Reform recommends 30,000 hospital beds should go as part of NHS delivering more community-based care

In a press release, Reform states:

"“Fewer hospitals, more competition” argues that the NHS has been right to reduce hospital beds by nearly a half since 1987, from 270,000 to 160,000. Since the conquest of infectious diseases sixty years ago, health services have focused on the delivery of short episodes of hospital-based treatment in order to reduce mortality from coronary heart disease and cancer. Now health services face new challenges of improving quality of life for survivors with longer term conditions and reducing disability, for which hospitals are much less relevant."

More and more care should be shifted into the community, Reform argues.

According to the BBC, the British Medical Association has condemned the recommendations as "immoral".

The full report is on Reform's website.

2020Health calls for end to cosmetic surgery on NHS and fines for people who repeatedly use casualty departments as result of alcohol misuse

Julia Manning, Tory PPC, CentreRight contributor and Chief Executive of the medical think tank 2020Health, has issued a report that calls for a crackdown on "frivolous" uses of the NHS.

The report - "Responsibility in Healthcare" - calls for:

• An end to NHS funding of cosmetic procedures and treatment for conditions such as acne;
• Common pain killers and cold remedies to no longer be available on the NHS;
• Fines for people who routinely use casualty departments because of alcohol and drug misuse (Policy Exchange made similar recommendations at the end of last year).

Julia Manning said:

“The universal healthcare system is at the core of our society, but too often it is treated with the same casual regard as calling for a taxi or booking a train ticket. We must encourage people to be more in control of their own health. It’s reassuring to know that the NHS is there for you, but that doesn’t mean you should be free to routinely end up there after a night out.”

Download a PDF of the 2020Health Press Release.

Policy Exchange calls for binge drinkers to pay NHS costs of their treatment

The Policy Exchange think tank has calculated that direct costs to the NHS from alcohol misuse have increased from £1.5bn in 2001 to to £2.7bn in 2007. This reflects increasing alcohol consumption in the UK in comparison with reductions in other European countries.

The Policy Exchange report recommends, reports the Financial Times, "that people admitted to hospital for less than 24 hours with acute alcohol intoxication should be charged the NHS tariff cost for their admission of £532."

More at Policy Exchange.

Making healthcare more productive

"A more productive health service"

Authors: Mike Penning MP, Mark Britnell, Peter Molyneux, Ali Parsa, Dr Peter Carter, Dr Paul Charlton, Harry Keenan and Professor Nick Bosanquet

Publication date: 1 December 2009

The negative consequences of too much regulation

"Cure or disease? The unintended consequences of regulation"  (PDF)

Author: Keith Boyfield

Publication Date: 7 October 2009

This report argues that too much regulation can have damaging consequences. The author acknowledges the calls for tighter regulation of the banking industry following the credit crunch but notes that regulation in the areas of agriculture, fisheries and health and safety have had dangerous unforeseen consequences.

Efficient use of high value equipment in the NHS

"NHS Machines - Utilisation of high-value equipment at NHS Trusts"(PDF)

Author: Katherine Andrew

Publication date: September 2009

This report deals with the efficient use of the high-value machines used at NHS sites. The report claims that there is a great variation between how effectively NHS Trusts use high value equipment. In the age of financial hardship and an ageing population the report emphasises that it is critical that the NHS makes full and effective use of the resources at its disposal.