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.

A vision for population health: towards a healthier future

A vision for population health: Towards a healthier future

We need to move away from a system just focused on diagnosing and treating illness towards one that is based on promoting wellbeing and preventing ill health. Our report sets out a new vision for population health.

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.

The health care workforce in England: make or break?

In advance of the publication of the NHS long-term plan, this briefing highlights the scale of workforce challenges now facing the health service and the threat this poses to the delivery and quality of care over the next 10 years.

Organising care at the NHS front line: who is responsible?

What are the challenges facing frontline clinicians today and what could they do to improve the quality of care? Our report presents a range of views from clinicians, managers, quality improvement champions and patients.

Organising care at the NHS front line

Quality improvement is best led not by regulators but by those who care for patients, say Chris Ham and Don Berwick

'Golden opportunites' for the NHS are not straightforward

In this article for Public Finance, Richard Murray considers the question of whether the NHS could borrow money from the private sector.

HIV services in England

The future of HIV services in England: shaping the response to changing needs

This report explores the challenges and opportunities facing HIV services in four areas in England, and makes recommendations on future development to those in national and local leadership roles.

Population health

What does improving population health really mean?

Everybody in NHS policy seems to be talking about population health. But what does it really mean and how can we improve it?

Supporting leaders to deliver transformational change: Nicola Walsh on our work with communities

How can leaders collaborate to deliver sustainability and transformation plans and implement new care models? Nicola Walsh discusses our work supporting leaders to develop new ways of working.

Online support: investigating the role of public online forums in mental health

This report explores whether machine learning can help find wider meaning in millions of unstructured online conversations about mental health.

Next steps on the NHS five year forward view: ambitions in the plan will be challenging to deliver

In this article published in the British Medical Journal, Chris Ham reflects on the ambitions outlined in the NHS delivery plan.

Public satisfaction with the NHS in 2016

In 2016 the NHS remained popular with the public. In particular, the public values a system that provides high-quality, comprehensive services that are free at the point of use.

Talking leadership: Allison Trimble on building leaders’ authority

Allison Trimble discusses the challenges leaders in health and care face when they begin to grow their influence, and how they can overcome them.

Talking leadership: Marcus Powell on our seventh annual leadership and management summit

Fifteen months on from joining The King’s Fund, Marcus Powell, Director of Leadership and Organisational Development, reflects on the challenges facing leaders across health and care.

Sustainability and transformation plans for the NHS in England: what do they say and what happens next?

Plans for the future of health and care services in England hold promise but need time, investment, and a dose of realism, say Hugh Alderwick and Chris Ham.

Health care funding models

How health care is funded

The way that health care is funded varies between different countries. Here we explain the main models used in their purest form, although most countries typically use a combination of these methods.

Inspiring leadership: Kate’s story

We talk to Kate Bones, whose experience of taking part in our Athena programme has left a lasting impression.

Smoker and non-smoker

Understanding NHS financial pressures: how are they affecting patient care?

Severe financial pressures on the NHS show no signs of easing, but how are they affecting patient care?

Spring budget: cash for social care and a green paper on future funding

The government has bought some time to find a sustainable solution for social care, say Chris Ham and Richard Humphries.

How is the NHS performing? March 2017: Quarterly Monitoring Report

More patients with complex conditions is the main reason for worsening performance in A&E departments, according to the 22nd quarterly monitoring report from The King's Fund.

Talking leadership: Sally Hulks on organisational development in the NHS

Sally Hulks discusses the importance of organisational development in fostering compassionate, collaborative leadership and developing cultures for high-quality care.

Delivering sustainability and transformation plans: from ambitious proposals to credible plans

STPs offer the best hope for the NHS and its partners to sustain services and transform the delivery of health and care, but how will STP footprints transform their plans into reality? Our report identifies the challenges that lie ahead.

Sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) explained

STPs outline how health and care services will work in partnership across 44 areas of England. But what are STPs and what do they mean for the NHS?

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.