Thursday 29th January 2015- The Independent: NHS budget crisis as hospitals rebel against Government cuts

‘Hospitals have carried out an “unprecedented” rebellion against national NHS spending plans, warning officials they can no longer guarantee safe patient care under funding proposals for this year.

Objections to the NHS tariff for 2015/16 have been submitted by hospitals that between them represent 75 per cent of the work the health service carries out.

The tariff sets the rates at which hospitals and other providers are paid for the services they provide. Proposals for this year amounted to a 3.8 per cent real terms cut.

Their intervention is highly significant as it means some of England’s major hospitals have reached the conclusion they can no longer afford to carry out the operations, treatments and other services they are constitutionally bound to provide.’

‘Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, as well as community, mental health and ambulance services, said that objecting to the tariff was a “last resort”.’

’80 per cent of England’s hospitals are already in deficit, Mr Hopson said.’

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NHS budget crisis as hospitals rebel against Government cuts

Monday 19th January 2015- The Daily Mail: Banned for a year, Harley St Botox doctor who broke safety rules: Cosmetic surgeon illegally taught nurses how to administer the drug

‘A cosmetic surgeon who put patients in danger by teaching nurses how to administer Botox illegally has been banned from the medical profession for a year.

Dr Mark Harrison amassed a fortune as he charged the nurses £400 a day for training courses on injecting the toxic drug at his Harley Street clinic.

Showing a ‘cavalier’ attitude to safety, he told them to give Botox to patients without a prescription.’

‘He admitted the practice was ‘naughty’ but said regulation was so lax they would get away with it.

It is thought the 51-year-old, who lives in a £4million townhouse in Kensington, West London, made more than £1million from the scam.’

‘He charged £30 for each ‘consultation’’ and ‘ charged patients from £200 for a treatment.’

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Banned for a year, Harley St Botox doctor who broke safety rules: Cosmetic surgeon illegally taught nurses how to administer the drug

Monday 19th January 2015- The Daily Mail: Pressure grows for NHS hospital ‘stitch-up’ inquiry: CQC inspector allowed to write report when he was found guilty of letting student hand out drugs

Following the the Care Quality Commission’s review of the “inadequate” private Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgshire, an inquiry has been launched as ‘it emerged that a CQC inspector was found guilty of professional misconduct while writing the damning report.

Senior paramedic Lee Barham, 42, was part of the team that unexpectedly condemned Hinchingbrooke, despite previous findings that it was one of Britain’s best-performing hospitals. 

Between the hospital’s inspection in September and the report’s publication this month, a conduct hearing upheld allegations that Mr Barham failed to tell managers an unqualified student paramedic had given a patient morphine.

Mr Barham also swore abusively at his junior colleague and ‘stole’ his mobile phone, a Health and Care Professions Council panel ruled in October.

The disciplinary committee found his actions amounted to misconduct and fell ‘seriously below the standards expected of a registered paramedic’.’

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Pressure grows for NHS hospital ‘stitch-up’ inquiry: CQC inspector allowed to write report when he was found guilty of letting student hand out drugs- The Daily Mail

Hinchingbrooke Hospital: Circle to withdraw from contract- BBC News

 

Friday 9th January 2015- BBC News: Hinchingbrooke Hospital: Circle to withdraw from contract

‘A company which became the first private firm to manage an NHS hospital says it wants to “withdraw from its contract”‘, following a recently performed Care Quality Commission inspection which resulted in Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire being rated as “inadequate” in their healthcare service, with particular issues “surrounding staffing” and their A&E department.

‘Circle has made payments to the trust totalling about £4.84m and could be required to make a final support payment of approximately £160,000, the firm said.

Under the terms of its 10-year contract, it has the right to end the franchise if the amount of money it has to put in to the trust exceeds £5m.

Chief Executive Steve Melton said: “This combination of factors means we have now reluctantly concluded that, in its existing form, Circle’s involvement in Hinchingbrooke is unsustainable.”‘

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Hinchingbrooke Hospital: Circle to withdraw from contract