- Date published
- June 2007
- Pages
- 14
- Download publication [313kb PDF]
This booklet sets out what The Health Foundation is and what we do.
Background
Despite record levels of investment in the NHS in recent years and improvements in some services, there are still fundamental problems with the way healthcare is delivered. Healthcare needs and services are changing rapidly. Approaches that were suitable in the past are often no longer effective.
Who we are
The Health Foundation is a charitable foundation working to improve the quality of healthcare across the UK and beyond. In partnership with others, we are helping to shape a future healthcare system that offers safe, effective and responsive care for all.
We are independent of government, political parties, the commercial sector or other interest groups. This allows us to take a long-term view and to work across professional and national boundaries.
What we do
Our endowment enables us to spend more than £20 million each year to find ways to improve patient care. Through projects, research and evaluation studies we test and measure new ways of improving healthcare. Our initiatives and award schemes seek out the best people in healthcare and support them to learn and share with others.
We aim to use the evidence generated from our work to influence healthcare policy and achieve sustainable and widespread improvements in the quality of patient care. We want to close the gap between what we know to be the best care and what patients routinely receive.
How we do it
We are The Health Foundation sets out how we’re:
- supporting the development of quality improvement skills
- closing the gaps between current and best practice
- testing innovative new methods for improving the quality of health services.
Key people involved in our initiatives and award schemes talk about the improvements they are bringing about for patient care.
Our strategic aims
The programme guide shows how each of our initiatives or schemes relates to our five strategic aims:
- supporting patients’ active contribution to better health and healthcare outcomes
- engaging with clinical communities to improve healthcare quality and value
- transforming organisations to deliver safer patient care
- developing leadership for quality improvement
- building and promoting knowledge on how to improve care.
