Sir Robert Naylor is one of the best-known acute trust chief executives in the NHS. After a decade at the helm of first-wave foundation trust UCLH, Naylor’s influence at the leading edge of acute modernisation is as unmistakable as his nickname ‘Bob The Builder’, earned for his dramatic remodelling of UCLH’s physical estate under PFI.

The HPI policy interview series continues with Dr Peter Brambleby, Joint Director of Public Health, NHS Croydon and Croydon Council telling editor Andy Cowper about how commissioning and public health relate.

Preface: these are Dr Brambleby’s personal views, to stimulate thought and debate, and not necessarily those of NHS Croydon or Croydon Council.

Where will public health sit in the new system?

Our policy interview series continues with Timothy Heymann, Reader in Health Management, Imperial College Business School and consultant physician, Kingston Hospital, giving editor Andy Cowper a secondary care perspective on commissioning reforms

How do you see clinically-led commissioning reshaping secondary care working practices and patterns in the coming years?

Our interview series continues with editor Andy Cowper interviewing Dr Michael Dixon GP, chair of NHS Alliance.

What are the main opportunities for GPs and the primary care team in the new policy?

MD: “This is the time for general practice to up its game. Current changes allow GPs and general practices a major role as local leaders in determining the nature and quality of all local services available and improving local health. Potentially, they can move from being peripheral to this process to becoming the driving force within it.

Our interview series continues with editor Andy Cowper interviewing Dr Michael Dixon GP, chair of NHS Alliance.

What are the main opportunities for GPs and the primary care team in the new policy?

MD: “This is the time for general practice to up its game. Current changes allow GPs and general practices a major role as local leaders in determining the nature and quality of all local services available and improving local health. Potentially, they can move from being peripheral to this process to becoming the driving force within it.

In the third in our series of policy interviews, editor Andy Cowper interviews NHS Alliance chief executive Michael Sobanja.

What are the main opportunities for GPs and the primary care team in the new policy?

MS: “Predominantly, the opportunities are for GPs and general practice. One interesting thing in emerging policy is its focus on GPs as opposed to the primary care team.

In the second of Health Policy Insight’s series of interviews in the run-up to the revised Operating Framework publication and the NHS Confederation annual conference, editor Andy Cowper interviews Andrew Donald, the chief operating officer of NHS Birmingham East and North PCT.

HPI: How will an independent commissioning board and GP-driven commissioning consortia change the meaning and practice of NHS commissioning?

In the first of Health Policy Insight’s series of interviews in the run-up to the publication of the revised 2010-11 NHS Operating Framework and the NHS Confederation annual conference, editor Andy Cowper talks to Nigel Edwards, acting chief executive of the NHS Confederation.

by Health Policy Insight editor Andy Cowper

There are survivors and there are thrivers. Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary of Government Communications Matt Tee is the latter.

His career in communications, culminating in the role of Director General of Communications for the DH, took an interesting tangent when he was appointed chief executive of NHS Direct. He also worked as Business Development Manager for Dr Foster.

At the end of January, Dr Bill Moyes steps down as executive chair of Monitor, the independent regulator of foundation trusts (FTs).

In this interview, Moyes reviews the financial challenges of austerity and a marginal tariff, and appraises the successes and challenges of the FT sector within the healthcare economy of 2010.

Financial matters