HSJ's most read stories of 2015

January

NHS England appoints director for new care models

HSJ chief executive of the year Samantha Jones joined NHS England in January as director of new models of care for NHS England.

Labour reveals 10 year plan for health and social care

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham confirmed he wanted health and wellbeing boards to be accountable for new ‘year of care budgets’ which would cover the health and social care needs of those at the greatest risk of hospitalisation.

Exclusive: Jobs at risk as NHS England rejects two CSU bids

Two commissioning support units failed to make it on to NHS England’s procurement framework.

Finance director of troubled trust dismissed over gross misconduct

The finance director of the challenged Barnsley Hospital Foundation Trust was dismissed after misstating its accounts.

Single trust responsible for over half of national 12 hour waits

University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust had 100 patients waiting over 12 hours in accident and emergency, accounting for more than half of such waiters nationally.

February

Revealed: winners and losers of CCG support framework

Nearly 50 clinical commissioning groups were forced to decide how they would access essential support services after NHS England decided their existing providers had no future.

Stevens moves to sidestep pricing rules after provider revolt

Trusts were asked to accept a new ‘voluntary’ tariff for 2015-16 after the formal price setting process was thrown into uncertainty and delay by a provider revolt

Revealed: Details of £6bn Manchester health devolution plan

Draft plans obtained by HSJ revealed a new statutory body would oversee plans to hand plans for Greater Manchester to take control of £6bn of health and social care spending.

Chief executive of £1bn-turnover trust resigns

Barts Health Trust chief Peter Morris stepped down after the trust’s planned deficit doubled to more than £90m. 

March

NHS England reveals new care model ‘vanguard’

NHS England selected the 29 ‘vanguard’ areas to develop new models of integrated services. The sites included some of the most challenged health economies in England and well established pioneers of joined up care. See the vanguard map.

Exclusive: David Flory to step down as TDA chief executive

David Flory announced his decision to retire having run the organisation responsible for managing NHS trusts since it was founded in June 2012.

Revealed: HSJ’s top provider chief executives

HSJ published its annual list of the 50 chief executives doing an exceptional job of leading their organisations.

April

Debunked: Myths about NHS managers

In the weeks before the general election we offered a reminder to politicians to tell the truth about NHS leadership - and we skewered some myths along the way.

Exclusive: Pay NHS directors £1m bonuses, says Rose

Suspiciously, one of the HSJ’s most shared stories in 2015 was written by the rarely seen Alf Poorli.

Chief executive of major London trust resigns

The exodus of provider trust chief executives gathered pace, with the departure of Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust’s Paul O’Connor and Tim Smart of King’s College Hospital Foundation Trust.

May

David Cameron’s second attempt to reform the NHS will be built on firmer foundations

In May the Conservative Party confounded the polls and won a majority in the Commons. We assessed what it would mean for the NHS.

Largest trust in England rated ‘inadequate’

Barts Health Trust appointed an interim chief executive, and was found inadequate by the CQC.

CCGs must buy external support services, NHS England says

NHS England told clinical commissioning groups in the north to jointly go to market to procure vital support services.

June

Future of NHS Leadership inquiry

HSJ published the findings of its inquiry into NHS leadership. It argued there should be fewer NHS organisations to avoid management talent being spread too thin. Download the full report.

Trust chief speaks out over commissioning ‘disaster’

The chief executive of Nottingham University Hospitals Trust urged the NHS to learn from the commissioning mistakes which led to the collapse of the trust’s dermatology service.

Monitor and TDA to join under new chief

When is a merger not a merger? When Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority announce plans to work much more closely together under a single leader.

Carter to unveil hospital efficiency ‘index’

Lord Carter published his landmark review of NHS productivity.

Exclusive: Birmingham FT boss to run two trusts

More evidence that provider leadership talent was being spread too thin as Sarah-Jane Marsh was appointed to run a second trust.

July

HSJ reveals the best places to work in 2015

In July we published three top leadership lists, which were the three most-read articles that month: HSJ reveals the best places to work in 2015; HSJ Clinical Leaders 2015; HSJ Patient Leaders 2015

First eight urgent and emergency care vanguards revealed

The vanguard train accelerated as the first wave of urgent and emergency care vanguard sites was revealed by NHS England. Explore the map.

Exclusive: Agency spending clampdown team will be made up of temporary staff

The cost of agency spending dominated the news in the second half of 2016. In July details emerged of the Monitor team that intended to drive a clampdown.

August

Providers ordered to take tough new measures to cut deficits

NHS providers were told to take a raft of emergency measures to try to reduce the huge deficit predicted by the sector this year. 

Major teaching hospital names new chief executive

King’s appointed Nick Moberly to replace Tim Smart.

700 jobs at risk as NHS England signs £330m Capita deal

NHS England completed a £330m, seven year deal to outsource primary care support services to Capita, putting more than 700 jobs at risk.

Chief executive ‘excluded from work’ after whistleblower complaints

Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust chief executive Jonathan Parry was excluded from his role as a “holding action pending the completion of an investigation”.

September

West Herts to be placed in special measures

West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust was recommended for special measures after being rated ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission.

Government to impose new contract on junior doctors

In a dispute that has yet to be resolved, the Department of Health told HSJ in September that junior doctors would be forced to work under new terms and conditions from August next year.

Tim Kelsey to leave NHS England

One of NHS England’s most high profile board members announced he would be leaving the organisation to take a new job in Australia. He eventually departed in December.

Sir Robert Naylor to leave UCLH

The provider leadership crisis deepened as Sir Robert Naylor announced he would step down; and in the same month the chief executive of The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation Trust resigned.

October

Chief executive chosen for new provider sector regulator

Jim Mackey named as chief executive of the new NHS provider regulator, NHS Improvement.

Consultancies in the hunt for £1m contract to design NHS Improvement

KPMG won the contract to design how NHS Improvement will be created and function.

Finance director resigns after discovering £12m deficit

The finance director of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals stepped down after the foundation trust discovered a previously unreported £12m deficit.

Exclusive: Julie Moore to run two Birmingham FTs

Julie Moore became the second person to run two Birmingham trusts simultaneously.

November

Stevens issues warning over government’s NHS funding deal

In the buildup to the comprehensive spending review, Simon Stevens issued a dramatic warning that the government’s plans might not deliver a ‘workable’ funding settlement for the NHS. NHS England eventually got a ‘frontloaded’ funding boost from chancellor George Osborne.

Newcastle upon Tyne trust scoops three HSJ Awards

The North Eastern trust was triumphant, bagging awards in three categories. Julie Bailey and James Titcombe received special recognition awards for their campaigining work.

HSJ100 2015

Simon Stevens came out top in HSJ’s annual list of the most influential people in healthcare.

Bennett: Government ‘micromanagement’ creating ‘dependency mindset’ among leaders

The outgoing Monitor chief executive accused the government of attempting to ‘micromanage’ NHS organisations in a way that damages motivation and creates a ‘dependency mindset’ among leaders.

December

Landmark £800m outcomes based contract collapses after eight months

One of the biggest contracts ever put out to tender by the NHS collapsed just eight months after going live, after commissioners and the provider consortium agreed it was not “financially sustainable”.

Exclusive: Stevens casts doubt over NHS devolution outside Manchester

In his first major interview after the spending review, Simon Stevens said he expected “not many” areas would be given control of devolved NHS budgets outside of Greater Manchester in the next few years.

HSJ investigation calls for improved pay to cut agency spending

HSJ’s workforce investigation recommended NHS providers should enhance pay and rewards and offer flexible working hours to staff to tackle their rising spend on agency staff.