Health Management and Policy Alert

Opportunities to strengthen place-based systems approaches to consider and address associated health inequalities

Public Health England (PHE) - 
This report outlines the findings of a research project which aimed to understand local authorities' familiarity with and use of a whole systems approach and place-based approachess. It explores what approaches local authorities were taking to address health inequalities within their whole systems approach to obesity and how they could be better supported to strengthen these approaches.

• Report
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Ever more needed? The role of the Leeds Neighbourhood Networks during the COVID-19 pandemic

Centre for Ageing Better - 
The Leeds Neighbourhood Networks (LNNs) aim to support older people to live independently and participate in their communities as they grow older, through a range of activities and services that are provided at a neighbourhood level. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic there was a city-wide ambition for a symbiotic relationship between the LNNs and the health and care sector. This report draws on the findings of a real time evaluation of the LNNs during the pandemic, as a way to understand and share learning about their response.

• Report
• Summary

The next steps towards integrated care

The King's Fund - 
Our new explainer looks at NHS England and NHS Improvement’s proposals to further integrate health and care services and the associated proposals for legislative change.

• Explainer

The multiple conditions guidebook - one year on

The Richmond Group of Charities - 
This report revisits seven of the case studies featured in The Multiple Conditions Guidebook to find out how things are progressing in the year since their original publication. The original case studies outlined practical solutions to help local areas improve health and wellbeing for people with multiple long-term health conditions. It sets out candid conversations with the practitioners leading these services as well as perspectives from some of the patients accessing them.

• Report
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Vertical integration of GP practices with acute hospitals in England and Wales: rapid evaluation

RAND Europe - 

In several locations across England and Wales, NHS organisations responsible for managing acute hospitals have also taken over the running of primary care medical practices. This report, commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research and undertaken together with the Health Services Management Centre at the University of Birmingham and the Health Services Research Group at the University of Cambridge, evaluates what has led to this kind of vertical integration in England and Wales, how it has been implemented, and with what consequences.

• Report
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Integrating care: next steps to building strong and effective integrated care systems across England

NHS England - 

This document gives details of NHS England's proposals for a more effective and responsive care system across England. It sets out how NHS organisations, local councils, frontline professionals and others will join forces in an integrated care system (ICS) in every part of England from April 2021. Patients, NHS staff, partner organisations and interested members of the public are asked to submit their views on the proposals. The closing date for responses to the consultation is Friday 8 January 2021.

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Technical report: the impact of Extensive Care Service and Enhanced Primary Care in Fylde Coast - findings from the Improvement Analytics Unit

The Health Foundation -
This briefing finds evidence that multidisciplinary teams may increase emergency hospital activity at least in the short term. It evaluates two integrated team initiatives developed in the Fylde Coast NHS vanguard: the Extensive Care Service (ECS) and Enhanced Primary Care (EPC). Both use risk stratification to help identify adults with complex chronic care needs who are at risk of hospitalisation. The analysis has found that neither model of care reduced hospital activity during the period analysed, but it could not conclude that the higher levels of activity were a direct causal effect of ECS or EPC.

• Report
• The Health Foundation - publications

Coronavirus: support for rough sleepers

House of Commons Library - 
This briefing paper outlines the measures taken in England to support rough sleepers, and those at risk of rough sleeping, during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. It discusses the impact of these measures and stakeholder comment.

• Briefing
• Summary

The future of integrated care in England

NHS Confederation - 
With the Government expected to introduce new primary legislation affecting the NHS over the coming year, NHS leaders have set out the factors they believe should be central to a new framework for integrated care systems (ICSs) in this report summarising feedback from a six-month engagement process. The report argues that joint working across health and care should be embedded in law and encouraged through a new statutory duty for all providers, commissioners and other partners in local systems.

• Report
• Press release

Early evidence of the development of primary care networks in England: a rapid evaluation study

National Institute for Health Research - 

Primary care networks are groups of general practices brought together in July 2019 to develop new services in response to NHS England/Improvement policy using a shared budget. This study examined the early implementation of primary care networks, especially what has helped or hindered progress, how they operate in relation to pre-existing collaborations, and issues for rural networks.

• Report
• More detail