Health & Social Care

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Una O’Brien, permanent secretary at the Department of Health, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs round-up series...

Pressure on Care Quality Commission resources is showing through report errors, say MPs, as CQC chief David Behan (pictured) says regulator has been "working hard to improve"

Significant victory for NHS chief executive Simon Stevens as chancellor George Osborne brings forward promised NHS investment

Healthcare Financial Management Association urges the government to go beyond £8bn pledge – and sounds the alarm on NHS deficits

Health service chief executive says "considerably more progress" needed in Spending Review talks to ensure "genuinely workable NHS funding solution"

As the government’s most senior medical adviser, it’s Dame Sally Davies’ job to stand up for hard evidence and grapple with some of the country’s biggest health challenges. Matt Foster meets her

Care Quality Commission chief David Behan tells NHS Innovation Expo that public reassurance vital after data on patients attending sexual health treatment centre accidentally shared

An adult social worker discusses how budget cuts and legislative changes mean those in his profession now spend more time on paperwork than looking after people in need

When it comes to strengthening their health systems, emerging economies are not short of challenges – and "leapfrogging" can help deliver real change rapidly

Former head of the government finance profession handed CIPFA medal for "outstanding" public service

"Robespierre terror" of Public Accounts Committee under former chair Margaret Hodge will be copied by more MPs, former health secretary warns officials

National Audit Office report says department consulted carefully on Care Act, but sounds warning over whether local authorities will be able to cope with demand

Simon Stevens calls for £22bn of savings as NHS Confederation warns health service under serious financial pressure

New poll of health workers by Dods Research finds Labour most trusted on NHS, but there is doubt over the main parties' policy pledges

Conservative party vows to close funding gap identified in NHS Five Year Forward View, but Labour questions source of the extra money

SCS requirement for 'supreme flexibility' in working is holding back disabled civil servants, one of three government-commissioned reports on diversity finds

After a rocky start, the government’s ambitious plan to integrate health and social care is ready for launch. But is the challenge simply too big? Mark Rowe asks the experts

Information Technology is a contentious topic in healthcare circles. But that didn’t stop CSW exploring its potential at a recent round table, as Tim Gibson reports

Health secretary apologises on behalf of  government and health service for failure to deal with Savile abuse

They do things differently in Totnes, and they have a Member of Parliament who does it her way too. Jess Bowie travels to Devon to spend the day with Sarah Wollaston, the Tory MP and select committee chair who has no fear of speaking the truth to power. 

How will public sector cuts in the 2015 Spending Round impact on the UK health sector?

Kate Gross, No. 10 private secretary to two prime ministers, was driven by a desire to make people’s lives better, writes Oliver Robbins

Top Treasury official calls for closer working between Whitehall and local government

The Department of Health’s director general for social care, local government and care partnerships tells Winnie Agbonlahor about a career spent working across boundaries