HSJ Health Check

We pick out the main findings from the Ockendon Review  into maternity failures at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust and  discuss what the most important lessons are for the NHS going forward. Also  this week: The NHS Staff Survey has been published and there is more  bad news than good news. We find out just how much staff attitudes have  changed after two years of wo...

NHS spending is being scrutinised more than ever, with trusts asked to double the amount of annual efficiency savings they make.  We discuss why more is being asked of the NHS when times are still tough and what this week’s Spring budget had in store for the health service. Also this week: violence against NHS staff has rocketed to “dangerous levels”, according to NHS leaders who have publish...

Is it time to rethink how the NHS manages its elective waiting list? On this week’s episode we talk about the worryingly high number of people waiting over two years for their planned care - and the alarming number which do not even have a decision to admit. Another factor which could impact on elective recovery is the recent spike in covid admissions. Considering how this could slow down recovery...

As war rages in Ukraine, we discuss the impact of the West’s response against the Kremlin on NHS trusts with supply chains linked to Russia. We also analyse the heavily-anticipated speech on NHS reform by health secretary Sajid Javid this week, which left several important questions unanswered.

NHS England has introduced significant changes to the mechanism that is used to pay hospitals, with the era of covid “block-contracts” finally coming to an end. This week we discuss what the new national payment system means for trusts and why there are concerns it could leave services underfunded. Also an update on the progress of ‘virtual wards’ and more on why clinicians still aren’t too happy...

NHS trusts are getting better – that’s the view of the Care Quality Commission, at least, which now rates only a single organisation as “inadequate”, and two-thirds as “good” or “outstanding”, a big shift from five years ago. But how does it square with the terrible state of elective and emergency care waiting times, along with pandemic pressures? We focus on three trusts very recently taken out o...

The man in charge of elective recovery in the NHS has said the health service faces more scrutiny from ministers, and from the public, than ever before. But is the NHS ready to respond? We discuss the in-depth interview given by Sir Jim Mackey, following the publication of the elective recovery plan. Also, following news that an NHS trust was forced to apologise to a patient after denying a sexual...

After weeks of wrangling over the elective recovery plan a compromise has been reached and on this week’s episode we get stuck into the politics surrounding it and of course what is means for NHS leaders. Also the latest on integrated care systems - have they become more complicated than ever?

Two very different trusts are under the spotlight after concerns were raised by whistleblowers about poor culture and behaviour. We discuss the outcome of the separate external reviews, which looked into The Christie FT and Walsall Healthcare Trust and ask whether they might instigate positive change. Also, more on the mandatory staff vaccine U-turn and how some chief executives are relieved, whil...

Three national NHS England directors have announced their departures over the last few days, so on this week’s episode we discuss why this is significant and the impact it could have on future policy making. Also, cancer performance in England is said to be hitting “new lows” and we discuss which specialties are struggling the most and why hidden referrals could be even more of a worry over the co...

This week we discuss the politics around the elective recovery plan, following suggestions it could be announced imminently to distract from the goings on at Number 10. We also cover the prospect of ‘academy-style’ trusts and ask whether comments briefed to The Times signal genuine intention or just a spot of kite-flying. Plus an update on how staff mandatory vaccination is progressing, with just...

NHS trusts will soon be forced to redeploy or dismiss staff members who have not had their covid jab and this week we discuss what this could mean for the safe running of the health service. We focus on a London trust, which has warned its maternity service could be threatened by the dismissal of unvaccinated midwives. Also this week we discuss the latest NHS operational and performance data.

On this week’s HSJ podcast, we explain what the latest planning guidance from NHS England – published over Christmas – means for the service and its patients. The planning guidance sets out how the NHS’s money will be used and what the service will be asked to provide in 2022-23. HSJ’s Annabelle Collins, James Illman and Dave West translate the key themes on this week’s HSJ Health Check.

In the final episode of the year, we make our predictions for what 2022 could hold for the health service, including staff vaccination woes, spades in the ground for some ‘new hospitals’ and further delays for ICSs. Featuring Annabelle Collins, Nick Carding, Dave West and guest Rebecca Thomas from The Independent.

Record covid cases are being recorded and the NHS must decide how to prepare for another potential wave in late December or January. We discuss what chief execs are doing right now to keep services afloat and as many staff working as safely possible. Also notable points from recent government briefings and an update on the operational challenges facing the booster campaign.

This week we dig into the latest NHS performance data, including the first detailed snapshot into how the NHS is coping this winter. The figures reveal performance has never been worse and we discuss the severe harm this is having on the public, with trusts warning its becoming unavoidable. Featuring Ben Clover, Annabelle Collins, Matt Discombe and Alison Moore.

NHS staff are facing the prospect of another difficult winter. The Omicron variant, an accelerated booster campaign and expectations of elective recovery will be an immense challenge for a completely exhausted workforce. We discuss how staff and leaders will cope. Also, an update on who will be leading the new integrated care systems and why some key systems have still failed to recruit.

This week the HSJ Health Check podcast hears how Number 10’s mission to integrate health and social care services has ramped up with some contentious thoughts, and discuss the NHS’ overall progress in its move towards integrated care systems. Integrating health and social care is a famously difficult task. Now, it seems, Boris Johnson himself wants to clarify local accountability for this.  W...

We hear what NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard and health secretary Sajid Javid had to say ahead of what everyone is describing as the NHS’ toughest winter, and discuss the implications of the news that Health Education England will be merged with NHS England. Featuring Nick Carding, Jasmine Rapson and Lawrence Dunhill. You can listen to HSJ Health Check on this page, or subscribe on Sp...

We discuss the NHS’ performance against emergency, elective and  cancer care targets with new figures this week showing performance is  worsening despite efforts to reverse this. We also hear about national  leaders’ concerns that long waiting times are creating a worrying shift  in attitude from the public, and examine an unusual financial dispute  between two NHS bo...

This week we track the progress of the Health and Care Bill as the tricky April 2022 deadline closes in. We discuss why the House of Lords could be the most challenging bit of its journey so far and delve into the power-struggle between strong provider trust collaboratives and fledging systems. With Ben Clover, Annabelle Collins and Dave West.

HSJ revealed NHS England has written to all trusts and integrated care systems this week telling them to stop ambulance handover delays “immediately” after serious patient safety concerns. This is far easier said than done and we discuss the reaction to the letter and more on what is fuelling some of the worst ambulance pressures ever experienced by the health service. Also the outcome of the spen...

The health service is clearly in a jam in the wake of covid - so why have Sajid Javid’s plans for ‘a year of reform’ antagonised some managers, GPs and other staff?’ We get into some of the challenges faced by the health secretary, how to balance ambition with NHS recovery and why the NHS doesn’t want to go back to how things were before covid hit. This week Annabelle and Dave are joined by Helen...

Health inequalities for those with a mental illness, learning disability or autism have existed for decades and the coronavirus pandemic has made them even worse. We dedicate this episode to talk about why patients in this group have worse global health outcomes than the rest of the population, why “sticking-plaster solutions” don’t cut it anymore and if the move towards integrated care is a reaso...

We discuss Sajid Javid’s first Tory conference as health secretary and try and pin down the “fundamental and far-reaching reforms” he pledged to make. Also – the biggest review of NHS leadership in 40 years has been announced by the government. We discuss why now, when healthcare leaders are under more pressure than ever,  what it hopes to achieve and why managers are an easy target.