HSJ Health Check

For much of the country, coronavirus has peaked. It came quicker than expected, but the virus is not going away anytime soon – and NHS leaders will have to rebuild their services around it in a new reality. This week’s HSJ Health Check podcast considers the dilemmas of the next few weeks and months, such as how to resume elective care, use of the new Nightingale hospitals, and addressing the damag...

This HSJ Health Check podcast special explores the legal rules and risks for the NHS as it tackles coronavirus. HSJ senior correspondent Sharon Brennan speaks to lawyers Francesca Burfield and Max Duddles — who work for legal training and information specialists Bond Solon —– about the major implications of the covid-19 response in the health and care system; and the government’s sweeping legal ch...

Our newest episode covers the latest in the NHS’ response to the coronavirus pandemic, including spare beds, controversial death statistics, and what’s happening to ‘normal’ care.

Coronavirus continues to dominate the lives of healthcare leaders and policymakers, and this week’s HSJ Health Check examines the outlook for pressure on the NHS, the tech response, and the health toll of covid-19’s collateral damage. Deputy editor Dave West is joined by bureau chief James Illman and correspondents Jasmine Rapson and Jack Serle. Contact dave.west@wilmingtonhealthcare.com with feed...

As dealing with coronavirus grips the NHS, we discuss three of the central challenges: kit – including PPE and ventilation equipment; staffing – including PPE and conflicting advice; and the impact on patients who do not have covid-19. With HSJ’s Annabelle Collins, Sharon Brennan, Dave West and Ben Clover. Warning: Please forgive some sound drop-outs due to technical problems with remote recording...

The HSJ news team breaks down this week’s essential coronavirus coverage, including warnings from leaders that ICU beds will run out in four days, the transformation of the excel centre into a new hospital and how ICU staffing ratios are being diluted to deal with the surge in patient numbers. We also delve deeper into our chief executive survey. Featuring James Illman, Lawrencce Dunhill, Annabell...

With a coronavirus pandemic declared by WHO and Boris Johnson describing this as the biggest public health challenge in a generation, the HSJ Health Check podcast gets under the skin of the issue. We ask, what does the reconfiguration suggested by the chief medical issue involve and what does this mean for the NHS and patients? Annabelle Collins, Dave West, James Illman and Tom Norton also discuss...

With the national targets review drawing to a close, what is going to happen to the totemic four-hour A&E waiting target? This week’s HSJ Health Check considers the latest developments and next steps in the high-stakes process of reform. On coronavirus covid-19, we consider the latest evidence about the impact on the NHS – including the knock-on effect for major policy decisions, and the fallo...

This week HSJ Health Check examines the latest developments on the government’s “40 new hospitals” election promise, particularly the brand new £20bn construction framework through which this ambitious target would be taken forward. We also turn our attention to another of this government’s declared health priorities – prevention – including Sir Michael Marmot’s latest findings; and deputy editor...

The annual staff survey has been published and this week our expert team of journalists Sharon Brennan, Rebecca Thomas, Annabelle Collins and Nick Carding dig into some of the troubling findings on rising violence and discrimination in the NHS. We also discuss the health secretary’s new proposals to bar care to abusive patients also how the ‘Rooney rule’ could play a part in health policy. Also: N...

The government is looking to curb NHS England’s powers but on HSJ.co.uk this week deputy editor Dave West has warned against giving more power to ministers. Here we discuss possible solutions to this very complex reorganisation.  Also – we dissect the hard-fought new GP contract and why primary care cuts in Birmingham could adversely affect minority ethnic patients. Featuring senior correspon...

The links between hospitals and social care have got worse not better, poor health services are still being protected and preserved, and quality improvement has been cut. These are among the hard-hitting messages from the outgoing national clinical director for stroke services, Tony Rudd. In this HSJ Health Check special, Professor Rudd – who previously oversaw the move to hyper-acute stroke servi...

The inquiry on rogue surgeon Ian Paterson, West Suffolk Hospital dropping two ratings; and staff trouble at the Care Quality Commission. We discuss care quality dilemmas past and present on this week's HSJ Health Check podcast. Plus - the commissioning landscape from April, now final merger plans are in. This week HSJ deputy editor Dave West is joined by editor Alastair McLellan, and senior corres...

The NHS’s marching orders for 2020-21 have been published, including some big changes to funding rules, and confirming the top priorities from Skipton House. In this HSJ Health Check our expert journalists give a laserlike analysis of the new operational planning guidance, covering: Finance rules, targets and performance, learning disabilities, workforce, integration and system working. Featuring...

Integrated care systems, digital health and growing the workforce – all are covered in this week’s HSJ Health Check. There’s been a big shift in integrated care system leadership – HSJ integration correspondent Sharon Brennan reveals the top line findings exclusively for the podcast. Jasmine Rapson, our digital services correspondent, discusses Babylon Health’s new deal with an NHS trust to build...

This week we talk waiting. The health secretary and NHS England run into problems with their moves to scrap the four-hour emergency department target – what are the concerns, and what’s the point of ditching it? On the planned care waiting list – NHSE confirmed it has spent millions sending some patients to private providers this winter; and major long-term harm has been revealed from delays to op...

HSJ bureau chief Ben Clover talks to correspondents, Rebecca Thomas, Jack Serle and James Illman. The team cover exclusive figures on the prevalence of sexual assault in mental health settings, the A&E crisis and what is happening with PCNs – part of the big plan for overhauling primary care.

In a podcast exclusive, HSJ editor Alastair McLellan reveals the 10 things which were most important to NHS policy and leadership in the 2010s. And why can health service leaders look forward to the next few years with a bit more hope? We explore this – and the big issues facing the NHS in 2020 – in this new year’s HSJ Health Check. I ncluding the NHS People Plan, new NHS legislation, capital fund...

HSJ Health Check this week gazes into the crystal ball for predictions for 2020, focusing on three of the biggest issues in 2019: Tech, mental health, and staffing.  Featuring Dave West, Rebecca Thomas, Annabelle Collins and Nick Carding.

The general election results are in, and on this week’s HSJ Health Check the team gives our early analysis of what the Conservative majority government could mean for health and care policy and funding. Plus – the immediate issues on the NHS’s plate now the voting is out the way – including winter, Brexit, the NHS People Plan, and preparing for 2020-21. Featuring HSJ deputy editor Dave West, senio...

Listen to the HSJ Health Check podcast — this week we cover the national workforce modelling as revealed by HSJ , norovirus and the flu turn up early, and a Midlands trust lands an “outstanding” rating. The latest episode features HSJ deputy editor Dave West, bureau chief for performance and efficiency Ben Clover, senior correspondent for performance and Brexit James Illman, and workforce correspo...

This week’s HSJ Health Check is brought to you from the HSJ Mental Health Summit with special guests Sean Duggan, of the NHS Confederation, and Matthew Trainer – Oxleas Foundation Trust chief – joining HSJ correspondents Annabelle Collins and Rebecca Thomas. We discuss whether the politicians still care about mental health, given its low profile in the election campaign so far, and other top issue...

The political parties’ election manifestos are out, with lots to say about what they would do for health and social care. In this HSJ Health Check manifesto special, the HSJ team examines proposals from the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats – looking across the big themes of funding, workforce and reform. Taking part are HSJ editor Alastair McLellan, integration correspondent Sharon...

Whatever has happened to the trailed solution to the NHS pensions crisis? And what are the long-term consequences of doctors now discovering a work-life balance?  In other news, we discuss the Shrewsbury and Telford maternity care scandal, and the curious departure of an ex-private sector finance director from a long-strained London hospital trust. Featuring HSJ deputy editor Dave West, workf...

This week’s HSJ Health Check discusses Labour’s big NHS announcements – and what they say about how it would manage the service. Plus the decision of Greater Manchester’s “devo” health and care chief to quit. With HSJ editor Alastair McLellan, deputy editor Dave West, correspondent Annabelle Collins, and bureau chief Lawrence Dunhill.