Publications | The King's Fund

The NHS long-term plan explained

On 7 January, the NHS long-term plan was published setting out key ambitions for the service over the next 10 years. In this explainer, we set out the main commitments in the plan and provide our view of what they might mean, highlighting the opportunities and challenges for the health and care system as it moves to put the plan into practice.

Shared responsibility for health: the cultural change we need

We believe that the relationship between the public and the NHS, and between patients and the staff who care for them, needs to be transformed. As well as ensuring that the resources (funding and workforce) needed to deliver care are available, national and local leaders must work to fully engage patients and the public in improving health and care.

Clicks and mortar: Technology and the NHS estate

Financial pressures and growing demand mean that health and social care services will need to work differently. This report reviews how technology in the NHS estate is currently being used, and imagines how the 'estate of the future' might look.

Joined-up listening: integrated care and patient insight

In this article, we articulate the opportunity that integrated care presents for using insight from people and populations to design services that meet their needs and reflect their priorities.

A new deal with the public

It’s time to revisit what people can expect from the NHS and what their obligations are in return, writes Chris Ham.

Patient involvement: Paul’s story

Paul Radin speaks to us about his experience of patient involvement at The King’s Fund.

Patients as partners: Building collaborative relationships among professionals, patients, carers and communities

Our guide explores practical ways to develop collaborative relationships among health and care professionals, patients, carers and community partners.

Building collaborative partnerships with patients and communities

Mark Doughty discusses progress made by The King's Fund's Leading collaboratively with patients and communities programme.

The future is now

Featuring the voices of patients, volunteers, clinicians and managers, our new digital report explores future ways of changing health and health care for the better.

When delivering treatment is not enough

How can patients be encouraged to participate in their own care? And just what does it mean to be an empowered patient?

People in control of their own health and care: The state of involvement

Despite the consensus that patients should be more involved in decisions about their health and care, little progress has been made. This report examines the reasons why and considers how we can put ideas about patient involvement into practice.

Activate the next level of patient engagement

There is evidence that patient activation is an effective way to measure the capacity of patients to manage their health and for providers to better tailor services to them. Helen Gilburt and Alf Collins explain how.

Supporting people to manage their health: An introduction to patient activation

It is vital that people engage more with improving their own health. This paper introduces a way of conceptualising and measuring that engagement known as patient activation.

Patient-centred leadership: Rediscovering our purpose

This report summarises the main findings of the Francis Inquiry into the failings of care at Mid Staffordshire in relation to NHS leadership and culture. It sets out what needs to be done to avoid similar failures in future.

Transforming the delivery of health and social care: The case for fundamental change

This paper explores how the current health and social care delivery system has failed to keep pace with the population's needs and expectations.

Evidence and consultation

Consultation response: Liberating the NHS: No decision about me, without me

This document sets out our thoughts on the Department of Health’s consultation: Liberating the NHS: No decision about me, without me.

Patients’ preferences matter: Stop the silent misdiagnosis

Our paper calls for doctors to aspire to the same standards of excellence in diagnosing patients' preferences for their care as they do to diagnosing disease.

What was the programme theory of New Labour's health system reforms?

Between 1997 and 2010 the UK Labour government produced an ambitious programme of reform for the English NHS, but what lessons have been learned?

Clinical and service integration: The route to improved outcomes

Our report on clinical and service integration focuses on examples that are most relevant to the NHS in England in the context of the coalition’s health reforms.

Patient choice: How patients choose and how providers respond

Patient choice: how patients choose and how providers respond considers how choice of provider is operating in practice and its impact on hospital providers.

Getting the most out of PROMs: Putting health outcomes at the heart of NHS decision-making

This report considers how PROMs data can be used to inform decisions. It looks at Bupa to discuss how providers can use PROMs data to improve clinical performance.

Choice at the point of referral: Early results of a patient survey

As part of a larger research project, a survey was sent to patients in four areas of England to ask about their experience of referral - and choosing a hospital for treatment. This report summarises the survey findings on patients' choice, opinion, travel, information, support and influencing factors.

Blog: Comment and analysis on the key issues in health and social care

All blog posts from The King's Fund.

Health and care explained: How does the health and care system work? How is it changing?

This selection of content aims to make sense of the health and care system – including videos, articles, illustrated summaries and more.