Blog Comment and analysis on the key issues in health and social care Search Apply Listing Content Type Viewing: All blogs All blogs Share this content Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Email Print this page Topics Health and care services Adult social care Cancer services Community services Emergency care General practice Hospital care Maternity services Mental health New models of care Public health Leadership, systems and organisations Clinical commissioning groups Clinical leadership Equality and diversity Integrated care Local service design Patient leadership Quality improvement Sustainability and transformation plans System leadership Voluntary and community sector Workforce and skills Patients, people and society Health inequalities Older people Patient experience Patient involvement Technology and data Policy, finance and performance Access to care (-) Better Care Fund (-) Commissioning and contracting Governance and regulation Health and Social Care Act 2012 NHS finances NHS five year forward view (-) Performance (-) Productivity Social care finances Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 (-) 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Blog The public’s view of which treatments should be available on the NHS It's hard to disagree with the principle that both costs and effects of treatments need to be weighed in order to make decisions about improving value for money and productivity. For a majority of the public however, this is not a principle they hold. Blog Contracting for integrated care – what happens once the ink is dry? Commissioners, providers and policy-makers are showing a lot of interest in new contracting models currently being implemented. However, the contract is often seen as an end in itself rather than a tool for encouraging new ways of working. Blog Will the 18-week waiting time target be met by the end of the year? After the 18-week waiting time target was breached earlier this year, Jeremy Hunt announced £250 million to bring it back under control. We review the latest data to see how successful this has been so far. Blog The Better Care Fund: will the plans work? The government expects councils and NHS partners to achieve way too much, with too little, too soon, says Richard Humphries. Blog Hospital workload in one chart: good news, bad news With hospital workloads increasing on all fronts, John Appleby takes a look at the key trends and data to explain what's going on. Blog Delivering better value in the NHS 2014/15 looks like being a watershed year in which the NHS moves decisively into deficit, so where do the opportunities lie in delivering better value? Blog What happens when the money runs out? If in 2013/14 the NHS struggled to maintain performance even with a recruitment round, the chances it can continue to do so with fewer, rather than more, staff look non-existent, says Richard Murray. Blog Better Care Fund, better read the small print? Although earlier rumours of the demise of the Better Care Fund – the government’s £3.8 billion pooled fund to promote integrated care – have turned out to be greatly exaggerated, the significance of the government’s latest announcement about the fund should not be. Blog New organisational models for the NHS won't be built in a day New organisational models for the NHS could bring benefits but it's the quality of leadership alongside a culture of excellence in performance and accountability for results that will be key, says Candace Imison. Blog NHS performance: are we really getting it right? In The Commonwealth Fund's comparative study of health system performance in 11 countries, the UK ranks first across a range of measures covering quality, access and efficiency of care. But can rankings only tell us so much? Blog Wanted: an even Better Care Fund In light of our new report on the NHS productivity challenge, Chris Ham calls for a new transformation fund to stop the NHS approaching a major financial crisis. Blog Transforming primary care The new Department of Health document, Transforming primary care, mostly looks to improve services for those with the most complex needs. But what does it tell us about transforming primary care for the rest of the population? Blog The NHS: running out of money The last time the NHS fell into deficit it came to many as something of a surprise. This time – going by the responses in our latest quarterly monitoring report – it’s looking rather predictable. Blog Can Simon Stevens build a coalition for change? Simon Stevens takes up his post as Chief Executive of NHS England today, with an inbox that will be full to overflowing. But what are the three issues that demand his immediate attention? Blog How engaged are CCG members one year on? One year ago today, clinical commissioning groups formally took on their statutory responsibility for £65 billion of the NHS budget. So how do individuals in CCGs feel about engagement now? Blog A&E performance: a winter’s tale With due credit to the hard work of NHS staff and the hours spent on planning, A&E performance this winter is better than it was last year. But why is this? Richard Murray takes a look at the figures in a data blog. Blog A year is a long time in the politics of integrated care Although all the political parties agree about the importance of integrated care as an end, willing the means to achieve it is another matter, says Richard Humphries. Blog What can the NHS learn from Marks and Spencer? Following the appointment of Stuart Rose to advise on leadership in the NHS, Chris Ham reflects on whether the NHS can learn any lessons from the way Marks and Spencer operates. Blog Making general practice fit for the future Federations and networks of GP practices are working to deliver extended services and raise standards of care. These innovations are valuable, but much more is needed to ensure general practice really is fit for the future, says Chris Ham. Blog Can the Care Quality Commission live up to expectations? Although the Care Quality Commission has an important role, the first line of defence against poor quality care must be frontline staff, says Catherine Foot. Subscribe to our Weekly Update newsletterPublications: Independent research and analysis on health and social care Reports, long reads and articles.
Blog The public’s view of which treatments should be available on the NHS It's hard to disagree with the principle that both costs and effects of treatments need to be weighed in order to make decisions about improving value for money and productivity. For a majority of the public however, this is not a principle they hold.
Blog Contracting for integrated care – what happens once the ink is dry? Commissioners, providers and policy-makers are showing a lot of interest in new contracting models currently being implemented. However, the contract is often seen as an end in itself rather than a tool for encouraging new ways of working.
Blog Will the 18-week waiting time target be met by the end of the year? After the 18-week waiting time target was breached earlier this year, Jeremy Hunt announced £250 million to bring it back under control. We review the latest data to see how successful this has been so far.
Blog The Better Care Fund: will the plans work? The government expects councils and NHS partners to achieve way too much, with too little, too soon, says Richard Humphries.
Blog Hospital workload in one chart: good news, bad news With hospital workloads increasing on all fronts, John Appleby takes a look at the key trends and data to explain what's going on.
Blog Delivering better value in the NHS 2014/15 looks like being a watershed year in which the NHS moves decisively into deficit, so where do the opportunities lie in delivering better value?
Blog What happens when the money runs out? If in 2013/14 the NHS struggled to maintain performance even with a recruitment round, the chances it can continue to do so with fewer, rather than more, staff look non-existent, says Richard Murray.
Blog Better Care Fund, better read the small print? Although earlier rumours of the demise of the Better Care Fund – the government’s £3.8 billion pooled fund to promote integrated care – have turned out to be greatly exaggerated, the significance of the government’s latest announcement about the fund should not be.
Blog New organisational models for the NHS won't be built in a day New organisational models for the NHS could bring benefits but it's the quality of leadership alongside a culture of excellence in performance and accountability for results that will be key, says Candace Imison.
Blog NHS performance: are we really getting it right? In The Commonwealth Fund's comparative study of health system performance in 11 countries, the UK ranks first across a range of measures covering quality, access and efficiency of care. But can rankings only tell us so much?
Blog Wanted: an even Better Care Fund In light of our new report on the NHS productivity challenge, Chris Ham calls for a new transformation fund to stop the NHS approaching a major financial crisis.
Blog Transforming primary care The new Department of Health document, Transforming primary care, mostly looks to improve services for those with the most complex needs. But what does it tell us about transforming primary care for the rest of the population?
Blog The NHS: running out of money The last time the NHS fell into deficit it came to many as something of a surprise. This time – going by the responses in our latest quarterly monitoring report – it’s looking rather predictable.
Blog Can Simon Stevens build a coalition for change? Simon Stevens takes up his post as Chief Executive of NHS England today, with an inbox that will be full to overflowing. But what are the three issues that demand his immediate attention?
Blog How engaged are CCG members one year on? One year ago today, clinical commissioning groups formally took on their statutory responsibility for £65 billion of the NHS budget. So how do individuals in CCGs feel about engagement now?
Blog A&E performance: a winter’s tale With due credit to the hard work of NHS staff and the hours spent on planning, A&E performance this winter is better than it was last year. But why is this? Richard Murray takes a look at the figures in a data blog.
Blog A year is a long time in the politics of integrated care Although all the political parties agree about the importance of integrated care as an end, willing the means to achieve it is another matter, says Richard Humphries.
Blog What can the NHS learn from Marks and Spencer? Following the appointment of Stuart Rose to advise on leadership in the NHS, Chris Ham reflects on whether the NHS can learn any lessons from the way Marks and Spencer operates.
Blog Making general practice fit for the future Federations and networks of GP practices are working to deliver extended services and raise standards of care. These innovations are valuable, but much more is needed to ensure general practice really is fit for the future, says Chris Ham.
Blog Can the Care Quality Commission live up to expectations? Although the Care Quality Commission has an important role, the first line of defence against poor quality care must be frontline staff, says Catherine Foot.
Publications: Independent research and analysis on health and social care Reports, long reads and articles.
