Blog | The King's Fund

Achieving a balance between quality, access and money

Focusing on just one of these priorities can seem more straightforward, but that is not the reality of life for NHS leaders and is not the right approach, says Matthew Kershaw.

Health and care: no stupid questions

If you could ask any question about health care, what would it be? Deena Maggs gives an insight into the enquiries that our Information and Knowledge Services team receive.

It’s not about the money: staff engagement comes first

Michael West explores the link between staff engagement, high-quality care and financial performance.

Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision – our response

Helen Gilburt evaluates the government's plan to transform children and young people's mental health provision.

Multiple unhealthy risk factors: why they matter and how practice is changing

Harry Evans discusses why we need to take a holistic approach to supporting behaviour change and looks at how services are innovating to tackle multiple unhealthy risk factors.

Is transformation in the NHS really transformational?

Mandip Randhawa considers whether the NHS has the tools for effective change.

Public satisfaction with GP services drops to lowest level in 35 years

Ruth Robertson considers why public satisfaction with GP services has dropped to its lowest level in 35 years.

Social care needs political support and better workforce planning

Alex Baylis calls for a more strategic approach to developing the social care workforce.

Five ways to improve junior doctor morale

With dissatisfaction among junior doctors reaching unprecedented levels, Bilal Sahib suggests five ways of improving morale that can be implemented locally.

Nursing student numbers: should we panic yet?

David Maguire asks whether withdrawing the bursary for student nursing has resulted in more trainee nurses.

Hidden from the targets: how long are patients waiting for NHS care?

Deteriorating performance against national waiting time targets is one of the most visible signs of the increasing pressures facing the NHS. But do the current headlines fully capture how long patients are now waiting for NHS care?

Public expectations of the NHS

In a guest blog for our NHS and the public project, Bobby Duffy, Managing Director of Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute, explores public expectations of the NHS and other public services.

Priorities for the NHS in 2018/19 and beyond

Does the new NHS planning guidance contain good news or bad? Richard Murray takes stock of the changes.

Transforming general practice through volunteering

Transforming general practice through volunteering

In a guest blog to accompany our volunteering report, Kay Keane shares her experience of developing a community-centred general practice approach through building a community of volunteers.

What does the future hold for integrated care systems?

What does the change from accountable care systems to integrated care systems mean? Chris Ham draws on the Fund’s work to clarify what is happening.

Not to be sniffed at: flu vaccination for NHS staff

What more could the NHS do to improve flu vaccination uptake among staff? Bilal Sahib looks at the options.

From Margaret Thatcher to Theresa May: 30 years of the public’s views about the NHS and public spending

Richard Murray reflects on what the public’s views about the NHS over the past three decades might tell us about the future of the service.

Engaging the public in designing the future for the NHS

In a guest blog for our NHS and the public project, Michelle Dixon, Director of Communications, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, reflects on how important public engagement will be in designing a workable future for the NHS.

Focusing on better-value care

Focusing on better-value care

As the NHS faces financial and service pressures, Matthew Lewis asks if now is the time to focus on better-value care.

NHS winter crisis: when a plan is not a plan

Matthew Kershaw highlights the need for a fundamental change to the way NHS emergency care is provided.

Publications: Independent research and analysis on health and social care

Reports, long reads and articles.