Health Management and Policy Alert

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

 

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

Bytes and bandages: the role of tech in elective care recovery

The King's Fund - 

The latest elective recovery plan was published in January. Pritesh Mistry looks at how embracing technology will help improve patient choice, streamline processes and boost efficiency.

• Blog

A helping hand: robotics in surgery

Reform -
The advent of robotic assisted surgery is now offering unprecedented precision and minimally invasive procedures, in turn reducing recovery time for patients and improving outcomes. It has emerged as one of the potential solutions to lower bed occupancy, faster procedures, improved patient flow, as well as enhanced accuracy, reduced blood loss, and less pain. This paper explores the advantages of robotic assisted surgery and steps that can be taken to ensure their rollout.

• Report
• Reform - publications

The workforce employed by adult social services departments in England

Skills for Care - 

This report provides the estimated number of social workers employed by local authorities in England, and information about recruitment and retention, demographics and pay rates. The findings are from the Adult Social Care Workforce Dataset (ASC-WDS) relating to social workers in local authority adult social service departments as at September 2024. The report does not include social workers employed in the independent sector or those working in the NHS. 

• Report
• More detail

Telecare National Action Plan: protecting telecare users throughout the digital phone switchover

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 

The telecommunications industry is leading a programme of work to switch telephone networks from analogue to digital. The switchover will be complete for all providers by January 2027. As the digital phone switchover takes place, there is a risk that some analogue telecare devices will not perform reliably on digital networks. This has increased risks for telecare users. This publication, published jointly with Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), sets out the actions that stakeholders must take to safeguard telecare users during the digital phone switchover.

• Policy
• More detail

Step-by-step guide to improving general practice website online journeys

NHS England - 

This guide is for those responsible for planning, leading and maintaining general practice website improvement work within practices, primary care networks (PCNs), GP federations, integrated care boards (ICBs) and other organisations. This guidance will help them with: understanding the elements of an improvement plan and the information they need to collect; benchmarking the usability of current online patient journeys; making a plan for improvement; and delivering and maintaining that improvement.

• Guide
• More detail

Innovating for independence: a win-win for health and social care

Reform -
This report argues that, without innovation and reform, the adult social care crisis will only worsen. It sets out practical actions that can be taken on a local, regional and national scale so that emerging technologies can significantly improve the delivery of social care in the short-term.

• Report
• Reform - publications

Public sector digital trends: beyond borders

Socitm -
This report outlines the digital and technology trends driving local public services change, innovation and poses 10 questions every public service leader must address. Focusing on three deep dive areas covering data, cybersecurity and reimagining services, the report exposes the interdependencies of digital initiatives and organisational goals. It emphasises the importance of clear vision and teamwork to achieve better social, economic and environmental outcomes.

• Report
• Socitm - news

Designing inclusive and trusted digital health services with people and communities

The King's Fund -
As we look to a future that is more digitalised, what is needed to improve patients’ voices to create accessible and trusted digitally enabled services?

• Briefing
• The King's Fund - publications