HSJ Health Check

This week the news team bring you the podcast from the NHS Confed/Expo conference in Liverpool. Annabelle Collins, Lawrence Dunhill and Dave West are joined by guest Charlotte Augst, chief executive of charity National Voices. We cover the biggest talking points from this year’s conference, including Amanda Pritchard’s debut NHS Confed speech as NHSE CEO, the health secretary’s vision for ‘reform trusts’  and the continued uncertainty around ICS development.

The chief executives of Sandwell and West Birmingham, Countess of Chester, King's College and Croydon hospitals trusts - some of the worst affected through the covid pandemic - discuss what lessons can be learned, including more sharing of waiting lists and staff, developing critical care, addressing unequal resources, the resource gap, fast decision making and local leadership. Part two of two. See hsj.co.uk for analysis on the trusts hit hardest by covid.

The chief executives of Sandwell and West Birmingham, Countess of Chester, King's College and Croydon hospitals trusts - some of the worst affected through the covid pandemic - reflect on how they dealt with the fear and uncertainty of wave one, and the impact on staff then and now. Part one of two. See hsj.co.uk for analysis on the trusts hit hardest by covid.

This week our focus is on new ways of delivering care in the NHS. We discuss why the NHS is not on trajectory to meet its virtual ward ambitions and what needs to be done to gain the confidence of clinicians. Also an update on digital health service provider Babylon and why this major player is cautious about further NHS expansion. Plus our insight on virtual versus face-to-face GP appointment trends. Featuring Annabelle Collins, James Illman and Shruti Trivedi.

“Our project is in jeopardy.” This is according to one trust working on long-needed major hospital redevelopments, which were promised by the government in the run-up to the 2019 general election. HSJ revealed this week each project has only been given £1m to cover their planning costs – an amount which falls far below what is needed. We discuss why this could see the critical work delayed even further. Also an update on the ongoing ambulance crisis in the NHS after it emerged a patient waited 24-hours in an ambulance while waiting to be handed over to A&E. Link to video: https://twitter.com/HSJnews/status/1526447482661650432

On this week’s episode we discuss NHS England’s own staff survey results, which reveals the best and worst performing departments and regions and delivers a particularly worrying verdict on the People Directorate. We also turn again to integrated care systems, and this time focus on why in some areas a power struggle could emerge between ‘place’ and the system-wide leadership. Also, an update on two-year waiters in the NHS, a closer look at the trusts with the longest backlogs and why for some key performance targets will likely be missed.

Three further acute trusts are considering a move to joint leadership, HSJ has learned, and mental health hubs for NHS staff are being underused — we analyse both issues on this week’s HSJ Health Check podcast. The trusts, in Norfolk, have fiercely protected their independence in the past, but could the national shift towards collaboration see things move forward? We also give an update on the country-wide picture. And Emily Townsend discusses her finding that mental health hubs for NHS staff — set up to protect wellbeing during the covid pandemic — are being underused, despite evidence of growing MH-related absences. Featuring Nicholas Carding, Emily Townsend, James Illman and Dave West. Send feedback to nicholas.carding@wilmingtonhealthcare.com

A plethora of complex governance arrangements are being  set up in and around ICSs - which are only just due to become statutory.  We discuss why these complications might hinder successful service  change. We also hear about two senior NHS tech chiefs leaving  their positions to join a controversial private company - at a time when  NHS England is launching a major data project to drive digital  transformation across the health service. Link to the leader discussed in the podcast: www.hsj.co.uk/policy-and-regulat…ed/7032335.article

The NHS has been told to scale back infection control measures, but what will this mean for staff and patients? We talk about the risks healthcare leaders will have to balance over the coming weeks and the reaction from clinicians. Also on the subject of cancer recovery, we discuss the good and the very bad news.

NHS England have asked systems to ensure their financial plans break even this year - but easier said than done when many face deficits of over £100m. This week, we discuss why systems are pushing back and how this could play out. Also, the latest race equality data has been published and we analyse what it says about leadership diversity in NHS trusts.