Sarah Macdonald

Health secretary defends plans to create foundation hospitals

The health secretary, Alan Milburn, wants to make NHS foundation hospital status available to all NHS hospitals in England and says this should be achievable within four or five years. Speaking at a meeting of the health select committee on 4 March, he said, “It has never ever been my view that this has been a policy that will apply to elite hospitals.” “Star ratings have shown that some hospitals are good, a few are poor, …

Commissions start review of service framework for coronary heart disease.

The UK Commission for Health Improvement and the Audit Commission have started a major review of how the national service framework for coronary heart disease is being implemented. Twelve standards for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of coronary heart disease—the biggest killer in the United Kingdom—were set out in the framework published in March 2000. These standards are due to be achieved by 2010, although immediate priorities were set out as milestones. The review, which will combine local reviews with a national overview, aims to assess the progress of the frameworks milestones, …

Water purifying system could save lives in developing countries

An affordable system to bring safe water to individual households in developing countries could save millions of lives, according to Population Services International, a non-profit organisation based in Washington, DC. The Safe Water System, developed by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in partnership with the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization, uses a dilute sodium hypochlorite solution and community education techniques to bring clean water to poor communities. The system also recommends storing water in containers with a narrow mouth to prevent recontamination. “The worst aspect of dirty water is that it gives diarrhoeal diseases …

Charity to promote links between creativity and serious illness.

A foundation that uses the creative arts to express the issues surrounding serious illness and dying was launched in London this week. ![][1] The … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif