James Illman
James is a bureau chief for HSJ. He covers performance --- especially as it relates to electives --- and the NHS in the East of England. He has also been writing about the recovery of acute care services in the health service post-covid.
His series of articles exposing care failings at East of England Ambulance Services Trust was named “investigation of the year” at the inaugural Press Gazette specialist media awards in 2018. James joined HSJ in 2012 after four years on Local Government Chronicle. Before his time at LGC, he worked for business title Legal Week.
Contact info
- Tel:
- 020 7608 9066
- Email:
- james.illman@hsj.co.uk
- News
NHSE recovery target in doubt as 18-month elective waits continue to rise
The number of 78-week breaches on the NHS waiting list has risen for the sixth consecutive month, despite a fall in 65-week waiters and the overall list size, according to official data published today.
- News
Atkins hints at ‘new incentives’ for trusts to hit productivity targets
The health secretary says there will be “new incentives” to reward NHS trusts to hit efficiency targets and suggests this could involve some form of reinvestment of surpluses generated from productivity schemes.
- HSJ Local
ICS freed from ‘intensive’ central oversight for first time
Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System has been lifted out of the lowest category of NHS England’s performance management regime.
- Expert Briefing
Recovery Watch: The trusts going Further, Faster
Recovering services from the covid crisis is a big task for NHS leaders for the foreseeable future. The Recovery Watch newsletter tracks prospects and progress. This week by bureau chief James Illman.
- News
NHSE looks to scrap ‘follow ups’ target
NHS England is looking to ditch a key elective target that aimed to deliver large reductions in follow-up appointments, HSJ has learned.
- News
Revealed: The ICBs most reliant on private hospitals
Up to 20 per cent of NHS elective patients are now being treated by private hospitals in some areas, analysis by HSJ suggests.
- HSJ Local
Trust names ‘inspiration’ former receptionist as CEO
Homerton Healthcare Foundation Trust has promoted Bas Sadiq, who joined the NHS as an outpatient receptionist 20 years ago, to chief executive.
- Expert Briefing
Recovery Watch: Planning guidance heads for March
Recovering services from the covid crisis is a big task for NHS leaders for the foreseeable future. The Recovery Watch newsletter tracks prospects and progress. This week by bureau chief James Illman and finance correspondent Henry Anderson.
- News
NHSE seeks to ease key elective target
NHS England is in negotiations with ministers to formally push back the target to eliminate 65-week waiters, HSJ has learned.
- News
‘Degrading’ long A&E waits reach new peak
Long waits in accident and emergency departments rose to one of the worst levels on record last month as emergency care experienced its busiest ever January.
- News
Largest 78-week backlog to be wiped out by reporting change
The trust with by far the largest backlog of 18-month waiters will see almost all the cases wiped off its main elective waiting list under a change to national reporting rules, HSJ has learned.
- HSJ Local
CEO leaves trust criticised over suicide review
The chief executive of a trust recently pressured into commissioning an external review of dozens of suicides is leaving after under two years in post.
- News
NHSE drive on follow-ups only delivers marginal reduction
NHS England’s drive to encourage patient-initiated appointments is only having a marginal impact on reducing overall outpatient follow-ups, a major study suggests.
- HSJ Local
ICS row breaks out over patients being shunted to GPs
A row has broken out between senior leaders in Norfolk and Waveney over the volume of work being passed to GPs by the acute sector.
- HSJ Local
Leak reveals trust omitting two-year waits from reported figures
A hospital trust has been breaching national guidance by excluding some long waiters from its reported waiting list figures, in a move experts warned could put patient safety at serious risk.
- Expert Briefing
Recovery Watch: What ‘virtually eliminating’ 78-week breaches really means
Recovering services from the covid crisis is a big task for NHS leaders for the foreseeable future. The Recovery Watch newsletter tracks prospects and progress. This week by HSJ bureau chief and performance lead James Illman.
- News
Trusts fall short of new outpatient target but are praised for progress
Trusts remain short of NHS England’s target for 5 per cent of outpatient follow-ups to be on patient-initiated follow-up pathways, although significant progress towards the benchmark has been made, according to an internal review.
- News
Total waiting list falls but 78-week breaches rise
The waiting list has fallen in consecutive months for the first time since 2020, although 78-week breaches have now increased four months in a row, despite an NHS England plan to have “virtually eliminated” them by last April.
- HSJ Local
‘Special measures’ lifted from long-struggling trust
East of England Ambulance Service Trust has been removed from the support programme formerly known as special measures.
- News
NHSE claims 20% cut in long waiters before latest strikes
Trusts reduced the number of 65-week breaches by around 20 per cent and cut the overall elective waiting list between October and mid-December, according to provisional NHS England data.