The professional body representing laboratory staff, the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), has expressed concerns over the plans – revealed to trade unions by Dido Harding – for the first of … Read more
diagnostics
Last week’s announcement by Matt Hancock of an expansion of the government’s ‘mega lab’ Lighthouse project – set up earlier this year by the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) to … Read more
In a crisis we need quick thinking and resourcefulness. There’s no time to explain decisions. That’s the justification for the government by-passing scrutiny and transparency, but revelations about dubious deals … Read more
Almost three in four people think failing private contractors Serco and Sitel should be booted out of their role running so-called “NHS Test and Trace” according to a Survation poll, as … Read more
The Doctors’ Association has criticised the coronavirus testing system as “an utter shambles” after collecting a dossier of cases where the system has led to long journeys and considerable waits … Read more
Allyson Pollock, clinical professor of public health at Newcastle University and author of NHS plc: the Privatisation of Our Health Care, discusses why the government’s test, track and trace system, … Read more
The Independent reports that it has been informed by a whistleblower that dozens of shifts at one of the government’s coronavirus mega-labs have been cancelled and staff paid to stay away because … Read more
The Guardian reports that the Department of Health and Social Care is set to create a new national framework for testing which would replace current arrangements, with further details released … Read more
An investigation by journalists at The Independent into the testing for Covid-19 and reporting of test results found a number of major flaws in the process due to the setting … Read more
HSJ has revealed that King’s College Hospital FT and Guy’s and St Thomas’ FT will pay an undisclosed sum to Serco for its share of Viapath, the firm they co-own. … Read more
The Observer reports that Serco was fined more than £1 million for failures on a government contract a few months ago, but was still awarded a lucrative government contract for … Read more
HSJ reports that the internal NHS email containing information on how many residents and staff have tested positive is no longer reporting test results from commercial laboratories. This lack of … Read more
Staff in NHS laboratories are increasingly alarmed at the implications of the government’s turn to create a new network of “super-labs” to process what is supposed to be a rising number of … Read more
A review is underway of ultrasound scans for around 1,800 patients following concerns about the “quality and safety” of work carried out by two sonographers employed by the independent provider, … Read more
The Independent reports that the number of British people choosing to pay for private hospital surgery has soared with the total amount spent doubling in six years to £1.1bn. According … Read more
Keep our NHS Public Oxfordshire (KONPOX) has written to the chair of Parliament’s Health Select Committee – Sarah Wollaston MP – requesting that Oxford University Hospitals Trust keep the contract … Read more
Oxfordshire councillors have accused NHS bosses of endangering patients, “flagrant” lawbreaking and intimidating a leading hospital trust over their controversial privatisation of cancer scanning services. The councillors have written a … Read more
NHS bosses have made a significant U-turn over plans to privatise cancer scanning services after outcry from MPs, doctors and patients. The rethink means the two scanners used for the … Read more
NHS chiefs are bringing the cervical screening service back in-house after expressing dissatisfaction at the way it has been performing. The chief executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens, told the … Read more
The Guardian reports that government and opposition MPs are asking NHS England to halt the privatisation of cancer screening services in the Oxfordshire area, which doctors are warning will damage … Read more
