Dr Mike Bewick wrote to all higher level RO’s to launch the Framework for Quality Assurance – see our Quality Assurance section for more details.

A trial scheme testing a new model of Liaison and Diversion (L&D) is launched this week in ten locations across England.  The scheme will fund mental health professionals in police stations and courts, to ensure people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities are recognised and get the right treatment promptly. As announced in January […]

NHS England has today (3 April) outlined plans for how more than £230 million in funding will be used to ensure all GP practices across England have high-quality IT systems. Set out in an updated operating model for 2014-16, ‘Securing Excellence in GP IT Services’ (document available on our archived website), the plans aim to […]

Public Health England (PHE) scientists issue advice for parts of England and Wales. In the last few days a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara caused a spike in the UK Air Quality Index compiled by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs […]

Brand new Chief Executive of the NHS, Simon Stevens, spent his first morning in the job meeting staff and patients at Shotley Bridge Hospital in County Durham. He started his career in the NHS as a trainee manager at the hospital over a quarter of a century ago. Mr Stevens visited the cancer unit and […]

The NHS needs to tap into the energy of patients, carers and staff to “catalyse change”, Simon Stevens said today. Making his first speech in his new role as NHS England’s chief executive, Mr Stevens added: “At a time when resources are tight, we’re going to have to find new ways of tapping into three […]

The full text of Simon Stevens’ speech is as follows: It’s good to be back – back in the NHS, and back here on Tyneside. I know times are tough, and the Health Service is under pressure. But when people ask me why take on this new job? My answer is:  Because I believe in […]

Simon Stevens makes first speech as CEO and discusses future challenges with patients and NHS staff  The new chief executive of NHS England will today (Tuesday) spend his first day in the job in the north east where he started his NHS career 26 years ago. Simon Stevens will start by meeting patients and nurses […]

NHS England and the Care Quality Commission have issued joint guidance to Trusts on the delivery of the ‘Hard Truths’ commitments associated with publishing staffing data regarding nursing, midwifery and care staff levels. The guidance has been issued by Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Professor Sir Mike Richards, Chief Inspector of Hospitals, […]

People with complex health care needs from today (April 1st) have the ‘right to ask’ for a personal health budget. The scheme is being rolled out across the country after the budgets were trialled in a national pilot programme between 2009 and 2012 at sites all over the country. They give people more independence over […]