By The King’s Fund (September 2012)
The UK has the second highest rate of mortality amenable to health care among 16 high-income countries, and evidence shows that variations in health outcomes between social groups are widening. This paper (the first in a series on the future of health and social care in England) explores how the current health and social care delivery system has failed to keep pace with the population’s needs and expectations. It argues that incremental changes to existing models of care will not be sufficient in addressing these challenges and that a much bolder approach is needed to bring about innovative models that are appropriate to the needs of the population and are high quality, sustainable and offer value for money.