Author: Selina McKee

Osteoporosis patients in the UK have been dealt a blow after NHS cost regulator NICE refused to change its original treatment recommendations for the disease despite a long legal wrangle and reconsideration of evidence ordered by the High Court earlier this year.

It looks like children with growth deficiencies will soon be able to get easy access to Pfizer’s human growth hormone Genotropin on the National Health Service after it won the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s favour.

Chancellor Alistair Darling has promised to boost government spend on the National Health Service “over and above inflation” after 2010-11, to help sustain service improvements and cope with rising demand.

Practice-based commissioning is making a real difference to healthcare and is improving the patient experience, according to the majority of commissioners taking part in a government survey.

Baroness Barbara Young has quite her role as Chairman of the Care Quality Commission following escalating rows over hospital standards and an alleged dispute with the health secretary over regulation.