HSJ Podcast: Where the Thirlwall inquiry went wrong
This week we discuss the final conclusions of the Thirlwall Inquiry, which examined the failings surrounding the murder and attempted murder of babies by Lucy Letby.
Boards must ‘never again treat baby safety as side issue’, says Cooper
Maternity and neonatal services “cannot operate on the margins,” and deaths of babies and children must be investigated as a priority by NHS boards, the health and social care secretary has warned.
Inquiry chief delivers scathing verdict on NHS managers
Too many managers do not meet the standards expected of them, and there is an “urgent” need to improve quality, a major inquiry has found.
Tougher sanctions on senior managers demanded by Letby inquiry
The government must introduce a statutory barring system for managers by September next year, an inquiry has said – but warned it will only work if trusts are more willing to confront serious misconduct.
Trusts lose ‘red’ ratings after curbing deficits
NHS England has promoted two hospital trusts from its worst “capability” score after they improved their financial performance at the end of 2025-26.
Biggest climbers and fallers in trust league table
Sharply divergent performance in the last quarter of 2025-26 saw dramatic movement within NHS England’s league table for acute trusts, with six providers moving up or down rankings by 30 places or more.
Fourteen trusts rated red for ‘capability’
NHS England has rated 14 trusts “red” for “capability” – meaning their management has been unable to “grip” long-running problems.
Trust signs £53m contract after legal challenge
A hospital trust has awarded a 10-year contract worth £53m to a UK tech supplier after a legal battle.
NHSE takes action against two more trusts in £178m deficit system
NHS England has served two more trusts with enforcement action in a system forecasting one of the largest deficits this year.
Firm drops challenge to £70m IT contract
A software company has dropped its legal challenge against a major trust’s £70m electronic patient record purchase.
NHSE takes power to remove directors from two city trusts
NHS England has served two more trusts in the North West with enforcement action over their finances.
Patient Safety Watch: Jeremy Hunt’s sobering realisation about bureaucracy and box ticking
HSJ hosts the Patient Safety Watch newsletter, written by Patient Safety Watch chair Jeremy Hunt
NHSE takes action against neighbouring trusts
A third acute trust in the North West has been hit with enforcement action by NHS England, HSJ has discovered.
Patient Safety Watch: The deeply concerning state of home birth services
HSJ hosts the Patient Safety Watch newsletter, written by Patient Safety Watch chief executive James Titcombe
HSJ Podcast: The trust CEO who became a very expensive whistleblower
On this episode, we cover one of the most expensive employment tribunals in the NHS and why a trust must pay its former chief executive £1.4m in damages.
CEO forced out by chair wins £1.4m settlement
A trust has agreed a £1.4m settlement with its former chief executive, who was forced out of her role in a coordinated campaign by its then chair and other directors, HSJ has learned.
IT firm sues trust over £70m procurement
A major teaching hospital is being sued by one of the bidders hoping to provide its electronic patient record system.
Best and worst for hospital experience named by CQC
More patients reported a “good” experience of inpatient care in 2024, even though most trusts have still not caught up with pre-pandemic performance, a Care Quality Commission survey has revealed.
Named: The three trusts failing in every aspect of care
NHS England has named the three trusts that it believes are in need of national intervention on all four major clinical performance areas.
Letby trust issued ‘warning notice’ after failure to improve
Countess of Chester Hospital Foundation Trust has been issued a “warning notice” by the Care Quality Commission for failing to improve its urgent and emergency services.