High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
12 Jan 2022 Health & Social Care
High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
Some firms marked as high priority for contracts with "no objectively justifiable grounds for expediting the offer", court finds
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
07 Jan 2022 Health & Social Care
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
Companies in the fast-track lane were 14 times more likely to win contracts than other suppliers, according to the NAO
Don’t ignore other areas of care when tackling Covid backlog, DHSC told
06 Jan 2022 Health & Social Care
Don’t ignore other areas of care when tackling Covid backlog, DHSC told
MPs also warn against a "targets culture" of focusing solely on reducing numbers
Whitty knighted in New Year's Honours celebrating government scientists and medics
04 Jan 2022 Health & Social Care
Whitty knighted in New Year's Honours celebrating government scientists and medics
UKHSA and MHRA heads also recognised, along with new Scottish Government perm sec
DHSC buys £700k software to monitor death threats against ‘high-profile individuals’ in vaccine rollout
04 Jan 2022 Health & Social Care
DHSC buys £700k software to monitor death threats against ‘high-profile individuals’ in vaccine rollout
The technology tools can also flag “foreign interference” conducted on social media by hostile foreign governments
‘This is my job’: Whitty says he is not ‘treading on ministers’ toes’ by advising public to cut down on festive socialising
16 Dec 2021 Health & Social Care
‘This is my job’: Whitty says he is not ‘treading on ministers’ toes’ by advising public to cut down on festive socialising
Chief medic also says "only people who have no understanding of health" believe Covid is being over-prioritised by medical professionals
Former Home Office chief Phillip Rutnam appointed to NHS board
15 Dec 2021 Health & Social Care
Former Home Office chief Phillip Rutnam appointed to NHS board
Acoba says the appointment of the former perm sec, who resigned last year over a bullying row with Priti Patel, is "low risk"
Perm secs told to produce 'concrete plan' to free up civil servants to volunteer for booster rollout Exclusive
14 Dec 2021 Health & Social Care
Perm secs told to produce 'concrete plan' to free up civil servants to volunteer for booster rollout
Registered healthcare professionals across the civil service to get "unlimited" volunteering leave until the end of January
Chisholm seeks civil service volunteers for Covid booster drive
13 Dec 2021 Health & Social Care
Chisholm seeks civil service volunteers for Covid booster drive
Up to 120,000 officials could be drafted in to hit “million a day” target for vaccinations
Social care plan 'three steps forward and two steps back'
02 Dec 2021 Health & Social Care
Social care plan 'three steps forward and two steps back'
Spending a disappointment given scale of crisis in sector, says former minister Jeremy Hunt
MPs express 'real concerns' over social care costing changes
24 Nov 2021 Health & Social Care
MPs express 'real concerns' over social care costing changes
Treasury Committee urges government to publish a full impact assessment "as soon as possible"
Government was not prepared enough for Covid pandemic, NAO finds
19 Nov 2021 Health & Social Care
Government was not prepared enough for Covid pandemic, NAO finds
Lessons from previous simulation exercises "not fully implemented", watchdog says
Criminal justice system 'failing people with a mental illness'
17 Nov 2021 Health & Social Care
Criminal justice system 'failing people with a mental illness'
Departments urged to fix information exchange system that is ‘broken’ partly due to misunderstanding of GDPR rules, inspectorates say
DHSC seeks DG to manage 'one of government's highest spending portfolios'
16 Nov 2021 Health & Social Care
DHSC seeks DG to manage 'one of government's highest spending portfolios'
Job involves overseeing government commitment to build 40 new hospitals
DHSC sets up NHS Delivery Unit to 'tackle waiting lists and recover services'
15 Nov 2021 Health & Social Care
DHSC sets up NHS Delivery Unit to 'tackle waiting lists and recover services'
Sir Michael Barber will advise health secretary on new unit after calling for ‘war room’ to support underperforming NHS trusts
Covid-19 shows need for faster data, stats authority head says
10 Nov 2021 Health & Social Care
Covid-19 shows need for faster data, stats authority head says
Quicker statistics enable faster policy responses, but numbers used in public should be published, Norgrove says
Top scientist Jeremy Farrar quits SAGE, warning Covid is 'far from over'
03 Nov 2021 Health & Social Care
Top scientist Jeremy Farrar quits SAGE, warning Covid is 'far from over'
Wellcome Trust director says experts have provided 'vital advice' under 'huge pressure'
Test and trace: shortage of digital and data skills cited as reliance on consultants persists
29 Oct 2021 Health & Social Care
Test and trace: shortage of digital and data skills cited as reliance on consultants persists
MPs claim scheme has proven "eye-wateringly expensive" and has not achieved its main objective
‘Several policy teams within DHSC did not know’: secrecy over social care reform revealed
25 Oct 2021 Health & Social Care
‘Several policy teams within DHSC did not know’: secrecy over social care reform revealed
Policy teams were not told the date or details of the plan until shortly before the PM announced it
Spending Review: Sunak set to end wage freeze with new public sector pay policy
25 Oct 2021 Health & Social Care
Spending Review: Sunak set to end wage freeze with new public sector pay policy
Details of NHS settlement also revealed ahead of Wednesday’s statement
SAGE meeting just once a month as Covid rates rise
20 Oct 2021 Health & Social Care
SAGE meeting just once a month as Covid rates rise
Source cites "lessened demand for science advice" for reduction in meetings
Covid exposed ‘major deficiencies in the machinery of government’, inquiry finds
12 Oct 2021 Health & Social Care
Covid exposed ‘major deficiencies in the machinery of government’, inquiry finds
Initial pandemic response 'one of the UK's most important public health failures', MPs say
Welsh Government appoints interim health chief
11 Oct 2021 Health & Social Care
Welsh Government appoints interim health chief
Judith Paget hired for 18-month stint as chief executive of NHS Wales and director general
Meg Hillier: Covid isn’t a licence for departments to act fast and loose on procurement
06 Oct 2021 Health & Social Care
Meg Hillier: Covid isn’t a licence for departments to act fast and loose on procurement
Public Accounts Committee will continue to challenge government on its award of contracts, says chair