A report provided findings from a commission that examined options for a new settlement for health and social care in England. Overall, it recommended: moving to a single, ring-fenced budget for the National Health Service and social care, with a single commissioner for local services; for a new care and support allowance; for greater focus on more equal support for equal need (with more social care free at the point of use); and for the use of personal budgets and additional support to promote independence. The report proposed funding changes (including changes to national insurance contributions) to meet the additional costs and said that various forms of wealth taxation should be reviewed, with a view to generating additional resources for health and social care funding.
Source: Commission on the Future of Health and Social Care in England, A New Settlement for Health and Social Care: Final report, King's Fund
Links: Report | Project | Kings Fund press release | Alzheimers Society press release | CSP press release | NCPC press release | RCN press release | RPS press release | Turning Point press release | UNISON press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2014-Sep
A report provided findings from a commission that examined options for a new settlement for health and social care in England. Overall, it recommended: moving to a single, ring-fenced budget for the National Health Service and social care, with a single commissioner for local services; for a new care and support allowance; for greater focus on more equal support for equal need (with more social care free at the point of use); and for the use of personal budgets and additional support to promote independence. The report proposed funding changes (including changes to national insurance contributions) to meet the additional costs and said that various forms of wealth taxation should be reviewed, with a view to generating additional resources for health and social care funding.
Source: Commission on the Future of Health and Social Care in England, A New Settlement for Health and Social Care: Final report, King's Fund
Links: Report | Project | Kings Fund press release | Alzheimers Society press release | CSP press release | NCPC press release | RCN press release | RPS press release | Turning Point press release | UNISON press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2014-Sep
A report examined the context for the introduction of integrated and personalized health and social care funding in England, and the associated Integrated Personal Commissioning programme. The report examined the reforms, the proven and anticipated benefits of personal budgets, and the broader implications of personalization for the health and social care system, drawing on evidence of what worked. The document was intended to complement the prospectus for the IPC programme.
Source: Sam Bennett, Getting Serious About Personalisation in the NHS, Think Local Act Personal
Links: Report | Summary | IPC prospectus | NHS England press release
Date: 2014-Sep
An article examined which of two competing models of the policy process – the 'differentiated polity' (DPM) and 'asymmetric power' (APM) models – better described the formulation of the National Health Service plan by the former Labour government. The process of developing the plan had showed signs of a more open policy process, seemingly closer to the DPM. However, the process was tightly controlled and personally led by the Secretary of State and his advisers, with the direct involvement of the Prime Minister throughout. Overall, the article concluded that the APM better described the reality of major reform policy-making under New Labour.
Source: Arturo Alvarez-Rosete and Nicholas Mays, 'Understanding NHS policy making in England: the formulation of the NHS Plan, 2000', British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Volume 16 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Sep
A report called for person centred care to become the central ambition for health reform in England, to improve the quality of life, health, and well-being of people, and the sustainability of care systems. It also discussed the potential contribution of the voluntary and community sector. Recommendations included: for a greater focus on preventive public health measures; to make people the centre of reform, with 'what matters to people' forming one of the key organizing principles for services; for better support and shared decision making for people with chronic conditions and disabilities; for recognition of the role of carers, volunteers, engaged citizens, and the voluntary and community sector, with better support and investment; for better funding for health and social care; and for an end to top-down reorganizations of services.
Source: Person Centred Care 2020: Calls and contributions from health and social care charities, National Voices
Links: Report | National Voices press release
Date: 2014-Sep
A paper said that using evidence from the voluntary and community sector enhanced joint strategic needs assessments and helped to create commissioning decisions that better met the needs of local populations. It said that voluntary and community sector organizations held unique evidence about local community assets and needs, which could be combined with data from statutory bodies to offer a richer, more accurate picture of communities.
Source: Comparing Apples With Oranges? How to make better use of evidence from the voluntary and community sector to improve health outcomes, NHS Confederation
Links: Paper | NHS Confederation press release
Date: 2014-Aug
A special section of a journal examined issues in health policy that were common to the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Source: Health Economics, Policy and Law, Volume 9 Issue 3
Links: Table of contents
Notes: Articles included:
Gwyn Bevan and Lawrence Brown, 'The political economy of rationing health care in England and the US: the "accidental logics" of political settlements'
Miriam Laugesen and George France, 'Integration: the firm and the health care sector'
Michael Gusmano and Sara Allin, 'Framing the issue of ageing and health care spending in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States'
Date: 2014-Jul
A range of reports provided findings from the reviews of the association of the late entertainer Jimmy Savile with 28 National Health institutions, in the context of the allegations of sexual abuse made against him. In addition to individual reports for the affected organizations, an overarching assurance report was published. A further report on lessons to be learnt by the NHS was to be published in due course.
Source: Department of Health
Links: Reports | Ministerial statement | DH press release | Joint statement – NHS, Monitor, CQC | NSPCC press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2014-Jun
A report provided the response of the Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People to the recommendations set out in the independent review of the Liverpool Care Pathway (an end of life care pathway used in the National Health Service that had been withdrawn following concerns). The report outlined five new 'priorities for care', which set out the standards of care that dying people and their families should expect to receive. The report was published alongside another report that outlined the commitments of Alliance members to implement the new priorities, and a summary of public engagement into the Alliance's proposed approach.
Source: One Chance to Get it Right: Improving people's experience of care in the last few days and hours of life, Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People
Links: Report | Commitment statements | Engagement summary | Original review | Written ministerial statement | DoH press release | CQC press release | NHS Employers press release | PHE press release | RCN comment
Date: 2014-Jun
A new book examined the research published on healthcare reform in England from 1990 onwards, and its implications for current debates about healthcare reorganization.
Source: Ian Greener, Barbara Harrington, David Hunter, Russell Mannion, and Martin Powell, Reforming Healthcare: What's the evidence?, Policy Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Jun
A report examined the development of open data (defined as publicly available data that could be universally and readily accessed, used, and redistributed free of charge) within the National Health Service in England. It outlined a conceptual framework, or logic model, that aimed to assist in implementation, and recommended the development of an Open Data Learning Environment to take the model forward. In response to the report, NHS England said that it would work with stakeholders to develop the ideas, build consensus, and test ideas about impact and value.
Source: Stefaan Verhulst, Beth Simone Noveck, Robyn Caplan, Kristy Brown, and Claudia Paz, The Open Data Era in Health and Social Care: A blueprint for the National Health Service (NHS England) to develop a research and learning programme for the open data era in health and social care, The Governance Lab (New York University)
Links: Report | Summary | NHS England press release
Date: 2014-Jun
The government began consultation on proposals to change the regulations regarding the use of personal health and care data, and to create local, government-accredited 'secure safe havens' that would have access to identifiable personal care records. The consultation would close on 8 August 2014.
Source: Protecting Health and Care Information: A consultation on proposals to introduce new regulations, Department of Health
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2014-Jun
A private member's Bill was published that was designed to allow for terminally ill, competent adults within six months of their end of life to be provided at their request with specified assistance to end their own life.
Source: Assisted Dying Bill, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, TSO
Links: Bill | Explanatory notes
Date: 2014-Jun
A think-tank report examined the role of the private and third sector in transforming health and care services. It said that the National Health Service was suffering crises of affordability and quality, and that change was impeded by a 'false loyalty' to traditional models and organizations. The report discussed the possibilities for change, but concluded that this would be subject to ongoing conflict and resistance.
Source: Paul Corrigan and Mike Parish, Going with Change: Allowing new models of healthcare to be provided for NHS patients, Reform
Date: 2014-Jun
An article examined the nature of the political settlements for the English National Health Service and the Medicare and Medicaid programmes in the United States of America. It argued that rationing was designed into the NHS and out of Medicare, and compared the rationing of care for older people within the two systems.
Source: Gwyn Bevan and Lawrence Brown, 'The political economy of rationing health care in England and the US: the "accidental logics" of political settlements', Health Economics, Policy and Law, Volume 9 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jun
The government began consultation on proposals to introduce regulations to define the organizations and types of information included under the new criminal offence for supplying or publishing false or misleading information. The new offence was introduced in the Care Bill in response to the findings of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry. The consultation would close on 5 June 2014.
Source: False or Misleading Information: A consultation on the application of the offence by regulations, Department of Health
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2014-Apr
A paper examined the development of accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the United States and considered the implications for integrated care initiatives for England. It said that an ACO generally consisted of a group of providers that agreed with commissioners to provide all care for a certain population for a defined period of time, being held accountable to pre-agreed quality outcomes within a given budget or expenditure target. The paper said that the transfer from the United States to the United Kingdom context was not straightforward, however, and recommended caution in transferring the concept to the English National Health Service.
Source: Stephen Shortell, Rachael Addicott, Nicola Walsh, and Chris Ham, Accountable Care Organisations in the United States and England: Testing, evaluating and learning what works, King's Fund
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined emerging European Union-level initiatives designed to support national health systems. It said that health system objectives were increasingly entering the EU health policy agenda. Under recent initiatives, health system goals were more closely tied to the EU's economic growth 'narrative'. The design of some policies might intensify socio-economic and health inequalities rather than ameliorate them.
Source: Timo Clemens, Kai Michelsen, and Helmut Brand, 'Supporting health systems in Europe: added value of EU actions?', Health Economics, Policy and Law, Volume 9 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined the role of think tanks in health policy and planning. It considered why they had remained relatively hidden in academic analyses, and set out an interpretive approach that incorporated them within the wider landscape of health policy and planning.
Source: Sara Shaw, Jill Russell, Trisha Greenhalgh, and Maja Korica, 'Thinking about think tanks in health care: a call for a new research agenda', Sociology of Health & Illness, Volume 36 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined the role of evidence-based medicine in healthcare, drawing on the concept of 'Anglo-governmentality'.
Source: Ewan Ferlie and Gerry McGivern, 'Bringing Anglo-governmentality into public management scholarship: the case of evidence-based medicine in UK health care', Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Volume 24 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Feb
An article examined the use of behavioural interventions in health policy, such as randomized controlled trials, comparison portals, information labels, financial incentives, sin taxes, and nudges. It proposed a taxonomy to classify them, questioned what were genuinely behavioural insights, and examined their effectiveness.
Source: Matteo Galizzi, 'What is really behavioral in behavioral health policy? And does it work?', Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Volume 36 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Feb
An article examined the issue of equal rights to healthcare in the European Union. The European Court of Justice had strengthened the right to healthcare in other member states: but this could not create an equal right to healthcare when states were so different. The Court had formulated 'rules for rights' – not so much European social citizenship rights as a set of legal principles by which it judged the decisions of the member states.
Source: Scott Greer and Tomislav Sokol, 'Rules for rights: European law, health care and social citizenship', European Law Journal, Volume 20 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan
An article examined two cases of Europeanization in health policy – formal decision-making procedures, and health technology assessment. Even in the less likely case of coverage decision-making, some traces of Europeanization could be found. This was possible because the Commission had a strong interest in further integration in this field, and all other relevant actors had motives to at least engage in co-operation.
Source: Katharina Bohm and Claudia Landwehr, 'The Europeanization of health care coverage decisions: EU-regulation, policy learning and cooperation in decision-making', Journal of European Economic Integration, Volume 36 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan
