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 •

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...
Health Service Journal •

Five trusts ‘high outliers’ for ‘largely preventable’ infections

By Emily Townsend2026-01-27T12:44:00Five trusts with unusually high levels of surgical infections, which experts called “largely preventable” harm, have been identified by the UK’s health security agency. By Emily Townsend2026-01-27T12:44:00 Five trusts with unusually high levels of surgical infections, which experts called “largely preventable” harm, have been identified by the UK’s health security agency.
Health Service Journal •

High risk service paused dozens of times at ‘inadequate’ unit

By Emily Townsend2026-01-23T12:48:00A service offering elective caesarean sections for women considered “high risk” and unable to labour was paused 32 times, according to inspectors who have rated the department “inadequate” for the second time in a row. By Emily Townsend2026-01-23T12:48:00 A service offering elective caesarean sections for women considered “high risk” and unable to labour was paused 32 times, according to inspectors who have rated the department “inadequate” for the second ti...
Health Service Journal •

National maternity review will not ‘sideline’ Nottingham probe, pledges chair

The high-profile chair of a major maternity review into care failures in Nottingham has pledged to ensure its results “will not be sidelined” by the government’s national investigation.Concerns Donna Ockenden’s findings could be sidelined, followed ministers announcing in September that the national maternity review’s recommendations would “supersede the multiple existing actions and recommendations already in place”. While Ms Ockenden’s Nottingham University Hospitals Trust inquiry began in 20...
Health Service Journal •

Revealed: Urgent review ordered after deaths in fragile maternity services

By Emily Townsend and Alison Moore2026-01-20T06:05:00NHS England has ordered trusts to “urgently” review their home birth services, it has emerged – as an HSJ investigation reveals widespread fragility and safety risks. By Emily Townsend and Alison Moore2026-01-20T06:05:00 NHS England has ordered trusts to “urgently” review their home birth services, it has emerged – as an HSJ investigation reveals widespread fragility and safety risks.
Health Service Journal •

‘Distressing’ rise in maternal deaths as progress stalls

By Emily Townsend2026-01-13T03:29:00More women are dying during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth compared to over a decade ago – despite a government ambition to halve maternal mortality rates, it has emerged. By Emily Townsend2026-01-13T03:29:00 More women are dying during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth compared to over a decade ago – despite a government ambition to halve maternal mortality rates, it has emerged.
Health Service Journal •

Exclusive: Staff left suicidal by ‘punitive’ and drawn-out HR investigations

By Emily Townsend2025-12-17T16:34:00Investigations into workplace conflict and alleged misconduct are frequently being used as punishment across the NHS, leaving staff feeling suicidal and alienated, according to findings shared with HSJ. By Emily Townsend2025-12-17T16:34:00 Investigations into workplace conflict and alleged misconduct are frequently being used as punishment across the NHS, leaving staff feeling suicidal and alienated, according to findings shared with HSJ.
Health Service Journal •

NHSE orders daily reporting on maternity pressures

By Emily Townsend2025-12-15T06:20:00NHS England is requiring hospitals to report to it every morning on the state of their maternity and neonatal services, in what some leaders say is an echo of the “command and control under covid”. By Emily Townsend2025-12-15T06:20:00 NHS England is requiring hospitals to report to it every morning on the state of their maternity and neonatal services, in what some leaders say is an echo of the “command and control under covid”.
Health Service Journal •

Maternity review trusts delivered ‘better care than expected’, CQC finds

By Emily Townsend2025-12-11T05:25:00Only two of the 12 trusts involved in the government’s national investigation into maternity services delivered care that was “worse than expected”, according to a Care Quality Commission survey. By Emily Townsend2025-12-11T05:25:00 Only two of the 12 trusts involved in the government’s national investigation into maternity services delivered care that was “worse than expected”, according to a Care Quality Commission survey.
Health Service Journal •

National maternity review branded ‘light touch’

By Emily Townsend2025-12-09T05:17:00The “rapid national investigation” into maternity care failings launched by Wes Streeting will not formally evaluate the performance of the 12 trusts involved, it has emerged, as families criticised the government’s “light touch” approach. By Emily Townsend2025-12-09T05:17:00 The “rapid national investigation” into maternity care failings launched by Wes Streeting will not formally evaluate the performance of the 12 trusts involved, it has emerged, as famili...
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