Dave West @ HSJ

Recipe: north London’s new favourite carbonara Lupa’s very yellow riff on a classic comes alive in the details

Enjoying this recipe but I live in south London

www.ft.com/content/c506...

Anyone know if south London has a favourite carbonara ?

The complex story of public health and prevention spending in local government | The King's Fund What do longer term trends in local government spending tell us about the government’s commitment to the prevention shift?

Yes, flatlining www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-...

Details of public health grants to councils were published yesterday (we're shifting treatment to prevention, remember)

But they appear to confirm my story from December that the grant will be held flat in real terms / eroded over the next three years. (lnkd.in/eXQx3Jbb)

Grant dets here : lnkd.in/eRDJr5vd

There was a substantial increase in 2025-26 meaning minister able to say it "will be higher in real terms every year of this Parliament than it was in 2024-25"

DHSC issued allocations for 3yrs (positive), several grants combined (OK). But there are stronger fiercely guarded ringfences which some in councils will say limits their ability to protect other services which are also important for prevention, and facing big cuts

Details of public health grants to councils were published yesterday (we're shifting treatment to prevention, remember)

But they appear to confirm my story from December that the grant will be held flat in real terms / eroded over the next three years. (lnkd.in/eXQx3Jbb)

A screenshot from a phone with a LinkedIn alert from East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust saying "Could you be our new Chief Executive Officer?"

This just popped up on my phone from LinkedIn.

Not that I'm in the slightest qualified to go near the job but being a Trust or ICB CEO right now just seems like a bitterly awful job to want to do.

I wouldn't do this, or any other Trust or ICB CEO job, if you added a zero to the end of the salary.

Trying to get AI to improve my productivity sure is eating into my productivity

New data from #PublicHealth Wales shows early life really shapes long-term health—15% of children born in 2022 were already overweight by age 2. Feeding practices and early environments make a huge difference. If we support families better, we build a healthier Wales.
🔗 phw.nhs.wales/news/new-dat...

I wonder which 10yhp proposals will be put on ice in order to keep the bill "focused"

We will have a listen. April after Easter sounds likely, then, with scope to slide further as ever!
Some have been talking it up and hoping for much sooner; others suggesting it's getting abandoned altogether.

Maybe some proposals will get a bit of trailing/consultation in advance

'unlikely before Easter' was last I heard - but they are definitely still working away at it

Revealed: Urgent review ordered after deaths in fragile maternity services NHS England has ordered trusts to "urgently" review their home birth services, it has emerged - as an HSJ investigation reveals widespread fragility and safety risks.

Excl: NHSE “urgently” reviewing home birth services

Comes as @hsj.co.uk investigation reveals widespread fragility and safety risks — including concerns highlighted by multiple coroners

Warning follows deaths of Jennifer & Agnes Cahill

w/@alijanemoore.bsky.social www.hsj.co.uk/patient-safe...

Hospital admissions with flu are back at "low" levels in England.

www.gov.uk/government/s...

Exclusive: CEO forced out by chair wins £1.4m settlement A trust has agreed a £1.4m settlement with its former chief executive, who was forced out of her role in a coordinated campaign by its then chair and other directors, HSJ has learned.

CEO forced out by chair wins £1.4m settlement

from @zoetidman.bsky.social

www.hsj.co.uk/countess-of-...

Exclusive: CEO forced out by chair wins £1.4m settlement A trust has agreed a £1.4m settlement with its former chief executive, who was forced out of her role in a coordinated campaign by its then chair and other directors, HSJ has learned.

Exclusive: CEO forced out by chair wins £1.4m settlement
www.hsj.co.uk/countess-of-...

DHSC published its impact statement for the 10 Year Health Plan this week (yes, that is 6 months after it published the plan)

It's more measured and clear-eyed than the original document and quite a contrast to some of the effusive optimism in the plan

Some of the things that caught my eye 👇

Indications that the flu in 2025, though infections started spreading early, was substantially less deadly than the last two years. That

For all of those who

- think we are still in the middle of a raging pandemic 😷

- believe conspiracies about the covid vaccines 🤡

I have some more data for you to ignore or explain away

This will hack off some boards who have been desperately trying to reduce costs while believing it was what they were being asked to prioritise.

the Nye Bevan quote was that the NHS legislation would cause "a public megaphone will be put in the mouth of every complainant" - which rather sounds like the purpose of HW - although presumably Wes's argument is that's now replaced the technology etc

Wes Streeting at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk puts great emphasis on NHS modernisation (against opposition), patient power, technology, and prevention. "The job of listening to patients can't be farmed out to an arms length body" ie HW
@davewwest.bsky.social @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social

Good confidence that the NHS flu bed count will continue its fall this week. This counts positive tests (NOIDS causative agents report) and tends to be a decent leading indicator.

A mention for "the HSJ" (thanks) from Wes with reference to that fact they could not consult on how to do their big restructure, because it would leak.

[Surely, like most consultations, they could announce the general intent then consult on details and timeline?]

Oof - Streeting accuses "some parts" of the NHS of having "oversteered" on reducing deficits and are therefore "underdelivering on elective activity" (Ie not cutting waiting lists fast enough)

@rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social also says he's continuing with NHSE abolition: "I won't back down on that"

Wes Streeting is so far majoring on patient power and choice, enabled by tech, in speech at @instituteforgovernment.org.uk - favoured Nye Bevan quote today is (a modified version of) "a public megaphone will be put in the mouth of every complainant"

A (positive) pre-Christmas flu update, thanks to UKHSA for publishing a day early

RSV (mostly affects the very young and very old) at a fairly high rate & some signs it is still rising, though