Ministers accused of 'treating civil servants differently' as NHS pay deal agreed
17 Mar Medical

Ministers accused of 'treating civil servants differently' as NHS pay deal agreed

Government "treating their own workforce worse than anyone else", unions say after "failure to hold meaningful talks"
by Tevye Markson
DWP pledges to improve disabled people's experience of benefits system
15 Mar Medical
DWP pledges to improve disabled people's experience of benefits system
Hancock denies ignoring Whitty's advice on Covid tests for care homes
01 Mar Medical
Hancock denies ignoring Whitty's advice on Covid tests for care homes
MoD medics aid victims of Turkey earthquake
20 Feb Medical
MoD medics aid victims of Turkey earthquake
PM scraps Covid restrictions and announces end to free tests from April
22 Feb 2022 Medical
PM scraps Covid restrictions and announces end to free tests from April
Legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test for Covid-19 to end on 24 February under "Living with Covid" plan
EXCL: Health security agency signs £1m deal with Deloitte to help get private Covid tests to market Exclusive
21 Feb 2022 Medical
EXCL: Health security agency signs £1m deal with Deloitte to help get private Covid tests to market
Consultants brought in to assess paid-for LFT providers as Omicron and supply-chain delays led to shortage of free tests
DHSC rejects plea to overhaul NHS workforce planning despite ‘crisis’ warning
16 Feb 2022 Medical
DHSC rejects plea to overhaul NHS workforce planning despite ‘crisis’ warning
Health and Social Care Committee chair Jeremy Hunt says government has missed opportunity to tackle staff burnout crisis
Scotland's chief medical officer apologises for retweeting 'political messaging'
15 Feb 2022 Medical
Scotland's chief medical officer apologises for retweeting 'political messaging'
Gregor Smith was accused of breaking the civil service code
Treasury pushes for free Covid testing to be scrapped despite SAGE warnings
14 Feb 2022 Medical
Treasury pushes for free Covid testing to be scrapped despite SAGE warnings
Removing tests could make it harder to take precautions and could disproportionately impact vulnerable people, experts say
DHSC seeks deputy chief medic to replace Van-Tam
07 Feb 2022 Medical
DHSC seeks deputy chief medic to replace Van-Tam
Department offers up to £149,000 a year for its next DCMO for health protection
DHSC writes off £8.7bn of pandemic PPE
01 Feb 2022 Medical
DHSC writes off £8.7bn of pandemic PPE
The losses included £2.5bn spent on PPE that was not suitable for the NHS or in care settings
WATCH: Steve Glass on the work of the Vaccine Taskforce and maintaining 'tenacity under pressure'
28 Jan 2022 Medical
WATCH: Steve Glass on the work of the Vaccine Taskforce and maintaining 'tenacity under pressure'
The winner of the Cabinet Secretary's Outstanding Leader Award shares how the task force delivered Covid-19 vaccines under extraordinary circumstances and on a massive scale, and lessons for the future
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
28 Jan 2022 Medical
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
NHS England chief rapped for failure to publish ministerial direction letter on time
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
19 Jan 2022 Medical
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
Significant progress made on cutting consultant numbers, but short-term roles and secondments deter officials from applying
Andy Cowper: The PM plays party games while the NHS strains under Covid pressures
19 Jan 2022 Medical
Andy Cowper: The PM plays party games while the NHS strains under Covid pressures
The PM’s non-apology on the “BYOB” No.10 garden party won’t convince many. Meanwhile, NHS workforce and waiting list challenges remain
Jonathan Van-Tam to step down as deputy chief medical officer
13 Jan 2022 Medical
Jonathan Van-Tam to step down as deputy chief medical officer
Job has been "most challenging of my professional career", JVT says
MPs voice concerns over Javid’s £1bn private hospitals ministerial direction
13 Jan 2022 Medical
MPs voice concerns over Javid’s £1bn private hospitals ministerial direction
Health secretary signs off on £90m-a-month plans to put sector on standby to provide backup for NHS services
High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
12 Jan 2022 Medical
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
Don’t ignore other areas of care when tackling Covid backlog, DHSC told
06 Jan 2022 Medical
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
'An oracle would be handy': Chief medical officer Chris Whitty's New Year's wish
17 Dec 2021 Medical
'An oracle would be handy': Chief medical officer Chris Whitty's New Year's wish
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The government's top medic tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid while pushing ahead with new challenges
‘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 Medical
‘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
Perm secs told to produce 'concrete plan' to free up civil servants to volunteer for booster rollout Exclusive
14 Dec 2021 Medical
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
Government was not prepared enough for Covid pandemic, NAO finds
19 Nov 2021 Medical
Government was not prepared enough for Covid pandemic, NAO finds
Lessons from previous simulation exercises "not fully implemented", watchdog says
With the healthcare system on its knees, 'The Saj' talks about making plans
19 Nov 2021 Medical
With the healthcare system on its knees, 'The Saj' talks about making plans
Andy Cowper reviews the last month of health and social care news
Top scientist Jeremy Farrar quits SAGE, warning Covid is 'far from over'
03 Nov 2021 Medical
Top scientist Jeremy Farrar quits SAGE, warning Covid is 'far from over'
Wellcome Trust director says experts have provided 'vital advice' under 'huge pressure'
13% of civil servants absent because of Covid at crisis peak, stats show
22 Oct 2021 Medical
13% of civil servants absent because of Covid at crisis peak, stats show
57,230 officials were absent either directly or indirectly because of coronavirus in late March 2020
SAGE meeting just once a month as Covid rates rise
20 Oct 2021 Medical
SAGE meeting just once a month as Covid rates rise
Source cites "lessened demand for science advice" for reduction in meetings
MPs call on government to halt 'alarming' MHRA redundancies
28 Sep 2021 Medical
MPs call on government to halt 'alarming' MHRA redundancies
Cuts could force staff to "cover more ground with fewer resources"