Governance and regulation

The Comprehensive Spending Review details the government’s plans for public spending over the coming years. It will clarify which areas of the health and care budget have not yet been addressed by recent funding announcements around the NHS and for social care reform. Here, we set out the challenges and consider steps the government could take to address them.

Leaders of ten health care organisations have signed a joint open letter to MPs calling for an amendment to the Health and Care Bill that ensures the health system in England is fully staffed now and in the future.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 is widely seen as dysfunctional, getting in the way of the more integrated care it actually seeks to achieve. As the Prime Minister has once again opened the door to changes, this piece identifies some of the current problems and implications of change, and asks how far progress could be made within the existing legislation.