health and health care

GP budget holding: lessons from across the pond and from the NHS (Policy paper 7)

Paper which draws on evidence from the US as well as on previous experience in the NHS of GP commissioning in different forms, to identify lessons for policy makers as they take this policy forward.

While the government is on the right lines in promoting GP budget holding, the paper suggests that there is a need for caution in promoting budget holding as a universal solution without regard to the capabilities of practices to manage a budget and the safeguards that need to be put in place to avoid the downside risks.

The vanguard of integration or a lost tribe?: care trusts ten years on (Policy paper 10)

The description of care trusts as either the ‘vanguard’ of integrated organisations or a ‘lost tribe’ was made by the former Chief Executive of a care trust at an HSMC learning event soon after their creation. It nicely captures the mixed views of care trusts as either the cutting edge of integration between health and social care or as a band of individuals and organisations that have happened upon a clumsy structural solution as a way of shielding themselves from other agendas.

Health and Social Care Bill 2011: co-ordinating document for the impact assessments and equality impact assessments

This document, and its Annexes, is the IA of the Health and Social Care Bill.

It assesses the benefits, costs and risks of implementing the policies proposed in the NHS White Paper Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS that require primary legislation.

Social indicators [January 2011]

This Research Paper summarises a wide range of social statistics. Subjects covered include crime and justice, defence, education, elections, health and population. This edition includes an article on "The CPI – uprating benefits and pensions". The Topical subject page includes information about fuel poverty and seasonal flu statistics.

The contribution of social work and social care to the reduction of health inequalities: four case studies

This briefing argues that support given as social care can help improve health and reduce health disadvantage. Improving access to social care interventions is therefore important to any strategy for reducing health inequality. The concept of health inequalities refers to the avoidable health disadvantage people experience as a result of adverse social factors, such as lack of economic or social capital, or marginalisation. People with higher socio-economic position in society have better life chances and more opportunities to flourish. They also have better health.

Fairness in an ageing society

Every political party's election manifesto should include an outline of long term entitlements to highlight a commitment to treating older people fairly, according to a report by housing and care provider Housing 21, Fair ageing: the challenge of our lifetime. The report brings together key messages and themes to emerge from a series of events organised by the Fabian Society for Housing 21 in partnership with Counsel and Care - the Fairness in an Ageing Society programme.

Influencing public behaviour to improve health and wellbeing: an independent report

Report on how government deals with the challenge of helping people to make different choices about their health. It focuses on building current approaches, using the latest evidence from areas such as behavioural economics and psychology, to suggest ways in which the government could become more effective in this area, to help people to make healthier choices where they wish to do so.

Equity and excellence: liberating the NHS

This White Paper sets out the government’s strategy for liberating the NHS in the current parliamentary term and beyond. It provides clarity of purpose: a more responsive, patient-centred NHS, which achieves outcomes that are among the best in the world. It provides certainty, through a clear policy framework to support that ambition, with increased autonomy and clear accountability at every level in the NHS.