The Public Inquiry into the events at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation, chaired by Robert Francis QC, has now completed questioning witnesses. This Inquiry followed concerns about standards of care at the Trust, confirmed in an investigation published by the Healthcare Commission in March 2009 and a subsequent Independent Inquiry (which was also Chaired by Robert Francis). […]
By Nick Triggle, Health correspondent, BBC News. Financial difficulties will force NHS services in England to undergo major reorganisations which could hit the poorest the hardest, MPs say. The Public Accounts Committee said for hospitals this could mean services being closed or whole units merged. The MPs said the difficulties were linked to historic debt, […]
The website of the Society (SCTS.org) has welcome thousands of visitors within the first 2 months of its life. The most visited sector was that of the ‘Thoracic blue book 2011’. There was a stunning 14,444 visitors within 30 days, bringing the number of visitors per day up to the astonishing 480! The advertisement of […]
PRESS RELEASE: Huge increase in lung cancer surgery but still some way to go, says new audit The number of lung cancer patients benefiting from life-saving surgery has shot up by 60 per cent while the operative mortality rate has halved in recent years as a new generation of specialist lung surgeons start to come […]
Jane Dreaper Health correspondent for BBC News reported: The new NHS Commissioning Board, which is at the heart of the government’s controversial NHS reforms in England, is due to start work. The board, which will at first operate in a shadow form, will aim to help patients “shop around” and compare GPs. It will take […]
The Society seeks nominations for President -Elect (2012-2014) and Trustees (2012-2014). The current President Prof David Taggart will demit office in April 2012 and Mr James Roxburgh will take his place as President of the Society. It is therefore necessary to elect a new President-elect to be in office after the next Annual Business Meeting […]
The BBC has reported that a health watchdog representing 15 councils across the Yorkshire and Humber region has called for the children’s heart surgery unit in Leeds to remain open. The NHS is proposing changes to children’s cardiac surgery services, which could see the ending of operations at the Leeds unit. The councillors’ committee said […]
Martin Beckford, Health Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph reported: Amid deep concern in the medical profession and among many members of the public, some peers had tried to have the Health and Social Care Bill thrown out or subjected to detailed scrutiny that would have ruined the Government’s timetable. It is feared by opponents that […]
Martin Beckford (Health Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph) reported that, according to the Royal College of Surgeons, up to half of the very oldest patients undergoing some types of urgent operations die each year because of poor treatment. Elderly people needing emergency operations are being ignored “to the point of neglect” because hospitals care more […]
BBC reported: On the first day of what is expected to be a three-day hearing, Mr Maclean said the “Safe and Sustainable” consultation had led to a proposal to reduce the number of centres in London from three to two. The recommended options favoured keeping the Evelina Hospital, which is part of Guy’s and St […]
