Health Management and Policy Alert

Achieving CAR T-cell therapy: health system readiness an assessment of barriers and opportunities

IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science - 

CAR T-cell therapies have shown substantial efficacy in several haematological conditions and hold the potential for transformative benefits in other difficult to treat diseases. In this report, the current health system capacity for delivering CAR T-cell therapies to patients was assessed in seven countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom), to include reimbursement and funding, patient referral, treatment, and long-term follow-up. This report provides background on the complex CAR T-cell therapy patient journey from patient identification and referral to long-term monitoring, and estimates CAR T-cell therapy utilisation in a subset of countries.

• Report
• More detail

A strain on sight: waiting for NHS specialist eye care

Healthwatch England - 

According to NHS statistics, of the nearly 59,000 people currently waiting for specialist eye care as of December 2024, only two thirds (66.8 per cent) have been waiting less than the 18-week target set by government, compared to a target of 92 per cent. This research reveals strong public support for greater use of staff in high street opticians. The report calls for optician services, including optometrists, to have more responsibility for managing people’s eye care and referring them on for specialist treatment to help cut waiting times. Additionally, actions such as those proposed in the Optometry First model are needed to improve communications and support for people waiting for eye care.

• Report
• Press release

Understanding the state of cyber security in adult social care

 

This research report is intended to equip adult social care providers and their suppliers with the evidence and data needed to understand the extent of the risks posed by cyber. It was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care. The project was conducted by Ipsos UK in partnership with the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University between July 2023 and May 2024.

• Report
• More detail

Pay in the adult social care sector as at December 2023

Skills for Care - 

On 1 April 2023 the National Living Wage (NLW) increased from £9.50 to £10.42 per hour for workers aged 23 and over. This report measures pay rates in the adult social care sector as at December 2023, examines pay trends, investigates any side effects in the adult social care sector as a result of the higher pay floor, and looks at the potential impact of the 2024 NLW (£11.44).

• Report

 

NHS England’s management of elective care transformation programmes

National Audit Office - 

In February 2022, NHS England (NHSE) published a plan to recover elective and cancer care over the three years up to March 2025. This plan included changes to how care is provided through three transformation programmes: diagnostic transformation; surgical transformation; and outpatients transformation. This report looks at NHSE’s management of these three transformation programmes, what they have delivered to date and whether NHSE is learning lessons from its experience and applying this learning as it develops its future plans.

• Report
• Press release

Review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology -
This independent report presents the findings of a review into data collection and research on sex and gender identity in public bodies and in the research system. It sets out suggestions on how to collect data on sex and gender identity in the NHS and other public services.

• Report
• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology - publications

The cost of racism: how ethnic health inequalities are standing in the way of growth

NHS Race and Health Observatory -
This briefing considers the benefits of taking an economic approach to assess the costs of racial discrimination to the NHS, individuals and to the economy. It explores a broad array of ethnic inequalities in health care which lead to excessive and avoidable costs and reduce efficiency in the economy.

• Briefing
• NHS Race and Health Observatory - news

Fixing the leaking pipeline: measures for growing and retaining nursing students, apprentices and early career nursing staff in England

Royal College of Nursing -
This report assesses the gaps in the domestic nursing supply pipeline which limit the potential output, causes nursing students to leave their studies and leads to early career nurses leaving. It recommends a package of interventions to fix the pipeline and resolve issues of high attrition and low output.

• Report
• Royal College of Nursing - press release

Health in the UK after Brexit: moving apart or stuck together?

Nuffield Trust -
This report tracks the ongoing impact from EU exit on medicines, workforce migration and procurement legislation. It also examines four emerging areas substantially affected by the UK’s new regulatory path: AI, funding, professional qualifications, and cross-border patient care.

• Report
• Nuffield Trust - press release

An overview of NHS and local government funding for work, health and skills

NHS Confederation -
This briefing estimates that 145,000 people a year leave work due to their health condition. It provides an overview of the key government work, health and skills funding available to the NHS and local government to support local areas to integrate and build on existing work, health and skills support. Future funding will be agreed through the government Spending Review process.

• Briefing

Can the government achieve its 18-week elective waiting time target?

Institute for Fiscal Studies -
Modelling used in this report that shows meeting the NHS 18-week target by the end of this parliament will likely require historically large increases in activity alongside reductions in demand and greater prioritisation of those waiting a long time. It concludes that the government will more likely than not miss this 18-week waiting time target.

• Report
• Institute for Fiscal Studies - press release

Health and climate adaptation report 2025

NHS England -
Under the adaptation reporting powers of the Climate Change Act, the Greener NHS programme has been invited by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to produce the health and climate adaptation reports on behalf of the sector. These reports aim to support the NHS to deliver a climate-smart, resilient health service.

• Report
• NHS England - publications

Preparing the NHS for the AI era: why smarter triage and navigation mean better health care

Tony Blair Institute for Global Change - 

This report argues that the impact of AI in triage and navigation services could be transformational, improving safety and convenience for patients, increasing NHS productivity and reducing waiting times across the NHS, without the need to expand the workforce. Better use of AI in triage and navigation services through the GP could free up 29 million appointments each year, and deliver immediate productivity gains worth £340 million a year for call handlers and receptionists in 111 and general practice alone.

• Report
• Press release

Unlocking potential: a bold vision for stroke care in England

Stroke Association - 

Stroke remains one of the greatest health challenges in England today, with increasing rates of stroke incidence and the associated impact on individuals, their loved ones, and the healthcare system. This report sets out a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to addressing the challenges and inequities in stroke care. It outlines opportunities for improvement across the entire stroke pathway, from prevention and early intervention to stroke rehabilitation and life-after-stroke support.

• Report
• Press release

Space to breathe: findings from a survey of smokefree policies and tobacco dependence treatment services in NHS mental health trusts in England, 2024

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) - 

This research finds that people admitted to mental health trusts have better access to treatment for smoking than they did five years ago but are being let down by a failure to create smokefree care environments. The findings come as the government prepares to ban smoking on all hospital grounds. Organisational culture and lack of funding were identified as critical barriers to progress in supporting more people to be smokefree.

• Report
• Press release