Leadership Insights

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,…

The NHS England (NHSE) Board’s July 2025 meeting marked a pivotal moment for health system leadership. Against a backdrop of recovery from pandemic-induced pressures, ongoing financial constraints, and strategic reform, the Board issued clear signals on the direction of NHS policy, performance expectations, and systemic preparedness. This edition of The NHSE Brief distils the critical…

Context and System Signals The NHS faces no greater long-term threat than the loss of its people. While pressures on beds, flow, and digital systems attract headlines, a quieter and potentially more destabilising issue is unfolding: rising staff resignations, early retirements, and a sharp increase in professionals leaving the register altogether. The headlines from the…