DS Daily - 13th July 2010

Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS - Press release

Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley today set out the Government's ambitious plans to reform the NHS during this Parliament and for the long-term [Department of Health, UK]

Equity and excellence: liberating the NHS - Downloads

The NHS White Paper, Equity and excellence: liberating the NHS, sets out the Government's long-term vision for the future of the NHS [Department of Health, UK]

Commentary on NHS White Paper

James Gubb, director of the health unit at independent social policy think-tank Civitas said: Recent evidence on the impact of the competition that already exists in the NHS suggests this is the right course of action to drive value in tight financial times [Civitas, UK]

The King's Fund's response to the NHS White Paper

The Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, Professor Chris Ham, commented: The ensuing debate must focus on delivering the best outcomes for patients, providing the most equitable and efficient care and, importantly, ensuring that data is available to measure these outcomes [The King's Fund, UK]

Turning Point Statement on Health White Paper

Turning Point’s Chief Executive, Lord Victor Adebowale said: Greater integration of health and social care is vital if we are to ensure people’s whole needs are met. Greater fluidity between services not only increases quality and outcomes but has been evidenced to deliver significant cost-savings. We therefore hope that today’s rhetoric will become a reality [Turning Point, UK]

Green Paper on Criminal Justice and Addiction

This paper presents an achievable vision that places full recovery at the heart of the drug and alcohol treatment system, and rehabilitation at the heart of the criminal justice system [Centre for Social Justice, UK]

Think-tank publishes Green Paper on on Criminal Justice and Addiction

A summary of some of the key points [DrugScope, UK]

'Legal high' Naphyrone banned

Naphyrone – often advertised as 'NRG1' – and its related compounds are to be banned and made Class B drugs, minister for crime prevention James Brokenshire announced today [Home Office, UK]

Tension at heart of drug classification

The Home Office has fought for three years to keep details of its review of the drug classification system secret. Now the campaigners who forced its publication think they know why: the document, they say, exposes the illogicality that undermines government drugs policy [Mark Easton, BBC]

Mass needle exchange helped reverse HIV epidemic in New York

From New York, a success story of the reversal of a serious epidemic of HIV among injectors, with mass needle exchange in the starring role. It adds weight to studies which collectively indicate that multi-strand approaches featuring high-coverage syringe provision can curb the spread of HIV [Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK]

User Involvement tipsheets developed for Greater Glasgow and Clyde services

A series of “tip-sheet” information guides to help local drug and alcohol services with service user involvement has been published by the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Service User Involvement Partnership [Scottish Drugs Forum, UK]

Women in prison

Thematic report by [HM Inspectorate of Prisons, UK]

Health Secretary outlines non-regulatory approach for food and alcohol industry

The Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has outlined a Public Health approach of 'social responsibility, not state regulation' in respect of issues such as junk food and alcohol consumption [Alcohol Policy UK]

Norwegian Committee Calls for Heroin Prescription Trials, Harm Reduction Measures

The Stoltenberg Committee presented its findings in a 49-page report (sorry, Norwegian only) issued last month [Stop the Drug War]

Desperate Addicts Inject Others’ Blood

Desperate heroin users in a few African cities have begun engaging in a practice that is so dangerous it is almost unthinkable: they deliberately inject themselves with another addict’s blood, researchers say, in an effort to share the high or stave off the pangs of withdrawal [New York Times, USA]