Emily Townsend
Emily Townsend writes about patient safety and care quality nationally, including maternity services and regulators such as the CQC, and covers the West Midlands regional patch. Joining HSJ in October 2021, she previously covered mental health, learning disabilities and autism. She was an investigations correspondent across two flagship daily titles at regional publisher Archant. In 2023, she was named among the best national journalists under 30 years old, winning a gold award for her reporting at HSJ.
Contact info
- Tel:
- 020 3307 6126
- Email:
- emily.townsend@hsj.co.uk
- News
Cutting hospital staff won’t help productivity, says ICB chief
The leader of an integrated care board has dismissed a “narrative” that the NHS can become more productive by cutting hospital staff numbers.
- HSJ Local
Former NHSE director to chair cash-strapped ICB
A former NHS England director who has also led adult social care for a council has been appointed chair of an integrated care board.
- News
Demands on maternity services have ‘changed beyond recognition’, says NHSE director
Expectations on maternity services have “changed beyond recognition” in recent years, an NHS England director has said, admitting “status quo” staffing levels “will not be sufficient going forward”.
- News
Integrated care trust to be axed within weeks
A first-of-its-kind integrated care trust – set up as part of NHS England’s “new care model” reforms – is set to be legally dissolved within weeks, with its current chief executive moving to an interim role at a nearby provider.
- News
CQC to scrap ‘generic’ inspector model to fix ‘trust breakdown’
The Care Quality Commission is scrapping its “generic” inspection team model, which is unpopular with trust leaders, as it bids to recover credibility in the wake of a highly critical report on the organisation.
- News
Revealed: the best and worst trusts for inpatient experience
Satisfaction with NHS inpatient care held up in 2023 despite increasing pressure on the service, a Care Quality Commission survey has revealed.
- News
Trust to review year-long waiters after woman’s death
A mental health trust will review patients not seen by its services for more than a year after a woman died having waited 13 months for a follow-up appointment.
- News
Providers ordered to review care models after killing of three people by patient
NHS England has ordered providers to review their care models for patients with serious mental illnesses following an investigation into the killing of three people by a patient in Nottingham last June.
- HSJ Local
Troubled trust appoints interim CEO from neighbour
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust has appointed an interim chief executive from a neighbouring specialist provider, just days after the current CEO announced her departure.
- HSJ Local
CEO who led trust through scandals announces departure
The chief executive of a trust mired in maternity and emergency care scandals has announced she is leaving after four years at the helm.
- News
Support managers ‘to do the right thing’ says whistleblowers’ champion
Managers must be “supported to do the right thing” when alerted by whistleblowers to potential problems, the NHS’s national freedom to speak up guardian has told HSJ.
- News
‘Noticeable lack’ of NHS experience contributed to CQC failings
The Care Quality Commission’s executive team has a “noticeable lack” of NHS experience, the author of a damning review into its failings has warned.
- News
‘Take CQC ratings with a pinch of salt’ says Streeting
The health and social care secretary has ordered the Care Quality Commission to urgently qualify its current ratings, and warned they should be taken with a “pinch of salt”.
- News
CQC plans to charge ICBs for assessments despite backlash
The Care Quality Commission has confirmed it plans to charge integrated care boards for assessments, despite more than half of respondents to a consultation disagreeing with the approach.
- HSJ Local
ICB chair and long-serving NHS chief to retire
An integrated care board chair and previously long-serving NHS chief executive is retiring after five decades in the health service.
- News
Third of services rated ‘red’ for baby deaths
The proportion of trusts with maternity services “red rated” for neonatal mortality rose from around a quarter in 2021 to a third in 2022, according to the latest national audit.
- News
CQC chief admits ‘we’ve lost your trust’ and announces more inspections
The Care Quality Commission’s new chief executive has admitted the regulator “got things wrong” during the rollout of its new inspection regime and announced an increase in the number of assessments it carries out.
- News
Former minister joins Streeting’s team
Two new health and social care ministers, who previously held roles in the shadow team, have been announced by the new government.
- HSJ Local
Transfusion never events just ‘tip of iceberg’ at troubled trust
Fourteen never events recorded at University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust’s transfusion service were the “tip of an iceberg”, an external review has concluded.
- News
Midwives call women in labour ‘Asian princesses’ amid ‘hostile’ environment fears
The NHS Race and Health Observatory has raised fundamental concerns about racism towards maternity patients after several cases have come to light in recent months, including midwives branding patients “Asian princesses”.