Health and care sector latest developments
Medical training (prioritisation) bill introduced
The government has held the first reading of the medical training (prioritisation) bill, which is designed to prioritise UK-trained medical graduates for NHS training posts.
The BMA said the bill marks “a step forward” in tackling what it described as an “absurd jobs crisis”, with UK-trained doctors increasingly unable to secure roles despite being trained at public expense.
However, it warned that the measures fall short of a full solution, stressing that “there remain no new jobs for doctors” and raising concerns that the proposals do not adequately protect international doctors with significant NHS experience.
Chief executive of the NHS Confederation, Matthew Taylor responded to the announcement of the bill stating;
“Our members will welcome the medical training (prioritisation) bill, which aims to introduce a fairer system for allocating postgraduate medical training places. It’s encouraging to see the government taking action to reform how these places are offered so the NHS can better match training capacity to workforce need – an important element of the government’s Ten-Year Health Plan.
“However, it remains a concern that even though this bill was introduced, by the government, in part to avert strike action by resident doctors, on its own it has not been enough to placate them, and as it stands, we are still left with the prospect of future walkouts.”
Cancer wait times worsen at many trusts
Nearly half of NHS trusts have seen their performance against the 62-day cancer treatment target decline over the past year, with national figures appearing stable but masking sharp deterioration at a significant number of providers.
According to HSJ, performance varies widely across the country, with some trusts recording large double-digit falls while others have made notable improvements, reiterating concerns about a growing postcode lottery in access to timely cancer care.
Experts warn that the upcoming National Cancer Plan will fail without extra staff, equipment and sustained investment, as system leaders face pressure to reverse declining performance and meet tougher targets.
Streeting accuses ICBs of oversteering on deficits
Wes Streeting at the Institute for Government’s annual conference said that some trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) have cut spending too aggressively in an effort to avoid deficits, leading to underperformance on elective activity.
As HSJ notes, he acknowledged the push to bring the NHS back into financial balance for the first time in years is “not risk free”, with winter pressures and the need for a rapid recovery in the final quarter posing immediate challenges.
Despite elective waits being a key political target, only a minority of providers are on track to meet improvement goals, as many have been told to prioritise financial control, with ministers now considering a late year elective catch up push.
£44 million deficit declared by first trust to abandon financial plan
Royal Devon University Healthcare Foundation Trust (RDUH) has revised its year-end 2025/26 forecast position from breakeven to a deficit of £44 million, following a board meeting on Friday.
RDUH said its deteriorated position is mostly down to a failure to meet its “ambitious” cost improvement plan of £68.8 million (5.6 per cent of turnover), which has now been revised to £42.2 million, following agreement with NHS England.
The trust is the first in England to publicly revise its financial plan for 2025/26, two-and-a-half months before the end of the financial year. It comes amid increasing pressure from NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey and others for trusts to achieve financial balance this year.
