Keith Palmer
Recent Papers on Health Policy and Management
Economic Regulation of the Health System in England
A submission to the Currie review of healthcare regulation in England, 2005. The paper suggests a framework for quality and economic regulation of healthcare in the reformed NHS in England. The policies adopted by the UK Government in 2011 are similar in many respects to the proposals set out in this paper.
Download 'Economic Regulation of the Health System in England' paper (doc 0.08mb)
Reconfiguring Hospital Services, published by the Kings Fund March 2011.
The paper considers the quality of care and financial impacts of proposals to reconfigure hospital services in south-east London; and draws out lessons for the rest of the NHS in England about the merits of hospital reconfiguration as a means of driving up quality and driving down costs.
Download 'Reconfiguring Hospital Services, published by the Kings Fund March 2011.' paper (pdf 0.82mb)
Sunk Estate, February 2008
The paper considers how payment by results affects the affordability of PFI hospitals and suggests reform of capital costs funding.
Published in Healthcare Finance
Download 'Sunk Estate, February 2008' paper (pdf 2.6mb)
Analysis of the causes of the Queen Elizabeth NHS hospital trust deficit
The paper analyses the causes of the financial deficits at Queen Elizabeth Woolwich NHS trust and shows that more than half of the underlying deficit is caused by underfunding of PFI related capital costs in PbR tariffs. CEPA briefing paper December 2006
Download 'Analysis of the causes of the Queen Elizabeth NHS hospital trust deficit' paper (pdf 0.33mb)
NHS Reform: getting back on track
The paper argues that perverse incentives built into the reform instruments will prevent achievement of the government's healthcare objectives and proposes modifications to the reform instruments which, if adopted, would improve the likelihood that those objectives are achieved. Kings Fund discussion paper, October 2006
Download 'NHS Reform: getting back on track' paper (pdf 0.31mb)
How should we deal with hospital failure? Facing the challenges of the new NHS market
The paper considers the issues surrounding failing NHS hospitals and sets out ways that hospital failure could be dealt in the NHS. Kings Fund discussion paper, December 2005. Many of the proposals in the paper were adopted by the UK Government in 2011.
Download 'How should we deal with hospital failure? Facing the challenges of the new NHS market' paper (pdf 0.16mb)
NHS Reform: Will it deliver the desired health outcomes?
The paper explained why the interaction of the NHS reform instruments work to inhibit progress towards achieving the government's healthcare objectives and proposed enhancements to the reform instruments so as to improve patient outcomes. Paper presented at a Kings Fund seminar, March 2005.
Download 'NHS Reform: Will it deliver the desired health outcomes?' paper (pdf 0.42mb)
Further papers on Health Policy and Management