The King's Fund: Making care closer to home a reality (13 February 2024)

Summary

This report by The King's Fund argues that the health and care system in England must shift its focus away from hospital care to primary and community services if it is to be effective and sustainable. It looks at a wholesale shift in the focus towards primary and community health and care across leadership, culture and implementation.

Successive governments have repeated a vision of health and care services focused on communities rather than hospitals, but that vision is very far from being achieved. The report outlines research that explored the underlying factors that have prevented change, and what might need to be done to achieve the vision. The researchers analysed published evidence and national datasets, and interviewed stakeholders across the health and care system.

The report concludes that to achieve community-based care, political and other national leaders will need to completely shift their focus away from hospitals towards primary and community health and care.