Primary care trusts (PCTs) spend around 75 per cent of the NHS budget in England. How do they decide on their spending priorities? This paper examines the data collected by the Department of Health on the amounts PCTs spend on the 23 programmes of care based on medical conditions such ... and An update to the briefing "Local variations in NHS spending priorities" published in 2006.
In 2006 a pilot programme was launched in partnership with six NHS trusts, supported by their charities, and two Marie Curie Cancer Care hospices to improve Environments for Care at End of Life. The objective was to see whether the King's Fund run Enhancing the Healing Environment (EHE) could be ...
While the 'postcode lottery' of accessing drugs such as Herceptin on the NHS attract media headlines, there has been growing awareness of more fundamental variations in spending by primary care trusts (PCTs), the organisations responsible for purchasing the bulk of NHS care for people living in their catchment areas. This ...
This study aimed to involve patients and health professionals in drawing up a set of auditable guidelines for consultations in which patients are given their initial diagnosis of cancer. It resulted from representations from patients and hospital staff, both of which groups were concerned that the way in which the ...
The conference examined cancer as a genetic disease and presented papers on recent genetic research and gene therapy. The implications of the `new genetics' from an ethical, legal and insurance point of view were considered. The conference also explored the implications of recent developments in genetic research for general practice ...
Anyone who has cancer or is suspected of having cancer, needs information, comfort and support. The objective of this conference was to equip delegates to meet those needs. Communication with the patient was discussed, to enable the patient to understand and come to terms with the disease. Difficulties in communication ...