In this report, we focus on what needs to be done to strengthen commissioning in the NHS, through an analysis of the problems with current commissioning arrangements. We begin by examining what is meant by ‘commissioning’ in the English NHS.
The aim of this report is to provoke and encourage thinking about the wide range of ways in which patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) data can be used to inform decisions. It draws on Bupa’s example to discuss how providers can use PROMs data to improve clinical performance. It also offers ...
General practitioners make over 9 million referrals each year, triggering many billions of pounds of expenditure. There is also significant variation in the quality and rate of referral between GPs and GP practices. As the NHS faces a prospective funding gap of £14-£20 billion and GPs take the lead for ...
The NHS is entering a period of acute financial pressure and needs to find up to £20 billion in productivity improvements over the next few years. There are particular challenges for the many hospital trusts that enter the ‘cold’ financial climate with deficits and legacy debt. Reconfiguring Hospital Services: Lessons ...
The aim of this paper is to describe the different forms of integrated care and to summarise evidence on their impact. The paper is based on a major review published by The King’s Fund and has been prepared in the light of the increased interest in integrated care arising out ...
The aim of this discussion paper is to give the reader an understanding of the issues involved in rationing in the evolving context of the contemporary NHS in England. Our paper is not intended as a primer: we provide no advice about how rationing decisions ought to be made. Nor ...
This paper explores the coalition government’s record on NHS reform by describing the situation it inherited when it came to power in 2010, the policies it has pursued, and (where available) evidence of their impact. It takes the stated aims of the reforms
as the starting point and reviews progress ...
The fact that health and social care services are currently commissioned separately is a major obstacle to the development of integrated care. Support is growing for a new settlement based on a single ring-fenced budget and a single local commissioner – as recommended by the independent 'Commission on the Future ...
This written submission considers the readiness of the NHS to move to the new system of commissioning and implement the other major health reforms introduced by the Act.
It argues that good progress has been made in establishing the new commissioning model, but highlights ongoing concerns about uncertainty and confusion, ...
The NHS five year forward view (Forward View), published by NHS England and other national NHS bodies, sets out a shared view on how services need to change and what models of care will be required in the future. While the direction set by the Forward View has been broadly ...