All Comment articles
View all stories of the same content type.
-
Comment
Wait list and longest waits all worsen in last figures before election
The waiting list has grown since Rishi Sunak pledged it would fall, but his promise people would get care quicker has come true
-
-
Comment
Why the NHS should start its year on 1 October
Andi Orlowski makes the case for starting the NHS financial year from 1 October to lessen winter pains and improve joint working
-
Comment
Streeting should empower ICSs, not undermine them
Wes Streeting risks undermining integrated care systems, and Labour’s own promise not to restructure the NHS, if he seeks to manage elective recovery directly via trusts, says NHS Confederation CEO Matthew Taylor
-
Comment
The Groundhog Expo
It’s time to “activate your awareness funnel” as this year’s Blithering Expo is here. Once again the event provides an opportunity to share learnings, hear about great examples of innovation and network with peers. Most importantly, it’s a chance to get out of the office for a couple of days. ...
-
Comment
Crack teams to get spin backlog under control
As election fever intensifies, the Labour leadership has set out a clear and detailed plan to save the NHS, writes Julian Patterson
-
Comment
Going green without the preaching
Empowering NHS staff with the Green Team Competition’s SusQI approach boosts morale, aligns sustainability with clinical priorities, and achieves significant financial, environmental, and patient care improvements, writes Rachel McLean
-
Comment
Testing Labour’s waiting list pledge
Waiting list expert Rob Findlay examines whether Labour’s election pledge to restore the 18 week elective target within five years is feasible.
-
Comment
Trusts and suppliers are heading for a showdown
A brief insight into the challenges and opportunities in NHS supplier negotiations, and the need to align inflation expectations with funding realities and collaborative opportunities. Writes Jason Dorsett.
-
Comment
A tribute to chair’s towering modesty
Blithering ICB chief executive Joy Hunter shares extracts from her diary – a privileged glimpse into the busy life of one of the NHS’s top leaders, as told to Julian Patterson
-
Comment
Revealed: the tech that frees up clinicians, and what they do with that extra time
Tim Horton and Alison Moulds explore the potential of health technology to alleviate NHS workforce pressures, emphasising the importance of effective implementation and utilisation for productivity gains
-
Comment
The NHS must act to prevent mentally unwell people dying from physical illnesses
Emily Gibbons discusses how trusts lead the charge in integrating mental and physical health services for better outcomes and equity, bridging gaps, and saving lives
-
Comment
Taking time to stop thinking about problems
Why is Sir Trevor Longstay keen to hold an all-day planning meeting? Why is he going out of his way to flatter the regional director? And will the ICB ever finish its stakeholder map? Julian Patterson has the answers
-
Comment
Avoiding the enshitification of NHS AI technology
As technology platforms evolve, the threat of “enshittification” looms, highlighting the need for the NHS to adopt an open-platform approach for AI innovation and sustainability, writes Rich Pugmire
-
Comment
PIFU can work, but not if we focus on a meaningless target
Navigating the complexities of outpatient care in the digital age requires a balanced approach, integrating technology with clinical expertise to optimise patient outcomes
-
Comment
Moving NHS patients with severe eating disorders onto palliative care is inhumane
The refusal of treatment, cessation of care, and acceptance of palliative routes prolongs the agony for those with eating disorders. Urgent reform is essential to halt unnecessary suffering and deaths, writes Hope Virgo
-
Comment
Making liars of us all
As the pledges of the new hospitals programme inevitably unravel, Julian Patterson wonders who will have the last laugh
-
Comment
The toxic trans debate higlights the danger of diverging from evidence-based care
The Cass Review of gender identity services for children and young people, published last month, found care was disconnected from the evidence and diverged from usual NHS practice. Although focused on a specialist service, Dr Cass’s findings have implications for the wider NHS, says Victoria Keilthy.
-
Comment
Longest waits fall in year-end activity surge
Very long elective waits improved as the NHS increased inpatient and daycase treatments at the end of 2023-24, finds Rob Findlay.
-
Comment
Tide must turn to transform NHS staff mental health support
The NHS is facing one of the greatest challenges in its 76 year history. We urge healthcare leaders to get behind Our Support Goes Both Ways campaign and prioritise NHS staff wellbeing so they can best support patients