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John Reid has launched the NHS Employers' Organisation

Health Secretary John Reid has launched the NHS Employers' Organisation - an independent body that will be responsible for the pay and conditions of all NHS staff.

26 Jun 2004

British government's new NHS improvement plan

People who need an operation will wait no more than 18 weeks by 2008, Health Secretary John Reid said today.

24 Jun 2004

Australians will have access to a new Medicare smartcard

Australians will have access to a new Medicare smartcard as part of the government’s electronic health agenda to improve the quality and accessibility of patient information across the health system.

24 Jun 2004

Australian childhood immunisation incentives to continue

Funding for the General Practice Immunisation Incentives Scheme (GPII) will now continue on an ongoing basis to ensure that Australia’s 90 per cent plus childhood immunisation coverage is maintained.

23 Jun 2004

Local NHS bodies show lack of vision

Primary Care Organisations, responsible for running the NHS at local level, have in some areas failed to grasp the opportunities given to them in the new national GP contract and displayed instead a timid short-termism, GP leader Dr John Chisholm told the annual conference of family doctors today.

17 Jun 2004

Call for special help for young people who inject drugs

Government and health care services are being urged to make special help available for young people who inject drugs, in a bid to minimize drug-related deaths.

16 Jun 2004

Higher-than-normal amounts of a selenium-containing enzyme could promote type 2 diabetes

A study by researchers at Cornell University suggests that higher-than-normal amounts of a selenium-containing enzyme could promote type 2 diabetes.

10 Jun 2004

Better co-ordination needed to manage chronic diseases

A working party report released today calls for the co-ordinated management of chronic disease across primary and secondary care in the UK.

7 Jun 2004

Australian Government's new mechanism for implementing the new Medicare allied health initiative

The Australian Government has announced that a mechanism for implementing the new Medicare allied health initiative from 1 July 2004 has been finalised following consultations with GP and allied health professional groups.

7 Jun 2004

Lack of funding and staff in the UK hinders patient care

Doctors across the UK are leading innovative approaches to patient care but are blocked from developing their projects further by lack of funding and staff according to a new publication launched today (3 June) by the BMA.

3 Jun 2004

BMA to publish an A to Z of Doctors Making a Difference

The British Medical Association will today (Thursday 3 June 2004) publish an A to Z of Doctors Making a Difference. This UK-wide report illustrates how doctors are leading developments to increase patient care, improve access to services and enhance the patient experience.

3 Jun 2004

'somatoform', or 'psychosomatic', disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders found in general practice

A study from the Netherlands has shown that ‘somatoform’, or ‘psychosomatic’, disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders found in general practice. At least one out of six patients seen by a general practitioner has a somatoform disorder.

2 Jun 2004

NHS 24 appears to have improved out-of-hours medical care in Scotland

Patient satisfaction with out-of-hours medical care in Scotland has risen since the introduction of NHS 24 - but it is still too early to judge the long term success of the service. Integrating NHS 24 with existing health services has been more difficult than predicted.

31 May 2004

AMA call for Australian government to stop playing politics with health

The first limited after hours GP clinic will open at Royal Perth Hospital this weekend spelling the end for suburban after hours clinics and increasing pressure on hospital emergency departments.

30 May 2004

New Australian after hours bulk billing medical centres

Two new after hours bulk billing medical centres have been opened as part of a joint Commonwealth-State initiative to improve access to doctors outside of working hours.

30 May 2004

Funding worth $1 million for depression-related research

A University of Melbourne research project called DIAMOND will share in Victorian Government funding worth $1 million for depression-related research.

26 May 2004

50 percent of British men admit they would delay seeing a doctor if they had warning signs of cancer

Younger men were most likely to cite embarrassment as a reason to delay getting their symptoms checked, whereas those in the 45+ age group were concerned about what the doctor might find as the result of an examination. Lack of time was a factor across all groups.

25 May 2004

Mothers who are concerned about their own health may unwittingly be passing their anxieties on to their children

A new study of parenting suggests that mothers who suffer from certain illnesses like Irritable Bowel Syndrome are more likely to take their babies to the doctors for a range of minor problems.

24 May 2004

Launch of Crucial Genetics, a state-of-the-art genetic profiling service

The University of Glasgow has linked up with venture capital company Fifty-Six Ltd. to launch Crucial Genetics, a state-of-the-art genetic profiling service. The company is based within customised laboratory facilities at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow and is equipped with the latest automated fluorescent DNA laser scanning machinery.

19 May 2004

The UK Health Protection Agency has issued symptom-based clinical action cards to all GPs in England to help them recognise unusual symptoms

The Health Protection Agency has this week issued symptom-based clinical action cards to all GPs in England to help them recognise unusual symptoms. The cards do not reflect any increased threat to the public, but have been developed in response to requests from the medical profession for more specific training in the recognition of unusual symptoms caused by emerging diseases and by chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) hazards.

18 May 2004