This paper aims to help those planning and implementing major clinical service reconfigurations ensure that change is as evidence-based as possible. It investigates the five key drivers – quality, workforce, cost, access and technology – across 13 clinical service areas, and summarises the research evidence and professional guidance available in ...
The King’s Fund’s Time to Think Differently programme of work aims to stimulate debate about the changes needed for health and social care to meet the challenges of the future. It aims to generate new thinking about how to address these challenges and deliver a transformation in services for patients. ...
This is the second in a series of four papers that aims to crystallise ideas for change in areas where, we believe, new thinking is required. The first paper focused on the NHS estate and subsequent papers will focus on the use of technology; and the role of patients and ...
Although the coalition government has pledged to protect funding for the NHS, the pressures to meet rising demand will put a strain on spending. Building on a previous analysis produced in association with the Institute for Fiscal Studies, this paper examines the gap between the likely available funding and the ...
With a growing number of health care providers in deficit and others placed in special measures because of concerns about the quality of their care, the search is on to find ways in which they could be supported. Sir David Dalton’s forthcoming review provides a timely opportunity to explore the ...
This report describes the current financial state of the NHS and the reasons for the deterioration in financial performance and ultimately financial failure. These include weak leadership, legacy costs, payment by results (PbR), and the impact of the wider health economy.
This paper summarises presentations made at a seminar held at The King’s Fund in April 2010. The seminar brought together case studies from the NHS in England, Kaiser Permanente in California and the independent sector, as well as research evidence, to explore what has been tried and what has worked ...
This paper summarises presentations made at a seminar held at The King’s Fund earlier this year. The seminar brought together commissioners, policymakers, providers and others to summarise some of the available evidence about demand management. It aimed to provide practical, evidence-based
advice to help commissioners and providers develop effective demand ...
NHS hospitals face mounting financial and workforce pressures. Reconfiguration of hospital services can provide a powerful means of improving quality in an environment where money and skilled health care workers are scarce. In some places, reconfiguration is needed urgently, in order to protect patient safety. However, the current reconfiguration process ...
Staffing is the make-or-break issue for the NHS in England. In this joint report with the Nuffield Trust and the Health Foundation, we set out the policy actions that need to be at the heart of the workforce implementation plan due to be published later this year. In this joint ...