Health On The Line

The recently released CQC (Care Quality Commission) review has highlighted systemic failings in how the organisation operates. We speak to the author Penny Dash, chair of North West London Integrated Care Board, about what went wrong, and what happens from here on? Also, in this podcast we find out about the NHS Confederation's recent report on the future of Neighbourhood Health. What does effective community engagement look like from a health perspective?Read our response to CQC review here: https://www.nhsconfed.org/news/nhs-confederation-responds-interim-report-care-quality-commissionOur report "Working better together in neighbourhoods": https://www.nhsconfed.org/publications/working-better-together-neighbourhoodsAnd we'd love to hear your thoughts on our podcast. Take five minutes to fill in this short survey: https://www.nhsconfed.org/HOTL

With integrated care systems now just over two years old, how effective are they in succeeding at their goals, and what needs to change for them to be more effective in the coming years? Matthew Taylor talks to Dr Kathy McLean OBE, chair of the NHS Confederation’s ICS Network and NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board, as we release our State of Integrated Care Systems in 2023/24 report. Before that, Matthew speaks to Bridget Gorham, health economics policy adviser at the NHS Confederation, as new research highlights the economic imperative of investing in women’s health services. An additional £1 invested in obstetrics and gynaecology services per woman in England could generate a staggering £319 million return to the economy. We'd love to find out what you think about the podcast. If you could spare just five minutes, fill in this short survey and send us your views.

The government was elected on a pledge to hit the 18-week waiting target for elective care within five years. But how achievable is this with the current level of investment? Hannah Farrar of CF, a health and data consultancy, argues that without strategic transformation, digitising processes and collaborative innovation the needle will barely move.Also, on the back of Lord Darzi's report on the state of the NHS in England, Siva Anandaciva from The King's Fund talks to Matthew about what is has to say on effective NHS management and looming winter pressures.

With economic inactivity at an all-time high, how can national and local systems unlock the potential of millions who would like to work if they had the right support and employment opportunities? To consider the issues, Matthew Taylor is joined by Rt Hon Alan Milburn, former health secretary under Tony Blair. As chair of the pioneering Pathways to Work Commission, he calls for a rethink of how the NHS is perceived, arguing that its power to drive economic growth should be a core component of future health and economic policy. Matthew also speaks to Michael Wood, the NHS Confederation’s head of health economic partnerships, about the new government’s ambitions in this area, including the WorkWell initiative set to begin in October 2024.

Just over two years on from their formal establishment, integrated care systems (ICSs) are continuing to contend with a range of challenges. But green shoots are emerging and the opportunities before them are starting to be more fully explored. Paul Mears, chief executive of Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board in Wales and former chief executive of Yeovil District Hospital in Somerset, talks to Matthew Taylor about his experiences working within ICSs and in Wales. Reflecting on managing demand, emergency care models, local collaboration and community care, he offers his view on what will support systems to thrive.Plus, Chris Thomas returns to explore how systems can unleash health and prosperity throughout Britain. Sharing findings from a new joint report, Chris, head of the IPPR's Commission on Health and Prosperity, considers what's needed to shift the dial on healthy life expectancy.This resource has been developed for relevant UK healthcare decision makers and stakeholders. The NHS Confederation is responsible for the editorial content of this resource. This resource forms part of a Collaborative Working Agreement between Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd and the NHS Confederation. Funding for the Collaborative Working Agreement and this podcast is provided by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd.The views and opinions expressed are those of the speakers only.UK | MLR ID: FA-11248088 | August 2024

If there was any doubt over the importance of public health policy, the COVID-19 pandemic put paid to the notion. But with an 18-year difference in healthy life expectancy between the most deprived and affluent communities, are we missing a trick when it comes to public health? In this episode, Matthew Taylor puts the question to Professor Kevin Fenton, a public health specialist and infectious disease epidemiologist who has played a pivotal role in shaping public health in the UK and abroad. Unpacking what public health is and covers, Professor Fenton also argues that a productive economy needs a healthy population; tackling broader issues such as health inequalities and community health are key to this.

The King’s Speech, perhaps more than anything else, signals where the new government’s priorities really lie: what made it in and what was left out speaks volumes. To scratch beneath the surface, Matthew Taylor talks to Sam Freedman, public policy expert and commentator, about the implications of the proposed bills, and Natasha Curry, deputy director of policy at the Nuffield Trust, about the government’s pronouncements social care so far. 

In this episode of Health on the Line, Matthew Taylor interviews journalist and author Isabel Hardman and former health advisor Paul Corrigan, who has since been announced as a new advisor to the Department for Health and Social Care. They reflect on the election result and early announcements, the new Government's approach to the health service, and the need for long-term planning and investment. They also explore the role of integrated care systems, the importance of collaboration between departments, and the challenges of funding and productivity in the healthcare sector.

Not long after the general election was announced, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warned that the UK’s fiscal position will hang over the campaign like a dark cloud. With less than a week until polling day, questions are mounting about what an incoming government is likely to inherit and what that might mean for public finances in the next parliament. In this episode, Matthew Taylor talks to Carl Emmerson, deputy director of the IFS and Anita Charlesworth, director of research at the Health Foundation’s REAL Centre, to consider the financial picture awaiting a new government and what that means for health and social care. Before that, Cate McLaurin, director at Public Digital, reflects on recent cyberattacks on the NHS.