Health Management and Policy Alert

A strain on sight: waiting for NHS specialist eye care

Healthwatch England - 

According to NHS statistics, of the nearly 59,000 people currently waiting for specialist eye care as of December 2024, only two thirds (66.8 per cent) have been waiting less than the 18-week target set by government, compared to a target of 92 per cent. This research reveals strong public support for greater use of staff in high street opticians. The report calls for optician services, including optometrists, to have more responsibility for managing people’s eye care and referring them on for specialist treatment to help cut waiting times. Additionally, actions such as those proposed in the Optometry First model are needed to improve communications and support for people waiting for eye care.

• Report
• Press release

NHS England’s management of elective care transformation programmes

National Audit Office - 

In February 2022, NHS England (NHSE) published a plan to recover elective and cancer care over the three years up to March 2025. This plan included changes to how care is provided through three transformation programmes: diagnostic transformation; surgical transformation; and outpatients transformation. This report looks at NHSE’s management of these three transformation programmes, what they have delivered to date and whether NHSE is learning lessons from its experience and applying this learning as it develops its future plans.

• Report
• Press release

Can the government achieve its 18-week elective waiting time target?

Institute for Fiscal Studies -
Modelling used in this report that shows meeting the NHS 18-week target by the end of this parliament will likely require historically large increases in activity alongside reductions in demand and greater prioritisation of those waiting a long time. It concludes that the government will more likely than not miss this 18-week waiting time target.

• Report
• Institute for Fiscal Studies - press release

State of the state 2025

Reform - 
This report, published in partnership with Deloitte, explores key issues facing the UK government and public services. It is based on an Ipsos public poll, and more than 80 interviews with public sector leaders. It aims to provide both an insider’s view of the challenges facing an incoming government, and a citizen’s view of what matters and how government is performing.

• Report
• Reform - publications

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

 

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

An overview of the Department of Health & Social Care for the new parliament 2023-24

National Audit Office (NAO) - 

This report provides an introduction to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and an examination of its spending and performance. The report summarises the key information and insights that can be gained from NAO examinations of the DHSC.

• Report
• More detail

The preventative shift: how can we embed prevention and achieve long term missions

Demos - 

Published in collaboration with the Health Foundation, this discussion paper looks at how to shift the culture of public bodies to think ‘prevention first’ and target spending at activities that are value for money and improve outcomes. The paper is part of an ongoing series of work by Demos making the case for a more preventive state, one that shifts from firefighting mode to preventing problems before they arise to improve people’s lives and reduce the spiralling cost of public services.

• Discussion paper
• More detail

Lost in the system: the need for better admin

The King's Fund - 

2 out of 3 people say they've had a problem with NHS admin in the past year. We explore the impact these experiences are having on public perceptions of the NHS and what could be done to make things better.

• Long read

National elective access policy

NHS England - 

This policy will support implementation of the updated Recording and reporting guidance. It covers the core principles that all providers and systems should include in their local elective access policies, to support consistent application of waiting times rules and guidance. Local policies should reflect local pathways and implementation plans. E-learning training materials are available to support the consistent use of referral to treatment rules.

• Policy
• More detail