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Biomedical subjects

A Earl-Slater

Publications and source records attributed to A Earl-Slater.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Clinical guidelines. Nice work: spell it out for me.

Trusts and PCGs should take action now to disseminate the list of topics being investigated by NICE. Each organization should carry out an audit to establish how many patients are being treated in the areas looked at by NICE and what their current treatments are. Such information is essential to inform and defend treatment decisions, following guidance from NICE.

Family Practice↗
PubMed1999

Pharmaceuticals. Plunder and pillage.

The government has proposed a statutory scheme to regulate prices and profits on the sale of drugs to the NHS. Drug companies which don't cooperate could be liable to heavy fines, but the government has failed to spell out the precise conditions under which such penalties would apply. Defining what comprises excessive prices or profits is likely to present a number of empirical problems. Experience overseas suggests that the scheme will fail to halt the inexorable rise in the NHS drugs bill.

Commerce↗
PubMed1998

The importance of the pharmaceutical industry to the UK economy.

The objective of this paper is to indicate the importance of the pharmaceutical industry to the UK economy. Data on various aspects of the industry are presented and examined. As background information a collection of policies and pressures on the pharmaceutical environment are identified and discussed. The evidence shows what the UK economy stands to lose if it loses its pharmaceutical industrial base. Concludes that policy and pressure affecting drug products also affect drug companies; some of this is not realised when drug product policies are considered; the people of the UK will still need drugs whether or not the UK has a pharmaceutical base; the UK economy stands to lose a significant amount of benefits if it loses its pharmaceutical industrial base.

Capital Expenditures↗
PubMed1997

Time to fix the price fix.

There is no evidence that the UK's pharmaceutical price regulation scheme is working. Arguments for abolishing it are that it is seriously flawed and inappropriate to today's health service, and that there are better alternatives. A regional drugs committee which makes evidence-based recommendations to GPs, could be a suitable alternative. The government should look to the experience of other countries and consult with healthcare professionals and the public before making any changes.

Cost Control↗
PubMed1997

Audit: an exploration of two models from outside the health care environment.

Whilst there has been exponential growth in auditing health care services and a proliferation of the instruments involved, there seems to have been less cross-fertilization of audit systems and instruments between health care environments and other environments. This paper identifies and explores two audit systems and instruments outside the health care environment. The objective is to seek to improve the level of common understanding, communication and collaboration amongst those who are interested or involved in audit in any sector of the economy. This exercise offers an opportunity and incentive for cross-fertilization of ideas with respect to audit concepts, systems, instruments, results and experiences. Yet there is a more fundamental question to be considered: why bother with audit? This paper identifies core reasons for performing audit which, although they have been mentioned elsewhere, are worth recalling once again. The two non-health care audit systems and instruments are then identified and explored. On the one hand it is seen that the two audit systems and instruments outside health care have common features with audits in health care. On the other hand, it is also suggested that there are some significant differences in the two audit systems and instruments when compared to health care audits. This paper identifies and discusses similarities and differences. Finally, if we fail to learn from the mixture of experiences and insights of various audit exercises, not only will be doing our professions and our customers a disservice but we will lower the chances of continuous improvement in knowledge and understanding.

Communication↗
PubMed1996

Health-care reforms in the Czech Republic.

Health-care reform is everywhere. Although different countries are moving at different speeds, using somewhat different means and different routes, they are all trying to arrive at the same place. The place is called "better value for money in health care". Presents details of the health-care reforms taking place in the Czech Republic, identifying and discussing the main strands of Czech reforms: the dissolution of the regional health authorities; the reorientation of district health authorities; the move to a pluralistic semi-competitive insurance-based system; hospitals receiving funding by winning contracts with purchasers; contracts becoming more sophisticated and being based on cost, volume and quality factors; changes in the incentives and rewards for GPs; the drive towards a primary-care-led health-care system; and privatization.

Czech Republic↗