E-App Ahoy! New Navigational Aid for Commissioners

Off last night to the official launch of the Neurological Commissioning Support’s exciting new online tool for commissioners “NeuroNavigator”.  Keen readers of the MAC blog will know that the partnership worked with the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) a couple of years ago... 
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A Tale of Two Teeth – A Denture Adventure Abroad where Points mean Prices

Found myself in Geneva holding two false teeth in my hand. OK they were mine but they were supposed to be glued in attached with little butterfly wings to the real ones either side but the bread had been too hard and the pressure too full on. No pain, no damage but an unsightly hole at the front of the... 
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MAC advises commissioners and providers on meeting PPI duty

MAC Partnership has published policy advice for commissioners and providers on how to meet the duty to engage with patients and the public outlined in the White Paper Liberating the NHS. We urge building on what exists already.  Our recommended approach is to make patient participation groups in constituent... 
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Practical PPI advice to GP commissioners

The National Association for Primary Care (NAPC) and United Health UK the private sector provider HQ’d in the US have teamed up to produce what so far is the best guide there is to GP commissioning. Reputed to be Mr Lansley’s favourite group of GPs, the NAPC  – mainly the former fundholding... 
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Ubi Sunt…? An Anglo Saxon Song for the end of the Consumer Movement

Our Anglo Saxon ancestors enjoyed a good sing song around the fire in the great hall whilst in their cups. The best songs were the gloomiest songs about how things had gone to the dogs and all the heroes were dead and their great halls empty and burnt. Where are the (insert object of regret) of yesteryear? Where... 
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Big players ignore patients and the public in white paper responses

The General Practitioners Committee of the BMA trade union pulled back its support for patient and public engagement last month.  Now both the Kings Fund and the Local Government Group are at it too.  Their formal responses to Liberating the NHS ignore patient and public engagement, despite Mr Lansley’s... 
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Where Participation gets Personal

Hospital patient experience ……. It was my personal experience as a Non Executive Director of a large London teaching hospital well on its way to being a Foundation Trust, that a huge amount of really worthwhile liaison and consultation went on directly with patients, their families and carers... 
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Where Policy gets Personal – the MAC October Newsletter

The talk is of transformation and the mood is one of confusion and uncertainty. The rumour mills are producing a steady flow of an acid brew – difficult to swallow.  Transformation and change was the message from Sir David and blogged under the heading “St David’s Missal’. Seven... 
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Adieu AJTC?

Small body – big loss The AJTC was top of the executioner’s list of quangos for the chop – sometimes it is no fun being at the beginning of the alphabet.  Sad news – the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council is one of the smaller quangos, not many staff and gets value for... 
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