Seven more avoidable sepsis deaths spark coroner warnings
Preventable deaths of seven people from sepsis – including four children – have prompted coroners to flag major concerns about NHS services’ management of the condition.
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.
Hospitals to review concrete risks to ‘maintain safety and confidence’
NHS boards have been told to obtain extra assurance around the risks to unsafe concrete beams in their estate, following the sudden closure of school buildings.
Three trusts pick US firm for £150m EPR scheme
Three acute trusts in one of the NHS’s least digitally mature health economies have hired US firm Meditech to provide a single electronic patient record under a contract worth around £155m.
‘Good’ maternity unit downgraded to ‘inadequate’
A Norfolk hospital’s maternity services have been downgraded from ‘good’ to ‘inadequate’, with warnings raised about the safety and quality of care provided.
What’s changed in the ‘new hospitals’ programme?
HSJ has mapped and charted how the projects in the new hospitals programme have changed following government’s announcement today.
Forty trusts are set elective target less ambitious than last year
NHS trusts have been given targets to increase elective activity that range from 103 per cent of pre-pandemic levels to nearly 130 per cent, internal data seen by HSJ reveals.
Chief nurse to lead trust
A hospital trust in the East of England has appointed its former chief nurse as chief executive to lead it into a ‘fresh era’.
ICS plans £100m tech investment alongside new EPR
One of the NHS’s most challenged health systems has made plans to invest around £100m on IT projects over the next three years, in addition to an electronic patient record across three trusts.
‘Digital desert’ gets go-ahead for £155m records system
Three acute trusts are set to launch a tender process to sign up a provider for an ambitious electronic patient record system spanning all their hospitals, with the contract valued at around £155m, HSJ has learned.
Trust fined following patient’s death linked to ‘outdated’ IT system
A Norfolk hospital trust has been fined £60,000 after pleading guilty to criminal charges of exposing a 28-year-old patient who died to significant risk of avoidable harm.
Nine trusts account for third of ambulance ‘hours lost’
Nine acute trusts accounted for a third of all ‘hours lost’ to ambulance handover delays last week, according to new data.
Five trusts outsource their back office in £20m deal
Five trusts within an integrated care system have outsourced their back office functions to NHS Shared Business Services.
Trusts need hundreds of millions to stop hospitals’ roofs collapsing
Trusts need hundreds of millions of pounds to remediate dangerous roofs.
NHS maintenance backlog tops £10bn
Spending on the NHS estate has increased at the fastest-rate since the service began collecting detailed data, new figures show.
Recovery Watch: Elective recovery in a challenged rural area
Recovering services from the covid crisis is the 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.
Trust appoints former banker as chair
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust has appointed a former banker as chair as it rebuilds a top team following the departures of its chair and chief executive.
Trust’s chief operating officer gets top job
The chief operating officer of a small district general hospital has been promoted to the chief executive role.
Govt to add trusts with unsafe roofs to ‘40 new hospitals’ programme
Several trusts with dangerous structural planks are set to be selected for the government’s flagship hospital building programme, HSJ has learned.
Revealed: NHS England’s list of trusts with worst elective and cancer problems
Almost a third of acute trusts have been identified by NHS England as being ‘at risk’ of missing key targets for electives and cancer recovery, with some facing ‘periodic calls between ministers and CEOs’, HSJ can reveal.
Turnaround CEO quits trust to join health tech firm
A chief executive who led one of the country’s most challenged trusts out of special measures is leaving to join a health technology company.
Revealed: The trusts where at least one in 20 suspected cancer patients have waited three months
More than 5 per cent of patients with suspected cancer have been waiting more than 104 days at 14 trusts, data leaked to HSJ reveals.
Exclusive: Three-month cancer waits top 10,000
More than 10,000 people are waiting three months or longer following a referral for suspected cancer, internal NHS data seen by HSJ reveals.
Regulators downgrade rating of high-profile trust but promote four
NHS England has moved four providers out of ‘special measures’ but significantly downgraded the rating of one specialist trust.
Revealed: The 27 trusts still without an electronic patient record
Almost 30 NHS trusts do not have comprehensive electronic patient records amid a renewed push by government to get electronic systems into all NHS hospitals, according to HSJ research.
Trusts pause private plan for joint leadership
The three acute trusts in the Norfolk and Waveney integrated care system have admitted the existence of private plans to merge their leadership, but say the proposals are now on hold, HSJ has learned.
Revealed: The ethnically diverse trusts with all-white leadership
Analysis of new data has identified multiple trusts which appear to have no executives or very senior managers from a minority ethnic background, despite their workforces being relatively diverse.
Revealed: Trusts with the biggest falls in staff confidence in care provided
Several large teaching hospitals are among those which saw the steepest declines in the proportion of staff who would recommend the care of their organisation, according to the NHS staff survey results.
Neonatal units face ‘redesignation’ under national shake-up
A major shake-up of neonatal care, aimed at reducing mortality and illness, could see dozens of units restricted to caring for less premature babies.
HSJ podcast: How to fix an NHS trust
NHS trusts are getting better – that’s the view of the Care Quality Commission, at least, which now rates only a single organisation as “inadequate”, and two-thirds as “good” or “outstanding”, a big shift from five years ago.
Best NHS leaders should take on ‘biggest challenges’, says chief inspector
The NHS needs its best leaders to be prepared to take on ‘the biggest challenges’, despite the risk of criticism, the Care Quality Commission’s chief inspector has said.
Long-challenged trust lifted out of special measures
A Norfolk district general hospital long viewed as among the NHS’ most challenged trusts is set to be removed from the recovery support scheme, formerly special measures, after making ‘fantastic improvements’, inspectors have announced.
How I led the turnaround of a special measures trust
Caroline Shaw shares her thoughts on why turning round a special measures hospital has been the hardest but most rewarding role of her career to date and why she’s adamant the NHS should put our brightest and best CEOs in challenged hospitals.
Chair leaves trust ahead of ‘positive’ CQC report
The chair of an ‘inadequate’ rated hospital trust – said to have made improvements now being recognised by regulators – is moving to another provider in the region.
More than 100 trusts bid for ‘massively oversubscribed’ New Hospitals programme
Nearly two thirds of NHS trusts in England have submitted bids to the government’s ‘massively oversubscribed’ hospital building programme, HSJ has learned.
CCG opens ‘care hotel’ after critical incident
A hotel in the centre of Norwich is temporarily being converted into a care facility to help ease local bed pressures, as Norfolk becomes the latest area to pilot the model.
Centre described hospital chief as ‘sensationalist’ over roof problems
The NHS England media team believed a hospital chief executive had taken a ‘sensationalist tone’ over serious problems with the building’s roof, according to a briefing written by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Four ICSs and four trusts placed in new ‘special measures’ regime
Four health systems have been put into NHS England’s replacement for the special measures regime, as well as four more acute trusts.
Hospital forced to evacuate ICU because roof could collapse
A hospital was forced to evacuate and then close its critical care unit for around three weeks last month because of concerns its roof could collapse.
Third of region’s ICUs exceed ‘maximum safe capacity’
More than a third of critical care units in the East of England are either at or have exceeded their maximum surge capacity, information leaked to HSJ reveals, and all but one are above their normal capacity.
Revealed: the nine hospital trusts where covid patients fill at least half the beds
Nine English NHS trusts now have at least half their adult acute beds occupied by covid-positive patients, with admissions still growing in every case.
Named: the trusts set to have at least a third of beds filled by covid patients on 31 Dec
There are 14 hospital trusts on course to have at least a third of their beds filled by covid patients on New Year’s Eve.
Revealed: 13 trusts facing ‘significant safety issues’
Thirteen trusts are facing billions of pounds of maintenance — in some cases, making it more cost-effective to rebuild the hospital — over ‘significant safety issues’ stemming from outdated construction methods.
Leadership group to meet in private to drive acute service integration
Norfolk and Waveney’s three acute providers have set up a 12-strong leadership group which will meet in private to determine the organisations’ service integration strategy.
Getting shielded staff back before winter key priority, says hospital CEO
A teaching hospital which had over a thousand staff shielding or working from home at the peak of the covid outbreak has made getting these employees safely back on site a top priority before winter, its chief executive has told HSJ.
Bullying, bad behaviour and broken IT uncovered at worst trusts for junior doctors
Regulators have uncovered multiple examples of patients being put at risk when junior doctors are left with tasks they are not trained for, lacking support, and facing bullying and inappropriate behaviour.
Exclusive: Trust faces national finance inquiry after £46m ‘adjustment’
NHS England has commissioned an investigation into the finances of a major acute trust, after concerns led to an accounting adjustment which added £46m to its deficit, HSJ has learned.
Major teaching trust to leave special measures
A major teaching trust should be released from special measures after almost two years in the regime, the Care Quality Commission has said.
First ‘digital aspirant’ trusts revealed by NHSX
Twenty-three trusts will share a £28m pot of technology funding as part of the first wave of “digital aspirant” providers, NHSX has announced.
Revealed: The trusts which will struggle most to deliver quality care in 2020
The trusts which are likely to face the fiercest struggle to deliver quality care in the immediate future have been identified through an analysis carried out exclusively for HSJ.
CCGs bailing out trusts ‘shows progress in struggling STP’
Norfolk and Waveney commissioners have provided financial support to help two acute trusts agree control totals, in a deal they say shows progress in the challenged health economy.
Exclusive: Trusts set to be let off £10bn debt
NHS providers that owe the government a combined £10bn would see the debts converted into a form of investment that does not have to be repaid, under plans being discussed by national leaders.
Troubled trust’s rating upgraded but remains in special measures
A troubled mental health trust’s quality rating has been upgraded from “inadequate” to “requires improvement” but it remains in special measures, inspectors have announced.
Troubled health economy’s five CCGs to merge
Norfolk and Waveney’s five clinical commissioning groups will merge in April 2020 after NHS England and Improvement signed off the plan this month.
Challenged STP drafts in reformer to develop hospital plan
A senior clinician who led the development of plans for a major acute reconfiguration in Essex has been seconded to the Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership as its “independent medical director”, HSJ has learned.
Special measures hospital seeks ‘workforce academy’
A struggling district general hospital is in discussions with a local college to establish a “workforce academy” and school of nursing to address its workforce problems, its chief executive told HSJ.
NHS trusts owe government £14bn
Heavily-indebted NHS providers are bidding to restructure their loans with the Department of Health and Social Care, albeit with little prospect of them being written off.
Former NHSE finance lead chosen as trust CEO
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Foundation Trust has appointed a new chief executive following Mark Davies announcing he would stand down earlier this year.
Hospital appoints new chief executive
James Paget University Hospitals Foundation Trust has promoted deputy chief Anna Hills to the chief executive role on a permanent basis.
Trust stays in special measures after ‘extremely concerning’ lack of improvement
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust will remain in special measures after Care Quality Commission inspectors said they found an “extremely concerning” lack of improvement.
Improvement director takes up STP chief role
Devon sustainability and transformation partnership has appointed an improvement director who was overseeing three troubled Norfolk trusts as its lead chief executive
Trust issued second warning notice over A&E leadership
A major teaching hospital has been issued with its second warning notice over the leadership and culture of its emergency department, despite inspectors upgrading the trust’s “inadequate” rating.
Single commissioning chief for all of troubled health economy
Norfolk and Waveney’s five clinical commissioning groups have appointed a joint chief officer and finance officer across the hugely challenged health economy.
Experienced chair moves to special measures trust
Inadequate-rated Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Foundation Trust has appointed an experienced chair
NHSI clears trusts to hire consultants as money worries worsen
NHS Improvement has authorised a tranche of financial support projects, ending a mini-drought in trusts tendering for management consultancy.
Staff survey analysis: Trusts with the most staff experiencing violence
A breakdown by area of acute and combined trusts based on the share of employees experiencing violence from patients, relatives or the public in the last 12 months, according to the NHS staff survey 2018.
Staff survey: Full breakdown of where staff are witnessing potentially harmful errors
Below is a breakdown of acute and combined trusts by the share of staff saying they had witnessed potentially harmful errors, near misses or incidents in the last month, in the 2018 NHS staff survey.
Revealed: The trusts where A&E has slipped most
Waiting time performance for major emergency admissions at one London trust has deteriorated by 29 percentage points in the last two years, HSJ can reveal.
Leading chair appointed to special measures trust
The chair of an outstanding trust has been appointed to lead Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, which is in special measures.
Special measures trust appoints new chief
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust has appointed a senior Nottingham University Hospital Trust board member as its new chief executive.
Special measures hospital buddied with turnaround trust
A foundation trust which has dramatically improved care quality in recent years has been buddied with a troubled organisation 80 miles away.
Special measures trust chief steps down
The chief executive of a special measures trust has stepped down just weeks after its chair departed.
Special measures trust delays decision on cancer patients move
A trust in special measures has delayed a board discussion on plans to move cancer patients to a neighbouring hospital 40 miles away, amid patient safety concerns from senior clinicians.
Rural area faces 'major problem' this winter
Regional chiefs have identified Norfolk as a trouble spot this winter, with local ambulance handover delays described as a “major problem”, according to leaked meeting minutes obtained by HSJ.
Challenged trust lines up interim chief
East of England Ambulance Service Trust has lined up an interim chief executive following the resignation of Robert Morton last month, HSJ understands.
Trust chair departs and says leadership change is ‘right thing’
The chair of a trust recently put back into special measures has announced his resignation, adding “a change in board leadership” was needed to address the “significant cultural change” required for a turnaround.
STP plans major stroke reconfiguration
Norfolk and Waveney sustainability and transformation partnership is drawing up plans for a major stroke reconfiguration which involves partnering with a neighbouring trauma centre, HSJ has learned.
Revealed: The slowest invoice payers in the NHS
A third of acute trusts routinely break the law by paying their suppliers late, HSJ can reveal.
UPDATED: Hospital board decides against emergency proposal to suspend cancer ops
A hospital has decided against rolling out emergency proposals discussed today to suspending cancer and urgent operations but it could postpone routine operations because of significant staff shortages.
DGH drops back into special measures
A small rural trust has been put back in special measures after inspectors found a deterioration in quality since their last visit.
'Fantasy' trust debts overtake PFI liabilities
A steep increase in emergency bailouts means NHS trusts’ total borrowing from the Department of Health and Social Care has overtaken their PFI liabilities.
CCGs appoint new joint chief
North Norfolk and South Norfolk clinical commissioning groups have appointed a new chief officer, the CCGs have announced.
Patients 'pressurised' into treatment to hit cancer target
Some prostate cancer patients are “pressurised into receiving treatment within 62 days” even where it is deemed unnecessary, according to evidence within a new report.
Major hospital with ‘bullying culture’ put in special measures
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Foundation Trust has been placed in special measures after inspectors rated the trust and its leadership inadequate, having found a “bullying culture” and an “obvious deterioration” in services.
In full: Pathology network proposals
HSJ approached the 29 pathology networks proposed by NHS Improvement to ask if local trusts had signed up. In most cases the proposed “hub” trust was able to answer on behalf of its network.
Trust penalised after including walk in centre data in A&E performance
Regulators withheld funding from a teaching hospital after it admitted only meeting its accident and emergency target “through the inclusion of the walk in centre performance [data]” from a facility it does not run, HSJ has learned.
Revealed: 58 trusts admit they will miss financial plan
NHS Improvement has accepted formal revisions to the financial forecasts of almost 60 NHS trusts, according to data published today.
Shocking deterioration in RTT waiting times
Elective RTT waiting times shot up by over a week in December, in the fastest monthly increase since 2010, notes Rob Findlay
NHS Improvement abandons consultancy turnaround programme
A financial turnaround project where management consultants are sent to work with NHS trusts has been shelved by NHS Improvement, HSJ has learned.
Trusts must reduce deficits by two-thirds to hit official forecast
NHS trusts must reduce their combined monthly deficit to £107m to meet the official forecast figures in the second half of 2017-18, after recording a monthly deficit of almost £300m in the first half of the year.
Exclusive: One in four hospital trusts routinely pay suppliers late
More than a quarter of hospital trusts are now routinely delaying payments to their suppliers because of cash flow problems, analysis by HSJ reveals.
A&E survey: Best and worst performing trusts revealed
Five trusts have been identified as offering a poor overall experience to patients in their accident and emergency departments, based on a new Care Quality Commission patient survey.
Teaching trust raises concerns over tie up with smaller hospitals
Concerns have been raised by a teaching trust that consolidating its back office with two smaller local trusts may not deliver direct savings for the larger provider, HSJ has learned.
Exclusive: New STP lead reveals five CCGs target single provider contracts
Commissioners in Norfolk are to vote on plans to set up a joint committee that would “ideally” broker “single contracts” for all five local clinical commissioning groups with all their major providers.
NHS leader to replace council chief as STP boss
One of the council chiefs leading a sustainability and transformation partnership is to stand down and hand the role to a local NHS service leader.
Hospital trust names new chief executive
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust has appointed Jon Green, the executive chief operating office at nearby West Suffolk Foundation Trust, as its new chief executive.
Revealed: New oversight ratings for every NHS trust
Regulators have published proposed new ratings for every NHS trust that reflect the seriousness of the problems they face.
London Eye: Chain-gang
What is going on in England’s biggest health economy, by Ben Clover
North Norfolk CCG chief resigns
WORKFORCE: North Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group chief officer Mark Taylor has resigned.
Exclusive: Official index reveals tech leaders and laggards
A new NHS England assessment of “digital maturity” across the NHS lays bare significant variation among providers, HSJ can reveal.
Revealed: Five trusts seeking millions for reconfiguration
Documents released by the Department of Health show five foundation trusts where reconfiguration of services could be necessary.
Norfolk trusts sign joint sustainability agreement
STRUCTURE: Norfolk’s three hospital trusts and its community trust have signed a memorandum of understanding to try to ensure services in the county remain sustainable.
Revealed: Trusts' estimated savings potential
By using publicly available data, HSJ has been able to closely match the methodology used by Lord Carter to produce trusts’ headline “savings opportunity” figures. Here we list the least and most efficient trusts according to the headline measure, as well as data for all trusts.
King's Lynn ‘up for’ radical restructure to stave off £39m deficit
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust is planning a radical restructure after an independent review said it faced a £39m funding deficit by 2018-19.
Revealed: 11 trusts whose DH bailouts were converted to loans
The Department of Health obliged some of the most seriously troubled hospitals in the NHS to receive their bailouts in the form of ‘loans’ last year, DH figures show.
King’s Lynn removed from special measures but with Monitor warning
PERFORMANCE: Monitor has taken Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust out of special measures.
Updated: Eighth trust to leave special measures regime
PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission has recommended that Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust should come out of special measures.
Challenged trust appoints new chief executive
WORKFORCE: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust has appointed Dorothy Hosein as its chief executive.
The go-to leader for trusts in a crisis
Strong leadership sets Manjit Obhrai apart from the rest
Special measures can have 'detrimental effect', trust chief warns
The special measures regime for struggling hospitals has the potential to demoralise staff and hamper efforts to fill much needed vacancies, according to a high profile troubleshooter tasked with putting one trust back on track.
King's Lynn to remain in special measures
PERFORMANCE: The Care Quality Commission has recommended that Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust remains in special measures.
Exclusive: Trusts plead for extra cash to pay bills
Hospital trusts needed financial help last year to fend off legal threats from suppliers, update “obsolete” medical equipment and even keep electricity supplies flowing, according to a raft of pleas for bailouts seen by HSJ.
Patient Safety and Care Awards shortlist announced
2014 finalists unveiled
King’s Lynn report has potential to be explosive
MPs will watch Monitor’s team very closely
Monitor to send contingency planning team into King’s Lynn
PERFORMANCE: Monitor is to send a contingency planning team to Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn to develop options for securing sustainable patient services at the financially troubled foundation trust.
HSJ Live 24.03.2014: HSJ celebrates the NHS's outstanding chief executives
This week HSJ celebrates the launch of its list of the top 50 chief executives of NHS provider organisations, and the rest of today’s comment and news
Exclusive: More than a third of hospitals set to end year in the red
More than a third of hospital trusts are predicting deficits at the end of this financial year, HSJ research has found.
The friends and family test is much more than a target
The survey can bring the NHS into the 21st century
Evolution of the new intelligent monitoring tool
Replacing CQC’s quality and risk profiles
Don’t be complacent, regulation is beginning to bite
Be prepared for the single failure regime
Analysed: Lamb's integration pioneers
The Department of Health’s integrated care “pioneers” will be monitored centrally to check progress against their plans and could be stripped of their status if they lose their way, health minister Norman Lamb has said.
QE King’s Lynn performance troubles persist
Queen Elizabeth King’s Lynn Foundation Trust posted a £1m larger than forecast deficit for August and continued to breach its four-hour accident and emergency target.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital makes senior appointments
WORKFORCE Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Trust has made a raft of senior appointments, according to trust board papers.
King’s Lynn FT to bring in ‘external support’ after regulator mauling
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust is to bring in “external support” to sort out financial and performance problems identified by regulators, Monitor has announced.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn awaits regulator verdict
PERFORMANCE Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Trust is set to hear from the Care Quality Commission after underperformance in three areas led to the trust being reprimanded by regulators, according to board papers.
New non exec directors appointed at East of England Ambulance Service Trust
WORKFORCE: The NHS Trust Development Authority has rubberstamped the appointment of two interim non-executive directors at East of England Ambulance Service Trust.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital misses A&E target two months running
PERFORMANCE Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn Trust did not hit the accident and emergency four-hour waiting target in April and May, according to commissioners.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital tops never events league
PERFORMANCE Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust recorded seven never events in the first three quarters of the 2012-13 financial year.
Queen Elizabeth Kings Lynn Trust reports mixed sex accommodation breaches
PERFORMANCE Four of the five mixed sex accommodation breaches reported in the Midlands and East in December 2012 were recorded by Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Trust.
Pressure ulcers concerns raised by Norfolk and Waveney
PERFORMANCE NHS Norfolk & Waveney PCT cluster is “very concerned” about the high incidence of pressure ulcers across all its providers, according to board papers.
East of England pathology shake-up announced
NHS Midlands and East has announced the successful bidders in a tender for pathology services across the East of England, as part of a long-awaited reconfiguration intended to cut the region’s lab bill by up to £29m.
Latest scores spark fresh doubt over 'friends and family test'
Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust has recorded the lowest score yet by any organisation on the friends and family test, according to the latest data from the pilot of the fledging patient satisfaction survey.
Vascular services set for major reconfiguration
A major shake-up in vascular services is planned for the East of England, with several hospitals set to lose work.
Appraisal 'step change' needed at QE hospital
WORKFORCE: Appraisal rates at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn, need to undergo a “step change” if they are to meet the target of 90 per cent, the board heard.
King's Lynn staff to lose parking permits
WORKFORCE: Around 180 staff who live close to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn, are to lose parking permits under a new car parking strategy adopted by the trust.
Bid for Birmingham 'medical quarter'
COMMERCIAL: Property developers and a leading healthcare technology firm have joined forced to try and create a ‘medical quarter’ in Birmingham.
Two more hospital trusts placed in significant breach by Monitor
Two more foundations trusts have been placed in significant breach of their terms of authorisation, taking the total to 15 of the 78 acute trusts regulated by Monitor.
The NHS trusts leading the way on sustainability and efficiency
A recent league table of over 2,000 UK businesses ranked four NHS trusts as the highest performing organisations. NHS Sustainable Development Unit director David Pencheon explains why other trusts must aim to emulate this success.
Queen Elizabeth FT appoints new chief exec
WORKFORCE: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn FT has appointed a new chief executive.
Number of financially troubled FTs doubles
The number of foundation trusts with serious financial problems has doubled since the last quarter, new data shows.
QEH issues apology to patient moved nine times
PERFORMANCE: Managers at Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn FT have apologised to a patient who was moved between nine different wards while being treated for a heart attack.
Early acute overspend leads to £10m 'pressures' forecast in Norfolk
FINANCE: Norfolk primary care trust is predicting acute activity to be above plan by more than £10m by the end of the year, as “all major providers” are currently over performing.
Chief exec to leave King's Lynn FT
WORKFORCE: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital FT’s chief executive will leave the trust in October, it has been announced.
Quality and finance problems evident in the East
There have been problems of late for acute providers in the East, with two of its foundation trusts in trouble with the Care Quality Commission and another being scrutinised by the strategic health authority.
£20m research centre for University Hospitals Birmingham
STRUCTURE: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham is to host £20m national centre for research into treating trauma.
Two more trusts achieve foundation status
Monitor has confirmed two more trusts have achieved foundation status.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn achieves FT status
STRUCTURE: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn has been authorised as a foundation trust.
'Bullied' NHS whistleblower wins claim
An employment tribunal has ruled in favour of a south London cancer specialist who claimed he had been bullied and harassed after expressing concern over NHS cost-cutting measures.
Trusts fail to keep up pace on stroke targets
Fewer than 40 per cent of acute and specialist trusts are achieving the required standards of stroke care.
Trust faces bad practice allegations
A senior NHS cancer specialist was branded a trouble-making whistleblower and effectively sacked after alleging bad practices at a London hospital, he will claim.
Clinical coding improves but third of trusts still overcharging
Hospital trusts have improved their clinical coding, but a third are still overcharging commissioners by as much as 6 per cent, the latest audit results show.
NHS London closes provider agency
NHS London has abolished its provider agency, which was established two years ago to lead its trusts in gaining foundation status.
Alan Johnson approves south east London NHS reconfiguration
Far-reaching hospital reconfiguration proposals for south east London have been approved by health secretary Alan Johnson.