There is a workforce crisis in UK primary care. Analysis of the latest workforce data confirms a continuing drop in England’s number of general practitioners (GPs) – the equivalent of 2,133 fewer fully qualified, full-time GPs than in September 2015. One answer from policymakers has been the introduction of non-GP practitioners into surgeries, to alleviate […]
Global partnerships: How can international research collaborations boost our health and economy?
The University of Manchester is a founding partner of the Kenya-UK Healthcare Alliance, which aims to share best practice and reciprocal training between the two nations, particularly in the area of cancer care. In this article, from our On Cancer publication, Professor Keith Brennan, Dr F. George Njoroge, and Professor Rob Bristow outline how these […]
Health inequalities and regional productivity
The health of those living in the north is worse than those living in the south, and this inequality is reflected in the comparative economic performance as well. The regional inequality in economic performance is prominent throughout the United Kingdom. In this blog, Dr Luke Munford and Professor Clare Bambra explore the links between health […]
Saving lives and money through early detection: Lynch syndrome case study
A new national standard for cancer testing in England and Wales (NICE ‘Diagnostic Guidance 42’) was published in October 2020, following a successful policy engagement campaign from Professor Emma Crosbie’s team at The University of Manchester, and Policy@Manchester. In this piece, adapted from our On Cancer publication, Professor Crosbie explains why this is just the […]
Advanced radiotherapies: What are the challenges and opportunities?
Advanced radiotherapies are redefining the kinds of cancer treatment that are possible. These developments are exciting, but they also present new challenges. One challenge for researchers and clinicians is how to support policymakers, tasked with developing treatment and care standards across the NHS. So, what are these new treatments, what do they mean for patient […]
With great power: Taking responsibility for integrated care
July 2022 sees the formal establishment of the Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) created by the Health and Care Act 2022. These bodies will integrate health and social care in England, with the aim of providing more joined-up services tailored to local needs. However, questions remain about how ICSs will function at place-level, particularly in terms […]
Achieving the right mix of skills in general practice: it’s a process not a destination
Last year, Dr Imelda McDermott and Dr Sharon Spooner published an article in On Primary Care highlighting policy-driven organisational changes in how general practice is delivered. In the first blog of this series, Dr McDermott, Dr Spooner and Professor Kath Checkland looked at how GP practices are managing changes in the practitioner workforce. In this piece, the authors focus on […]
Managing changes in the general practice workforce
Last year, Dr Imelda McDermott and Dr Sharon Spooner published an article in On Primary Care highlighting policy-driven organisational changes in how general practice is delivered. In this blog, Dr McDermott and Dr Spooner are joined by Professor Kath Checkland and they argue that the future face of general practice is about more than innovative […]
Quality matters in community pharmacy
This article was originally published in On Primary Care, a collection of essays identifying the challenges and opportunities facing policymakers today in the UK primary care sector. Here, Dr Ali Hindi, from the Center of Pharmacy Workforce Studies and Dr Sally Jacobs, from the Institute for Health Policy and Organisation, respond to a lack of guidance from NHS […]
Place-based developments in health care: What can we learn from health and wellbeing boards?
This article was originally published in On Primary Care, a collection of essays identifying the challenges and opportunities facing policymakers today in the UK primary care sector. In this blog, Dr Anna Coleman from the Health Organisation, Policy and Economics (HOPE) group, emphasises the importance of Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) as integral functions in […]