News
21 patients died after heatwave ambulance delays
Twenty-one patients died after delayed responses from an ambulance service during June’s heatwave amid a huge spike in serious calls, board papers show.
Hospital rebuilds face further delay
Two new hospitals are likely to be further delayed and cost an additional £200m if plans for major service reconfiguration are pursued, trust bosses have warned.
Trial targets missed despite ‘hit’ claim
The government is missing two of its five clinical trials targets, despite declaring last month it had “hit” its headline goal on trial set-up.
Ambulances without paramedics still attending thousands of calls
Three in 20 ambulances reaching patients with a life-threatening emergency have no paramedic as part of their crew in large parts of the country, an HSJ analysis of the latest data has discovered.
Deeper financial cuts would impact patient safety, warns trust
A trust has all but conceded it cannot meet its financial plan this year, as finding the required savings would most likely be “at the expense of patient safety”.
Closing two of county’s three maternity units best for safety, says review
Closing two of three consultant-led maternity units run by a hospital group is the best option for safety and staffing, a review by senior local clinical leaders has concluded.
Revealed: The huge happiness gap between frontline and support staff
Those working in the frontline care divisions of hospital trusts are much likelier to be unhappy at work than their peers employed within the support divisions of the same provider, HSJ analysis has found.
Ex-minister with breast cancer to advise on national plan
A former health minister living with incurable breast cancer has been appointed as the government’s “Cancer Adviser”.
Trust exit packages double to nearly 10,000
The number of staff leaving trusts with exit packages more than doubled last year, to almost 9,300, accounts show.
NHS bosses to rethink constitutional targets
The body representing most NHS organisations plans to start work on rethinking the service’s national waiting time standards for “the NHS of the future”.
Directors banned from using AI for board assurance
A trust has barred its board members from using public AI tools to assist with their board reports, warning that unapproved software poses “severe risks”.
Two trusts taken to High Court over late payments
Two NHS trusts are facing “six-figure claims” in the High Court in a dispute over alleged late payment to suppliers, HSJ can reveal.
New trust probes staff accessing Southport victims’ records
A second hospital in Liverpool has suspended two staff members while it investigates whether they viewed the medical records of the Southport attack victims without legitimate reason.
Treasury takes £1bn from health capital for defence
The health department’s capital budget is being cut by £1bn over the next four years, as the government moves funding to bolster defence investment.
Compare the Market boss to lead NHS efficiency review
The government has appointed the CEO of a prominent price comparison website to review how AI and technology can improve the health service’s productivity.
Ministers drop plans to axe patient champion
The government has confirmed it is dropping plans to abolish local and national Healthwatch organisations, instead pledging to strengthen their role.
Revealed: First ICB chair picked by mayor
A Labour councillor who led a local authority for 30 years has been lined up as the first joint integrated care board chair and deputy mayor for health, HSJ has learned.
Trust investigating avoidable harm from transport failures
An ambulance trust has commissioned an “independent” investigation into its patient transport service amid concerns that patients could be at risk of harm.
Recruitment equality plummets despite pioneering model
The first trust to establish a diverse “shadow board” to tackle poor ethnic diversity among directors has reported recruitment equality has worsened since its launch.
Surgeon harm review delayed to 2027
A trust has apologised for a further delay to an independent review into potential harm to hundreds of patients, many of them children, treated by one of its surgeons.
Chair takes on neighbouring trust
NHSE abolition group chair hasn’t attended meetings for a year
Regional role for long-serving CEO
CEO raises alarm over terror attack readiness
Consultants to strike next month
Top CEOs fear politicians with ‘a different ideology’
Leaders lukewarm about key provider reforms
Inquiry trust appoints ex-nurse as substantive CEO
Cancer board dominated by national officials
Bed pressures now ‘relentless’, reports CQC
ICB expects one in 10 beds to close
Surge in complaints about children’s care and refusal to refer
Exclusive: Ministers drop plan to scrap investigations body
Chair quits after CQC finds ‘misaligned’ board
Cash ‘critical’ as 13,500 invoices go unpaid
Revealed: 10 child deaths investigated at trust facing prosecution
Leaders ‘disconnected’ from front line at high-secure hospital
ICB exec pay under review after mergers
Investigation after patient ordered poison to inpatient unit
Chemo delays blamed on bank pay cuts
Former chief crown prosecutor to chair biggest trust
£460m patient transport deal collapses again
Pay rise above 2.4% would hit elective targets, DHSC warns
Virtual ward patient died due to failure to transfer him to hospital
Mental health will always struggle for money but tech offers hope, says national director
Exclusive: Government maternity review condemned for reliance on AI
Investigation launched after staff access care record of man killed by tiger
ICB’s £600m spend lacks ‘detailed analysis’
No ‘space’ for an IHO here, says trust CEO
Government U-turns on transfer of ICB functions
Regional director made chair of struggling hospital group
Trust to top up funding of struggling GP practices
Supplier payments delayed as trust cashflows go ‘critical’
‘My mind is blown’: MP reacts to CEO’s admission
NHSE abolition on the cusp of being delayed
Inquiry trust told to act on rise in inpatient deaths
1,000 CSU staff still in limbo
Stevens: Health Bill risks Trumpian politicisation of appointments
Fraud warning after trust misled funder
Watchdog clashes with Palantir over threat to health data