Transforming healthcare in England’s core cities

"Through a series of case studies, this report explains how core cities commissioners are addressing such challenges. It is grouped around four key themes:

• equitable care
• partnership working
• improving wellbeing
• changing healthcare."

Transforming healthcare in England’s core cities
NHS Clinical Commissioners
September 2015

Read more here.

Need to nurture: outcomes-based commissioning in the NHS

"Outcomes-based commissioning is an approach to commissioning health care that is based on the combination of five components: (1) use of outcomes; (2) a population approach; (3) use of metrics and learning; (4) payments and incentives; and (5) coordinated delivery. Rather than an individual intervention, it is one part of a broader approach to transforming a whole health care system."

Need to nurture: outcomes-based commissioning in the NHS
R Taunt, C Allcock, A Lockwood
The Health Foundation
September 2015

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Bridging the gap between research and the frontline NHS

"Since 2008, CLAHRCs have conducted a range of innovative research studies leading to improved outcomes for patients, better and more cost-effective services and challenge health inequalities nationally. Alongside that, CLAHRCs engaged in innovative capacity development work with NHS partners, running courses in research, evaluation and implementation of the latest evidence."

World class research making a difference: Bridging the gap between research and the frontline NHS
National Institute for Health Research
September 2015

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Foundation trust and NHS trust mergers 2010 to 2015

"Our review paints a picture of a highly centralised and politicised system where providers pursue mergers at the instigation of national bodies, often in pursuit of foundation trust status or in response to financial or clinical failure. Hard-pressed NHS leaders appear to be betting the farm on mergers for severely challenged providers, typically after a range of alternative strategies have been attempted.

This is despite the paucity of evidence that mergers offer lasting solutions for challenged hospitals. Our review has highlighted the length of time, costs and risks involved in mergers. Others have shown that mergers are unlikely to deliver the intended benefits."

Foundation trust and NHS trust mergers 2010 to 2015
B Collins
The King's Fund
September 2015

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The European health report 2015

"The gaps between the highest and lowest reported values for the Health 2020 indicators linked to the social determinants of health –  infant mortality, life expectancy, primary school enrolment and unemployment – have shrunk. Preliminary data suggest that this positive trend has continued since 2010, although absolute differences between countries remain large."

The European health report 2015: Targets and beyond - reaching new frontiers in evidence
World Health Organization
September 2015

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Waiting time prioritisation: Evidence from England

"Following initiatives in other OECD countries, the English NHS and other healthcare systems faced with increasing excess demand for elective surgery should put more emphasis in encouraging further prioritisation on the list and consider formal policies to enforce this."

Waiting time prioritisation: Evidence from England: CHE Research Paper 114
N Gutacker, R Cookson, L Siciliani
Centre for Health Economics
September 2015

Read more here.

Managing conflicts of interest in NHS clinical commissioning groups

"The new arrangements from April 2015 for co-commissioning primary care services from GPs increase the risk of significant conflicts of interest in CCGs."

Managing conflicts of interest in NHS clinical commissioning groups
National Audit Office
September 2015

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Putting the pieces together: Removing the barriers to excellent patient care

"We need a system that enables doctors, nurses and others on the front line of the NHS to deliver the safest, most effective care, in whatever setting is most appropriate for each patient’s needs."

Putting the pieces together: Removing the barriers to excellent patient care
Royal College of Physicians
September 2015

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Economic crisis, health systems and health in Europe

"This report from the WHO looks at the 2008 economic crisis and how it has reinforced the understanding that fiscal pressures threaten health and health system performance. The report focuses on a study of over 45 countries’ experiences and policy responses, to address key questions of how different European countries dealt with the crisis and how this affected the performance of healthcare systems, as well as the population’s health."

Economic crisis, health systems and health in Europe: Country experience
A Maresso, et al. (eds).
World Health Organization
September 2015

Read more here.

The responsibility of NHS leaders to deliver better value healthcare

"There are in fact three definitions of value, which I like to call triple value. The first is allocative value, which asks whether we have allocated resources to different groups equitably and in a way that maximises value for the whole population. Then there is technical value, in which improving quality and safety of healthcare increases the value derived from resources allocated to a particular service. Finally, there is personalised value and this relates to ensuring decisions are based on conditions and values of individuals, including the value they place on good and bad outcomes."

A culture of stewardship: The responsibility of NHS leaders to deliver better value healthcare
Professor Sir Muir Gray
NHS Confederation
September 2015

Read more here.

Communications in health care improvement - a toolkit

This toolkit is for health care professionals working in improvement who want to understand and use communications to better plan, implement and spread their work.

Access the toolkit here.

Monitoring patient safety in primary care

"This study’s findings demonstrate that patient safety and patient safety events, such as serious incidents, appear ill-defined in primary care, and therefore it is unclear on the ground what is to be monitored."

Monitoring patient safety in primary care: an exploratory study using in-depth semistructured interviews
R Samra, A Bottle, P Aylin
BMJ Open, 2015, 5:e008128

Read more here.

Seven day services: An evidence base of enablers for transformation

"To drive and sustain whole system change in achievement of seven day services, senior leadership with a common purpose and delivery objective is a critical success factor."

Seven day services: An evidence base of enablers for transformation
NHS Improving Quality
August 2015

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Moving healthcare closer to home: Literature review of clinical impacts

"As set out in our summary paper, many providers and commissioners facing both demand growth and capacity constraints may be considering these schemes, particularly as they could deliver clinical and patient experience benefits."

Moving healthcare closer to home: Literature review of clinical impacts
Monitor
September 2015

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How should we think about value in health and care?

"This paper suggests reframing value in health and care, drawing on ideas from a number of sources, and in particular from public and social value theory. These approaches emphasise that the outcomes we aim to achieve must be responsive to what relevant groups of people – ‘citizens’,
‘viewers’, ‘stakeholders’ – value."

How should we think about value in health and care?
Realising the value: Empowering people engaging communities
The Health Foundation, Nesta
September 2015

Read more here.

Improving length of stay: What can hospitals do?

"This report from the Nuffield Trust is part of a larger project undertaken with Monitor designed to test the potential for reducing admissions and length of stay in hospital and the impact this could have on the costs of hospital care and the wider costs of local systems."

Improving length of stay: What can hospitals do?
R Lewis, N Edwards
Nuffield Trust
September 2015

Read more here.

Using system change to reduce unplanned admissions in people aged 85 years and over

"Rising admission rates for older people were seen in places where several parts of the system were under strain. Places which had stemmed the rising tide of admissions had done so through strong, stable leadership, a shared vision and strategy, and common values across the system."

Establishing and implementing best practice to reduce unplanned admissions in those aged 85 years and over through system change [Establishing System Change for Admissions of People 85+ (ESCAPE 85+)]: a mixed-methods case study approach
A Wilson, et al.
Health Services and Delivery Research, 2015, 3(37)

Read more here.

The future of primary care: Creating teams for tomorrow

"Building new models of care needs to be done equitably. Some of the most deprived areas of the country have the greatest recruitment problems, the biggest resource challenges and the greatest health need. First-class primary healthcare must be available in all parts of the NHS."

The future of primary care: Creating teams for tomorrow
Primary Care Workforce Commission
July 2015

Read more here.