Further reading: the Cornwall council and NHS outsourcing rebellion

The last fortnight has seen extraordinary events in Cornwall. This Tuesday, council leader Alec Robertson lost a vote of no confidence, primarily over plans to outsource many local council and NHS jobs. Jim Currie, a councillor who opposes the scheme, and who had resigned last week as deputy leader, won the vote to replace him. (Both are Conservatives.) The debate was watched live via the internet by around 4,400 people. Continue reading “Further reading: the Cornwall council and NHS outsourcing rebellion”

Why London is the home of loss-making NHS hospital trusts

A decreasing number of NHS hospitals are run by plain old NHS trusts, simply because an increasing number are successfully applying to be foundation trusts – which requires evidence of financial stability. Those which have not yet become foundations are regulated by the Audit Commission, which therefore tends to oversee those on a weaker financial footing. It recently reported on the trusts still in its care, and found that 10 of the non-foundations were in financial deficit in 2011-12, totalling £177m. (Trusts have a legal duty not to make a loss, although this applies over three-year periods.) Continue reading “Why London is the home of loss-making NHS hospital trusts”

Hinchingbrooke hospital chief: unions do not doubt our intentions

Ali Parsa, chief executive of the private company running a Cambridgeshire NHS trust, tells SA Mathieson how he aims to make the hospital one of the best in the country

As well as talking to Ali Parsa, I also spoke to Circle’s head of IT Gary Mudie on his plans for Hinchingbrooke. Continue reading “Hinchingbrooke hospital chief: unions do not doubt our intentions”

How staff helped Mid Staffordshire make a clean start

A hospital trust that became notorious for poor care is using its employees’ ideas to turn itself around

Mid Staffordshire NHS foundation trust has become notorious for failing to take care of its patients. This piece looks at some of the ways it has started to make improvements, although it has a long way to go.
Continue reading “How staff helped Mid Staffordshire make a clean start”