Health Management and Policy Alert

Research and development work relating to assistive technology: 2023 to 2024

Department of Health and Social Care - 

Assistive technologies aim to increase the independence or wellbeing of disabled and older people. This report sets out government-funded projects supporting the development, implementation and evaluation of assistive technology. The report is aimed at: individuals with disabilities; health and care professionals; and research stakeholders.

• Report
• More detail

Cancer in the UK 2025: socioeconomic deprivation

Cancer Research UK - 

This report shows that cancer death rates are nearly 60% higher for people living in the most deprived areas of the UK compared with the least deprived, with around 28,400 cancer deaths each year linked to socioeconomic inequality. This equates to around 78 deaths each day – more than 3 in 20 of all deaths from cancer. The report summarise key metrics and data in relation to socioeconomic deprivation from across the cancer pathway, including prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

• Report
• Press release

What does the NHS staff survey tell us about the changing behaviours and motivation of health care staff?

Nuffield Trust - 

Over the past decade younger NHS staff have reported lower job satisfaction, higher stress levels, and greater dissatisfaction with pay than their older colleagues, according to this new analysis of over a million NHS staff survey responses. Do these trends reflect changing generational attitudes to work, or are they in fact shaped by wider workforce and societal pressures? This long read explores the relationship between age and staff experience and what it means for workforce retention and policy.

• Long read 

Does healthcare deliver?: results from the Patient Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS)

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) - 

This report finds that there is an urgent need to adapt healthcare systems to better meet the needs of the growing number of people with chronic health conditions. The survey collected data from about 107,000 patients aged 45 years and older, and 1,800 primary care practices across 19 countries and aimed to shed light on the health outcomes and experiences of people living with chronic conditions.

• Report
• Press release

ICS respiratory review 2024/25

Asthma + Lung UK - 

This review provides a snapshot of respiratory services across England while shining a light on innovative work taking place across the country. It shows key metrics from publicly available data for all integrated care systems (ICSs). This data is combined with information received from a survey Asthma + Lung UK sent out in October 2024 to all 42 ICSs in England, outlining how they are diagnosing, treating and supporting those living with a lung condition.

• Review
• Press release

 

Experience of care improvement framework

NHS England - 

This is guidance to support providers in their work to improve the patient experience of care. It is an update of the original 2018 version (Patient experience improvement framework) and includes links to relevant strategy, policy and good practice documents.

• Guidance
• More detail

Guidance on neighbourhood multidisciplinary teams for children and young people

NHS England - 

This guidance outlines the principles and core components that underpin all neighbourhood multidisciplinary teams for children and young people. It should be read alongside the 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance and the Neighbourhood health guidelines 2025/26, which sets out the six core components of neighbourhood health models. One of these components is the neighbourhood multidisciplinary team (MDT). This guidance provides further details for this core component, specifically for children and young people.

• Guidance
• More detail

Independent review of physician associates and anaesthesia associates: call for analysis and research

Department of Health and Social Care - 

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has established an independent review of the physician associate (PA) and anaesthesia associate (AA) professions. The Leng review is seeking evidence which contributes towards an understanding of: the relative safety of the PA and AA roles; the contribution to effective and productive multidisciplinary teams; the delivery of good quality and efficient patient care across a range of settings; and patient satisfaction with the roles. This call for evidence closes at 11:59pm on 21 March 2025.

• Call for evidence
• More detail

Tech to save time: how the NHS can realise the benefits

Health Foundation - 

With the NHS under unprecedented pressure, there is a strong focus on the potential for technology to support NHS staff and free up their time. However, the NHS often faces challenges in fully realising the benefits technology can offer. Drawing on the Health Foundation’s own research and a rapid evidence review by The Evidence Centre, this analysis explores situations where health technologies have had no or negative impact on staff time and investigates why.

• Analysis

Mind the age gap: making mental health matter across the life course

International Longevity Centre UK - 

This report finds that serious mental health conditions are hampering people’s ability to live more fulfilling long lives. Already, one in every eight people around the world currently suffers from a mental health condition and this report estimates that the average person spends over a week (7.2 days) with a mental health-related disability every year. The report makes a series of recommendations for governments and health leaders to support the mental health of people throughout their longer lives.

• Report
• Press release