Outputs

For the Department of Health, PIRU investigated policy needs for simulation and modelling of social care service innovations, and looked at the extent of modelling expertise available in the UK.

We can surely only get healthier, it would seem, when the public sector, academics and voluntary organisations team up with the food, drinks and leisure sectors to promote healthy living. That’s the claim behind the Government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal.

PIRU provided two guidance notes to the Department of Health on issues to do with evaluating the DRW pilots, one in 2011, the other in 2012.

With the Government’s White Paper on Social Care expected soon, all eyes are turned to an area of just a few hundred square metres in Westminster.

This scoping review was carried out by PIRU in order to support the development of the evaluation of the Public Health Responsibility Deal in England.

We know that health services need a shake-up. How else can we meet ever increasing demand while holding down costs and improving quality and productivity? But shake-ups, involving novel combinations of technology, services and infrastructure, can do a lot of damage - and still fail to achieve their goals.

This is the final report from our horizon scanning exercise to anticipate new challenges facing the health care system over the next 5 years and to provide guidance on areas where there is a need for further research.

This is our report: “Non-drug treatments for symptoms in dementia: an overview of systematic reviews of non-pharmacological interventions in the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms and challenging behaviours in patients with dementia”.

The recent Department of Health report, ‘Innovation, Health and Wealth’ tells an intriguing story about the potential economic benefits of the  NHS. It goes further than rehearsing how it helps to develop a healthy, productive and economically active population.

PIRU provided two guidance notes to the Department of Health on issues to do with evaluating the DRW pilots, one in 2011, the other in 2012.

There is wide concern about anti-psychotic drugs being prescribed far too readily for patients with dementia, particularly in care homes. The so-called ‘chemical cosh’ has been blamed by government-commissioned research for the premature deaths of 1,800 people a year.

PIRU provided a guidance note to the Department of Health on issues to do with evaluating the pilot programme.

What could be offered to dementia patients as an alternative to anti-psychotic drugs? Should payment for drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes depend on how long people stay clean when they are discharged? Could changes to dental contracts improve patient care?