What’s in the news?

Abstract

By the time this issue is published, we will be in a media frenzy either in the final buildup towards a general election, with predictions, claims, counter-claims and promises or in the aftermath, with the inevitable postmortem of ‘what-if’s’, ‘if only’s and ‘next time’s. Health care in general and nurses in particular are likely to receive a reasonable amount of attention in all parties’ campaigns as, whichever party is leading the country over the next 4 years, times will be tough. Indeed, prior to the election, Sir David Nicholson (NHS Chief Executive) issued a guidance letter for Strategic Health Authority executives advising caution when speaking to the press as the NHS ‘was likely to be a high profile issue’ during the campaigning.