Topic: NHS finances

Our work on NHS funding, budgets and finances

The NHS 10-year plan: how should the extra funding be spent?

The government has announced increases in NHS funding and has asked the NHS to come up with a 10-year plan for how this funding will be used. After eight years of austerity, there is now an opportunity to tackle the issues that matter most to patients and communities and to improve health and care.

Hypothecated funding for health and social care: how might it work?

Hypothecated funding for health and social care is back on the political agenda. This paper sets out the problems hypothecation is meant to solve – and the conditions under which it might do so – and provides a brief history of hypothecation in the UK.

Spending on and availability of health care resources: how does the UK compare to other countries?

The recent announcement by the Prime Minister to bring forward a new long-term funding settlement for the NHS means it is timely to look at how health spending in the UK compares to other countries and how the NHS measures up on some of the key resources this spending pays for.

Does the public see tax rises as the answer to NHS funding pressures?

We have analysed the latest data from the British Social Attitudes survey on public attitudes to NHS funding and the quality of care provided by the NHS.

The English social care system in 2016

The English social care system in 2016

Graphics illustrating some of the key findings from the 2016 budget survey by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS).

Panel discussion: The future of health and social care funding in England

The panel - featuring Rt Hon Norman Lamb MP, Liz Kendall MP, Kate Barker, Yvonne Braun and Dr Dan Poulter MP - discuss the future of health and social care funding and answer audience questions.

Deficits in the NHS 2016

Our briefing explores deficits in the NHS, including a consideration of their underlying drivers and the strategies being employed to tackle them.

Politicians must be honest with the public about the NHS

The King's Fund is calling on the government to review its priorities for the NHS and be honest with the public about what the health service can deliver with its budget.

Five big issues for health and social care after the Brexit vote

In the aftermath of the Brexit vote, we consider what lies ahead for health and social care, and the five big issues that will need to be considered.

Dealing with NHS financial pressures – what do the public think?

Ruth Robertson and John Appleby examine data from NatCen's British Social Attitudes survey to reveal what the public think about the NHS and its financial problems.

Three versions of the NHS

As health care leaders gather this week for the NHS Confederation annual conference, Chris Ham reflects on different versions of the NHS and how these can be combined to secure a sustainable future for the health service.

Public accountability needs to be at the heart of NHS reform

The need has never been greater for transparency and community involvement in decisions about how to manage changes to health and care services, says Alex Baylis.

Is the UK spending more than we thought on health care (and much less on social care)?

John Appleby takes a look at the latest figures for health and social care spending and asks what new accounting rules mean for the UK's position in international health spending rankings.

Quarterly Monitoring Report

How is the NHS performing? May 2016: Quarterly Monitoring Report

The latest quarterly monitoring report from The King's Fund finds that nearly two-thirds of NHS trusts and more than half of clinical commissioning groups say the quality of patient care in their area has deteriorated over the past year.

New NHS inflation figures underline funding pressures facing the NHS

John Appleby considers how new figures for NHS inflation will affect NHS finances, as our latest QMR survey shows increasing pessimism and concern among NHS finance directors.

How does this year's NHS budget compare historically?

Analysis from The King's Fund and the Health Foundation looks at how this year's NHS funding increase compares with previous years. John Appleby and Adam Roberts find that this year's increase is the 28th largest since 1975/6.

Readiness to change in NHS organisations

Transformational change can only be achieved with the ongoing involvement, engagement and commitment of leadership and staff throughout NHS organisations, says Michael West.

Separating the noise of contract negotiations from the signal of STPs

Chris Ham considers the progress made so far on sustainability and transformation plans, and whether they really have the potential to be a game-changer for the NHS.

How is the NHS structured?

How is the NHS structured?

A series of diagrams explaining how the NHS is structured, including how providers are regulated and commissioned, and how the money flows.

The Fourth Whitehall Lecture: What needs to be done to secure the future of the NHS? Lecture given by Chris Ham to the Cambridge Whitehall Group on 9 December 2015

Lecture given by Chris Ham to the Cambridge Whitehall Group on 9 December 2015.

Tackling the growing crisis in the NHS: An agenda for action

Drawing on our previous work and a lecture given by Chris Ham to the Cambridge Whitehall Group, we offer some practical solutions to help the NHS address one of the biggest crises in its history.

Action to tackle the growing crisis in health and social care is essential for a sustainable future

Chris Ham outlines the proposals set out in our new agenda for action to tackle the growing crisis in health and social care.

NHS in England embraces collaboration in tackling biggest crisis in its history

In this article for the British Medical Journal, Chris Ham and Hugh Alderwick consider the development of sustainability and transformation plans in the NHS.

Challenges ahead for the newly established NHS Improvement

NHS Improvement aims to deliver better healthcare, transformed care delivery and sustainable finances. With the official launch on 1 April 2016, Richard Murray considers the challenges it faces.

Rising cost of medicines teaser image

The rising cost of medicines to the NHS: what’s the story?

In the face of rising costs, the NHS is grappling with how to provide access to medicines in an affordable way. Our new briefing explores the NHS’s approach to managing its spending on medicines and choices that policy-makers are likely to face in future.

Financial pressures in the NHS reading list

A selected list of references held by The King's Fund library.

Social care finances: Our work on social care funding, budgets and finance

Productivity: Our work on efficiency, value for money, supply and demand in the NHS