Health Management and Policy Alert

Waiting for NHS hospital care: the role of the independent sector in delivering orthopaedic and ophthalmic care

The Health Foundation -
This analysis looks at the use of independent sector providers in the delivery of NHS-funded ophthalmic (treatment for eye disorders) and orthopaedic care (hip, knee and hand procedures), two areas where the independent sector’s share of care has grown most. The report concludes that greater use of the independent sector, while having an important role to play, will only have a limited impact on the NHS backlog and is no substitute for addressing wider issues such as staff shortages, social care and underfunding.

• Report
• The Health Foundation - press release

Waiting for NHS hospital care: the role of the independent sector in delivering orthopaedic and ophthalmic care

The Health Foundation -
This analysis looks at the use of independent sector providers in the delivery of NHS-funded ophthalmic (treatment for eye disorders) and orthopaedic care (hip, knee and hand procedures), two areas where the independent sector’s share of care has grown most. The report concludes that greater use of the independent sector, while having an important role to play, will only have a limited impact on the NHS backlog and is no substitute for addressing wider issues such as staff shortages, social care and underfunding.

• Report
• The Health Foundation - press release

Looking outward: international lessons for health system reform

Reform - 

This report examines what policymakers in Britain can learn from abroad to help address four core challenges that stand in the way of building a world-leading health system: the health creation challenge; the centralism challenge; the healthcare delivery challenge; and the fiscal challenge. It draws on insights from health systems in both high income, and low- and middle-income countries to draw out lessons on successful transformation.

• Report
• More detail

NHS England business continuity management toolkit

NHS England - 
This document highlights the need for Business Continuity Management (BCM) in NHS organisations so that they can maintain continuity of key services in the face of disruption from identified local risks. Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (as amended), all NHS organisations have a duty to put in place continuity arrangements. The toolkit is driven by the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle along with being updated in line with both ISO 22301 principles, as well as the Business Continuity Good Practice Guidelines 2018.

• Toolkit
• NHS England - publications

Urgent and emergency care improvement guide to contact hubs for primary, ambulance and clinical calls

NHS England -
This guide has been designed for providers and systems to consider embedding as good practice to reduce ambulance handover delays. The contents have been drawn from the Winter Improvement Collaborative which was set up to identify solutions to the problems facing the system over the winter period. Members of the collaborative were asked to co-design a series of plans and potential improvement measures, to be adapted and trialled at local level.

• Guidance
• NHS England - publications

Urgent and emergency care improvement guide same day emergency care flow

NHS England -
This guide has been designed for providers and systems to consider embedding as good practice to reduce ambulance handover delays. The contents have been drawn from the Winter Improvement Collaborative which was set up to identify solutions to the problems facing the system over the winter period. Members of the collaborative were asked to co-design a series of plans and potential improvement measures, to be adapted and trialled at local level.

• Guidance
• NHS England - publications

GP referrals: part 2 – the hidden waiting list

Healthwatch England - 

HealthWatch commissioned Panelbase to carry out an online survey covering two distinct groups who had an appointment with their GP practice in the past 12 months. Firstly, those who either expected or requested a referral for tests, diagnosis, or treatment, but didn't get one, and secondly, those who were referred for tests, diagnosis or treatment. Panelbase heard from 2,144 people overall. The figures quoted in this briefing are based on the 1,518 patients who fall into the second group - those who were referred for tests, diagnosis, or treatment. The survey was also shared via the Healthwatch network (1,825 respondents overall of which 1,458 respondents were in the “referred group”) and comments from both surveys are used to support the analysis and provide quotes for this briefing. Considering how long it can take for a patient to be told they are being referred, combined with the time it takes to get onto a waiting list, the total time the patient has been suffering from their symptoms or condition can be much longer than official waiting time statistics would suggest. There are gaps in measurement for some parts of the referrals process – creating a dangerous blind spot. This briefing shares people’s experiences and the impact behind these figures.

• Briefing
• Press release

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

The rise and decline of the NHS in England 2000–20: how political failure led to the crisis in the NHS and social care

The King's Fund - 

This personal work from Professor Sir Chris Ham (previous chief executive at The King's Fund) finds that multi-year funding increases and reforms led to improvements in NHS performance between 2000 and 2010, but performance has declined since 2010 as a result of much lower funding increases, limited funds for capital investment, and neglect of workforce planning.

• Report