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Mark Hughes

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  1. News Article
    Next week's strike by resident doctors in England may be averted after ministers offered the British Medical Association a fresh deal. The doctors' union has agreed to put the offer to members over the coming days - if they support it, the five-day walkout starting on Wednesday 17 December could be called off. The offer includes a rapid expansion of specialist training posts as well as covering out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees. But it does not include any promises of extra pay. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been adamant he will not negotiate on that, given resident doctors - the new name for junior doctors - have had pay rises of nearly 30% over the past three years. Read full article. Source: BBC News, 10 December 2025
  2. News Article
    A charity has called for systematic changes to stop patients from discovering their disease diagnoses through the NHS App without proper support. Kidney Care UK says that thousands of patients are learning that they have chronic kidney disease (CKD) through the app, despite NHS guidelines stating that serious diagnoses should not be received through digital channels “without adequate support or context”. In the report ‘Falling through the G-App’, the charity says that around 10% of calls to its support line are from people who have recently discovered they have CKD without any explanation from their doctor, either through medical notes, the NHS App or other healthcare professionals. Read full article. Source: Digital Health, 10 December 2025
  3. News Article
    Corridor care is “endemic” in the UK, doctors have said, as a major study found one in five patients were treated in hallways, offices and cupboards. Millions of patients are enduring undignified and unsafe care, with almost every A&E department in the country deploying the approach routinely, contravening national guidance, research reveals. The study, by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s (RCEM) trainee emergency research network (Tern), analysed five snapshots taken from 165 A&E departments in March this year. It found 17.7% of patients were receiving care in escalation areas, classed as anywhere not routinely used for care unless capacity in emergency departments is breached. This included corridors, waiting rooms, doubled-up cubicles, offices, cupboards and ambulances waiting outside to offload for more than 15 minutes. Read full article. Source: The Guardian, 9 December 2025. Related Reading: Corridor care and patient safety
  4. News Article
    A commonly used blood pressure medication has been recalled over fears that it may be cross-contaminated with another drug. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc. has recalled more than 11,100 bottles of bisoprolol fumarate and hydrochlorothiazide tablets under the brand name Ziac, as the tablets may have been cross-contaminated with other products, according to a recall notice published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recall notice stated that testing of reserve samples “showed presence of ezetimibe,” a drug used to treat high cholesterol. The December 1 recall was listed as Class III, meaning the use or exposure to the product is “not likely to cause adverse health consequences,” the FDA said. Read full article. Source: The Independent, 9 December 2025
  5. News Article
    Personal patient and staff information has been posted on the dark web after hackers exploited a software vulnerability at Barts Health NHS Trust. The criminal group, known as Cl0p, stole files from the trust’s database in August 2025, including names, addresses, and invoices of patients and staff who had paid for treatment or services over several years. It also included files relating to accounting services provided since April 2024 to Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. In a statement, Barts Health said that its electronic patient record and clinical systems have not been affected by the attack and it is “confident” that its core IT infrastructure is secure. Read full article. Source: Digital Health, 9 December 2025
  6. Content Article
    More information about "Independent Investigation into Maternity and Neonatal Services in England – Reflections and Initial Impressions (9 December 2025)"
    On the 23 June 2025 the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced a rapid, national, independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services. In this report the investigation’s Chair, Baroness Amos, provides an update on its progress since the publication of its Terms of Reference in September 2025. She outlines the activities undertaken as part of the investigation to date and her initial reflections from engagement with families, staff, community organisations and Members of Parliament. The investigation's interim report, published on the 26 February 2026, can be found here. In her initial report, Baroness Amos highlights that the following set of issues have been raised with her consistently: A lack of communication and support from clinical teams and organisations. Women not being listened to or given the right information to make informed choices at critical moments of their care as risk profiles change. Women’s knowledge of their own bodies and important information essential to clinical decision making about their care, such as reduced fetal movement, sometimes being disregarded. Fathers and non-birthing partners feeling unsupported. The desire for a more holistic approach to care across a woman’s maternity and post-natal journey, with maternity and neonatal teams working together to maximise good outcomes for women, their babies and families. The impact of discrimination against women of colour, working class women, women with mental health challenges and younger parents leading to poorer outcomes. A lack of empathy, care or apology, both as part of clinical care and after things have gone wrong, with women feeling blamed and guilty; a lack of recognition from staff when care is not delivered to the correct standards. Lack of family engagement in reviews of care and feedback of review reports. An overly legalistic, adversarial approach when concerns or complaints are raised. The failure of regulatory bodies to protect vulnerable women and families and the perception of health professionals and organisations ‘marking their own homework’. Failure to address poor behaviour, including the use of inappropriate language when communicating with women, families and non-birthing partners. The length of time autopsy reports take to be produced, delaying families from being able to fully grieve for their children. Poor standards of basic care, such as lack of cleanliness, women and non-birthing partners not receiving meals, women not being helped to use the bathroom, and catheters not being checked or emptied. Women and families finding it difficult to access their medical notes (and notes being redacted or observations filled in at a later date). Birth plans not being read or followed, leading to women not being cared for in the way they wanted or had agreed, as well as having to repeat their wishes multiple times. Women and families being placed in inappropriate spaces after loss or harm, for example, being put on wards with newborns after they have experienced a loss. The impact of different philosophies around birth and pregnancy on women’s experience and ability to make informed choices. Having to work with multiple contacts when a baby dies, with issues arising from information not being shared sufficiently between different services. The lack of recognition of, and support for, the long-term impact that these negative and traumatic experiences of services can have on families, for example: family breakdown; long-term impacts on the mental health of women and families; support for raising children with lifelong disabilities; bereavement care; participation in reviews or investigations; joint planning of complex care; and the need for neonatal unit accommodation and transition care. Next steps In this document Baroness Amos states that the investigation will: launch a call for evidence in January 2026, which will be open for 8 weeks publish a further update in February 2026 on the initial findings of the investigation following the conclusion of site visits to hospital Trusts. following the conclusion of site visits, publish reports on the 12 local investigations of maternity and neonatal services in NHS Trusts. publish a final report in Spring 2026 which will include one set of national recommendations to improve safety and experience of maternity and neonatal care.
  7. News Article
    Fewer than one in 10 frontline NHS staff have been vaccinated at some trusts, despite public appeals from NHS England ahead of this winter. Data from the UK Health Security Agency says that fewer than a third – 29.7 per cent – of frontline NHS staff in England have received this year’s flu vaccination. Flu vaccination rates are fewer than one in five at 21 English NHS trusts, and at West London Trust, Croydon Health Services Trust, and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust – uptake was at just one in 10 or fewer. Lewisham and Greenwich Trust had a similarly low uptake according to the UKHSA data, but the trust has said its rates are in fact much higher. Read full article (paywalled). Source: Health Service Journal, 5 December 2025.
  8. News Article
    Staff at an ambulance trust fear their managers will “retaliate” if they report concerns to the Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, a board report reveals. South Central Ambulance Service Foundation Trust’s board was told of staff reports that some managers “actively identify and challenge” those who raise concerns or suggestions, “contributing to a culture of apprehension and mistrust”. The points were reported to a board meeting last week by its FTSU Guardian Christine McParland. Guardians are meant to act as an independent and confidential channel for employees to raise problems at work, and to support them to do so. Read full article (paywalled). Source: Health Service Journal, 3 December 2025.
  9. Event
    until
    This webinar unites paediatric hospital leaders, clinical teams, patient safety, and risk experts who share a common goal—transforming the future of paediatric IV therapy. More than a webinar, this is a collaborative space for paediatric experts to connect, exchange experiences, and explore a more holistic and safer approach to IV care. Find out more and register here. Save the Date_PEDS_Coalition.pdf
  10. Event
    until
    Join an exclusive group of healthcare leaders for a webinar exploring the latest advances in IV therapy, vascular access safety, and proven strategies to reduce risk and improve patient outcomes. This session will focus on practical, cost-effective approaches to elevating care quality across adult populations—while offering actionable insights you can apply immediately within your organisation. Topics of discussion Hidden Risks Revealed: How seemingly routine IVs can cause evolving injuries with devastating outcomes. Vesicant Exposure: The silent threat of tissue destruction from common IV medications/fluids. When Minutes Matter: Why delayed recognition turns minor leaks into catastrophic harm. Risk and Responsibility: The clinical, legal, and financial impact of extravasations and infiltrations — and how to protect patients and providers. A Patient’s Story: One person’s journey from IV extravasation to amputation — and the lessons it leaves behind. From Insight to Action: Proven strategies to reduce risk, strengthen governance, and stop preventable injuries. Find out more and register here. Save the Date_ADULT_Coalition.pdf
  11. Content Article
    Between 2018 and 2024, 59 people died in women’s prisons in England and Wales, more than a third (39%) of these deaths were self-inflicted. In the next four years, self-inflicted deaths across all prisons in England and Wales are expected to rise by 21%. In this report the charity Inquest examines the circumstances of seven recent deaths in women’s prisons, situating them within broader systemic issues that have persisted for decades. In addition to the full report, which you can find at the bottom of this page, via the link below you can view a webinar discussing its findings. Speakers included: Oceana, campaigner and daughter of Kay Melhuish who died following neglect at HMP Eastwood Park Tanya Tracey, incoming Director of Services at Birth Companions and co-chair of the Agenda Alliance board, an intersectional feminist organisation Jessica Pandian, Deborah Coles, and Mo Mansfield of INQUEST
  12. Content Article
    The NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT), introduced nationally in 2013, was designed to provide a simple mechanism for gathering patient feedback across health services in near real-time. Today its use is mandated across the NHS, and provider organisations are encouraged to focus on the unstructured comments that it gathers from patients. This report, explores the historical context of the FFT, its current structure, strengths, and weaknesses, and sets out a case for reform. It draws on stakeholder engagement, a published literature review, and wider analysis to assess the FFT’s effectiveness and future potential against the wider current political and economic context. Key findings from this report include: The FFT has raised the profile of patient experience and provides valuable qualitative insights. It can empower staff when used effectively, and patient comments can highlight areas for improvement. The FFT shows limited variation in results, lacks comparability due to inconsistent methodologies, and is only moderately associated with other quality measures. It is vulnerable to misuse and does not always provide actionable insights. Collection of the FFT involves considerable expense. For the 205 trusts in England, estimated combined provider costs range from £10-16 million annually. These figures exclude staff time and broader system costs. Recent government publications, including the Ten Year Plan for Health and the Dash Review of the patient safety landscape, emphasise the importance of patient voice and feedback, but highlight shortcomings in current approaches. Recommendations Picker recommends reforming the FFT to improve its impact and value for money. Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England (the centre) should: Maintain the FFT mandate while improving flexibility and comparability through a programme of reform. This programme of reform should be supported by a diverse advisory group of patients and stakeholders and should deliver national guidance for providers, drawing on examples of local best practice. This guidance should also clarify the purpose of the reformed FFT, rebrand and rename it, and commit to trialling the collection of demographic data to support wider objectives to tackle health inequalities. It should also consider offering a national solution for FFT administration and data capture, such as by providing a facility for patients to be sent and complete FFT surveys through the NHS App. Continue to mandate the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data, with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-supported analysis explored for qualitative feedback. Rollout of an AI tool should be coordinated at a national level and appropriate training should be provided to relevant staff. Continue to ensure public availability of national and local FFT data, supporting the transparency agenda. Clarify the role of ‘patient experience champions’ outlined in ‘Reforming Elective Care for Patients’, including how they should support the local use of the FFT. Locally, providers should: Continue to submit mandated quantitative data for national benchmarking. Support a trial of demographic data collection to identify feedback gaps and variation in patient experience. Best practice should be shared to inform next steps for adoption after reflection on this initial pilot. Share best practice examples with national bodies to support wider sector improvement – providers should report not only what patients told them of their experience, but what they did with this information too. Organisations that are leaders in patient experience measurement should share best practice examples that showcase approaches that go beyond baseline FFT requirements. Report to their board how the FFT is used locally to drive improvement. Clearly identify board-level ‘patient experience champions’ on their existing ‘Our Board’ webpage, outlining the remit of the role. The champion’s contact details should not be shared on this page to avoid confusing an already complex complaints landscape.
  13. Content Article
    Infections are ubiquitous – over the course of our lifetimes we will all experience multiple episodes of infection. In his annual report for 2025 the Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, focuses on recent trends in infections and changes to the health system, laying out current challenges and considering what comes next. The report highlights around seven key themes: Preventing infection in older adults can significantly improve overall health and quality of life. Controlling specific infections has proven highly successful in preventing certain cancers. Infections in pregnancy and the neonatal period still present significant risks. Easily underestimated but potentially very harmful diseases are increasing due to gradually declining coverage of routine vaccinations in children and young adults over the last decade. The burden and range of infections imported into the UK has increased over the last decade. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to be a major risk. The periodic occurrence of significant new epidemics and pandemics as a natural consequence of emerging and evolving infections is predictable, even if the timing of their onset and infection is not.
  14. News Article
    England’s chief medical officer says infections in older people must be taken “much more seriously”. Professor Sir Chris Whitty said older people are “under-served” when it comes to care and research into the illnesses affecting them, adding that doctors should have a lower threshold for prescribing antibiotics than they do for younger adults. He suggested the medical community has been “nihilistic” about infections in older people historically, adding that “people have assumed it’s one of those things that happen in old age – in fact, we can do a lot about it”. Discussing his new annual report, which focuses on infections, Sir Chris said: “Whilst we are very systematic about reducing infections and preventing infections in children and in young adults, in older adults it is often a lot more hit and miss.” Read full article. Source: The Independent, 4 December 2025
  15. News Article
    The number of flu patients in hospital has hit a record high in England for this time of year with NHS leaders warning the country is facing an unprecedented flu season. NHS figures show there were an average of 1,700 patients in hospital with flu last week - that is more than 50% higher than the same time last year - and early indications from this week are that hospitalisations have continued climbing sharply since. It comes as the flu season hit a month earlier than normal this year, with experts warning there appears to be a more severe strain of the virus circulating. England's chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty has warned the NHS must take diseases like pneumonia and flu in older people much more seriously to save lives. Read full article. Source: BBC News, 4 December 2025
  16. News Article
    The British Medical Association has claimed the exclusion of a medical director from his trust role for more than a year reflects a “toxic culture” and “disturbing pattern” when concerns are raised. Tim Noble has been excluded from his director role at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust since September 2024, his union confirmed to HSJ this week. The British Medical Association claims the exclusion is unlawful as he has been prevented from returning to work. It is thought Dr Noble’s case is due to proceed to a formal disciplinary hearing at the trust this month, but the details, including any allegations, are not known. He has continued one session a week for the trust in his consultant medical role. Read full article (paywalled). Source: Health Service Journal, 4 December 2025
  17. Content Article
    Patient safety culture is crucial to ensuring the quality and safety of healthcare. Assessing safety culture raises awareness of patient safety, identifies areas for improvement, and supports tracking changes over time. Given the increasing growth of home care, the complexity of care, and its unique characteristics, understanding safety culture in home care is essential to informing practice and guiding further research. This study aimed to identify instruments used to measure patient safety culture in home care, including its associated factors and outcomes.
  18. Content Article
    This report from the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman relates to the care and treatment the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust provided to a patient during the period of 7 February to 21 September 2022. The complainant believed the Trust misdiagnosed her Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction1 as muscular, rather than Disc Displacement without Reduction2 and consequently did not provide appropriate treatment. The investigation identified the Trust failed to carry out appropriate radiological investigations in diagnosing the complainant’s condition and clearly communicate the diagnosis in accordance with relevant standards.
  19. News Article
    The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has ordered a clinical review of the diagnosis of mental health conditions, according to reports. Streeting is understood to be concerned about a sharp rise in the number of people making sickness benefits claims because of diagnoses for mental illness, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the Times reported. He has asked leading experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become “over-pathologised”, the newspaper said, as he seeks to grapple with the 4.4 million working-age people now claiming sickness or incapacity benefit. The figure has risen by 1.2 million since 2019, while the number of 16 to 34-year-olds off work with long-term sickness because of a mental health condition is said to have grown rapidly in the same period. Read full article. Source: The Guardian, 3 December 2025
  20. News Article
    A father of seven was not told he was terminally ill by doctors, who instead said he would be okay, an investigation has found. William Chapman, known as Syd, only found out he had deadly pulmonary fibrosis when his GP, who thought he already knew the prognosis, mentioned it during a phone call. He died eight months later. An investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has found doctors at the Countess of Chester Hospital showed a "worrying lack of accountability" and failed to keep proper records, engage fully with Mr Chapman's family or learn from mistakes. Read full article. Source: Sky News, 4 December 2025.
  21. News Article
    About one million A&E patients have been placed in corridors or similar “temporary” spaces over the past year, information obtained by HSJ reveals. Sixty-six of England’s 118 acute trusts with accident and emergency departments responded to freedom of information requests for their record of how many times an A&E patient had been placed in a corridor or “temporary escalation space”. The data released by hospital trusts gives the clearest picture yet of the scale of “corridor care” in crowded emergency departments – a practice labelled “unacceptable” by the government amid deep concerns over patient safety. Read full article (paywalled). Source: Health Service Journal, 4 December 2025 Related reading Corridor care and patient safety
  22. News Article
    Breast cancer patients suffered unnecessary mastectomies, delayed diagnoses and a lack of compassionate care at an NHS Trust in north-east England, the BBC has learned. More than 200 cases are now being investigated at County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust (CDDFT) - 43 of these are reported to involve significant harm. One death is also being examined. Women have told the BBC that they were left feeling "butchered" by surgery, while a leading expert says that what went on at the trust was "a textbook example of how not to carry out breast cancer management". In addition, the BBC discovered that nearly £6m was paid out by the trust to clinics run privately by its main breast cancer surgeon. In total, medical records of nearly 1,600 patients treated since 2023 are now being examined following concerns about the service the trust offered. Read full article. Source: BBC News, 28 November 2025
  23. News Article
    When Kayleigh Griffiths lost her baby daughter, Pippa, in 2016 through maternity failings in Shropshire, she had no idea how many times she would have to retell her traumatic story at future medical appointments. She has worked to get a so-called "Ockenden alert" on her medical notes – an idea which came out of meetings with other traumatised families. Donna Ockenden is the senior midwife who led the 2022 review which found more than 200 babies and nine mothers in Shropshire could have survived with better care. Mrs Grifiths wants the alert to be offered to more affected families, and eventually to people nationally. She said it meant health workers "can see that alert and have a look at what that means for us". "And it might just mean that they take a bit of extra time to read our notes, to understand what our history is, so that we don't have to keep going over that same story at every single appointment because it is retraumatising," she added. Read full article. Source: BBC News, 28 November 2025
  24. News Article
    The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated Public Health Wales as a collaborating centre for digital health equity. The partnership will play a key role in shaping WHO’s work on digital health equity and strengthening collaboration and advocacy among regional stakeholders in this area. As a WHO collaborating centre, Public Health Wales will contribute to technical reviews, research and evidence-gathering to support WHO’s work on digital health equity at regional and global levels. Key areas of collaboration include supporting the implementation of the regional digital health action plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030, identifying best practices and guiding inclusive digital health policy development. Read full article. Source: Digital Health, 28 November 2025.
  25. Content Article
    Simulation is a well-established tool for clinical education and has been used to uncover latent safety threats (LSTs) in healthcare settings. However, the extent to which systems theory underpins efforts to detect and mitigate LSTs remains unclear. This scoping review explores how healthcare simulations have been used to identify and address LSTs, with particular attention to the visibility and application of systems theory in study design, implementation, and analysis. It concludes that simulation is a valuable method for identifying LSTs, but inconsistent application of systems theory and variable methodological transparency limit learning and generalisability. The authors suggest that future research should make theoretical underpinnings explicit, define terminology clearly, and align simulation design with both educational and organisational improvement goals.

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