Workforce policy in the English NHS

"This report gives an overview of the components of workforce policy in the English NHS and the bodies which shape it. The report proposes ways in which workforce policy could be strengthened to improve the quality and productivity of care."

Fit for purpose?: Workforce policy in the English NHS
The Health Foundation
March 2016

Read more here.

What the planning guidance means for the NHS 2016/17 and beyond

"Leaders will need to work collaboratively in place-based systems of care, recognising that success in the current context depends on collective action that makes best use of a common pool of limited resources. It will be critical that organisations engage staff at all levels in achieving sustainability and delivering transformation, and focus on improving value for patients rather than crude cost-cutting."

What the planning guidance means for the NHS 2016/17 and beyond
H McKenna, P Dunn
February 2016
The King's Fund

Read more here.

Making change possible: A Transformation Fund for the NHS

"To ensure that the substantive changes required can be achieved, we argue that the NHS needs dedicated funding – a Transformation Fund – to deliver the change required, aligned with more effective practical support and the right policy context for change."

Making change possible: A Transformation Fund for the NHS
R Murray et al.
The Health Foundation, The King's Fund
July 2015

Read more here.

The quality of NHS services during the current parliament

"This briefing summarises trends in the quality of NHS care in England since the 2010 general election. "

Swimming against the tide? The quality of NHS services during the current parliament
T Gardner
The Health Foundation
March 2015

Read more here.

Rationing in the NHS

"Our second policy briefing in the run up to the General Election 2015 provides an overview of the current difficulties in making decisions about rationing healthcare in England, and sets out some of the challenges faced by policy makers in the future. "

Rationing in the NHS
N Edwards, H Crump, M Dayan
Nuffield Trust
February 2015

Read more here.

Implementing the NHS five year forward view

"While the direction set by the Forward View has been broadly welcomed, it risks suffering the same fate as previous policy documents unless serious attention is given to the policy changes needed to support local leaders to make new care models a reality"

Implementing the NHS five year forward view: Aligning policies with the plan
C Ham, R Murray

The King's Fund

February 2015

Read more here. 

Planning for the Better Care Fund

"The Better Care Fund is an innovative idea for joining-up care services locally for the benefit of patients. However, the quality of early planning and preparations did not match the scale of ambition."

Planning for the Better Care Fund
National Audit Office
November 2014

Read more here.

Developing recommendations to improve the quality of diabetes care in Ireland

"Our results reflect the dynamic nature of the policy process and the importance of timing. The results highlight the limits of rational policy making in the face of organisational and fiscal upheaval."

Developing recommendations to improve the quality of diabetes care in Ireland: a policy analysis
SM McHugh, IJ Perry, C Bradle, R Brugha
Health Research Policy and Systems 2014, 12:53

Read more here.    

A new settlement for health and social care

"A new settlement is needed for health and social care in England that breaks down the historic divide between the two systems and provides a much simpler path through the current maze of health and social care."

A new settlement for health and social care: Final report
K Barker
The King's Fund
September 2014

Read more here.

RAPID Outcome Mapping Approach: a guide to policy engagement and influence

"ROMA is an approach to improving your policy engagement processes, to influence change. It comprises a suite of tools that any organisation can use at any stage in their policy engagement process" 

ROMA: a guide to policy engagement and influence
Research and Policy in Development
Overseas Development Institute
2014

Find out more and access the guide here.

The NHS England business plan for 2014-15 to 2016-17

"The NHS England business plan sets out how NHS England will support commissioning and drive improvements in patient outcomes."

Putting Patients First: The NHS England business plan for 2014-15 to 2016-17
NHS England
April 2014

Read more here.

Closing the gap: priorities for essential change in mental health

"High-quality mental health services with an emphasis on recovery should be commissioned in all areas, reflecting local need."

Closing the gap: priorities for essential change in mental health
Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnership Directorate
Department of Health
January 2014

Read more here.

Systematic reviews for informing policy decisions

"This guide is a short introduction for decision-makers and researchers or anyone else considering whether a systematic review may be appropriate to fill a gap in knowledge or to use as a resource. It will help anybody planning on commissioning a review of what research is already out there. You may be an analyst, evaluator, policymaker or commissioner."

Learning from research: systematic reviews for informing policy decisions
D Gough, S Oliver, J Thomas
Alliance for Useful Evidence
EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London
December 2013

Read more here.

Knowledge translation strategies to improve the use of evidence in public health decision making in local government

This knowledge translation intervention "provides significant insights into how practitioners might engage with evidence in public health decision making."

Knowledge translation strategies to improve the use of evidence in public health decision making in local government: intervention design and implementation plan
R Armstrong, et al.
Implementation Science, 2013, 8:121

Read more here.

Specialised commissioning: policies and policy statements

In its role as the direct commissioner of specialised services, NHS England has published the 8 clinical commissioning policies and policy statements:

1. Stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy for glomus tumours
2. Radiosurgery/radiotherapy for cavernous venous malformations
3. Stereotactic radiosurgery, radiotherapy for ocular melanoma and pituitary adenoma
4. Eculizumab for atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome
5. Rituximab for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus in adults
6. Use of Plerixafor for stem cell mobilisation
7. Stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy for meningioma
8. Stribild for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults

Access them all here.

Improving integrated care for people with mental health problems

"This report sets out the findings from the Mental Health Foundation’s Inquiry into integrated health care for people with mental health problems. The Inquiry ran from April 2012 to June 2013. Its aim was to identify good practice, generate discussion, and draw up key messages on integrated healthcare for people with mental health problems."

Crossing boundaries: improving integrated care for people with mental health problems
Mental Health Foundation
September 2013

Read more here.

The role of evidence in policy formation and implementation

"Effective decision-making requires good advice, and that depends on informed use of evidence both in developing policy and in evaluating its effect once implemented."

The role of evidence in policy formation and implementation
Office of the Prime Minister's Science Advisory Committee
September 2013

Read more here.

What should the 'what works network' do?

"This short paper recommends five ways that the What Works centres can ensure that they maximise their impact, and avoid the mistakes of past evidence initiatives, which were often overly focused on supply rather than demand and use, and on academic research to the exclusion of other types of evidence."

What should the 'what works network' do?
R Puttick, G Mulgan
Nesta
May 2013

Read more here.

Closing the quality gap

"The overview describes the scope of the eight reports; describes the scope of the series by summarizing the quality levers, populations, interventions, outcomes, and other features across the reports; and discusses key messages by audience (patient/consumer/caregiver, health care professional, health care delivery organization, policymaker, and research community)."

Closing the quality gap: revisiting the state of the science
KA McDonald, C Chang, E Schultz
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
January 2013

Read more here.

Health policy under the coalition government

"This report looks at the policies introduced by the coalition government elected in May 2010 and assesses whether they will address the current and emerging performance issues and what further action is needed."

Health policy under the coalition government: a mid-term assessment
S Gregory, A Dixon, C Ham (eds)
The King's Fund
November 2012

Read more here.