Part of our response to the Labour Party Policy consultation June 2012 Health inequalities are a consequence of economic inequalities. We need to address the cause not the symptoms. Perhaps the NHS can become the first employer that has no more than a 20 fold income differential for all its staff!! This is basically not an NHS … Read more
The harmful use of alcohol results in 2.5 million deaths each year. 320 000 young people between the age of 15 and 29 die from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group. Alcohol is the world’s third largest risk factor for disease burden; it is the leading risk factor in the … Read more
Dangers of cycling It is safer to cycle in England than to drive in France (“sorry, Bradley, helmets are not the answer”, Christian Wolmar, The Times Opinion, Aug 3). For young male road users, it is safer to cycle than to drive. For older road users, the added risk of cycling rather than driving is … Read more
Councillors in England have two formal routes to influence the NHS – the Scrutiny Committees and the Health and Wellbeing Board. We need more discussion about good and bad practice in the running of these committees, which clearly varies widely. There should be a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and a Health& Well being Strategy which … Read more
The full report Bradley Wiggins Foundation
Part of our response to the Labour Party Policy consultation June 2012 Comprehensiveness, universality and equality of access and quality. Free at the point of delivery and in social ownership. Responsive to individual and collective need as democratically determined Integrated into a social system that prioritises human development and care over commodity and capital. Stewardship: i.e. efficient … Read more
Presentations and conclusions from our seminar Health and Social Care Integration in the New Policy Landscape 12th October 2012 Ailsa Cameron and Rachel Lart – Is integration the Burning platform for change – a literature review. Integrated Care is not defined very well but at patient level we know what it means – something like whole person … Read more
Part of our response to the Labour Party Policy consultation June 2012 Through the Local Authority, together. Capital projects should be funded through municipal bonds, rather than PFI As in the past, with a mixed economy of public sector, public domain, charities and commercial organisations. The NHS has shown how effective franchising can be, with thriving networks … Read more
‘Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed, Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant: But over its terrible edge there had slipped A duke and many a peasant; So the people said something would have to be done. But their projects did not at all tally: Some said, “Put a fence around … Read more
The excellent Clare Gerada, Chair of the Royal College of GPs is calling for a brave and honest debate about rationing medicine. According to GP magasine two thirds of GPs think that the NHS should stop providing free prescriptions for drugs that are available over the counter. Generally stuff like Calpol which you can buy without a … Read more
This shows the comparison of rates of liver disease in Scotland against other European countries, and against England and Wales. As alcohol becomes more affordable, consumption increases; as consumption increases, harm increases. The Scottish Government is proposing to introduce a Minimum Unit Price for alcohol so that the harm caused by cheap, strong alcohol is … Read more
Doctors.net.uk, a professional networking site, found that 593 (54%) of the 1,096 doctors who took part in the self-selecting survey answered yes when asked: “Should the NHS be allowed to refuse non-emergency treatments to patients unless they lose weight or stop smoking?” One doctor said that denying in-vitro fertilisation to childless women who smoked was … Read more