Blog | The King's Fund

What does NHSX have to learn from other countries’ experiences of digitisation in health systems?

As NHSX is set to begin work on digital transformation in the NHS, Matthew Honeyman reports on discussions from the European Health Policy Group’s most recent meeting and considers what the NHS can learn from other systems.

The NHS misses its new target for planned elective care

Siva Anandaciva considers the shift in priorities for the elective care waiting list and outlines three key considerations for developing a new strategy: how to best measure waiting times, setting realistic targets and the importance of short waits for patients.

Social care: the zombie of modern policy debate

Social care policy has been back in the news but, says Simon Bottery, the debate is staggering around in circles with no clear sense of direction.

Workforce implementation plan: Five key issues to look out for

With an interim workforce implementation plan due to be published soon, Richard Murray highlights five areas to look for, from the recruitment of nurses and primary care staff, to leadership, training and national oversight.

Understanding urban health: Thinking large and small

Improving population health in towns and cities requires both an overarching city-wide strategy, as well as a granular understanding of the needs of local neighbourhoods, as Chris Naylor and Kieron Boyle explain.

Primary care networks and the deprivation challenge: Are we about to widen the gap?

The newly emerging primary care networks provide an opportunity to tackle health inequalities in England but, as Rebecca Fisher and Beccy Baird explain, they will have to be careful to avoid perpetuating the problem.

Spare change: the public and NHS funding

Is the NHS adequately funded, and how should funding be raised? Harry Evans explores the findings of the British Social Attitudes survey on public attitudes towards NHS funding and taxation.

A lav affair: do we care enough about public toilets?

With spending on public toilets declining over the past decade, Deborah Fenney explores the impact this can have on individuals and why this lack of facilities matters for health care.

The NHS and climate change: a decade of distraction

As the realities of climate change become ever clearer, Chris Naylor explores how the NHS has responded to the challenge so far, and why it needs to do more to overcome the ‘tyranny of now’.

Hitting the sweet spot? multi-morbidity, the NHS long-term plan and population health

With its long list of commitments on specific clinical issues, did the NHS long-term plan miss a vital opportunity to address health inequalities? David Buck takes a look at what the plan could achieve for people with multi-morbidities, in a guest blog for the Richmond Group.

Primary care networks and the NHS long-term plan: the new player on the pitch

Richard Murray considers the role primary care networks are meant to play in alleviating workforce pressures, linking general practice with integrated care systems and improving population health.

NICE at 20: a cause for celebration

Nicholas Timmins celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and considers the challenges ahead.

Empathy and understanding in mental health: the role of a peer support worker

Emily, a senior peer support worker at Haven, explains the vital role peer support workers play in supporting people through mental health crisis.

The NHS, local authorities and the long-term plan: in it together?

The long-term plan is written by the NHS for the NHS. But how will it work without the full involvement of local authorities? Richard Humphries argues that successful partnerships between local government and the NHS are essential for improving the health and wellbeing of local populations.

Commissioning is dead, long live commissioning

With collaboration and integrated care central to the long-term plan for the NHS, Ruth Robertson considers what the future holds for commissioning and commissioners.

The NHS needs to be more productive – or is it more efficient?

Stop reading this and get back to work – you need to be more productive. Or is it more efficient? David Maguire explores the difference between productivity and efficiency in the NHS long-term plan.

What does the public think about the NHS and Brexit?

Will leaving the European Union be good or bad for the NHS? Beccy Baird explores the results of the BSA survey, which asked members of the public what they think Brexit will mean for the health service.

A modest proposal? Choice and competition in the long-term plan

Can the principle of choice and competition work alongside integrated care and the demands of patients with multi-morbidity? Nicholas Timmins unpacks NHS England’s plans to make integrated care work more effectively and what this might mean in terms of changes to legislation.

Why is public satisfaction with the NHS still falling?

Ruth Robertson explores the factors behind why public satisfaction with the NHS is still falling, despite 2018's funding boost.

Quality improvement for patient safety: a chance to steady the ship?

Does the recommissioning of the Academic Health Science Networks’ patient safety collaboratives mark a renewed commitment to quality improvement for the NHS? In this blog, Ben Collins considers the NHS’s relationship with quality improvement and the challenges it faces in bringing about real improvements in quality.

Publications: Independent research and analysis on health and social care

Reports, long reads and articles.