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NHS England has deployed a new tool in its latest bid to tackle the elective and cancer backlog – a checklist.

NHSE’s national directors for elective recovery and cancer – Sir Jim Mackey and Dame Cally Palmer respectively – have written to bosses at struggling trusts, instructing them to fill out a new “board self certification” by 11 November. This will confirm they have carried out a list of 12 actions. 

These asks include increased scrutiny around issues such as theatre productivity, list validation and cancer pathway redesign.

The letter affects the roughly 40 trusts in NHSE’s bottom two “tiers” for elective and cancer performance, which are those deemed most at risk of missing key targets for cancer, specifically the 62-day target, and elective recovery, such as the target to clear 78-week breaches by March 2023. As of this summer, 19 trusts were in tier one and 20 were in tier two.

Training time

The NHS Blood and Transplant board will undergo one-to-one training on racism and inclusive leadership,while the Care Quality Commission has ordered improvements at the agency.

HSJ revealed a “well-led” review was being launched into the organisation after staff raised concerns about its culture, amid allegations made against its senior leaders of bullying and harassment.

The CQC report, published this week, said inspectors found several examples of positive operational work, as well as pockets of “compassionate, inclusive leadership” during their visit.

However, some staff were troubled by high leadership turnover rates, while others said they feared reprisal for speaking up about their concerns.

The report continued: “Staff at various levels raised concerns about the culture in relation to diversity and inclusion – particularly those from [an ethnic minority background].

“In numerous forums, staff provided examples of how they were disrespected, discriminated against, and their views were disregarded.”

Interim NHSBT chief executive Wendy Clark told staff that leaders knew the CQC would identify things for improvement.

She added: “We have already begun to address the issues identified in the report and are an improved organisation from the one the CQC inspected this summer.”

The staff who raised concerns will indeed hope so, too.

Also on hsj.co.uk today

HSJ reveals its 50 most influential black, Asian and minority ethnic people in health. As NHS Race and Health Observatory director Habib Naqvi puts it, it’s a list that “in an ideal world, there would be no need”, before adding: “During the last few years we’ve seen, so vividly, the crucial role ethnic minority health and care staff have played in the most challenging of times.” Meanwhile, this week’s The Ward Round argues national bodies are lagging behind trusts when it comes to improving experiences for ethnic minority staff.