The New Government
News on the new government as it takes shapeLatest News
NHS reports strong performance on 18 weeks targets
The NHS continued its strong performance on waiting times in February, achieving all three 18 week referral-to-treatment measures for the second consecutive month.
Health reforms clear latest Lords hurdle
The government’s controversial NHS reforms cleared another major hurdle in the House of Lords on Tuesday night.
Rebel Lib Dem reforms revolt defeated
The government has seen off a rebel Liberal Democrat bid to halt the controversial health reforms.
Pressure on Lansley grows as Lords scrutinise reforms
Health secretary Andrew Lansley will face yet more pressure over his controversial NHS reforms, with peers resuming their scrutiny of the legislation today.
Lansley denies reforms have caused PCT 'meltdown'
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has denied primary care trusts are in “meltdown” as a result of his reform plans.
MPs want power to scrutinise DH spending plans in detail
The Department of Health may have to start justifying its detailed spending plans to the Commons health committee, HSJ has learned.
Pledge for democratic input on commissioning 'watered down'
Health minster Earl Howe has revealed the government’s proposed health and wellbeing boards will not be compulsory.
Lansley plays down 'scale and pace' concerns over GP commissioning
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has attempted to play down the scale and pace of the white paper changes, following widespread concerns expressed in response to the consultation.
Health Hotel reopens for 2010
The first real acid test of how closely the coalition’s junior partner is allied to the proposed health reforms will come next week at the Liberal Democrats’ annual conference in Liverpool.
Williams grilled by MPs over CQC’s weaknesses
Prospective Care Quality Commission chair Dame Jo Williams faced a barrage of questions regarding the regulator’s weaknesses from MPs in a pre-appointment grilling last week.
NHS Direct staff bid for role in 111 line
NHS Direct staff should have a role to play in setting up the new 111 urgent care service which is due to replace it in 2013, according to the chief executive of the telephone triage service.
Mixed sex wards and ennui
Health secretary Andrew Lansley this week announced an end to mixed sex wards in the NHS, prompting an outbreak of ennui.
All new blood makes up health committee
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.
Accountability shake-up planned for public services
David Cameron will today promise to “turn government on its head” and make every Whitehall department publicly accountable against published milestones for what they want to achieve.
Andrew Lansley challenges a decade of NHS spending
Health secretary Andrew Lansley assures HSJ editor Alastair McLellan that funding is still to rise annually - but the scale and rationale for any increases will differ vastly from recent years
Operating framework: management costs to be slashed by £220m this year
The government has published its revised NHS operating framework, setting tough goals for reducing management costs and removing key performance targets.
Dorrell chairs health committee
Former health secretary Stephen Dorrell has been elected chair of the Commons health committee.
First test to Lansley's new reconfiguration policy
The first decision to downgrade an accident and emergency department since the coalition government was elected is due to be taken by NHS Nottinghamshire County tomorrow.
Revised operating framework to pave way for abolition of waiting targets
A revised NHS operating framework due to be issued by the Department of Health next week will set out a timetable to abolish several NHS waiting time targets by 2011.
PCTs to lose responsibility for GPs
Primary care trusts will have their responsibilities radically stripped back under plans being developed by health secretary Andrew Lansley.
Lansley: readmissions move is to drive integration
Penalising trusts for readmissions will push the integration of acute and community care, health secretary Andrew Lansley has said.
Former health secretary fights nurse, dentist and FT critic to chair health committee
A former health secretary is battling a nurse, a dentist and a right-winger to become chairman of the health select committee.
Hospitals to face financial penalties for readmitting patients
Hospitals will face financial penalties if patients are readmitted as an emergency within 30 days of being discharged, under government plans to be announced today.
Top board members leave NHS London
Two members of NHS London’s non-executive board, including its chair, resigned last week after health secretary Andrew Lansley’s “halt” of its capital-wide reconfiguration programme.
NHS should focus on outcomes, not targets - Lansley
The health secretary has said the NHS should focus on health outcomes, patient experience and safety performance and is grappling with whether to drop key waiting times targets.
London SHA chair resigns
NHS London’s chairman Sir Richard Sykes has resigned, following health secretary Andrew Lansley’s intervention to “halt” the strategic health authority’s Healthcare for London plan devised by former health minister Lord Ara Darzi.
Andrew Lansley's letter to Sir Richard Sykes
Dear Richard, Thank you for your letter of today.
Thousands of jobs at risk as strategic health authorities face axe
Strategic health authorities will be abolished by 2012, throwing the job security of over 3,000 staff in doubt.
Department of Health spared immediate spending cuts
The Department of Health’s overall spending will not be reduced in the current financial year, the Treasury has confirmed.
NHS 'facing significant change' - Confed
NHS Confederation policy director Nigel Edwards has said the health service faces significant changes under the new government.
Conservative health policy latest news
Lib Dem health policy latest news
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Lib Dem vote against support for bill puts more pressure on peers
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Lords row over 'secret' file on NHS reform risk
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Government 'duty of candour' plans criticised
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Senior Lib Dem peer wants more 'teeth' for HealthWatch
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Social care funding set to divide coalition ministers
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Blood donor reforms ‘don’t go far enough’
