The Health Foundation

NEW: Surgical hubs play a pivotal role in NHS England’s plans to reduce elective care waiting times by increasing capacity. Our new evaluation provides the first robust causal evidence that NHS surgical hubs can significantly increase treatment volumes, which could help reduce the waiting list for elective care. Key findings from our evaluation show: ➡️ In their first year, the 31 trusts with newly-opened hubs undertook 21.9% more high-volume low-complexity surgery (such as hip replacements and cataract removals) than they would have done without a hub. This is equivalent to 29,182 more procedures than expected per year at these trusts. ➡️ In the year following the last COVID-19 lockdown, the 23 trusts that had established a hub pre-pandemic undertook 11.2% more elective activity (of all kinds) than they would have done without a hub. This amounts to 51,086 more procedures than expected between April 2021 and March 2022. ➡️ As well as higher productivity, we found evidence of shorter inpatient stays, suggesting that hubs also have the potential to improve overall efficiency in elective care delivery. High-quality evaluation is crucial to making effective, evidence-led decisions that will lead to measurable outcomes for patients. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/daZ29qAF

Scientists are racing to understand a concerning uptick in cancer rates among younger adults. Some evidence points to roles for established risk factors – including smoking and obesity. But research is also exploring environmental exposures – such as microplastics and ‘forever chemicals’, and how these interact with the body. We ask what this all means for cancer research, health services and national policy. And we explore where there might be grounds for hope. Our Chief Executive Jennifer Dixon discusses with: 🎤 Kimmie Ng MD, specialist in oncology and Director of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Centre at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. 🎤 Charles Swanton, Chief Clinician at Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and a consultant oncologist at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Listen now 🎧 https://lnkd.in/d_XGRpxR

NEW: What is personalised prevention and does it hold the key to improving health? Over the past decade, government ambitions for personalised prevention have increasingly focused on technology, health data, and genomic-based approaches as a way to reduce the strain on the NHS. Our latest analysis reveals that, while these approaches hold promise, they rest on five assumptions not yet fully supported by today's clinical, technical, and data capabilities. While technology can play an important role in driving long-term service transformation, the new government must prioritise evidence-backed initiatives while continuing to build capability and invest in robust research in other areas. More broadly, new approaches to personalised prevention are just one part of the broader action required to deliver the government’s ambition to improve health and narrow inequalities, and investment cannot come at the expense of action on the wider determinants of health. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/emfzapum

Which technologies offer the biggest opportunities to save time in the NHS? Technology has the potential to play a significant role in helping tackle the demand, workforce and efficiency challenges the NHS faces. Informed by clinicians’ views, our latest analysis explores which technologies might help boost NHS productivity and release time for care, and recommends actions to realise these gains. We found that many immediate benefits will come from the optimisation and spread of existing technologies, including electronic health records and tools for professional-to-professional communication, rather than newer technologies still in development. Looking to the future, clinicians were on balance optimistic about the potential for AI to save them time in their work within the next 5 years.  However, we know that productivity gains will come not just from technology itself but from how well it is used. To realise the potential benefits, action is needed to the tackle barriers staff say they face in using technology effectively. Realising the benefits of technology in healthcare – including the productivity ambitions signalled in the 2024 Spring Budget – requires understanding the needs and experiences of those who have to use the technology and supporting them effectively. Meaningfully involving NHS staff will also help build the coalition for change that is needed for technology to transform how the NHS provides care.  Read more ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eVWaxPfc

💭 Check out Professor Paul Gregg’s thought paper for the Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives looking at employment, economic inactivity and incapacity. He suggests early intervention to support those most at risk of leaving work due to ill health, financial incentives to make work more rewarding and a reassessment of employer responsibilities. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/eTnKZ5j9

We recently spoke to Rachael Mckeown about her work at the Young People’s Future Health Inquiry, which explores how health inequalities are experienced by young people. Read the interview on our website ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/erayni-P

What was our impact in 2023? In a new blog, we spotlight just a few examples, showing the breadth and reach of our work, and how our impact builds over time. Read more ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/e7dXnvHW

UPDATED: General practice in England is struggling, facing: ➡️ the lowest proportion of NHS funding in almost a decade ➡️ fewer full-time equivalent GPs than in 2015 ➡️ persisting inequalities between richer and poorer areas for GP services. Our updated general practice dashboard sheds light on the key issues, providing data on access, funding, workforce, patient and public experience, and more. Explore the data 👇 https://lnkd.in/eZVFnZz5 

📣 NEW: We have published a new thought paper by labour market expert, Professor Paul Gregg. In the paper, he argues that reversing the increase in economic inactivity will take time and major system changes. He advises policymakers not to focus too narrowly on cutting welfare spending. Instead, they should concentrate on spreading economic opportunities, investing in the health of the working-age population and increasing workforce participation. This includes ‘engaging with employers to support people with health challenges’. The paper was published as evidence for the Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives, which we fund and support, and offers a policy direction informed by past experience. Read Professor Gregg’s paper 👇 https://lnkd.in/eTnKZ5j9

NEW: REAL Centre analysis explores social care funding in England, looking at three key questions: ➡️ How much has been spent on adult social care since 2010? ➡️ How does spending compare to historical levels? ➡️ Is funding enough to meet the pressures facing adult social care? Find out more about how spending compares to historical levels and whether current funding is sufficient to meet the pressures facing adult social care 👇 https://lnkd.in/ggV29Vr5