CEO Blogs

COVID-19 exposed critical vulnerabilities across the health and care system, from supply chains to surge capacity, from data visibility to public communication. Five years on, NHS England is taking pandemic preparedness back to first principles. This autumn, Exercise Pegasus, the UK’s first Tier 1 pandemic simulation since COVID – will pressure-test the system’s capability to…

Winter is the NHS’s perennial test, but 2025/26 is different. This year, NHS England has redefined system accountability, placing the onus of winter preparedness directly on Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and Trust Boards. In parallel, NHSE is rolling out Exercise Aegis, a nationwide stress-testing programme designed to challenge and validate the resilience of winter plans…

The NHS has faced few issues as persistently challenging, or as emotionally charged as maternity safety. Despite countless inquiries, national ambitions, and dedicated professionals, preventable harm continues. The Ockenden review, alongside earlier investigations like Morecambe Bay and Shrewsbury & Telford, revealed a recurring pattern: inadequate staffing, poor escalation, disjointed team working, and a failure to…

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority’s (IBCA) Additional Report, published in July 2025, offers a candid and sobering assessment of the UK’s ongoing efforts to deliver justice for those infected and affected by the infected blood scandal. While clear strides have been made, the report illuminates systemic shortcomings, fragile public trust, and a delivery framework still…

The NHS faces yet another formidable winter, with the risks of seasonal flu, respiratory infections, and surging emergency demand looming large. But this year, NHS England (NHSE) has signalled a fundamental shift in its approach to winter planning: accountability is no longer centrally driven, it is devolved. The responsibility for system readiness now rests squarely…

The NHS is facing a diagnostics reckoning. Whether it’s imaging, pathology, or assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and ADHD, the message is the same: demand is rising, capacity is stretched, and the consequences of delay are far-reaching. As system leaders confront this challenge, diagnostics must be reimagined not only as a gateway to treatment,…