Comment and analysis on the key issues in health and social care
Viewing: All blogs
(-) Mental health
(-) Sustainability and transformation plans
(-) Technology and data
(-) NHS long-term plan
Meaningful measures of integration
As the health and care system takes steps towards joining up care, what will successful integration look like, and how will it be measured? Dan Wellings considers why new measures are needed and the challenges for ensuring meaningful data is collected.
By Dan Wellings - 12 July 2019
Saving lives, supporting communities: The role of volunteers in ambulance services
Volunteers are involved in providing vital frontline care and support to ambulance services. Helen Gilburt explains how these roles are developing and diversifying to meet the wider needs of the NHS as a whole.
By Helen Gilburt - 30 May 2019
What does NHSX have to learn from other countries' experiences of digitisation in health systems?
As NHSX is set to begin work on digital transformation in the NHS, Matthew Honeyman reports on discussions from the European Health Policy Group's most recent meeting and considers what the NHS can learn from other systems.
By Matthew Honeyman - 22 May 2019
Workforce implementation plan: Five key issues to look out for
With an interim workforce implementation plan due to be published soon, Richard Murray highlights five areas to look for, from the recruitment of nurses and primary care staff, to leadership, training and national oversight.
By Richard Murray - 9 May 2019
Primary care networks and the deprivation challenge: Are we about to widen the gap?
The newly emerging primary care networks provide an opportunity to tackle health inequalities in England but, as Rebecca Fisher and Beccy Baird explain, they will have to be careful to avoid perpetuating the problem.
By Beccy Baird, Rebecca Fisher - 8 May 2019
Hitting the sweet spot? multi-morbidity, the NHS long-term plan and population health
With its long list of commitments on specific clinical issues, did the NHS long-term plan miss a vital opportunity to address health inequalities? David Buck takes a look at what the plan could achieve for people with multi-morbidities, in a guest blog for the Richmond Group.
Primary care networks and the NHS long-term plan: the new player on the pitch
Richard Murray considers the role primary care networks are meant to play in alleviating workforce pressures, linking general practice with integrated care systems and improving population health.
By Richard Murray - 3 April 2019
Empathy and understanding in mental health: the role of a peer support worker
Emily, a senior peer support worker at Haven, explains the vital role peer support workers play in supporting people through mental health crisis.
By Emily, peer support worker - 27 March 2019
The NHS, local authorities and the long-term plan: in it together?
The long-term plan is written by the NHS for the NHS. But how will it work without the full involvement of local authorities? Richard Humphries argues that successful partnerships between local government and the NHS are essential for improving the health and wellbeing of local populations.
By Richard Humphries - 15 March 2019
The NHS needs to be more productive – or is it more efficient?
Stop reading this and get back to work – you need to be more productive. Or is it more efficient? David Maguire explores the difference between productivity and efficiency in the NHS long-term plan.
By David Maguire - 12 March 2019
A modest proposal? Choice and competition in the long-term plan
Can the principle of choice and competition work alongside integrated care and the demands of patients with multi-morbidity? Nicholas Timmins unpacks NHS England's plans to make integrated care work more effectively and what this might mean in terms of changes to legislation.
By Nicholas Timmins - 7 March 2019
Compassion: your greatest leadership contribution?
The NHS long-term plan highlights that compassion and inclusive leadership are essential for allowing staff to perform their best. Suzie Bailey considers how to overcome divisive top-down leadership and encourage cultural change.
By Suzie Bailey - 25 February 2019
Is it possible to use the digitisation of the NHS to reach the furthest first?
The health and care system has historically been reliant on paper for sharing information about patients. Digitisation is inevitably changing that, but what impact does that have on those who are marginalised?
By Annie Whelan - 13 February 2019
A significant moment for general practice
A new five-year contract for general practice has been announced, with an increase in funding and plans to transform GP services. Beccy Baird and Anna Charles give their take on the key things you need to know.
By Beccy Baird, Anna Charles - 1 February 2019
The NHS long-term plan: five things you need to know
The NHS long-term plan has been launched and long it indeed is, in every sense of the word, clocking in at a weighty 120 pages. Here's my take on the top five things you need to know.
By Richard Murray - 8 January 2019
2019: handling the uncertainty
Richard Murray reflects on the opportunities and challenges that 2019 may bring, as well as the need for flexibility in the face of uncertainty.
Round two for STP plans: a fresh start or a dangerous distraction?
A new round of planning for sustainability and transformation partnerships must allow for greater collaboration between key stakeholders to bring about real improvements in population health.
By Anna Charles - 15 November 2018
Mental health funding in the 2018 Autumn Budget: the devil will be in the detail
While the additional funding for mental health services announced in this week's Budget is welcome, it will take more than money to deliver parity of esteem.
By Helen Gilburt - 31 October 2018
What should the NHS long-term plan say about STPs and ICSs?
Is the integration of health and social care moving too fast for the current legal framework? Chris Ham identifies five steps to support the continuing transformation by aligning regulation, policy and practice.
The puzzle of STPs in London
Why are London's sustainability and transformation partnerships trailing behind those in other places? Chris Ham highlights some answers and recommendations in our new report.
Publications: Independent research and analysis on health and social care
Reports, long reads and articles.