News

• MPs slam NHS salami-slicing approach to QIPP challenge
  The Commons health committee has raised concerns that the NHS is attempting to meet the £20bn Nicholson challenge by salami-slicing existing services rather than rethinking or redesigning the way services are delivered.
• Department launches search for CFOs
  The Department of Health has launched the recruitment process for more than 200 chief finance officers for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), the local hubs of the NHS Commissioning Board and commissioning support organisations.
• CIPs need to embrace quality and safety
  Good cost improvement plans (CIPs) are not simply about saving money, but also include long-term plans to transform clinical and non-clinical services to produce cost savings and quality and safety improvements, according to a report.
• Alliance: give CCGs support on choice
  Emerging clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) should have a say in decisions over commissioning support arrangements in the run-up to the abolition of primary care trusts and full control over awarding contracts thereafter, NHS Alliance chair Michael Dixon told Healthcare Finance.
• Department backs tariff clarity call
  The Department of Health has supported a call for the NHS Commissioning Board and Monitor to publish their methodology for establishing and policing tariffs and currencies as soon as possible.
• Health service turns in robust Q2 performance
  The NHS in England continues to report healthy levels of surplus, with primary care trusts, strategic health authorities and non-foundation trusts forecasting aggregate surpluses of more than £1.2bn at the midpoint of the financial year.
• Credit rating plan for FT licence
  NHS foundation trusts could be asked to maintain an ‘investment grade’ credit rating as part of their licence conditions under proposals put forward by Monitor.
• News review – NHS reforms; pensions; and implants
  Health news in December and January was dominated by three stories: the continuing row over the government’s proposed reforms of the NHS in England; the future of NHS pensions; and the debate over who should pay to remove the sub-standard PIP breast implants from up to 40,000 women in the UK.
• News analysis: Straight talking
  Keeping ahead of the CIP curve and developing more robust cost data are the challenges Monitor’s director of strategy has set for FT finance directors

Comment

• The X factor
  Sue Jacques turns the spotlight on the NHS finance function and looks for individuals who are making a difference
• Why counting really counts
  The latest HFMA/FSD finance staff census gives an opportunity to track the impact of policy changes and new ways of working on the function, says Healthcare Finance editor Steve Brown
• Business as usual
  HFMA chief executive Mark Knight looks at what 2012 holds for the association

Features

• Tele vision
  The government has thrown its weight behind telehealth, but there are still concerns that need to be addressed
  Download Tele vision PDF
• Stepping up
  New HFMA president Sue Jacques believes finance staff have a central role in delivering a higher quality, more cost-effective NHS. But she insists this can only be achieved by working in partnership with clinicians and other health and care professionals
  Download Stepping up PDF
• Getting strategic
  The operating framework for 2012/13 commits the Department of Health to delivering a procurement strategy by April. The Department’s Beth Loudon outlines the progress to date
  Download Getting strategic PDF
• Number crunch
  The HFMA and FSD have combined again to undertake a census of NHS finance staff. Steve Brown trawls through the headline figures
  Download Number crunch PDF
• On the right track
  Lara Sonola and Catherine Foot from the King’s Fund discuss recent research into how NHS trusts are using service line management to deliver improvements in quality and productivity
  Download On the right track PDF
• Technical round-up
  Our monthly review of the latest technical guidance and reports, with links to the original documents
• NICE update
  The guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in December and January
• Finance explained
  Our guide to current finance issues looks at clinical negligence cover
• Introduction to…charitable funds
  How are charitable funds linked to NHS organisations governed and regulated?