Articles

Bringing you the latest independent views on health and social care from The King's Fund, all of our reports and findings from our projects are available to buy or download.

To order printed copies of our publications, please purchase online or contact publications@kingsfund.org.uk or 020 7307 2568.

Fixing the broken system

Chris Ham and Anna Dixon put forward that case that urgent action is needed to change how health and social care are delivered.

We need policies on public health at the centre of government

David Buck discusses whether local authorities are well prepared to take on the burden of responsibility for local government.

Health inequalities: an Olympic-size challenge

The good news is that government interventions have had a positive impact on healthy living. The bad news is that they’re mainly helping the better-off.

Why is there variation in the NHS?

Candace Imison discusses why there is variation in the NHS at all – after being asked why the NHS can't be more like Pizza Express.

Moved to the point of tears

Patients can become upset and treatment jeopardised when continuity of care is constantly broken in hospitals, as Jocelyn Cornwell explains.

What do NHS staff think about the NHS?

The government put out some upbeat survey results about NHS staff attitudes towards the health service. But do the figures suggest growing pessimism for the future?

Joint health and wellbeing strategy guide

Richard Humphries, David Buck, Melanie Henwood, Bob Hudson
The King's Fund has contributed to a series of products for health and wellbeing boards, including a strategy guide, self assessment toolkit and briefings.

Beyond inspections

Is the health service burdened by the requirements of regulation?

Preparing for the Francis report: how to assure quality in the NHS

With the Francis Inquiry report due in the autumn, we set out our views on how the system of quality assurance needs to evolve and how it should operate.

Commissioning top 10

Chris Naylor summarises our ten priorities for commissioners, describing ten areas in which action will be needed to secure a sustainable health system.

Seeking answers to questions about the care system

Richard Humphries discusses the government’s progress report on the funding of care and support.

No journey’s end for care funding

In the absence of a clear framework for local authorities, NHS partners and private individuals to plan ahead, social care funding pressures will only get worse.

Nicholas Timmins: the aftermath of reform

Nicholas Timmins speaks to the Halth Service Journal about his new book: Never Again? The story of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

Best foot forward: improving NHS organisations' carbon footprint

The NHS’s carbon footprint is massive, so what can be done to improve the environmental sustainability of health care, asks Chris Naylor.

UK healthcare: Poorly prescribed

Implementation of reforms to the hallowed health service is likely to prove messy, says Nick Timmins in the Financial Times.

Using patient experience to redesign health care services

Jocelyn Cornwell, Helen Baxter
These slides look at the definition of patient-centred care and the principles and practice of experience-based co-design (ebcd) in England.

Spelling out the value in voluntary

Local voluntary organisations bring value to health care – but now they need to demonstrate how, says Lisa Weaks.

Tackling the problems of seriously challenged NHS providers

The experience of South London Healthcare NHS Trust highlights the inadequacies of existing approaches to dealing with failing health care providers.

A productivity challenge too far?

If the government pushes the productivity goal for a further four years beyond 2015, is the NHS setting itself up for failure?

The benefits of centralised emergency services are less than clear

The pressure to swap small hospitals for centralised services is ill thought through and requires a more imaginative approach, says Nigel Edwards.

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