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Please contact Megan Cleaver for all media enquiries at [email protected] or 07789 867 919.

NHS strikes new COVID surge deal with independent sector

Date of publication: 10th Jan 2022

Categories: Latest news

Local hospitals will be able to quickly activate surge capacity in the independent sector as part of the national COVID response, under a new deal announced today. A three-month agreement with multiple independent healthcare organisations will see their staff and facilities put on standby to support the NHS should the Omicron variant lead to unsustainable levels of hospitalisations or staff absences. The deal, which has been struck under direction from the Secretary of State, comes on top of the NHS...

IHPN responds to Health Select Committee report on "clearing the backlog"

Date of publication: 6th Jan 2022

Categories: Latest news

Responding to the Health and Social Care Select Committee’s new report into “Clearing the backlog caused by the pandemic”, David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, said: “With NHS waiting lists at a record high and likely to grow significantly in light of the omicron variant, we welcome today’s Health and Care Select Committee report and join their call for a national health and care recovery plan to tackle waiting lists and improve access to care. “Given...

The role of healthcare in tackling climate change - is the weather about to change?

Date of publication: 20th Dec 2021

Categories: Independent Healthcare Voices

Much has been written about climate change in the past few months as the great and the good converged on Glasgow in November for the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference. Many commentators more qualified than me have debated whether COP26 was a success or not and whether it delivered what it needed to. But regardless of your thoughts on this, what is clear is that organisations and industries need to be striving towards net zero sooner rather than later with...

IHPN statement on Government response to Paterson inquiry

Date of publication: 16th Dec 2021

Categories: Latest news

Responding to the publication of the Government’s response to the Paterson inquiry, David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), said: “We welcome the Government’s response to the Bishop of Norwich’s important inquiry into the case of Ian Paterson. Anyone who read the Bishop’s report couldn’t fail to be moved by the suffering of the victims involved and it’s absolutely right that the Government’s response continues to put the voices of his victims and families at its...

IHPN response to NHS England guidance on omicron and winter pressures

Date of publication: 14th Dec 2021

Categories: Latest news

Responding to the latest NHS England guidance on “Preparing the NHS for the potential impact of the Omicron variant and other winter pressures”, David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, said: “Despite the multiple pressures facing the NHS this winter – not least the rapid acceleration of the covid booster programme – it is absolutely essential that non-Covid services are able to continue in the NHS, and the independent sector represents an important way of enabling that...

IHPN responds to NHS waiting lists hitting 6m

Date of publication: 9th Dec 2021

Categories: Latest news

Responding to the latest NHS performance figures published today, David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), said: “Today’s alarming performance figures show yet another record NHS waiting list, with 6 million people now currently waiting for treatment. “With the NHS set to face one of its toughest ever Winters, it’s going to be a colossal challenge to simply maintain elective care services in the coming months, let alone support the healthcare recovery and tackle the backlog...

IHPN announce “refresh” of medical governance framework for independent providers

Date of publication: 7th Dec 2021

Categories: Latest news

IHPN have today announced it will be launching a “refresh” of its Medical Practitioners Assurance Framework (MPAF) to further improve the safety and quality of care independent providers deliver to patients. Launched in October 2019, the MPAF – led by former National NHS Medical Director Sir Bruce Keogh – contains key principles to strengthen and build upon the medical governance systems already in place in the sector. Since then, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has used the framework’s principles to...

IHPN responds to NAO report on NHS backlogs and waiting times

Date of publication: 1st Dec 2021

Categories: Latest news

Responding to the National Audit Office’s report into NHS backlogs and waiting times in England, David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, said:  “Today’s NAO report on the NHS elective care backlog highlights the significant pressures on the NHS, and that despite the tireless efforts of healthcare staff all around the country, millions of patients are finding it increasingly difficult to access the care they need. “Given the scale of the challenge, it’s vital that the Government’s...

IHPN responds to latest NHS performance stats

Date of publication: 11th Nov 2021

Categories: Latest news

Responding to the latest NHS performance figures published today, David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), said:   “Today’s alarming performance figures show yet another record NHS waiting list, with over 5.8 million people currently waiting for treatment - an increase of over 100,000 on the previous month. “With the NHS having a target that by the end of March 2022 waiting lists do not rise above 5.8 million, it’s vital that its forthcoming elective recovery...

Five key tips to improving workforce planning through data-driven rostering

Date of publication: 4th Nov 2021

Categories: Independent Healthcare Voices

Paul Walker, Chief Technical Officer at Skills for Health, looks at how data-driven rostering can help improve workforce planning The effective deployment of the workforce underpins all care services. The challenges of ensuring people are in the right roles, with the right skills, crucially at the right time, cannot be understated. To create flexible, sustainable services against the backdrop of the challenge to restore care services, meeting new demands and reducing elective backlogs, we must first understand how best to...