Department of Health

MPs have voiced concerns that the NHS reorganisation might conflict with the government's aim of saving £20bn while maintaining patient care standards.

Government plans to give care workers and patients more control over their care will be tested with the announcement of six trial areas.

MPs have proposed that GPs should share NHS commissioning duties with other representatives, alongside a number of other significant amendments.

Simplyhealth believes the government has failed to make its case for NHS reforms and that taking stock of public and health professionals' reaction will improve the amendments.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has taken responsibility for helping the NHS to optimise its use of medicines with its absorption of the National Prescribing Centre (NPC).

Primary care trusts (PCTs) will suffer a real terms funding cut as the government revealed it is not increasing direct spending to match inflation.

An investigation into how well the private healthcare market is working is being planned by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Private hospitals are becoming more dependent on providing NHS services as private medical insurance (PMI) activity continues to fall, according to the latest industry survey from Laing and Buisson.

NHS cancer patients are generally positive about their care experiences although there is scope for improvements, according to a new survey for the organisation.

The first groups of GPs who will commission health services have been announced by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.