Daily Insight: Not a data remember

After 10 months of the UK’s coronavirus vaccination programme, provider-level data on vaccination rates for frontline staff finally landed last week.

But many trusts have said the data, collected and published by the newly formed UK Health and Security Agency, has a number of errors.

Only two-thirds of trusts appeared to have responded to the request for data, it listed several trusts’ vaccination rates as being questionably low and some trusts had no staff listed as having had second doses.

The data was also five weeks old, as it only covers up to 31 August. But this does not account for the trusts’ own figures given to HSJ and the figures in the UKHSA report.

The disappointing data dump comes after UKHSA said it was “highly important” that the vaccination figures were collected accurately and in a timely manner.  

No need to shoot or fear the Messenger

Last week saw two incidents of sabre rattling in the direction of NHS managers, the first being the announcement of the Messenger review of NHS leadership, the second being a Times front page declaring that trust chief executives would be sacked if they failed to reduce waiting lists.

But this week we should reflect on a calmer, more accurate picture of what the government really thinks of senior NHS leaders. Indeed, after winning plaudits from Tory conference delegates and right-wing commentators, the health and social care secretary will know he needs to work on getting them back on his side.

It is only three months ago that the government selected a career NHS manager – in Amanda Pritchard – as NHS England chief, ahead of several successful outsiders which, it is suggested, demonstrates they are not blind to their value, nor out to undermine NHS leadership.

And what is to be feared from the Messenger review? It is highly likely it will – at worst – reinforce the importance of good leadership in the NHS. Why is HSJ so confident in stating that? Find out in the full article by our editor Alastair McLellan here.