Publications

The scale of the difficulties facing adult social care in England means that doing nothing is no longer an option. Policy-makers need to identify which of the problems facing social care they most want to tackle, and this briefing paper is intended to aid the process by identifying and exploring those key challenges.

This report sets out the key issues facing the home care sector based on discussions with commissioners, providers and national social care organisations.

Policy-makers have outlined their ambitions to provide joined-up care closer to home and enable people to remain independent and in their own homes. Home care will be a central component of realising these ambitions. However, there are serious concerns about the state of the home care market and the quality of care service users receive.

The report examines trends in health policy in the four nations of the UK, particularly as it might affect general practice. It considers what patients and GPs want from general practice and what general practice might look like in the future, building on the literature review and our interviews with system leaders.

The 70th anniversary of the NHS is an opportunity to reflect on its enduring popularity and to ask what people can expect from the service and what their obligations are in return, says Chris Ham.

Technology is rarely the saviour of health services in the way that politicians hope – at least in the short term. It takes time to implement, requires shifts in workforce, and investment – posing real dilemmas for a cash-strapped NHS.

In light of recent announcements, Harry Evans argues it is now time for the NHS to step out of the shadow of past implementation failures.

In this paper we explore the public’s expectations of the NHS, the balance between meeting those expectations and living within a constrained budget, and the question of who is responsible for keeping us healthy.

Social care is complex, poorly understood and widely perceived as unfair – while facing unprecedented pressures. This paper explains the current pressures on social care, the impact this is having in England, and sets out the barriers and potential solutions to funding reform.

An investigation into three key aspects of a good health care system – comparing access, efficiency and outcomes in the UK to 18 similar countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.