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Health Reform

Seminars

Civitas holds a series of health seminars, which aim to explore some of the most poignant issues in the NHS and look at whether we can learn from the heath care reform experience in other countries.

Over the coming months Civitas will be holding a series of debates to coincide with the Next Stage Review of the NHS currently being conducted by Lord Darzi. For further details click here.

NHS reform agenda

  • Commission impossible? Is world class commissioning achievable in the NHS?

    16 July 2008, Grand Committee Room, House of Commons
    - Mark Britnell, Director General of Commissioning and Systems Management, Department of Health
    - Dr Mike Dixon, Chair, NHS Alliance
    - Dr Tim Richardson, CEO, Epsomedical Ltd.
    - Mike Farrar, CEO, NHS North West
    - Professor David Fish, Medical Director, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust

    The vision for 'world class' commissioning is all-encompassing, nothing short of 'delivering better health and wellbeing for all, better care for all and better value for all'.

    But what does 'world class' commissioning really entail? Is it really possible? Or is it, given the sheer complexities of health care and apparently contradictory structures in the NHS, something of an elusive holy grail?

    For a full report click here.

  • Polyclinics: a force for integration or disintegration?

    29 May 2008, The Royal College of Surgeons of England
    - Professor Steve Field, Chairman, The Royal College of General Practitioners
    - Professor Steve Smith, Principal, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London and CEO of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
    - Dr Oliver Bernath, CEO, Integrated Health Partners
    - Professor Martin Roland, Director NPCDC, University of Manchester
    - Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, Chairman, Healthcare Commission

    Lord Darzi's Healthcare for London report, published last July, outlined ambitious proposals to introduce a series of polyclinics in the capital. While the national Next Stage Review may not take the London report as a template, it is likely that polyclinics are to form a part of Lord Darzi's conclusions in his national paper.

    But what is there likely impact? Are polyclinics the emperor's clothes - it's certainly a new, untried, model - or could they serve as a means to the integrated care we all crave?

    For a full report click here.

  • The third sector and social enterprise in health: the way forward?

    13 May 2008, House of Commons
    - Harry Cayton, National Voices for Health & Social Care
    - Mo Girach, St Alban's & Harpenden PbC Group
    - Sir Muir Gray, Knowledge into Action
    - Mike Parish, Care UK
    - Lord Mawson, Founder, Bromley-by-Bow Centre

    With the focus of the Next Stage Review and the drive for world-class commissioning squarely on creating an NHS that is 'clinically-driven, patient-centred and responsive to local communities', social enterprise and the third sector more generally are once again being touted as a significant part of the solution. But what can it offer and is it the means to more patient-centred care?

    For a full report click here.

  • Competition: the solution to the NHS's problems?

    19 February 2008, House of Commons
    - Mr Nick Boyle, Circle
    - Professor Parveen Kumar, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Barts and the London NHS Trust and Homerton Hospital Foundation NHS Trust
    - Nick Seddon, Author 'Quite like heaven? Options for the NHS in a consumer age'
    - Professor Chris Ham, University of Birmingham

    Since the publication of the NHS Plan in 2000, health reform in England - at least for planned hospital care - has broadly focused on creating the conditions necessary for competition between providers: choice for patients, greater diversity in provision, payment-by-results and a proper regulatory framework. The NHS Operating Framework for 2008/09 confirms this is very much here to stay, but is it the best way forward?

    For a full report click here.

  • The Foundation Trust Experiment and UCLH: Has it worked, should we go further?

    22 October 2007
    - Robert Naylor, Chief Executive
    - Professor David Fish, Medical Director

    Robert Naylor, recently described in the HSJ as one of the more 'vociferous' supporters of Foundation Trusts, put a powerful case for the continuation and deepening of the ‘experiment’. He argued persuasively that not only has Foundation Trust status – with its associated financial and structural freedoms – provided for both greater efficiency in use of resources, but also higher quality and more responsive care for patients. In short, it is the way forward for the secondary care sector. His presentation can be viewed here.

    Useful articles:


  • How can we make the NHS more innovative?

    18 July 2007
    - John Petri, Consultant Orthopaedic Specialist, James Paget NHS Foundation Trust

    Having won a Medical Innovation Award in 2005 in recognition of his achievement in eliminating his waiting lists through adopting a 'dual-surgery' technique, John Petri has now left the NHS to work in Switzerland, stating his 'disillusionment' with the incentives for surgeons to become more efficient. Drawing on his experience in the NHS, and previously in the French health system, John Petri provided an invaluable insight into why the NHS so poor at innovation. A report on his presentation can be viewed here.

    Useful articles:

Health care systems

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