Health Management and Policy Alert

Assessment of the evidence of the financial benefits provided by almshouses

Almshouse Association - 

This report, commissioned from the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (Housing LIN), investigates the financial benefits almshouses provide to society. The key findings of the report are: £43m total financial benefit per year; almshouse residents are less likely to use domiciliary care; residents make less GP appointments and are less likely to visit A&E; and almshouse contribute to local economies through their staff and volunteers with an estimated value of £56m.

• Report
• More detail

 

Invisible women: understanding women’s experiences of long-term imprisonment

Prison Reform Trust - 

This briefing highlights the far-reaching consequences of a lack of specialist, gender-specific, trauma informed provision for the the small minority of women serving very long determinate or indeterminate prison sentences. Most women serving long prison sentences will have extensive histories of trauma and are often victims as well as perpetrators. In a study of women serving life sentences, 60 per cent reported histories of sexual abuse, 80 per cent had experienced physical abuse and 54 per cent reported both sexual and physical abuse. Women lacking specialist support can feel isolated in their trauma; those serving long sentences are more exposed to repeat traumatisation.

• Briefing
• Press release

Health and Care Bill: House of Commons report stage and third reading

The King's Fund - 

The Health and Care Bill introduces new measures to promote and enable collaboration in health and care, building on earlier recommendations made by NHS England and NHS Improvement in 2019. The Bill also contains new powers for the Secretary of State to intervene in the health and care system, and targeted changes to public health, social care, and the oversight of quality and safety. This briefing focuses on Parts 1, 2, and 3 of the Bill, which deal with the NHS and its relationships to other parts of the system, including the powers of the Secretary of State, plus proposed changes to information sharing across the health and care system.

• Briefing

Left behind: a decade of intergenerational unfairness

Intergenerational Foundation - 

This report used 31 indicators to investigate how the position of young people has changed in the labour market, housing, higher education, government expenditure, wealth and expenditure, physical and mental health, political representation and the environment. In all policy areas, except for the environment, the position of younger people has either declined or stagnated over the past ten years.

• Report
• Press release

Timely access to care: principles for recovery

National Voices -
This report uncovers timely access to care is now the most pressing concern of people who live with ill health, disability or impairment. It finds that primary care, community services, mental health, elective and specialist care and urgent and emergency services are all impacted by delays, waits, service disruptions and cancellations. It concludes that rebuilding timely access to health and care needs to be top priority for all system leaders.

• Report
• National Voices - publications

The government’s preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic: lessons for government on risk management

National Audit Office -
According to this report, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the UK’s vulnerability to an emergency that affects the whole of government, society and the economy. It suggests that government was not fully prepared for the wide-ranging impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on society, the economy and essential public services. For example, it lacked detailed plans on shielding, employment support schemes and managing the disruption to schooling. It recommends that government strengthens its preparations for system-wide emergencies.

• Report
• National Audit Office - publications
• National Audit Office - press release

 

Health and Social Care Levy Bill 2021-22

House of Commons Library -
The Health and Social Care Levy Bill 2021-22 was introduced on 8 September 2021. The Levy is to be based on National Insurance contributions (NICs), which is paid by employees, employers and the self-employed. The majority of receipts from NICs are paid into the National Insurance Fund, to pay for contributory benefits (primarily the state pension). A single portion of the income from NICs is not paid into the Fund, but is allocated to the NHS. This briefing provides a short overview of the National Insurance system, before discussing the Government’s plan for health and social care, its proposal for a new tax to fund this plan, and the content of the Bill.

• Briefing
• House of Commons Library - publications

English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance (ESPAUR): report 2020 to 2021

UK Health Security Agency -
The English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance (ESPAUR) report sets a standard to compare antimicrobial use and resistance in successive years. This report includes national data on antibiotic prescribing and resistance, antimicrobial stewardship implementation, and awareness activities.

• Report
• UK Health Security Agency - publications

A joint thematic inspection of the criminal justice journey for individuals with mental health needs and disorders

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation -
Inspectors looked at more than 300 cases from six regions, interviewed 550 professionals, and heard from 67 people with mental health issues who had been through the criminal justice system, from first contact with the police to release from prison. The inspection found poor support for people with mental health issues and concludes that too little progress had been made since the last review in 2009.

• Report
• The Bradley Report (2009)
• Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation - press release

Strengthening workforce planning in the Health and Care Bill

Royal Colleges of Physicians (RCP) - 

The RCP is one of over 60 organisations (including The King's Fund) supporting an amendment to the Health and Care Bill tabled by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt MP to strengthen workforce planning. Ahead of Report Stage of the Health and Care Bill on 22 November 2021, Jeremy Hunt has tabled an amendment to Clause 34 of the Health and Care Bill that would require the secretary of state to publish independently verified assessments of current and future workforce numbers every two years consistent with Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) long-term fiscal projections. This briefing explains the amendment.

• Briefing
• More detail
• Health and Care Bill