James Illman
James manages part of the editorial team in his role as a bureau chief at HSJ and HSJi. He also covers performance, with a particular focus on elective care, as well as parts of the East of England, including Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. He joined HSJ in 2012 from Local Government Chronicle.
Contact info
- Tel:
- 0203 812 5338
- Email:
- james.illman@hsj.co.uk
NewsICBs accused of ‘nonsensical’ job matching in ‘rushed’ merger
Three integrated care boards have been accused of overseeing a “deeply flawed” merger programme, including a “nonsensical job-matching process”.
NewsStreeting: Failing NHS bosses being ‘quietly moved on’
Under-performing NHS bosses are being “quietly moved on” rather than being “named and shamed”, Wes Streeting has said.
HSJ LocalCEO: We have ‘hurt and let down’ our staff
A hospital group CEO says its leaders have “managed to let people down” and, in some cases, “disconnected” from their staff, in response to very poor NHS Staff Survey scores.
NewsNHSE expects to declare victory on number one target
NHS England bosses are predicting they will get close enough to hitting 65 per cent against the 18-week standard by March to declare victory against their main performance objective for this year, HSJ has learned.
NewsNHS has ‘hollowed out’ community care, says government adviser
The NHS has “hollowed out” community and primary care and become a “national hospital service”, according to the influential lead of a government review of social care.
NewsNHSE bid to divert referrals falling well short of target
NHS England is set to fall “well short” of a key target to ramp up GPs’ use of “advice and guidance” from specialists – and the model is “unlikely to be the silver bullet ministers hoped for” to help cut waiting lists, experts have warned.
NewsExclusive: £120m ‘sprint’ will drive last-ditch attempt to hit elective target
NHS England plans to spend around £120m on a “sprint” exercise in a bid to hit its main elective target for this year by March, HSJ can reveal.
NewsMinisters overclaimed impact of ‘crack’ elective teams
Elective activity has “barely increased” at the hospitals targeted with “crack teams” to cut waiting lists – contrary to ministers’ claims that the work has “turbocharged activity” – analysis reveals.
NewsNHSE launches ‘sprint’ in bid to hit waiting list target
NHS England has told trusts to begin a “sprint” exercise in a bid to hit its politically critical waiting list target by March.
HSJ Local‘Digital desert’ hospital group pushes £88m tech project back a year
A hospital group containing three acute trusts has been forced to delay deployment of its electronic patient record for at least another 12 months, HSJ has learned.
Expert BriefingRecovery Watch: Unsexy and painstaking – 2026 in elective care
Elective recovery and returning the NHS to meeting the 18-week standard by 2029 is the government’s main performance priority. The Recovery Watch newsletter tracks prospects and progress against this goal. This week by bureau chief James Illman.
NewsProviders fear ‘significant commercial risk’ from NHSE contract rules
Fundamental concerns have been raised about NHS England’s proposed elective payment model for next year by NHS and private providers – with independent sector leaders branding them “not sustainable”.
NewsRevealed: The trusts forecast to miss the elective target
Only around a quarter of trusts are on track to hit their original elective target for 2025-26 if they continue on their current trajectories, according to analysis shared with HSJ.
HSJ LocalFourth CEO to depart region
A hospital boss has become the fourth CEO of a major trust in the East of England to announce their departure in recent months.
NewsTrust takes control of ‘toxic’ service at ‘under siege’ neighbour
A small hospital’s general surgery service is being taken over by a neighbour, after a review found “unacceptable” care standards and reported concerns about a “toxic culture”.
NewsInvestigation revealed data risks at flagship research project
An internal probe identified governance and data handling failures at a prestigious health research project, HSJ has learned.
NewsTeaching trust reprimanded over FOI failings
A large teaching trust has become the latest NHS organisation to be warned by the UK’s information regulator over its failure to respond to Freedom of Information requests on time.
NewsExclusive: NHSE ramps up waiting list cleaning drive
NHS England has doubled its estimate of how many cases can be wiped off the waiting list through validation this year to 600,000, HSJ can reveal.
News‘Advanced FTs’ will be able to use revenue to fund capital projects
The new advanced foundation trusts will be allowed to save up and then reinvest their revenue surpluses into capital projects, according to guidance out for consultation.
NewsHospitals will ‘narrowly miss elective target’ to save the bottom line
Hospitals will hit financial targets this year but fall “slightly short” of their waiting-list objectives – as they were “explicitly” told that reducing deficits was “more important” – the NHS Providers’ CEO has predicted.