NHS Grades – What healthcare market researcher’s need to know October 21, 2015 During the 19th Century there was a growing sense that universal healthcare provision was the sign of a civilised society. However, it wasn’t until the Second World War, which saw the introduction of a widespread emergency medical service and led to major systemic changes in society, that the foundations of the NHS were truly laid. So in 1948, the old mix of paid-for and charitable provision was replaced by a national healthcare provision that was free to all, something that remains the largest publicly funded healthcare service in the world. Within the British healthcare service, there is a structured medical hierarchy that until 2005 had changed little over the decades, with NHS doctors categorised according to their level of training, experience and specialty. written by GKA Read more
NHS procurement and healthcare market research October 8, 2015 What is purchasing and procurement? Purchasing and procurement refers to the process of acquiring different goods, works and services to help support the clinical priorities, health and wellbeing outcomes, and organisational objectives of the NHS. It is separate from commissioning, which is the process of determining the healthcare needs of the local population and providing the services to do so. Purchasing and procurement arrangements compliment commissioning arrangements to ensure that Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) can serve their local populations appropriately. written by GKA Read more
Are market research online communities on your to do list? September 29, 2015 Market research online communities (MROCs) are bringing healthcare market research into the 21st century, offering an innovative way for researchers to take advantage of the fact that today we are living in a digital world. As we discussed in a previous blog, market research online communities are employing web interfaces and social media tools to learn directly from patients about their experiences. written by GKA Read more
NHS Commissioning explained… September 17, 2015 What is commissioning? At its most basic level, commissioning is the process of planning, agreeing, buying and monitoring healthcare provision in order to meet the needs of patients in England. This involves commissioning or developing services within the internal NHS market, and also buying in services from private providers. written by GKA Read more
The impact of patient empowerment in medical market research August 12, 2015 In today’s healthcare environment, patient empowerment is a top concern. Pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers often tout it, advising patients that they can and should be directly involved in deciding on their treatment options. Even the government is actively encouraging patient choice and working to educate people on how they can select their own GPs, hospitals, consultants, and treatments. written by GKA Read more
Stem Cell Transplants – transforming the cancer battleground July 15, 2015 Cancer remains the second largest cause of death in the UK. While diagnosis and treatments continue to improve thanks to the work done by world-leading researchers and specialist experts, there is still much to learn, and a very long way to go, before we can completely defeat this dreadful disease. One scientific area that may yet prove to be highly influential in discovering a cure for cancer is cancer stem cell research. One place dedicated to pioneering, world-leading research and improving our understanding of the role cancer stem cells play is the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute. written by GKA Read more