NHS telehealth will not get national implementation

13 November 2012

Three million people will benefit from telehealth systems.

telehealth will not be rolled out nationally

Remote telehealth monitoring systems are not being rolled out on a national basis and decisions where the technology is used will depend on “robust” business cases, health minister Norman Lamb has said.

The government has promised that three million people will benefit from telehealth systems. Telehealth and telecare services rely on devices which allow doctors to monitor patients from their homes.

The tools are intended to reduce the need for hospital visits and to help the NHS reduce costs in dealing with long term conditions – the largest resource drain on the health service.

Telehealth could reduce emergency admissions and extend life expectancy for patients, Lamb said in answer to a parliamentary question.

Patients will view their NHS records online in three years

NHS patients will be given online access to their health records in the next three years under plans to be announced by the Government today.

 

The move for online health records comes despite the decision by Andrew Lansley, the previous health secretary, to cancel a massive NHS national database

By , Political Editor

7:00AM GMT 13 Nov 201

Doctors’ surgeries will have to set up services to allow anyone to see their health files, book appointments and order repeat prescriptions on the internet.

People will also be given detailed information on the survival rates and success of treatments in their areas, so they can choose to go to more “successful” hospitals or doctors if they wish.

A Government source said: “Many people are juggling longer working hours with caring for children and older relatives.

Don’t just blame staff – companies must be ‘accountable’ for care home failings

Minister pledges new rules to ensure firms which fail vulnerable patients are punished
Nina Lakhani

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Private companies which get public money to run care homes will be made “corporately accountable” for poor standards, the Care Services minister has pledged.

Norman Lamb said he would address regulatory gaps to ensure there were consequences for firms which failed vulnerable patients in hospitals or care homes. At present, care home staff and managers are more likely to be held accountable for abuse than the companies, executives and investors that actually profit from failing homes.