

HSJ Health Check
HSJ
HSJ Health Check: Weekly analysis of the biggest issues in health policy and leadership, from HSJ's expert journalists. The go to place for an independent, informed and immediate take on health and care news.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 10, 2025 • 28min
The plan for electives
This week the team looks at the new elective recovery plan launched this month. The government has tightened to focus on what improvement looks like and introduced some new incentives, but will it be enough? We also take a look at the ever-contentious New Hospitals Programme. Bureau chief Ben Clover is joined by Henry Anderson and Zoe Tidman.

Dec 20, 2024 • 44min
What’s coming in 2025 for the NHS
The HSJ Health Check team reveals our predictions for the big issues — and unexpected developments — in 2025, on this week’s Christmas podcast.
What to expect in reform, finance, integration, primary care, workforce and more in the coming 12 months.
With HSJ deputy editor Dave West, senior correspondent Henry Anderson, and correspondent Mimi Launder.
Send thoughts, tips, story ideas to ben.clover@hsj.co.uk

Dec 13, 2024 • 25min
Break-even or pay-freeze
This week the team looks at the fallout from the government’s positions on staff pay from band 2 to VSM via the banks and agencies.
Bureau chief Ben Clover is joined by reporters Henry Anderson and Alison Moore.

Dec 6, 2024 • 32min
Targets and terror and tech
This week bureau chief Ben Clover is joined by Mimi Launder and Joe Talora. The team talk about who is really in charge of overseeing providers and what Labour’s big plan to overhaul the health tech sector might mean.

Nov 29, 2024 • 28min
Directors on the stand at Thirlwall Inquiry
This week, the podcast looks at accountability in the NHS and the Thirlwall Inquiry

Nov 22, 2024 • 35min
Named and shamed
This week guest host Ben Clover is joined by emergency care correspondent Matt Discombe and safety correspondent Emily Townsend. The team unpack the many policy implications of announcements made at last week's NHS Providers conference, as well as a big moment in the main auditorium. A worrying development with echoes of the Noughties also comes under the spotlight

Nov 15, 2024 • 56min
What health leaders want from the 10-year plan
ICS leader Fiona Edwards, trust chief Daniel Elkeles, and policy guru Nigel Edwards join the HSJ podcast to tell us what's needed from the government's 10-year health plan.
Helping and reforming general practice will be crucial, they agreed, but what should be dictated nationally and what must be left to national decisions?

Nov 8, 2024 • 26min
What the 'left shift' means for hospitals
This week on the HSJ Health Check podcast, guest host Ben Clover is joined by the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers to talk money, quality and the CQC

Oct 25, 2024 • 22min
Winter 'panic buying'
This week guest host Ben Clover and the team look at what no money for winter means for the NHS, and how real a bold new integration scheme is.

Oct 18, 2024 • 33min
The magic administrator
This week the team discuss whether the NHS's whole safety, safe-staffing and quality system is getting overhauled, plus was it one simple trick that slashed waiting times at a trust? Guest host Ben Clover is joined by HSJ reporters Alison Moore and Emily Townsend.