Annual Reports

HC: The Healthcare Commission has called on NHS and independent sector hospitals to ensure they are not exposing patients to the dangers of unnecessary radiation through x-rays, CT scans and other procedures. In the first report of its type, the Commission analyses 329 incidents reported to it during the 14 month period from November 2006 to December 2007 under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (2000).
 
Exposure to ionising radiation is a vital part of healthcare provision and can save lives, but it does have the potential to cause harm and in extreme cases can increase the risk of cancer.  The Commission stresses that the majority of incidents reported to it were of a low dose and carry little risk to patients.
 
The report states that a third of the errors occurred when x-rays and other diagnostic examinations were carried out on the wrong patient.  In radiotherapy, where doses are higher, patient identification was not an issue.
Press release ~ Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Report ~ Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2000 ~ NHS Executive guidance document HSG 95(3) ~ National Patient Safety Agency ~ Radiation Protection Research programme ~ Radiography modernisation
 
DH: The new IT systems in the NHS are on course to deliver better care and an estimated £1.14bn in savings by 2014, according to the first annual Benefits Statement published by the Government. The report summarises information from 1 in 5 Trusts who have implemented new IT from the National Programme for IT Programme and claims that, since its introduction, it has already delivered a total of £208m in savings by providing quicker, more efficient and convenient patient care.
 
Savings include:
* £192m through the delivery of the National Network for the NHS
* £14m from the use of digital imaging & scans (plus an additional £35mp.a.forecast recurrent savings)
* £617k on software licensing & hardware maint. costs (plus a £1.6m p.a. forecast recurrent savings)
Press release ~ Benefits Statement 2006/07 ~ National Programme for IT ~ National Network for the NHS ~ Full cost of NHS IT upgrade revealed - Times Online ~ NHS IT cost doubled to £12.4bn | The Register ~ NAO report
 
ScotGov: Figures for cases of 'missing' sex offenders will be published annually from the autumn, as well as the number of formal police/social work disclosures about offenders in the community, Holyrood's Justice Committee has been told.

Arrangements are now in place to publish this information in forthcoming annual reports of the new Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPAs) - implementing a further two of the recommendations of the cross-party justice sub-committee inquiry into child sex offenders.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has written to the Committee updating MSPs on the progress made towards implementing the 33 recommendations of the justice sub-committee inquiry into child sex offenders, published in December 2006. He said that of the 8 recommendations that remain outstanding, 4 should be implemented by the autumn - including a public information strategy to raise awareness of offender management and provide advice to parents, children & communities to help them further reduce the risks of exposure to harm.
Press release ~ Justice 2 sub committee report on child sex offenders ~ The Scottish Parliament:-Committees-Justice 2 Sub-Committee - Session 2 ~ Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPAs) ~ Social Work Inspection Agency ~ HM Chief Inspector of Prisons ~ HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary ~ CEOP/Crimestoppers 'most wanted'Management of Offenders etc (Scotland) Act 2005
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