The great hierarchy of the NHS
IF the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley ever ended up being lobbed an off the cuff question on the Today programme about some miniscule detail regarding, say, Northampton General Hospital, don’t be surprised if he knows the answer.
Aufona can reveal the extraordinary chain of events that sees some NHS media inquiries being handled. So, for example, a story on an inquest or the recent travails of A&E will be passed from NGH to the PCT (NHS Northamptonshire) and from there to NHS East Midlands, the regional health authority.
From there they are referred to the Department of Health and then from there, potentially, they can go on to ministers and even the Health Secretary himself. While all this is all very admirable, it can be a headache for hacks who sit on their hands waiting for the said press inquiry to be “signed off” by all and sundry. Makes you proud of the NHS really, doesn’t it?
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