Press release: We welcomed the news that NHS trusts have improved their financial position at the end of the first quarter of 2016/17 compared to the previous year, but our new survey gives strong reason to be cautious for the rest of the year.

Press release: We responded to a number of questions received today on sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) that are being developed by 44 local ares in England.

Report: Our survey of finance directors reveals the strain NHS trusts are operating under, and raises doubts about the sustainability of the first quarter results published by NHS Improvement.

Blog: Writing in the HSJ £ Edward Cornick, finance policy adviser at NHS Providers, explores the Q1 figures and our survey findings in more detail, exploring how the provider sector’s financial position is likely to shape up for the rest of the year. Also available on our website.

On the Day Briefing: We published an on the day briefing on NHS Improvement's release of the Q1 figures, highlighting the key financial and activity figures as well as NHS Providers view.

Coverage of Q1 financial and performance position
A number of media outlets have reported on our survey of finance directors conducted to coincide with the publication of NHS Improvement’s Q1 financial and performance results yesterday. The BBC covers the survey, reporting that finance directors are warning the NHS in England is still in a precarious position despite an upturn in its financial performance in recent months. In its coverage, The Guardian writes that a combination of growing demand, staff shortages and future slowdowns in funding increases mean the NHS is struggling to cope. In its coverage, The Times £ focuses on the decision to suspend children’s A&E services at Stafford Hospital, quoting Chris Hopson: “We’ve got to make a conscious decision on what we’re going to allow to slide because we can’t carry on doing all the things we’re being asked to do.” And the Financial Times £ reports on the survey, saying that many Trust finance directors are pessimistic about their ability to return budgets to a more stable footing this year. HSJ £ goes into greater detail and reports on a key finding from the survey that almost four in 10 finance directors are “not confident of meeting the financial targets” by the end of 2016-17.

Revealed: cuts plan to fight NHS deficit
The front page of the Guardian reports that an investigation by the paper and the campaign group 38 Degrees has revealed that NHS England is overseeing plans for hospital closures, cutbacks and radical changes to the way healthcare is delivered in an attempt to meet spiralling demand and a financial shortfall of around £20bn by 2020-21. Each of England’s 44 “footprint” areas have been asked to submit a cost-cutting “sustainability and transformation plan” to NHS England, with some of the proposals likely to be given the go-ahead as soon as October.

Children’s services at Stafford A&E suspended
The BBC reports that children’s A&E services at Stafford Hospital have been suspended due to a lack of staff with specialist paediatric skills. The department would usually see around 30 patients a day, mostly with minor illnesses. The decision to suspend services has been made just as NHS Improvement has asked for 44 local services to be identified that have too few patients or staff to stay open, as part of cost-cutting measures.

Spire gains from NHS waiting lists
The Daily Telegraph £ analyses the success of Spire Healthcare which has seen revenues rise 4.4% to £469.5m in the first half of the year. Garry Watts, chairman of Spire, says: “Over the past four or five years we have seen mid to high single digit growth and that is partly down to the NHS struggling.” Overall the company generates 30% of annual sales from work it carries out for the NHS.

Scaring teenagers off pregnancy with baby dolls has reverse effect
Australian scientists have found that putting teenage girls off parenthood by giving them virtual babies has quite the opposite effect, writes the BBC. In a controlled trial where adolescents were given virtual babies, those given the baby-stimulating dolls were twice as likely to get pregnant as those given a regular sex education.

For further information, please contact Sarah Beadman, senior communications officer, 020 7304 6841, sarah.beadman@nhsproviders.org