Thursday 18 October 2007

The Healthcare Commission have published their annual assessment of the health service, rating all NHS trusts in England for their performance in relation to the quality of their services and how well they manage their finances.

The previous assessment from England’s health watchdog used a system of star ratings, which looked only at how the NHS was performing in relation to targets set by the government. The star ratings system was replaced in 2006.

This more wide-ranging system awarded all of the 394 acute, primary care, mental health and ambulance trusts two ratings on a four-point scale of 'excellent', 'good', 'fair' or 'weak'. The first rating scores the quality of services trusts provide to patients, measured against the government's core standards and national targets; the second scores trusts on how effectively they manage their finances and other resources, such as staff and property.

The Healthcare Commission also assesses providers of health care that are not part of the NHS, such as private hospitals, hospices and providers of cosmetic surgery. The Commission investigates whether these providers are meeting the standards of care set by the government. Independent providers are inspected against more prescriptive standards than is the case in the NHS.

King's Fund response

Health Check reveals some improvement, but poor progress on efficiency and choice is worrying

Resources

These resources were collated by the King's Fund Information & Library Service in October 2007. If you would like information on any new resources in this area, please contact the ILS.   

King's Fund

• Our Future Health Secured? A review of NHS funding and performance (2007)
• Health and ten years of Labour government: key facts (2007)
• Health and ten years of Labour government: achievements and challenges (2007)
• How to Regulate Health Care in England? An international perspective (2006)
• An Independent Audit of the NHS under Labour (1997–2005) (2005)
• Regulating Health Care: The way forward (2005)

Healthcare Commission

• NHS performance is improving, says independent healthcare watchdog (press release)
• Overview of results 2006/2007
• 2006/2007 annual health check overview
• The annual health check 2006/2007: directory of performance ratings for NHS trusts
• The annual health check 2006/2007: assessing and rating the NHS
• Service provider information: annual health check 2007/2008
• Annual health check 2007/2008: assessing and rating the NHS
• Analysis of the consultation responses received for 'Developing the annual health check in 2007/2008: have your say
• Developing the annual health check in 2007/2008: have your say
• Your part in the annual health check 2007/2008: a step-by-step guide for patient and public involvement forums, overview and scrutiny committees and foundation trusts' boards of governors

Department of Health

• The future regulation of health and adult social care (White Paper)
• Independent research study: the future of health and adult social care regulation
• National standards, local action: health and social care standards and planning framework 2005/06-2007/08
• Standards for better health
• Inspection concordat

Audit Commission

• The future of regulation in the public sector

The Health Foundation

• What impact does regulation have on the quality of healthcare?
• Regulation and quality improvement: a review of the evidence

Policy Exchange

• Policy Exchange health poll: May 2007

National Library for Health

• Regulation: NHS and social care in England: hot topic
• Annual health check: management briefing
• Using the balanced scorecard approach: management briefing
• Benchmarking: management briefing

• Healthcare Commission
• System management and regulation (Department of Health)
• Performance (Department of Health)
• Performance data (Department of Health microsite)
• The Concordat website
• Audit Commission
• Better Regulation Commission