Emily Townsend

I'm a correspondent at specialist national news title Health Service Journal, passionate about achieving parity of esteem for mental health and giving a voice to the voiceless. I was previously a reporter at Archant’s Investigations Unit.

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Health Service Journal •

Exclusive: NHSE home birth proposals spark major safety fears

By Emily Townsend2026-04-28T04:57:00NHS England is considering allowing midwives to “withdraw” services from women deemed to be giving birth at home against professional advice, HSJ  has learned. By Emily Townsend2026-04-28T04:57:00 NHS England is considering allowing midwives to “withdraw” services from women deemed to be giving birth at home against professional advice, HSJ  has learned.
Health Service Journal •

HSJ Podcast: The CQC's latest crisis

And with staff pride at a record low at the Care Quality Commission, according to its latest internal survey, we cover what will be in the in-tray of its new CEO and why the regulator wants to find someone with “clear political licence”.  On Thursday evening, following the recording of this podcast, East Kent Hospitals Trust issued a statement stating Ms Doherty was stepping down so that the organisation could “appoint a chair who can focus exclusively on leading East Kent through the next phas...
Health Service Journal •

Families want top medic removed from key taskforce

By Emily Townsend2026-04-24T04:56:00Bereaved families impacted by the Nottingham maternity scandal have called on Wes Streeting to remove a senior medic from a national taskforce whose appointment they said was “deeply distressing”. By Emily Townsend2026-04-24T04:56:00 Bereaved families impacted by the Nottingham maternity scandal have called on Wes Streeting to remove a senior medic from a national taskforce whose appointment they said was “deeply distressing”.
Health Service Journal •

Staff pride in CQC at record low as review warns of ‘further crisis’

By Emily Townsend2026-04-23T05:57:00There has been a drop in the proportion of staff feeling proud to work at the Care Quality Commission, its latest survey suggests – with nearly half of employees answering this question neutrally or negatively. By Emily Townsend2026-04-23T05:57:00 There has been a drop in the proportion of staff feeling proud to work at the Care Quality Commission, its latest survey suggests – with nearly half of employees answering this question neutrally or negatively.
Health Service Journal •

CQC seeks CEO with ‘clear political licence’

By Emily Townsend2026-04-21T11:37:00The Care Quality Commission’s next chief executive will need to operate with “clear political licence” and be a ”visible national leader”, according to the troubled regulator’s job description for the role. By Emily Townsend2026-04-21T11:37:00 The Care Quality Commission’s next chief executive will need to operate with “clear political licence” and be a ”visible national leader”, according to the troubled regulator’s job description for the role.
Health Service Journal •

‘Inadequate’ provider threatens CQC with legal action

By Emily Townsend2026-03-31T12:11:00A patient transport company rated “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission has said it is taking legal action against the watchdog because it claims the judgement was based on factual inaccuracies and inspectors “going rogue”. By Emily Townsend2026-03-31T12:11:00 A patient transport company rated “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission has said it is taking legal action against the watchdog because it claims the judgement was based on factual inaccura...
Health Service Journal •

CQC still facing ‘pervasive’ concerns and ‘deep wariness’

By Emily Townsend2026-03-30T11:41:00Lack of trust in the Care Quality Commission is “pervasive and deeply felt” and there is widespread criticism of its inspectors, according to a major consultation. By Emily Townsend2026-03-30T11:41:00 Lack of trust in the Care Quality Commission is “pervasive and deeply felt” and there is widespread criticism of its inspectors, according to a major consultation.
Health Service Journal •

Four trusts rated ‘red’ on baby deaths

By Emily Townsend2026-03-26T05:33:00Four hospital trusts have been assessed as having higher than expected rates of both stillbirth and neonatal deaths, according to HSJ analysis of a national safety audit. By Emily Townsend2026-03-26T05:33:00 Four hospital trusts have been assessed as having higher than expected rates of both stillbirth and neonatal deaths, according to HSJ analysis of a national safety audit.
Health Service Journal •

A&E performance recovery lauded by NHSE ‘may not be real’

By Emily Townsend2026-03-23T05:55:00The “substantial improvements” in a trust’s A&E performance praised by NHS England directors “may not be real” according to a paper prepared by its local health and care partnership. By Emily Townsend2026-03-23T05:55:00 The “substantial improvements” in a trust’s A&E performance praised by NHS England directors “may not be real” according to a paper prepared by its local health and care partnership.
Health Service Journal •

Maternity taskforce ‘missing integral expertise’

By Emily Townsend2026-03-19T13:11:00“Integral” expertise is missing from Wes Streeting’s new maternity taskforce, a royal college has said, after no anaesthetists were included in the core group set up to tackle ongoing failures in care. By Emily Townsend2026-03-19T13:11:00 “Integral” expertise is missing from Wes Streeting’s new maternity taskforce, a royal college has said, after no anaesthetists were included in the core group set up to tackle ongoing failures in care.
Health Service Journal •

CQC considered bypassing ministers to hire new chief

By Emily Townsend2026-03-12T13:46:00The Care Quality Commission considered recruiting a replacement for Sir Julian Hartley without government approval because of a four-month delay in getting it signed off, one of its non-executive directors told a board meeting. By Emily Townsend2026-03-12T13:46:00 The Care Quality Commission considered recruiting a replacement for Sir Julian Hartley without government approval because of a four-month delay in getting it signed off, one of its non-executive d...
Health Service Journal •

Ockenden to lead inquiry into third trust

By Emily Townsend and Matt Mathers2026-03-10T13:00:00Senior midwife Donna Ockenden has been appointed chair of the independent inquiry into maternity failures in Leeds, health and social care secretary Wes Streeting has announced. By Emily Townsend and Matt Mathers2026-03-10T13:00:00 Senior midwife Donna Ockenden has been appointed chair of the independent inquiry into maternity failures in Leeds, health and social care secretary Wes Streeting has announced.
Health Service Journal •

Maternity scandal culture change programme failed, says review

By Emily Townsend2026-03-02T12:40:00An NHS England programme designed to improve leadership behaviours and culture in maternity departments following high-profile scandals failed to achieve its aims, an external review has concluded. By Emily Townsend2026-03-02T12:40:00 An NHS England programme designed to improve leadership behaviours and culture in maternity departments following high-profile scandals failed to achieve its aims, an external review has concluded.
Health Service Journal •

NHSE warns coroners about relying on trusts’ safety reports

By Emily Townsend2026-02-26T13:11:00Coroners should not rely on trusts’ safety reports as primary or sole evidence for an inquest, NHS England has said, amid concerns some deaths deemed “avoidable” are not even being investigated under the national safety framework. By Emily Townsend2026-02-26T13:11:00 Coroners should not rely on trusts’ safety reports as primary or sole evidence for an inquest, NHS England has said, amid concerns some deaths deemed “avoidable” are not even being investigated...
Health Service Journal •

Merging watchdog into CQC will ‘destroy’ independence

By Emily Townsend2026-02-26T13:10:00The influential MP who first proposed setting up a safety investigations watchdog for the NHS has warned health and social care secretary Wes Streeting that merging the body into the Care Quality Commission would be “fundamentally wrong”. By Emily Townsend2026-02-26T13:10:00 The influential MP who first proposed setting up a safety investigations watchdog for the NHS has warned health and social care secretary Wes Streeting that merging the body into the Car...
Health Service Journal •

Families fear ‘cycle of diagnosis without delivery’ over maternity review

By Emily Townsend2026-02-26T05:12:00Poor accountability and familiar systemic failures were highlighted in the latest report from the government’s “rapid” maternity review – leading bereaved families to warn against it becoming “another cycle of diagnosis without delivery”. By Emily Townsend2026-02-26T05:12:00 Poor accountability and familiar systemic failures were highlighted in the latest report from the government’s “rapid” maternity review – leading bereaved families to warn against it bec...
Health Service Journal •

Revealed: ‘Unacceptable’ disparities in care against new metrics

By Emily Townsend2026-02-17T08:50:00The trusts where Black women and those from the most deprived communities are facing “unacceptable” disparities in outcomes against a range of maternal care metrics have been identified in a new NHS England dashboard. By Emily Townsend2026-02-17T08:50:00 The trusts where Black women and those from the most deprived communities are facing “unacceptable” disparities in outcomes against a range of maternal care metrics have been identified in a new NHS England...
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