Health and care sector latest developments
Labour to cut NHS targets in reform drive
According to the Financial Times, health secretary Wes Streeting plans to halve NHS targets, focusing on patient priorities like reducing waiting times and improving GP and dentist access,
New guidance, set to be released later this month, will reduce national objectives from 32 to 16.
According to government officials, the updated annual guidance will also include fewer "national priorities," which represent broader NHS goals, while key objectives such as A&E waiting times and reducing waiting lists will be maintained.
It follows a government-commissioned review by Patricia Hewitt in 2023 which recommended cutting the number of national NHS targets, cautioning that an excessive emphasis on meeting targets could encourage manipulation or result in serious neglect of patient care.
Health Foundation report questions whether the plan for 18-week NHS waiting times is realistic
The Health Foundation released a report on the government’s Plan for Change which pledged 18-week NHS waiting times from referral to treatment for 92 per cent of patients. It concluded the increase in treatments required to meet this is achievable based on pre-pandemic rates, but it is also dependent on how fast referrals increase.
The government’s promise of 2 million extra appointments in the first year of parliament is equivalent to 400,000 to 700,000 additional treatments, leaving a gap for subsequent years. The government’s plan sets out reforms to address this gap but their impact is uncertain and could create more demand for services.
New Labour in the 2000s cut NHS waiting times suggesting it can be achieved again, though this was under a healthier economy, longer timeline and greater investment.
Responding to the report, acute director at the NHS Confederation Rory Deighton said it “shows just how difficult it is going to be to achieve the government’s goal… but… with the right support to boost productivity the goal is achievable”.
UK plans national pandemic preparedness tests for 2025
The UK will hold a multi-day pandemic preparedness exercise this autumn involving thousands of emergency teams, local councils, and officials.
The initiative follows COVID-19 inquiry recommendations, which found the country ‘ill-prepared’ for the pandemic. Cabinet minister Pat McFadden announced additional measures, including a full emergency alert test and a national vulnerability map to identify at-risk populations.
A new resilience academy will train 4,000 people annually to improve crisis readiness. Findings from the exercise will be publicly shared.
Long A&E waits associated with higher mortality rates
HSJ is reporting that those who wait 12 hours or more at A&E are twice more likely to die within 30 days, when compared to those who are treated within two hours.
Analysis, carried out by the ONS and set to be published next week, analysed the 30-day post-discharge mortality of patients classified as ‘very urgent, urgent, standard or low’, excluding those with ‘potentially life threatening, critical conditions’.
The research adds to the growing evidence of the harms associated with lengthy A&E waits. NHS England has stated that it would consider the analysis following its publication, emphasising that tackling these waits will be part of the forthcoming ten-year plan for the NHS.
AI used to spot diseases doctors are not looking for
Using AI can identify early signs of preventable chronic diseases. It uses imaging that has already been done for another clinical purpose.
The algorithms are trained on thousands of previous scans from diverse groups. It makes objective assessments based on imaging data not demographic assumptions, reducing bias.
The AI technology belongs to Nanox.AI which is being trialled by Oxford NHS hospitals. However, Sebastien Ourselin, head of the AI centre for value-based healthcare, notes if the AI is inaccurate it could result in unnecessary testing that puts further strain on the NHS.
Hospital chief executive appointed ICB boss
Katie Fisher will take up her new role as the chief executive of South West London ICB next month. This follows the end of a nine-month contract as chief executvie of Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals Foundation Trust, which operates in the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System.
Royal Surrey FT CEO Louise Stead has taken over as ASPH CEO, under a planned move to a group arrangement.
Ms Fisher has previously been chief executive of mental health provider St Andrew’s Healthcare, and prior to that of West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust. She took on the later role after serving as a director with the Royal Free London FT, with whom West Herts had a ‘buddying’ agreement.
Surgeon and lawyer chosen to chair divorcing trusts
Barts Health Trust announced this morning that cancer surgeon Ian Jacobs would take up the role of chair at the east London hospital trust.
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust also announced today that lawyer Sarah Betteley will be its new chair.
The pair replace former Labour home secretary Jacqui Smith, who was joint chair of both trusts before leaving to take up a ministerial job with the new government. On her appointment in 2021, the two trusts announced they were “examining, with staff and stakeholders, the benefits of deeper collaboration”.
Calorie labels trim only 11 calories from meals, study finds
Calorie labels on menus reduce intake by just 11 calories per meal - the equivalent of one Pringle crisp - according to a review of 25 studies involving 10,000 people.
Researchers found a 1.8 per cent average reduction in calories consumed, suggesting a modest but consistent effect.
Critics call for policy repeal due to business costs, while experts agree labelling alone is not a complete solution for tackling obesity.
Chancellor shrugs off criticism as she eyes deregulation to kickstart growth
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has insisted she will not be deterred by recent criticism following a turbulent period for the UK economy. Speaking on the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast, the Chancellor acknowledged the rise in borrowing costs, but stressed that this was a global issue, not exclusive to the UK. Despite concerns over stagnant growth, highlighted by a modest 0.1 per cent increase in November, Reeves vowed to prioritise economic growth, describing it as the "number one mission" of the Labour government.
