445 Agenda
for Change launched National roll-out of Agenda for
Change began on 1 December more
445 Hospital
star ratings to be dropped Hospital star ratings are to be used for the last time in 2005, according to the Healthcare Commission. From 2006 a new “health check” for the NHS will be introduced more
446 Safer
patient initiative moves forward Four trusts
from across the UK have recently been selected by the Health
Foundation as centres of excellence to make hospitals safer
for patients. These are: Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust
(Wales), Down Lisburn Health and Social Services Trust
(Northern Ireland), Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust
(England) and NHS Tayside (Scotland) more
446 New
products identified to help fight MRSA Three
new products that could potentially help reduce methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) levels in hospitals have been
identified by the rapid review panel, according to John
Reid, Health Secretary, speaking at the National Institute
of Clinical Excellence conference in Birmingham on 1 December more
446 New
developments in national programme for IT Alan
Burns chief executive of Trent Strategic Health Authority
has been seconded to lead the service implementation of
the national programme for IT (NPfIT) more
|
446 NEWS
IN BRIEF
Medication errors in children being resuscitated in paediatric emergency
departments may be more common than previously estimated, according to a study
in the BMJ (2004;329:1321). The authors recorded drugs ordered and used during
eight mock resuscitations of children and analysed the contents of the syringes
used.In nine of the 58 syringes analysed, drug concentrations deviated by
at least 20 per cent from that ordered, with four syringes showing a difference
of at least 50 per cent.
Introducing “payment by results” will bring about considerable
upheaval for some hospitals, according to an article in the BMJ. The
author suggests, however, that the new system should provide a more
accurate method in the long term of calculating payments than using
finished consultant episodes.
Poor countries could help rich countries to adopt a more systematic
method to select drugs for reimbursement and help control their medicines
bill, according to a paper in the BMJ. “Essential medicines are
not second rate medicines for poor people, they are the most cost-effective
treatment for a given condition,” the author stresses.
A toolkit to
help employers and employees manage the risks from work-related stress
has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive.
The Human
Tissue Act 2004 received royal assent in November. It sets
out new rules that need to be followed to use and store human tissue
and sets up the Human Tissue Authority to regulate such activities.
It is available from www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk |
Hospital Pharmacist