Health Management and Policy Alert

Re-thinking local

Local Government Association -
This discussion paper sets out how, with the right funding and powers, councils can grasp this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not just recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemics but to go further and address the inequalities the virus has exposed, develop a green recovery, address skills gaps and rebuild the economy so that it benefits everyone.

• Report
• Local Government Association - publications

The structure of the NHS in England

House of Commons Library -
This briefing provides an overview of the funding and accountability relationships within this NHS in England, and an introduction to the roles of key organisations including NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission. It also highlights some key health policy issues, including patient safety, funding, and the integration of health and social care.

• Briefing
• House of Commons Library - publications

Evaluation of the Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) programme: final evaluation report

Centre for Health Economics, University of York - 
Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) is an approach to joining up health and social care, and other services where appropriate. This report outlines the findings of an independent evaluation of IPC and finds that whilst IPC costs more than standard care, it resulted in positive patient experience and increased social care quality of life.

• Report
• Press release

The health of the nation: a strategy for healthier longer lives

All Party Parliamentary Group for Longevity - 
This report aims to help set the UK on a clear path to achieve the government's goal "for everyone to have five extra years of healthy, independent life by 2035." It proposes policy and cross-sector collaboration to narrow the life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest.

• Report

The multi-agency response to child sexual abuse in the family environment

Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) - 

A joint targeted area inspections of ‘the multi-agency response to child sexual abuse in the family environment’ took place between September 2018 and May 2019. Ofsted, together with the Care Quality Commission, HMI Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services and HMI Probation, examined how well children’s social care, health professionals, youth offending services, the police and probation officers are working together in a local area to help and protect children. This report calls on professionals to give sexual abuse a higher priority in local areas, through improved training and awareness-raising of the problem. More needs to be done to prevent the sexual abuse of children in the family environment and when it does happen, agencies must work better to protect and support victims and families.

• Report
• Press release

Building resilience: how local partnerships are supporting children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing

Local Government Association - 

Too many children and young people nationally do not receive the support they need to improve their mental health and wellbeing. The purpose of this research, commissioned from Isos Partnership, is to explore some of the factors which are contributing to this nationally challenging context, and to develop an evidence base for how local government and its partners can work most effectively together to deliver a coherent and joined-up offer of support for children and young people’s mental health.

• Report
• Press release

How will we know if integrated care systems reduce demand for urgent care? Establishing fair benchmark levels for the blended payment system

The Strategy Unit - 

For the 2019/20 financial year the National Tariff Payment System (NTPS) for emergency care moved from a fee-for service arrangement to a blended payment system. The blended system encourages the provider to moderate activity growth by providing financial incentives for effective demand management. However there is currently scant detail surrounding crucial aspects of the NTPS scheme. Failure to address this issue may not only lead to the inappropriate distribution of resources across the health system; it could result in tens of millions of pounds being diverted away from urgent care.

• Report
• More detail

 

Better for women: improving the health and wellbeing of girls and women

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) - 

A survey of over 3,000 women commissioned by the RCOG found that women are struggling to access healthcare services locally. This is due to under-funding and fragmentation of sexual and reproductive healthcare services. This report recommends that one-stop women’s health clinics provide reproductive and sexual healthcare services – such as contraception, STI testing, cervical screening, and treatment and advice about the menopause – in one location and at one time to improve services for women and make savings for the NHS.

• Report
• Press release

 

Improving mental health services in systems of integrated and accountable care: emerging lessons and priorities

Royal College of Psychiatrists - 

This report sets out recommendations for local and national health and care leaders to support the prioritisation of mental health as local areas develop into integrated care systems (ICSs).

• Report
• Press release

 

Leading for integrated care: 'If you think competition is hard, you should try collaboration'

The King's Fund -
This report explores the progress, challenges and opportunities the move towards greater integration presents, through interviews with 16 people leading or chairing an integrated care system or sustainability and transformation partnership.

• Report
• The King's Fund - publications