Publications

Draws on a series of working papers and seminars to assesses existing and innovative methods the health service can use to persuade people to live healthier lifestyles.

Assesses patients' experiences of hospital care and suggests that staff at all levels help to shape that experience. Proposes two initiatives that have the potential to promote compassion in care.

Through in-depth interviews with GPs, hospital and primary care trust staff in four sites, this report assesses the progress of practice-based commissioning (PBC) and identifies the barriers that are limiting success.

How can technology be used to improve care for patients? This report gives examples of how technology could be used and suggests ways to overcome the obstacles to its adoption.

How can we encourage patients to become more engaged in their own health care and what impact will that have on the NHS? This report presents discussions from an expert seminar.

This update examines how PCTs allocate their spending to different programmes of care, and considers the true effect of the different needs of local populations.

This briefing provides The King's Fund's analysis of the key themes explored in High Quality Care For All, the final report from Lord Darzi's NHS Next Stage Review.

Rachel Turner looks at the rise of healthcare-associated infections across the NHS, including the policies and strategies put in place to combat these infections.

As part of Lord Darzi's review of the NHS, each strategic health authority (SHA) outside London was commissioned to produce a report outlining their 'vision' for care in their region in the next decade.

Have the health reforms improved services for patients? An expert working group explores how effective current incentives are and the impact of Lord Darzi's review.

This report asks whether the polyclinic model will improve the quality and accessibility of health care and deliver cost savings and integrated care.

This report suggests that without the right level and type of investment into mental health care we will all pay the price – not just in wasted resources but also in wasted lives.

Presents the views of doctors and other health professionals on the many challenges to their roles, the way they practise and the nature of their professionalism.

This briefing provides the background of the review and asks what the final report might recommend.

We share the lessons from a pilot programme launched in 2006 to improve environments for care at end of life, with experiences from eight pilot sites.

This paper provides a descriptive analysis of the impact and costs of new services as part of the Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme, launched in 2004.

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.

This report presents the findings of an independent inquiry into the safety of maternity services in England, offering recommendations for change.

Funding the Practice of Learning is an evaluation of the Partners for Health programme, exploring the experiences of those who applied for funding from the point of application, through the recruitment process and into the programme itself.

In this briefing we analyse the 2008/9 Operating Framework, created by the Department of Health as a set of priorities and guidance for running the NHS.