Mimi Launder

Exclusive: ICBs to shrink to 27 clusters The consolidation of integrated care boards will result in the 42 organisations moving to 27 clusters, HSJ has learned.

Step forward CPBLMKH ICB

www.hsj.co.uk/integrated-c...

Anger rising - particularly from maternity services - around cut to ringfences across maternity, children and prevention.

Donna Ockenden said it was "unbelievable" she had to find out from our article that money to improve maternity services was among the slashed pots.

Interesting.... It's firm that this will be the approach (though some flexibility around figure), not sure timings on when details will be shared with ICB staff though! Where are you based?

Trusts must cover ‘new hospital’ redundancy costs Trusts must cover their own redundancy costs caused by delays to projects in the New Hospital Programme, despite hopes they would be covered centrally, HSJ has learned.

Project teams for the most delayed 40 'new hospitals' are now being stood down

@hsj.co.uk understands NHS trusts must front redundancy costs themselves - which could run into millions nationally

Story: www.hsj.co.uk/finance-and-...

Yes absolutely - feels strange, esp given big changes coming up and that the Darzi report underlined that the NHS is undermanaged...

ICB spend will be reduced to an average of around £19 per population head, with some flexibility between ICBs.

The target - which must be hit at a regional level - represents first firm details on how 50% overall cut to ICBs will be implemented.

www.hsj.co.uk/integrated-c...

Read my briefing off the back of this analysis here: www.hsj.co.uk/expert-brief...

Revealed: ICBs divided on ‘neighbourhood teams’ HSJ analysis reveals a major split across England on the right size and shape for neighbourhood teams, which are a key part of government's reform ambitions.

ICYMI. What is the right size and shape for neigbourhood teams? Should they fit into NHS structures? And does any of this even matter?

Our analysis uncovers the debate raging on how to define and structure neighbourhoods.

www.hsj.co.uk/integrated-c...

Internal NHSE slides - from before announcement of steep cuts to ICBs - propose ambitious asks of ICBs as "high performing strategic commissioners"

Just a month later and it already feels woefully out of date.

www.hsj.co.uk/integrated-c...

Excl: Row as NHS commissioners refuse to pay for weightloss drugs that a company is "intensively" marketing to patients. (£)

High cost and large numbers of eligible patients mean issue is a "ticking timebomb" for NHS, says one boss

www.hsj.co.uk/finance-and-...

Streeting is Lansley reborn The government's abandonment of its stricture against a top-down reorganisation would be breathtaking if it was not so tragic.

“The speed of change from a position in which a government-endorsed review can bemoan “a permanent loss of [managerial] capability from the NHS” to that same administration taking up arms against a “bloated bureaucracy” would be breathtaking if it was not so tragic.”
www.hsj.co.uk/comment/stre...

Ministers will learn the pain of legally rewiring the NHS As Andrew Lansley's policy adviser I learned the pain of legislating to rewire the NHS - the government should avoid it, says Bill Morgan.

Commentary is catching up with the demise of NHSE this week. Today's HSJ has a bevvy of articles with warnings and analysis of some relevance. For example, This from Bill Morgan on the risks of legislating for the abolition: www.hsj.co.uk/comment/mini... ...

Former Labour health secretary and ICB chair Patricia Hewitt criticises "brutal" cuts to central NHSE bodies paired with "hugely increased management of the centre". Intvw with @jamesillman.bsky.social.

www.hsj.co.uk/policy-and-r...

The Integrator: Do ICBs have a future?
www.hsj.co.uk/expert-brief...

Full list of NHSE "transition" team here, following a swathe of resignations:

www.hsj.co.uk/integrated-c...

Massive couple of days in the NHS.

NHSE to be abolished. Wes Streeting says in email to staff that the merger is a reflection of a "fragmented system holding us back".

Just yesterday ICBs were told to cut their running costs in half by December.

t.co/ZlhLi04fKw