Health Service Journal
5 May 2011
View all stories from this issue.
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Sherwood Forest Hospitals opens new nurse education centre
WORKFORCE: A new state-of-the art school for nurses, midwives and physiotherapists has opened new premises at the trust’s King’s Mill Hospital. -
Absence due to sickness figures fall
Workers are taking fewer days off sick, with a record 45 per cent having no days off ill at all in 2010, according to research. -
Acute trusts' FT plans slip back a year
More than a quarter of the acute trusts still bidding for foundation status have seen their application date slip by over a year. -
Alcohol causing thousands of consultations every day, survey reveals
Alcohol was a factor in more than 5,500 GP consultations in Scotland on one day alone last month, according to a new survey. -
Building awareness against unconscious bias in the workforce
In a period of significant workforce change, consultation and redundancy, NHS managers and leaders need to redress the dangers inherent in employing staff they find similar to themselves to allow a fairer and unbiased employment processes, argues Salma Shah. -
Bullying drops at Sussex Partnership
WORKFORCE: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has seen a 13 per cent drop in the number of reported bullying and harassment cases over a year, its annual Equality and Human Rights report has shown. -
Caesarian rates above target at Hillingdon Hospitals Foundation Trust
PERFORMANCE: The north west London trust recorded a c-section rate of 31.6 per cent for March. -
Cameron phones friends to help answer tricky reform questions
It is a year since the general election that brought the coalition to power and Andrew Lansley to Richmond House. -
Chesterfield hospital begins thrombosis drive
PERFORMANCE: The Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is to launch an awareness week to highlight the danger of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. -
Clinical coding award in offing for Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust
PERFORMANCE: Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust has been shortlisted for the CHKS data quality award for England. -
Confed calls for changes to EU procurement law
The NHS Confederation has urged the European Commission to simplify laws on public procurement and make it easier to negotiate better deals. -
Councillors approve North East MH service change
STRUCTURE: North Tyneside overview and scrutiny committee has approved plans to move acute mental health assessment and treatment facilities from North Tyneside General Hospital ward 21 to St Georges Park Hospital, Morpeth. -
DH 'tried to cover up hospital failure'
The Department of Health asked the Healthcare Commission to delay putting a hospital into special measures until after the 2005 general election, the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry has heard. -
Dr Foster proposes job cuts as part of business 'restructure'
Dr Foster Intelligence is considering making 40 of its 150 staff redundant as part of a “strategic restructuring” of its business. -
Ealing Hospital merger proposal to be submitted to NHS London later this month
STRUCTURE: The west London hospital trust’s plans to merge with North West London Hospitals Trust will see a Strategic Outline Case submitted to the Capital Investment Committee on May 17th. -
East Cheshire NHS Trust shortlisted for coding award
PERFORMANCE: East Cheshire NHS Trust has been shortlisted for the CHKS data quality award for England. -
Exclusive: expert panel to advise prime minister on NHS
Number 10 Downing Street is establishing its own panel of senior health policy experts – including two former NHS chief executives – to advise the prime minister on NHS reform, HSJ has learned. -
Exclusive: McKinsey called in to advise PM on NHS reforms
The panel of senior health policy experts appointed to advise the prime minister on NHS reform met for the first time yesterday. -
Exclusive: nearly 2,000 referrals delayed by PCT 'resourcing' problems
A serious incident investigation has been launched after almost 2,000 referrals to two London trusts were put on hold due to “resourcing issues” at a primary care trust. -
Fire leads to cancelled operations at Milton Keynes Hospital
PERFORMANCE: A fire at Milton Keynes Hospital led to services being disrupted, including 17 last-minute operation cancellations, the foundation trust’s board has been told. -
Gateshead Health buys System C PAS
COMMERCIAL: Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust has bought System C’s Medway software to provide its main strategic patient administration and electronic patient record system. -
Gateshead Health FT on data quality awards shortlist
PERFORMANCE: Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted for the CHKS data quality award for England. -
'General enthusiasm' for Yorkshire hospital trusts merger
STRUCTURE: The new Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Health Care Trust chief executive has reported “general enthusiasm” for its integration with York Hospitals Foundation Trust. -
Government warned public sector action will cause 'industrial turmoil'
The government has been warned it faces “industrial turmoil on a massive scale” as unions start planning to step up opposition to spending and job cuts. -
GPs in Derbyshire County to pilot CQC registration
PERFORMANCE: The primary care trust has been named as the only area in the country to pilot the extension of the Care Quality Commission’s registration system to general practices. -
Grand designs: enhancing recovery on a bigger scale
Enhanced recovery pathways have worked well in individual trusts, but an innovative implementation approach is delivering results across an entire London sector, write Caroline Grace and colleagues. -
Guiding organisations in health and wellness to improve the public health defecit
Devolving the control of healthcare to local organisations endangers the UK’s rising public health crisis, argues wellness consultancy Vielife’s chief medical officer Dr Tony Massey. -
Guy's and St Thomas' FT sets improved GP communication as quality priority
PERFORMANCE: The central London acute trust is working on a metric to measure the communications performance of district nurses and general practice. -
Guy's and St Thomas' plans £53.2m savings
FINANCE: Guy’s and St Thomas’ plans a £53.2m savings plan to generate £30m for capital investment -
Guy's and St Thomas' to take action on did not attend rates
PERFORMANCE: The large London teaching hospital latest DNA rate was 13.25 per cent, more than 50 per cent over target. -
Heatherwood and Wexham Park given extension to resolve dispute
FINANCE: A foundation trust with high-profile financial difficulties has been given an extra three months to finalise its commissioner contract for 2011-12. -
How a chemotherapy outreach service is putting care into the community
An outreach chemotherapy van is part of a new approach to improving care delivery in the community, says Alison Moore. -
How online training can increase professional development in the face of spending cuts
As doctors struggle to manage their workload under the working time directive, and the NHS reduces its spending on training in the harsh economic climate, will continuous professional development – and ultimately patient care - suffer, asks Doctors.net.uk medical director Tim Ringrose. -
How to develop an affordable approach to workforce planning
A competence based approach piloted by NHS North West is showing great potential to achieve affordable workforce planning, as the authority’s assistant director of workforce strategy Robert Sumpter reports. -
Increase PFI plan values, managers told
NHS organisations should press for better value for money from existing private finance initiatives and find new ways of funding projects, according to a report by the National Audit Office. -
Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust appoints first learning disability nurse
WORKFORCE: Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust has appointed a specialist nurse to improve care for patients with learning disabilities. -
Leicestershire and Rutland top for breast screening
PERFORMANCE: Leicestershire County and Rutland Primary Care Trust is England’s top performing PCT for breast screening, the county’s PCT cluster has found. -
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells trust in £3.4m IT deal with Capita
COMMERCIAL: Support services contractor Capita is installing a £3.4m integrated information technology system for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. -
Medway found in breach of Monitor authorisation terms
PERFORMANCE: Monitor has found Medway Foundation Trust to be in significant breach of the terms of its authorisation. -
Michael White: despite distractions, the focus remains trained on reforms
Did you catch that row over the NHS at prime minister’s question time? No, I thought not. What with the royal nuptial and the killing of Osama bin Laden we have all had a lot on our media plate. -
Mid Yorks fails on A&E waits for year
PERFORMANCE: Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust is one of ten trusts nationally to fail against the target to see 95 per cent of accident and emergency patients within four hours. -
Milton Keynes FT expecting £6m deficit for 2010-11
FINANCE: Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has admitted that it is “very likely to be in significant breach of its terms of authorisation” after running up an estimated deficit of more than £6m during 2010-11. -
Monitor increases efficiency target to 'reflect the economic outlook'
Foundation trusts may have to make significant increases in efficiency savings if a “worst case” scenario predicted by the regulator hits the sector. -
Most trusts to miss moving target on information governance
PERFORMANCE: Around two thirds of NHS trusts will miss a Department of Health target monitoring their safeguarding of personal and patient information, HSJ has been told. -
NHS Bristol chief exec takes on North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
WORKFORCE: NHS Bristol chief executive Deborah Evans has been appointed to lead a cluster of three PCTs. -
NHS Devon chief executive to lead cluster
WORKFORCE: NHS Devon chief executive Ann James has been appointed to lead a cluster of two PCTs and a care trust. -
NHS Dorset chief executive to lead cluster
NHS Dorset chief executive Paul Sly has been appointed to lead a cluster of two PCTs. -
NHS Gloucestershire chief executive to lead cluster
WORKFORCE: NHS Gloucestershire chief executive Jan Stubbings has been appointed to lead a cluster of two PCTs. -
NHS Wiltshire chief executive to lead PCT cluster
WORKFORCE: NHS Wiltshire chief executive Jeff James has been appointed to lead a cluster of two PCTs. -
Noel Plumridge: calling any qualified commissioners
Last week’s public accounts committee report on the NHS landscape states: “Most important, the department has not yet got a framework to deal with failure in the system, be it on the provider side or the commissioning side”. -
Norovirus shuts ward at Chesterfield Royal Hospital
PERFORMANCE: The Chesterfield Royal Hospital has closed a ward due to an outbreak of norovirus. -
North Central London cluster sets up 'Primary Care Concerns Group'
STRUCTURE: The group would “ensure timely and appropriate response to concerns about independent contractors and performers and their services and implement appropriate actions”. -
North Cumbria redraws development plan
STRUCTURE: West Cumberland Hospital has had to redraw its redevelopment plans after losing an expected £10m contribution from the North West’s regional development agency. -
North East mental health FT building GP links
COMMERCIAL: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust is making a concerted effort to engage with local GP commissioners. -
North East MH FT hosting quality observatory
COMMERCIAL: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust has taken on hosting the North East Quality Observatory. -
North East on course to meet targets, but some regions are still feeling the heat
With the financial year ended, overall performance during 2010-11 is becoming a bit clearer. Both NHS North East and Yorkshire and the Humber appear to have met headline targets, but Yorkshire is showing signs of strain. -
North of Tyne PCTs expects break even despite acute overspend
FINANCE: The North of Tyne commissioners - Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Care Trust - were on course to deliver surpluses for 2010-11, despite acute overspends. -
North Yorkshire PCT developing continuing care tariff
FINANCE: North Yorkshire and York PCT is looking at implementing a standard price tariff for its continuing care providers, working with consultancy Tribal. -
Passing judgement on Lansley's vision
A year after the general election, Andrew Lansley and his controversial reforms are under fire. HSJ asks four leading figures - Stephen Dorrell, David Kerr, Alan Milburn and Bill Moyes - to hand down their verdict on Lansley’s vision. -
Patient care to suffer under reforms, CSP survey says
A survey of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy members revealed more than half believe patient care will suffer under the government’s reforms. -
'Patient-friendly' IVF centre opens
A new fertility centre in Southampton is the first in the UK to focus on ‘patient-friendly’ IVF and the health of mothers-to-be to help improve conception rates, a hospital trust said. -
PM 'took GP's views out of context'
The GP at the centre of a row at prime minister’s questions last week has said his views on NHS reform were misrepresented. -
Prescriptions bill up £300m despite improved value for money
The overall cost to the NHS of prescriptions rose by £300m in 2009-10, despite a slight fall in the average cost of individual items, according to NHS Information Centre data. -
Provider contracts still in dispute
COMMERCIAL: A third of contracts between providers and commissioners in the North West are still incomplete, HSJ has discovered. -
Quality of coding recognised at Northumbria Healthcare FT
PERFORMANCE: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted for the CHKS data quality award for England. -
Readmissions penalty to cost Newcastle FT 'many millions'
FINANCE: The policy of penalising hospital trusts when their patients are readmitted within 30 days of discharge will cost The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust “many £millions”, it reports. -
Scaling up collaboration: the public health manifesto
I recently had the privilege of attending a lecture by Sir Michael Marmot, the guru of health inequalities and public health. -
Scarborough trust scoping private patient centre
COMMERCIAL: Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Health Care NHS Trust is looking at developing a new private patient facility. -
Seeking sustainability on the South Coast
News that Portsmouth Hospitals Trust is one of 22 predicted to struggle to gain foundation trust status because of a hefty private finance deal would have come as little surprise to the local health economy. -
Significant overactivity payments for Newcastle FT
FINANCE: The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals Foundation Trust had received £9.2m in overspend against contracts from its main commissioners as of the end of February . -
Smaller trusts forced to rethink FT plans
STRUCTURE: Several smaller trusts that could not confirm the date on which they will apply for foundation status had previously been confident of achieving it. -
South West London and St George's gets new workforce director
WORKFORCE: The mental health trust announced the appointment of Ian Fleming as the new head of workshops and partnerships. -
South West Yorks trust takes on Barnsley community services
STRUCTURE: South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has taken on community services from Barnsley PCT. -
The smoother pathways leading to reduced length of stay
Speeding up admission and smoothing discharge has reaped rewards in reducing length of stay. Mark Eaton explains. -
The verdict: Dorrell, Milburn, Kerr and Moyes on Andrew Lansley's vision for the NHS
It’s one year on from the general election and Andrew Lansley’s Health and Social Care Bill is under considerable pressure. Can the health secretary rebut the charge that he is about to wreak havoc on the NHS, or will his vision be vindicated? Four leading figures give judgement. -
Tory peer criticises hospital wait
A senior Tory baroness has revealed she had to wait for nearly five hours on a hospital trolley before a bed was found for her. -
Two-thirds of staff in North Central London cluster now appointed
WORKFORCE: The five-borough commissioning body said at its last board meeting it intended to have all its positions filled by early May. -
Under pressure trusts prepare financial cuts
The impact of this year’s significant savings plans on wards, beds, pay bills and staff at some of England’s most financially vulnerable trusts have been revealed in an analysis of 2011-12 business plans.
