Simon Lewis
Simon Lewis is an HSJ and Nursing Times reporter. Simon's focus for HSJ is on primary care trusts and mental health, while on Nursing Times he covers learning disability, mental health and substance misuse.
HSJ KnowledgeGulf in class: how Qatar is driving excellence by investing in academic research
Standing out among countries in the Middle East, Qatar is investing in an academic health research partnership on the US health science centre model. Simon Lewis reports.
CommentEast of England pays close attention to QIPP plans
The East of England is often cited as a vanguard region in the NHS, with its strategic health authority providing the bulk of the leadership - seven of the 11 executives - of the new NHS Midlands and East behemoth.
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FT chair forced out over alleged poor care
The chair of James Paget Hospitals Foundation Trust in Great Yarmouth has resigned following a political storm over alleged poor care.
CommentMedia Watch: fighting over the financials
Sunday’s Observer once again turned its eye to McKinsey and Company, claiming its consultants had been drawn into a “conflict of interest row”.
NewsGPs underperforming on quality and outcomes face 'serious questions'
Scores of GP practices in deprived areas are consistently failing to demonstrate clinical quality under a national incentive scheme, analysis by HSJ has found.
NewsCQC investigation finds improvements still needed at the Pilgrim Hospital
There is still a risk of patients “being exposed to poor care” at the Pilgrim Hospital in Lincolnshire, according to the Care Quality Commission.
NewsSocial enterprise staff deals could create 'two tier workforce'
Health unions are warning of a growing “two tier workforce” as social enterprises replace NHS terms and conditions with their own employment packages.
NewsRising discharge delays blamed on NHS, not local authorities
Delays in discharging patients from acute hospitals are increasingly being blamed on the NHS rather than local authorities, data suggests, despite large cuts to social services budgets.
NewsNHS estate spend rising despite lower bed numbers
Spending on maintaining buildings, cleaning hospitals and feeding patients in the NHS has risen by nearly 8 per cent in a year despite a fall in the number of beds, Department of Health figures reveal.
NewsMPs back 'comply or explain' procurement rule
MPs have backed a plan to force hospital trusts to “explain” if they do not buy high value equipment through agreed contracts, in a report critical of the Department of Health for allowing waste.
NewsGuidance 'misconstrued' as commissioners restrict drugs
Primary care trusts are “misconstruing” official drugs guidance in order to restrict access to treatments, a coalition of patient bodies has warned.
NewsPersonal budget holders need more information, says DH report
Patients given control of their own health budgets need more information about the size of their funds and how they can be spent, a Department of Health report has found.
CommentDH ruling puts paid to rotating chairs in the East
The South Essex primary care trust cluster is planning to make £300m of savings in the next four years, so it probably does not want to be playing musical chairs with its board.
CommentMedia Watch: Lansley faces the flack after Question Time attack
Monday’s Daily Mail treated readers not only to “Cliff [Richard]: ‘why I’d consider euthanasia’” but a bumper column from Melanie Phillips on nursing.
NewsMental health patient recalls rise as community teams struggle
A dramatic rise in the number of people with serious mental illness being recalled to hospital has led to concern that community mental health teams are overstretched.
NewsStepping Hill poisoning cases hit seventeen
Seventeen patients at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport were affected by saline poisoning, police have revealed.
NewsInformation commissioner calls for greater powers to audit NHS
The information watchdog has demanded greater powers to audit NHS organisations, which account for more than four in 10 serious data breaches.
NewsBennett warns against 'second guessing' merger rulings
Trusts involved in mergers should not “second guess” Monitor’s decisions or they risk having to “unwind” arrangements at taxpayers’ expense, the regulator’s boss has warned.
NewsCommissioners may struggle with 'tight' PbR timescales for mental health
Plans to bring in payment by results for mental health next year could be delayed by the reorganisation of NHS commissioning structures, the NHS Confederation has warned.
NewsPCTs ordered to adopt single cluster board model
Primary care trust clusters must have a single board, executive team and chair, the Department of Health has said.