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The Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS) will become the Private Healthcare Ombudsman on 1 April 2027, following approval of its application for Ombudsman Membership by the Ombudsman Association. ISCAS has provided independent adjudication of patient complaints about private healthcare since 2001. Its nearly 300 subscribing providers, across all four nations of the UK, range from major hospital groups to independent clinics, doctors and NHS private patient units. The Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) notes that 97% of independent healthcare providers in England subscribe to the scheme. Ombudsman status recognises that the scheme meets the Association’s criteria for independence, fairness, effectiveness, openness, transparency and accountability. The Association’s Validation Committee said the application reflected “careful preparation, mature governance arrangements, and a clear commitment to meeting both the letter and spirit of the OA’s membership criteria”. The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), an independent registered charity, has worked with ISCAS since 2015, initially hosting the service and then acquiring it in 2022. ISCAS now operates independently as part of the CEDR Group, giving the service a strong institutional base while preserving its impartial decision-making. This relationship will continue when ISCAS becomes the Private Healthcare Ombudsman. Sally Taber, Director of ISCAS, said: “For many years, ISCAS has provided an independent complaints service for patients and providers across the UK’s independent healthcare sector. Recognition as an ombudsman builds on that established role and provides further reassurance that patients have access to an impartial and trusted service when concerns cannot be resolved directly with their healthcare provider. This is an important development for the sector and one that strengthens its commitment to high standards of patient care and complaint handling. We will continue to work closely with our subscribing providers, representative bodies and regulators across all four nations of the UK as we make the transition to the Private Healthcare Ombudsman.” Full press release attached below: PHO_Press_Release_30Oct2026.pdf

The government is today confirming it will create a new national agency to employ thousands of staff in NHS regional teams, while pressing on with abolishing NHS England by April next year. After months of delays and internal tensions, health and social care secretary Yvette Cooper has set out some details of the “target operating model” for the Department of Health and Social Care and national and regional NHS management. In a letter to staff, seen by HSJ, Ms Cooper confirmed the government would keep the “crucial role” of the NHS Chief Executive and set up an “NHS group” within the department that would focus on operational health service delivery. The letter does not, however, confirm whether the NHS CEO will report to the DHSC’s top civil servant or be of an equal rank, but other sources suggested this was the intention. The health secretary said the “vast majority” of national NHSE delivery functions would transfer into this NHS group, but some will move into DHSC policy teams. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 4 November 2026

New blood tests designed to check for multiple cancers in one go will be offered to NHS patients in some 200 GP surgeries in England as part of a trial. The aim is to detect hard-to-diagnose abdominal cancers, including liver, ovarian and pancreatic cancer, much sooner. These cancers are often found only after they have spread. The tests look for proteins or fragments of DNA in the blood that may signal cancer. Results could help doctors decide which patients with vague symptoms need further investigations. More than 20,000 patients aged 45 and over with symptoms such as pain or persistent bloating will be eligible to take part. The government-funded trial, led by the University of Birmingham, will assess whether the tests are accurate enough for wider NHS use. Read full story Source: BBC News, 4 November 2026

Twenty-one patients died after delayed responses from an ambulance service during June’s heatwave amid a huge spike in serious calls, board papers show. A report to the board of South Central Ambulance Service Foundation Trust (SCAS) for its meeting this week said the trust had issued duty of candour letters in 39 cases from the heatwave. Of these, 21 were recorded as deaths and nine as severe harm. All 39 involved delays: 36 were delayed arrivals at the scene, and three were delayed backup responses. The trust’s chief nurse, Helen Young, said that it was not yet determined that the delays were a contributory factor in each death, but the trust was committed to investigating and improving patient care from any learning from the cases. A separate quarterly patient safety report to the same meeting said SCAS escalated to a major incident in June “due to extreme weather conditions and worsening performance leading to patient harm”. SCAS declared a critical incident on 25 June, after the Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning covering most of its area – which covers parts of the south coast, and counties west and north west of London – and a major incident the next day. It remained in a business continuity incident until 30 June. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 3 November 2026

Patients across England are benefiting from faster cancer diagnoses, after one million more scans were delivered thanks to new scanners and cutting-edge AI technology. NHS England data published on Tuesday 3 November shows that, from March 2024 to March 2026, the number of CT and MRI scanners in the NHS has increased by 125, giving doctors greater capacity to diagnose cancer and other serious conditions earlier and get patients into treatment sooner. The expansion comes as each month in 2026 so far has set an NHS monthly record for diagnostic activity, with the diagnostic waiting list having fallen in three of the five months since April. Cancer waiting times are better than last year, and the overall waiting list for elective care is down by over 250,000 since July 2024. CT and MRI scanners are a vital part of diagnosing cancers including lung, brain, breast and prostate cancer. More scanners mean more patients can get the tests they need sooner, reducing waits and helping speed up diagnosis and treatment. Minister of State for Health Karin Smyth said: "Getting the right diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible can make all the difference, particularly for patients with cancer and other serious conditions. "That’s why, in the face of record demand, we are expanding NHS capacity and using new technology to help more people get the tests and care they need." The 125 new scanners and rollout of AI technology are helping deliver around a million extra scans every year, while the new Manchester and Trafford CDC with its modern facilities and cutting-edge equipment will allow people to get checked quickly and conveniently in the community. Read full story Source: Department of Health and Social Care, 3 November 2026

Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a process where cognitively competent adults, suffering from a terminal illness, yet alive in the final six months of life expectancy and capable of making their own healthcare decisions, may choose to end their lives with assistance from their doctors. In the first of two commentaries, Dan Cohen, an international consultant in patient safety and clinical risk management, and a Trustee for Patient Safety Learning, considers whether MAID aligns with the goals of healthcare and the foundational principles of biomedical ethics. *Content warning* Some of the themes included in this blog people might find upsetting. 

What does it really feel like to try to make healthcare better? 100 Voices: How Better Feels shares honest conversations about the human side of improving healthcare and the things we don't talk about often enough. These aren't polished success stories. They're real experiences of trying to improve care: making healthcare safer, improving people's experiences, challenging how things are done and learning what really helps change happen. You'll hear about the doubts and courage, mistakes and learning, setbacks and moments of hope that sit behind healthcare improvement, quality improvement, patient safety, patient experience, healthcare leadership and change. If you care about making healthcare better, these stories are for you. You might work in the NHS or another health system, be involved in quality improvement, patient safety or healthcare leadership, bring your own experience as a patient, carer or family member, or simply be curious about how change really happens. Because improvement isn't only something we measure. It's something we experience.

Consent is a process of communication and shared decision-making, where patients should have the information they need to make a genuine and informed choice about their care. Patient consent is given, not taken. And is much more than just signing forms and saying yes.   This webinar from the Patients Association in partnership with Radar Healthcare explored what meaningful consent looks like in practice, for both patients and healthcare professionals. It considered the difference between simply agreeing to something and giving informed consent, what information patients should expect to receive, and how healthcare professionals can support people to ask questions, express concerns and make choices that are right for them.  It also explored consent as an ongoing process rather than a one-off event, including what happens when circumstances or preferences change. The webinar considered how we can move away from consent being treated as a form or tick-box exercise and towards a culture where patients feel able to speak up and where healthcare professionals genuinely listen. 

The General Optical Council (GOC) is undertaking a series of thematic reviews to support delivery of their strategic objective to ‘prevent harm through agile regulation’. The first thematic review, carried out during 2025-26, looked at commercial practices and patient safety in eye care services.  

Natasha Swinscoe, Network Chief Officer Lead for Patient Safety, explores how Patient Safety Collaboratives are supporting maternity and neonatal teams to help strengthen safety culture through the Perinatal Culture and Leadership Programme.

A woman whose unborn baby had died was sent home from hospital with a booklet for bereaved parents and told to book a slot to give birth. Danielle Brown, 31, and her partner, Anthony Miller, were delighted to be expecting a baby but seven months into the pregnancy, in February 2023, she fell ill and was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. Monitoring by doctors at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), Newcastle, had also raised concerns about Maisie’s heart rate. A consultant obstetrician said Brown should remain in hospital until she gave birth, given her potentially life-threatening condition. However, she was discharged 24 hours later on 14 February after a review by a different consultant. A day later, Brown phoned the RVI’s maternity assessment unit with more concerns but was told she probably had a stomach bug. She insisted on being seen and returned to the hospital, waited 90 minutes to be assessed, and was told medics could not find Maisie’s heartbeat. The couple were then told that their baby had died. Instead of delivering Maisie straight away, Brown said she was then “given a booklet for bereaved parents and told to book a slot to give birth”. She said: “Hearing that with no compassion angered me so much.” Brown said she was devastated to have to return home knowing the baby she was carrying was no longer alive. “When it was confirmed Maisie had died, we burst into tears. Nobody explained what had happened to Maisie,” she said. Brown spoke of her ordeal after being awarded an undisclosed settlement from Newcastle upon Tyne hospitals NHS foundation trust. The trust admitted a breach of duty and that Maisie would have survived had her mother not been sent home during her first admission. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 2 November 2026

The night Tamara first walked through the doors of Hope Haven, a new community mental health hub in the heart of Whitehaven, she was afraid. “Terrified, actually,” she says. “Like, my life was falling apart. I didn’t know how to stop it from hurting.” That night was a turning point: Tamara was seen immediately by a member of staff and offered an appointment for the next day. She believes that if she hadn’t been offered help at Hope Haven, she would still be at “rock bottom”. Hope Haven is part of a pilot scheme of six hubs across England. It offers preventive, open-access care 24/7, meaning people do not need a diagnosis or referral to access its services. Its alternative approach reflects concerns that more traditional NHS services have struggled to improve local wellbeing. In its first five months from March to July, about 3,000 people accessed support either digitally or in person. Nearly half of them had never been in contact with NHS mental health services before. Admissions to inpatient mental health wards in the area fell by 24% between January and September compared with the same period last year. The five other pilot centres, which are part of NHS England’s 10-year health plan, are in Lewisham and Tower Hamlets in London, Birmingham, York and Sheffield. After Andy Burnham’s announcement of £343m towards “the biggest redesign of mental health services in a generation” this summer, 100 more are due to open gradually, starting this autumn, with an evaluation of the pilot centres later this year. The hubs build on the Trieste model of mental health care, a 24-hour holistic approach which started in 1980s Italy. They offer more than just mental health support, hosting several local services under one roof, from exercise classes to financial advice and housing support. They also house several short-stay beds, allowing teams to offer overnight support. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 3 November 2026

Ministers should introduce statutory regulation for counsellors and psychotherapists to protect the public from abuse, according to a report that has been hailed as a “watershed moment” for the profession. Unlike most other healthcare roles, including doctors, midwives and osteopaths, “psychotherapist” and “counsellor” are not protected titles nor statutorily regulated professions in the UK. This means that anyone can call themselves a therapist without a qualification, and can continue to practise even after an episode of misconduct, under a system that is poorly understood by the public. For the first time, a report from an independent commission established by the professional bodies that represent counsellors and psychotherapists is calling for statutory regulation, to boost confidence in the profession and protect the public from the growing number of cases of abuse and malpractice. At the moment the professional bodies have their own voluntary registration schemes, which are accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. The report, the culmination of an independent review launched in October 2025 by the Commission for the Future of Counselling and Psychotherapy, argues that counsellors and psychotherapists are an untapped resource that could fill a mental health treatment gap estimated at about 1.8 million people on waiting lists. Practitioners told the commission they had extra capacity, which the report estimated could cumulatively provide more than 370,000 hours of additional therapy appointments every week. The commission co-chair Phil Hope, a former Labour minister for care services, said: “For me, the report became a bit of a watershed moment for the profession, a real landmark of the opportunity there is for the government, and all its departments really, to unlock that potential.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 2 November 2026

Three in 20 ambulances reaching patients with a life-threatening emergency have no paramedic as part of their crew in large parts of the country, an HSJ analysis of the latest data has discovered. Figures show that in the five months from April this year, at least 27,000 category 1 incidents – the most serious type, which include suspected cardiac and respiratory arrests – were first attended by a crew without a registered paramedic. However, the data also shows the number of ambulances attending category one calls without paramedics has also fallen for the fourth consecutive year, with particularly steep falls in the worst-affected areas. There is also less variation across the country. Both the East of England and East Midlands ambulance service trusts had non-paramedic crews first on scene at more than 15 of category 1 incidents in this time. There is no rule requiring a paramedic to be on board, and in some cases the first attending vehicle is a “community first responder” or “rapid response” vehicle. These are sometimes used more often in rural areas, for a quick response, and are often followed up by full crews. However, inquests have led to warnings about the risks of relying on non-registered crews. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 3 November 2026

This blog provides an overview of a discussion at a Patient Safety Management Network (PSMN) meeting on Friday 23 October 2026. At this session members shared their views and experiences on the implementation of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF). The PSMN is an innovative voluntary network for patient safety managers and everyone working in patient safety. It has over 2,500 members from more than 650 different organisations. Created by and for people working in patient safety, it provides a weekly drop-in session with guests to talk through issues of importance, offers peer support and creates a safe space for discussion. You can find out more about the network here.

This is the fourth and final Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) report in a series considering the self-administration of insulin by people with diabetes mellitus (diabetes) in community settings. This report focuses on the availability and design of diabetes technologies and insulin pen devices. It also shares findings from across the series of investigations and identifies learning to inform strategic plans for supporting patients in community settings. Many people with diabetes administer their own insulin to manage their blood sugar levels, either by injection or using an insulin pump. However, a disability or impairment may affect someone’s ability to safely administer their own insulin if they are not supported. This can lead to short-term and long-term health problems, which can be life threatening. Across this series of investigations, HSSIB identified patient safety incidents in which people with diabetes requiring insulin, who also had disabilities or impairments, were harmed when they were not supported to administer their insulin safely.

A trust has all but conceded it cannot meet its financial plan this year, as finding the required savings would most likely be “at the expense of patient safety”. University Hospitals Plymouth Trust (UHP) agreed a breakeven year-end plan with NHS England for 2026/27, but according to recent board papers, there are “risks” of £58m to this position. Read full article (paywalled). Source: Health Service Journal, 2 November 2026

MPs have warned that blind and partially sighted people risk being shut out of the NHS as the government pushes ahead with plans to make the NHS App its ‘digital front door’ by 2028. A report published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment found that 53% of people who responded to its survey rated the app as either ‘not accessible’ or ‘slightly accessible’. The findings, which draw on a survey of 64 people, most of them blind or partially sighted, and evidence given to MPs, also found that 50% who require their healthcare information provided in an accessible format said they ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ receive it that way. Meanwhile 46% of respondents who use the app found it ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ to use, with 56% saying that reading letters or documents was one of the hardest parts of using the app. Read full article. Source: Digital Health, 2 November 2026

Closing two of three consultant-led maternity units run by a hospital group is the best option for safety and staffing, a review by senior local clinical leaders has concluded. Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group bosses stressed no final decisions had been taken on its future model, and that other scenarios being considered included retaining all three, or closing just one unit. The conclusions were outlined in a report, Our Case for Change, the recommendations of which were signed off at the group’s board meeting. Read full article (paywalled). Source: Health Service Journal, 2 November 2026

This paper, published in Advances in Simulation, describes how a single site used simulation-based clinical systems testing during pre-opening operational-readiness work for a newly expanded emergency department, integrating quality improvement methods and human factors frameworks to find problems before real patients encountered them.

In a blog to mark Learning Disability Nurses' Day on 1 November, Professor Ben Thomas highlights why this specialist profession is safety-critical. He sets out how Learning disability nurses are indispensable to safe, equitable and person-centred care and why sustained investment is needed to secure the roles future.

A new early warning system is being introduced in hospital emergency departments in England to help busy NHS staff identify sick children who are dangerously deteriorating. It comes after Health Secretary Yvette Cooper promised to stop "corridor care" for sick children because of long waits for hospital beds. The new National Paediatric Early Warning System (PEWS) asks staff to check, log and grade vital signs, such as blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels. A high overall score means a child needs more urgent attention. Concerns from staff, parents, carers or the child themselves will trigger an immediate escalation of care. The initiative is designed to save lives ahead of winter, when pressure on the NHS is at its highest. Read full article. Source: BBC News, 2 November 2026