Health white paper
Latest news
Bill delay threat as government consults on reform risk register
The health secretary has been forced to consult across government on whether to publish the risk register for the NHS reform “transition”, as ordered by the Information Commissioner, ministers have confirmed.
Health Bill risks 'weakening ministerial accountability' - Lords committee
The Lords committee which reviews the constitutional implications of new legislation has said the Health Bill poses a risk that “individual ministerial responsibility to parliament will be diluted or that legal accountability to the courts will be fragmented”.
Reform transition cost now £1.49bn, according to DH figure
A new figure from the Department of Health estimates the cost of its reform “transition programme” at £1.49bn.
BMA to launch campaign calling for withdrawal of Health Bill
The British Medical Association’s ruling council today voted to begin a public campaign for the withdrawal of the Health Bill.
'NHS England' name plan stirs controversy
A proposal for the NHS Commissioning Board to be known as “NHS England” is attracting criticism for inflating the organisation’s role and power.
Lansley meeting Future Forum to discuss its future
Members of the NHS Future Forum - set up to review the government’s controversial reform plans - are to meet to discuss whether and how the group should continue.
Health Bill: government publishes 181 amendments
The government has tabled 181 amendments to the Health Bill following a review of health secretary Andrew Lansley’s controversial original proposals.
Health Bill: changes risk ‘paper duties’ and central pressure
Changes to the health bill risk propagating procedural requirements and increasing pressure on the health secretary to intervene, a lawyer has warned.
Health Bill: competition changes may not be ‘substantive’
The changes to Monitor’s role brought about by amendments to the Health Bill may not be “substantive”, lawyers have warned.
Health Bill: rules unclear on open board meetings
It is unclear how far government Health Bill changes will go in forcing foundation trusts and clinical commissioning groups to hold public board meetings.
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.
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.
Exclusive: Details of NHS regional tier plan
The NHS is set to form four regional bodies out of grouped strategic health authorities.
Nicholson: I feared Lansley’s competition rules
NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson has confirmed he was against the government’s original proposal for a regulator promoting competition in the NHS, which was dropped this week.
Commissioning board shouldn’t become ‘greatest quango’ – Nicholson
Sir David Nicholson says he will prevent the NHS Commissioning Board becoming “the greatest quango in the sky” by maintaining an “ambition” for the whole country to be covered by active clinical commissioning groups.
Government introduces string of requirements for new-look consortia
New local commissioning groups – where established – will be subject to a list of new requirements and conditions, under revised government reform plans.
In full: government responds to NHS Future Forum
The government has responded to the NHS Future Forum, confirming agreed changes to its overhaul of the service.
GPs don't think they are ready to commission, survey suggests
GPs and primary care staff are not confident in their ability to carry out the roles they would have under the government’s reforms, findings released today suggest.
Royal College commissioning school receiving nearly £2m for GPs' training
The Royal College of GPs – which has heavily criticised the government’s NHS reform programme – has already been paid £1.5m to help teach GPs how to commission.
Exclusive: GP commissioning consortia boards must contain a doctor and nurse
David Cameron has announced a radical reworking of the government’s NHS reform plans which will give hospital doctors and nurses mandated places on GP commissioning consortium boards.
Exclusive: Clegg aide signals major delay to bill
Nick Clegg’s right hand man has told HSJ the Health Bill may not re-enter the Commons until the autumn to ensure some of its most controversial provisions can be “thoroughly and comprehensively” redrafted.
Reforms face further delay and confusion, concedes Lansley
The health secretary has admitted his NHS reform bill might have to return to committee stage in the Commons – leading to warnings of further delay and uncertainty.
Exclusive: politicians 'grandstanding' on competition, says review chair
One of the leaders of the NHS reform “listening exercise”, Sir Stephen Bubb, has accused politicians of “grandstanding” and “playing on misconceptions” about competition.
Clegg: 'NHS managers will continue where GPs are not ready'
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has given the clearest signal yet the transition to commissioning consortia will be slowed down, with other structures remaining in place “where GPs are not yet ready” to take over.
Public health funding cut threatens skilled staff
Valuable health intelligence expertise is facing “fragmentation and dissolution”, following a 30 per cent cut in the core funding of public health observatories, MPs have been warned.
Clinical networks to respond to competition fears
Clinical networks could be given a more prominent role to address fears that greater NHS competition will lead to service fragmentation and greater variations in standards of care.
PCT clusters may survive as reform pressure builds
A continued existence beyond 2013 for primary care trust clusters looked increasingly likely this week, as the health secretary’s NHS reforms came under huge political pressure.
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: 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.
Cluster landscape shows 52 commissioners
Primary care trusts are clustering into 52 commissioners across England – ranging from a £4.7bn giant to an £800m standalone PCT.
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PCT clusters and chief executives list
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Reform review may demand 'no more reorganisations'
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Trust in public health advice could be compromised by reforms
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'Any qualified provider' guidance to slow market expansion
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Reform goals hampered by political pause
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'Listening exercise' review members announced
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Steve Field: Cameron listening exercise is for real
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Exclusive: Steve Field to front PM's 'listening exercise' advisory panel
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One month's delay to NHS reforms
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Leading GP groups risk creation of 'sink estate' consortia
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Health boards need greater powers, says King's Fund
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DH struggling to achieve consultant choice within deadline
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Milburn rejects offer to join Commissioning Board chair competition
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Nicholson must 'prove he trusts' GP commissioners
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Commissioning funds used to pay for GP basics
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Public health directors warned of cool welcome
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Experts warn of increase in alcohol-related deaths
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Lansley U-turn on price competition
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FT governors calls for CQC quality assessment
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PCT 'first' to look at commissioning social enterprise
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Commissioning firms to help shape support landscape
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Transition 'carefully designed and managed', says government
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Central grip tightens under 'independence' bill
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Government invites councils to pilot health and wellbeing boards
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Your essential guide to the Health Bill
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Commissioning board given 'draconian' powers
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Bill casts 'doubt' over Monitor's independence from health secretary
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Nicholson: NHS commissioning board will step in if consortia falter
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Public health agenda more important than NHS, says Lansley
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Trust in breach of six CQC standards
Word cloud
Health White paper
Leader
Private sector takeover not as imminent as some may have it
The week began with a media feeding frenzy around the government’s NHS reforms created by the imminent publication of the health bill. Dire warnings were ten a penny, while the PM adopted a Thatcherite “no alternative” stance.
Opinion
The government shouldn't simply leave the past behind
The government is in a tough spot at the moment, but it can be eased if it heeds the lessons of the NHS Plan era, argues House of Lords independent member Nigel Crisp.
Your humble servant: can you hear me, Andrew Lansley?
From being everywhere to suddenly being nowhere, your humble servant goes in search of the health secretary.
'Without evidence, the rhetorical reforms are irrelevant at best'
As real funding is eroded amid grand health policy rhetoric, there is a desperate need for hard evidence and data to inform the fundamental policy challenges facing this government. Without it, the reforms are all but irrelevant, argues York University professor of health economics Alan Maynard.
Your humble servant: Lansley live - for one month only
Time is running out to get a ticket to the Andrew Lansley show, where the only certainty is there are no certainties.
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Michael White: somwhere to escape the cuts
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Media Watch: health bill reaction reiterates 'chorus of concern'
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'Time to scrap GP exception reporting'
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Michael White: ministers are puzzled by the BMA’s hostility
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Nick Bosanquet: Five steps to security
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Tim Riley on GP attitudes to commissioning consortia
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How will the health reforms be judged?
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Michael White: caution and openness
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Alan Maryon-Davis is dreaming of a white paper
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'The challenge is to get better average outcomes and reduce variation'
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'Dorrell argues now for quiet pragmatism, for letting change evolve'
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Our lives are in the cancer detectives’ hands
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HSJ100: Hakin and Gerada lead the rise of the clinicians
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Can patient choice alone force the changes the service needs?
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The NHS needs to re-invent itself to cope with funding cuts
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Top-up reduction proposal news 'not that new'
Resource centre
Why the success of health and wellbeing boards depends on relationships
The effectiveness of health and wellbeing boards will depond upon how well they are able to build relationships between their members, says NHS Confederation deputy policy director Jo Webber.
Providing visually impaired patients with the right access to information
In just one year, Nottingham University Hospitals has transformed its disappointing relationship with visually-impaired patients into one of involvement, access and success. Chief executive of Nottingham University Hospitals Trust Peter Homa explains the lessons learned - and the changes being made as a result.
The value of NHS identity in change management
Making significant structural changes to large organisations is challenging and fraught with risk.
How to create healthcare without walls
A spirit of cooperation between clinicians has helped a London primary care trust improve productivity and patient experience by moving services into the community. Laura Guest explains how they achieved it
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Acute stay management and PACE
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A model for the co-provision of home-based care
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Fundamentals of the NHS - conference sessions
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GP consortia: new roles and new rules
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The eight ways to save cash and improve care
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Any future for non-foundation trusts?
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Renegotiating NHS contracts: how to avoid the pitfalls
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Integrated healthcare: removing the policy barriers
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Healthcare 100: Happy staff are best for patients
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How the white paper will affect NHS estates
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Making the most of clinical leaders
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Value for money in pathology commissioning
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Commissioning for outcomes
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GP commissioning: assembling the kit for consortia
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GPs: out of hours and out of pocket?
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The government’s plan for the NHS: the health white paper analysed
