HSJ Health Check

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, Annabelle Collins and Rebecca Thomas.

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 the outcome of Wednesday’s budget.

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 fallout for NHS finances. On the finances, we also discuss our recent exclusive interview with the new head of the National Audit Office, in which he painted a damning picture of recent years’ financial management; and look at the current picture of NHS financial health. With bureau chiefs James Illman and Lawrence Dunhill, and senior correspondent Sharon Brennan. Got feedback? Contact @davewwest on Twitter or dave.west@wilmingtonhealthcare.com

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 Dave West’s dossier on how evidence that life expectancy and mortality rates are faltering go back eight years. Also featuring Annabelle Collins, Nick Carding and Jack Serle.

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