Health Policy

Struggling ambulance trust to send occupied vehicles to emergency calls

17.09.18: The East of England ambulance services trust will send ambulances with stable patients already on board to new, more life-threatening emergencies in a bid to improve response times. Ranked in the worst 10 ambulance trusts in England for cat...

NHS IT systems ‘costing lives’: Hancock unveils £200m digital fund and five app trials

06.09.18: Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock has described the NHS’s IT systems as “stuttering,” arguing that they are putting lives at risk and are in need of a serious upgrade. “It’s time to bring the health...

Hospital serving Dominic Raab’s constituency warns Brexit ‘will break NHS’

02.08.18: A hospital serving the constituents of Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has published a damning Brexit impact report, in which it warns Brexit “will break the NHS.” The paper from Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, obtained by...

Hancock won’t rule out cuts to previous Hunt commitments, considers ringfencing transformation

25.07.18: The health secretary has not yet evaluated whether previous NHS commitments from predecessor Jeremy Hunt will fit into his future plan, arguing you have to spend the money “as far as possible.” Speaking to MPs at the Health Sele...

Anti-NHS charity with financial links to new health secretary to be investigated

13.07.18: The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), which donated thousands of pounds to the new health and social care secretary Matt Hancock and openly supports NHS privatisation, is to be investigated after concerns were raised over its status as an edu...

Matt Hancock to become health secretary following cabinet reshuffle

10.07.18: Number 10 has announced that former digital minister Matt Hancock will become secretary of state for health and social care following Jeremy Hunt’s appointment to foreign secretary. Jeremy Hunt, who became the longest serving health s...

Transforming the NHS procurement landscape

04.07.18: Gerard McGeary, director of strategy & corporate communications at Supply Chain Coordination Ltd, a body set up by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), talks about the incoming changes in the new NHS Supply Chain operating model....

Getting more out of our medicines

20.06.18: Paul Chrisp, programme director of medicines and technologies at NICE, describes how the organisation is re-purposing drugs in order to improve patient care quickly and cost-effectively. Developing new medicines and then ensuring they are u...

A hostile environment

20.06.18: Dr Terry John, chair of the BMA’s international committee, gives his thoughts on the government’s visa and immigration policy and its effect on the recruitment of foreign healthcare professionals. Aspects of the government&rsquo...

The Memorandum of Understanding: Privacy at risk

20.06.18: The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Home Office and NHS Digital meant that patient data and confidentiality was being put at risk and undermined the principles of the NHS, writes Dr Sarah Wollaston, chair of the Health and Social C...

Hawking-backed fight against ‘unlawful’ NHS privatisation reaches High Court

23.05.18: Legal proceedings will begin today at the High Court with a campaign group challenging the government over plans to implement accountable care organisations (ACOs), which they claim is an attempt to increase private services operating in the NHS...

All women to have access to perinatal mental health services by next year

10.05.18: New and expectant mums will be able to access specialist mental health community services across the country by next April, NHS England has announced. The NHS will spend £23m on rolling out the second wave of community perinatal services...

RCP supports fresh public health approach to ‘war on drugs’

30.04.18: The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has voiced its support for the Royal Society of Public Health’s (RSPH’s) report ‘Taking a New Line on Drugs,’ which calls for illicit drug use to be decriminalised and made a public h...

Tax on sugary drinks ‘will help ease obesity epidemic’, says RCGP

06.04.18: Today, the UK’s tax on sugary drinks came into effect as part of the government’s flagship anti-obesity policy. This new tax comes into effect as obesity-related illnesses continue to put a strain on the NHS and public health at...

NHS England and NHSI look to integrate working practices into seven regional teams

28.03.18: NHS England and NHS Improvement have announced major changes designed to bring the organisations closer together. Plans will be presented to NHS England’s board this Thursday to establish new working arrangements from September 2018. ...