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.
With the government looking to extend Monitor's powers to act as a regulator for the health care sector, this paper looks at the lessons that can be learned from economic regulation in health care in other countries and from regulation of other market sectors in the UK.
Promoting organisational autonomy and staff engagement
4 Aug 2011
Rachael Addicott
The government is committed to the development of social enterprises to deliver health and social care. But will these new organisations and their leaders have the necessary skills to manage the risks and establish themselves as viable organisations in an increasingly competitive market?
The NHS system needs to develop and integrate to respond to the growing burden of chronic illness. This paper addresses the fundamental question of whether competition and integration can co-exist in the NHS and considers the role that different bodies, especially the NHS Commissioning Board and Monitor, will play.
The role of nudges, scorecard design and information
18 Nov 2010
Anna Dixon, Tammy Boyce, Barbara Fasolo, Elena Reutskaja
Choosing a high-quality hospital explores how information can help patients to make informed choices. It is based on a research study, which began with a series of focus group discussions, the results of which informed the design of an online experiment.
This report provides guidance for commissioners, policymakers and providers of support on how to avoid the pitfalls of, but also ensure best value from, external support in building high-quality commissioning.
Patient choice: how patients choose and how providers respond considers how choice of provider is operating in practice and its impact on hospital providers.
As part of a larger research project, a survey was sent to patients in four areas of England to ask about their experience of referral - and choosing a hospital for treatment. This report summarises the survey findings on patients' choice, opinion, travel, information, support and influencing factors.
Independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs) provide services to NHS patients but are owned and run by organisations outside the NHS. This briefing paper explains why ISTCs were introduced, and how they are funded, staffed and regulated.
Free choice, allowing patients to choose a hospital anywhere in England, begins in April 2008. This briefing summarises the most recent data on choice of referral.
Patient 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.
Amid increasing independent and voluntary sector involvement in NHS service delivery this report highlights issues that the government and health service providers in all three sectors should address.
A study of patient choice and its effect on five specialist HIV units in London
2 Feb 2006
Ruth Thorlby
Explores the experience of patients and staff in five HIV/AIDS units to assess whether wide-ranging NHS reforms, including patient choice and payment by results, really make services more responsive.
How will primary care be affected by the changing role of primary care trusts and the introduction of both practice-based commissioning and competition between providers?
This report presents the key findings and emerging policy implications from ten focus groups that explored public views about choice in health and health care.
Exploring the impact of health service market reforms
12 Sep 2005
Richard Lewis, Jennifer Dixon
Offers a critical analysis of the introduction of market reforms into the health service, and examines whether these policy developments can meet the core aims of the NHS.
Examines the long-established relationship between the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry, and highlights potential conflict between the drive for profits and the public interest while suggesting ways forward.
This report explores the trade-offs between equity of access and more patient choice, and opens up debate on how market forces could help shape the new NHS.
