Health Service Journal
18 August 2011

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£72m refurbishment gets go-ahead at East and North Herts

COMMERCIAL: East and North Hertfordshire Trust’s £72m hospital redevelopment has been given the go ahead by the health secretary.
£800m funding injection for medical research

The government has announced.an £800m funding boost for medical research to help create new treatments and care for patients.
5 Boroughs scores highly for involvement of service users’ families in CQC survey

PERFORMANCE: The foundation received the highest score in the country for involving service users’ loved ones in their care, in a new Care Quality Commission survey of people who use community mental health services.
A new opportunity to protect and improve patient advocacy

The reforms present an opportunity to do more for patient advocacy, while learning how to handle complaints better, says advocacy agency POhWER chief executive Valerie Harrison.
Achieving top performance through programme management

What is a programme management office? Leigh Cantero outlines the work of a department designed to put impact and power into organisational goals, and how it can bring positive outcomes in performance.
Airedale reports early surplus and strong performance

FINANCE: Airedale NHS Foundation Trust reported a £229,000 surplus - £83,000 ahead of plan - at the end of June.
Alexandra Hospital fails CQC spot checks

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the trust was not meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
All Devon practices members of eight emerging CCGs

STRUCTURE: All GP practices in Devon are signed up to one of eight emerging clinical commissioning groups.
All practices within Shropshire County PCT have signed up to a single emerging CCG

STRUCTURE: All practices within NHS Shropshire County have signed up to a single emerging clinical commissioning group.
All Warwickshire practices join four CCGs

STRUCTURE: All GP practices in Warwickshire PCT’s area have joined one of four emerging clinical commissioning groups.
Amber-red rating for North West Ambulance Service’s FT bid

STRUCTURE: The ambulance trust’s bid for foundation status was rated amber-red by NHS North West at the end of June, according to a letter sent by the strategic health authority last month.
Ambulance crews attacked during London riots

Rioting youths threw missiles at ambulance crews as they tried to help people injured in the violent disorder that spread across London last night.
Ashford celebrates one year MRSA free

PERFORMANCE: Ashford and St Peter’s has reported 365 days without a hospital acquired MRSA bacteraemia at the trust – one of only 11 in England to do so.
Berkshire East falls short on QIPP savings

FINANCE: Berkshire East primary care trust made only two thirds of its planned efficiency savings in the first two months of 2011-12, according to board papers.
Berkshire West QIPP slips

FINANCE: Berkshire West primary care trust is expecting to meet its surplus target of £1.6m for 2011-12, but said some efficiency schemes were already showing “significant slippage” in the first two months of the year.
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals FT plans to cut 675 posts over three years

WORKFORCE: The foundation plans to cut the equivalent of 675 whole-time posts over the next three years, its newly published three-year plan shows.
Bradford hospital wrongly tells woman of miscarriage

PERFORMANCE: For two weeks a pregnant woman was led to believe her unborn baby had died, before eventually being told a mistake had been made and her child was alive and well.
Brighton and Hove remains on course for £4.6m surplus

FINANCE: The primary care trust predicted it was on course to meet its planned end-of-year surplus of £4.6m after the first three months of the financial year.
Brighton and Sussex sixth worst for mixed sex breaches

PERFORMANCE: The trust this month recorded the sixth highest number of breaches of the Department of Health’s guidelines on mixed sex accommodation.
Bristol trust chief executive announces retirement

WORKFORCE: The chief executive of North Bristol Trust has announced her retirement after 18 months in the post.
C difficile cases rise faster than planned at East Lancashire Hospitals Trust

PERFORMANCE: Cases of C difficile rose faster than planned at the trust in the first three months of 2011-12, latest board reports show.
Call for probe into GP transfer of SW London care home patients

PERFORMANCE: One of the leading lights of the government’s GP commissioning reforms has been drawn into a row which has seen the primary care trust cluster for south west London investigate claims care home patients were “dumped” by a GP practice.
Cambridgeshire sets limits on providers to cut patient transfer delays

PERFORMANCE: NHS Cambridgeshire has set “contractual limits” to reduce beds being blocked by delays in transfering patients in the area, according to a letter from the strategic health authority.
Can cloud computing precipitate a revolution in managing patient data?

The concept of personal data management isn’t one which sets the pulse racing. But, as solutions providers unveil their plans for cloud computing, the technology could pioneer a new approach for the NHS to manage patient data, which puts the service user at the heart of the system, says Mike Denis.
Cannock Hospital passes CQC spot checks

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the trust was meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Chesterfield Royal gets green light for £2m eye centre

STRUCTURE: The board of directors at Chesterfield Royal Hospital FT has given the go ahead to a £2 project to revitalise the trust’s ophthalmology services.
Clatterbridge Hospital passes CQC spot checks

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the foundation trust was meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Clatterbridge oncology centre passes CQC spot checks

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the foundation trust was meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Cluster chief resigns

The chief executive of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire primary care trust cluster has resigned, HSJ has learned.
Commissioners ordered to redo public health accounts amid 'gaming' concerns

Sir David Nicholson has ordered NHS commissioners to submit complete spending returns for 2010-11 in just six weeks amid controversy as “unexpected values and omissions” relating to public health were uncovered.
Commissioners set out vision for Berkshire and Buckinghamshire reform

STRUCTURE: Commissioners and clinicians have published a strategy for reforming acute and community services in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.
Consultation on patient transport in Sussex

PERFORMANCE: NHS Sussex, the county’s new primary care trust cluster, held a public consultation exercise this month to improve its non-urgent Patient Transport Service.
Countess of Chester Hospital passes CQC spot checks

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the foundation trust was meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Coventry nurses develop care pathway for learning disabilities

WORKFORCE: Community nurses in Coventry have developed a care pathway for older children with learning disabilities to aid their transition into adult services.
CQC finds Royal Cornwall has made improvements

PERFORMANCE: Care Quality Commission inspectors are now satisfied with the safety of Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust’s operating theatres.
Cumbria PCT plans to use SHA “top slice” to offset 2010-11 deficit

FINANCE: Cumbria primary care trust’s 2011-12 financial plan assumes it will be able to use the two per cent of its budget held back by NHS North West to offset the £5.9m deficit recorded by the commissioner last year.
Derby Hospitals has insufficient schemes to meet PCT demand management targets

FINANCE: Derby Hospitals has identified a risk associated with NHS Derbyshire County’s plans to reduce income by £9m through demand management.
DH confirms delay to GP practice registration

The government has confirmed it is delaying the deadline for the registration of GP practices with the Care Quality Commission by a year.
DH report finds medicines waste 'not a systemic problem'

Medicines waste in primary and community care should not be regarded as “a serious systemic problem”, a new report published by the Department of Health has concluded.
DH reveals authorisation 'journey' for CCGs

The Department of Health has set out key details of the authorisation process for clinical commissioning groups – but stopped short of providing a clear list of requirements or a “bar” for approval.
DH seeks better value from IT contracts

The Department of Health will not pull the plug on its contract with electronic care record supplier CSC, although trusts will gain more freedom over which IT systems they buy, HSJ has been told.
'Disappointing' CIP performance at Southampton

FINANCE: Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust has reported a “disappointing” performance against its cost improvement plan target.
Distrust and pragmatism inform softly-softly authorisation plan

There is one sentence in the government’s draft authorisation process for clinical commissioning groups which highlights the atmosphere of distrust in which the new arrangements are being negotiated.
Doncaster and Bassetlaw FT awards printing contract

COMMERCIAL: The FT has awarded a contract for its general printing requirements to a local firm.
Dr Foster promises 'more collaboration' with trusts

Dr Foster has backtracked on plans to publish new indictors on cancer and obstetrics with this year’s Hospital Guide and promised it will listen to trusts more in future.
Dudley Hospitals nearly halves pressure ulcers

PERFORMANCE: The Dudley Group has reported a 45 per cent reduction in the numbers of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers in the first quarter of 2011-12.
Ealing Hospital £2.6m over contract at the end of June

FINANCE: The west London acute trust reported an over-performance on contract of £2.6m at the end of June, £2.4m of it with principal commissioners NHS Ealing.
East and Coastal Kent records year to date surplus

FINANCE: The primary care trust has reported a surplus for the first two months of the financial year but would have been in deficit without the use of contingency funds.
East Cheshire Trust backs plans to maintain temporary closure of Tatton Ward

STRUCTURE: The trust’s board has backed proposals to maintain the temporary closure of an intermediate care ward that has been closed since September, minutes show.
East Cheshire Trust misses key waiting times targets again

PERFORMANCE: The trust again missed waiting times targets in June, with “red” ratings against three key performance measures.
East Lancashire children’s nurse selected for national ice hockey team

WORKFORCE: A Blackburn nurse has been selected to play ice hockey for England in Canada.
East Sussex Downs and Weald rates its financial position ‘amber’

FINANCE: The primary care trust has rated its year-to-date position as “amber” due to lack of data on expenditure in key areas.
East Sussex Healthcare predicted to end year £7.6m over budget

FINANCE: East Sussex is projected to be £5m over spent on its service level agreement plan and £7.6m over budget with Sussex PCTs at the end of the year – the third worst forecast in the county.
Exclusive: David Cameron launches second phase of NHS reform listening exercise

Prime minister David Cameron will today launch the latest stage in the listening exercise designed to inform the development of the government’s NHS reforms.
Exclusive: draft authorisation document reveals key tests for new commissioning groups

A draft Department of Health plan seen by HSJ reveals key details of the development and authorisation process for clinical commissioning groups.
Exclusive: the Christie plans national 'chain' of cancer centres

Specialist cancer hospital The Christie Foundation Trust is considering plans which could see it open branded treatment and diagnostic centres across England, in partnership with a private sector provider.
'Expert' social enterprises still important to healthcare services

A charity that supports local entrepreneurs has insisted that the NHS must remain as an all-encompassing healthcare system but social organisations could do more to provide services traditionally offered by the NHS.
Fifteen per cent of patients wait more than year at hospital

Fifteen per cent of patients faced waits of more than a year to receive elective treatment at one hospital trust, Department of Health figures reveal.
Foundation Trust revives £2m e-records project

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust has resurrected plans for an e-records system despite a recent failed pilot of e-records software and criticism by MPs of attempts to create a similar network nationally.
Foundation trusts reveal new merger ideas to survive

Three acute foundation trusts have revealed plans to ensure their survival through mergers, plans submitted to Monitor show.
Fourteen FTs ended 2010-11 in deficit

Fourteen foundation trusts finished 2010-11 in the red, with their combined deficit totalling £66m for the year, according to data from Monitor.
FTs must still report against relaxed A&E indicators

Monitor is to warn foundation trusts that not reporting performance against five new accident and emergency indicators is not an option, despite growing concerns over data quality and the burden of gathering data.
George Eliot beats CIP target for first quarter

FINANCE: George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust has exceeded its cost improvement plan target for the first quarter of 2011-12, but is yet to identify all the savings it will need to make this year.
George Eliot rated amber-green after missing cancer target

PERFORMANCE: George Eliot Hospital missed out on a “green” Monitor governance rating after narrowly failing to meet its 62 day cancer referral target for the first quarter of 2011-12.
Going green for public health: transforming cities to help health and wellbeing

Liverpool’s green infrastructure strategy is proving that environmental provision such as open spaces will support wellbeing, and could have many lessons for other cities to learn from across the UK. Dr Paula Grey explains.
GPs could be influenced by pharma, King's Fund warns

GP prescribing could become commercially biased if clinical commissioning groups buy in support from drug companies, a report commissioned by the King’s Fund has warned.
GPs gain opt-out over new primary care data service

Plans for a new primary care information system have been approved by the Department of Health, but HSJ has learned that GPs have secured the right to opt out of the scheme.
Greater Manchester West scores highly in service user survey

PERFORMANCE: Service users gave the foundation one of the best scores in the country for overall quality of care in a new Care Quality Commission survey on community mental health.
Hastings and Rother ‘assumes’ it is ahead of plan

FINANCE: The primary care trust said it was ahead of its forecast position after the first three months of the financial year but admits it lacks data on acute activity and prescribing.
Health and safety risk from George Eliot hardware

PERFORMANCE: George Eliot Hospital is to review staffing levels in its estates department after identifying the poor maintenance as a serious risk.
Hepatitis 'epidemic' warning as cases grow

An “epidemic” of hepatitis C will get worse without immediate action to start tackling the problem, a leading doctor has warned.
Hereford Hospital passes CQC check but with minor concerns on dignity

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the trust was meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition, but minor concerns were noted on dignity, during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Highest number of overdue patient safety alerts at UH Morecambe Bay

PERFORMANCE: In July the foundation trust was overdue to complete more national patient safety alerts than any other NHS organisation in the country, central alerting system data shows.
Homerton passes CQC check but with minor concerns on nutrition

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the trust was meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition, but minor concerns were noted on nutrition, during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
How enhanced recovery is transforming surgical care pathways

With enhanced recovering now being implemented across the NHS, the benefits to surgery and care pathways are being realised. NHS Improvement cancer director Ann Driver looks at how the key principles are making a big difference.
How NHS collaboration with the pharma industry could benefit both players

The challenge to find cost-savings while innovating services presents issues for both the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry to address, but an opportunity to collaborate could bring them closer together for the benefit of all. PA Consulting Group colleagues Dr Stephen Black and Ian Rhodes explain.
How third sector hospital ownership is keeping healthcare close to home

The transfer of an NHS community hospital to charitable ownership is helping provide key healthcare services to users closer to home, as Alison Moore discovers.
Huge variation in reoperation rates for bowel cancer

Researchers are calling for the reoperation rate to be used as a quality indicator after a study found some hospitals were up to five times more likely to reoperate after colorectal surgery than others.
Hull and East Yorks chair to step down

WORKFORCE: Scilla Smith has announced her decision to step down as chair of Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust in order to aid its bid to attain foundation status.
Imperial plan to make £4.8m of £70m finance programme through increased income

FINANCE: The west London acute trust, which finished 2010-11 with a qualified account from its auditors, submitted the figures as part of its savings plan for 2011-12.
Imperial served with performance notice over 18-weeks target

PERFORMANCE: The west London trust was issued with performance notices by commissioners and has seen the national 18 Weeks Intensive Support Team after problems with waiting list management.
Interim chair put in place at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership

WORKFORCE: Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust has appointed a former local media mogul as its interim chair.
IT upgrade increases admin workload for staff

PERFORMANCE: Taunton and Somerset Foundation Trust is still stuggling to capture accurate performance data four months after an IT system upgrade.
IVF treatment errors on the rise in UK

The number of mistakes or near-misses in IVF treatment has more than trebled in three years, figures have revealed.
Kent and Medway Partnership appoints interim chief

WORKFORCE: Bob Deans has taken up post as the trust’s new Interim chief executive for 12 months.
Kent cluster still lacking director of finance

STRUCTURE: The primary care trust cluster has reported “good progress” in appointing directors but still has a gap in finance.
Lancashire Care FT reports rise in violent incidents against staff

WORKFORCE: The rate of violent incidents against staff at the foundation rose in June to its highest level since October 2010, according to its August board papers.
Lansley 'will back merger of Chase Farm and North Middlesex hospitals'

STRUCTURE: HSJ understands Andrew Lansley will recommend Chase Farm Hospital is merged with a neighbouring trust.
Leicester trust seeks to increase car parking charges

FINANCE: Leicester’s Hospitals is asking for public views on proposals to increase the charge to park at the hospitals.
Lincolnshire is worst area for stroke care

PERFORMANCE: Lincolnshire is the worst performing primary care trust area in England on two key stroke indicators, information released by the Department of Health has shown.
London ambulances pelted with missiles and crews threatened in third night of riots

PERFORMANCE: London Ambulance Service staff took 22 people to hospital from the main areas of rioting in London last night, and sustained threats, intimidation, and missiles thrown at their vehicles, the trust reported.
Lord Darzi called in to review the future of Academic Health Science Centre

ORGANISATION: Professor Lord Darzi, the former health minister, is to chair a review of Imperial College Healthcare Trust’s Academic Health Science Centre “and advise on its future direction”, documents seen by the HSJ reveal.
Low manager numbers risk care homes' future

A “leaked” document showing a lack of managers in post has heightened concerns over the future of troubled care homes.
Maidstone and Barts have most mixed sex breaches

Mixed sex accommodation breaches have reached their lowest level since the collection of monthly data, but 30 per cent of acute trusts are still failing to comply.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells forecast to breakeven against SLA

FINANCE: The trust is predicted to breakeven against its service level agreement plans with Sussex PCTs by the end of the year, but is forecast to over spend slightly against budget, by £1.2m.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells still has most mixed sex breaches

PERFORMANCE: The trust this month recorded the highest number of breaches of the Department of Health’s guidelines on mixed sex accommodation.
Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust opens new rehab unit

STRUCTURE: The trust has opened a new rehabilitation and recovery unit, as part of its strategy to redesign inpatient care pathways.
Media Watch: riots ensure a quiet week for the NHS

The aftermath of the riots continued to dominate the national media at the expense of everything else, including health, but then August is traditionally a quiet month for the NHS.
Medical resistance hampers doctor-patient decisions programme

The first evaluation of an NHS programme to spread joint decision making with patients has highlighted “many challenges” to the aim, mainly because of resistant doctors.
Mental health personalisation campaign 'losing momentum'

The drive to personalise mental health care could become a “damp squib”, campaigners have warned after research suggested a lack of appetite for change among service users.
Michael Dixon: it's time for general practice to get real

I faced a difficult career decision 28 years ago. I wanted to go into general practice, but should I opt for a rural practice, where biomedicine had a clearer role, or for inner city practice, where needs were greater but medicine seemed less important?
Michael White: the riots could change the outlook for health priorities

As we all picked our way through the debris of what I’m tempted to call the “Foot Locker Riots” in search of deeper explanations than the urgent need for new trainers, I found myself thinking several times of Sir Michael Marmot, the man HSJ likes to call “the guru of health inequalities”.
Mixed sex breaches down at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare

PERFORMANCE: The trust this month recorded seven breaches of the Department of Health’s guidelines on mixed sex accommodation.
Mixed sex breaches fall at East Sussex Hospitals

PERFORMANCE: The trust this month recorded seven breaches of the Department of Health’s guidelines on mixed sex accommodation.
Nearly all Staffs practices in CCGs

STRUCTURE: Nearly all South Staffordshire PCT GP practices are within one of five emerging clinical commissioning groups.
New appointment service introduced at Ashford

FINANCE: Ashford and St Peter’s introduced a new appointment confirmation service this month, which it hopes will save £1m by the end of the financial year.
New chair elected for Sussex joint commissioning board

WORKFORCE: West Sussex County Council cabinet member Michael Brown has been elected as chair of the West Sussex Joint Commissioning Board.
New out of hours provider in Great Yarmouth and Waveney

COMMERCIAL: Great Yarmouth and Waveney’s primary care trust and clinical commissioning group have appointed a new provider for out of hours services in the area.
NHS Bury deficit rose to £1.7m by end of June

FINANCE: The primary care trust was £1.7m in deficit at the end of June 2011, against plans to have made a surplus of £63,000 by that point in the financial year.
NHS chief warns South Essex CCGs may 'fragment'

STRUCTURE: The chief executive of the NHS has said the formation of clinical commissioning groups in south Essex could lead to “fragmentation”.
NHS Direct to get central role in NHS 111

A partnership of NHS Direct, ambulance trusts and out of hours providers has been named as a default provider for the new non-emergency NHS 111 number, charged with making sure the service achieves universal coverage by the April 2013 deadline.
NHS Grampian chief steps down amid misconduct claims

NHS Grampian chairman Dr David Cameron has temporarily stepped down after being accused of gross misconduct.
NHS Knowsley had best smoking quit rate in NW in 2010-11

PERFORMANCE: The primary care trust had the highest rate of adults successfully quitting smoking in the North West last year, latest figures show.
NHS manager training programmes expected to receive 100 applicants per space

Graduates aiming for a management career in the NHS will face strong competition for a place on the service’s training programmes, according to NHS national resourcing manager Rob Farace.
NHS Medway records small in-year surplus

FINANCE: The primary care trust had fallen slightly behind plan after the first two months of the financial year, but did report a surplus.
NHS Somerset delegates medicines to GPs

STRUCTURE: NHS Somerset has delegated responsibility for medicines management to the area’s emerging clinical commissioning group.
NHS trusts to take over community service assets

Acute and mental health trusts are to be given the chance to acquire billions of pounds worth of property assets used to provide community services, with final decisions due by the end of the year.
NHS West Sussex needs to identify extra £20m in savings

FINANCE: The primary care trust needs to find £20m of extra savings to reach its end of year surplus target, according to its latest finance report.
NHS Wiltshire struggles to reach contract agreement with acutes

FINANCE: NHS Wiltshire had still not agreed contracts with four of its biggest acute providers by the start of July.
NHS-university partnerships can 'resist' competition, says chair

NHS providers which have formed partnerships with universities can better “resist” competition from the independent sector, according to a senior clinician.
No mixed sex breaches at Royal Surrey County Hospital

PERFORMANCE: The trust this month again recorded no breaches of the Department of Health’s guidelines on mixed sex accommodation.
Noel Plumridge: changes to charitable funding risks donators' benevolence

If, when the time comes, you leave a share of your worldly wealth to your local NHS, that’s entirely up to you. After all, it’s your money.
Norfolk hospital opens new midwife birthing unit

STRUCTURE: A new midwifery-led birthing unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital opened its doors this month.
North East Lincs social enterprise joins healthy workplace programme

WORKFORCE: NAViGO Health and Social Care Community Interest Company, a new social enterprise provider, has joined North East Lincolnshire Council’s healthy workplace programme.
North Staffordshire consults on mental health service changes

STRUCTURE: North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust has launched a public consultation, in partnership with NHS North Staffordshire and NHS Stoke on Trent, on its future plans for mental health services.
North Staffs mental health trust proposes hospital closure

COMMERCIAL: North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust is consulting on the closure of a 100 year old mental health hospital to move care “closer to home”.
North Yorkshire and York practices join five emerging CCGs

STRUCTURE: GP practices in North Yorkshire and York PCT have joined one of five emerging clinical commissioning groups.
Northern General Hospital passes CQC spot checks

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the foundation trust was meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
One in seven CCG populations too small for authorisation

One in seven emerging clinical commissioning groups could be asked to reform because they are too small, HSJ research suggests.
One large and one small CCG emerging in Walsall

STRUCTURE: A large 53-practice clinical commissioning group, and a small 14-practice CCG, are emerging in Walsall.
One Plymouth practice not signed up to PCT-wide CCG

STRUCTURE: A single GP practice within Plymouth Teaching primary care trust is not a member of a PCT-wide emerging clinical commissioning group.
Out of hours risk in Cambridgeshire

STRUCTURE: New arrangements for out of hours GP services in Cambridgeshire risk increasing “serious incidents”, according to the local primary care trust.
Out of the darkness: how quality assessment can improve out of hours care

Quality assessment helps remove disparity between out of hours and daytime care, improving performance and patients’ experience of their local health services, say Urgent Health UK medical director Simon Abrams and chair Mark Reynolds.
Outer north east London cluster on plan for £4.2m underspend

FINANCE: Outer north east London cluster on plan for £4.2m underspend but has worst-case scenario of £17m deficit
Outer north east London lacks obesity management services

FINANCE: The outer north east London cluster of primary care trusts could save money on bariatric surgery with better community services for obesity.
Outer north west London QIPP performance at 13 per cent of yearly plan at month three

FINANCE: The outer north west London cluster has achieved just under a sixth of its QIPP plan for the year by the end of the first quarter.
Oxleas wins prison health contract

COMMERCIAL: Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust has been successful in its bid to run integrated healthcare services to West Kent Prisons and Forensic Units in Maidstone and Dartford.
Patent warning for doctors over genetic tests

Increasing use of diagnostic genetic tests could put NHS doctors and managers in the firing line for infringing patents, it was claimed today.
Patients left confused by Swindon A&E scheme

STRUCTURE: A scheme aimed at reducing accident and emergency attendances is causing “confusion and complaints” among patients, according to primary care trust board papers.
Performance notice issued over Caesarian rate at Ealing Hospital

PERFORMANCE: The west London acute hospital has been rapped by commissioners NHS North West London over its year-to-date Caesarian section percentage of 27.7.
Performance under pressure at Royal Devon and Exeter

PERFORMANCE: An increase in emergency admissions and an “unseasonal” outbreak of norovirus put pressure on performance at Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust during July.
Posts and beds to go at Princess Alexandra

WORKFORCE: Princess Alexandra Hospital will cut 250 staff posts and 60 beds to meet a £17m savings target in the current financial year.
Pregnancy-related deaths rise 'worrying' doctors

A rise in the number of women dying during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth has prompted leading doctors to call for something to be done about this “worrying” phenomenon.
Private sector prefered bidder announced for south west pathology partnership

COMMERCIAL: Integrated Pathology Partnerships has been announced as the preferred bidder for a new pathology service for two south west acute trusts.
Quarter of NHS trusts 'have weaknesses in securing financial resilience'

Almost a quarter of NHS trusts have notable weaknesses in their arrangements for securing financial resilience or challenging how they secure value for money, their auditors have warned.
QVH expected to over perform by £500k this year

FINANCE: Queen Victoria Hospital FT is projected to overperform against its budget with Sussex PCTs by £500,000 this year.
Reconfiguration in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to leave three main acute sites

STRUCTURE: A strategy for the future of acute and community care in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire has made no mention of Ascot’s Heatherwood hospital, which has already been dogged by closure fears.
Review into ‘poor’ palliative care completed at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare

PERFORMANCE: The trust has completed an internal review into end of life care sparked by an episode of the Channel 4 Dispatches programme.
Review of services in Yorkshire warns of system failure

A high profile review of services in North Yorkshire and York, led by eminent doctor and NHS Confederation medical director Hugo Mascie-Taylor, has come to an end, and is well worth a read*.
Robert Jones and Agnes gains FT status

STRUCTURE: Robert Jones and Agnes Orthopaedic and District Hospital Trust has become the latest to gain foundation status.
Royal Cornwall's appeal in whistleblowing case dismissed by tribunal

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust faces a bill for £1.3m after losing an appeal against its former chief executive John Watkinson.
Royal Devon and Exeter exceeds C diff target

PERFORMANCE: NHS Devon has agreed not to penalise Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust for exceeding its C difficile trajectory by nine cases.
Royal Free Hampstead fails CQC spot checks

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the trust was not meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Royal Surrey County launches review into epilepsy care concerns

PERFORMANCE: The trust began a patient case notes review last month, after concerns were raised about the medical practice of one of its doctors.
Setting local free: will true decentralisation work in the future NHS?

A new government bill may not lead to true localism, but with new structures embracing decentralisation, it could be a big step in the right direction, argues Tim Care.
SHA proposes 'no pathology service review, no bailout' policy for London trusts

FINANCE: Documents seen by HSJ reveal NHS London is proposing to make financial bail-outs conditional on trusts signing up to its plans to shake-up pathology.
Sheffield moving to single clinical commissioning groups

STRUCTURE: GP practices within Sheffield primary care trust are planning to form a single clinical commissioning group, the PCT has said.
Single Bristol GP practice not signed up to one of three emerging CCGs

STRUCTURE: A single GP practice has not signed up to one of three emerging clinical commissioning groups under Bristol PCT.
Social enterprises condemn 'slap in the face' over PCT properties

Social enterprises have been left out of plans to allow NHS providers to take over community service properties, in a move condemned as a “slap in the face” for the government’s Big Society agenda.
Somerset TCS transfer goes through a month late

STRUCTURE: Somerset Partnership Foundation Trust has taken on statutory responsibility for NHS Somerset’s provider arm, a month later than originally planned.
South Coast trusts forecast 2011-12 performance, predict £77m overspend

Trying to predict the future for the NHS is always difficult, as there always seems to be a reorganisation or a winter crisis just round the corner. However, primary care trusts in Sussex have given it a go.
South East Coast Ambulance Service appoints new chair

WORKFORCE: South East Coast Ambulance Service FT has announced the appointment of Tony Thorne as chair.
South West Ambulance receives Olympic funding

FINANCE: South West Ambulance Service Foundation Trust has received £120,000 from the Department of Health to help prepare for the Olympic sailing competitions in 2012.
Southampton nurses produce women’s cancer guide

WORKFORCE: Two of the trust’s nurses have written a textbook on breast and gynaecological cancers which aims to provide a comprehensive guide for patients and medical staff.
Southampton Trust gains services as commissioners shun London

FINANCE: Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust has gained £1m worth of cardiac surgery as a result of work by Hampshire primary care trust to move services outside of London.
Southampton trust looks to expand paediatric services

STRUCTURE: Providers and commissioners are supporting Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust to expand its paediatric services.
Southampton trust misses targets on waiting times

PERFORMANCE: Southampton University Hospitals Trust has fallen short on three of waiting times indicators.
Southend FT saves by holding back pay rise for low earners

WORKFORCE: Southend University Hospital Foundation Trust expects to save more than £400,000 by holding back wage increases for low paid staff.
Southport and Ormskirk falls 45 per cent behind on savings target in Q1

FINANCE: The trust was 45 per cent behind on its challenging cost improvement programme savings at the end of the first quarter of 2011-12, board papers show.
St Mary’s passes CQC check but with minor dignity concerns

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission found the trust was meeting standards relating to dignity and nutrition, but minor concerns were noted on dignity, during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Staff absenteeism highest in NHS, study shows

Employee absenteeism in the NHS is failing to be adequately addressed by managers, despite the fact that the organisation has the highest level of worker absence of any sector, a report has warned.
Staff changeover leads North Cumbria University Hospitals to fall behind on savings

FINANCE: At the end of the first two months of 2011-12 the trust had made savings of just £126,000 against a plan to save £15.2m for the full financial year, according to its latest finance report.
Staffing and medicines management are still issues at Mid Staffs

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission still has concerns about medicines management and staffing at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust.
Stroke metric could show cost of whole care pathway

Proving that better stroke care can have a positive impact on the economy is one of the goals of a new research project..
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare forced to turn patients away in July

PERFORMANCE: Surrey and Sussex Healthcare experienced significant pressure on its accident and emergency unit during the last two weeks of July, resulting in patients being diverted to other trusts.
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare heading for £9.4m contract overspend

FINANCE: Surrey and Sussex Healthcare is projected to be £5.1m over spent on its service level agreement plan and £9.4m over budget at the end of the year.
Surrey dementia tool to help local authorities

PERFORMANCE: Surrey County Council and local NHS organisations have developed a tool to help councils nationally improve standards of care for people with dementia.
Sussex Community Trust heading for £9.5m over spend

FINANCE: Sussex Community Trust is projected to be £9.5m over budget at the end of the year.
Sussex contracts with BSUH head for ‘significant’ overspend

FINANCE: Sussex PCTs contracts with Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust are projected to be £4.2m over spent compared to the service level agreement plan, and £23.9m over budget at the end of the year - the worst forecast for an acute in Sussex.
Sussex expects £24.9m overspend with Western Sussex Hospitals

FINANCE: The trust’s contract with Sussex PCTs is expected to be £24.9m overspent at the end of the year – the second worst forecast in Sussex.
Sussex Partnership issues £50m tender for informatics programme

COMMERCIAL: The mental health trust has issued a tender for the provision of its managed IT infrastructure and data management services.
Sussex PCTs predict £77m provider overspend

FINANCE: The Sussex primary care trust cluster says there is currently a projected overspend of £77.1m against budget on all contracts for 2011-12.
Tameside FT identifies commissioner demand management plans as key contractual risk

FINANCE: The foundation trust has identified its commissioner’s plans to reduce demand for non-elective treatment as the key contractual risk it faces in 2011-12.
Tameside FT plans £16.1m cut to pay bill over three years

WORKFORCE: The foundation trust is planning to cut its pay bill by £16.1m in cash terms over the following three years, its three year plan shows.
The benefits the 'Productive Ward' can deliver to patients, staff and organisations

The Productive Ward - a programme designed to help nurses and therapists spend more time on patient care - can improve safety, reliability and efficiency on hospital wards, as University Hospitals of Leicester Trust discovered when it implemented a medicines module. Dominick Tompkins explains.
'The focus now for those who manage healthcare should be value'

Now that the dust has settled somewhat on the furore surrounding the Health Bill, I find myself thinking about the domestic and truly international health agenda.
Three Newcastle practices not yet member of CCG

STRUCTURE: Three practices within Newcastle PCT are as yet not a member of an emerging clinical commissiong group.
Trebled number of smokers quitting sees overall success rate drop

The number of people trying to quit smoking via NHS services has roughly trebled in the last decade but success rates have fallen, figures show.
Troubled care home provider to close second site

The company at the centre of allegations of abuse of vulnerable patients is to close a second care home, it has been announced.
Trust U-turns over weight loss operation funding

FINANCE: A primary care trust that won two legal battles after rejecting a former policeman’s request for weight-loss surgery has changed its mind and agreed to provide funding for the operation.
Trusts should question whether bullying 'bothers' staff, researchers say

Trusts spending resources on tackling bullying and abuse should consider the extent to which these problems actually “bother” their staff, according to a study.
Two practices in Redcar and Cleveland not in CCG yet

STRUCTURE: Two GP practices in Redcar and Cleveland PCT are not yet members of a GP consortium,
University Hospitals Bristol awarded £11.5m for research

COMMERCIAL: University Hospitals Bristol Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol have been awarded £11.5 million to fund research into cardiovascular disease and nutrition, diet and lifestyle.
Warwickshire PCT pays council to develop reablement

FINANCE: NHS Warwickshire has proposed transferring more than £6m to Warwickshire County Council to develop reablement services.
Warwickshire PCT plans multi-use 'health and wellbeing centre' with council

STRUCTURE: Warwickshire primary care trust is proposing to build a “health and wellbeing centre” incorporating a GP-led community hospital and social care.
Warwickshire PCT reserves offset acute overperformance

FINANCE: Warwickshire primary care trust has had to offset overperformance on its acute contracts by releasing £1.3m worth of reserves.
Wastage efficiency drive launched by DH

The attempt by the NHS to deliver £20bn worth of efficiency savings by 2015 is being supported by a Department of Health initiative to improve medicine use and reduce wastage.
Welsh government union payments slammed by Conservatives

More than £2m of public money has been paid to trade unions by the Welsh government, new figures show.
West Kent at ‘extremely high risk’ from QIPP

FINANCE: The primary care trust reported a breakeven position after the first two months of the year, but had to use contingencies to avoid a deficit.
West Sussex reports success in smoking cessation

PERFORMANCE: Around 10,000 people have given up smoking using NHS smoking cessation services in Sussex, according to the county’s primary care trusts.
Winchester and Eastleigh trust spends £690,000 on maternity

STRUCTURE: Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust has announced it will spend £690,000 upgrading a birthing unit, as a wider review of maternity services in the local area takes place.
Wolves GPs form one large and one small consortium

STRUCTURE: GP practices in the Wolverhampton City PCT area have all joined one of two emerging clinical commissioning groups.
Work begins on £5m unit at Colchester FT

COMMERCIAL: Work has begun on a £5m unit to decontaminate medical instruments and equipment at Colchester Hospital University FT.
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh FT records deficit for Q1 of 2011-12

FINANCE: The foundation recorded a deficit of £47,000 for the first quarter of 2011-12, against a plan to have made a surplus of £497,000 by that point, board papers state.
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh plans 486 post reduction

WORKFORCE: The foundation trust plans to reduce posts by 486 whole time equivalents by 2013-14, its three year plan shows.
Zero mixed sex breaches at Queen Victoria Hospital

PERFORMANCE: The trust this month recorded no breaches of the Department of Health’s guidelines on mixed sex accommodation.
Zero mixed sex breaches at Western Sussex Hospitals

PERFORMANCE: The trust this month again recorded no breaches of the Department of Health’s guidelines on mixed sex accommodation.

Alastair McLellan

Health Service Journal18 August 2011

Health Service Journal
18 August 2011