ICB accused of ‘attacking patient choice’
An integrated care system has been accused of “attacking patient choice” by allegedly “pressuring” eye care providers to refer more work within the NHS – amid moves nationally to bring more ophthalmology services in-house.
Four-year waits to register with NHS dentist revealed
People across Devon and Cornwall are often waiting around four years to register with an NHS dentist, according to information collected by an integrated care board.
Three ICSs responsible for a quarter of very long diagnostic waits
Just three integrated care systems were responsible for nearly one in four 13-week waits for key diagnostic tests in recent months, HSJ analysis of official data has found.
System sees clean sweep of CEO departures in 14 months
The retirement of a long-serving trust chief executive has meant a system has seen all four CEOs of its providers and integrated care board step down in little over a year.
Revealed: ICBs which cut staff by a fifth in 12 months
Several integrated care boards have cut their staffing by up to a fifth in a single year – after being asked to reduce management costs – but significant variation exists, HSJ analysis shows.
Revealed: Three-fold variation in emergency response time by ICS
A threefold variation in ambulance response for serious, urgent conditions has been revealed in new figures.
‘Hierarchical cultures’ reported at trust after doctor jailed
A trust has been told to improve its culture of speaking up and sexual safety by a review of its handling of a doctor who was later convicted of downloading child abuse images.
Eleven ICSs warned of ‘significant concern’ about overspending
Around three quarters of England’s 42 integrated care systems have been unable to set balanced budgets for 2024-25, NHS England has revealed.
Threefold ICS variation in GP phone access revealed
Patients trying to reach their GP are almost three times as likely to fail to get through in the worst-performing integrated care systems than the best, according to analysis of new annual figures.
Exclusive: NHSE begins to claw back funding from ICSs to pay off historic debts
Three-quarters of integrated care systems face funding cuts of up to £20m as a result of NHS England’s insistence they start paying back overspends from previous years, HSJ analysis has discovered.
Following the Money: Bringing back capital punishment
HSJ’s expert briefing on NHS finances, savings and efforts to get back in the black. By finance correspondent Henry Anderson.
ICB chair resigns after refusing ‘to sign off another cut’
An integrated care board chair has resigned, saying she “did not feel able to sign off on a further cut”, and warning its budget plans required “unacceptable consequences”.
Rise in ICSs missing financial plans despite NHSE claim more would deliver
The number of health systems that failed to meet their main financial commitment increased substantially last year, despite NHS England’s chief finance officer previously saying many more areas would “definitely” deliver on their plans.
West Country Chronicle: How an ICB became the best place to work (again)
From Cornwall to the Cotswolds, West Country Chronicle offers essential insight into NHS matters in the South West. Contact me in confidence here.
Former CEO to chair trust at centre of bullying allegations
A former trust and integrated care system chief executive has been appointed as the chair of a hospital provider grappling with high-profile bullying concerns.
West Country Chronicle: An ICB finds inspiration in Brazil
From Cornwall to the Cotswolds, West Country Chronicle offers essential insight into NHS matters in the South West. Contact me in confidence here.
Revealed: The ICSs furthest behind on dental access
Several integrated care systems are struggling to deliver more than half the NHS dental appointments they had hoped for in 2023-24, and all areas are lagging, figures obtained by HSJ suggest.
West Country Chronicle: Where four out of five CEOs are new
From Cornwall to the Cotswolds, West Country Chronicle offers essential insight into NHS matters in the South West. Contact me in confidence here.
North by North West: The threat of regime change
Essential insight into NHS matters in the North West of England. Contact me in confidence here.
NHSE ‘treads tightrope’ with new cash bailout for deficit ICSs
NHS England is set to give around £650m to some health systems to offset financial deficits and ease cash pressures, HSJ has learned.