Twelve doctors employed by the firm that is paid £100m a year to assess people claiming disability benefit are under investigation by the General Medical Council over allegations of improper conduct. The doctors, who work for Atos Healthcare, a French-owned company recently criticised by MPs for its practices, face being struck off if they are found not to have put the care of patients first.
Category Archives: disability
Atos doctors could be struck off
Seven of the doctors have been under investigation for more than seven months
Twelve medics at the disability assessment centre are under investigation by the GMC over allegations of improper conduct
Atos practices concerning welfare and disability assessment have come under intense criticism.
Cornwall has been chosen as a HealthWatch Pathfinder
Cornwall is chosen as one of new HealthWatch pathfinders
Source: eGov monitor – A Policy Dialogue Platform Published Friday, 5 August, 2011 – 14:21
Cornwall has been chosen by the Government to help test a new scheme which is designed to give a stronger voice to patients and carers at both a local and a national level.
Under the Government’s health reforms local authorities will take on the responsibility for commissioning a local HealthWatch from October 2012. Local HealthWatch will replace LINKs (Local Involvement Networks) but will have greater powers to strengthen the patient and public voice in health and social care services. At a national level, HealthWatch England will be established as the independent patient champion within the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Under the Government’s health reforms local authorities will take on the responsibility for commissioning a local HealthWatch from October 2012. Local HealthWatch will replace LINKs (Local Involvement Networks) but will have greater powers to strengthen the patient and public voice in health and social care services. At a national level, HealthWatch England will be established as the independent patient champion within the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Earlier this year all local authorities were invited to apply to become pathfinders to test how a local HealthWatch might work in practice and support Government thinking on how they might operate. Cornwall was one of 157 councils from across the country to submit a bid. Of these 75 have now been chosen as Pathfinders, with Cornwall one of eight authorities selected from the South West.
Break charity to close Rainbow holiday centre in Sheringham
Holiday centre for disabled to close.
By Alex Hurrell , Reporter Thursday, August 4, 2011
12.00 PM
Break is to close its Rainbow Holiday Centre in Sheringham, once the flagship of the major north Norfolk-based charity.
Break charity’s Rainbow holiday centre in Sheringham
Rainbow’s 30 staff were told this week that the Hooks Hill Road centre will close in January 2013 after providing a welcome to thousands of children and adults with disabilities for the past 38 years.
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