Bid for new inquest after child death 'cover up'
The attorney general is considering granting a second inquest into the death of a three year old boy who died at Stafford Hospital after three independent experts have backed his parents and cast doubt on the original investigation.
CCGs appoint joint accountable officer to cover entire county
The six clinical commissioning groups covering Staffordshire have appointed a single accountable officer.
Leader stepping down at poorly rated STP
The leader of one of the most poorly rated STPs is expected to step down and be replaced.
CCGs abandon £535m flagship prime provider contract
A tender worth half a billion pounds for end of life care services in Staffordshire has been abandoned due to the development of the area’s STP and difficulties, satisfying the new national scrutiny process, HSJ has learned.
CCG leader appointed director of troubled STP
A commissioning leader from the North West has been appointed as director for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent sustainability and transformation partnership, HSJ has learned.
Trust chair steps in to lead STP
NHS England has appointed a community trust chair as interim leader for the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent sustainability and transformation partnership, following failure to recruit a permanent head since November.
Flagship £690m cancer procurement abandoned over financial fears
A controversial tender for cancer services in Staffordshire worth £687m has been abandoned after a consortium led by a private provider failed to convince commissioners its offer was financially viable.
Staffordshire still unsustainable after 'failed' Mid Staffs dissolution
NHS organisations in Staffordshire are facing huge deficits after the Mid Staffordshire trust special administration process did not deliver a sustainable solution for the health economy.
Children's lives put at risk at Stafford hospital, royal college warns
Children’s lives were put at risk because of unsafe emergency services at Stafford Hospital, a review by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has warned.
Emergency department to close as part of £245m savings plan
An accident and emergency department will close in Staffordshire along with 100 community hospital beds, according to the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent sustainability and transformation plan.
Private providers back on course to land £1.2bn deal
A major £1.2bn procurement for cancer and end of life care which was “paused” because of the collapse of another similar large contract involving the same lead advisers has finally been given the go ahead by NHS England.
Exclusive: STP chair resigns before plan is published
The leader of Staffordshire’s sustainability and transformation plan has resigned ahead of the five year strategy being published.
Analysed: The CCGs with the biggest overspends
Four of the five most overspent clinical commissioning groups so far in 2016-17 are in the West Midlands, but most still expect to recover their positions by March.
NHS England to investigate £1.2bn Staffordshire contracts following Cambridgeshire failure
NHS England will investigate two contentious contract tenders as part of the follow-up to last week’s review into the failed Cambridgeshire older people’s service contract, HSJ has learned.
CCGs mull 'ban' on third party drug ordering
Clinical commissioning groups in south Staffordshire are considering a clampdown on community pharmacies ordering prescriptions on behalf of their patients, following a spike in spending on prescription items.
Chief executive quits major teaching hospital trust
WORKFORCE: The chief executive of University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust has resigned.
Staffordshire CCGs anticipate 'virtual' merger
STRUCTURE: The chief officer of a trio of clinical commissioning groups in Staffordshire has said that by the middle of the year they could merge virtually all of their functions.
Exclusive: GP groups cover most of England but ‘lack ambition and priorities’
Four fifths of clinical commissioning groups have at least one large scale GP provider group in their area, according to information collected by HSJ.
Stafford Hospital death review criticises 'closed NHS culture'
An independent investigation into the death of a three-year-old boy at Stafford Hospital in 2014 has called for a second inquest into his death and heavily criticised a “closed culture within the NHS”.
Easy does it: why slow but sure is the key to redesigning patient pathways
Redesigning patient pathways is a process that must be handled with care but the results are worth the trouble