Kings Fund 28 November 2012
- An examination of the policies introduced by the coalition government, focusing on eight key aspects of health care: access, patient safety, promoting health, managing long-term conditions, clinical effectiveness, patient experience, equity, and efficiency
- Key findings
- In general, the performance of the NHS is holding up despite financial pressures and disruption from reforms. However, cracks are emerging, with longer waiting times in accident and emergency, and the financial difficulties of more providers being exposed.
- There have been improvements in transactional aspects of care (access and waiting times) but concerns remain about relational aspects of care (emotional support, dignity and empathy), particularly in acute hospitals.
- Levels of public satisfaction with the NHS have fallen, although the reasons for this are not clear.
- Smoking rates continue to fall and obesity among children is stabilising, but excess alcohol consumption continues to rise, as does adult obesity.
- Mortality from cancer and cardiovascular disease has fallen but the United Kingdom still has higher levels of avoidable mortality than other countries, and health inequalities persist.
