Health Management and Policy Alert

Free personal protective equipment scheme

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
This guidance outlines the details of the extension of the free personal protective equipment scheme which aims to protect frontline health care staff, the elderly and vulnerable and reduce pressure on the NHS. 

• Guidance

Building a resilient social care system in England: what can be learnt from the first wave of Covid-19?

Nuffield Trust - 
This report, written in collaboration with the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, analyses the structural and systemic factors that influenced that initial national response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid had far-reaching impacts on social care and exacerbated many longstanding issues. This work seeks to highlight progress and identify where action is needed to create a more resilient system.

• Report
• Nuffield Trust - publications

Deaths at home during the Covid-19 pandemic and implications for patients and services

Nuffield Trust - 
Statistics show that, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, a third more people have died at home in England. This research sheds light on the services used by people who died at home in England, both before and during the first year of the pandemic, including looking at variation between socioeconomic and ethnic groups, and by cause of death. This report includes a perspective on the findings from a patient and public involvement group based on their own experiences of end-of-life care.

• Report
• Nuffield Trust - publications

Maternal health and care in London

London Assembly Health Committee - 

This report looks at the impact of the pandemic on maternal health and services in London, the impact of staffing shortages, and the inequalities that exist across maternal health outcomes. It sets out nine recommendations to improve services.

• Report
• More detail

Deaths at home during the Covid-19 pandemic and implications for patients and services

Nuffield Trust - 

This report sheds light on the services used by people who died at home in England, both before and during the first year of the pandemic, including looking at variation between socioeconomic and ethnic groups, and by cause of death. A patient and public involvement group provided an important perspective on the findings based on their own experiences of end-of-life care.

• Report
• More detail

 

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman scrutiny 2021–22

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee - 

This report of the annual scrutiny inquiry into the work of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) raised concerns with the PHSO continuing its policy of not considering less serious health complaints, introduced to reduce the backlog of cases resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Committee also noted that it received written evidence that expressed dissatisfaction with the PHSO’s handling of complaints, and that the organisation failed to meet its targets for time taken to close cases, as reported in its annual report and accounts.

• Report
• More detail

Pandemic preparedness for the real world: why we must invest in equitable, ethical and effective approaches to help prepare for the next pandemic

Institute of Development Studies -
This report warns the global health community to think beyond vaccines and lockdowns, proposing investment in a five point action framework for pandemic preparedness which responds to people’s experiences, knowledge and needs. The proposed five areas for investment are: health professionals; diverse knowledge, expertise and perspectives; reform of health, social and other systems and structures to support resilience to disease crises; people’s trust in politics; and ethics and social justice.

• Report
• Institute of Development Studies - news

Managing NHS backlogs and waiting times in England

House of Commons Public Accounts Committee - 
This report finds that cancer waiting times are at their worst recorded level and NHS England will not meet its first cancer recovery target and that the wider NHS recovery plan may not be achieved on time. It argues that the NHS is still not planning properly for the staffing and other resources it needs to deliver additional diagnostic and treatment capacity, though much of it was already needed before the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Report
• Press release

Long Covid & employment

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus - 

This report calls on government to introduce guidance for employers on long Covid alongside a compensation scheme for frontline workers.

• Report
• More detail

NHS Covid-19 Data Store and NHS National Data Platform: a summary of a private roundtable

Institute for Government -
This paper summarises a roundtable discussion bringing together public servants and others involved in the NHS Covid-19 Data Store and NHS National Data Platform, which NHS England launched towards the beginning of the Covid pandemic to provide national organisations responsible for co-ordinating the response with secure, reliable and timely data.

• Discussion paper
• Institute for Government - publications