Health Service Journal
4 August 2011
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Berkshire East system 'failing' as concerns voiced over Heatherwood and Wexham Park
PERFORMANCE: The health system in the Berkshire East area has been described as “failing” by the South Central strategic health authority, which highlighted particular concerns around maternity services at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Foundation Trust. -
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals FT made a £24m loss in 2010-11
FINANCE: Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Foundation trust has had to report a £23.6m deficit for 2010-11, its annual report reveals. -
Bolton spent slightly more than planned at end of May
FINANCE: NHS Bolton was under spent by £79,000 in the first two months of the financial year rather than the planned underspend of £96,000. -
Bury rules out plans for a standalone midwife unit
STRUCTURE: NHS Bury has decided not to commission a standalone midwife-led unit after hearing staffing it round-the-clock would cost between £450,000 and £700,000 above tariff. -
Bury secondary care budget £1m overspent at end of May
FINANCE: Bury PCT overspent on secondary care by nearly £1m by the end of May, with an overspend on continuing care posing a significant financial risk, finance director Stuart North reported. -
Calderdale and Huddersfield diagnostic imaging accredited
STRUCTURE: Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust has become the sixth diagnostic imaging service provider to be accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service to the Imaging Service Accreditation Scheme (ISAS) standard. -
Changing the approach to complaint handling in the NHS
With more complaints than ever before, and most trusts now having dedicated staff to deal with them, Robert Royce asks whether anything more than the frequency of dissatisfaction has changed in the world of complaints management in the last 25 years. -
DH announces commissioning reform milestones and single comms service
Commissioners have been set tight deadlines for handing their powers to GP groups, despite the continuing controversy over the Health Bill. -
DH reissues withdrawn HealthWatch consultation
The Department of Health has reissued a consultation on funding for local HealthWatch, two weeks after it was forced to withdraw it. -
DH rejects 'competition expansion' claim
The Department of Health has rejected claims that recently published guidance for commissioners includes a change in policy causing a “potential massive expansion in competition”. -
DH wants more transparency in NHS procurement
The Department of Health has signalled a move to more transparent NHS procurement system in its response to a public accounts committee report that claimed it offered poor value. -
East Berkshire starts review seeking 'clinically sustainable' services
STRUCTURE: Work has begun on a strategic plan for the future of healthcare in East Berkshire, with the aim of establishing “clinically sustainable” care services by 2013-14. -
East Cheshire Trust behind on savings and financial plans
FINANCE: East Cheshire trust make a small surplus at the end of May but is behind on its plan by £69,000, board papers reveal. -
East Cheshire Trust makes plan to recover its waiting times performance
PERFORMANCE: East Cheshire trust is taking action to deal with a drop in its performance against the 18 week referral-to-treatment standard. -
Evaluating for success: developing evidence-based technology solutions for better care
The development and implementation of information management, technology and e-health processes is seen as an integral component to deliver safe and secure care in a modern NHS, so to ensure success, evaluating early on in the process is paramount to developing successful -
Exclusive: GP data system to go live in September 2012
A national system to gather primary care clinical data is set for a September 2012 go-live date, HSJ has learned. -
Fewer tonsil operations are risking patient lives, hospitals warned
The NHS is putting patients at risk of serious illness by carrying out too few tonsil operations in a bid to save cash, an expert has said. -
'Financial reward' kidney donation comment sparks row
People should be allowed to sell their kidneys for £28,000 to tackle a shortage of donors, a researcher has suggested. -
First foundation trust authorised in four months announced
STRUCTURE: The first organisation to receive authorisation to become a foundation trust in four months was announced on Friday. -
Flagship involvement policy faces funding threat
The success of the government’s flagship policy on patient and public involvement is at risk from “insulting” funding plans, it is being claimed. -
'Fragmented' transport service threatens access to care
A report on transport for health and social care has found services to be “fragmented” and “lacking in leadership and monitoring”. -
Government's NHS spending pledge 'broken', say Labour
The government’s general election pledge to protect NHS spending has been broken, according to opposition ministers. -
Health charities to lose £100m in funding after council cuts
Reductions in local government funding could see more than £100m in budget cuts forced upon thousands of charities and voluntary groups, according to research. -
Heart of England shuns partnership with Birmingham City Uni
WORKFORCE: Heart of England Foundation Trust has decided against piloting a hospital-based nursing degree with Birmingham City University. -
Heatherwood and Wexham Park reports 'extremely adverse' trend in finances
FINANCE: Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals Trust is reporting a worsening and “extremely adverse” financial trend. -
Heatherwood trust misses Monitor targets on referral to treatment
PERFORMANCE: Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals Trust has missed three waiting list targets. -
Hospital merger could see loss of A&E, report says
STRUCTURE: A proposed merger between Ealing Hospital and North West London Hospitals Trust could see one of their three A&E units closed. -
HSJ special report: managers' fears over the £20bn 'Nicholson Challenge'
An HSJ survey in conjunction with consultancy BDO has revealed managers’ anxieties over ‘imaginary’ savings, sustaining quality and engaging stakeholders. But, reports Daloni Carlisle, the commitment to innovation remains. -
Imperial has already racked up £3.6m worth of PCT payment challenges
FINANCE: A report from the north west London PCT cluster has revealed by the end of month two there were £3m in claims and £600,000 in mis-attributed payments at the trust. -
Improved early cancer detection initiative begins
A plan to increase early cancer detection rates by a quarter was published today. -
Improving end of life care through patient record registers
A pilot scheme aimed at improving end of life care through local registers for patient records has had a positive effect, both on patient choice and achieving higher quality end of life care. National End of Life Care Programme deputy director Anita Hayes reports. -
Lansley announces 75 HealthWatch 'pathfinders'
New “pathfinder” Local HealthWatch groups have been announced for half of councils in England. -
Lansley condemns commissioners as 'cynical' over choice restrictions
Health secretary Andrew Lansley today said primary care trusts “game the system” to “delay treatment”, in response to the Co-operation and Competition Panel’s investigation of choice in elective care. -
Letwin says 'discipline and fear' will spur service improvement
The Conservative minister responsible for reforming public services said “discipline” and “fear” were needed to achieve excellence in state sectors. -
Manchester and Birmingham hardest hit in fourth night of rioting
Rioters threw bricks at two ambulance response cars in the West Midlands and attacked an ambulance in Manchester during the fourth night of violent disorder in England’s cities. -
Manchester Mental Health seeks new IT system
COMMERCIAL: A group of mental health trusts are working together to procure a new clinical information system. -
Maude unveils public data accountability push
The minister responsible for new plans to make more data publicly available has branded the transparency drive “freedom of information 2.0”. -
Media Watch: deliberate delays report provokes fury in the press
The furore over the Cooperation and Competition Panel’s report suggesting primary care trusts were making patients wait longer in the hope they would die or go private was going strong when the weekend papers went to press. -
Mental health incentives could be removed
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s recommendation that financial incentives for GPs to support patients with depression should be axed has sparked concern from the mental health sector. -
Mental Health Network calls to postpone personal budgets
Mental health professionals and service users have united to cast doubt on the merits of personal health budgets. -
Michael White: the strange landscape of US healthcare
Where else but the US should this column spend a few days as punishment for not understanding how inappropriate a mechanism competition is for driving efficiency and innovation in healthcare? -
Money withheld from Heart of England due to stroke performance
PERFORMANCE: Commissioners are holding back 3 per cent of contracted funds from Heart of England Foundation Trust until performance problems relating to stroke and the patient pathway are resolved. -
More district generals predicting financial problems
The number of district general hospitals predicting the lowest finance ratings has almost tripled in the space of a year, prompting a call for them to consider redesigning their processes. -
New drivers will be asked to sign up to donor register
People who apply online for a driving licence will be required to answer a question regarding organ donation, under a new scheme starting today. -
New money-saving medicines scheme a step closer
Patients with long term conditions will be offered a additional consultation with their pharmacist under a £100m plan to improve the effective use of medicines. -
NHS Blackpool records £342,000 surplus in first two months of 2011-12
FINANCE: NHS Blackpool reported a £342,000 under spend against its revenue resource limit for the first two months of the financial year. -
NHS charity governance under ministerial review
Ministers have revealed that they are reviewing the governance arrangements of NHS charities, giving voluntary sector leaders hope that the bodies will be able to sidestep plans to “nationalise” their accounts. -
NHS lags behind in social enterprise drive
The King’s Fund has warned that a more competitive marketplace for healthcare providers presents “significant risks” for the survival of new social enterprises, despite the government’s aim of creating the largest social-enterprise sector in the world. -
NHS organisations treat equality duty as 'tick box' exercise
The majority of the NHS organisations are treating duties to reduce inequalities as a “box ticking exercise”, a report by the Equality and Human Right Commission has found. -
NHS patient records programme has 'failed' according to MPs
Millions of pounds may have been wasted on a plan to integrate NHS patient care records that won’t work, the damning verdict of MPs suggests. -
Nicholson under fire over National Programme for IT
MPs have criticised NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson over his handling of the National Programme for IT, saying he had been ineffective in his role as “senior responsible owner” for the project. -
North Cumbria Hospitals pay spending running ahead of plan
FINANCE: Spending on pay is ahead of plan at North Cumbria University Hospitals trust, partly due to the costs of locum medical staff. -
North Cumbria University Hospitals forecasted to hit just 75 per cent on 18 week RTT target by end of June
PERFORMANCE: North Cumbria University Hospitals trust is only expected to have treated 75 per cent of elective admitted patients within 18 weeks in June, with continued pressure in ophthalmology and other specialties. -
North West London Hospitals Trust to open more beds to cope with winter pressures
PERFORMANCE: North West London Hospitals Trust is reopening beds to cope with the winter pressures it is expecting. -
Office supplies top procurement savings agenda for Whitehall
Whitehall departments are to pay the same price for office supplies in a bid to save taxpayers more than £18m annually. -
Over half of FT plans awaiting DH approval
Fewer than half of NHS trusts’ plans for achieving foundation status have been signed off by the Department of Health, more than four months after they were written. -
Oxford Radcliffe falls short on nutrition standard
PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission has called for improvements in care at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, after finding that the food and drink provided was not meeting patients’ dietary needs. -
Patient operations deliberately delayed, CCP claims
Patients are being forced to wait for treatment in the hope they will remove themselves from waiting lists by either going private or dying, a report has suggested. -
Patients back Bolton walk-in centre
PERFORMANCE: A walk-in centre whose future was in doubt has been given a glowing report by patients, NHS Bolton’s board heard. -
Pensions preferred to pay in public sector, survey shows
People employed in the public sector are more concerned about retaining their pension deals than avoiding salary cuts. -
Poor areas won't suffer under reforms, insists Lansley
Claims that health spending reforms will result in unequal access to care budgets, hitting deprived areas of England worst, have been rejected by health secretary Andrew Lansley. -
Portsmouth hospital demand levels exceed contract
FINANCE: Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust has signed its main commissioner contract, but is already reporting that demand is outstripping the agreed level of activity. -
Portsmouth trust falls behind on capital programme
FINANCE: Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust has spent just £103,000 of its capital budget for 2011-12 by the end of May, having planned to spend £2.1m. -
Redesigning reablement: why these services need to focus on patient independence
Reablement services must be designed as a route to greater independence and not reliance on care, says the Social Care Institute for Excellence’s director of adult services David Walden. -
Restructuring risks worry West Midlands as SHA chair drops out of cluster running
Restructuring the health service can be a risky business and NHS West Midlands isn’t taking any chances. -
Rise in number of patients admitted to the Walton Centre with pressure ulcers
PERFORMANCE: The number of patients admitted annually to the specialist neurology and neurosurgery foundation with previously existing pressure ulcers more than doubled in 2010-11, a board report shows. -
Royal Bolton threatened over dip in waiting times performance
PERFORMANCE: NHS Bolton is threatening Royal Bolton Hospital with financial penalties if it does not hit referral-to-treatment times. -
Royal Devon and Exeter submits £19m building plans
STRUCTURE: Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust has submitted a planning application for a £19m research centre on the trust site. -
Sally Gainsbury: the £2bn secret subsidy
Will the £500m ministers plan to spend each year on not sorting out failing hospitals suffice? -
SHA cluster chairs announced and chief executives emerging
The chairs of the four strategic health authority clusters have been announced and the Department of Health is close to confirming their chief executives. -
SHA cluster chief executives announced
The chief executives of the strategic health authority clusters have been appointed. -
SHA publishes major independent review of cash-strapped North Yorkshire and York
FINANCE: An independent review of services in North Yorkshire and York - a financially struggling patch - has made a series of significant recommendations, including reducing the number of hospital beds by 200. -
Sherwood Forest raises 'significant' A&E challenge with Monitor
PERFORMANCE: Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust has told Monitor it may miss the new accident and emergency targets. -
Sign off delay hits Hinchingbrooke's finances
FINANCE: Hinchingbrooke Hospital is losing nearly £200,000 in lost income every month due to a delay in getting ministerial sign off for its franchise deal with Circle. -
South Central SHA cuts back informatics team
STRUCTURE: The South Central strategic health authority is reducing its informatics function, cutting the number of strategy delivery management posts within the team from 2.8 whole time equivalents to a single full-time member of staff. -
South Central trusts seek QIPP savings through joint supply chain
FINANCE: Trusts in the South Central region are in the process of setting up an “integrated supply chain”, with the aim of saving £358m over four years on procurement costs. -
South Tyne PCTs agree to reinvest readmissions proceeds
FINANCE: The South of Tyne PCTs have agreed to reinvest money not paid to hospital trusts under the 30 day readmissions rule in initiatives “aimed at actions to reducing these readmissions, improving patient outcomes and experience and reducing additional pressure on the urgent care system”. -
South West trust chiefs in merry-go-round shake up
The impending departure of Weston Area Health Trust’s chief executive to Kettering General Hospital Foundation Trust next month has sparked a round of musical chairs in the South West. -
Student nurses withdrawn from hospital amid CQC concerns
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has withdrawn 100 student nurses from a hospital in Lincolnshire after the Care Quality Commission raised “serious concerns” about the learning environment. -
Sue Slipman: public board meetings are not a quick fix for accountability
With transparency and accountability increasingly on the agenda for trusts, Foundation Trust Network chief executive Sue Slipman argues that holding board meetings in public as a means to that end is not simply an open and shut case. -
The crucial role health charities have to play
Never has there been a more important time to strengthen the relationships we have with hospital charities. And with more than 280 NHS charities across the UK, are we maximising these relationships that bring unquestionable benefits to our patients and staff, asks Peter Homa. -
The financial challenges GPs face in developing surgery estate
Financial uncertainties in the NHS have slowed re-emerging interest for funding to develop existing GP surgeries and NHS estate. Peter Hill from Barclays Corporate’s healthcare division looks at the current financial landscape in which GPs have to operate - and what the future holds. -
The government risks severing links with valuable volunteers
It was inevitable that a government regarding the empowerment of individuals and communities as its raison d’être would seek to instil a greater public voice into the health service. -
Torbay to become foundation trust
STRUCTURE: The board of Torbay Care Trust has approved plans for the organisation to pursue becoming a foundation trust. -
Two FTs launch joint takeover bid of acute trust 'on the brink'
Two foundation trusts have proposed to jointly take over a struggling acute in what is thought to be the first plan of its kind. -
Two practices remain outside a clinical commissioning group covering the rest of Wakefield
STRUCTURE: All the practices except two within Wakefield District PCT have signed up to a single emerging clinical commissioning group, Wakefield Alliance. -
What the new healthcare environment holds for clinical negligence indemnity
Changes ushered in by the Health Bill will mean indemnity contracts between providers and commissioners will need to be considered carefully and satisfy both sides before being set in place. Medical Defence Union chief executive Dr Christine Tomkins explains. -
Women over-represented among Manchester Mental Health and Social Care members
STRUCTURE: The trust’s board heard that women were overrepresented by 10 per cent among members recruited so far for its potential foundation trust, despite attempts to target men at recruitment events. -
Yorkshire chair to lead NHS North of England SHA cluster
STRUCTURE: NHS Yorkshire and the Humber chair Kathryn Riddle is due to lead the NHS North of England strategic health authority cluster, comprising Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West and the North East.
