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5.34pm NHS England has put out a press release about its “6Cs Live!” event this afternoon.

Chief executive Sir David Nicholson launched the 6Cs online hub on a visit to the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Trust to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the NHS.

The 6Cs have been developed by chief nurse Jane Cummings to promote core nursing values.

“Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment, are values essential to compassionate care,” the press release says.

4.59pm The weekend isn’t here yet - here’s one more HSJ exclusive before you go out in the sun.

The consultancy which found no evidence of an improper relationship between the two regulators implicated in the Morecambe Bay care scandal has been accused of a conflict of interest after it emerged that it had won significant work from one of the bodies.

Grant Thornton was contracted by the Care Quality Commission to investigate its actions around the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust and its relationship with the parliamentary health service ombudsman.

Read the whole story by Shaun Lintern here.

4.16pm We know it’s late in the afternoon on a Friday, but we’ve got an exclusive story on the way.

Reporter Shaun Lintern tweets: “There’s nothing like a last minute breaking Friday story…stay tuned!”

3.51pm New on HSJ Local: Three trusts in Birmingham are considering co-location, it has emerged this week.

Birmingham Women’s Hospital and Birmingham Children’s Hospital are considering moving onto the Queen Elizabeth Hospital site to create a new “health campus”. This would encourage more joint working across specialisms, and would make it easier to work with academics from nearby Birmingham University. Click here to read more.

2.54pm The Royal College of Nursing has responded to the NHS Mandate refresh consultation.

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary said: “We welcome this consultation, which is focussing on the important issues which must be addressed to ensure that the NHS meets the needs of the coming years. The NHS has to be radical to keep patients healthy for as long as possible. Dealing with rising numbers of older people in need of care is a challenge across the NHS, and the infrastructure of the service must reflect that need.

“It is essential to provide the necessary resources and support to make the NHS of the future meet all the needs of patient centred care. We therefore welcome moves to provide a named clinician for patients being cared for in the community. Community nurses are already essential co-ordinators for patients, and give advice and signposting to other services which may be required.

“It is vital that the named clinicians in this role have the capacity and the organisational support to join up services so that patients experience a seamless journey from home to hospital and back again. The RCN is committed to working with the government to make seamless care designed around individuals a reality.” 

2.44pm The Staffordshire Newsletter reports that Cure the NHS founder Julie Bailey has been given the freedom of Stafford.

It comes after Ms Bailey, whose campaigning helped expose the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust scandal and led to the Francis inquiry, announced she was leaving the town because of harrassment from local people.

2.43pm On our story about today’s refresh of the mandate by the government, a reader comments: “I thought one of the consequences of the Health and Social Care Act was that the Health Secretary would be able to butt out a bit more and allow some depoliticisation of the day-to-day health service agenda. Not a chance!”

1.45pm: HSJ news editor Nick Golding tweets:

1.43pm: An update on HSJ’s story that ministers have proposed new priorities and targets for the health service is available here.

A consultation on a “refresh” of the government’s mandate to NHS England, for 2014-15 will focus on extending primary care services – including how to “stimulate new models of provision”, and increasing individuals’ choice of GP.

1.30pm: Tweet from Your Humble Servant:

1.09pm: More on our earlier story - NHS facing a £30bn funding gap by 2020 –

NHS England director for patients and information Tim Kelsey told an audience of technology entrepreneurs: “We are about to run out of cash in a very serious fashion”.

Later, speaking to HSJ, he added: “NHS England is launching a conversation about the future of the health service, as [NHS England chief executive Sir David Nicholson] announced in his speech at the NHS Confederation annual conference.

“The document will be used to kick-start this conversation. It provides some context for the funding gap and the context about why an urgent conversation is required about the future of the health service.”

1.02pm: NHS Alliance has responded to Jeremy Hunt’s proposals of a named clinician for every vulnerable older person asking for greater clarity and explicit detail around what is meant by “overall responsibility” and what resources will come with it. 

“We would like the opportunity to work with Mr Hunt to look at what having a named clinician would entail, and how this could be achieved; helping him to identify solutions to workforce, skills and education needed for delivery of this ambition,” Dr David Jenner, general practice network lead, at NHS Alliance said in a statement.

12.45pm: HSJ’s news that clinical commissioning groups have told NHS England that they are unable to fulfill their statutory functions due to data privacy laws is getting a few comments.

One anonymous commenter writes: “It is unbelievable that NHS England and the DH think it is reasonable that CCGs can’t check they are even paying the right bills.

I can’t see lots of small homes not being viable because they can’t be paid. We can’t even follow up on patient related issues from GP feedback.”

12.39pm: The National Health Action Party has set out their ten point proposal that could “re-instate, protect, and improve the NHS”.

It includes repealing the Health and Social Care Act to restore the NHS as a publicly delivered and publicly accountable comprehensive healthcare system.

According to the group “the most practical solution is to back Lord Owen’s NHS re-instatement bill, which we fully support”. Their full ten-point-plan can be read here.

12.25pm: Tweet from Sarah Wollaston

12.22pm: Tory MP and health select committee member Sarah Wollaston has been tweeting provocatively about minimum alcohol pricing this morning.

Earlier, she tweeted: “Looking forward to seeing the PM later to ask why we can have pubs on motorways but not get rid of 23pp unit maximum price white cider”.

It seems that one of the prime minister’s aides then offered her the chance of a quick chat with the prime minister, which Dr Wollaston was not impressed by.

Later, she tweeted: “’Would I like to grab the PM in a corridor to discuss’? No, because that would be an insult to the 700,000 children living with alcoholics”.

12.14pm: Less than 10 per cent of NHS professionals feel the NHS is safe in the hands of the government.

A survey of NHS professionals – including nurses, doctors, surgeons, caregivers and administrative staff – was conducted by YouGov on behalf of national campaigning group 38 Degrees to mark the NHS’s 65th birthday.

It reveals that less than 20 per cent of NHS professionals think the main impact of the reforms has been to improve patient care and Over two-thirds (69 per cent) of NHS professionals feel the Government reforms have had a negative impact on patient care.

The poll also shows that 83 per cent of NHS staff believe the Government’s reforms to the NHS are motivated either by a desire to cut costs or increase privatisation, while just 10 per cent believe their intention was to improve patient care.

11.25am: New on HSJ’s End Game gossip blog: Jeremy Hunt compares the homeopathy lobby to CQC whistleblower Kay Sheldon.

11.21am: An exclusive news story on HSJ this morning: Clinical commissioning groups have warned NHS England that they might be unable to fulfill their statutory functions, David Williams reports.

It’s the latest installment in a series of stories since the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act. In broad terms, NHS commissioners such as CCGs and NHS England do not have the same legal permissions as their predecessors to use confidential patient data. We reported this week that the Department of Health was considering new legislation to fix the problem. Today’s story underlines how urgent CCGs believe the issue is.

11.17am: More than eight out of ten GPs are unsure how to commission essential support services that can keep older and vulnerable people out of hospital according to a survey by National Housing Federation.

GPs who are or plan to be involved in their local CCG say they don’t know how they would design housing-based services in the emerging structures, with more half (52%) unsure how they would commission these services.

“GPs understand that these services improve the health outcomes of older people and patients with mental health problems, dementia and disabilities. Yet they are deeply unsure how they can use their new role to commission these schemes,” says David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation.

“Health commissioners must work with housing associations to ensure local communities get the mix of integrated services required by our changing health and care needs. The changes to the NHS mean local partnerships between the NHS and housing will be more important than ever.”

10.50am: The consultation for refreshing the NHS mandate is now available here

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/refreshing-the-nhs-mandate

10.40am: Jeremy Hunt has announced that proposals to make every vulnerable older person have a named clinician responsible for their care outside of hospital. “This will mean that accountability is and care packages can be personalised and tailored around individual needs”.

Other proposals for the Vulnerable Older People’s Plan include: 

  • Better early diagnosis and support to stay health – strengthening the role GPs play in supporting people to stay healthy and take an active role in managing the health of their local populations.
  • Consistent and safe out-of-hours services – People are often unable to access support or are confused at who to turn to for advice.  The Government wants better access for patients across primary care and hospital services, including 111 and emergency services.
  • Enhanced choice and control – including choice of GP practice; rolling out the friends and family test to general practice by December 2014; more choice about location and type of service such as seeing a preferred GP or nurse and the option of doing this face-to-face or via email and telephone.

10.30am: As the NHS celebrates its 65th birthday, a study has warned it might not make it to its next milestone unless officials to take “courageous action” to transform the service.

Writing a foreword, Mr Farrar, head of the NHS Confederation, said: “Sixty-five years from its foundation, the NHS remains a great source of national pride. But the service today is under significant financial and demand pressures that, as this report explores, only look set to increase.

10.25am: HSJ chief reporter Dave West adds:

10.22am: HSJ chief reporter Dave West tweets:

10.20am: The government has published a website for engagement on Jeremy Hunt’s review of older people’s care, which will inform the next Mandate. It includes various categories and hints at the government’s thinking https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-proposals-to-improve-care-for-vulnerable-older-people

10.18am: The Telegraph has a story trailing Jeremy Hunt’s speech today, which appears to link to the publication of the government’s Mandate to NHS England, due out imminently.

The story says: “Under the proposal to improve out-of-hospital care, the named individual will be a clinician – either a GP, other doctor or community nurse – and will have to coordinate medical help whether a pensioner is in their own home or a care home.

“Mr Hunt would prefer the person to be a GP and to be responsible for ensuring that out-of-hours care is available.”

“He will add: ‘The challenge today is to provide integrated, coordinated out-of-hospital care …To do that we need to know that there is a clinician accountable for vulnerable older people in the community just as there is a consultant responsible for them in hospital. As a member of the public I would like that to be my GP, but whoever it is, they should be named so that patients, families and carers all know where the buck stops.”

10.07am: HSJ technology reporter James Illman tweets:

10.04am: Elderly patients will get a single medic to track their NHS care, reports the Daily Mail this morning.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt will announce today that he wants a named clinician to be responsible for overseeing the care of elderly people with long term conditions.

This will all sound quite familiar to HSJ readers, as Mr Hunt announced his plans for an “accountable clinician” in our interview with him last week.

10.02am: HSJ chief reporter Dave West adds:

10am: Tweet from HSJ chief reporter Dave West

9.48am: As the NHS turns 65, former public policy editor at the Financial Times speaks to health leaders on behalf of the Nuffield Trust for their assessment. HSJ presents edited highlights of his interview with Sir Malcolm Grant here

8.40am: Good morning, today the NHS celebrates its 65th anniversary. In that time, it has become an integral part of the national psyche, featuring prominently in the London 2012 opening ceremony and topping opinion polls on what makes people most proud to be British. Tim Wilson and Janet Dawson start the conversation on how the NHS can be fit for purpose in 10 years time.

Also, what would the NHS look like if it were run by Tesco? More specifically, what would it look like if its former chief executive, Sir Terry Leahy, were in charge? Craig Barratt contemplates this.