Tuesday 1 July 2008

Darzi, Darzi, give me your answer do


At long last Lord Darzi, surgeon and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, has published his report on the future of the NHS.

For those of you who can't face reading the entire 92 pages, complete with a preface by the Prime Minister and a foreword by the Secretary of State for Health, various newspapers and other sources have digested it for you and published nuggets and highlights. The BBC manages to sum up the report in 14 bullet points. It offers reactions from a range of people and focuses on how quality of care will be linked to payments.

The Guardian offers a brief review on what the report says, and focuses on the NHS constitution, with some Q&As. The Times lists rights and pledges found in the constitution and also has plenty to say in its analysis column.

NHS Choices - the site for patient information - has a run down of the key points of the constitution and background to the review. The same page offers links to guides and leaflets, for staff and patients, on the constitution.

The Daily Mail tells us that funding in future will be dependant upon patient happiness. Professor Sikora says we must "stop treating the NHS like a national religion." The comment page isn't happy - it opens its remarks with mutterings around deckchairs ands the Titanic. Comment in the Telegraph comes from John Appleby of the King's Fund, who feels it's a step in the right direction.

For those of you after basic facts about the NHS the BBC has a rundown covering life expectancy, vaccinations, budgets and staff numbers. There is a brief history of the NHS and a fuller history and archive include clips from programmes and even an audio clip of Nye Bevan talking about his creation.

For a thorough, balanced and considered set of links to Darzi-related material, visit Newham library's excellent blog.



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