Independent research and analysis on health and social care
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(-) Community services
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Community health services explained
Community services play a key role in keeping people well, treating and managing acute illness and long-term conditions, and supporting people to live independently – and yet they are poorly understood compared to other parts of the NHS. In this explainer we set out what community services are, the challenges faced and how they're changing.
By Anna Charles - 14 January 2019
The role of cities in improving population health: international insights
Drawing on international case studies, this report explores the role of cities in improving population health and the conditions needed for success.
By Chris Naylor et al - 15 June 2018
Volunteering in general practice: opportunities and insights
Interest is growing in the contribution that volunteering can make in health and social care. This paper examines the ways in which volunteers are involved with, and are contributing to, general practice.
By Helen Gilburt et al - 7 February 2018
Reimagining community services: making the most of our assets
This report looks at the current organisation of community health services and considers how the health and care system needs to change to meet the needs of populations now and in the future.
By Anna Charles et al - 23 January 2018
Commissioned report
Insights from the spread of the primary care home
This report was commissioned by the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC) and explores the factors that contributed to the spread of the primary care home.
By Durka Dougall et al - 19 June 2019
Investing in quality: The contribution of large charities to shaping future health and care
This commissioned report explores how the work of the National Garden Scheme and its beneficiaries contributes to supporting and shaping health and care.
By Helen Gilburt et al - 15 May 2019
Tackling multiple unhealthy risk factors: emerging lessons from practice
Our report shares learning and insight from services that are using innovative ways to address the problem of multiple unhealthy behaviours – around tobacco use, alcohol consumption, diet and physical activity – in the population.
By Harry Evans et al - 1 March 2018
Communities and health
The role of communities in improving population health is receiving increasing, and long overdue, attention in health policy and practice. This piece gives an overview of the different approaches to working with communities for health.
By David Buck et al - 14 February 2018
What policies are needed to improve children's health? big election questions
Ahead of the general election, we consider what policies are needed to improve children's health.
By Alex Baylis - 30 May 2017
Did the government meet its pledge to tackle childhood obesity?
Ahead of the general election, we explore whether the government met its pledge to tackle childhood obesity.
By Helen McKenna - 12 May 2017
What is social prescribing?
Social prescribing enables GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services. But does it work? And how does it fit in with wider health and care policy?
Understanding quality in district nursing services: Learning from patients, carers and staff
This report investigates what good district nursing care looks like and looks at the growing demand capacity gap in district nursing and the worrying impact that this is having on services, the workforce and the quality and safety of patient care.
By Jo Maybin et al - 1 September 2016
Managing quality in community health care services
From children's services to care for older people and end-of-life support, the community sector plays a key part in meeting the challenges facing our health and care system. This report presents findings from a small-scale study into how quality is managed in community services.
By Catherine Foot et al - 4 December 2014
The future for specialists is beyond a hospital's four walls
Specialists can provide support and training to help GPs and nurses diagnose and treat complex patients, write Ruth Robertson and Matthew Honeyman.
By Ruth Robertson et al - 19 November 2014
Specialists in out-of-hospital settings: Findings from six case studies
We visited six services where consultants are delivering or facilitating care outside hospital. This report presents the findings from those visits as case studies and identifies some of the key characteristics and challenges to this way of working.
By Ruth Robertson et al - 22 October 2014
Community services: How they can transform care
Our new paper looks at the changes needed to realise the full potential of community services for transforming care. How should services change in order to fundamentally transform care and move it closer to home?
By Nigel Edwards - 13 February 2014
Service transformation: Lessons from mental health
This paper examines the transformation of mental health services in England and the relevance to current policy. Drawing on workshops with those involved in the changes and a review of published literature, the paper explores the context and factors that enabled change to happen in mental health.
Developing community resource teams in Pembrokeshire, Wales: Integration of health and social care in progress
This case study looks at how four community-based teams in Pembrokeshire bring together professionals from health, social care and the third sector to provide care for patients at home.
By Veronika Thiel et al - 24 October 2013
The Esteem Team: Co-ordinated care in the Sandwell Integrated Primary Care Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
The Esteem Team aims to support people with mental health conditions and complex social needs in the borough of Sandwell. Find out more about their approach to co-ordinated care.
By Veronika Thiel et al - 8 August 2013
Midhurst Macmillan Community Specialist Palliative Care Service: Delivering end-of-life care in the community
Part of our co-ordinated care project, this case study looks at the Midhurst Macmillan Service – a community-based, consultant-led, specialist palliative care service in a rural community in the south of England.
Hard times and great expectations
Richard Humphries reflects on the themes from this year's annual National Children and Adult Services Conference.
By Richard Humphries - 2 November 2012
Transforming the delivery of health and social care: The case for fundamental change
This paper explores how the current health and social care delivery system has failed to keep pace with the population's needs and expectations.
By Professor Sir Chris Ham et al - 6 September 2012
How assistive technologies are used by children and adolescents, their parents or carers
We look at three types of technology: telephone, internet and videoconferencing, and consider how they could be used for or by children and adolescents across a variety of conditions.
By Susan Royer - 2 November 2010
Shaping PCT Provider Services: The future for community health
This report examines the issues surrounding the placement of community health services, the options proposed for their reorganisation, and the steps that must be taken to deliver the desired transformation in community health services.
By Candace Imison - 23 April 2009
Blog: Comment and analysis on the key issues in health and social care
All blog posts from The King's Fund.
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Health and care explained: How does the health and care system work? How is it changing?
This selection of content aims to make sense of the health and care system – including videos, articles, illustrated summaries and more.