Health Management and Policy Alert

Independent report on the regulation of advanced practice in nursing and midwifery

Nuffield Trust -
Nurses and midwives are increasingly taking on more complex, autonomous and expert roles – commonly referred to as ‘advanced practice’. However, the application of this title and role type varies hugely and this area of practice is not currently regulated in the same way as other professional groups. With expectations and scale of the advanced practice role evolving at pace, the Nursing & Midwifery Council committed to a comprehensive review of advanced nurse practice, commissioning the Nuffield Trust to provide an independent view on the risks and benefits of professionally regulating this area of care.

• Report
• Nuffield Trust - publications

Government response to the findings of the independent investigation into the death of Elizabeth Dixon

Department of Health and Social Care -
This report sets out the government’s response to the independent investigation led by Dr Bill Kirkup into the life and death of 11-month-old Elizabeth Dixon. The recommendations of the report are informed by past events but describe improvements identified as necessary today. The investigation’s original report The life and death of Elizabeth Dixon: a catalyst for change was published in 2020.

• Report
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

The role of regions in health and care: what can be done between systems and the centre?

The King's Fund - 

What role can NHS regions and combined authorities play in the new health and care landscape? Luca Tiratelli (a researcher at The King's Fund) shares five approaches to harness their unique position between national and local bodies.

• Blog

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman scrutiny 2021–22

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee - 

This report of the annual scrutiny inquiry into the work of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) raised concerns with the PHSO continuing its policy of not considering less serious health complaints, introduced to reduce the backlog of cases resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Committee also noted that it received written evidence that expressed dissatisfaction with the PHSO’s handling of complaints, and that the organisation failed to meet its targets for time taken to close cases, as reported in its annual report and accounts.

• Report
• More detail

Independent review of the NHS Business Services Authority: final report and recommendations

Department of Health and Social Care - 
In June 2022, as part of the Cabinet Office Public Bodies Review Programme, the Department of Health and Social Care began its review of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). The review’s aim was to ensure that this public body is efficient and works effectively for citizens. The report of the NHSBSA review covers the following areas: public body assessment; accountability; governance; efficiency; efficacy; and capabilities. The report makes 18 recommendations.

• Report
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

How to abolish a public body: ten lessons from previous restructures

Institute for Government - 

Public bodies are frequently abolished, but there is little public guidance on how to do this. This report sets out ten practical lessons to help ministers and civil servants to decide when abolitions should happen and then to manage them well. It concludes that more careful analysis, including a proportionate business case, should be carried out in advance of an abolition decision. The report suggests that ministers and civil servants should prioritise positive communication, sensible deadlines and recruiting an experienced and skilled transition team if they want to maximise the benefits of change.

• Report
• More detail

How have provider collaboratives been set up?

NHS Confederation -
This briefing aims to support provider collaborative and system leaders understand different governance models and what might be best for their emerging collaborative.

• NHS Confederation - publications

Moving through the gears: where will local government finance be in 2030?

Localis - 
This report contains a collection of essays covering perspectives on what the future could, should and might be for local government finance, featuring contributions from across the local government sector alongside leading practitioners and experts in the field. Subjects covered by the essays include financial sustainability, taxation, devolution and the net zero agenda.

• Report
• Localis - publications

Group accounting manual 2023 to 2024: consultation exercise

Department of Health and Social Care -
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and its bodies within the DHSC accounting boundary are required by law to produce an annual report and accounts. The group accounting manual (GAM) is DHSC’s guidance to bodies on preparing and publishing an annual report and accounts. This consultation asks for views on the GAM. The closing date for comments is 9 March 2023.

• Consultation
• Consultation response form
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Department of Health and Social Care annual report and accounts: 2021-22

Department of Health and Social Care -
The annual report and accounts gives an overview of the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) resources and how it has used them to fulfil its statutory functions during the financial year 2021 to 2022. The report describes DHSC’s performance against objectives and includes the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s annual report on the performance of the NHS in England.

• Report
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications