Finding a new way to work with people with long-term conditions has never seemed more important. Francis’ findings about the failings in Mid Staffs – and the subsequent realisation that the problems t...
Last Friday afternoon I sent a tweet expressing my frustration that my GP surgery would be closed until Monday morning, meaning that I would not be able to pick up a repeat prescription over the weeke...
If someone were to ask me why I am doing the job I am, I could pinpoint the reason as an evening in April 2000. At the time, I was Head of NHS Performance at the NHS Executive and was providing the se...
Sitting listening to Don Berwick launch his report at the King's Fund yesterday, I noticed it had these words in its title: 'a promise to learn – a commitment to act'. Don was as compelling and inspir...
Now that the dust has settled on the publication of the first set of Friends and Family Test results, I wonder what lessons are being learnt. NHS England should, of course, be congratulated for sho...
Politicians and the media love the idea of fixes for the NHS: 'there must be a minimum level of nursing cover for a ward!' 'It must be a criminal offence to hide things from patients!' 'Throw money at...
Is it enough to ask for health and social care services to be 'caring' and 'responsive' (and what should these terms mean)? Are service user control, empowerment and decision making a fundamental a...
A few weeks have now passed since A promise to learn – a commitment to act was published. As Director of Nursing for Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, I have been spending my time talking to staff a...
Patients and their carers are our best witnesses of healthcare. Being centre of the healthcare process, unlike most staff, they observe almost the whole process of care, meaning that they can provide ...
In recent years, government has introduced several similar grants aimed at increasing social care capacity to support hospital discharge. Lucinda Allen looks at the lessons from this approach.
