Today the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Medical Research holds its summer reception in parliament. This annual event has become an important fixture on the health research calendar. The 'great and the good' assemble to focus on a key issue of the day and to network. At some point in proceedings they will be addressed by … Continue reading Spend £1 on cancer research and get 40p back every year: what’s not to like?
Department of Health
NIHR and ABPI conference in November on ‘big data’
Click here for details of a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and Association of British Pharmaceuticals Industry (ABPI) joint conference on harnessing big data for health gains. Takes place in London on 21st November. The more it is used the more I dislike the term 'big data.' I mean, how to alienate your public in … Continue reading NIHR and ABPI conference in November on ‘big data’
New CLAHRCs announced in local health research boost. Here’s a list and links. #nihrclahrcs
The Department of Health this morning announced the successful NIHR Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLSHRCs). The formal press release can be found here. Thirteen CLAHRCs have been awarded over £120M in total following an open competition earlier this year. The details of the latter can be found here. Further details … Continue reading New CLAHRCs announced in local health research boost. Here’s a list and links. #nihrclahrcs
How a Dame and the Great British Public might bring an end to the patient data pantomime…
The Health Service Journal (HSJ) has an 'exclusive' interview today with Dame Fiona Caldicott. Dame Fiona has been chairing a review - of information governance in health and social care - 'Caldicott2.' Its report and recommendations are due out in just a few short weeks.You have to subscribe to HSJ to read the full interview … Continue reading How a Dame and the Great British Public might bring an end to the patient data pantomime…
Prof Dame Sally Davies (CMO) talks about science communications, the media and public involvement
Rather than just tweet this as a link, I thought some background was needed. This is a ten minute extract of a much longer interview I did with Professor Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Officer at the Department of Health. The interview came at the beginning of a two-day NIHR training camp … Continue reading Prof Dame Sally Davies (CMO) talks about science communications, the media and public involvement
In the Hunt for a health Ofsted
The Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt, spoke at the King's Fund annual conference today. By all accounts it was impassioned and well-received. There then followed what sounded like a lively panel discussion about patient experience (see their twitter feed). Hunt's announcement of a review into the idea of establishing an 'Ofsted' rating system for hospitals … Continue reading In the Hunt for a health Ofsted
Health Research Authority gets to work on speeding-up research
So there I was yesterday afternoon, with my biology 'o'level a distant memory to put it mildly, speaking at the annual NIHR Senior Investigators Meeting thinking: 'how did I ever get into this?' The event brings together the very best of NIHR's researchers for an update on what's happening across health research. And this was mentioned … Continue reading Health Research Authority gets to work on speeding-up research
Can we sum-up the NHS Constitution in 140 characters?
So, there's been a lot of activity around the NHS Constitution this week. The group reviewing this document, led by Dr Steve Field, held a twitter discussion one lunchtime and you can read the extracts of this on the Department of Health website here. Then, yesterday, Jeremy Taylor from National Voices and a member of the … Continue reading Can we sum-up the NHS Constitution in 140 characters?
NHS leaders on public involvement in services and research
Just thought I would pass on these two pieces by Candy Morris, Research Champion for the NHS, and Mike Farrar, CEO of the NHS Confederation, respectively, about the importance of public involvement in the NHS. Candy's article appears in the Department of Health's regular bulletin 'The Month,' and focuses on public involvement in clinical research. … Continue reading NHS leaders on public involvement in services and research
New science networks herald more fertile ground for health innovation
If contemplating NHS change rest assured, and this from one who once visited Mt Etna, that the lava does solidify, some old structures do survive, and it is possible for new ones to be built with solid foundations. Herewith some new and some not so new 'kids' on the block in the world of research. … Continue reading New science networks herald more fertile ground for health innovation
Health Information Governance Review: Caldicott at Health In4matics
I thought that people might be interested in this report from the Health Service Journal (HSJ) of a speech that Dame Fiona Caldicott made at the Health In4matics conference earlier this week. She discusses the challenges for GPs in providing patients with online access to their medical records. I heard this week that the Department … Continue reading Health Information Governance Review: Caldicott at Health In4matics
DH and charities reach acoRD over medical research costs
Divvying up the costs of conducting research in the NHS funded by medical research charities is an intricate business. Who pays for that research nurse, their time in administering the extra treatment required in a clinical trial, the procedures and equipment needed as part of its conduct, the oversight and governance needed to ensure that things are done … Continue reading DH and charities reach acoRD over medical research costs
All this talk of prescribing errors reminds me…..
Today's report by the General Medical Council about prescribing errors makes salutary reading. If I have one criticism about it, it is that, as far as I can see, the research they commissioned focused on the views of GPs and their immediate colleagues, less so if at all on the patient perspective. Are we hearing only … Continue reading All this talk of prescribing errors reminds me…..
Two articles worthy of a repeat airing….on ‘The Rise of the Patient Leader’ and the need for a ‘Patient Experience Framework.’
This article (entitled 'The Rise of the Patient Leader') written by David Gilbert at InHealth Associates appeared in HSJ earlier this year. I didn't send round a link at the time because of HSJ's paywall. But now you can find it on InHealth Associates' website free of charge...which seems a very good excuse to send it round and … Continue reading Two articles worthy of a repeat airing….on ‘The Rise of the Patient Leader’ and the need for a ‘Patient Experience Framework.’
N=1: Defining medicines development and use from a patient perspective
I am not sure what made me think about and look for this report: 'N=1: Why people matter in medicines.' Perhaps it was all the talk last week about the Department of Health's 11th report to parliament on the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) - in essence the way in which drug prices are set … Continue reading N=1: Defining medicines development and use from a patient perspective
NHS reforms to face a tough round of Peer review this autumn
We are a nation that no longer knows when to put its rubbish bins out. So I reflected, as I dragged our two overflowing wheelie bins back to their usual place. To be fair to Bromley Council, it's not that they fail to pick-up our rubbish; just that no one can quite predict what sort … Continue reading NHS reforms to face a tough round of Peer review this autumn
From I Claudius to iLansley…phone apps in the new NHS
The summer break has clearly done the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, a world of good. From beating a lone path as the libertarian Claudius in the face of a centralised health service, he has resurfaced this week as the man for all seasons to launch a competition for the best ideas for … Continue reading From I Claudius to iLansley…phone apps in the new NHS
Department of Health about to have a Field day taking calls, I believe.
The NHS seems to be dominating my life this week. Quite apart from the news headlines, it has involved two visits to the doctors and a blood test so far ..but I am on the mend I am pleased to report. All I can say is, a 45 minute wait for a blood test and excellent … Continue reading Department of Health about to have a Field day taking calls, I believe.
Dame Sally Davies interview in the FT
Dame Sally Davies, England's new Chief Medical Officer, gives a frank and open interview in today's Financial Times. In it, Dame Sally says that she will continue to play a leadership role with respect to NHS R&D but with perhaps less involvement in the day-to-day running (my interpretation).
Health and Social Care Bill Published
After days of incessant pounding by critics and opponents the Government brushed itself down today and published its Health and Social Care Bill. The text of the legislation can be found on the parliament website. It is a titanic Bill - 353 pages, 137 clauses, 22 schedules long - and the vagaries of our parliamentary … Continue reading Health and Social Care Bill Published
Simon Denegri's Lay Review 