Health Service Journal
Ingrid Torjesen
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Doctors' orders: a special report on revalidation
13 September 2012
This special report on revalidation looks at why revalidation is a key plank in efforts to build quality, how its usefulness can be established, and how it can help doctors to be better leaders -
People of the future: an HSJ roundtable debate
20-Jul-2012
Encouraging the crew not to abandon the ship is critical for the NHS in these times. Ingrid Torjesen reports on an HSJ roundtable debate, in association with HCL Solutions, over the future of the healthcare workforce. -
Innovation through technology - an HSJ supplement
30-Apr-2012
The efficiency challenge means NHS organisations are having to find new ways of working. One area ripe for innovation is technology, and this valuable HSJ supplement looks at how trusts can utilise innovation in technology to full effect. -
Harnessing pharmacy to help deliver QIPP - an HSJ supplement
29-Sep-2011
HSJ, in association with Lloyds Pharmacy, convened a roundtable discussion on how hospital pharmacy can cut costs and improve care through extended services, partnerships with the community and private sectors - and using robot assistants. Ingrid Torjesen reports. -
Managing the new NHS - an HSJ supplement
30-Jun-2011
This bumper HSJ supplement looks at the myriad of areas where organisations will need a firm handle, to manage the transition to a new, post-reform NHS. -
Mental health trusts are the perfect partner for PCT provider arms
14 April 2011
Mental health trusts proved a popular choice as PCTs transferred their provider arms. Ingrid Torjesen reports. -
GP incentive framework fails to slow admissions
25 November 2010
The £1bn quality and outcomes framework has failed to halt the rise in hospital admissions of people with long term conditions and needs to be overhauled, a think tank has claimed. -
Little potential for drugs waste
25 November 2010
Primary care trusts have been warned relatively little savings can be made by cutting medicines waste. -
NHS cancer spending queried by National Audit Office
18 November 2010
Huge variability in regional cancer spending suggests worrying inefficiency, the National Audit Office has warned. -
Lancashire PCTs to review funding for 70 procedures
16-Nov-2010
PCTs in Lancashire have become the latest to consider restricting NHS funding of a range of procedures to save money. -
North Tees staff offered voluntary redundancy
16-Nov-2010
North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust is looking for staff to volunteer for redundancy to help it make £5m in savings. -
NHS Surrey stops funding for IVF and tattoo removal
15-Nov-2010
IVF treatment for women under 39, cosmetic procedures and other low priority interventions will no longer be funded in Surrey. -
Spending review roundtable: going back to the 1980s?
11 November 2010
The last time an NHS funding settlement was so tough, wards were axed, quality fell and waits surged. HSJ gathered some of the leading players in healthcare finance to debate how the service will fare in the new economic landscape. Ingrid Torjesen reports -
Turnaround: how transparency and openness helped rebuild one organisation
11 November 2010
The new chief executive of a US medical centre which was on the verge of bankruptcy introduced unprecedented levels of transparency to rebuild trust, writes Ingrid Torjesen. -
NHS Confederation calls for strong local leadership
15 July 2010
The government’s plans to abolish PCTs is likely to set in motion a talent drain from the organisations, the NHS Confederation has warned. -
GPs refuse to be Lansley's 'whipping boys'
14-Jul-2010
GPs will refuse to become the “whipping boys” of the health secretary or independent board, a GP leader has warned. -
All new blood makes up health committee
14-Jul-2010
The Commons health select committee is to be entirely made up of MPs who have not served on it before - although several of them have a background in health or health related fields. -
Government warned reform plans will 'turn NHS upside down'
12-Jul-2010
PCTs are to be abolished from 2013 and SHAs in 2012-13 under the government’s ambitious plans to transfer commissioning powers to GPs. -
How to improve quality of diagnosis
15-May-2009
Little research exists into issues around GPs and acute clinicians getting diagnoses wrong. Ingrid Torjesen asks what the NHS is doing about this crucial quality issue -
The hard facts on falls prevention
11-May-2009
Older people attending A&E after a fall are not all routinely screened for risk of future fractures. What should be looked for, and why? Ingrid Torjesen reports -
NHS marketing: a new future
7 May 2009
Primed with resilient data and analysis, intelligent marketing has the potential to make a big difference, easing the burden on NHS services and driving positive patient experiences. Ingrid Torjesen explains -
The provider-commissioner split: getting it right
23 April 2009
A new King’s Fund report warns the chance to improve services could be missed if PCTs do not prepare for shedding their provider role. Ingrid Torjesen explains -
NHS complaints: how to give dissatisfied patients a happy ending
13-Apr-2009
Big changes in the way service quality is overseen mean NHS trusts now carry a greater onus to resolve complaints themselves, says Ingrid Torjesen -
Working hours target deadline fast approaching
6-Apr-2009
Now is the time to get back on schedule and ensure your trust is ready for the August deadline, since delays could bring penalties.Ingrid Torjesen reports -
Far and wide
6-Nov-2008
The principles of Productive Ward are now being applied in community hospitals and mental health wards. But will the programme succeed outside its original context, asks Ingrid Torjesen -
DH intervention forces cancer rethink
25-Sep-2008
A primary care trust has been forced to review its plans to centralise specialist gastrointestinal cancer services after what is believed to be an unprecedented intervention by the Department of Health. -
Out of hours care standards to be applied to urgent care
25-Sep-2008
National standards for out of hours providers could be extended to cover some in-hours services. -
Charities warn on information prescriptions scheme
18-Sep-2008
Charities in information prescription pilots have warned the scheme risks failure unless it is mandatory and supported by incentives. -
Lord Carter to head up NHS competition panel
18-Sep-2008
Lord Carter of Coles is to be the first chair and director of the NHS Co-operation and Competition Panel. -
Stop-smoking case studies: quitters can win
18-Sep-2008
Now the most motivated ex-smokers have stubbed out their last cigarette, Ingrid Torjesen finds out how services are reaching out to the less enthusiastic would-be quitters -
Cornwall's one-site cancer plans run aground
31-Jul-2008
A primary care trust's aim to centralise specialised cancer services has been derailed by the council's overview and scrutiny committee, which wants a full public consultation. -
Joint appointment smooths way for Kingston merger
31-Jul-2008
Kingston primary care trust and council are consulting on plans to integrate. The PCT and local authority have appointed the first joint director of finance as part of a move to promote greater partnership working. -
Media Watch: taking on obesity
31-Jul-2008
As health secretary Alan Johnson packed up for the summer, he left a stern warning about the dangers of overindulgence. -
Report finds targets boost progress for sexual health
31-Jul-2008
Primary care trusts must undertake five-yearly comprehensive sexual health needs assessments of their area, set local targets and make someone at board level accountable for their strategy, according to a progress report on the national strategy for sexual health and HIV. -
A shot in the arm for community health services
24-Jul-2008
The government is promoting the social enterprise model of service provision, but there are other options available to primary care trusts. Ingrid Torjesen offers an overview -
Darzi's vision - towards a quality-obsessed NHS
15-Jul-2008
Under Lord Darzi's recently published plans for the health service, clinicians will lead the charge to top-quality care. Ingrid Torjesen explains -
Making clinical leadership happen
15-Jul-2008
Education and training are key components of Lord Darzi's plans to increase clinical leadership in the NHS. Ingrid Torjesen explains how the clinical landscape will change -
Gordon Brown pledges to free and empower staff
3-Jul-2008
The prime minister Gordon Brown has pledged to 'back to the hilt' NHS staff when they want to improve services. -
NHS60: If the care fits
30-Jun-2008
Experts predict a future in which primary care will be delivered by a variety of suppliers in integrated packages tailored to individual needs, reports Ingrid Torjesen -
Trusts face green targets in bid to cut carbon footprint
5-Jun-2008
The NHS will lead the way in tackling climate change by shrinking its carbon footprint by 60 per cent by 2050, the government has proposed. -
Share rising mental health costs, says King's Fund
29-May-2008
The cost of mental health services is expected to rise by 45 per cent over the next 20 years, the King’s Fund has predicted.But in its long-awaited report on the future funding of mental health services, it says the NHS should not be expected to fund the increased cost alone. -
Extended hours: crying out for flexibility
26-May-2008
The government's guidance on extended hours is not the only way for GP practices to answer the pleas for better access. Ingrid Torjesen looks at some local solutions -
Primary care development: new hat for GPs
26-May-2008
Primary care has long been the underdog of the NHS, handling routine care while hospital trusts manage high-profile services. -
Latest regional Darzi report aims to boost life expectancy
15-May-2008
NHS South West has unveiled ambitious plans to match the best life expectancy rates in Europe in its regional Darzi vision, published today. -
First regional Darzi visions offer glimpse into future
15-May-2008
Lord Darzi's review of the NHS finally became a reality this week with the publication of the first two regional plans spelling out what the process means for patients. -
Inquiry shows gap in paediatric training
15-May-2008
Children and young people with life-threatening illness are not being treated appropriately because professionals caring for them are not trained in paediatrics, the world's first confidential inquiry into child deaths has found. -
NHS Networks to close
15-May-2008
NHS Networks has announced that it is to cease operating on 31 October after running out of funding. -
Yorkshire publishes vision for delivering Darzi reforms
15-May-2008
Higher life expectancy and fewer admissions to hospital for patients with long-term conditions, brought about in part by increased patient responsibility, are among the goals for NHS Yorkshire and the Humber. -
Media Watch: election time
8-May-2008
Most of the weekend was spent dissecting implications of the local elections, which hinted that the next government would be blue. -
Dealing with a public relations crisis
6-May-2008
In the wake of the missing Revenue and Customs data, Sefton PCT found itself at the centre of a data security scandal. Ingrid Torjesen finds out how to handle a crisis -
Ingrid Torjesen on circumventing primary care
1-May-2008
My skiing holiday in France was meant to be a relaxing break from health and health policy. But my hopes were dashed when on the third day I fell and heard a crack in my knee. -
NHS constitution should focus on value for money
1-May-2008
The NHS constitution should include a financial charter setting out how commissioners must achieve value for money, rather than just a set of anodyne values, a think tank has claimed. -
Audiology waiting times slashed at last minute
24-Apr-2008
Trusts' last-minute push to hit an audiology assessment target has led to a dramatic fall in waiting times for diagnostic services. -
Choose and book update postponed
24-Apr-2008
NHS Connecting for Health has postponed the release of updated choose and book software after the current version gave some patients other people's appointments. -
Disease: a warning from history
14-Apr-2008
Improved public health, medical advances and greater public awareness should have consigned many diseases to the past. But now illnesses such as rickets and syphilis have staged a comeback. Ingrid Torjesen looks at the latest efforts to combat them -
Employment checks: get the facts before you hire
10-Apr-2008
NHS recruitment came under scrutiny after it emerged the people responsible for failed terrorist attacks worked for the service. But a new body has plans it says will stop dangerous people working with children and vulnerable adults. By Ingrid Torjesen -
How primary care grew up
7-Apr-2008
In our latest feature marking 60 years of the NHS, Ingrid Torjesen charts the general practitioner's rise from poor relation to commissioner -
CBI claims contract debacle will hit future bids
3-Apr-2008
Private companies will be reluctant to bid for future NHS contracts, the Confederation of British Industry has warned. -
Media Watch: deep clean
3-Apr-2008
The government's deep clean and choice initiatives caused a big stink this week. -
Patient access put at heart of quality framework
3-Apr-2008
Changes to the GP quality and outcomes framework unveiled this week by NHS Employers reflect the government's intention to improve patient access to general practice. -
Corporate manslaughter: you could be in the dock
27-Mar-2008
From 6 April NHS organisations could be prosecuted for corporate manslaughter if someone dies in their care, but different interpretations of the law mean trusts may be unclear about their responsibilities. Ingrid Torjesen attempts to unravel the new actFor more in-depth information about the act, register for HSJ’s free corporate manslaughter webinar -
Panel saves services at Horton Hospital
27-Mar-2008
The independent reconfiguration panel has advised the health secretary to reject Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals trust's proposals to downgrade paediatric, gynaecological and obstetric services at Horton Hospital because it would not provide an accessible or improved service for local people. -
GPs fail to help with appointments audit
13-Mar-2008
Primary care trusts have been unable to complete an audit of the number of GP appointments provided by practices because GPs have refused to hand over the information, following British Medical Association advice. -
GPs urge PCTs to remain flexible
13-Mar-2008
Primary care trusts will have to negotiate with family doctors over how to implement extended hours locally after the overwhelming majority of GPs voted to accept the government’s proposed deal. -
Free parking in Wales will cost trusts £5.4m
6-Mar-2008
Hospital trusts in Wales will lose up to £5.4m per year because the Welsh Assembly government has told them they must stop raising income from car parking. -
Patient affairs lead is 'not a new czar'
6-Mar-2008
The Department of Health has appointed a new diabetes czar and a director of patient and public affairs. -
Doctors move to vote yes, under protest
21-Feb-2008
GPs will be persuaded to vote yes to the government's offer on extended hours, according to a poll of GPs. -
Ministers vs GPs: how did it come to this?
21-Feb-2008
The GP contract talks have been played out for the public, with both sides taking to the airwaves. Ingrid Torjesen explores why a couple of extra hours a week has created such a conflict -
minimum gp core hours
15-Feb-2008
The Department of Health has no plans to set a minimum number of consulting hours GP practices should provide during their contracted core hours. As the government plans to set a minimum threshold for hours practices must be ... -
Managing technology in the health service
11-Feb-2008
One side effect of new technology is increased cost. In the latest in our series celebrating the NHS's 60th anniversary, Ingrid Torjesen asks how the service should decide what it can afford to offer -
Johnson writes to GPs
5-Feb-2008
Health secretary Alan Johnson has written to GPs advising them to accept the deal the BMA rejected before Christmas or risk losing up to£35,000 of practice income.The deal would require the practices to provide an extra 30 minutes consultation time per week per 1,000 patients (around 3 hours for the average practice) in return for a 1.5% rise in practice income.If GPs fail to accept the ... -
Royal Marsden's cool heads and smart systems
17-Jan-2008
In the wake of the west London fire, Ingrid Torjesen looks at how the hospital coped and whether emergency planning has moved on since 7/7 -
Trusts in dark over 18-week progress
17-Jan-2008
'Early achiever' trusts still cannot say if they hit the 18-week target by the end of 2007, because of delays in upgrading their computer systems. -
Media Watch: winter bugs
11-Jan-2008
The message this week was that if you are a patient with an infection, stay well clear of the NHS. -
Hospitals' teamwork saves lives at Marsden
10-Jan-2008
When fire ripped through the Royal Marsden specialist cancer hospital in west London last week, the first phone call was to the fire brigade and the second to the Royal Brompton heart and lung hospital around the corner. -
Undercapacity to blame for cancelled operations in Worcester
10-Jan-2008
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals trust has been forced to cancel more elective surgery than other trusts because the area has lost more acute beds than anywhere else in the country, according to the local MP. -
Marsden fire
8-Jan-2008
When fire ripped through the Royal Marsden specialist cancer hospital in west London last week, the first phone call was to the fire brigade and then to the Royal Brompton heart and lung hospital around the corner. -
DoH faces long bureaucracy battle
20-Dec-2007
The Department of Health has a long way to go to meet its commitment to cut the administrative burden on regulation of NHS services by 2010, the NHS Confederation has warned. -
EU plans for health tourism
20-Dec-2007
Primary care trusts may be able to save money on non-urgent procedures by encouraging patients to go abroad, under EU plans to create a Europe-wide free market in health services. -
One year on - has Gerry Robinson fixed the NHS?
13-Dec-2007
Has management guru Sir Gerry Robinson fixed the NHS, at least within the confines of Rotherham General Hospital, a year after dropping in with a TV crew for a management makeover show? Unsurprisingly, the answer is no. -
DoH may wipe financial slate clean for 17 struggling trusts
15-Nov-2007
The Department of Health is considering wiping out historical debts of at least some of the 17 trusts it has classified as 'financially challenged'. -
MP demands severance deal figure
15-Nov-2007
A Conservative MP is demanding the Department of Health discloses the severance settlement paid last month to Mark Rees, the former chief executive of Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals trust.
