Special Report: NHS Reforms

Following the recent criticism of the proposed reforms to the NHS, the Elements team wanted to investigate their impact on both health professionals and the public.

In an Elements first, our contributors have created a series of special reports about these potential changes, and particularly the contentious issue of General Practitioners (GPs) commissioning healthcare services.

Last Thursday, saw the team go out on location, and here are the results.

Jack Serle reports on the motivations for the Health and Social Care Bill.
 
 

As the NHS reform programme continues to attract attention, Lorna Powell finds out how those at the sharp end view these root-and-branch changes.
 

Doctors are often among the most-trusted professionals in the UK. Anka Lindemann and Mike Jones examine where that trust is generated and whether it still exists in the wake of the proposed NHS reforms.
 

With the impending NHS reorganisation Abi Millar asks whether the changes are political spin doctoring or evidence based.
 

Richard Masters takes a look at how the NHS reforms could throw up some ethical problems for GPs.
 

The NHS reforms will change many people’s job roles within the health service, not just GPs. Louise Ogden reports on how other healthcare professionals will be affected by these changes.
 

Another area that may be affected is dental health care. Beki Hill spoke to industry insiders to find out what they think of the changes in general, and asked them for their views on Monitor, the system currently in place to oversee various elements of the healthcare system.
 

The proposed reforms in the NHS will affect not only current GPs but also the future generation of health professionals. Fareha Lasker and Débora Miranda asked medical students whether the changes in the system would affect their view of the General Practice specialism.
 
James Brooks evaluates the possible impact of the NHS reforms and “value based pricing” on UK drug companies
 

Djuke Veldhuis looks at the history of health care in the UK. Are the reforms an upheaval of historic proportions?
 

Editorial: Louise Ogden discusses the concerns that NHS staff have about the proposed reforms.
 

For a quick run-down of all of these topics, take a look at the latest podcast from Beki, Richard and Louise.