HSJ Health Check

This week we talk more about the government’s plans for a new “single patient record” - the legislation for which was in last week’s Health Bill - and why primary care could be a stumbling block.
It was hoped the Bill would provide clarity on how the new data sharing requirements would be achieved but there remain many unanswered questions. 
On the subject of primary care, we cover why the latest collective action being taken by the the GPs’ union may in fact help pave the way for sorting out data sharing.

We discuss Wes Streeting’s tumultuous 22 months in charge – and analyse the Health Bill he has left in his wake, which was published on Thursday.
The bill will give ministers sweeping new powers, as well as abolishing NHS England, and make important changes affecting foundation trusts, integrated care boards, and councils. 
The HSJ Health Check podcast welcomes Hugh Alderwick, Health Foundation director of policy and research, to help unpick the 200-page legislation and what it will mean for the service.

This week we talk in more detail about HSJ’s Top 50 CEOs – not only who topped our annual ranking of hospital leaders, but also interesting trends from this year and beyond, and a behind the scenes from the judging.

We cover the surprising new entries, why a third of individual chief executives included in the rankings over the last 12 editions have appeared just once, and why London and ambulance trusts are finally coming out top.

The full top 50 can be viewed here.

Millions of people are turning to AI chatbots to manage their mental health, driven by a combination of long waiting lists and not meeting clinical thresholds for treatment.
We cover how regulation is running to keep up with this surge in demand and why suppliers are not finding compliance straightforward. 
Also this week, the NHS has a legal duty to reach net zero by 2040. We discuss how – and how well – is it being held to account.

On this week’s podcast we talk about relationships between CEOs and chairs - and why the CEO of East Kent Hospitals has not been at work since mid-November.

And with staff pride at a record low in the Care Quality Commission, according to its latest internal survey, we cover what will be in the in-tray of its new CEO and why the regulator wants to find someone with “clear political licence”. 

(Update): On Thursday evening, following the recording of this podcast, East Kent Hospitals Trust issued a statement stating Ms Doherty was stepping down so that the organisation could “appoint a chair who can focus exclusively on leading East Kent through the next phase of improvement work ahead.”

Ms Doherty remains chair of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust and is also the president of the Royal Society of Chemistry.