In 2018, IPPR published Better Health and Care for All in the 2020s, an independent review of the NHS and social care chaired by Lord Ara Darzi. This groundbreaking review established IPPR as the most influential health policy think tank in the UK, helping to secure the NHS a new funding deal – worth £20.5bn by 2023 – and shaping the NHS Long-Term Plan which set out how this money will be invested. 

Since then IPPR has created a permanent Better Health and Care Programme at IPPR, chaired by Lord Ara Darzi. This programme has already published a range of outputs which have shaped policy thinking on issues as diverse as prevention and social care. However, with a new Prime Minister, new government and Brexit, there is an urgent need for evidence that holds government to account on its commitments - to ensure key health issues continue to be prioritised, and that progressive policy is forthcoming.

IPPR will look to address this need through major publications, regular media interventions and events that bring together policy makers and innovative thinkers to address the big questions of the day. The programme will continue to be chaired by Lord Darzi and governed by an advisory panel.

The research of the Better Health and Care Programme fits into six key themes:

1. Sustainable funding for health and social care

• Funding requirements for the NHS in the 2020
• A new funding settlement for social care
• Properly resourcing public health and prevention

2. A frontier NHS

• Creating a digital and data first NHS
• Enabling the life science sector to flourish
• Spreading best practise across the NHS

3. Provider reform

• Supporting the creation of integrated care
• Shifting care into the community
• Empowering patients and communities

4. System reform

• Simplifying the NHS landscape
• Integrating health and care commissioning
• Creating population health systems

5. The future workforce

• Defining the workforce of the future
• Reducing workforce shortages now
• Reforming workforce planning and immigration policy

6. Health and social justice

• Putting prevention at the heart of the NHS
• Reforming public health
• Addressing the social determinants

The Better Health and Care Programme is also shifting its research in the current context with research projects designed to support our response to the Covid-19 crisis and learn the lessons of the crisis for the future. 

We are very grateful to our core funders. These are AstraZeneca, Carnall Farrar, Gilead Sciences, GSK, Independent Age, Lilly UK and Siemens Healthineers.