Search results for 'NHS'

Showing 301 - 320 of 351 results

  1. Addressing the environmental impacts of Government procurement

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    A National Audit Office report has found that government has strengthened its drive to purchase more environmentally sustainable goods and services. In 2005 the government set a target to be recognised by 2009 as one of the leaders in the EU in sustainable procurement. However a number of departments are not yet on course to […]

  2. Managing the supply of NHS clinical staff in England

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    There are shortcomings in how the supply of NHS clinical staff in England is managed, in terms of both planning the future workforce and meeting the current demand for staff.

  3. Department of Health: Progress in improving stroke care

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    The Department of Health’s strategy for stroke care has increased the priority and awareness of the condition and started to improve patients’ care and outcomes, concludes a report by the National Audit Office published today. Actions taken since 2006 have improved the value for money of stroke care; but improvements have not been universal and […]

  4. Prescribing savings in 2008

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    In 2007 the National Audit Office reported that primary care trusts (PCTs) could save more than £200 million a year without compromising patient care if GPs prescribed cheaper, generic medicines.  Keele University has now confirmed the NAO’s finding by calculating that almost £400 million has been saved by the Department of Health, the NHS and […]

  5. Supporting people with autism through adulthood

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    The National Audit Office has reported today that Government departments and local health and social care organisations do not have enough information on numbers of adults with autism. They also lack a full understanding and awareness of the condition, limiting their ability to plan and deliver services effectively. Autism, which includes Asperger syndrome, is a […]

  6. Prescribing costs in primary care

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    GPs could prescribe lower cost clinically effective medicines without affecting patient care, according to Parliament’s spending watchdog. And this could save primary care trusts (PCTs) more than £200 million a year. Today’s report by the National Audit Office also points out that unused or wasted drugs could cost the NHS at least £100 million a […]

  7. Improving Corporate Functions Using Shared Services

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    Shared service centres in the NHS and HM Prison Service are on course to deliver substantial financial savings. But a report out today by the National Audit Office found that central government was initially slow to adopt shared services. While the momentum has picked up it is not clear that the shared services initiative is […]

  8. Helping people through mental health crisis: The role of Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment services

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    Crisis Resolution Home Treatment teams are having a positive impact on local acute mental health services, providing an alternative to hospital admission for people experiencing a short-term mental health crisis. But a report out today by the National Audit Office found that services are being limited by a lack of input from specialist health and […]

  9. Reducing Healthcare Associated Infections in Hospitals in England

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    The Department of Health has met its target to reduce MRSA bloodstream infections by 50 per cent by 2008 and has made encouraging progress towards its target to reduce Clostridium difficile infections, according to a National Audit Office report published today.  However, blood stream infections due to other causes may be increasing.  There is also […]

  10. Improving services and support for people with dementia

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    Despite a steeply rising trend in cases of dementia, the condition is being given too low a priority by health and social services, according to a report out today by the National Audit Office. Too few people are being diagnosed, or being diagnosed early enough, and early interventions known to be cost-effective are not being […]

  11. Department of Health – The Paddington Health Campus scheme

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    Sir John Bourn, the head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today on the cancellation of the Paddington Health Campus scheme in June 2005 at a cost of £15 million. The scheme was a complex and ambitious attempt to build a world-class healthcare facility and ultimately proved to be beyond the capacity of […]

  12. End of life care

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    Each year around half a million people die in England, three quarters of whom do so following a period of chronic illness, such as cancer or heart disease. A report out today by the National Audit Office found that some people approaching the end of their life receive a high quality service, but that there […]

  13. Accountability to Parliament for taxpayers’ money

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    The incentives on government Accounting Officers to prioritise value for money are weak compared to those associated with the day-to-day job of satisfying Ministers.

  14. Public funding of Large National Charities

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    Evidence from 12 large national charities shows that their delivery of public services could be undermined and limited by the complexity of the arrangements by which they receive public funding. Today’s report by the National Audit Office found that charities’ funding relationships with public bodies, including central government departments, local authorities and health trusts can […]

  15. Dr Foster Intelligence: A joint venture between the Information Centre and Dr Foster LLP

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    The Department of Health and the Information Centre could not demonstrate to the National Audit Office’s satisfaction that they had achieved value for money in establishing Dr Foster Intelligence, a joint venture between the Information Centre and a private sector company Dr Foster LLP. This is primarily because they did not go out to tender […]

  16. Caring for Vulnerable Babies: The Reorganisation of neonatal services in England

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    The reorganisation of neonatal services in England has helped improve care for premature and low birth weight babies with fewer babies travelling long distances for suitable treatment. But, according to the National Audit Office, further improvements to the service are being limited by shortages in nursing staff, a lack of cots in the right place […]