Briefings
We have produced the following concise and impartial briefings on key health and social care issues. To see our full collection of resources - including publications and articles - on a range of health issues, see our health topics section.
High Quality Care for All: Briefing on NHS Next Stage Review final report
16.07.08 | Type: AnalysisThis briefing provides The King’s Fund’s analysis of the key themes explored in Higher Quality Care For All, the final report from Lord Darzi's NHS Next Stage Review.
Downloadable version (81kb)Healthcare-associated infections
07.07.08 | Type: AnalysisRachel Turner looks at the rise of healthcare-associated infections across the NHS. This briefing looks at the policies and strategies put in place to combat healthcare-associated infections as well as their possible effectiveness.
Downloadable version (290kb)In the beginning: Determinants of Health
04.07.08 | Type: AnalysisJohn Appleby and Ruth Thorlby explore the early years of the NHS and look forward to what we might encounter in the next 60 years.
Downloadable version (1704kb)Visions for care in strategic health authorities
01.07.08 | Type: AnalysisAs part of Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS, each strategic health authority (SHA) outside London was commissioned to produce a report outlining their ‘vision’ for care in their region over the coming decade. This briefing provides a thematic summary of some of the key features of the nine SHA plans.
Downloadable version (70kb)Background to the NHS Next Stage Review
30.05.08 | Type: BackgroundIn July 2007 Professor Lord Ara Darzi, a surgeon and health minister, started a wide-ranging review of the NHS in England and the final report is due to be published before the 60th anniversary of the NHS on 5 July 2008. This briefing provides the background of the review and asks what the final report might recommend.
Downloadable version (99kb)Free choice at the point of referral
27.03.08 | Type: Background‘Free choice’ – allowing patients being referred for non-urgent treatment to choose a hospital anywhere in England – begins in the NHS in England in April 2008. This briefing summarises the most recent official data relating to choice of hospital at the point of GP referral.
Downloadable version (133kb)Patient choice
29.01.08 | Type: AnalysisPatient choice has been a major theme of the Labour government’s public sector modernisation programme. This briefing looks at the development of reforms to give patients a choice of provider for their planned hospital care.
Downloadable version (90kb)Operating framework 2008/9
22.01.08 | Type: AnalysisAt the beginning of every financial year the Department of Health produces an ‘operating framework’, which provides a set of priorities and guidance for the NHS and is aimed at PCTs, strategic health authorities and NHS trusts. This briefing summarises the main points from both the operating framework and supporting documents and offers some analysis of their content.
Downloadable version (85kb)Practice-based commissioning
30.11.07 | Type: BackgroundPractice-based commissioning is a policy that aims to give more influence and control to GP practices in England over how money is spent on health care services. This briefing explores some of the questions and issues relating to practice-based commissioning.
Downloadable version (101kb)The reconfiguration of hospital services in England
28.11.07 | Type: TopicalThis briefing examines the recent debate over hospital configuration in England; describes what changes are currently being proposed together with the main factors driving these changes; sets out the process by which services can be reconfigured; and identifies a series of issues which will need to be addressed by policy makers.
Downloadable version (107kb)
See also
