NHS shows financial improvement
The Audit Commission's local evaluation report, published on 2 October, shows an overall picture of financial improvement for many NHS organisations in 2007/08. NHS Confederation chief executive, Steve Barnett, said: "For all organisations, stability is a vital foundation to improving performance. The NHS is no exception and the Audit Commission's figures show what NHS organisations can do given the right conditions." Read more

Urgent and emergency care report
We welcome the Healthcare Commission's urgent care report, published on 26 September, particularly the call for services to work together in delivering coordinated care and the support for piloting a single number for urgent care. Read more

ASN responds to urgent care consultation
In September 2008 our Ambulance Service Network responded to the Conservatives' urgent care consultation. The network supports the proposal to introduce a new single phone number for urgent care and a new single pathway for urgent care. Read more

Addressing issues in the NHS staff survey
The Social Partnership Forum has produced a report for boards and trade unions and a flyer for NHS staff to provide an update on activity to address the five key priority areas identified in the 2007 NHS staff survey results. Read more

Contact programme
See details of key NHS Confederation meetings held recently. Read more

Centre of Excellence
The NHS Next Stage Review A high quality workforce report announced plans for a Centre of Excellence to support NHS workforce strategy and planning. NHS Employers will be responding to the consultation and is keen to hear from employers with their views on how the centre should work and what the priorities should be.Read more

Changes in regulating NHS bodies on HCAI
The Department of Health is consulting on changes to how NHS bodies will be regulated in relation to healthcare associated infections. The NHS Confederation will be responding on behalf of members. Read more

Free member events address issue of local leadership
Hear the Confederation's latest analysis of the NHS Next Stage Review and its implications for NHS leaders at the autumn round of membership meetings (sponsored by Vocera). Read more

Party conferences 2008
The NHS Confederation held fringe meetings, in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing and Asthma UK, at all the party conferences asking what each political party can do to win the battle of ideas on health. Two of the Confederation's member networks also held events. Read more

Conservative Party on outcomes
The NHS Confederation has responded to the Conservative Party's green paper Delivering some of the best health in Europe: Outcomes not targets. Our response said that we are in favour of retaining some limited process measures because there are some outcomes that are too distant or hard to measure and need well-designed process measures. Read more