New guidance on DNR orders brought forward – The Guardian
“Medical bodies plan to publish updated guidance by end of year after deciding not to wait for conclusion of Janet Tracey case.”
The Guardian, 21st June 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Category: health
Public bodies use privacy laws to hide information, says watchdog – Daily Telegraph
“Organisations are hiding behind data protection laws as an excuse to with-hold information from the public, a watchdog has admitted in the wake of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) scandal.”
Daily Telegraph, 20th June 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Police cells holding more than 9,000 mentally ill people a year – The Guardian
“More than 9,000 mentally ill people a year are being detained in police custody despite official guidance that such powers should be used only in exceptional circumstances, watchdogs say.”
The Guardian, 20th June 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Do NHS commissioners invest enough in contract management? – No. 5 Chambers
“The NHS is in the middle of the transition from a publicly funded and publicly provided health service towards a publicly funded but increasingly privately provided service. It is thus following the course adopted in social care, with the closure of local authority owned care homes and the contracting out of service provision to commercial, charity, and other voluntary sector providers.”
No. 5 Chambers, 17th June 2013
Source: www.no5chambers.com
Police launch inquiry into hundreds of Stafford hospital deaths – The Guardian
“Hundreds of deaths at Stafford hospital are being examined by police after a review identified 200 to 300 cases where neglect might have been a contributory factor. Following the publication of the Francis report into serious care failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS foundation trust, police, medical regulators and prosecutors launched a multi-agency review to establish whether any criminal offences were committed.”
The Guardian, 10th June 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Contracting a contagious disease in the course of a teacher’s employment – Employment Law Blog
“The Burgundy Book (the Conditions of Service for School Teachers in England and Wales) provides that a teacher is entitled to full pay where her ‘absence was due to an infectious or contagious illness contracted directly in the course of the teacher’s employment’, and that ‘such absence was not be reckoned against the teacher’s entitlement to sick leave’.”
Employment Law Blog, 30th May 2013
Source: www.employment11kbw.com
Diabetic driver jailed for impaling pedestrian – Daily Telegraph
“A driver who failed to tell the DVLA that he had diabetes has been jailed for six months and banned from driving for three years leaving a pedestrian impaled on the railings after losing control of his car when his blood-sugar level plummeted.”
Daily Telegraph, 27th May 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Disabled woman died after NHS blunders, ombudsman finds – The Guardian
“A catalogue of mistakes by an out-of-hours GP service and a hospital contributed to the death of a young woman with physical and learning disabilities, the NHS ombudsman says on Tuesday in a highly critical report that has led to fresh claims of prejudicial attitudes leading to poor care for such vulnerable patients.”
The Guardian, 21st May 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Widower to receive £150,000 payout linked to wife’s death in Oxfordshire – BBC News
“A widower left with brain damage from alcohol abuse linked to the shock of his wife’s sudden death is to receive a £150,000 payout from the NHS.”
BBC News, 15th May 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Caldicott review: unlawful personal data processing and sharing should be reported as ‘data breach’ – OUT-LAW.com
“Health and social care bodies should be required to publish details of cases where they have processed or shared patients’ personal data without having a legal basis to do so, Dame Fiona Caldicott has recommended.”
OUT-LAW.com, 29th April 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
Victory for family denied cancer claim payout for father – The Guardian
“The family of a man who died of cancer but whose life insurance payout was refused on the grounds that he failed to disclose pins and needles have won their fight against Friends Life, after the financial ombudsman ruled that the insurer was wrong to cancel his policy.”
The Guardian, 26th April 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Dame Julie Mellor – Constitutional Role of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman – UCL Constitution Unit
“Dame Julie Thérèse Mellor, DBE was appointed as Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and the Health Service Commissioner for England (Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman) in January 2012.
The Ombudsman is mandated to consider complaints that public bodies have not acted fairly. As a watchdog body independent of government and accountable to Parliament, its constitutional role is delicate and complex. Dame Julie will discuss that role, and how best the Ombdusman can maximize its independence and impact as a check on executive power.”
UCL Constitution Unit, 23rd April 2013
Source: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Doctors inform ICO of concerns over new medical data sharing scheme – OUT-LAW.com
“The UK’s data protection watchdog has highlighted concerns it has with a new information-sharing initiative that has begun operating in the health sector in England.”
OUT-LAW.com, 3rd April 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
You wait ages for an official report about the ICO’s data protection audit powers – Panopticon
“On 21st March 2013 the House of Commons Justice Committee published a report about the ICO, recommending, among other matters, that the ICO should be given the power to carry out compulsory data protection audits of NHS Trusts and local authorities. With uncanny speed, on 25th March 2013 the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) published a consultation document on the proposed extension of the ICO’s compulsory audit powers to cover NHS bodies. Despite the coincidence of timing, the MOJ’s proposal is not in fact a response to the Justice Committee’s report, but is prompted by a recommendation from the ICO itself.”
Panopticon, 28th March 2013
Source: www.panopticonblog.com
Assessment Notices under the Data Protection Act 1998 – Extension of the Information Commissioner’s Powers – Ministry of Justice
“This consultation paper sets out our proposal to extend the powers of the Information Commissioner to carry out compulsory assessments of NHS bodies’ compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and its data protection principles. It seeks views from NHS data controllers across the United Kingdom. The proposals are informed by the Information Commissioner’s experience working with NHS bodies to improve their compliance with data protection law.”
Ministry of Justice, 25th March 2013
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Gagged NHS whistleblowers will be allowed to speak out, Sir David Nicholson says – Daily Telegraph
“Hundreds of whistleblowers are now free to come forward with damaging
disclosures about the NHS after their gagging orders were retrospectively
lifted, Sir David Nicholson has told MPs.”
Daily Telegraph, 18th March 2013
Soruce: www.telegraph.co.uk
NHS complaints system review launched – Daily Telegraph
“An MP who claimed her husband died ‘like a battery hen’ in a hospital bed is to lead a review of the NHS complaints system launched today.”
Daily Telegraph, 15th March 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Ban on NHS gagging orders – The Guardian
“Gagging clauses that stop departing NHS staff from speaking out about patient safety or care have been banned by the government.”
The Guardian, 14th March 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Ash and Cancer Research win ban on ads attacking plain cigarette packs – The Guardian
“Anti-smoking campaigners have won a battle against Gallaher, which markets brands including Benson & Hedges, Camel and Silk Cut, after the advertising watchdog banned the tobacco giant’s national advertising campaign attacking proposals for plain cigarette packaging.”
the Guardian, 13th March 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Government to legislate for plain cigarette packaging this year – The Guardian
“Ministers are to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes along the Australian model with legislation this year, after becoming convinced that the branding is a key factor in why young people start to smoke.”
The Guardian, 5th March 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
