The mythbuster
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: The abiding wisdom of the ‘Troubleshooter’
In the early 1980s, John Harvey-Jones transformed the industrial giant ICI from a struggling corporation into a highly profitable enterprise. His management principles, outlined in his book Making it Happen, offer valuable lessons for today’s NHS, writes Steve Black
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Propaganda won't drive improvement in the NHS
The government has hailed the FF20 elective recovery scheme as a major success — but a closer look at the data tells a different story. If the new NHS leadership is serious about real improvement, it must prioritise honest analysis over political spin, writes Steve Black
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Government has the wrong idea on data
The government’s focus on using NHS data to develop new drugs misses the bigger opportunity — to improve existing services and costs with data-driven decision-making. By Steve Black
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: A management philosophy to help save the NHS
Steve Black explores how the NHS could benefit from adopting the military management philosophy of Mission Command, advocating for flexibility, decentralisation, and clarity of goals over rigid, detailed plans.
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: The best way to replace NHS England
The government must decide between centralised or decentralised control of the NHS, with history showing the latter is the better option
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CommentThe mythbuster: Consensus-driven strategy will doom the 10-Year Plan to failure
To make the 10-Year Plan a success, the NHS will need to move from consensus-driven strategy to strategy-driven consensus, writes Steve Black
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Building a better Department of Health
NHS England has been abolished. But will the service be better off without it?
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: I come to bury NHSE
Steve Black asserts that NHSE’s persistent failures in emergency care, driven by flawed policies and refusal to embrace evidence-based solutions, highlight the need for a major organisational overhaul
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: The false narrative that stops the NHS opening more beds
As the NHS grapples with a worsening A&E crisis, the service resists the call to increase the hospital bed base. Steve Black explores why such a move, despite clear benefits, remains a contentious issue
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Reviving the PFI is the only realistic option to boost capital funding
Steve Black suggests that accessing private capital financing may be necessary to boost investment in the NHS, especially given the inefficiencies and delays in the current process
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Two cheers for the planning guidance
The new NHS Mandate and the 2025-26 Planning Guidance show major improvements in focus and priorities, but lingering inconsistencies and flawed metrics still risk undermining meaningful progress
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: MPs’ criticism misses the mark
Parliamentary criticism of NHS plans may be warranted, but it fails to address the biggest problems effecting the service – management failure, writes Steve Black
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: NHSE’s strategic thinking is a bin fire
Steve Black challenges NHS England’s decision-making, using the Garbage Can Theory to explain its dysfunction. He argues that random, poorly coordinated decisions result in ineffective strategies, especially for emergency care crises.
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Do not ignore this second warning of the deadly impact of long A&E waits
Steve Black examines the ONS’ new analysis linking long A&E waits to rising patient mortality, highlighting the urgent need for NHS action to tackle the crisis of excessive delays and their fatal consequences.
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: AI focus is a distraction
Investing in AI for NHS data overlooks the real need: basic, affordable analysis of critical data sets to solve pressing issues
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: My top five healthcare books
Steve Black lists the essential books that challenge healthcare practices, and which focus on improving knowledge, decision-making, resource allocation, and evidence-based practices to drive better outcomes.
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: The five management books NHS leaders must read
Steve Black recommends his top five books on policy and strategy for healthcare leaders
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: The zombie idea that demand is causing long A&E waits must die
Steve Black challenges a misleading A&E story that blames “minor ailments” for NHS delays, highlighting that operational dysfunction, not demand, is the true cause of long waits, and urging a more accurate analysis.
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Buying ‘innovative’ drugs is not the best use of NHS funds
Rising drug costs strain NHS budgets, yet many new medicines deliver fewer health benefits than alternative interventions. A Lancet study underscores the need to reassess spending priorities and tackle inefficiencies in resource allocation for better patient outcomes, writes Steve Black
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Daily InsightThe mythbuster: The ‘three shifts’ must wait while the NHS fixes its urgent problems
Elective recovery demands focus and actionable insights, not just resources, to improve productivity, and balance immediate needs with long-term system transformation, writes Steve Black