Clinical Leaders
News, information and analysis for clinicians who are and who aspire to become leaders in the health service
Key risks posed by NHS commissioning reforms revealed
The NHS Commissioning Board has admitted that “key risks” to its success include the haemorrhaging of senior leaders during the reform transition and a shortage of staff to commission specialist and primary care.
Managers to fly in to run straggling CCGs' budgets
The NHS Commissioning Board will not take on the budget responsibilities of clinical commissioning groups which fail to win full authorisation by April next year, HSJ has been told.
EU laws 'putting patients at risk'
NHS patients are “at risk” because of European laws, the heads of two royal colleges have said.
Leadership and staff engagement 'critical' to hospital savings challenge - study
Effective leadership and staff engagement will be “critical” if hospitals are to achieve the lion’s share of the £20bn NHS savings goal by 2015, a new Nuffield Trust study has found.
Clinical data regulation not robust, say experts
Leading doctors have called for an end to “incomplete data disclosure” and more robust regulation of information in clinical trials.
Nursing care standards report unveiled
A report by Birmingham University’s Health Services Management Centre has urged for senior nurses to be given greater leadership responsibility in order to improve acute nursing care standards.
Remediation of doctors costing the NHS millions
Concerns about doctors’ performance are usually only picked up following a crisis, putting patients at risk and increasing the cost of remediation, according to a new report.
How to create an organisational strategy to develop clinical leaders
A programme to engage senior staff with clinical leadership through assessment and development is creating a core group of strong clinical leaders at Salford Royal. Stephen Perry and David Wood explain the programme.
Why taking a national approach could kick-start technology adoption in the NHS
High costs, complex planning and ‘pilot-itis’ are all common hurdles to technology adoption. Sally Chisholm argues a coordinated national approach could help overcome them.
How to use clinical supervision to increase the use of evidence-based practice
Clinical supervision affords clinicans and planners the time and application opportunity to engage with research and evidence that can inform professional practice in the day-to-day environment, argue Emily Steventon and colleagues.
How to establish IT processes to achieve clinical cost efficiencies
A London trust established a pathology IT board to monitor the trust’s investment in IT. Now, the trust is reaping the benefits of an approach that has helped deliver numerous process improvements and achieve significant cost savings.
Reaping joint benefits of streamlined hip and knee care pathways
One consortium’s approach to overhauling hip and knee care has brought efficiency and financial rewards while sparing patients from repeated trips to hospital. Debra de Silva and Sima Haririan explain.
How service line management can inspire improved behaviours throughout NHS organisations
Service line management can empower frontline clinicians to make the changes the NHS needs for future viability. The big challenge is changing the way NHS organisations are managed, says Chris Calkin.
Why shifting DVT management into primary care can improve clinical outcomes
DVT can be clinically very difficult to diagnose but early recognition and appropriate treatment can improve clinical outcomes.
Book Review: The Terrible Leader
Independent business consultant Jeremy Kourdi reviews Dan White’s The Terrible Leader.
Improving cardiac care for clinicians while reducing cost to the NHS
Can you improve patient cardiac care and working practice for GP clinicians while reducing the cost of cardiac care to the NHS? Dr Jonathan Lieberman explains how a telemedical ECG service has achieved this at his surgery in Manchester.
The seven simple steps to support cost improvement plans
Cost improvement projects are necessary to increase efficiency and reduce spending for trusts, but to succeed, they need the same simple understanding required when driving a vehicle, says Leigh Cantero.
'Engaging GPs is the new year's resolution for clinical commissioning'
Although many CCGs are now up and running, they face a number of challenges that show no sign of abating. Ben Gowland discusses a key priority for his commissioning group.
'Can Public Health England improve the way we respond to pandemics?'
The Department of Health’s intention for Public Health England to strengthen the national response to public health crises alongside local bodies may not work in practice unless experiences of previous pandemics are learned from, write Drs Jacky Chambers and Andrew Rouse.
'Deal with productivity variation, or risk the long term future of the NHS'
Only by swiftly adressing the issue of clinical practice variation and developing better evidence based practice can we stop the quality of NHS care eroding, writes Professor Alan Maynard.
'Integrated care should be this decade's number one priority'
Achieving proper integrated care must be taken as seriously in the next 10 years as waiting times have been in the last 10, say King’s Fund chief executive Chris Ham and Nuffield Trust director Jennifer Dixon.
'The Francis report will be the most important NHS event in 2012'
Spare a thought for Robert Francis. The weight on his shoulders must be immense. Part of his task has been to listen carefully hour upon hour to angry people, whose loved ones were failed by people and a public service meant to care and show compassion.
'It's time for a one year maximum wait'
Problems with waiting times are far from insurmountable - they just require the will to change, argue Rob Findlay and Anthony McKeever.






