Exclusive: Rise in ‘free births’ raised with government and regulators
National leaders have been alerted to the risks from growing numbers of women choosing to give birth without midwifery or medical input – known as “free birthing” – HSJ can reveal.
Labour ward staffing shortages restrict use of beneficial drug
Staffing shortages are likely to restrict the use of a beneficial painkiller in birthing suites, even once its use has been recommended by national guidance.
CQC names worst trusts for experience in A&E
The Care Quality Commission has named the trusts which have performed ‘worse than expected’ on patient experience in urgent and emergency care.
ICS sets balanced budget to avoid NHS England sanctions
System leaders in Yorkshire have said their decision to set a balanced financial plan instead of a deficit was shaped by the ‘tactics’ of engaging with NHS England, including the threat of potential sanctions.
Ex-council boss appointed trust chair
Yorkshire Ambulance Service has appointed a new chair, who will join the organisation from an acute trust.
Waiting times got worse at trusts that dropped A&E target
Trusts trialling NHS England’s new A&E metrics reported worse average waiting times for admitted patients than those which stayed on the four-hour target, an HSJ analysis suggests.
Four in five trusts yet to reach digitisation target
Only one in five trusts has reached the level of digitisation required by 2025 – more than three years after the target was set, tech chiefs have revealed.
Doctor confirmed as CEO of two trusts
A medic who has been confirmed as joint CEO of two South Yorkshire hospital trusts has told HSJ the move is a “natural development” but “definitely not a merger, now or down the line”.
Revealed: Trusts with the biggest falls in staff confidence in care provided
Several large teaching hospitals are among those which saw the steepest declines in the proportion of staff who would recommend the care of their organisation, according to the NHS staff survey results.
Trust leaders seek to combat ‘tough place to come’ to work reputation
Leaders of an acute trust have said they have had to battle a perception from doctors that it is ‘a tough place to come’ to, while also trying to negate the reputation of the town it operates in.
Neonatal units face ‘redesignation’ under national shake-up
A major shake-up of neonatal care, aimed at reducing mortality and illness, could see dozens of units restricted to caring for less premature babies.
Trusts receive half of funding for ‘essential’ maternity improvements
Trusts have so far received just over half of the £102m they said was needed for ‘immediate and essential’ improvements in maternity services.
Second batch of trusts to receive Hancock’s cash for tech improvements
At least 20 trusts will receive extra funding to improve their digital maturity in 2021 under one of Matt Hancock’s highest-profile programmes to modernise NHS trusts.
‘Requiring immediate action’: The patient safety issues hidden in unpublished reports
These are some of the serious findings of external reviews of NHS services from recent years, previously unpublished but now released to HSJ.
First ‘digital aspirant’ trusts revealed by NHSX
Twenty-three trusts will share a £28m pot of technology funding as part of the first wave of “digital aspirant” providers, NHSX has announced.
High-performing trust to share its chief exec with neighbour
Two small general hospital trusts are to share a chief executive under an interim arrangement.
Named: The trusts receiving new cash for scanners
The trusts in line to receive £200m for upgrading cancer screening equipment from the government have been announced.
Troubled trust appoints new chief ahead of major reconfig
A challenged trust in the West Midlands has appointed a new permanent chief executive, ahead of a major reconfiguration of its acute services.
Revealed: The trusts testing latest round of emergency targets
New mental health emergency care targets will be trialled across 11 NHS organisations and one social enterprise, NHS England has confirmed.
Former medical director accused of bullying paid £300k
A former medical director who allegedly bullied senior clinicians was paid £300,000 in 2018-19, despite an external investigation into his conduct preventing him from fully carrying out his duties.