Health Policy Digest July-December 2010 archive 

Issue 47, 13 July 2010

• Information on the Quality of Services
• Practice based commissioning survey

• Fair Care Crisis?
• Making the most of frontline staff in the NHS
• Mirror, Mirror On The Wall: 2010 Update

• The Operation of Choice and Competition in Healthcare
• Trends in Emergency Admissions 2004-09

Issue 48, 27 July 2010

Policy Developments

• Regulating healthcare providers
• Commissioning for patients
• Local democratic legitimacy in health
• Transparency in outcomes - a framework for the NHS

Research Findings

• Reform, Competition and Patient Outcomes in the National Health Service
• Government Plans to Transform Commissioning Responsibility

Commentary

• Improving NHS productivity
• Reorganisation of the NHS in England

Issue 49, 10 August 2010

Policy Developments

• Principles and rules for cooperation and competition
• Government response on out of hours care
• Review of reference costs

Research Findings

• The role of GPs in maternity care
• Fair Treatment Now
• Tackling inequalities in life expectancy

Commentary 

• A crisis in public spending - but slashing the NHS is not an acceptable cure
• The Bounceback Problem
• In Loco Parentis

Issue 50, 24 August 2010

Policy Developments

• Has Monitor learned the lessons from Mid Staffordshire?
• The Safer Management of Controlled Drugs annual report

Research Findings

• Referral Management: lessons for success
• Implementation of Patient Safety Alerts
• Variations in Place of Death in England
• Organisational readiness and implications for patient safety 

Commentary

• Equity and excellence: Opportunities and challenges
• Should NHS funding be ring-fenced?
• Lancet voices concerns over Cancer Drugs Fund

Issue 51, 7 September 2010

Policy Developments

• End of Life Care Strategy: Second Annual Report
• The principles of GP commissioning

Research Findings

• Improving data quality in the NHS
• Sentinel Stroke Audit
• Access to cancer drugs

Commentary

• Removing the policy barriers to integrated care in England
• The NHS: a healthier route to finanical reforms
• Educating Health Professionals Collaboratively

Issue 52, 21 September 2010

Policy Developments

• The Kennedy review
• GP commissioning consortia: initial observations
• Midwifery 2020

Research Findings

• Community mental health survey
• Use of preventive services in the US
• UK hip fracture audit
• Association between quality, deprivation and outcomes

Commentary

• Accounting for quality
• Nick Black on the White Paper

Issue 53, 5 October 2010

Policy Developments

• Building on the National Dementia Strategy
• The use of incentives

Research Findings

• What could be the repercussions of the White Paper?
• Intelligent Board report on patient experience 
• World Alzheimer Report 

Commentary

• Ham casts doubt on White Paper implementation
• Learning from interntional experience
• The 'hidden' NHS cuts

Issue 54, 19 October 2010

Policy Developments

• Compulsory mental health treatment
• Summary Care Record reviews

Research Findings

• Refusing Treatment: the NHS and market reforms
• Engaging the public in health improvement

Commentary

• Rethink on the NHS Reforms
• The Lancet on research investment
• Voluntary sector offers solutions
• Medication use in older patients

Issue 55, 02 November 2010

Policy Developments

• Cancer Drugs Fund consultation
• BMA response to the White Paper
• King's Fund response to the White Paper
• RCGP response to the White Paper
• RCN response to the White Paper

Research Findings

• Audit Commission on personal budgets
• Management in healthcare: why good practices really matter
• Ombudsman review of complaint handling
• Social care funding priorities

Commentary

• Where do the cuts leave the NHS?
• The emergency care debate

Issue 56, 16 November 2010

Policy Developments

• PAC report on health inequalities
• CHRE's approach to regulation
• Review of the Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio
• Choice of GP practice consultation

Research Findings

Commentary

• The future role of NICE
• Healthy Competition for the NHS?

Issue 57, 30 November 2010

Policy Developments

• Dr Foster Hospital Guide
• NAO examine Cancer Strategy progress

Research Findings

• Cardiac surgery audit
• Raising awareness about NHS websites
• Organisation and delivery of diabetes services

Commentary

• Incentivising Wellness
• Turning around a failing hospital
• Provider competition and healthcare quality

Issue 58, 14 December 2010

Policy Developments

• Nuffield Trust response to Equity and Excellence
• Health Foundation response to Equity and Excellence 
• LGA response to Healthy lives, healthy people
• Faculty of Public Health response to Healthy lives, healthy people
• RSPH response to Healthy lives, healthy people
• BMA response to Healthy lives, healthy people
• RCGP response to Healthy lives, healthy people
• Francis Inquiry opening statement - South Staffordshire PCT
• Francis Inquiry opening statement - Mid Staffordshire NHS FT
• Francis Inquiry opening statement - West Midlands SHA
• Francis Inquiry opening statement - CQC
• Francis Inquiry opening statement - Monitor
• Francis Inquiry evidence session - Prof Kieran Walshe

Research Findings

• National Cancer Patient Experience Survey
• RCP Federation member census

Commentary

• Moving to an Outcomes-Based System