Author: Andy Cowper

Health Secretary Alan Johnson launched the Department of Health’s ten-year End of Life Care Strategy, with £286 million in new money to help more people to die at home. Opinion surveys of the general public have shown that while the first preference for most people (56-74%) would be to die at home, in practice, however, only around 18% do so. 58% of people die in hospital, 17% in care homes, 4% in a hospice and 3% elsewhere.

The Department of Health’s chief medical officer in England Sir Liam Donaldon’s latest annual report has highlighted the need for safer surgery, and the health needs of teenagers.

The latest figures released from the Department of Health reveal that just a minority of GP practices in England are offering extended hours of access.

Health minister Lord Darzi says that GP surgeries will “absolutely not” close under threats from new polyclinics. Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Darzi, whose NHS next stages review High-quality care for all was published last Monday, emphasised the “additionality” of the new GP-led health centres.

On the eve of the delayed launch of the Darzi Review primary care strategy, Health Minister Ben Bradshaw has hit out at GPs for preventing patient choice by preventing practice lists being open to new patients.