Following a Freedom of Information request made by the British Medical Journal, it has been revealed that one third of NHS contracts have been awarded to private companies. Of the 3,494 contracts awarded by 182 Clinical Commissioning Groups in England between April 2013 and August 2014, 33% were awarded to the private sector. The government … [Read more…]
Labour has dismissed George Osborne’s announcement as ‘spin’ after it has emerged that £750m of extra funding is recycled health department cash. With £750m of the £2bn coming from within the Department of Health has led to dismay amongst officials. The extra funding was announced before the chancellor’s autumn statement and received a warm welcome … [Read more…]
George Osborne has announced that he will put an extra £2bn into frontline health services across the UK. The chancellor said the money was a ‘down payment’ on a plan drawn up by the NHS bosses calling for an extra £8bn a year above inflation by 2020. He claimed he was able to make the … [Read more…]
Prime Minister David Cameron has said accident and emergency units are 0.3% short of meeting their 95% target of patients waiting four hours maximum before being seen. The PM has admitted the NHS is under pressure and suffering as a result of the influx of patients visiting accident and emergency units. David Cameron acknowledged that … [Read more…]
David Cameron and Ed Miliband have clashed again regarding Labour’s record running the Welsh NHS at the Prime Minister’s Questions. Mr Miliband told the prime minister that Labour’s mansion tax was needed to fund a health service ‘going backwards on his watch.’ The Labour leader said patients were being failed by the thousand, due to … [Read more…]
Key speech by shadow health secretary focuses on end of life care Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has promised voters that Labour will “rescue a shattered service” , saying the NHS will be at the forefront of Labour’s election campaign. Speaking about the “personal to you and your family” ethos Labour wants to adopt with the NHS, Mr Burnham … [Read more…]
Labour leader pledges to turn around health services Labour’s Ed Miliband has vowed to “save and transform” the NHS, planning to reveal more details in due course. Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham is also due to speak about what a £2.5 billion annual funding boost could mean for patients, although Mr Miliband has already stated that … [Read more…]
Labour’s Andy Burnham calls for a halt to privatisation plans Labour’s shadow health secretary Andy Burnham has urged NHS England to stop privatisation of health services until after the general election. Declaring that voters need a “proper debate” about the future of the NHS, Mr Burnham will say in a speech later today that “privatisation is being forced … [Read more…]
Over half of trusts having to temporarily close maternity wards to ease pressure Recent figures reveal that 51% of NHS trusts have had to temporarily shut maternity units over the past year, blaming lack of staff or beds as the reason why. Previous research by the Conservative Party in 2008 also showed that 42% of … [Read more…]
Ministers suggest pooling budgets for a united fund Politicians are raising support for joining NHS and social care funding to create a single budget, with open support from Labour shadow health secretary Andy Burnham and Liberal Democrat health minister Norman Lamb. Mr Lamb, who is urging this idea to be included in the Liberal Democrat … [Read more…]