Department of Health

Website of the Department of Health

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Progress on policy

"People hear about our policies when they are launched and perhaps hear nothing more about them for a long time. When progress is reported, they then do not have a clear picture of the original policy that a particular progress report relates to. In this section I want people to have access to information about the progress of some of our important policies. I want them to be aware of the work that is being carried out on their behalf." Sir Liam Donaldson, CMO.

Preventing meningitis

Published: 03/01/2007

"Preventing meningitis" provides information about meningitis, its symptoms and the campaigns that have been organised to help fight the disease. It also includes information about meningococcal septicaemia, the more life-threatening form of meningococcal disease.

The Expert Patients Programme

Published: 16/06/2006

The Expert Patients Programme provides lay-led, group based support for people, in the self-management of their long-term condition. The programme offers a tool-kit of fundamental techniques that patients can undertake to improve their quality of life, living with a long-term condition. This report from the Chief Medical Officer provides an update on the programme.

Health Inequalities

Published: 11/08/2005

The Department of Health report: Tackling health inequalities: Status report on the Programme for Action, provides a review of developments since the publication of the Programme for Action in 2003. It considers progress against the Public Service Agreement (PSA) target, the national headline indicators and against government commitments. The report also highlights the challenging nature of the health inequalities PSA target for 2010.

Stem cell research

Published: 15/04/2005

Stem cells, which have the potential to develop into almost any type of tissue in the human body, may enable the treatment of diseases currently classified as incurable. This report examines how and why research into stem cells will be conducted.

Clinical governance

Clinical governance is the way in which NHS organisations monitor, assure and improve the quality of their services year on year, and make sure that they are safe. This progress report describes what has happened so far in the field and what is planned for the future.

Suspensions of doctors

More than 100,000 doctors practise in the National Health Service (NHS). The overwhelming majority of them work hard to provide excellent care. As with any large workforce, however, a small minority will get into difficulty. A series of steps have been taken to improve the way the conduct, capability and health of doctors is managed. In the latest move, the Department of Health launched a new framework on 17 February 2005, "Maintaining High Professional Standards in the Modern NHS".

Patient safety

In the complex, high technology environment that is modern healthcare, things can and do go wrong. This report, covering issues raised in "An Organisation with a Memory" and "Building a Safer NHS", details the new systems-led approach to improving patient safety which is fundamentally changing the culture of the NHS.

Infectious diseases

Infectious diseases

Infectious diseases are a major global threat: to health, prosperity, social stability, and security. This report details the first national strategy to combat infectious diseases, published in "Getting Ahead of the Curve". It looks at progress in priority areas for action, including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, TB and healthcare-associated infection.

Retention of human organs

The development of new drug therapies, diagnosis of existing conditions and the training of medical professionals relies heavily on the donation of tissue and organs. This report looks at how existing legislation is being revised to address issues of consent and outlines proposed changes to the existing post-mortem examination systems.

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