Matt Hancock unveils ‘blistering’ NHS reforms as government prepares to seize control February 11, 2021 Matt Hancock has unveiled plans to reform the NHS, insisting that the pandemic is the “right time” for the government to shake up the health service at “blistering pace”. In its biggest set of reforms for a decade, ministers are set to be handed “general power to direct NHS England on its functions”, amid widespread [...]
Ministers to seize control of the NHS in sweeping reforms February 6, 2021 Ministers will take direct control of the NHS amid ongoing frustration at its performance during the pandemic, marking the biggest reform for the health service for a decade. The plans are understood to have begun before the 2019 election, but have been accelerated amid mounting frustration from Number 10 over the state of the health [...]
NHS chief earmarks summer for return to normality January 26, 2021 NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens has signalled that the UK could begin to see a return to normality by the summer if plans to ramp up the nation’s vaccination programme go to plan. Teachers and police could be fast-tracked for the Covid vaccine as early as mid-February, the NHS boss said. Ministers have set [...]
London buses converted into temporary ambulances to ease Covid pressure January 21, 2021 Two London buses have been converted into temporary ambulances to alleviate the pressure of Covid-19 on the NHS across the capital. Starting the service in the next few days, NHS staff have been prepped and vaccinated to transport up to four patients in the makeshift ambulances which have been stripped of seats and adapted with [...]
Decentralising the NHS could be a game-changer for the UK’s future health January 20, 2021 The NHS is a highly centralised organisation. During the Covid crisis, policy decisions have been made at the top and then passed down. There has been little scope for showing initiative at a local level. This dates back to when the NHS was set up in the late 1940s. Central planning was very fashionable at the time. [...]
NHS hospitals use blockchain technology to track and monitor vaccines January 19, 2021 Two NHS hospitals are utilising blockchain technology to track Covid-19 vaccines in a ‘world’s first’ initiative revealed this morning. Monitoring the storage and supply of the temperature-sensitive vaccine, Everyware and Hedera Hashgraph are working to strengthen record-keeping and data-sharing across the supply chains. The hospitals, based in Stratford-upon Avon and Warwick, expanded their use of [...]
NHS providers urge Rishi Sunak to invest extra £4bn due to Covid challenges November 13, 2020 NHS providers sent a letter to Rishi Sunak today demanding he increases investment in the NHS by £4bn, in light of the upcoming public spending review on 25 November. The letter is co-signed by Chris Hopson and Saffron Cordery, respectively the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers, the membership organisation for the [...]
Rapid Covid tests to be rolled out across majority of London boroughs November 10, 2020 Rapid coronavirus tests are set to be rolled out across the bulk of London boroughs, as part of government plans to step up asymptomatic testing across the country. Lateral flow tests, which have a turnaround time of as little as 15 minutes, will be sent to 21 out of London’s 32 boroughs this week. The [...]
Dido Harding slammed for ‘three per cent’ Test and Trace success rate November 10, 2020 Baroness Dido Harding has been slammed by MPs for the “three per cent” success rate of England’s contact tracing programme, as the Test and Trace chair faced her first formal grilling in the Commons. Health and social care committee chair Jeremy Hunt pressured Harding to explain why only “three per cent of the total theoretical [...]
Coronavirus: NHS boss confirms health service is preparing for vaccine by Christmas November 4, 2020 The NHS is preparing to distribute potential Covid-19 vaccines in time for Christmas, the head of the health service announced today. Simon Stevens, chief executive of the NHS, said medical chiefs were drawing up plans for wide-scale rollout of a potential vaccine over the next two months, in case one of them is ready in [...]