Health Management and Policy Alert

Sustainability and transformation plans (STPs): what, why and where next?

Institute for Public Policy Research -
This report looks at some of the reform solutions that have been identified by STPs, and also sets out the range of challenges that stand in the way of them realising their vision for improved health and efficiency.

• Report
• Institute for Public Policy Research - publications

A trade in people: the inpatient healthcare economy for people with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder

Centre for Disability Research, University of Lancaster (CeDR) - 
This report analysis the market for inpatient services for people with learning disabilities in England. The analysis finds that approximately half of these services are run by the independent sector, services which are valued at over a quarter of a billion pounds per year. The report calls for greater scrutiny and accountability for the independent sector to ensure high quality of care and patient safety.

• Report
• CeDR news

Cardiovascular disease: primary care intelligence packs - NHS Norwich CCG

Public Health England -
Healthcare professionals can use this resource to check the prevalence, variation and treatment of cardiovascular conditions in the local area. This can help with planning, commissioning and improving local services. The pack uses GP practice data on prevention, detection and management across a range of cardiovascular conditions including high cardiovascular risk and hypertension, stroke and atrial fibrillation and diabetes.

• Intelligence pack
• Public Health England - publications

A Mental Health Act fit for tomorrow: an agenda for reform

Mental Health Alliance -
This report urges the Government to act on its promise to reform the Mental Health Act and take into account the views of those affected by mental illness. It includes the views of over 8000 people who use mental health services, carers, and professionals working in the field. Half of those who responded did not think that people are treated with dignity and respect under the Mental Health Act.

• Report
• Mental Health Alliance - news

ADASS budget survey 2017

Association of Directors of Adult Social Services -
This survey analyses the current state of adult social care finances by drawing on the experiences of current leaders in adult social care. It aims to provide intelligence on how adult social care is responding to the challenges of meeting increased demand while managing reduced resources. It reveals that the proportion of council spending on adult social care is set to increase by 1.3 per cent but councils are still having to make 8 per cent cuts in overall budgets for a second year in succession due to increasing costs and demand.

• Report
• Association of Directors of Adult Social Services - news

Tackling variations in clinical care: assessing the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme

The King's Fund -
The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme aims to bring about higher-quality care in hospitals, at lower cost, by reducing unwanted variations in services and practices. It uses national data to identify the variations and outcomes, shares that data with all those concerned with a service – not only clinicians, but also clinical and medical directors, managers and chief executives – and monitors the changes that are implemented. The programme began with orthopaedics and is now being rolled out to 32 different surgical and medical specialisms across the English NHS. Through an informal assessment of the programme, this paper sets out what the programme is, why it is needed, what is different about it, what it has achieved, what challenges it faces and what potential it has. It also contains vignettes illustrating hospitals’ experiences of the programme.

• Report
• Blog
• The King's Fund - publications

Flu vaccination: increasing uptake

National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) - 
Comments are being invited on new draft guidance that aims to increase the uptake of flu vaccinations, particularly by those who are entitled to free vaccinations. It recommends that eligible patients should be made aware of and offered the vaccine every winter and at every available opportunity or interaction. The closing date of this consultation is 4 August 2017.

• Draft guideline
• Related documents
• Press release

BMA ARM polling 2017

British Medical Association (BMA) - 
Ahead of the BMA Annual Representatives Meeting, Britain Thinks were asked to conduct a public opinion survey of over 1000 people in England to explore patient satisfaction with NHS care and public views on the future of the service. 

• Polling data
• Press release

Social care: a prefunded solution

Reform - 
This report makes the case for social care financing reform and argues for the replacement of the current pay-as-you-go approach with a pre-funded arrangement. Under this proposal, working-age people would contribute a percentage of their income into a Later Life Care Fund (LLCF). These pooled savings would then be managed privately, before being used to fund the care costs of those that contributed. The report argues that taking this approach would limit future rises in spending on later life care and would ensure that in the long run, no generation would be at risk of funding the care of a disproportionately large cohort.

• Report
• Reform publications

House of Commons debate on the address: health, social care and security

The King's Fund - 
This briefing has been prepared ahead of the Queen's Speech debates and it outlines the key issues for health and social care in the new parliament. It emphasises the need for long-term sustainable options for social care and for greater funding for the NHS to address spending pressures and increased demand.

• Briefing