NHS pay changes ‘not benefiting patients’

Patients may never see the full benefits of the most radical shake-up of the pay system in the history of the NHS, according to a think-tank.

The Agenda for Change pay system has meant pay rises over three years of 15 per cent for more than a million nurses and other frontline staff. But, despite years of painstaking negotiation, the reform was “rushed” into effect and has since cost far more – in excess of £220 million a year – than expected, the King’s Fund says. James Buchan, the report’s author, said: “Some trusts are using Agenda for Change to secure more efficient use of resources. But others have seen it as little more than a ‘tick-box’ exercise.”

Fraud costs £600m

About 100 fraud cases worth £100,000 or more came to court in the first six months of this year, and the biggest victim was the British taxpayer, figures suggest today. Fraud is running at near-record levels for the fourth six-month period in succession. The sums involved totalled more than £600 million.

TB cases at temple

An eight-month-old water buffalo calf named Dakshini and a 20-year-old Friesian bull called Bhakti have tested positive for Bovine TB at the Skanda Vale Hindu temple at Llanpumsaint, West Wales. Five more animals have provided inconclusive results following the slaughter of Shambo the bullock last week.

Stabbing death

A 22-year-old man has been stabbed to death during a street fight in Brighton. A 17-year-old local man was arrested soon afterwards. The incident took place in the Vernon Terrace area of the city. Police later carried out tests on a car in the area. The identity of the dead man has not yet been released.

Rights for couples

A powerful group of family solicitors is calling on the Government to make time for an early Bill to give Britain’s two million cohabiting couples financial protection if they split up. The Law Commission is preparing to publish its report on reforming the law for cohabitees.

Terror suspect law ‘already adequate’

A plan to extend to up to 56 days the time police can question terrorist suspects before they are charged or released suffers a blow in a report to be published today as MPs and peers call it unnecessary (Greg Hurst writes).

After examining the use of present police powers to hold terrorist suspects for up to 28 days, Parliament’s joint committee on human rights said that the facts were inconclusive. Andrew Dismore, a Labour MP and the committee’s chairman, said: “As far as we’ve heard there’s not yet been a case where 28 days was inadequate.” The committee calls for a more detailed, independent analysis.

Murder charge

Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, 39, who has been extradited from India, is to appear before Southampton magistrates charged with the kidnap, rape and murder of Hannah Foster, a 17-year-old girl found strangled after a night out in 2003. Mr Kohli, who has protested his innocence, left Britain two days after her death. He is also charged with false imprisonment, manslaughter and perverting justice.

Genetic map drawn

A map of the genetic differences between 15 strains of laboratory mice has been drawn up by scientists, providing a tool that will help to find genes that contribute to human diseases. The mouse haplotype map, or “HapMap”, will make it simpler to compare the genetic make-up of animals, to reveal variations that have an impact on health and behaviour. It is published in the journal Nature.

The longest wait

Olive Beal, 108, has been told she must wait 18 months for her new digital hearing aid. Mrs Beal, in a care home in Deal, Kent, said: “I could be dead by then.” She is wheelchair bound, losing her sight and has an old-fashioned analogue hearing aid. Eastern and Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust said: “Priority is given to patients who don’t have an existing aid. We accept our service needs improving.”

Death crash suspect

A 24-year-old man was arrested in connection with the death of a 3-year-old boy who was hit by a car in Cardiff on Friday. The child died in hospital after the collision. The driver of the car failed to stop after the incident and the vehicle was found a few miles away later. Police have appealed for witnesses. The arrested man has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Police car complaint

Police patrol drivers unhappy with a “slow” saloon model on their fleet want it to be replaced by a more expensive rival. Stuart Middleton, director of transport at the Metropolitan Police, said that officers were evaluating alternative cars after complaints about the Vauxhall Vectra 3.0 CDTi, which had been struggling with the severity of “operational use” on busy roads in London.

Inmate on warpath

A woman serving life for murdering her baby son is planning a human rights action against the Prison Service for refusing to allow her a drum so that she can talk to the dead. Chah Oh-Niyol KaiWhitewind, 31, from Birmingham, changed her name after developing an interest in Native American culture. She says that she has also been denied special potions, spell books and a peace pipe.

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