Workforce and Training

A&E waiting time performance hits all time low as NHS ‘buckles under the strain’

15.02.19: A&E waiting time performances in NHS trusts in England have hit their lowest level since regards began, according to the latest NHS statistics. The NHS’s performance against the flagship four-hour target has hit its lowest level s...

‘No end in sight’: CQC takes urgent action at East Kent FT as children put at risk by staffing levels

14.02.19: The CQC has taken “urgent action” to protect the children being cared for by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust after they were being put at risk by “unsafe” staffing levels. Inspectors found that th...

Family demand wider inquiry into NHS nurse’s death after cervical cancer missed by Bristol trust

14.02.19: The bereaved family of a nurse has called for a full independent inquiry into her care after it took six attempts for her cancer to be diagnosed. Julie O’Connor died on 4 February at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, but days before her...

Maximising volunteer potential in hospitals

14.02.19: Sam Ward, director of commissioned services at the Royal Voluntary Service, argues that the right training can help harness the power of volunteering in the NHS. Royal Voluntary Service has been supporting the NHS since it was created, offe...

Leading and managing experts

14.02.19: A coaching conversation is likely to yield the best results. Managing experts in the health industry can be a challenging and varying responsibility. Dr Darren Leech, director and coach at NHS Elect, tells more on how to unlock your team’s...

North West Ambulance Service: assessing our latest performance review

14.02.19: Michael Forrest, interim chief executive of the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), discusses how his team has implemented best practice methods to achieve its ‘good’ CQC rating awarded last year.  I am delighted with our...

Royal Free London NHS FT appoints new chief executive

13.02.19: The Royal Free London NHS FT (RFL) has announced the appointment of its new chief executive, with Caroline Clarke taking over the hospitals group. Clarke takes over the top job at the major NHS teaching trust after seven years as its deputy...

Priory Group to close High Wycombe hospital after damning CQC report places it in special measures

13.02.19: A hospital for young people with learning disabilities run by a private mental health group has been put in special measures after a damning CQC report. The group has subsequently decided to apply to de-register the hospital and transfer its pat...

Curiosity: an underappreciated quality of leadership

12.02.19: Dean Royles, strategic workforce advisor at Skills for Health and co-author of ‘An Introduction to Human Resource Management,’ returns to write for NHE for his blog series on effective leadership. What if…? Why don’...

NHS’s largest trust leaves special measures after ‘transformation’

12.02.19: The largest NHS trust in the country has been taken out of special measures for quality after nearly four years, with inspectors finding a substantial improvement in the quality of services – but remains in financial special measures. ...

NHS workforce lacks digital literacy as Tesco knows more about its customers than the health service, warns Matt Hancock

12.02.19: Tesco knows more about its customers than the NHS does about its patients, and staff need far greater digital literacy, Matt Hancock has said, announcing a review on how to prepare the NHS workforce for a digital future. A major review just...

Another patient dies after contracting infection at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde hospital

08.02.19: A patient has died after contracting a bacterial infection in a hospital in Paisley, marking the fifth infection-control death at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC). The death occurred at Royal Alexandra Hospital where the patient was...

Five pregnant women deaths in 18 months sparks Birmingham trust investigation

08.02.19: An NHS trust has launched an investigation into maternity deaths at a Birmingham hospital after five pregnant women have died in 18 months. NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust (SWBH) will investigation the deaths, two of which...

Ex-financial special measures trust leaps to ‘good' CQC rating

07.02.19: The former special financial measures trust behind Gloucestershire’s three main hospitals has jumped to a ‘good’ rating after the CQC found “vast improvements” and lessons learnt. Inspectors have praised Glouce...

88-year-old NHS secretary become oldest ever person to win age discrimination case

07.02.19: An 88-year-old hospital secretary has become the oldest person to ever win an age discrimination case after she was marched out of her office by security and sacked when colleagues complained about her age and “frailty.” Eileen...