Health Service Journal
23 June 2011

View all stories from this issue.

A daunting savings picture emerges in North West

As heavy as it is, there is little doubt that the burden of delivering the NHS’s £20bn savings target rests more heavily on the shoulders of some than others. Specifically, it rests heaviest on London and Manchester.
Abuse investigation care home to close

The care home at the centre of allegations of abuse of vulnerable adult patients revealed on television is to close on Friday, its owners have said.
Action demanded over hospital deaths

Labour has called for urgent action following a report about an increase in deaths from dehydration in Scottish hospitals.
Acute trust announces its potential merger partners

STRUCTURE: Epsom and St Helier University Hospital Trust on the Surrey/London border has announced Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals Foundation Trust and the Royal Surrey County Hospital FT are interested in merging with Epsom Hospital, with St George’s Healthcare Trust interested in St Helier Hospital.
Alan Milburn hits out at NHS reform 'car crash'

Former health secretary Alan Milburn has branded the coalition’s watered down NHS reforms the “biggest car crash” in the service’s history.
All ears: have the public's preferences for Health Bill changes been heard?

The public made their health and social care wish-list known during the government’s listening exercise. Don Redding of National Voices discusses whether they have been heard.
Auditors to query use of foundations’ resources

A number of foundation trusts are likely to face “qualifications”, querying the accuracy of their 2010-11 accounts, because of questions over their use of resources, auditors have warned.
Bare midriffs banned at hospital

WORKFORCE: A hospital trust has warned staff against wearing clothes that expose their “midriff” or “excessive cleavage”.
Birmingham Women's FT facing 'extreme' risks to midwife staffing

WORKFORCE: Midwifery staffing at Birmingham Women’s Foundation Trust is below nationally recommended levels.
Board membership requirements to be set out in regulations

Key changes to the NHS reforms to widen clinical involvement in commissioning will not be written into legislation.
Bradford and Airedale consortium still hopes to cross council border

STRUCTURE: A clinical commissioning group has plans to straddle the border between Bradford Council and North Yorkshire County Council.
Brighton and Sussex reports £4.5m surplus for 2010-11

FINANCE: The trust has reported finishing last year with a surplus of £4.5m, but only after making “technical adjustments”.
Buckinghamshire Healthcare cuts staff bill

WORKFORCE Buckinghamshire Healthcare has knocked £1m off its staff pay bill in a month, but is reporting a higher than planned rate of sickness among staff.
Calderdale missing pressure ulcer reduction target

PERFORMANCE: Calderdale PCT was missing its target for reducing pressure ulcers for the PCT’s patients in 2010-11.
Calderstones reports 36 incidents to Health and Safety Executive

PERFORMANCE: The foundation reported 36 incidents leading to injuries which lasted more than three days to the Health and Safety Executive in 2010-11, board papers show.
Cambridgeshire delayed transfers down to suspended services

PERFORMANCE: NHS Cambridgeshire has blamed delayed patient transfers on suspended services in the local area, according to a board report.
Cameron to embark on new reforms

David Cameron is set to embark on a fresh round of public service reforms, radically changing the way services are delivered.
Central Manchester FT’s backlog of Trafford patients rises 30 per cent

PERFORMANCE: The backlog of untreated NHS Trafford patients at Central Manchester University Hospitals Foundation Trust rose 30 per cent over the course of 2010-11, the primary care trust reported.
Chesterfield Royal sets aside £40,000 for consultants to tell FT 'story'

COMMERCIAL: Chesterfield Royal Foundation Trust is spending up to £40,000 on consultants to help revise its strategies.
Circle floats on stock market

The independent healthcare company set to run Hinchingbrooke Health Care Trust as the first UK hospital franchise was floated last week on AIM, a part of the London Stock Exchange.
City Hospitals Sunderland in bottom 20 per cent for CIP achievement

FINANCE: The acute trust achieved only 76 per cent of its cost improvement programme for the past financial year.
Colchester FT misses targer for abortion waits

PERFORMANCE: More than one in 10 women waited more than three weeks for an abortion in April at Colchester FT.
Colchester FT was not paid by PCT in April

FINANCE: Colchester Hospital UFT had to “slow” payments and dip into its reserves after a delay in signing its contract with NHS North East Essex.
Commissioners will have duty to tell patients about waiting time rights

Commissioning groups will have a duty to ensure patients are aware of their rights to access services within maximum waiting times, the government’s full response to the Future Forum has said.
Commissioning groups that cross boundaries may have to reform

Eleven commissioning groups crossing local authority boundaries may have to reform due to new rules announced by the government, HSJ has found.
Coventry PCT transfers reablement cash to council

FINANCE: Coventry primary care trust has proposed that nearly £1m of ring-fenced money for reablement services be transferred to the city’s council.
CQC says East Surrey Hospital meeting dignity standards but notes minor concerns

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission said the trust passed both of the standards relating to dignity and nutrition it inspected during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
'Dangerous' management cost cuts must be revised

There are growing calls for NHS management cost savings targets to be revised in light of changes to the reforms and amid fears the cuts are becoming “dangerous”.
Delay to Oxford Radcliffe merger with Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospital

STRUCTURE: The proposed merger of Oxford Radcliffe Hospital and the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre has been delayed until the autumn.
Derby City gets go-ahead for service reconfiguration

STRUCTURE: NHS Derby City’s cluster has formally approved a service reconfiguration plan for a walk in centre and an “open access centre”.
DH admits preparing Health Bill changes before review report

The government was “exploring potential amendments” to the Health Bill with parliamentary lawyers before the report of the NHS Future Forum, health minister Simon Burns has admitted.
DH denies FT momentum will be lost

The Department of Health has denied that the impetus behind achieving foundation trust status for all trusts would evaporate after the dropping of the 2014 deadline.
DH redrawing failure regime to avoid up-front political battles

The government is drawing up a revised failure regime to avoid the advance labelling of which hospital and care services could hypothetically go bust and be closed down.
DH to 'rely' on local pricing to extend community services competition

The Department of Health will be “heavily reliant” on locally set prices to encourage competition from “any qualified provider” in community services, it said this week.
DH's information chief Christine Connelly resigns

The Department of Health’s chief information officer Christine Connelly has resigned, it was announced today.
Doctor warns over mental health care 'vacuum'

There is a “massive problem” of depleting numbers of mental health doctors, a leading psychiatrist has warned.
East Riding of Yorkshire forms emergent GP commissioning group

STRUCTURE: East Riding of Yorkshire PCT has established a GP commissioning committee, which has been set up as a sub-committee of its board.
Exclusive: Details of NHS regional tier plan

The NHS is set to form four regional bodies out of grouped strategic health authorities.
Exclusive: McKinsey working with trust to see if it can make FT status in current form

STRUCTURE: A report prepared for NHS London said the South London Healthcare Trust was “currently being reviewed by McKinsey & Co and this is feeding into the options assessment around whether/when the organisation can achieve FT status in its current form”.
Exclusive: NHS efficiency drive won’t close whole hospitals, says Sir David

No “whole hospital” will have to close as a result of the drive to find £20bn of efficiencies from the NHS budget, NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson has insisted to HSJ.
Exclusive: NHS faces 'big problem' if reform timetable slips - Nicholson

The NHS faces a “big problem” if there are further delays to the timetable for developing clinical commissioning groups or moving to an all foundation trust system, NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson has told HSJ.
Fire risk found at Surrey and Borders Partnership FT

PERFORMANCE: The mental health foundation trust has identified a risk from use of cigarette lighters and matches in its wards, board papers suggest.
Four hour A&E performance standard retained

Trusts will keep being performance managed against the four hour accident and emergency standard in a bid to maintain “grip” on waiting times. The move comes after the government signalled a relaxing of the timescale for the transition to a new monitoring system.
FT chief exec returns to work and praises care at local acute trust

WORKFORCE: Lisa Rodrigues has returned to her post at the Sussex mental health FT after undergoing gallbladder surgery at a local acute hospital.
Government losing its way over reforms - CBI boss

A business leader has accused the government of “losing momentum” over its public sector reforms, which he said had been “derailed”.
Government publishes full details of reform changes

The government today published full details of the changes to its reform plans in a command paper to Parliament.
Government stands by pension change

The government is on course for an autumn showdown with the trade unions after Treasury chief secretary Danny Alexander insisted ministers would not back down over plans to reform public sector pensions.
Greater Manchester unveils plans to meet £400m savings target

FINANCE: Greater Manchester is to appoint a single office to take the reins of the £400m savings programme that must be delivered by its commissioners by 2015.
Groups to commission for 'their whole population'

The Health Bill will make explicit that clinical commissioning groups must commission for “whole populations, not just registered patients”, the government has said.
Half of NHS staff pessimistic on patient care

Patient care is set to get worse in the next few years, according to nearly half of NHS staff surveyed in a government poll.
Hartlepool Hospital passes CQC dignity inspection

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission said the foundation trust passed both of the standards relating to dignity and nutrition it inspected during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Health Bill to be sent back to committee

The government’s proposed changes to the controversial health reforms will be sent back to a committee of MPs next week.
Health secretary and NCB will only intervene when failure is 'significant'

The health secretary will only have powers to intervene directly in the running of national NHS bodies where failure is deemed to be “significant”, the government has stated.
Hip patient care 'epidemic' looming, warns institute

Health experts today called for better care in the NHS to deal with a potential “epidemic” of hip fractures in the coming decades.
How a virtual approach to IT can ease the NHS budget burden

Despite the need for better technology to improve processes in the NHS, hospital IT departments are having to contend with decreasing budgets. Liverpool Women’s and Alder Hey Children foundation trusts’ chief information officer Dr Zafar Chaudry introduces some new technology methods that could help meet tougher targets.
How public involvement was a foundation for improving healthcare delivery in Hertfordshire

Meeting the public everywhere from scout huts to traveller sites has been a vital component of modernising provision in Hertfordshire. Nick Carver and colleagues explain.
How technology can support evidence-based models to improve chronic care

Chronic disease is one of the bigger challenges facing the health service, but supporting an evidence-based model with the technology to facilitate better connected healthcare
Imperial, Royal Marsden and King's Health Partners in joint cancer network bid

STRUCTURE: A partnership proposal for cancer services has been submitted by Imperial College Healthcare Trust, the Royal Marsden specialist cancer trust and a partnership made up of Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospital.
Information strategy delayed until autumn, DH confirms

The government’s long-awaited “information revolution” strategy for health has been delayed again, and will not now be released until the autumn, the Department of Health has confirmed.
Integrity of quality accounts in doubt at Sussex Community

PERFORMANCE: Sussex Community NHS Trust’s quality and risk committee has questioned the “integrity” of its quality accounts, following a review.
Investigation launched into Hampshire Partnership patient death

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission conducted a review of Hampshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust after a patient died from renal failure and dehydration.
Kent and Medway consults public on community engagement plan

STRUCTURE: Kent and Medway has begun a consultation on draft plans for a community engagement strategy.
King's College Hospital plans 'fully established' commercial directorate in 2013-14

COMMERCIAL: The south London acute trust set out its vision for attracting private patients in its three year plan, which has been sent to Monitor.
King's College Hospital working on Hospital at Night metric

PERFORMANCE: The south London acute and renal specialist said staff were working on a performance scorecard on patient experience over night at the trust.
King's Fund calls for hospital mergers

Twenty hospitals need to be merged or taken over to improve the quality of care for patients, the head of the King’s Fund has said.
Lansley: 'We want to take people with us'

Concessions in the NHS reforms were made under pressure from the medical professions, health secretary Andrew Lansley admitted in a speech to GPs yesterday.
Late contract agreement in Calderdale

FINANCE: Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust had still not agreed its 2011-12 contract with NHS Calderdale as of the beginning of June.
Leeds service change group focusing on long term conditions and home care

FINANCE: Leeds Health and Social Care Transformation Board - bringing together the health and social care bodies in the city - has begun leading service change in several areas.
London consortium writes to CCP over 'monopoly' merger

STRUCTURE: A London commissioning consortium has complained to the Co-operation and Competition Panel about a merger that would create the biggest provider organisation in England.
London trusts encouraged by delayed 'drop dead' date for FT status

So what does the slackening off of the pressure behind the foundation trust pipeline mean for London, the most stubborn of regions in resisting an all-FT health service?
Media Watch: printing the unprintable on hospital closure

The papers have been jostling to say the previously unsayable this week and break the political taboo that some hospitals must close if the NHS is to remain clinically safe and financially viable.
Michael White: the noisy ghosts of health ministers past

Why are former health ministers being so noisy in these turbulent times? No, I do not mean Frank Dobson’s spat with ministers who want to eject better-off people from council flats like the one opposite the British Museum which he has occupied for decades.
Mid Cheshire fails to see savings from ward closures

FINANCE: A plan to save £281,000 through bed reconfiguration and ward closures had actually cost the foundation £393,000 by the end of January, its finance report shows.
Negligence payouts soared to £1bn in 2010-11

Clinical negligence claims have cost the NHS £2.6bn over the past three years, with payout costs almost doubling in the past year, latest figures have shown.
New cancer unit planned for Southampton General

STRUCTURE: A dedicated emergency assessment unit for cancer patients is being jointly planned by Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support.
New medical director for Salisbury FT

WORKFORCE: Salisbury Foundation Trust has appointed Christine Blanshard as medical director.
New Mid Staffs CEO must rehabilitate trust

WORKFORCE: Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust’s outgoing chief executive has told HSJ he regrets not “getting rid of enough people quickly enough” when he joined the trust almost two years ago.
New service for private patients launched

Patients who go private will be able to access a new one-stop service designed to help them get the best care.
NHS 111 halts increase in A&E attendances

Emergency departments involved in the pilot of the 111 phone number for non-emergency care saw four per cent fewer patients in the first five months of the scheme, researchers have found.
NHS changes could spell new comms burdens

Government plans for a nationwide shared-service communications model for NHS primary care risks wiping out local expertise and increasing burdens on councils, the Department of Health has been warned.
NHS Harrow to consider 'appropriate tariffs' for elective care

STRUCTURE: The London primary care trust, part of the north west London cluster, has a specific plan for 2011-12 - alongside the cluster strategy - which will see “a fundamental review of elective care pathways across providers”.
NHS Lewisham worst in cluster for midwifery indicator

PERFORMANCE: The primary care trust, that has Lewisham Healthcare Trust as its primary provider, had the lowest percentage of women seeing a midwife or maternity professional within 90 days in the cluster
NHS Medway reports £4.2m surplus for 2010-11

FINANCE: The Kent primary care trust achieved a surplus of nearly £4.3m last year, but just missed its planned surplus, according to board papers.
NHS Oldham providers lose £1.2m through rules to curb emergency treatment

FINANCE: The primary care trust’s providers lost an estimated £1.17m in 2010-11 through rules designed to curb spending on non-elective activity, board papers show.
Nicholson to remain NHS chief executive until 2013 as reform timetable relaxes

Sir David Nicholson will remain NHS chief executive for the whole of 2012-13, as well as leading the NHS commissioning board in its initial stages, the Department of Health has revealed.
Nicholson: PCT clusters to survive as arms of Commissioning Board

Primary care trust clusters will effectively survive to commission GP services and oversee new clinical commissioning groups from April 2013, it was confirmed this week.
Nicholson’s power is unrivalled – so is his responsibility to lead

This week is expected to see the publication of the revised Health and Social Care Bill. Health secretary Andrew Lansley has written that it will contain more than 150 amendments. It would be only mildly surprising to find one of them enshrining in law Sir David Nicholson’s position as NHS chief executive.
No revolt on pensions after government talks pledge

MPs have waved through plans to raise the state pension age for women despite strong opposition, after the government offered to hold talks with critics about how the change would be introduced.
North Devon Healthcare to open single sex assessment units

PERFORMANCE: The North Devon Healthcare Trust is to invest £400,000 in setting up a second medical assessment unit to comply with same sex accommodation requirements.
North Tees plans urgent care centre move

STRUCTURE: Minor injuries services will move from the accident and emergency department at the University Hospital of Hartlepool to an urgent care centre, called One Life Hartlepool, on 2 August.
Northampton General sets toughest QIPP plans in region

FINANCE: Northampton General Hospital Trust has the most challenging quality, innovation, productivity and prevention target of any provider in the region, according to its finance plan.
Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre passes on information governance

PERFORMANCE: The Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre has met all 45 requirements of the Information Governance Toolkit, and reported a successful upgrade of its electronic patient record system.
NW London Hospitals Trust 'discharges patients inappropriately and asks GPs to re-refer in a year'

PERFORMANCE: The chair of Brent and Harrow’s Clinical Commissioning Board Dr Noreen Ryan claimed the acute provider had inappropriately discharged patients, in a meeting with the cluster.
Older women less likely to have breast cancer surgery

Older women are less likely to have breast cancer surgery than those who are younger, research suggests.
Oxford Health falls short of CIP target

FINANCE: Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust made efficiency savings of £5.5m in 2010-11, 89.1 per cent of its cost improvement plan target – however more than a third of that total came from non-recurrent savings.
Palliative coding surge raises death rate worry

PERFORMANCE: Mid-Staffordshire and two other West Midlands trusts were involved in a “concerted effort” which involved “removing deaths” from their performance record, an expert on death rates has claimed.
Pensions strife threatens staff terms deal

Industrial strife over pensions reform is set to further frustrate trusts’ attempts to introduce changes to staff terms and conditions.
Permanent assistant COO appointed at Sussex Partnership

WORKFORCE: the mental health foundation trust has confirmed the appointment of Andy Gray as assistant chief operating officer.
Preventing acute kidney injury: an HSJ special report

Between 20 to 30 per cent of acute kidney injury is predictable and avoidable, and if clinicians get the care basics right, can be prevented.
Public lose trust in Conservatives on health

Labour has almost doubled its poll lead over the Conservatives on health since the general election campaign in the face of concern over rising waiting times and falling standards, according to a survey by Ipsos MORI.
Queen Elizabeth II Hospital passes CQC dignity inspection

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission said the trust passed both of the standards relating to dignity and nutrition it inspected during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Queen Victoria Hospital FT buys data protection system

COMMERCIAL: The foundation trust has purchased a data protection system from technology company Mastek.
Queens Hospital passes CQC dignity inspection

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission said the foundation trust passed both of the standards relating to dignity and nutrition it inspected during a spot check as part of a wider investigation into how older patients are treated.
Review children's heart unit closures, MPs told

Plans to close specialist heart surgery units for children should be reconsidered and other options looked at, MPs have been told.
Royal Berkshire FT set to lose patients from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to rival

STRUCTURE: The acute trust reported that it had complained to the strategic health authority NHS South Central about the designation of level three Neonatal Intensive Care Unit services, which would see it lose patients to the John Radcliffe Hospital.
Royal Bournemouth fails three new A&E indicators

PERFORMANCE: Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals Foundation Trust failed three of the new accident and emergency indicators during the first month they were introduced.
Royal Bournemouth improves coding accuracy

COMMERCIAL: Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals Foundation Trust has more than halved its error rate in coding treatments but is disputing proposed changes to coding processes.
Royal colleges to be enlisted to identify procedures at risk of 'cherry picking'

The Department of Health command paper on choice, competition and a failure regime for trusts sets out some specifics but leaves many questions unanswered.
Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust achieves 78 per cent of its savings targets

FINANCE: The West Country acute trust had a cost improvement programme target of £19.7m but only achieved £15.3m in 2010-11.
Royal Devon takes stroke nursing care into the home

PERFORMANCE: The Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust’s specialist stroke service has launched a scheme to treat recovering patients in their own homes.
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust finished 2010-11 in deficit

FINANCE: NHS London papers reveal that the specialist organisation in north west London had ended the last financial year in deficit.
RUH announces £40m estates strategy

FINANCE: The Royal United Hospitals Bath Trust is planning to spend nearly £40m on upgrading its estate over the next six years.
Salisbury FT seeks major trauma unit status

STRUCTURE: Salisbury Foundation Trust has launched a bid to be designated as a major trauma unit, in line with the implementation of the national trauma strategy.
Sally Gainsbury: sitting duck surpluses

When the going gets tough, the tough hide their surpluses from the grasping claws of the strategic health authority.
Savings target already proving problem for Sussex Partnership FT

FINANCE: During the first month of 2011-12, the mental health foundation trust delivered savings of £377,000, which is £148,000 behind plan for April.
SHA had concerns over merger of PCT provider arm with Marsden

STRUCTURE: Minutes from NHS London reveal it had a range of concerns regarding the takeover of NHS Sutton and Merton’s provider arm by the Royal Marsden Foundation Trust.
Sherwood Forest struggles on mandatory training

PERFORMANCE: Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust is finding it “challenging” to deliver mandatory training.
Simulation Lab: test your healthcare improvement ideas

The latest in HSJ’s series of interactive online simulations allow users to test their ideas for improving operating theatre management, stroke care and more
South Central SHA wins fluoridation battle

South Central strategic health authority has won a lengthy battle with residents who opposed water fluoridation, adding that it will be “several months” before the chemical can be added to the local water supply.
South Tees FT rated top for eleventh year running

PERFORMANCE: South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been rated one of the top 40 hospitals by information analysis firm CHKS.
Specialist mental health advice service for GPs piloted in Sussex

STRUCTURE: The trust is piloting a new service to offer local GPs access to specialist mental health advice.
Spending on private providers blows NHS Oldham’s acute budget by £5m

FINANCE: The primary care trust’s acute care budget was blown by £5.5m in 2010-11, due mainly to overspending on private providers.
Start of year marred by rise in SUIs at Sussex Community Trust

PERFORMANCE: Sussex Community NHS Trust has given itself an overall “red” rating for serious untoward incidents (SUIs) during April.
Suffolk Mental Health Partnership 'heading to arbitration' over IAPT

FINANCE: Suffolk Mental Health Partnership may be “heading to arbitration” over the terms of its talking therapies programme as it has not yet signed its contract for the 2011-12 year.
Surrey and Borders Partnership FT finished last year with small deficit

FINANCE: The mental health foundation trust reported a year-end deficit of £313,000 for 2010-11, according to board papers.
Surrey and Borders Partnership to inform national policy on equality and diversity

WORKFORCE: The mental health FT has been selected as a member of the Department of Health’s “trust reference group” on equality and diversity.
Surrey and Borders struggling to improve serious incident reporting

PERFORMANCE: The foundation trust has ongoing difficulties with the reporting of serious incidents, according to board papers.
Sussex Community NHS Trust appoints NED

WORKFORCE: The provider trust has appointed a lawyer as a non executive director.
Sussex Community Trust paid out £50,000 on staff compensation and lost spectacles

FINANCE: Sussex Community NHS Trust lost over £50,000 last year through losses and compensations, board papers show.
Sussex Partnership FT inherits 250 staff

WORKFORCE: The foundation trust boosted its workforce by 246 in April following its takeover of new services under the transforming community services programme.
Sussex Partnership plans to recruit two nurse consultants

WORKFORCE: The mental health foundation trust intends to add two new nurse consultants to its workforce, according to its latest HR report.
Sussex Partnership reports £5.2m surplus for 2010-11

FINANCE: The mental health foundation trust has reported finishing the 2010-11 financial year with a surplus of £5.2m, according to board papers.
The right-to-request primary care trust: one year on

A year ago, City Health Care Partnership became the first social enterprise to ‘go live’ through the right-to-request scheme. On its first anniversary, chief executive Andrew Burnell reports on how they are getting on.
Training budget protection supported by government

Billions of pounds set aside for staff training could in future be ring-fenced after the government declared support for “protected” education budgets.
Trusts missing NICE guidelines on stroke treatment

“Considerable variation” exists in the time taken to provide stroke prevention surgery, data from the Royal College of Physicians and the Vascular Society has shown.
United front: why leadership is vital to a successful merger

A shared vision with three critical tests decided on by the various leaders involved is critical to calming the choppy waters of a merger, writes Graham Atkins.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust probed

PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has launched an investigation after it found “major concerns” at a hospital in Boston, including one patient being left in pain for days.
Waiting times problems at Hull and East Yorks Hospitals

PERFORMANCE: Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust has been “red” rated by its main commissioner, having failed to meet referral to treatement waiting times in some specialities.
'We have to tackle government disagreement head on'

With management levels cut dangerously low in the health service, the NHS Confederation’s chief executive Mike Farrar tells HSJ’s Charlotte Santry the days of biting tongues when dealing with those in power are definitely over.
West Yorkshire cluster names director

WORKFORCE: The West Yorkshire PCT cluster - including Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield District PCTs - has announced a series of director appointments.
Western Sussex Hospitals loses FT development director

WORKFORCE: The trust’s corporate and foundation trust development director has left to take up an advisory post at a legal firm.
Why commissioners need to harness transformational technologies for NHS services

If the full potential of GP commissioning is to be realised, commissioners must understand, embrace and harness transformational technologies at the earliest opportunity, says NHS North West director of commissioning development Joe Rafferty.
Why competition still has its place in NHS

Competition in the NHS is nothing new - and the more measured approach outlined in the Health Bill’s amendments this week will better preparing the health service to fully function with competition working alongside integration, argues Wragge and Co partner Simon Taylor.
Why more freedom for foundations could mean more challenges

What does the full force of insolvency law mean for foundation trusts? Dickinson Dees partner in public services Tim Care looks at some of the challenges that come with new freedoms.

Alastair McLellan

Health Service Journal23 June 2011

Job of the week

Jobs

Health Service Journal
23 June 2011