HSJ Health Check

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: Nick Carding takes us through his latest exclusive tech story, this time about how the NHS could soon breach patient data sharing rules.

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 correspondent Annabelle Collins, deputy editor Dave West and correspondents Jack Serle and Katie Hignett.

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 services in London, where he was a long-serving consultant – shares six hard-hitting reflections and suggestions from his time at the centre of service reform. His observations include: There’s no evidence of improvement in the link between hospitals and care services; The NHS has failed to shift spending – and research – away from acute care; Community hospitals should be closed to invest elsewhere; Businesses would fail if they copied the NHS's cuts to quality improvement and clinical data; and The NHS has too much local decision making.

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 correspondents Sharon Brennan and Annabelle Collins.

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 deputy editor Dave West, bureau chief Lawrence Dunhill, senior correspondent for workforce Annabelle Collins, and senior correspondent for mental health Rebecca Thomas. Comments and suggestions to dave.west@wilmingtonhealthcare.com

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 “digital-first integrated care”, including the chance to meet your “digital twin”. And workforce correspondent Annabelle Collins on the next steps for international recruitment and the outlook for funding the NHS People Plan. Hosted by HSJ deputy editor Dave West. Got feedback or something you would like us to discuss on HSJ Health Check? Contact dave.west@wilmingtonhealthcare.comor @davewwest

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 ophthalmology follow-up checks. How will the new government approach these major performance problems in hospital services? Got feedback or something you would like us to discuss on HSJ Health Check? Contact dave.west@wilmingtonhealthcare.comor @davewwest.

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. Including the NHS People Plan, new NHS legislation, capital funding, and Simon Stevens staying a little longer. Got feedback or something you would like us to discuss? Contact dave.west@wilmingtonhealthcare.comor @davewwest.

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.