What is the Times Health Commission? Its aims explained (15 January 2023)

Summary

This article in The Times explains why the Times Health Commission was set up, what it aims to achieve and how it will do this. The year-long commission aims to address the most urgent challenges facing health and social care including the growing pressure on budgets, the A&E crisis, rising waiting lists, health inequalities, obesity and the ageing population. Commissioners will draw up recommendations in ten areas to identify problems and find solutions. The Commission will publish its final report in January 2024.

Content

The Commission will draw up recommendations for reform in the following ten areas:

1. The funding model for health and social care
2. GPs and pharmacists
3. Hospitals, waiting lists and maternity provision
4. Social care
5. Workforce—including recruitment, retention and training
6. Cancer
7. Obesity
8. Mental health
9. The role of new technology
10. Health inequalities