Health and care sector latest developments
More strikes unlikely amid “increasingly positive” negotiations, says doctors’ leader
A resident doctors’ leader has predicted that further strike action is unlikely, thanks to “increasingly positive” and “constructive” negotiations.
The British Medical Association RD committee yesterday secured a new mandate for strike action over pay and jobs.
But committee deputy chair Arjan Singh Nagra, speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme this morning, said he was “optimistic” it would not be used.
He said: “There is no intention to go on strike… It is a negotiating tool, but we’ve got no intention of actually using it. I would say our relationship with government over the last few months has become increasingly positive.”
The government was “making serious progress” on the union’s dispute over training jobs, with its “excellent bill” to prioritise UK graduates over overseas candidates, Dr Singh said, albeit this was “the bare minimum”.
He said the union’s demands for a large pay increase had “a long way to go”, however, but added: “There’s a framework there we can build on.”
BMA to appeal court decision on PAs
The British Medical Association (BMA) will appeal the court decision made about the General Medical Council's approach to physician associates (PAs).
PA Media reports that the BMA will challenge the decision made that it was acceptable for PAs to be referred to as ‘medical professionals’.
Jenni Richards KC, for the BMA, explained that the use of the term "exacerbates the already very real risk of confusion as to the role of, and ambit of capabilities and responsibilities of, associates".
Women's health strategy to be published in spring
The updated women's health strategy will be published in spring.
This was confirmed by Baroness Merron this afternoon to the Women and Equalities Committee.
She said the strategy will align with the 10 Year Health Plan, with the three shifts playing a key role in improving women's health.
Travel costs to be covered for families of children with cancer
The government has announced that it will cover travel costs for families of children with cancer.
As part of the National Cancer Plan, the BBC reports that £10 million is being set aside to pay for travel costs, which can reach thousands of pounds over the course of treatment.
The health secretary said the funding "will make the world of difference to parents".
On today's morning broadcast round, PA Media reports comments from Karin Smyth that the plan will have a section dedicated to children.
The secondary care minister explained that a specific section is needed since the "care that children and young people need with cancer is different for adults".
In other cancer-related news, The Telegraph reports that there have been noticeable increases in cancer rates among women under 50 since 2000, with similar rises not being seen in men.
Bid to overhaul key emergency target
National officials are in talks about a major overhaul of the ambulance response time target that covers more than half of emergency calls.
Category 2 is by far the largest group of ambulance incidents, at 51 per cent, covering relatively minor concerns up to suspected heart attacks and stroke.
Their formal target response time is 18 minutes. This has rarely been met at a national level, but – in the wake of a huge rise and outcry from 2022-24 – there has been a big improvement over the past year. The NHS is trying to meet a 30-minute recovery target this year, which falls to 25 minutes in 2026/27.
However, ambulance leaders are now suggesting major changes be made to how their providers are measured for category 2 calls, including putting more weight on care quality indicators and less on response time.
The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), which represents all of the sector’s ten trusts, has begun discussing potential changes with national officials in NHS England, it told HSJ. The organisation believes NHS England is open to change, although it is likely to require consultation.
Speaking to HSJ, AACE chair Jason Killens also floated the possibility of splitting category 2 into more and less urgent incidents, allowing the latter to have a slower response. This has not yet been formally put forward by AACE or discussed with NHS England.
ICB declares ‘very serious’ £200 million deficit
An integrated care board (ICB) has revised the year-end financial forecast for its system from breakeven to a £198 million deficit, with two months to go.
Kent and Medway (K&M) ICB has blamed this result on the failure to deliver back-loaded cost improvement programmes compounded by the expected loss of £49.3 million “deficit support funding” income.
The ICB has carried out a detailed review of system finances in recent weeks, after identifying problems, and has jointly with NHS England commissioned a ‘drivers of the deficit’ review from accountancy firm EY. The ICB’s chief finance officer has been replaced, and it is planning to recruit a system financial recovery director.
It is one of several large deficits to emerge in recent weeks, although NHS England has so far insisted its national plan remains on track and improved on last year.
A paper to K&M ICB’s board meeting today declared a £148.3 million ‘materialised risk’. Part of this comes from one of its acute providers, Medway Foundation Trust (FT), increasing its deficit forecast from £4.9 million to £47.2 million, including £16.5 million lost DSF.
Medway FT’s expected deficit increased by £9.6 million within a week of an earlier forecast, which the ICB said was “evidence of weak financial controls and forecasting”.
Joss Bigmore appointed chair of Surrey hospitals group
A group chair has been appointed at two hospitals in Surrey to “strengthen continuity” between the organisations.
Joss Bigmore, current chair of the Royal Surrey Foundation Trust, will chair Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals Foundation Trust (RSFT) and also the group of both trusts – which is likely to expand if the Queen Victoria Hospital FT joins later this year as planned.
Mr Bigmore is a former managing director at Credit Suisse and has been chair of RSFT since March 2023. He is also the convenor of the Surrey Heartlands provider collaborative and a Guildford borough councillor.
The trusts retain their own boards and local decision making, but the group chair role is seen as important for closer collaboration.
