Posts by: Joanne Smithson

Happy Birthday Florence!

12 May 2012 – 6:57 pm

Today is Florence Nightingale’s birthday.  Born on 12 May 1820, she became famous for her work in the military hospitals of the Crimea. Her birthday is celebrated across the world and marked by International Nurses’ Day. I wonder what she would have had to say about the NHS Reforms?  I’m not sure she would have [...]

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NHS reforms set to become law

21 March 2012 – 10:24 pm

So that’s it then.  After more than a year of bitter debate, the Health and Social Care Bill limped across the finishing line of the parliamentary process last night.  And when the final vote came, it wasn’t close.  A government majority of 88. The coalition government insist the reforms will give GPs greater control over NHS budgets, [...]

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Well, I didn’t see that coming…

4 January 2012 – 9:52 pm

Did you?  So Andrew Lansley has decided that local HealthWatch should now come into effect in April 2013 and not this October as previously envisaged.  He’s also made it clear that Local Authorities are expected to continue to provide a Local Involvement Network (LINk) during 2012/13. The official reason for this u-turn reflects “the need [...]

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Big Society under the microscope

18 December 2011 – 9:43 pm

I had a really enjoyable morning on Thursday with a group of students from the BSc (Hons) course in Community and Public Health at the University of Sunderland.  As part of their module on the Politics of Health, Programme Leader Caron Walker asked me to lead a session on the Big Society. Where to start?  [...]

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Caring for our Future

2 December 2011 – 10:33 pm

It’s somewhat fitting that my first blog for VONNE comes on a rather special day.   Many of you will be aware that the Department of Health has invited people who use care and support services, carers, local councils, care providers and the voluntary & community sector to shape priorities for improving care and support. [...]

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