Blogs

Our blogs highlight the voices of people working across the health and social care sector, talking about a range of timely issues.

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- 17 January 2024
Flu and COVID-19 vaccines – How you can get winter strong
Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, Consultant Epidemiologist for Immunisation, UK Health Security Agency
During winter, many respiratory viruses are more prevalent. The risk these illnesses pose is higher for people living with long term health conditions. They are more likely to experience more serious symptoms and require hospitalisation. In this blog entry, we will explore the benefits of each vaccine, how to access them and get #WinterStrong.
- COVID-19
- 8 December 2023
Rebecca Steinfeld’s Reflections on Four Years at National Voices
Dr Rebecca Steinfeld
After nearly four years at National Voices, it’s time for me to say goodbye.
- How Can We Dismantle Health Inequity Together?
- Be The Change
- VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance
- Systems for Change
- Health inequalities
- Person-centred care
- Primary care
- Integrated care
- 4 December 2023
Do we fully understand the realities of moving care closer to home?
Sarah Berry
Sarah Berry, Public Affairs Manager, British Society for Rheumatology writes about the recent findings of the Lord Public Services Committee report, Homecare Services: An opportunity lost.
- Digital health and care
- Person-centred care
- 23 November 2023
Carers Rights: today, tomorrow and in the future
Emily Holzhausen
Most people will care at some point in their lives for a family member or a close friend who is older, chronically ill or is disabled and needs support, but don’t recognise themselves as unpaid carers.
- Person-centred care
- Health inequalities
- Communication and administration
- 21 November 2023
Making better use of NHS data: Where we’re at with the Federated Data Platform (FDP)
Jacob Lant, Nicola Perrin (Association of Medical Research Charities), Dr Nicola Byrne (National Data Guardian) and Nicola Hamilton (Understanding Patient Data).
NHS England will soon be announcing who has won the contract to provide the NHS with a Federated Data Platform (FDP), and many people have been asking what this is all about. Therefore, we are jointly publishing this blog to provide some context and direct you to reliable sources where you can find accurate information or ask questions if needed.
- Communication and administration
- 25 October 2023
Tackling health inequalities in breast cancer
Simon Vincent
Disparities between communities and groups can lead to inequity in health outcomes and in the support that people receive. To truly tackle these, we need more medical research, better data, inclusive awareness and health programmes, tailored support, and campaigning. Comprehensive health charities like Breast Cancer Now need to make sure all their work is coordinated if we are going to make a difference.
- Health inequalities
- 4 October 2023
Listening to diverse communities – why patients’ voices matter
Dr Henrietta Hughes
This blog from the Patient Safety Commissioner Dr Henrietta Hughes outlines the importance of listening to patients and staff from diverse communities to identify and act on patient safety issues – and how to make this happen.
- Lived experience
- Communication and administration
- 21 September 2023
UK Covid-19 Inquiry: how can my organisation share our members’ experiences of the pandemic?
Ben Connah
I am Ben Connah, the Secretary to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. I am responsible for the administration of the Inquiry and supporting the former Court of Appeal judge Baroness Hallett to fulfil her responsibilities as Chair of the Inquiry. I work for her and a key part of my role is making sure our work is independent of the government.
- Unequal Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19
- Lived experience
- 21 September 2023
Will the Covid Inquiry give communities the sense of closure we all need?
Jacob Lant
It is fair to say that the Covid Inquiry had a slow start. It took two years between Prime Minister Johnson announcing that we would indeed have an Inquiry in May 2021, and the first public hearing in June this year. In the meantime, “partygate” and other scandals further dented the already low level of public confidence in our country’s leadership, institutions, and legal processes.
- Unequal Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19
- Health inequalities
- Lived experience
- 29 August 2023
Can or should the NHS expect more from patients and communities?
Jacob Lant
The idea of a social contract between the NHS and the public will only work if it is based on a new ongoing, two-way relationship. This must be supported by an acceptance that the knowledge needed to fix our country’s challenges lies in communities.
- Lived experience
- Communication and administration
- Health inequalities