Health Service Journal
22 March 2012
View all stories from this issue.
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£1.1bn Barts merger gets Lansley sign-off
The health secretary has approved the merger of three London hospital trusts to create an organisation with an estimated turnover of £1.1bn. -
Alcohol blamed for surge in liver deaths
Deaths from liver disease in England have jumped 25 per cent with alcohol the major cause, men the biggest victims and fatalities more prevalent in the North, new statistics have revealed. -
Ali Parsa on why collectively we are stronger
Sir Michael Lyons quite rightly picks up on the changing nature of NHS management. This is as much true of the NHS as it is of the wider public and private sectors. -
Analysed: acute reconfiguration in North West London
HSJ Local Briefing is our new in-depth analysis of the key issues facing the NHS’s major health economies. This week: acute reconfiguration in north-west London. -
Call for food advert watershed
Adverts for food which is high in fat, sugar and salt should not be broadcast before the 9pm watershed, according to the public health minister for Scotland. -
Central Manchester FT ranked among worst in 2011 NHS staff survey
WORKFORCE: The foundation trust has remained ranked among the worst in the England for more than a third of the measures tracked by the annual NHS staff survey, the newly published 2011 results show. -
Central Manchester FT takeover of Trafford Healthcare cleared for 1 April
STRUCTURE: The trust’s takeover by Central Manchester University Hospitals Foundation Trust has been cleared to go through at the end of this month, the acquiring trust reported this afternoon. -
Chesterfield Royal closes wards due to Norovirus
PERFORMANCE: The trust has had to close adult inpatient wards due to Norovirus. -
Ciarán Devane: patients must be able to join the conversation
It feels like an age ago now, but when many of us attended the various incarnations of the NHS listening exercise, the cry of the health charities was about ensuring the patient voice was heard in the reforms. We had a couple of serious concerns. -
CQC criticises service delays for disabled
Disabled children and their families sometimes wait for up to a year for aids such as wheelchairs, according to the health regulator. -
Doctors to take on coalition MPs at next election
A group of NHS doctors plan to field candidates against high-profile coalition MPs at the next general election in protest at controversial government health reforms. -
Doncaster and Bassetlaw appoints clutch of new directors
WORKFORCE: Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has appointed four new executive directors. -
East of England Ambulance will provide Norfolk's out-of-hours service
FINANCE: East of England Ambulance Service Trust is to continue to provide GP out-of-hours services in Norfolk. -
Evaluating evidence from integrated care pilots
Ernst and Young’s Richard Lewis and Rand Europe’s Martin Roland and Tom Ling evaluate 16 integrated care pilots begun in 2009, and what the evidence can tell us about integrating care in mainstream services today. -
Exclusive: government confirms strict new terms for FT property transfers
“Onerous” terms are being imposed on foundation trusts looking to take ownership of the community service estate, according to the latest proposals. -
Exclusive: property company expected to cover costs by raising rents
The new NHS property company is set to take over a core portfolio worth at least £1.7bn, HSJ can disclose. -
Exclusive: regulator mulls new squad of fixers for most-troubled trusts
Struggling foundation trusts may be forced to take on new Monitor troubleshooters who will advise trust boards and inform the regulator about weak board members, HSJ has discovered. -
Felicity Cox takes the top job at Bedfordshire and Luton
WORKFORCE: Felicity Cox is to take over as PCT cluster chief executive at NHS Bedfordshire and Luton. -
Fewer staff would recommend NHS job
The proportion of NHS staff who would recommend their organisation as a place to work is steadily dropping, latest survey results reveal. -
From the BBC to the NHS, can public sector reform ever please everyone?
As the general public increasingly demands honesty and transparency from public sector leaders, Jennifer Taylor talks to former BBC Trust chair Sir Michael Lyons to find out how he tackled the issue. -
FTN fails to appoint new chief executive after second batch of interviews
The Foundation Trust Network has failed to appoint a new chief executive after interviewing a second group of candidates earlier this month. -
George Eliot off target on surplus
FINANCE: George Eliot Hospital Trust has reported an £8,000 surplus - £842,000 worse than planned and in psite of year-to-date income being £1.3m higher than expected. -
George Eliot Trust awards itself amber-red governance rating
PERFORMANCE: George Eliot Hospital Trust’s self-assessed governance risk rating for quarter four is amber-red, after the trust missed targets on C difficile and accident and emergency care. -
Getting ahead: tips for emerging medical leaders
Dr Oliver Warren and Dr Emma Stanton share their tips for emerging medical leaders. -
Go ahead for Middlesbrough neuro centre
STRUCTURE: Planning permission has been granted for a new centre for the support and rehabilitation of people with long term neurological conditions in Middlesbrough. -
Health Bill on verge of becoming law
The government’s Health Bill has received its third reading in the Lords, meaning the controversial legislation is on the verge of becoming law. -
Health Bill will widen inequalities says experts' 'risk register'
The Health Bill will widen health inequalities, increase healthcare costs, reduce quality of care and the lead to the loss of a comprehensive NHS, according to an alternative “risk register” drawn up by the Faculty of Public Health. -
Hospital in children's heart care row 'delaying' urgent improvements
STRUCTURE: A leading hospital has been accused of risking delays to much-needed improvements in children’s heart care across England by taking “premature” legal action and “putting a spanner in the works”. -
How EU procurement directives could impact health service commissioning
Procurement proposals put forward by the EU could have significant implications for health service commissioners if they are passed, as Irfan Ullah and Jessica Kohler explain. -
How to create an IT solution to support integrated local care
How can you create a “ground up” solution to support integrated care and meet local needs – and can this deliver clinical benefits and cost savings? Sean Riddell offers some advice. -
How trusts can get value for money commissioning pathology services
HSJ looks into the top issues facing CCGs in commissioning pathology services. -
How trusts can make radiology reporting world class
A new initiative could transform the way trusts manage their radiology reports and deliver substantial efficiency benefits. Charles House and Rhiannon Williams explain. -
King's Fund calls for NHS sustainability drive
Trusts should be routinely monitored on their progress towards becoming more environmentally sustainable, as well as their financial sustainability, according to a think tank report. -
Labour forces emergency Health Bill debate
Labour has mounted a last-ditch bid to keep the government’s controversial NHS reforms off the statute book after the legislation cleared the House of Lords. -
Labour plots service changes through local authorities
Labour will attempt to link “waste, waits, stresses and strains” in the NHS to the government’s reforms, and try to redesign services through the local authorities it runs. -
Leaders must now give the NHS a sense of endeavour and purpose
Barring an act of god, the Health Bill will receive royal assent in the next few weeks. Its passage has been a bruising experience for all involved and the fierce, polarised battle it inspired will leave a legacy of bitterness in many. -
Liverpool Community Health names new medical director
WORKFORCE: The trust has appointed Craig Gradden, currently of Aintree University Hospitals, as medical director. -
Manchester CCGs to take on acutes with united commissioning pact
STRUCTURE: Greater Manchester’s clinical commissioning groups are developing a pact to work collectively after April 2013, to ensure they are strong enough to deal with powerful hospital providers. -
Matt Tee on closing the deal
In the middle of October 2010, after negotiations stretching long into the night, and following weeks of speculation about how tough the government was going to be with the BBC, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced it had hammered out a settlement. -
Media Watch: racket over locum's pay packet
The Sunday Telegraph led the pack this week with a story about locum doctors costing trusts up to £20,000 a week. -
Mental health trust set to leave litigation scheme
A trust providing mental health and community services looks set to be the first in England to opt out of the NHS Litigation Authority’s clinical negligence scheme - while a hospital trust has backed away from choosing a commercial insurer despite also looking for an alternative. -
Michael White: is handy Andy Burnham playing the long game?
It’s not every day that we’re spoiled for choice on health-related drama at Westminster, but it happened on Monday afternoon. -
Ministers seek 'further advice' on conflict of interest in commissioning
Ministers have asked the Co-operation and Competition Panel for advice on how commissioners handle conflicts of interest, following a test case. -
Monitor: governors should step in earlier to address problems
Monitor’s chief operating officer has told foundation trust governors they should step in earlier if there are quality problems at their trust. -
Neurological care 'hit by lack of leadership'
A lack of leadership has hampered the health service’s plans to improve the care services for people with neurological illnesses, according to the public accounts committee which has called for a neurology tsar to be appointed. -
New chief executive to lead integrated future for Yeovil
STRUCTURE: Yeovil District Hospital Foundation Trust has appointed a new chief executive with experience of running community services as it shifts its focus to delivery of an integrated range of services. -
New Morecambe Bay chair reports gulf between clinicians and managers
WORKFORCE: The newly-installed chairman of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay this week said he had found a “massive gulf” between clinicians and managers at the troubled foundation trust. -
New NHS bodies face recruitment challenge, government told
National bodies being set up as part of the government’s NHS reforms risk being unable to attract good enough leaders due to declining pay, terms and conditions, experts have warned. -
New tools for new commissioners: an HSJ special supplement
This week’s exclusive 28-page commissioning supplement brings a range of key topic articles to HSJ’s audience that will help commissioners to achieve more in their role. -
NHS reform row 'not over', warn healthcare leaders
The high profile row over the government’s NHS reforms will persist despite its Health Bill finally becoming law, healthcare leaders predict. -
Norfolk plans integrated approach roll out for emergency admissions
STRUCTURE: Integrated care pilot schemes in Norfolk have had significant impact in containing emergency admissions, according to a local analysis. -
North Bristol Trust plans private patient unit
North Bristol Trust is seeking a commercial partner to build and run a stand-alone private patient unit next to its new private finance initiative hospital. -
'Our vital out of hours services are being sidelined'
In the first of our new monthly leadership interviews, GP and out of hours pioneer Mark Reynolds outlines his concerns for the future of evening and weekend services to Daloni Carlisle. -
Parking fees raised by 28pc of trusts
More than a quarter of hospital trusts have increased car parking charges for patients and visitors, according to new data. -
Pay freeze fails to prevent trust overspend on wages
The NHS pay freeze has failed to prevent acute hospitals from running up an estimated £300m year-to-date overspend on wage bills, an HSJ investigation has revealed. -
Philippa Slinger confirmed as Heatherwood and Wexham Park CEO
WORKFORCE: Philippa Slinger has been appointed as permanent chief executive of Heatherwood and Wexham Park Foundation Trust. -
Physicians vote to reject the Health Bill
Physicians have overwhelmingly voted to condemn the Health Bill in its current form, but are split on whether it should be improved or scrapped. -
Plans will see A&Es cut in NW London
Consultation plans on the future shape of accident and emergency services in north west London will be outlined this summer, with around three departments likely to close as a result. -
RDASH foundation trust appoints medical directors
WORKFORCE: Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber Mental Health Foundation Trust has appointed a medical director and associate medical director. -
Readers' Letters – 22 March 2012
An open letter to David Cameron, unmet need and understanding mental health. -
Regional salary gaps evident as George Osborne confirms local pay
HSJ has obtained new evidence of salary disparities within and between regions as the government prepares to introduce local pay rates. -
Rising demand leads to rising agency spend at George Eliot
WORKFORCE: High levels of demand has led to a rise in demand for agency staff at George Eliot Hospital Trust. -
Royal Devon almost escalated over infection performance
PERFORMANCE: Poor performance against C difficile limits led Monitor to consider whether Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust was in significant breach of its authorisation. -
Sally Gainsbury: saving £20bn is only half the story
The worst-kept secret in NHS management emerged earlier this week: the need to make annual 4 per cent efficiency savings is not just for this spending review period, it is pretty much forever, or at least for the foreseeable future. -
Serco is preferred bidder to take over Suffolk community services
Private sector outsourcing giant Serco has been selected as preferred bidder to take over nearly all NHS community services in Suffolk in a deal worth £140m to the company over three years. -
Sharp fall in staff satisfaction ranking for Alder Hey
WORKFORCE: The foundation trust fell more than 10 places in the national rankings for staff job satisfaction, the latest annual NHS staff survey has shown. -
South Essex £5.1m in surplus
FINANCE: South Essex Partnership Foundation trust was £5.1m in surplus at the end of December - slightly ahead of plan. -
Stevenage's Lister Hospital plans £38m development
SERVICES: Former therapies buildings at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage are to be demolished to make way for a planned £19m emergency department and £19m ward block. -
Tackling NHS leadership challenges with talent management
In this austere period, can the NHS afford not to carry out talent management? Martin Powell and colleagues outline their key recommendations. -
The legal implications of EU procurement law for the NHS
David Lock QC looks at the legal lessons for NHS commissioners procuring services. -
The seven habits of emerging medical leaders
A focus group gathered together to identify the most important qualities consistent across successful leaders in medicine. Oliver Warren and Emma Stanton discuss the findings. -
Treasury hints at winners and losers under local pay
Local pay bargaining could raise the salaries of staff in regional “hotspots” but parts of the West Midlands, Yorkshire, west Scotland and Wales may lose out, Treasury documents suggest. -
Why healthy staff means happier patients
Investing now in staff health and wellbeing has long-term benefits for NHS organisations - not least through reduced sickness absence and greater motivation. We find out how employers can embed this. -
Worcestershire's stroke performance a 'concern'
PERFORMANCE: NHS Worcestershire’s performance on a stroke target is “of concern” to NHS Midlands and East. -
Work begins on Morpeth health centre
STRUCTURE: Work has begun on an £18m health centre in Morpeth, to house two existing GP practices. -
York FT must change gatekeeping role, says competition panel
The competition regulator has ruled against a deal between a primary care trust and a hospital which saw the latter refer some patients who it went on to treat itself.
