Matt Discombe
Matt covers performance --- especially urgent and emergency services --- as well as the North East and Yorkshire regions. During the pandemic, he has been writing about infection control in hospitals and surge capacity for the second wave.
Contact info
- Tel:
- 020 760 89032
- Email:
- matt.discombe@wilmingtonhealthcare.com
- 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
Trust chiefs criticise ‘divisive’ capital ‘prizes’ for A&E performance
Trust CEOs and other health leaders have criticised NHS England’s move to offer trusts up to £4m capital in a last-ditch effort to meet the four hour emergency care target in March.
- News
Trusts offered up to £4m to make last-ditch attempt on A&E target
NHS England has confirmed new financial incentives for trusts to deliver strong performance against the four-hour emergency target this month.
- News
Trust’s treatment of Muslims heavily criticised by board director
A board director has publicly criticised his trust for its treatment of Muslim staff and patients.
- News
Trust ‘not guilty’ after CQC prosecution
A mental health trust has been found not guilty of care failings relating to an inpatient’s death following a trial which concluded today, over charges brought by the Care Quality Commission.
- HSJ Local
Trust appoints deputy as permanent CEO
A leader who began her career as an admin clerk has been given the top job at an acute trust.
- News
Lack of collaboration a factor in failed bids for new hospital, says CEO
The lack of collaboration with a neighbour was a factor in a trust being overlooked for capital investment to rebuild an acute hospital, its chief executive has suggested.
- News
Thirty trusts report more 12-hour waits, despite national improvement
Long A&E waits have got worse at more than one in five acute trusts, despite an improving trend nationally.
- News
Newly installed EPR contributed to A&E death, warns coroner
A newly installed electronic patient record contributed to the “preventable” death of a 31-year-old woman in an emergency department, a trust has been warned.
- News
Long-serving CEO leaves trust fighting huge A&E problems
The long-serving chief executive of a trust which is one of the worst performers nationally on emergency care has announced she is resigning.
- 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
NHSE asks ministers to approve ‘unambitious’ A&E target
NHS England is trying to convince ministers to approve another “unambitious” goal of hitting the four-hour A&E target in 77 per cent of cases next year, according to sources.
- News
Exclusive: Trusts pressured to meet ‘political’ target by diverting staff to less sick patients
Hospitals are being pressured to shift their resources to treating patients with less serious conditions to meet a “politically motivated” target, according to multiple senior sources.
- News
NHSE director admits ‘huge cost’ to cutting ambulance delays
Reductions in the number of long ambulance delays have come at a “huge cost” as hospitals are having to take in more emergency patients than they have space for, NHS England’s urgent care director has said.
- News
Ministers lobbied by NHSE for extra beds funding
NHS England is lobbying ministers for extra funding to ensure all the approximately 99,000 ‘core’ acute hospital beds open this winter are retained throughout 2024-25, HSJ understands.
- News
NHSE acts as performance deteriorates in five systems
Five integrated care systems face escalations in central scrutiny and support following “deterioration” against key urgent and emergency care targets.
- News
Revealed: The 50-plus trusts set to miss ‘absolute’ tech deadline
NHS England has delayed plans aimed at allowing 111 calls to be triaged to emergency departments after it discovered more then 50 trusts were set to miss an “absolute deadline” to introduce the required technology.
- News
Trust’s leadership rating cut from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’ amid nepotism claims
A major hospital trust’s leadership rating has dropped from “outstanding” to “inadequate” after staff described a culture of “nepotism” where bullying was “commonplace”.
- News
ICS says government must act on ‘crisis’ in children’s services
An integrated care system has called on government to provide adequate funding to deal with a “crisis” in children’s services.
- 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.