Feedback
Readers' letters - 17 January 2013
A tribute to Alasdair Liddell, who died on 31 December 2012, aged 63
-
Readers' letters - 20 December 2012
-
Readers' letters - 6 December 2012
-
Readers' letters - 15 November 2012
-
Readers' letters - 8 November 2012
-
Readers' letters - 1 November
-
Readers' letters – 25 October 2012
-
Readers' letters - 18 October 2012
-
Readers' letters - 11 October 2012
-
Readers' letters - 20 September 2012
-
Readers' letters - 23 August 2012
-
Readers' letters - 9 August 2012
-
Readers' letters - 2 August 2012
-
Readers' letters - 26 July 2012
-
Readers' letters – 19 July 2012
-
Readers' letters – 12 July 2012
-
Readers' letters - 14 June 2012
-
Readers' letters – 31 May 2012
-
Readers' letters - 24 May 2012
-
Readers' letters - 17 May 2012
Nicholson seeks "legitimacy" amidst a storm of protest
Sir David wants to communicate more directly with the public
-
Nicholson: 'more' community focused care required
I'm unclear where the funding for this is to come from at a time of the Nicholson Challenge? Can't see it mentioned.
-
NHS earmarks £300m to put hospitals through failure regime
This approach is all very well, but actually where there is a cast iron case of failure, and a clear and locally agreed plan to resolve it even for an FT, still Monitor won't act. Its not just the process, its the will to act that is needed.
-
Nineteen trusts will have less than a year to become FTs
I think CFTs are probably over represented because a key criteria of FT status is demonstrating revenue over a number of years and since some organisations post TCS only have 1-3 year contracts, they'd fail that test (can't assume commissioners won't tender/ private sector impact).
-
Nicholson seeks "legitimacy" amidst a storm of protest
'HSJ suspects the NHS chief executive is often simply a convenient scapegoat' Well perhaps he is to a degree as Sir David Nicolson is very much the figurehead of NHS management. As such he is seen by managers as presiding over -and reinforcing -a bullying culture and even if that were not the case the point is that is how he is perceived. As such he has lost the confidence and support of a great swathe of NHS management. Moreover he is personally linked with the failings at Mid Staffs and he should take responsibility for his part in it and resign. The notion that he should stay because there is no-one else in the country who can do the job doesn’t stand up to any serious scrutiny. If it were true it would be the best argument yet for changing the role ...and the person in it.
-
Size vs quality? Examining hospital mergers
Assessing the relationship between volume and outcome in hospital services: implications for service centralization Anthony Harrison Health Services Management Research 2012; 25: 1–6. DOI: 10.1258/hsmr.2011.011027 covers this territory . It is well known that the efficiency claims for scale and mergers do not stand up. But that is not the point: They are pursued by strategists, intermediaries and predators in the NHS as a catch all policy to solve a problem not otherwise solvable in politically acceptable ways. For example , when the problem was the high costs of London teaching hospitals the solution pursued was merger rather than the actual solution of amending the PBR system; In South London the solution in 2009 was merger rather than the actual solution being put forward by the administrator of subsidy for the PFI hospitals in the patch. In South West London the solution being pursued is a reconfiguration across four hospitals costing £350m in order to save less than £20m. But I see that a £300m pot is being created to pursue more of the same ; and the head of the NHS claims that 20% of his efficiency targets will come from this route. If you want an efficiency saving Secretary of State dont invest any more money on policies that do not work. Ask how much the reconfiguration industry is costing and see how much money could be spent more wisely.
-
Hospital trusts lack 'top drawer' leaders
My suggestion is that we rotate our top managers. Once a manager succeeds he should be moved on to somewhere that needs a top manager. Anyone that could survive three rotations would be put in charge of the NHS.
-
Nicholson: leading hospitals to be reshaped by commissioning board
'The Who' refrain ' Won't be fooled again' rattles around the NHS. Sadly for FT's Monitor is effectively neutered and the big acute players are being lined up for some score settling by someone who has never run a leading successful provider (sorry Doncaster FT) Wake up Secretary of State - all lost in translation by the unaccountable! Perhaps Francis will be the salvation.
-
Hospital chief executive role for Matthew Kershaw
Politics will never be taken out of health as long as it remains state funded, and even then......
-
DH names new director general
By way o reassurance to Anon 18/1/13, Jon has been chief exec of Croydon council, one London's busiest and most diverse, too! I've known and worked with him for 2 years 2010-2012, as joint DPH for the Council and PCT. He will be more than up to challenges of social care, Public Health and children's services - and has a good knowledge of health care too. Well-read, articulate and heart in the right place. He'll be supportive of front line clinicians and social workers, whether or not there's another baby P. It's a good appointment.
-
Mid Staffs Foundation Trust 'too small' to be sustainable
Why are those staff still there ?Are they or have they already been moved ? If not how can CQC say services are now safe Do they know if staff that they were so unhappy about have gone ? Did they ask the question ?
