Investigation into penalty charge notices in healthcare
Published on:This investigation sets out facts about penalty charge notices and how the NHS supports vulnerable people to navigate the system.
This investigation sets out facts about penalty charge notices and how the NHS supports vulnerable people to navigate the system.
The Department of Health has made progress towards its target that, by December 2005, each NHS patient referred by a GP for non-emergency hospital treatment will be offered a choice of four or five healthcare providers. However, according to the National Audit Office, there remain significant risks for the Department to manage, especially that of […]
Although the Commission has improved as an organisation, it needs to overcome some persistent issues with the timeliness of some of its regulation activities if it is to sustain further improvement.
There is a pressing need for the Department of Health, Strategic Health Authorities and NHS trusts to improve their management of suspensions of clinical staff, according to the head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn. Today’s report to Parliament, while acknowledging the paramount importance of protecting patient safety, highlights concerns about the length […]
A memorandum on the provision of out-of-hours GP services in Cornwall found whistleblowers played a significant role in highlighting concerns about the service.
The head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn, today reported to Parliament that the Department for Work and Pensions and their contractor Schlumberger have improved arrangements for the medical assessment of benefit claims since the National Audit Office reported on this subject in 2001. They have improved the speed of processing, the standard […]
The Better Care Fund has not achieved the expected value for money, in terms of savings, outcomes for patients or hospital activity.
Since its creation in 2001, the Public Guardianship Office has improved the quality of information it receives on the stewardship of the financial affairs of people who lose mental capacity. It has begun to target its scrutiny, reducing the regulatory burden on some receivers deemed to be a lower risk, and in some cases where […]
Delivering the National Programme for IT in the NHS is proving to be an enormous challenge. All elements of the Programme are advancing and some are complete, but the original timescales for the electronic Care Records Service, one of the central elements of the Programme, turned out to be unachievable, raised unrealistic expectations and put […]
Carillion going into liquidation left two new hospitals unfinished. The projects will now be completed with public finance.
NHS trusts have achieved a large and sustained reduction in the length of time patients spend in accident and emergency (A&E) departments, largely through improved working practices. This reduction has followed a strongly increased focus, since 2002, by the Department of Health on trusts ensuring that patients spend no more than four hours in A&E. […]
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported today that cancer patients are increasingly surviving the disease as a result of the new initiatives launched by the Department of Health and the NHS over the last decade. But the NHS needs to continue to do more to ensure all patients are treated swiftly […]
This report examines whether the government is likely to meet its ambitions for children and young people’s mental health services.
There has been notable progress at trust level in putting systems and processes in place and strengthening infection control teams to improve the prevention and control of hospital acquired infection, but the NHS still does not have enough information on the extent and cost of hospital acquired infection. These are the principal findings of a […]
This report examines whether the NHS is well placed to get value for money from its investment in developing new care models through vanguards.
The NAO reports on the use of confidentiality clauses and severance payments in three more areas of government.
Our investigation focuses on the delivery, performance, oversight and progress implementing change on four health screening programmes.
Head of the National Office Sir John Bourn reported to Parliament today that, in 2002-2003, the Department of Health successfully met its target of ensuring that financial balance was achieved in aggregate across the 607 individual NHS organisations. The NHS as a whole reported an underspend of £96 million within the context of healthcare commissioned […]
The report examines whether the NHS is on track to achieve financial sustainability.
Head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn, reported to Parliament today that good progress has been made to improve the protection from violence given to NHS staff. However he said that more needs to be done particularly on risk assessment, staff training, follow up after an incident has been reported, and the establishment […]