Since the 1950s, the NHS has been looking at ways of improving care coordination. Lord Darzi’s NHS Next Stage Review introduced a new concept, that of the integrated care organisation (ICO). Since then, the Government has begun piloting schemes that offer different models of integrated care. This report, published jointly ...
This report summarises a review of the clinical governance baseline assessments prepared by 36 London primary care groups. As every primary care group (PCG) was required to undertake and publish a baseline assessment , they provide insights into the range of approaches being taken to implementing clinical governance.
NHS Direct is a nurse-led telephone helpline which was launched in three pilot sites in 1998. An evaluation of the first three sites is still underway and, although preliminary results show high satisfaction among service users, it is too early to draw conclusions about the impact of NHS Direct on ...
This paper has been written as a contribution to the work of the NHS Future Forum and in support of the government’s espoused aim of placing integrated care at the heart of the programme of NHS reform. Integrated care is essential to meet the needs of the ageing population, transform ...
This working paper aims to revisit findings from the 1997 King's Fund Inquiry on Mental Health and to examine the extent to which primary care mental health services have developed in line with recommendations made at that time. It takes a narrow view of 'primary care' as relating to general ...
Chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart failure and hypertension affect large numbers of people, including patients, carers, families and friends. As the population in England ages, growing numbers of patients will need help with managing complex, multiple conditions over sustained periods. Apart from the burden of ill-health, treating ...
Millions of people in the UK are living with long-term conditions such as asthma or diabetes. Most of these people are leading full and active lives with only occasional contact with health professionals, by altering drug doses and adapting their lifestyles in response to subtle changes in symptoms. This paper ...
This is a piece of independent research conducted by the authors at the King's Fund based on a Pfizer initiative. and Extending patient choice is central to the government's reform of the NHS. Patients will be offered a choice of hospitals for planned operations from December 2005 and will soon be offered choice in other areas of health care. This paper presents the key findings from ten focus groups held to ...
There are unprecedented challenges arising for the medical profession from the changing expectations of patients, government and managers. Doctors remain 'professionals' but the traditional image of what this means in practice is increasingly outdated. While individual doctors remain highly trusted, the profession as a whole needs to demonstrate better its ...
Nine NHS walk-in centre pilot sites opened in London during 2000. Six of the nine centres are located in hospital sites. The other three centres are in Soho in central London, the High Street in Croydon, and Parsons Green in Fulham. NHS walk-in centres are nurse-led and offer primary care ...