UK Policy & Guidance, UK & International Developments Relevant to Health and Care
Most countries across the world are increasing their interest in the use of technologies to improve efficiency and provide more effective responses to current health, housing and care challenges. There is much that UK can learn from around the world. This page covers a wide range of developments including funding, patient engagement, integrated care, long term condition support, ageing in place, care closer to home, discharge practice, carer support, personalised medicine, big data, mental health, research.
Policy/practice includes:
In England, overall NHS policy is led by the NHS Mandate (opens new window). NHS England (opens new window) is implementing a Five Year Forward View (opens new window). New care models are being developed through 50 vanguard sites (opens new window), 25 integration pioneers (opens new window) and 44 Sustainability and Transformation Plans (opens new window). The Department of Health (opens new window) has overall responsibility for health and care. NICE (opens new window) produces guidance and standards covering health and care.
Some social care guidance is available via Department of Health (opens new window) and SCIE (opens new window).
In Scotland, policy is developed by the Scottish Government (opens new window). In Wales it is the Welsh Government (opens new window). In Wales it is the Northern Ireland Executive (opens new window).
In Scotland there is an eHealth Strategy (opens new window). There is a Digital health and social care strategy for Wales (opens new window) and an eHealth and Care Strategy (opens new window) in Northern Ireland.
Key Policy & Guidance resources/Recent links of interest include:
- WHO adopts global strategy and action plan on ageing and health 2016–2020 (opens new window)
- NHS 'must get a grip on hospital discharge delays' (est cost of £820m per year) (opens new window)
- Delays in releasing people from hospital could continue for up to 5 years (opens new window)
- eHealth Good Practice Case Studies from Scotland (opens new window)
- 6 Medical Specialties with the Biggest Potential in the Future (opens new window)
- EU agrees tighter standards for medical devices (opens new window)
- MPs launch inquiry into financial sustainability of adult social care (opens new window)
- Digital Solutions for Better Health (opens new window)
- Where Do We Go Next on the Integration of Health and Social Care? (opens new window)
- The Rise Of Digital Technology In Mental Health (opens new window)
- How Important is Blockchain Technology? (opens new window)
- Big Data in Healthcare (opens new window)
- Integrated care for frail older people: does it work? (Netherlands) (opens new window)
- New era for integrated care in Greater Manchester (Care Together in Tameside/Glossop) (opens new window)
- Financial sustainability of social care investigated (opens new window)
- Health Innovation Manchester aims to cut premature mortality rate while turning it into research hub (opens new window)
- The new era promised by the Care Act is yet to arrive (Andrew Webster, KPMG) (opens new window)
- The future of the NHS is in the hands of its workforce (opens new window)
- Publically funded scientific papers could be made free by 2020 under EU proposals (opens new window)
- Carers don't know what help they're entitled to. Here's how to change that (opens new window)
- ‘We need a break before we are broken’: a message from carers to the government (opens new window)
- Stephen Dorrell: We can’t just keep bailing out A&E (opens new window)
- Don Berwick: I have growing confidence in NHS's ability to deliver change (opens new window)
- Patients need a more active role in healthcare decision-making (opens new window)
- NHS boss says promise of £8bn in extra funding may be far from enough (opens new window)
- More than 12 million UK adults lack basic digital knowhow, MPs say (opens new window)
- In Norway centralised healthcare works. Should the NHS follow suit? (opens new window)
- We need 'later homes' for older people, not just starter homes for the young (opens new window)
- Housing our Ageing Population (HAPPI 3) - Making retirement living a positive choice (opens new window)
- Health and Social Care Innovation – are we really learning our lessons? (opens new window)
- Sustainability and Transformation Plans: another NHS reorganisation? (opens new window)
- Discharging older patients from hospital - too many older people who do not need to be there (opens new window)
- Is strategic commissioning the future for the NHS? (opens new window)
- Computers will outperform doctors at diagnosing illnesses, says government technology adviser (opens new window)
- House of Lords appoints Select Committee on the Long-Term Sustainability of the NHS (opens new window)
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