NHSE tells ICBs to slow elective referrals
NHS England has told integrated care boards they need to slow down elective referrals dramatically – nearly eliminating year-on-year growth – with high-profile waiting list targets under threat.
Staff locked in hospital during ‘unprecedented’ power cut
Staff were effectively “locked in” a hospital at night during a power cut that led to a major incident being declared last year, HSJ can reveal.
CEO leaves ‘recovery support’ trust after eight years
The chief executive of a trust in NHS England’s “recovery support” regime is stepping down after eight years in the role, HSJ can reveal.
Hospitals to cut 800 jobs
A pair of hospital trusts has outlined plans to reduce its workforce by 7 per cent in 2025-26, in order to cut costs.
Last-minute ICS bailouts ‘fuel distrust with NHSE’
Integrated care systems across the country have received last-minute bailouts to improve their financial positions at the end of 2024-25, HSJ has learned.
Another ICS added to national financial intervention scheme
An integrated care system has been added to the national “investigation and intervention” regime, making it the 19th of 42 ICSs to require support over deteriorating finances.
Trust CEO makes sudden move to ICS
The chief executive of a specialist trust is leaving with immediate effect to join an integrated care system, the provider has announced.
ICBs ‘exit’ 800 staff in cost-cutting programme
Integrated care boards paid exit packages to 809 staff under centrally-ordered cost cuts last year, with some spending four to five times the average, HSJ analysis shows.
Region targets prescription cuts under ‘enormous financial pressure’
All but one of a region’s integrated care boards have stopped prescribing gluten-free products to save money, with a charity saying the move will exacerbate inequalities and risk “debilitating symptoms”.
‘Aggressive marketing’ fuels surge in patients seeking private referrals from GPs
Growing numbers of patients are requesting NHS-funded referrals to private providers “operating outside of agreed guidelines”, fuelled by long waiting lists and “aggressive direct marketing tactics”, GPs have warned.
Former NHSE director to chair three trusts
The chair of an integrated care board in the south west is set to step down and take on a similar role at two trusts in a neighbouring system.
Hospital porters to strike over ‘diabolical’ treatment by trust
Hospital porters at an acute trust are set to strike over what a union has called “diabolical” treatment.
System lacks ‘critical self-reflection’, says NHSE
NHS England has accused an integrated care system of lacking “critical self-reflection” about the severity of its problems.
Trust in row with BMA over ‘regional rate card’
A large hospital trust’s attempt to reduce its medical rates for extra shifts to bring them in line with other trusts in the region has sparked a row with the British Medical Association
Three ICSs responsible for a quarter of very long diagnostic waits
Just three integrated care systems were responsible for nearly one in four 13-week waits for key diagnostic tests in recent months, HSJ analysis of official data has found.
‘Project Fusion’ trust merger to go ahead after delays
The boards of two community and mental health trusts in the south have approved a merger and formation of a ‘new’ trust following months of delays.
Revealed: Three-fold variation in emergency response time by ICS
A threefold variation in ambulance response for serious, urgent conditions has been revealed in new figures.
Trust nears annual deficit in three months
A hospital trust has almost reached its planned year-end deficit, within just three months of the financial year.
Threefold ICS variation in GP phone access revealed
Patients trying to reach their GP are almost three times as likely to fail to get through in the worst-performing integrated care systems than the best, according to analysis of new annual figures.
Exclusive: NHSE begins to claw back funding from ICSs to pay off historic debts
Three-quarters of integrated care systems face funding cuts of up to £20m as a result of NHS England’s insistence they start paying back overspends from previous years, HSJ analysis has discovered.