in primary care. Of 102 clinical leads questioned by the British Association of...

Scots SAS doctors get retraining cash.
September 7, 2006... Medical register By Melanie Newman melanie.newman@rbi.co.uk Staff and associate specialist (SAS) doctors in Scotland have been given [pounds sterling]150,000 to help them join the specialist register, but there is no such cash for...

Community plan 'flawed'.
September 7, 2006... By Melanie Newman melanie.newman@rbi.co.uk Many policies designed to move care into the community are not backed by evidence, according to a review of literature on shifting care. Research by the University of Birmingham's Health...

Reforms need more thought.
September 7, 2006... editorial comment The white paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say, launched earlier this year, is as ambitious as it gets. The vision for delivering health outside hospitals in community settings is so big and, frankly, intangible that...

letters.
September 7, 2006... A question of patient rights Sir, Charles Hancock writes very negatively about potential problems of a lasting power of attorney under the soon-to-be-enforced Mental Capacity Act 2005 ('In whose best interests?', 17 August, page 21). The...

Beginning of GMC's end?
September 14, 2006... In his controversial report published in the summer, the CMO proposed to radically change the GMC's functions. Jennifer Veitch examines what this might mean for the future of independent regulation Rocked by a series of high-profile medical...

letters.(Letter to the editor)
September 14, 2006... We're free to air our views Sir, I was saddened to read in Hospital Doctor that Peter Hambly was threatened with disciplinary action by his employer over his making unflattering comments about nurses ('Nurses? Just count me out', 31...

Failing doctors 'will' be brought to book.
September 14, 2006... fitness to practise By Liz Fox elizabeth.fox@rbi.co.uk The GMC is taking a tougher stance on doctors who fall short of standards of medical practice. In an updated version of Good Medical Practice (GMP), doctors who seriously...

Netcare eyes NHS acute hospitals.
September 14, 2006... privatisation By Melanie Newman melanie.newman@rbi.co.uk Netcare, the firm running several independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs), has declared ambitions to run entire acute hospitals for the NHS in future. In an...

SpR posts frozen by cuts.(Specialist Registrar)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... training SpR posts are being frozen in response to cuts in funding for education and training. The East Midlands Strategic Health Authority (SHA) said DoH spend on centrally funded programmes including education and training had been...

Insurer to end named referrals for cataracts.
September 14, 2006... ophthalmology AXA PPP Healthcare is planning to stop referrals to named consultants for cataract surgery in some hospitals as part of the insurer's plans to set up a network of cataract providers. From 1 October, GPs and optometrists...

Specialist path will take bottle.
September 14, 2006... editorial comment Traditionally, moving into specialist training in your chosen field was a time to celebrate and pop a champagne cork. But, with the advent of Modernising Medical Careers,this is not going to happen for many trainees....

The 'lost tribe' expands north.(senior house officers)
September 14, 2006... By Liz Fox elizabeth.fox@rbi.co.uk Hundreds of SHOs in Scotland look set to miss out on run-through posts, the first release of specialty training numbers reveals. The Scottish Executive's Health Department has issued preliminary...

Mass MMC protest.(Modernising Medical Careers)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... campaign Over 370 doctors from across the UK have signed an online petition protesting against the lack of the lack of consultation between Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) officials and junior doctors. The campaign is led by Dr...

Time running out to plan shorter week.(work hours)
September 28, 2006... Full implementation of the 48-hour-week Working Time Directive is only three years away, so how are the interested parties gearing up? Jennifer Veitch reports In a little under three years from now, the NHS may find itself in the grip of a...

Surgeons battle BMA over contract review.
September 28, 2006... working practices By Melanie Newman melanie.newman@rbi.co.uk Trainee surgeons have clashed with the BMA over their demands that the junior doctors' contract be reviewed. In a new statement, the Association of Surgeons in...

Initial fixed-term contracts appear.(consultants)
September 28, 2006... Service provision By Melanie Newman melanie.newman@rbi.co.uk The first fixed-term consultant contracts are emerging, as NHS trusts face stiff competition for traditionally hospital-based work. A DoH drive to provide care in...

Private sector, public concern.(Editorial)
September 28, 2006... editorial comment Anyone expecting Gordon Brown's Labour Party Conference speech to shed light on the future of the NHS was left disappointed. We already knew he isn't a great fan of foundation trusts. And now we know he will consider...

Pandemic plan 'dilemma'.
September 28, 2006... By Lisa Hitchen lisa.hitchen@rbi.co.uk The Government's faith in its stockpile of antiviral drugs to combat pandemic flu has been criticised by public health experts at Hospital Doctor's conference this week. Civil unrest could...

letters.(Letter to the editor)
September 28, 2006... Clocking in devalues us Sir, A doctor is someone with a character, spirit, and methods of a professional ('Clock ticking on professionalism', 31 August, front page). We go through many stages in our professional development and sit for...

Musical chairs on SAS committee before vote.(staff and associate specialist)(Brief article)
September 28, 2006... contract The BMA chief negotiator on the staff and associate specialist (SAS) contract was ousted on Monday. Mr Awani Choudhary was defeated in an SAS committee election by Mr Ashok Pathak, an orthopaedic associate specialist at...

Visa hopes dashed.(overseas doctors)(Brief article)
September 28, 2006... overseas doctors Health Minister Lord Warner has formally stated that overseas doctors whose visas will expire before the end of the post for which they are applying cannot be shortlisted alongside UK and EU doctors. The news will...