An independent NHS board has been advocated by a number of commentators, who believe it will reduce both micromanagement and day-to-day political interference in the running of the health service. This report argues that an independent board would be limited in its ability to achieve these aims. It suggests a ...
Complementary medical practitioners may be a distinct minority in places such as Europe, North America and Australia, but in other countries the number of practitioners and the people who use their services are in the majority. Many practitioners practise without qualification or adequate training, and in response to this the ...
This is the fourth paper in a series, Kicking Bad Habits, on how people can be encouraged to adopt healthy behaviour. The paper considers the influence of an individual's motivation and confidence in modifying their health behaviours. While there is good evidence, in theory, that they are two key determinants ...
If the health of the population is to improve significantly, patients need to be engaged in managing their own health. The increase in availability of information, developments in new technology, and changes in public attitudes mean that patients want to interact differently with health services. These developments present a challenge ...
Unhealthy behaviours - smoking, alcohol misuse, poor diet, lack of exercise - lead to ill health, with resulting costs to individuals, to the NHS and to society as a whole. PCTs are expected to commission support to help people change their behaviour to adopt healthier lifestyles - but what should ...