Health Management and Policy Alert

Kingdon review: terms of reference

Department of Health and Social Care - 

This document sets out the terms of reference for the independent review of children’s hearing services in England, to be chaired by Dr Camilla Kingdon (a consultant neonatologist and former President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health). The review will consider: NHS England’s response to the service failures in paediatric audiology; how the relevant governance arrangements between NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care could be improved and identify lessons learned; and how NHS England’s handling of any future service failures in similar services could be improved and identify lessons learned.

• Guidance
• Press release

 

Recognising and responding to early warning signs in public sector bodies

Committee on Standards in Public Life -
This report aims to support public sector bodies to put in place the processes needed to recognise the early warning signs of emerging problems and to facilitate a culture where speaking up about concerns and learning from mistakes are seen as a personal duty and are valued by everyone in the organisation. It is hoped that this will lead to better outcomes for the public by mitigating the risk of harm, saving taxpayers’ money and leading to the more effective delivery of public services.

• Report
• Committee on Standards in Public Life - press release

Abolishing NHS England: what you need to know

NHS Confederation - 

This briefing sets out the key points from developments confirming the abolishment of NHS England.

• Briefing

Monitoring the Mental Health Act in 2023/24

Care Quality Commission -
The Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) is the legal framework that provides authority for hospitals to detain and treat people who have a mental illness and need protection for their own health or safety, or the safety of other people. This report sets out CQC’s activity and findings during 2023/24 from engagement with people who are subject to the MHA as well as a review of services registered to assess, treat and care for people detained using the MHA.

• Report
• Care Quality Commission - publications

Quangocracy: the future of public bodies

Reform -
This report estimates that public bodies now account for around 60% of day-to-day government spending. It argues that departments are unclear on the power they have over public bodies and the main channels for holding them to account are underpowered, under resourced or ineffective. It sets out recommendations to ensure that the right processes are in place for departments to deliver through public bodies, but also so that public bodies are only created where they add genuine value.

• Report
• Reform - publications

2025/26 NHS priorities and operational planning guidance: what you need to know

NHS Confederation - 

This briefing provides a summary and analysis of NHS England’s 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance.

• Briefing

 

NHS Providers governance survey 2024

NHS Providers - 

This report details the findings of NHS Providers' 2024 governance survey, exploring the views and experiences of chairs, company secretaries and governance leads in NHS trusts and foundation trusts.

• Report
• More detail

Road to recovery: the government's 2025 mandate to NHS England

Department of Health and Social Care -
The government’s mandate to NHS England sets out the objectives they should seek to achieve. This mandate will apply from 30 January 2025, until it is replaced. The objectives cover reform to: cut waiting times; improve primary care access; improve urgent and emergency care; the operating model; and drive efficiency and productivity.

• Mandate
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

UK Health Security Agency business plan 2024 to 2025

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) - 
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) business plan for 2024 to 2025 outlines the agency’s key deliverables and activities to protect and improve the public’s health and reduce health inequalities. It is underpinned by internal plans and performance management frameworks to drive delivery.

• Business plan

Annual assessment of integrated care boards 2023/24

NHS England - 
This report is a summary of the assessment of each ICB covering how effectively they have led their local NHS system and their contribution to each of the four core purposes of an integrated care system. It summarises an assessment of performance during the 2023/24 financial year and reflects NHS England’s views relating to that period only.

• Report
• NHS England - publications