Health and care sector latest developments
Hundreds of children in hospital unnecessarily due to inadequate community care
New analysis has suggested that hundreds of children are in hospital unnecessarily.
The Guardian reports that a report on the NHS England data, published by Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, explained that inadequate support in community services is leading to delayed discharges.
Dame Rachel emphasised that "when a child spends months or even years confined to a hospital ward, not because they are too unwell to leave but because the community support cannot be found, the system has failed."
Lord Adebowale urges ambulance leaders to accelerate diversity efforts
Lord Victor Adebowale used his address to the Ambulance Leadership Forum to urge ambulance services to accelerate efforts to improve racial diversity across their workforce and leadership. He noted that the sector remained overwhelmingly white compared with other NHS settings. Highlighting the lack of representation among senior leaders, with only one chief executive from a minority ethnic background and no female chief executives, he warned that current efforts were “not working fast enough”.
The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives acknowledged the challenge, agreeing that greater diversity is essential to building inclusive and anti‑racist organisations. The sector has introduced mentoring schemes, leadership development pathways and work to ensure events better reflect the workforce, but leaders accept more rapid progress is needed. Lord Adebowale also praised the sector’s wider contributions, including its role in system leadership and delivery of the 10 Year Health Plan, encouraging ambulance leaders to continue shaping change across the NHS.
NHS Confederation and NHS Providers statement on the Hatzola ambulance attacks
Four ambulances belonging to Hatzola, the Jewish volunteer emergency service in North London, were deliberately set on fire in the early hours of 23 March 2026. Police are treating the incident as an antisemitic arson attack.
Interim chief executive of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers*, Matthew Taylor said the attack was “profoundly disturbing” and would cause significant distress to Jewish NHS staff and patients. He stressed that NHS leaders have a responsibility to challenge hate within their organisations, warning that failing to do so risks normalising discrimination and undermining trust in care.
He added that The NHS Alliance will remain committed to tackling discrimination and inequality, and is already supporting members to improve understanding of antisemitism and how it is currently manifesting.
*The NHS Confederation and NHS Providers will become the NHS Alliance from April.
IHPN updates framework to boost patient safety
The Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) has announced an update to its medical governance framework, aiming to reinforce patient safety and care quality across the independent sector.
The framework, already embedded in regulation and used by the CQC, will be revised to reflect evolving best practice and maintain high standards.
Led by Professor Stephen Powis, the revised version will include sector input and is due for release in autumn 2026.
Kent meningitis cases fall
The number of cases in the Kent meningitis outbreak fell over the weekend.
The Guardian reports that, following further testing, three previously confirmed cases were downgraded.
This means there have now been 20 confirmed cases of meningitis and nine suspected cases.
