Blog Comment and analysis on the key issues in health and social care Search Apply Listing Content Type Viewing: All blogs All blogs Blogs Library 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 End-of-life care General practice Hospital care Long-term conditions Maternity services Mental health New models of care Public health Sexual health care Leadership, systems and organisations Clinical commissioning groups Clinical leadership Equality and diversity Health and wellbeing boards 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 Carers Children and young people Health inequalities Housing Older people (-) Patient experience (-) Patient involvement (-) Patient safety Population health Public opinion Technology and data Volunteers Policy, finance and performance Access to care (-) Better Care Fund Brexit Commissioning and contracting Devolution General election 2017 General election 2019 Governance and regulation Health and Social Care Act 2012 NHS finances NHS five year forward view NHS long-term plan Performance Productivity (-) Social care finances Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Blog A tale of two Acts: the Mental Health Act, the Mental Capacity Act, and their interface Helen Gilburt shares her research into how mental health and social care professionals make decisions around whether to detain people with mental disorders under the Mental Health Act or the Mental Capacity Act – Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Her research uncovered a range of understandings and misunderstandings which impact on practice. Blog Careworker pay: the national living wage is not enough The national living wage is a crude and ineffective way of raising careworker pay, says Simon Bottery. We need a better way of doing it, linked to wider social care reform. Blog What does the autumn 2020 Spending Review mean for health and care? Who were the winners and losers in the Chancellor’s autumn Spending Review? Siva Anandaciva looks at what the government’s plans promise for health and care. Blog Twelve social care personas: which one(s) are you? Simon Bottery identifies 12 different perspectives on adult social care – and argues reform needs to accommodate as many as it can. Blog The Comprehensive Spending Review needs to be genuinely comprehensive: and that means investing in social care As the Comprehensive Spending Review approaches, Simon Bottery says social care has a strong case for extra investment but may need to address the ‘p’ word – productivity. Blog Shielded voices: hearing from those most in need Charlotte Augst, Chief Executive of National Voices, and Dan Wellings, Senior Fellow at The King’s Fund, make the case for including communities using services in the Covid-19 response. Blog Learning from Grenfell: how can services better work with the communities they serve? As health and care services rapidly transform to tackle the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, Sally Warren considers the value of working with and within communities to drive change, drawing on the lessons learnt in the aftermath of the Grenfell tragedy. Blog What does the 2020 spring Budget mean for health and care? The Chancellor used the Budget to give the NHS and public services funding to deal with the effects of coronavirus. Siva Anandaciva looks at this and other measures affecting health and social care. Blog Learning the lessons from Grenfell: ‘our stories and our voice’ The Grenfell tragedy and its aftermath have revealed that public sector organisations do not always adequately serve local communities. In this guest blog, authors from Grenfell United reflect on the importance of sharing stories and real engagement at all levels to build trust and ensure meaningful support. Blog Looking ahead to the Budget: what should we expect for health and care? Ahead of the Budget on 11 March, Sally Warren considers what should be included to enable the new government to deliver on its manifesto commitments, from NHS infrastructure and staffing, to social care and public health. Blog Social care can’t cope alone with the cost of the living wage The rise in the national living wage will stretch adult social care beyond its limit, says Simon Bottery. More money – and a more strategic approach to the social care workforce – is needed. Blog Social care services: funding cuts are biting hard There is nothing to smile about in new statistics showing more people request social care support but fewer get it. Blog Health and social care funding: what’s in, what’s out and who offers the most? Richard Murray looks beneath the headline commitments at what the main parties are really offering in terms of funding for the health and care system. Blog Why are we still waiting for solutions to the problems of social care? Kate Barker, chair of the independent Commission on the Future of Health and Social Care in England, shares her views on the challenges facing the social care sector. Blog Back in the ‘too difficult’ box: social care and the manifestos It’s not only about what is in the manifestos, it’s also about what isn’t. Sally Warren takes a look at whether parties are addressing the long-running challenges around social care. Blog Not just the NHS: manifestos need to consider other health and care priorities too Sally Warren calls for political parties to consider more than just the NHS in their manifestos. To truly improve health and care, public health, social care, mental health, workforce and funding must also be priorities. Blog Why you’re better off being a cleaner than a care worker Social care is becoming even less competitive on pay, says Simon Bottery. The sector’s problems won’t be solved by a recruitment campaign alone. Blog Politicians should avoid the temptation of another NHS top-down re-organisation Following today’s Queen’s Speech and an election looming, Richard Murray warns that a major re-organisation of the NHS risks damaging a service that is already under strain. Blog Party conference season: the key announcements on health and social care As this year’s party conference season comes to a close, what have we learned about the main parties’ priorities for health and social care? Richard Murray weighs up the key commitments, from funding and the NHS workforce to social care reform. Blog Cancer or dementia: the social care system is unfair to people with either condition The often-made contrast between ‘free’ support for cancer and ‘means-tested’ support for dementia is not entirely accurate, says Simon Bottery. Subscribe to our Weekly Update newsletterPublications: Independent research and analysis on health and social care Reports, long reads and articles.
Blog A tale of two Acts: the Mental Health Act, the Mental Capacity Act, and their interface Helen Gilburt shares her research into how mental health and social care professionals make decisions around whether to detain people with mental disorders under the Mental Health Act or the Mental Capacity Act – Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Her research uncovered a range of understandings and misunderstandings which impact on practice.
Blog Careworker pay: the national living wage is not enough The national living wage is a crude and ineffective way of raising careworker pay, says Simon Bottery. We need a better way of doing it, linked to wider social care reform.
Blog What does the autumn 2020 Spending Review mean for health and care? Who were the winners and losers in the Chancellor’s autumn Spending Review? Siva Anandaciva looks at what the government’s plans promise for health and care.
Blog Twelve social care personas: which one(s) are you? Simon Bottery identifies 12 different perspectives on adult social care – and argues reform needs to accommodate as many as it can.
Blog The Comprehensive Spending Review needs to be genuinely comprehensive: and that means investing in social care As the Comprehensive Spending Review approaches, Simon Bottery says social care has a strong case for extra investment but may need to address the ‘p’ word – productivity.
Blog Shielded voices: hearing from those most in need Charlotte Augst, Chief Executive of National Voices, and Dan Wellings, Senior Fellow at The King’s Fund, make the case for including communities using services in the Covid-19 response.
Blog Learning from Grenfell: how can services better work with the communities they serve? As health and care services rapidly transform to tackle the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, Sally Warren considers the value of working with and within communities to drive change, drawing on the lessons learnt in the aftermath of the Grenfell tragedy.
Blog What does the 2020 spring Budget mean for health and care? The Chancellor used the Budget to give the NHS and public services funding to deal with the effects of coronavirus. Siva Anandaciva looks at this and other measures affecting health and social care.
Blog Learning the lessons from Grenfell: ‘our stories and our voice’ The Grenfell tragedy and its aftermath have revealed that public sector organisations do not always adequately serve local communities. In this guest blog, authors from Grenfell United reflect on the importance of sharing stories and real engagement at all levels to build trust and ensure meaningful support.
Blog Looking ahead to the Budget: what should we expect for health and care? Ahead of the Budget on 11 March, Sally Warren considers what should be included to enable the new government to deliver on its manifesto commitments, from NHS infrastructure and staffing, to social care and public health.
Blog Social care can’t cope alone with the cost of the living wage The rise in the national living wage will stretch adult social care beyond its limit, says Simon Bottery. More money – and a more strategic approach to the social care workforce – is needed.
Blog Social care services: funding cuts are biting hard There is nothing to smile about in new statistics showing more people request social care support but fewer get it.
Blog Health and social care funding: what’s in, what’s out and who offers the most? Richard Murray looks beneath the headline commitments at what the main parties are really offering in terms of funding for the health and care system.
Blog Why are we still waiting for solutions to the problems of social care? Kate Barker, chair of the independent Commission on the Future of Health and Social Care in England, shares her views on the challenges facing the social care sector.
Blog Back in the ‘too difficult’ box: social care and the manifestos It’s not only about what is in the manifestos, it’s also about what isn’t. Sally Warren takes a look at whether parties are addressing the long-running challenges around social care.
Blog Not just the NHS: manifestos need to consider other health and care priorities too Sally Warren calls for political parties to consider more than just the NHS in their manifestos. To truly improve health and care, public health, social care, mental health, workforce and funding must also be priorities.
Blog Why you’re better off being a cleaner than a care worker Social care is becoming even less competitive on pay, says Simon Bottery. The sector’s problems won’t be solved by a recruitment campaign alone.
Blog Politicians should avoid the temptation of another NHS top-down re-organisation Following today’s Queen’s Speech and an election looming, Richard Murray warns that a major re-organisation of the NHS risks damaging a service that is already under strain.
Blog Party conference season: the key announcements on health and social care As this year’s party conference season comes to a close, what have we learned about the main parties’ priorities for health and social care? Richard Murray weighs up the key commitments, from funding and the NHS workforce to social care reform.
Blog Cancer or dementia: the social care system is unfair to people with either condition The often-made contrast between ‘free’ support for cancer and ‘means-tested’ support for dementia is not entirely accurate, says Simon Bottery.
Publications: Independent research and analysis on health and social care Reports, long reads and articles.