HSJ’s 10 most read stories of 2024
As another year draws to a close, we take a look back at HSJ’s 10 most read articles of 2024
Regional director told to ‘rehabilitate’ Letby trust CEO
The senior manager in charge of finding a new role for the chief executive of the trust where Lucy Letby worked has said she was “disappointed” not to be told of the full reasons behind the move.
C difficile rates hit 13-year high
C difficile cases rose to their highest level in more than a decade, official data published this month shows.
ICB reprimanded for not ‘holding FTs to account’
One of the largest integrated care systems has been accused of a “failure” of financial management, as NHS England issued a formal notice requiring urgent improvements across leadership, performance and care quality.
Trust scraps ex-chair’s building tribute after ‘legacy reassessment’
Plans to name a new major trauma centre after a long-serving trust chair were scrapped after a reassessment of his legacy, HSJ has been told.
North by North West: Running rings around the ICB
Essential insight into NHS matters in the North West of England. Contact me in confidence here.
‘Systematic’ cuts to private activity planned by stricken ICS
A health system with one of the largest elective backlogs in the country will implement a “systematic reduction” of its dependency on private hospitals, as part of a bid to cut costs.
North by North West: Funding still pending as new hospital opens
Essential insight into NHS matters in the North West of England. Contact me in confidence here.
Long-waiters fall by a third despite ‘stubbornly high’ elective list
Trusts cut the number 65-week breaches by 35 per cent between February and March, reducing the long waiter cohort significantly from around 75,000 to around 49,000, according to NHS England’s monthly data.
NHSE should intervene in trust safety investigation, says inquiry chair
The chair of the major inquiry into rogue surgeon Ian Paterson has raised concerns over a separate patient recall process conducted by Salford Royal Hospital, and suggested NHS England should intervene.
North by North West: Patient safety or administrative convenience?
Essential insight into NHS matters in the North West of England. Contact me in confidence here.
Redundancy scheme to cut corporate staff by 14%
Multiple hospitals are launching redundancy schemes or plans to freeze recruitment for corporate and non-clinical staff, in a bid to meet their financial expectations in 2024–25.
Tackling health inequalities should be core business for trusts
A new NHS Providers’ guide for trusts provides a comprehensive framework for identifying, prioritising, and addressing health inequalities, write Christine Camacho and Rachael McKeown
North by North West: Skin in the game
Essential insight into NHS matters in the North West of England. Contact me in confidence here.
HSJ Podcast: Scandal at ‘the safest trust in England’
This week, we discuss the implications of a long-awaited independent review into a patient safety scandal at Salford Royal Hospital, where former head of the spinal division John Williamson harmed multiple patients.
North by North West: Coming up with the wrong answer
Essential insight into NHS matters in the North West of England. Contact me in confidence here.
Review ‘strewn with errors’ gave trust ‘false assurance’ over division lead
An investigation has heavily criticised a royal college review that was “strewn with errors” and gave “false assurances” to trust leaders over a prominent spinal surgeon.
NHSE makes three senior hires
NHS England has hired three new senior directors to its estates and facilities team.
Recovery Watch: What ‘virtually eliminating’ 78-week breaches really means
Recovering services from the covid crisis is a big task for NHS leaders for the foreseeable future. The Recovery Watch newsletter tracks prospects and progress. This week by HSJ bureau chief and performance lead James Illman.