The Department of Heath must restructure the debts owed by the 169 NHS acute and primary care trusts or risk politically explosive ward closures and service cuts, the NHS Confederation has warned.
CIPFA president Diane Colley is to take early retirement from Rugby Borough Council, where she has been chief executive and chief financial officer for the past ten years.
Five mental health trusts could be awarded foundation status in April, even though the Department of Health has yet to finalise how they will operate the payment by results funding system.
The National Patient Safety Agency has no powers to investigate private hospitals and treatment centres, despite the increasing numbers of NHS patients they treat, a committee of MPs heard on January...
The government faces renewed pressure to improve security procedures in care homes in the wake of the furore over sex offenders found to be working in schools.
Over a million new homes are projected for the over-crowded Southeast. A planning and design abomination or a sensible way to provide pleasant, affordable homes for ordinary people? Will Hatchett...
Standing up for NHS managers is a tough assignment, but a new union leader is tackling the challenge in a determined yet relaxed way. Seamus Ward reports
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has admitted that her department 'mishandled' its instruction to strategic health authorities last year, telling them rapidly to reorganise the provision and...
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has acknowledged that cuts in primary care services are now creating a 'real problem' for social services departments.
The Local Government Association has warned ministers of 'potentially substantial' hidden costs of proposals to combat antisocial behaviour, outlined in the prime minister's 'respect' action plan...
A blow to spending on social care services threatens a deterioration in quality of life for carers and users, but a new grant could protect this vulnerable group and ease some of the pressures on...
He's a loyal Man U fan and an even more loyal New Labour devotee. Now the local government minister has a new enthusiasm council finances. David Harding reports
Hospitals, schools and councils are all facing radical reform, but the funding systems imposed to achieve this are far from joined up. Tony Travers points out the contrasting philosophies and calls...
Audit Scotland has published new guidance on the issues and risks faced by public bodies in the latest stage of its efforts to modernise the scrutiny process.
Public sector managers have been urged to make a New Year's resolution to work towards a better future for mental health, one in which services are better integrated and people are supported in the...
In the first of a series of speeches outlining his vision of 'compassionate Conservatism', new Tory leader David Cameron pledged to take the government's market reforms in the NHS even further.
The detox diets and gym memberships will soon be history. But for Public Finance 's panel of public sector experts, the New Year challenges have only just begun.
With the NHS running an unhealthily large deficit, the government is sending in hit squads to sort out the problems. But do they have the right prescription? Seamus Ward investigates
More than a quarter of care homes do not have enough staff and about half do not carry out mandatory security checks on new employees, the Commission for Social Care Inspection revealed this week.
Health minister Lord Warner stunned delegates at the Healthcare Financial Management Association annual conference by blaming the health service's financial problems on managers.
