NHS operational planning and contracting guidance 2020/21

This guidance covers system planning, full operational plan requirements, details of workforce transformation requirements, the financial settlement and the process and timescales around the submission of plans that the NHS must plan to do during 2020/21. Click here for NHS guidance

Refreshing NHS plans for 2018/19

This guidance from NHS England, and published jointly with NHS Improvement, sets out the plans for the NHS in light of the November 2017 budget announcements. It outlines how the additional funding will impact on emergency and urgent care, elective surgery and other core frontline services such as mental health and primary care. It is accompanied by revised CCG allocations for the financial year 2018/19.

Performance of the NHS provider sector for the month ended 30 September 2017

This report from NHS Improvement finds that despite the NHS treating more patients than even before, more people were seen within four hours in A&E and within 18 weeks for planned care. However, the combined end of year deficit for hospitals in England will be an estimated £127 million worse than planned.

Managing patient flow and improving efficiencies: The role of technology

Having witnessed tracking technology first hand in two American health care organisations, Sophie Castle-Clarke sets out its strengths and how to implement it successfully.

Technology to track beds, equipment, staff and patients through a hospital has been used in the USA for years, with positive effect, and now there is growing interest in employing it in the NHS.

I joined a group of NHS leaders to look at how this technology has made a difference to flow and operational management in two different health care organisations in Florida. The results are impressive, although significant transformation is needed to realise the benefits.

Updates to the Single Oversight Framework: share your views

NHS Improvement is updating the Single Oversight Framework (SOF) to reflect feedback, changes in national policy priorities and developments in their oversight approach.

Tell them what you think of our proposed updates and whether they are clear, reasonable and practicable.

NHS Improvement: Provider bulletin: 2 November

This weekly newsletter is sent to NHS trust and foundation trust chairs, chief executives, finance, medical and nursing directors, and foundation trust board secretaries.

• 2017/18 to 2018/19 National Tariff Payment System
• Have your say: draft 2016/17 annual reporting manual for foundation trusts
• Operational plans 2017/18 - 2018/19
• Webinar - Cost collection update: self-assessment tools and PLICS implementation guide: 8 November, 12.30pm
• Midlands and East Chairs Networking Event: 8 December, Leicester
• North Chairs Networking Event: 19 January, Leeds
• From Step Up to Serve: encouraging young people into the health and care sector 

Case studies' library at NHS England's Learning Environment

NHS England continues to expand the NHS England Learning Environment with more than 25 new case studies added in the past month, including examples of CCG engagement with young people, initiatives to tackle antibiotic resistance and consultations on primary care strategy.   

Development areas covered include:

• Collaboration and commissioning
• Leadership development
• Delivering transformational change
• Organisational development
• Communications, patient, public and member engagement
• Strategic and operational planning

Emergency care departments miss waiting-time targets

Waiting-time targets for Welsh emergency care departments have been missed again, according to the latest statistics.
A total of 83.2 per cent of patients spent less than four hours in emergency care in July – before being admitted, transferred or discharged – missing the Welsh Government target of 95 per cent.
This is a slight decline from June's figure of 83.3 per cent.

New single oversight framework launched to help NHS providers improve services

NHS Improvement has launched a consultation on a single oversight and improvement framework which is designed to help identify the support needs of both NHS trusts and foundation trusts.