NHS in transition: Key questions

The Government’s full response to the second Francis Inquiry anchors a crucial wave of reviews and announcements on the NHS. Our briefing examines the key issues.

Briefing

Published: 12/11/2013

Download the briefing [PDF 226.7KB]

The Government’s full response to the second Francis Inquiry anchors a crucial wave of reviews and announcements on the NHS. Read our briefing which examines the key issues.

November 2013 will see the Government make a full response to the inquiry into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, shortly after the publication of an updated Mandate to NHS England (published on 12 November 2013).

These announcements come alongside a key review of emergency care by NHS England (published on 13 November 2013) and a report into the burden of bureaucracy by the NHS Confederation (due in late 2013).

They will be followed by the Department of Health’s Vulnerable Older People’s Plan, laying out how the Government intends to improve integration and quality for frail elderly patients.

Parliamentarians should look closely at whether the balance between central and local accountability is right

Parliamentarians have a crucial role in providing informed scrutiny during this important period for the NHS. Our briefing aims to highlight key questions, and to lay out the broader context of changes and challenges in the health service.

The briefing gives an overview of the financial challenge facing the NHS. It shows how financial targets have been met to date since 2010, while quality has broadly held up or improved, although there are growing concerns in some key areas, such as urgent care.

It also warns that health provider finances are showing considerable strain, while the evidence so far that integrated care could produce more sustainable savings is limited.

We also examine the impact of the recent reorganisation of the NHS in England, asking whether it has placed additional pressure on a stretched system.

Finally, the briefing looks to explain why parliamentarians must bring scrutiny to bear on the crucial question of who is now in charge of the NHS, and who can be held to account for its success or failure.

Suggested citation

Nuffield Trust (2013) NHS in transition: Key questions. Briefing.

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