NHS finances 'at tipping point', Nuffield Trust warns
The NHS in England could be in a funding crisis before the next general election, an influential think tank has said.
Growing gap between rich and poor trusts
An audit of NHS organisations’ 2011-12 accounts has found a widening gap between the trusts with healthy finances and those that are struggling.
Accuracy of tariff improved, Audit Commission finds
The accuracy of a key component of the payment by results system has improved since 2007-08, according to a report from the Audit Commission.
Rise in PCTs reporting above-average costs
The past financial year saw a sharp rise in the proportion of primary care trusts reporting above-average costs for providing NHS services, new Department of Health figures show.
Poor NHS cost data will delay national pricing, Audit Commission warns
Costing data in the NHS is too poor to establish fixed national prices for new acute and community services, an Audit Commission review has found.
Quarter of NHS trusts 'have weaknesses in securing financial resilience'
Almost a quarter of NHS trusts have notable weaknesses in their arrangements for securing financial resilience or challenging how they secure value for money, their auditors have warned.
DH to 'rely' on local pricing to extend community services competition
The Department of Health will be “heavily reliant” on locally set prices to encourage competition from “any qualified provider” in community services, it said this week.
Audit Commission finds social care services improving
Local councils are improving their adult social care but need to pick up the pace, a watchdog has said.
Acute trusts' FT plans slip back a year
More than a quarter of the acute trusts still bidding for foundation status have seen their application date slip by over a year.
Trusts set 'unlikely' savings targets for 2011-12
England’s acute trusts have increased the scale of their cost improvement programmes by nearly a third in 2011-12, an HSJ analysis reveals.
MPs told of budget topslicing 'risk'
Providers could face financial difficulties if commissioning consortia decide to topslice their budgets to create risk pools, the Commons health committee has heard.
Sick leave 'more likely' in junior staff
Lower paid NHS staff and junior workers are more likely to go off sick than senior colleagues, according to a new report.
Absence savings targets will be hard to achieve, says Audit Commission
NHS organisations should be realistic about the savings they can make by tackling sickness absence, the Audit Commission has said.
Rigorous approach needed to improve QOF payments, report says
The Audit Commission has found significant variation among primary care trusts’ management of GP performance payments.
Community foundation trusts may buy premises with Treasury cash
Aspirant community foundation trusts will be able to acquire the primary care trust estate they operate from with Treasury resources, the Department of Health has said.
Productivity gains elude NHS trusts
The NHS failed at the twin challenges of reducing emergency admissions and providing more care outside hospital in the last financial year, according to an Audit Commission report.
Mental health hit by integration issues
Mental health patients are failing to benefit from personal care budgets because of poor inter-agency working.
Councils 'lagging' on social care personal budgets plan
Local authorities face a major challenge to implement personal budgets for social care with some already “lagging behind”, an Audit Commission report has warned.
NHS improves financial grip
The NHS has significantly improved its financial management since the deficit period of 2005-06, the Audit Commission has said.
HSJ100: Staying power is at the heart of NHS influence
As we prepare our list of the most influential people in health in 2010, Alastair McLellan and Darius McQuaid look back at who has wielded most power in the NHS during the last four years
'Reconfiguration may do more harm than good'
The NHS Commissioning Board: biggest of the big spenders
Andy McKeon: why money could not unravel the NHS red tape
Andy McKeon: NHS cash alone won’t end health inequalities
Andy McKeon on NHS efficiency and pre-election sparring
Andy McKeon: saving £15bn-£20bn will be no summer holiday