King’s Fund report highlights gaps in evidence on reconfiguration

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This new report from the King’s Fund summarises available evidence from major reconfiguration programmes. A timely publication given the emphasis on the need for transformation in current policy.

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Signs of value for money in some out of hours GP services, but room for improvement says National Audit Office

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This new report from the National Audit Office considers the current status of out of hours GP services in England, based on data collected during 2013-2014. Although the report is focused on England, there may be lessons for commissioners in other health systems. Methods The report is based on : a web-based survey of CCGs (175 [read the full story…]

Improving access to primary care risks fuelling demand unless a system-wide view taken, says Nuffield Trust

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This new report, based on a workshop in March 2014, sets out to inform the development of 20 pilots (in England) of the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund, to improve access to primary care.   The report focuses on the debate around unintended consequences of extending (e.g. longer opening hours) or broadening (e.g. phone or online consultations) access – will [read the full story…]

Emergency bed use: data briefing from the King’s Fund. What the numbers tell us

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This briefing aims to provide commissioners and providers with information on trends and activity to help them decide where to focus attention. Background The NHS faces the tightest financial settlement in its history. It is charged to find £20 billion in productivity improvements by 2015 Bed use for elective admissions accounts for 55% of admissions [read the full story…]

Breaking the mould without breaking the system: towards integrated 24/7 urgent care

Urgent or unplanned care consumes more than half the cost of the NHS, and represents about a third of the overall activity within it. This practical guide for commissioners builds on thinking emerging from reviews and innovative work by the Primary Care Foundation for the Department of Health over recent years.  Without proposing a blueprint [read the full story…]